Emergency dash to Broken Hill saves puppies

Furever Friends founder Jess Woodford was one of the two volunteers who made a 24-hour round trip to Broken Hill on November 21 after learning a number of the animals at a pound there were destined to be put down. 

As well as the 12 puppies, who are all under 12 weeks old, the pair also rescued three kittens, a four-month old puppy, a five-month dog and four other adult dogs, including one pregnant dog.

Ms Woodford said the reality was if animals were in pounds and no-one adopted them, non-microchipped and surrendered animals usually had only a seven-day window before they were put down.

Ms Woodford said she came up with the idea of hiring a trailer and travelling to Broken Hill to rescue the animals after realising how much it would save the not-for-profit group. 

"We usually pay to get them transported back to Bendigo," she said.

"When it’s one or two dogs it's not too bad, but with 18 dogs and a few cats it would have been more than $2000, instead, by doing it ourselves, it cost $500."

She said the group had embarked road rescue missions before but the road trip to Broken Hill was a first.

"It was 17 hours driving non-stop, we did it all in a 24-hour period," she said. 

"We've done Swan Hill a few times but that’s as far as I've gone."

She said all the rescued animals travelled well on the long drive back, which was conducted partially under the cover of darkness.

"We were going to come back on the Saturday but it was going to be 44 degrees up there," she said.

"So we travelled up on Friday when it was cooler and came back at night so no-one got dehydrated."

The puppies, dogs and kittens are all in temporary foster homes and while none were ready for adoption yet, Furever Friends were taking names and numbers of those serious about adopting them.

"They’re doing really well, and putting on weight," she said.

Furever Friends is also calling for more foster carers, with summer a common time for pets to be dumped.

"This is time of year we’re always in desperate need of foster carers," Ms Woodford said.

"It's kitten season plus at Christmas everyone goes away, we do get stuck with a lot of dogs and cats at this time of year, and adoptions go down too.

"The more carers we have the more lives we can save, it's that simple."

For information, phone Ms Woodward on 0488 602 977.