Many Tears Animal Rescue, Wales

Location: Carmarthenshire, Wales

Languages Spoken: English

Species Treated: Predominantly dogs

Animals on site: Approximately 200 dogs (between shelter and foster homes), 10 equines, 5 semi-stray cats

Type of Organisation: Animal Rescue and Rehoming Shelter with onsite vet clinic

Aims of Organisation: Many Tears Animal Rescue (MTAR) is a re-homing shelter for rescue animals. MTAR provides shelter, medical treatment and socialisation to unwanted dogs handed over from pounds, breeders and the public. All dogs are desexed, wormed, vaccinated and microchipped, and provided with any additional medical treatment before they are available to be rehomed

Types of Volunteers Accepted:

– Vets, Vet Nurses and Vet Techs: Confident veterinary professionals are valued in the on-site clinic to work alongside a small team of veterinary staff. Work consists mainly of desexing surgeries and general health checks. Read more below.

– Vet Students: The clinic welcomes veterinary and vet nursing students who would like to gain a great insight into shelter medicine. Read more below.

– Non-Veterinary Volunteers: Dog lovers of all skill levels are needed to help with walking and socialising dogs. Get in touch with the shelter for further info.

Volunteer Fees: None, but donations are always welcomed

Research Links: The shelter is not currently involved in any research projects.

Introduction to Many Tears Animal Rescue

Tucked away on the leafy back-roads of South-Western Wales, the Many Tears Animal Rescue couldn’t be set in a more idyllic location. After following my GPS for 9 hours on the drive down to Scotland, I was pleasantly surprised when the map directed my car to a neat white building hidden between the narrow hedges of a country lane.

After knocking on the wooden door beside the house, I was shown into an expansive maze of buildings and covered kennels, set amongst lush trees and pony-grazed fields. Between the kennels were a number of runs and playpens, which were always filled with a rotating group of dogs, leaping about or bathing in the summer sun.

The shelter itself was a hive of activity, as staff members and volunteers rushed about with their radios- tidying kennels, moving dogs and showing visitors about on tours.

I was welcomed into the small on-site vet clinic, where I met the staff and was set to work checking the in-patients, placing an IV line and then helping the team prepare for the first surgery of the day.

Background of Many Tears

MTAR was founded at its current site by Sylvia and Bill Van Atta. The couple met while working at an animal shelter in the USA. Unsatisfied with the standard of care given to the animals there, they decided to start their own animal rescue.

Sylvia and Bill moved to the UK and purchased Cawdor Kennels in 2004, and MTAR has been growing ever since. MTAR now re-homes up to 3000 dogs each year, employs around 30 staff and supports dozens of foster carers who look after dogs in transition to permanent homes. A small part of the site still operates as a commercial dog boarding kennel, the proceeds of which help to fund the dog shelter. 

Standards of Care for Shelter Dogs

Despite housing over 100 dogs on site and dozens more in foster homes, the shelter employs a very high animal welfare standards. Dogs reside in large covered pens with 3 or 4 others of a similar size for socialisation. Each pen has an indoor section with comfy beds and heat lamps, as well as an outdoor area to stretch their legs. Every dog will get a chance to have a run in one of the many outdoor arenas daily, and many will also get a walk with a staff member or volunteer. Each section of the shelter had its own staff member who is responsible for the dogs each day, and the staff really seem to know their dogs on an individual basis- offering advice on which dogs get along, and what kind of home environment each would be best suited to.

The team go a long way to provide medical care for their dogs, even the ones with fairly serious health conditions. Procedures such as mammary strips and cruciate repair were planned for those animals that needed them, despite the cost and time involved in these procedures. Humane euthanasia was only considered when animals were suffering with no chance of recovery, and this decision was not taken lightly by any of the staff involved.

Facilities

As well as the kennels and dog runs, the Llanelli site also features a small reception, a merchandise shop, a lunging arena for the horses, and a small vet clinic. 

The vet clinic has a dedicated operation room and a multi-functioning prep room. It has all the essential equipment for basic treatments and surgery, including 2 isoflurane anaesthetic machines, an electro-cautery unit and an ultrasound. It does not have an x-ray unit or a dentistry suite. The facilities can support up to 2 vets performing surgery at once. The vet clinic also has a good supply of basic medications and equipment to set up IV fluid therapy if required. 

Volunteer Roles at Many Tears Animal Rescue

Vets and Vet Nurses:

Volunteer vets and vet nurses are needed primarily to perform and monitor basic surgery. This includes a lot of spays and neuters, as well as the occasional hernia repair (inguinal and umbilical). Other common problems treated in the clinic include dental disease, ear infection and skin disease. The clinic employs their own part-time vet (who works 3 days a week) and veterinary care assistants. 

Any level of assistance is greatly welcomed at the shelter. However vets should be confident with basic anaesthesia and surgery without constant supervision, as this is a fairly fast-paced environment. That said, the staff are very supportive and prefer vets who work at their own pace and are honest about their skill-set. There is no pressure to take on procedures that you are not comfortable with.

Despite being a high-volume shelter, the hospital uses propofol induction and gaseous anaesthesia for all procedures and has all the usual premedication/sedation agents available. Many of the dogs are ex-breeding bitches, so this is a great opportunity to build confidence in the dreaded old bitch spay while making a difference to animals in need.

All qualified vets should hold RCVS membership and be registered to work in the UK. Having your own VDS insurance is an advantage, but insurance can also be arranged through the shelter if necessary.

Vet and Nursing Students:

The shelter does accept vet and nursing students who are willing to chip in and lend a hand. While there is a lot that can be learnt at the shelter, vet students should not expect to be performing surgeries here- although this decision will be left to the vet on duty.

Practical Information

Accomodation and Food

Self-catered accommodation may be available to veterinary volunteers in the on-site cabin. The cabin has a bedroom with a double bed, a bathroom with shower, a small kitchen and lounge room with a TV. The kitchen features a microwave and portable hotplate for cooking but no oven. There is no wifi, but an ethernet cable is provided that can plug into a laptop for internet connection. You can also use the shelter washing machine and tumble dryer during your stay if needed. Dogs are welcome to stay in the cabin, but must be confined to a crate when unsupervised.

Food is not provided, but the MTAR is less than a 10 minute drive from the local Aldi in Crosshands, or 20 minutes from the larger supermarkets in Carmarthen.

Working Hours

Veterinary volunteers can be a little flexible with their hours, but generally work is from 8am-4pm or 9am-5pm with a 30 minute lunch break. There is scope to volunteer any day of the week, provided it is organised in advance.

Location- Getting to the Shelter

Address:  Cwmlogin House, Cefneithin, Gorslas, Llanelli SA14 7HB Wales

The MTAR shelter is located in the beautiful region of Llanelli, about an hour west of Cardiff. Its in a fantastic location for exploring rural Wales, with the Brecon Beacons, the historic town of Carmarthen and the picturesque coastline only half an hours drive away.

Due to its rural location, volunteers will require their own transport. The google maps pin location is accurate, so the app can be used to navigate to the site which is just off the A48.

You’ll know you’ve arrived when you see the white building with ‘Cawdor Kennels’ and the MTAR logo on the side. There is plenty of parking on site, just walk around to the front gate and ring the bell to get someone’s attention to be let in.

Further Information

To find out more about volunteering at Many Tears Animal Rescue, check out the Many Tears Website, Facebook page or follow them on Instagram. For enquiries about volunteering, get in touch with Sylvia. If you have further questions about my experience, just use the Contact Me page.

Want to read about other charities that are looking for volunteers? Head to the Volunteering with Animals home page.