sponsor a dog
You can support these special dogs by either a one-off donation starting at €5 or by a subscription throughout the year, using our secure online payment platform.
For your subscription, you will receive a certificate by download link with receipt or you can supply your postal address in the payment form and we post to you. Also we will update on your chosen dog once a year. You can gift this to someone for that special occasion. If you have any queries, please email us at sponsor@madra.ie
Pick me!
Hello, Cash here!
I’m a 7 year old greyhound living my best life with my foster Mammy, Kerry, up in the big smoke. I’ve been living with Kerry for a couple of years now having had a couple of failed adoptions….I know, awful isn’t it! Let me tell you what happened. Us greyhounds are a stoic bunch at times and I was holding pain in my shoulder for a long time, probably from an old injury in my youth. Sometimes the pain became unbearable and when a human touch would come I snapped. I guess it was scary for people when I did this as I’m a big guy, but I’m a gentle giant, anyone that really knows me will tell you that. Thankfully now that I have that issue diagnosed, I’m getting treatment and I don’t feel the horrible pain anymore. But sadly all of that and my natural anxious personality has taken its toll on me recently. I’ve lost a few pals in the last few years too as they’ve either left for new homes or flown to the rainbow bridge, ones that I’ve been very attached to and I’ve taken it hard. So I’m also on meds to help with my anxiety and not feel so overwhelmed with the world. I need regular check-ups at the vets because of my old injuries too so it all adds up for the MADRA team. That’s where I’m hoping you come in, if you can spare a donation and help with my sponsorship, I and the MADRA team would be so grateful.
Hey…. I’m Holly
They call me a little darling and I came to MADRA in March of 2019 with a very bad skin condition and found myself very underweight. I was really stressed, scared and exhausted.
Then I was taken under the special caring wing of Jean and her family who love and care for me dearly. It is true to say I’ve landed on all four paws getting such good TLC.
I’m so happy to meet you. My foster mum says I have hip dysplasia and that I’ll need surgery, but that doesn’t bother me. I’m too busy chasing butterflies around the garden and playing fetch with my human brothers and sisters.
I also love raiding mum’s apple tree and tossing apples around the garden.
My mum says I’m a talker, always whimpering and barking to make conversation. I love company and have wrapped my dad around my paw – I’m even allowed on the couch!
I love my family, who bring me on lots of small walks so I can rest. My back legs are getting stronger, I’ve even learned how to climb the stairs so there’s no-where I can’t cause mischief now!
(meaning courageous)
We were asked to assist the local authority in the removal of a large number of dogs from a private property. We knew it was going to be tough but we felt that if it was possible at all then we should do our very best to save these unfortunate creatures. These dogs definitely needed us. Today we still have a few of these dogs with us in ongoing care and they have become part of the MADRA family.
The day we met then initially was very difficult and we spent hours ferrying these dogs from the only home they had known, to a strange but safe environment. Our team based themselves at the pound, vaccinating, worming, and microchipping the groups of bewildered dogs as they arrived and moving them on to private boarding kennels for further assessment. They are all Collie-type dogs and all of them are struggling to cope with their change in circumstance. To be fair, they were well fed and were not in poor physical shape, but their coping skills are not good and they have still a long road ahead of them. This is a very clear demonstration of how numbers of animals can get out of control so quickly when you do not neuter.
We took 34 dogs from this situation and as there may still be legal consequences, we will not say anything further or post any photographs from the site. What we will say is that we have 34 new dogs that will all need a strong and supportive foster home until they have the courage to embrace their new lives.
We would like to thank Galway County Council for being so pro-active and sensitive and also the fantastic kennels who have stepped up to help the dogs, and without whom we could not have coped. Helen O’Brien, Michael Gilmore and GalwayKennels thank you so much.
It was a very tough day for the MADRA team too, some of the sights will haunt us for a long time to come, but I am so proud of their compassion, courage and professionalism when dealing with a very sad situation.
