Ron & Jackie
Fosterer Co-ordinator and Irish Website Searcher
Jackie joined the team, initially as a fosterer, but she has taken over the important job of searching the Irish sites for golden retrievers who are in trouble. Whenever possible we also like to help retriever crosses and labradors too but, if we are unable to, then we pass on details to other rescues who may be able to help. This is a very necessary job but it can also be heartbreaking to see all those innocent dogs, many of whom have no chance whatsoever of being saved:((
Hi I am Jackie Married to Ron. I have 3 sons all grown now, well they think they are lol We have 2 dogs of our own and have had 1 foster . As Pauline has explained, I only recently joined the IRR. I came to hear about it through Kaz, whom I met on the pedigree site sometime last year. She told me about all the good work that the IRR do, so I decided to join and see what it was all about. I studied the site closely and watched with great interest what people were doing. I asked Kaz lots of questions about how things worked, especially the fostering part. I was not really sure what I wanted to do, but I really did want to help these poor dogs somehow. The more I talked to Kaz the more I wanted to help, until one day I made a very important decision in my life. I asked my hubby Ron, my mum and my sons what they thought of my idea. They all said what I was expecting them to say, which was. 1. You’ll get too attached to the dogs 2. You will want to keep them all. I had to convince myself that that number 2 wouldn’t happen. As far as getting attached, I don’t think anyone could not get attached to these little darlings, if they have a heart. So that’s the first part covered. As far as wanting to keep them all (well sshhh I’m still working on that bit J ) So after a lot of consideration, I asked if I could be a fosterer. I had a home check which I passed, and patiently not lol waited for my first foster. Which was a little Lab called Dixie.
Here is a photo of My Goldie Bridie, My Shih Tzu Gizmo, and My Dixielab who is now at Rainbow Bridge.
Unfortunately Dixie became very ill and passed away a week later. We were totally heartbroken, but had to think in this way, that at least she found love and comfort in her last couple of weeks, probably something she had never had. We had plenty of support and wishes from all in the IRR especially Lorraine, Pauline, Joy and my friend Kaz. Without their support I don’t think I could have got through it. It was a couple of weeks after this happened that I wanted to help even more, as Dixie had a forever home to go to, now the family were without a dog. So there was me searching everywhere I could on the net to find another dog for them. I had a few words with Joy and Pauline, and Joy came up with the Irish dog’s website, so there I was everyday hunting through the dogs. Joy gave me the email address for the lab rescue here in England, so I now look for Goldies and Labs, and I think although as Donna said above it can be a very hard job looking at all those dogs that we cant help, It’s a happy and rewarding time when there are dogs that you do save from being PTS. This is how I got my job as The Irish Web Searcher I was brought up with Goldies. My dad used to breed and show them when I was little, and I even had a go at showing them too.
Here is a pic of me when I was only 5 where I won.
So you can see a lot of my life has been spent around dogs.