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 ADDITIONAL AND SPECIAL REPORTS In 2008 we created the ICRN team partnerships. On the website, we added the Google search function to MM's pages, created a new MM main banner and did some major content and organizational revisions. We advised on chinchilla neglect/abuse cases in four states and offered much consolation, encouragement and moral support for the many stressed and overloaded U.S. rescues that were bombarded this year with large numbers of surrenders due to the current economic downturn. The Year in Review from ICRN Teammember Lycia in New Zealand: Well, it's been a busy year, that's for sure, from January through to December I have had 8 chinchillas arrive and one arrived pregnant. They all came with issues of some sort, underweight, severely fur chewed, bad wounds from their previous cage mate, emotional problems and they came here either because they weren't wanted anymore by their owner or because the owner couldn't help them sort their issues out and they were getting worse. I can honestly say that the worst to arrive were Kuzo and Ouzo, son and father respectively, (previously they had no names)- these two were skin and bone and only had fur on their heads as they couldn't chew this, I have never cried when rescues came and I've never felt that my heart broke in two- but the day they came to my home- I did. Not only did they look a sorry mess, but they were both so frightened, not of being mishandled, but generally frightened of everything, so there were a few sleepless nights with this pair, but they did quickly learn that the food was for eating, toys for playing and chewing and that my hand was for giving wee chin rubs, which they both love. In fact one now, sits on his shelf and loves his tummy tickles so much, he holds my finger to his tummy and when I stop, he pulls my finger closer to his tummy, the other - when I am gently rubbing behind his ears- he falls asleep- so precious. One that did have me worried was Kazia, her owner was struggling financially and couldn't afford to provide what she needed as well as get her to the vets. She was also severely fur chewing and had a rash on her stomach, between her front and back legs and coming up around her back. She was very use to being handled, but more on her own terms, so getting her to stop moving at the vets was a mission, but thankfully everything was fine and it was all made clearer when Sally explained about her rash as it was something I haven't encountered before, but all understood when I cleaned out the cage she came with- dead flies, urinated on chin sand, dead bugs and even dry fly larvae (yes, from where maggots were hatched). All in all, it took 3 months for her fur to grow back completely. But she is lovely and as soon as she knows I am in the room- she is at the cage door waiting to get out. I was contacted by three people with chinchillas from the same city, and they didn't know why their chins were doing certain things so I have completed home visits and made different recommendations and the chins have all flourished from this and now the families are loving having their chins and not stressed or upset. On average I get an email twice a week from people unsure on things, or health issues, even wanting to know the basics and then there are the regular people (who have become friends) that I help as well. My biggest accomplishment this year was setting up the 'rescue' as a charity. Thinking of a rescue name was the easiest part- Tanzy's Chinchilla Rescue NZ- Yes, the rescue and work I do is all in my first chinchilla's name, and the promise I made to her the day she was euthanised due to malocclusion which her breeder admitted to, my promise was never to forget her and forget what happened to her and to try to prevent things like this happening to others. Originally I thought to become a legal rescue so I can apply for funding to the various agencies when I need things or for special projects, but after my one attempt I quickly gave up, I just don't have the time to run around and get the quotes I need nor do I have people in the same city as myself that I can ask to confirm the 'project' at the time as it's all stuff I am doing. It's a shame, but then being a registered and accepted charity, I won't have the issues of people saying it's not actually true as it is all legal and hopefully, it will give me more backing for what I want to accomplish with the SPCA in 2009. I have all these plans on working with the SPCA to bring out a leaflet, get a best practice guide with them so when there are cases of neglect, there is something to work with. Then there is the Basic Chinchilla Guide that I need to tidy up and get out to pet shops and owners, but this will be done with Sally's input and I just hope she has the time to help me with this. It took me about 3 months to finally complete the chins' rescue site but this is because of having chins arrive here, all the work they need, the jobs I do so I can provide what they need and it seemed each time I sat down to work on it, something else would happen, so that's been a huge job done. I have kept information minimal on health issues, if there is much there at all really, as I will never recommend they contact me over a vet unless it is something basic that I do know and a 'small' thing. I have organised 2 foster homes, one being in the lower North Island and one near the top of the North Island, this is in case chins do need to go to a home quickly and if they cannot stay there permanently, they will come to me. I call them foster homes or safe houses- depends on the situation. A vet in Auckland is more than willing to work with me and my vet and send reports to me if rescues find their way to that home, the Wellington home received 10 chinchillas on the 18th of December through the rescue. Currently one chinchilla will be staying there as a female has been removed from a cage of six and introduced to one of her own single females (all reports are indicating they have bonded very well), the cage with one boy and cage of two boys has been changed a little- the single boy is now happily living with the cage of two boys and these are the friendliest of the group. The remaining cage with five girls are coming to me in early January, 2009. There is a chance that at least two of the females are pregnant, but these ones are slowly coming around now too, although Sandra does refer to them at times as 'feral' as they have only been used for breeding and nothing else. It appears that when kits were born the parents were sold and kits kept to be used for breeding again. One of the chinchillas has been put to sleep, this happened on the second day she was there as she had a neurological issue going on and Sandra is getting the vet to write a report and send it to me. At the moment I am trying not to freak out about 5 coming in one go and thankfully, instead of them all coming- four are being divided in Wellington and Auckland and will remain there as permanent chinchillas, so that has made things easier for me, but needless to say- I do have some major shuffling around to do and cages to build and free up some so I can accommodate them all. That is a bit of a worry at the moment, but they will be fit in and it will work out. I did have a loss this year, my precious Enya became very sick. She fought for five weeks to live and I was there every step of the way, but her wee body was just too frail, and it broke me heart when she passed away. I still find it hard to think of her and not cry. Sally has been a HUGE help, not only with providing encouragement to carry on, helping me understand why Enya passed away and why Kazia had her rash, but being able to vent with someone who understands and just lets me vent. Then sending over things I do need which I wouldn't have been able to afford or even get in this country, even having Critical Care here now- it's such a relief as if I need it- it's here and I don't need to find a veterinary practice in the North Island who has it and worry about not having enough money for it to be sent and hoping it's received in time. This has all helped me no end and having what I need for underweight chins or those with calcium deficiencies, it's a huge relief, but what I cherish above all - is the friendship developed and yup, even Adam's concern too. Also having Matilde's Mission's help with sending the supplies for the chinchillas so they have a nicely stacked cupboard now. That support has helped me get complete cage set-ups for 3 chinchillas, to buy an extra snuggle safe as well as freeing up my own money so I was able to buy 3 rescues and get them all the veterinary treatment they needed. And when they arrived, I knew we would have supplies for them. They were taken care of so I could do these other ones and for that- I am grateful as well. It's been a hard year, but what makes it worthwhile is the friendships I have formed along the way, but more so- seeing the sorry states the chins come in and then what they are like now and seeing their personalities change- that is what does it and gets me through and having 26 at my home now with another 5 coming in the new year it does make it worthwhile. Although it would be heaven to have a weekend off, but after tending to chinchillas every single day for the last five years, I think I'd be at a loss if I wasn't doing something with them for even one night. In 2009 I want to continue and finally get around to working more closely with the various branches of the SPCA's around the country, although from those I have contacted so far, they have advised that should any more chinchillas be handed over to them, my rescue will be contacted first, so that alone is a huge step forward. I also need to finalise an adoption contract legally so should I feel a chinchilla is ready for an adopted home, things are in place should anything go wrong and I can get the wee one back legally. |
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2008 ACHIEVEMENT REPORT 
2008 PROJECTS