Massive thank you to all who took part, the day was a great success (even the sun was shining) and we managed to raise over £1400!!
The money will be split equally between the two charities and continue to help with rescues and animal welfare.
Hope to see you for the Mutt Strutt 2011.
Thanks again

I know it is never a good time to give you all bad news but I also know that all of you who have read my books would want to know. Nowzad Dogs is more like a family than a charity. It is amazing how many of you feel a connection with this charity and so I have to tell you about one of the dogs that so many people ask us about daily.

Fizzdog the Rottie, who was not an Afghan dog but our original dog that myself and Lisa have had since we first got married over 10 years ago and featured prominently in ‘No Place like Home’ died suddenly last night. She had recently been diagnosed with throat cancer but we had been told she was making good progress but, without warning, she took a turn for the worse. I took her into the vets but never brought her home.

To say we are gutted is an understatement. Fizzdog really did start Nowzad Dogs as she was my first proper dog, (parents dogs don’t count) and Fizzdog allowed Nowzad and Tali into her home without question. Just last night at an awards ceremony for young people who had accomplished their Silver Duke of Edinburgh award, Fizzdog had been mentioned on stage by one of the teenagers as she had helped the young girl overcome the hardships of the expedition as well conquering her fear of dogs. Fizzdog always came with me on trips in the mountains whilst I was working – probably with the alternative notion of indulging her passion for spying on sheep I think – but she loved all my clients, especially when they were children and she would never want to leave their side. Just because somebody didn’t like dogs never deterred the Fizzdog monster from winning them over. And Fizzdog loved being part of her pack, even if they were all foreigners who barked a lot!

But now, she is not here any longer and even with five other dogs the house feels so empty. So I need a favour from our family of supporters this week please.

Please support us by making the effort to tell somebody else about the work of Nowzad Dogs – the dogs in Afghan won’t ever have a chance of doing what Fizzdog achieved in her 11 years. I can’t even type this without choking up, imagine how a soldier feels when the Afghan stray that that has given them something positive to focus on during their tour of duty has to be left behind..

So please, everybody who has read about Fizzdog make the effort this week to send that email or make a phone call or tweet or blog about the Nowzad Dogs charity.

And Fizzdog is finally free to chase her sheep.

Please sign up and nominate Nowzad for Lost & Fond's charity of the year!
Nominations will close on the 30th April and the ten charities with the most nominations will then go on to be shortlisted! Please help us to make that list.

RRWT moves into the lead

This graph above is a snapshot of votes cast so far in the race to be Lost & Fond's next Charity of the Year.

The Rhodesian Ridgeback Welfare Trust has taken the lead from Nowzad Dogs with the Oldies Club in third place. In fourth place is the Retired Greyhound Trust followed by Hounds for Heroes, Happy Endings and the Blue Cross. But if you have not voted yet there's still three weeks to choose which of the seven finalists you would like to see receive donations from both Lost & Fond AND our users for the 12 months from August 2011.

It's only ONE vote per person - but do feel free to send animal lovers you know to our Nominated Charities page to find out more and cast their vote. That page includes links to the official websites of all our seven finalists so you can find out more if you are undecided about who should get your vote. It's not necessarily the biggest charity that will win - but the one that mobilises voters the best.