Hi Everyone,

Remember Buttons, founding member of the Netsel Coffee Club with his owner Colins?  His plight continues….

Ru

Formerly DoraMac and now Terra Firma

Campaign launched to free loyal seadog trapped in quarantine after owner’s death

By South Wales Evening Post  |  Posted: July 07, 2015

Buttons is currently in quarantine

A campaign has been launched to free an old seadog trapped in rabies quarantine after his owner died on their luxury yacht.

Loyal pet Buttons was left high-and-dry when his owner Colin Spiers suddenly died after spending seven years sailing the high seas together.

Colin, of Llanddewi Velfrey, West Wales, and his wife Jane, aged 55, lived the dream – travelling around the Mediterranean with 17-year-old loyal pooch Buttons.

Heartbroken Jane tried to bring the Jack Russell-Cairn terrier cross back to Britain after 71-year-old Colin died at sea.

But border chiefs locked-up the little salty seadog over fears he could have rabies – despite being in perfect health.

And Jane is worried the family could face more tragedy if 17-year-old Buttons dies while locked-up for ten weeks in a quarantine kennel.

Jane said: “I am just so frightened that Buttons is going to die behind bars.

“I went to see him in kennels and it broke my heart; he was just so sad and old. He is pining badly for us, and particularly Colin.

“My life at the moment is desperately sad and stressful, further compounded by the heartache of knowing that our much-loved family pet is isolated and away from those who love him so much.”

Colin lived most of his life on the sea – working for the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst – before taking retirement so he could cruise around the Mediterranean.

Dad-of-four Colin, Jane and Buttons left their home in 2008 to travel around the coasts of France, Spain, Italy and Greece.

Wherever they went Buttons would be seen scampering in and out of cabins and across the decks in his little red life jacket.

Jane said: “He’s always been a sparky, plucky little dog.

“He was known on most of the waterfronts on the Med because of his magnificent beard and his fondness for a cappuccino in the mornings.”

They had been living at the Netsel Marina in Marmaris Turkey where Colin was a popular figure in the local sailing community.

Grandfather-of-five Colin was known as “The Mayor” because he helped with so many of the marina activities, organising socials and hosting his own radio show.

But last month he was discovered dead on his “beloved” yacht called Hydaway as he was getting ready to go on his latest voyage.

Colin was buried on a hill near the sea at Icmeler and Buttons returned to the UK – where he was seized by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Buttons – who is suffering from a heart murmur, cataracts, deafness and arthritis – has been held in a quarantine kennel and looks set to be there until the end of August.

Jane added: “Buttons doesn’t understand what he’s done wrong.

“There is no chance that Buttons could be carrying rabies. He is just a victim of a tick box exercise by DEFRA.”

Jane, who is currently in Bath where she is looking after her elderly father, is desperate to be reunited with little Buttons.

Buttons is being held because there was a lapse of just two days in his rabies vaccination more than two years ago.

Jane is “at a loss” as to why Buttons as been quarantined because he is not showing any symptoms of rabies and has a high level of antibodies in his blood.

Eminent vet Ian Wright, the head of The European Scientific Counsel for Companion Animal Parasites UK & Ireland doesn’t believe Buttons is a risk to humans or other animals.

He said: “There is no known carrier state for rabies beyond six months to a year.”

Jane is appealing to Farming, Food and Marine Environment minister George Eustice to “free the bearded one”.

Simon Hart, MP for Carmarthen west and South Pembrokeshire, has written to the minister to say: “This is a case of red tape superseding common sense.”

“I would urge you to intervene in this exceptional case and let Buttons be returned to his family. He quite clearly is not a rabies risk.”

Read more: http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/Loyal-seadog-trapped-quarantine-owner-s-death/story-26848985-detail/story.html#ixzz3fEOysKOd   has more photos  

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