May was a month that saw some extremes when it comes to raising funds and awareness for Schnauzerfest. There was Anna abseiling in Portsmouth and here Jill shares her far quieter, but equally impactful challenge in Northern Ireland.
I have long admired Schnauzerfest, but my connection deepened in 2020 when we adopted our first rescue schnauzer, wee Ollie. He had spent nine years confined to a crate in a puppy farm. Schnauzerfest covered all his veterinary costs during his time in rescue. Seeing his trauma showed us first hand the life changing work Schnauzerfest does for doggies like Ollie.
Our next schnauzer rescue, little Megan, had severe health issues including Cushing’s disease, diabetes and blindness. Once again, Schnauzerfest covered all her veterinary care, allowing us to stabilise her diabetes and restore vision in one eye through cataract surgery. It transformed her wee world.
Over the years, we have adopted seven schnauzers: Ollie, Megan, Sally, Pippa, Marge, Ziggy and Barney, most from poor breeding environments. Schnauzerfest has supported us in so many ways, and we cannot express how grateful we are.
I have done a few fundraisers for Schnauzerfest over the years, but with ongoing health issues I needed something that did not involve physical activity. Then the penny dropped. My dad has always said that from the moment I started talking, I have not stopped, so the biggest challenge would be for me to quite literally shut up for 24 hours.
I like to talk. A lot. So there was plenty of amusement when I announced my sponsored 24 hour silence, followed by plenty of donations for a bit of peace and quiet. Unsurprisingly, the first donation came from my husband!
Keeping quiet was challenging, but not talking to the dogs was the hardest part. I think they were wondering what on earth was going on. “Is our mum ok?”
In the end, sheer stubbornness got me through. I counted down the hours, relied on pen and paper, the odd game of charades and even a wee nap with the dogs. Somehow, I did it. My husband said it was the best day of his life!
I had hoped to raise £100. In the end, we raised around £800, which still feels a bit unbelievable.
I am so grateful to everyone who supported my sponsored silence.
I love everything that Schnauzerfest stands for. They do not just transform the lives of dogs, they transform the lives of their humans too, and that has certainly been our experience. I will forever champion the work of Schnauzerfest.
