Good bye all!!!

Oh well,

my contract is up now, though I have registered with Unitemps.
I've been too busy to Update the Blog anyway. My house is over run with cats that need homes (10 now) and collecting tins and heaps of bronze coins that need taking to the bank – I reckon £5 of 2p's is enough to brain anyone!!!!

Coventry Cat group will soon have its own website up thanks to Kate of Webdigital.

Petsearch is in the phone book if you need my services…......

Bye' all!

: 27 Apr 2005 16:50 |  Tags: Coventry Cat Home |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

The joys of beginning to look for a new job.

Well, my losing weight and getting fit timetable seems to be slipping (yeah, yeah, yawn) but my search for a new job now begins. My one year contract ends in April (maternity cover) and I believe university policy is that if someone wishes to return to work from their baby having downtime they need only give one months notice.

So, where to begin? Deciding what to do would be a start! Having gone from an IT career to part-time admin so that I can have a life outside of work I certainly like working part-time. I suppose if the right job came up full-time would be OK.

I have enjoyed the lack of responsibility – no staff and no real pressures are good but then the lack of involvement and influence over things is frustrating at times. I miss being more involved but I guess I'm getting that with the volunteering at the moment.

I've come to the conclusion that education is not my industry and would like to do charity work or perhaps SME - somewhere you can become more involved.

Admin is OK, Finance is OK. I also miss any real customer contact and involvement here – I'm used to working in a strong customer-care environment.

Emailed one application out yesterday and posted one just before Xmas but nothing else in the pipeline at the moment. Can I take all the rejection out there?

In reality you don't get too much rejection just a lot of silence….. In todays world of email, it's disgraceful that you don't here from companies you've applied to. Application forms can take ages to complete and a lot of companies don't reply – maybe it's an indication of what sort of employer they might have been.

: 02 Jan 2005 22:52 |  Tags: Job Needed Searching For A Job |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Nothing to rant about

Well, I haven't had to face the drive in to work for nearly 2 weeks now, so I'm calm and collected.

And anyway after the events on Boxing day, all little irritations don't seem to much of a big deal anymore.

: 02 Jan 2005 22:31 |  Tags: Rants |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Another Black Cat wanting a home

This ones a fluffy girl, about 7 or 8 years old and she was a stray for nearly 3 months. She's living in a spare room at the moment (so thats No. 10 in my household!).
She's been to the vet in the last week as she has been quite scabby. The vet assures me its dermatitis and nothing nasty like ringworm. She may need regular injections to keep it under control, though it can be caused by stress and bad diet so fending for herself for 3 months won't have helped!
She's a big-boned cat with a huge appetite, is using a litter tray (though she misses sometimes – it's not the biggest of trays and when she stands in it her bottom hangs a bit). She has a white diamond of fur on her chest and a few of her back toes are off-white.
She's very affectionate and likes having her tummy rubbed.

: 02 Jan 2005 22:21 |  Tags: Coventry Cat Group Cats Needing Homes |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

3 Young Ferals needing home

I've got three young ferals in my pen. Two boys and a girl. They've just been neutered and are around 9 months old.
They are not nasty but scared, though if I treat them to some tinned tuna they don't seem quite as scared of me.
They need to be housed on a farm or garden centre or somewhere similar and will help with vermin control. They will need somewhere outside to shelter and feeding each day.
I used to have 3 ferals living in my greenhouse (I have a large garden), and it was sweet to see them interacting with each other. Two of them used to wander down the garden with their tails entwined.

: 02 Jan 2005 22:12 |  Tags: Coventry Cat Group Cats Needing Homes |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Result!?

Follow-up to Coventry Council not checking pet bodies for microchips from Angela's Petsearch blog

Well since my rant, I've been in touch with the department and they are agreeing to fax me details of road deaths each week.
The first fax arrived just before christmas.

I am also going to see them all one day to demonstrate how the scanners are used. Not that difficult says I, but I've missed one or two in my time.

It will be useful to have the details as I may be able to match them against some of the lost cats reported to me. Most people want to know what has happened – even if the news is bad.

