Joe Ashton

I’M GOING TO BE HONEST, BECAUSE THIS IS REAL LIFE, NOT A PR CAMPAIGN. I cannot keep carrying this level of worry without asking myself what more I’m supposed to do we sadly aren’t a polished charity with the big names, the celebrity endorsements, the fancy PR or the money to pay for people to give us a few words of support . We were just us. Raw. Real. Determined. And facing the dogs and cases that so many others would rather not look at. We don’t have a big budget to buy attention. We don’t have celebrity privileges to open doors. What we have is experience, compassion, determination and a willingness to stand beside the dogs who need us most, especially the most challenging cases. And here’s what really gets me… Major charities and services reach out to us daily for advice, guidance and help. We know what we’re doing. We have knowledge, experience and a genuine commitment to making a difference. We show up when things are difficult, messy and heartbreaking. Yet when we put our hands up and ask for support, collaboration, media exposure or simply someone to help us get our message out there, it can feel like we’re shouting into a void. Over the past few days, I’ve pushed social media campaigns, made shout-outs, tried to build collaborations and reached out in the hope of finding people who believe in what we do. Even an offer of PR and media volunteer support hasn’t brought the response we hoped for. And there’s another part of this that people may not realise. I do all of this voluntarily. I don’t take a penny in wages. There is no salary waiting at the end of the month for the hours, the worry, the responsibility or the emotional weight that comes with this work. I give my time, my energy and so much of myself because I believe these dogs and their owners deserve the help. walking away simply isn't something I can do lightly. Every single day brings another bill, another expense, another need that cannot simply be ignored. There are real costs behind the scenes, and the financial pressure never seems to take a day off. We can have all the compassion in the world, but we still need resources, practical support, connections and people willing to stand beside us if we’re going to keep doing this work. And I’m left asking myself: What more are we supposed to do? I’m not writing this for sympathy, and I’m not asking anyone to feel sorry for us. I’m asking people to look beyond the size of a charity, the number of followers it has or the famous faces (not) attached to it. Look at the work. Look at the cases. Look at the commitment. Look at what can be achieved when people who genuinely care come together. I don’t want us to spend more time trying to convince people that we deserve support than actually getting that support to the dogs. I want us to be seen for what we ARE. So yes, I’m deflated. I’m worried. I’m questioning what the next step should be. But I’m also reminding myself why we started in the first place. We need PR and media volunteers. We need meaningful collaborations. We need people who can amplify our work, connect us with the right networks, help us raise awareness and turn visibility into practical support. If you can help, please reach out. Every genuine offer of help could make a difference. We might not have the biggest voices in the room, but we have something worth speaking up for. We are raw. We are real. We face the cases others find too difficult. We give our time voluntarily, and we keep showing up because the dogs still need us. We cannot do everything alone, and we shouldn't have to. We’re not asking for applause. We’re asking for people to stand alongside us and help us keep going. Not for recognition. Not for headlines. Not for ourselves. For the dogs. Always for the dogs 🧡 Thank you for listening & goodnight M x