At a loose end this week?

If you’re handy with a hammer and nails and you have a few hours to devote to a special project, a needy rescue dog could use your help.

Maverick is an ex-racing greyhound who is being looked after by CARE Rescue Cork. Because of an illness, he needs a special wooden chair to help position him so he can eat.

“Maverick is just two years old and was losing weight rapidly, vomiting after everything he ate,” explained St Vincent de Paws.

“After spending days at the vets, it was confirmed that Maverick has a condition known as Megaesophagus. This condition means that Maverick is unable to swallow food normally because his oesophagus lacks the muscular tone and motility needed to move food and water.”

In order for Maverick to be able to swallow food and to try to live as normal a life as possible, he needs a special seat called a Bailey Chair, a doggie high chair that creates a verticle feeding position that prevents reflux and helps dogs to swallow their food.

“These are lifesavers for dogs with this condition. The dogs are unable to eat in a normal position and have to sit upright in order to digest their food. When built it is a simple project that has a lasting impression on the life of a dog with this condition and it helps them to live out their lives as normal as possible.”

Earlier this year, Yay Cork readers rowed in to help Cork flight attendant Xavier Baaradas, who reached out in the hope of finding a carpenter to build a special chair for his labrador Jasper.

Within days he received a message from Belinda Morgan of The Hairy Project, an animal advocacy group that works to help animals and pet owners in need. Belinda had good news; a kind volunteer by the name of Jonathan Keane had been in touch and had offered to build the chair.

Can you help?

“If you guys know of anyone that has a Bailey Chair that they no longer use or if there is a carpenter out there that would like to help by taking on this project to save a dog’s life then please tag them.

“We can send instructions on how they are to be made. Let’s do this and end 2020 on a positive happy note.”