: 02 Jan 2005 22:06 |  Tags: Coventry Petsearch |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Pets at Home tin rattling

Dates for tin rattling in Pets at Home in Canley for 2005 are –
April 23, May 21, June 25, July 23, Aug 20, Sept 24, Oct 22 and Nov 26.

They are all Saturday dates so if you fancy helping out for a day or half a day, get in touch.

Fund raising on Xmas eve raised £141 and about £30 in food. So thanks to all those who donated and of course Gemma the Pets at Home manageress for allowing us to do it!

: 02 Jan 2005 21:58 |  Tags: Coventry Cat Group Fundraising |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

End of the road

Oh well, no more phone checking for Cats protection. Still saves me on my phone bills. I think CP believed it to be a conflict of interest that I am now fund raising for Coventry Cat Group.
This category is now obsolete and I will remove it in a few weeks.

: 02 Jan 2005 21:53 |  Tags: Cats Protection |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Helping Coventry Cats this Christmas

Well, I am now fundraiser for the Coventry Cat Group.
I've been given a handful of collections tins for distribution so if you know of anyone who loves cats and runs a shop who would be willing to display a tin over the christmas period please get in touch.

Needing a xmas present for a cat lover ?- buy them a membership to the group – only £5 (2.50 for oap and £2 for under 16s) – donations always welcome!

Re-starting my ebay auctions soon so if you have any bric-a-brac or unwanted christmas presents that you are happy to donate…....

The group will be tin rattling at Pets at Home, Canley on Xmas eve, so if you see me come and say hello!
If you have a few spare hours is this something you could help with in the future? We have several collections during the year and it would be nice to be able to have a choice of people to call on – not just the regular group who also foster etc….

Thanks and merry Xmas to you all

: 11 Dec 2004 11:52 |  Tags: Coventry Cat Group Fundraising |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Coventry Council not checking pet bodies for microchips

Just sent off a letter to the Coventry Telegraph. Please complain if you feel like it!!!

Coventry Council Street Services and Micro-chipping.

Today a distraught Coventry resident phoned up the Petsearch help-line to let me know that her missing pet cat had been run over and killed last week. The cat was micro-chipped so we were hopeful of being able to trace the animal, knowing that if the cat was taken to a rescue centre, vets or reported to me as a stray, it would be scanned and re-united with its owner. In this instance the cat was positively identified as it was taken into a chemist after the accident and the incident filmed by the security cameras. Street services were called to remove the body.

One of the numbers I advise people to phone in the search for their missing pet is the Coventry City Council Street Services helpline on 0500 834333.
The Street Services team are responsible for picking up animal bodies and at some point went to the expense of buying a microchip scanner so that they could scan domestic animals and therefore, if chipped, contact the owners.

Over the years of running the Petsearch (cats) line, I have heard varying reports about if the scans actually take place. Several people have told me they have been informed by council employees that they do not scan the bodies.

Going by the number of calls I receive each week many of you will know of the worry caused by a pet going missing and those of you who follow the general advice to have you pet micro-chipped will feel justifiably let down by the Street Services. It takes very little time to scan an animal and saves the owner from prolonged worry and effort in trying to find their pet.

I am currently talking to Street Services to ask them to inform me of all domestic animals they collect so that I can add it to my database. In this way, if the scan is not performed or not done correctly, at least we may be able to match the animal up by its description and location.

It seems a waste of Council money that a scanner has been bought but is not being used – Perhaps they would like to donate it to one of the police stations that look after stray dogs when the animal wardens have finished for the day? The Animal Welfare team at the Council also encourage people to microchip their pets and it seems a shame that this attitude is not adopted by other sections of the council.

If you have had experience of this or feel upset enough then can you please complain to the council on the above number, or email at street.services@coventry.gov.uk. Councillor Kevin Foster is the Cabinet Member for City Services and can be emailed at Kevin.foster@coventry.gov.uk or send a letter to the Council house, Earl Street Coventry CV1 5RR.

Angie Willems
Petsearch_Coventry@yahoo.com
02476 765639

: 16 Nov 2004 18:04 |  Tags: Coventry Petsearch |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem