When you hear the phrase “International Rescue” you might think of Thunderbirds, but for Hampshire residents, it can only mean Chimney Farm International Dog Rescue and Jennifer Avila, the real-life hero who runs it.
Jennifer trained as a veterinary nurse, but while on holiday in Crete one year, she was moved by the plight of the stray dogs on the island. She ended up helping out at a Cretan dog shelter for six weeks, and now, twenty-seven years later, she is still rescuing dogs both in Crete and in the UK.
How did you come to start the rescue?
It was never my plan to start a charity, it kind of happened with the plight of twenty-eight dogs from Romania, and we realised we were actually good at rescuing dogs and finding good homes. And that it was fulfilling and very much needed.
Whilst in Crete on a project I met my husband and ended up moving to Crete in 2015 for two and a half years. During that time the rescue really took off; there were so many dogs in need in Crete, we couldn’t leave the house without finding puppies in dustbins, dogs buried alive, poisoned, shot. It didn’t end. Most weeks we had between ten and eighteen dogs living with us. It was a lot of work but a lot of fun. We would foster them at home, then transport the dogs to our UK base for rehoming.
Since 2014 the rescue went full time and full speed, and we have managed to rescue so many dogs in need from so many countries – UK, Spain, France, Korea, Egypt, Greece, and others.
What is a typical day like for you and your team?
The day usually starts at 8:30am after I have walked my three dogs. Depending on how many dogs we have in UK foster trying to find homes, the day consists of promotion of the dogs, social media, website, applications, home checks, liaising with fosters, team members, managing the preparations for dogs abroad, travel arrangements, logistics, and documentation. The list is long and you start with a daily to-do list, but inevitably this grows and changes each day.
What could a new volunteer expect when joining the team?
We are only a small team with some lovely volunteers who give as much time as they can. We always need more volunteers, especially those with competent IT skills, as I can just about navigate Facebook. Fosters are always needed; the more foster homes we have, the more dogs we can help. Help can be remotely or in person. There are many tasks we need help with, so please do visit the website. Volunteers who can give us some of their time will become part of a team of passionate, dedicated people who do what we can to change the lives for dogs in need.