Anyone thinking of taking their dog along to the National needs to carefully re-consider as the Seasonal Canine Illness is aparently still a massive problem.
http://www.playfetch.co.uk/dog-blog/mystery-dog-illness-in-norfolk-nottinghamshire-and-suffolk/
Just spotted this post
We’d never heard of the SCI risk to a dogs health from being in forest areas, and athough we are obviously glad to have heard about it at this late stage to take precuations, it is a very late stage for our Sandirngham plans, as Jess is/was a very big part of those plans.
After first hearing that the Rally was to be at Sandringham many many months ago we looked for accommodation that accepted a dog and that was close to Sandringham. We found a lovely cottage at Hunstanton, booked it, and been looking forward to our Rally week away ever since.
The SCI news has come as a bit of blow, as it leaves us with a big dilema. Although we love to take Jess with us everywhere we can, and she is a big part of our MX5ing, if we’d known the dog risks at Sandringham we’d have opted for a weekend away without her and arranged for a family doggy sitter. As it is, family doggy sitters aren’t available at this short notice for a whole week, and we are booked away for the week. We really don’t know what to do about the Rally.
We do appreciate the heads up about the problem from ‘NickandJane’ but feel that if it was general knowledge in the area before now, then perhaps it should have been communicated out sooner through the forum or in the Rally Q & A (which just states dogs welclme).
Hopefully anyone planning to take a dog will have picked up on this to enable them to take any necessary decisions/precautions. Maybe not such a big issue for the vast majority on here, but for any MX5ing pooches it is!
Ray & Beverley, & Jess
If it’s any help, the Rally site away from the woodland areas at Sandringham.
The Game & Country fair us held on the same site each year (2 weeks ago) and I’m sure many dogs attended that show given it’s nature.
If it’s any reassurance, Terry (of RNLI & Sam) is aware of SCI and is happy to bring Sam along to the event.
Sandrigham’s information on it can be read here
As part of the organising team for the National Rally, I have been on a few site visits to the Sandringham site and, as Robbie says, whilst there are a few isolated trees it is not wooded. Also there have been local people walking dogs on the site on each visit, and they didn’t seem too concerned.
Both the Carriage Driving event and the Game and Country Fair held on the same Sandringham site this summer featured working dogs as well as pets, and I have not heard of any problems.
However it is only natural for dog owners to want the best for their “best friends”. Perhaps a call to the local RSPCA would shed more light?
Thank you for the comments and information about the SCI situation and the Sandringham Estate.
We’ve done a bit of research ourselves including talking to our local vet. It seems the jury is still out on the cause, but most seem to suggest it is to do with Harvest Mites in the autumn months local to the affected woodland areas. There are also links to dogs that have travelled some way to these areas, and perhaps haven’t built up immunity to the problem like local pooches have.
We still haven’t decided what to do. The vet’s suggestion was to stay away, or to treat against mites before travelling and stay away from woodland, but that would only work if mites are the issue.
Jess will definitely be with us for our week in Sunny Hunny and looking forward to a swim in sea (her not me ), but not yet sure if you’ll see her or us at the Rally Site.
If not at the Rally, I’m sure we’ll catch some of you out and about in Norfolk doing the organised runs and more .
Regards, Ray & Bev