Category: Protection


Help Dolphins on Ocean Day! Support European Dolphin Demonstration for Freedom

Filed under: Animal Abuse, Animal Advocacy, Cruelty to animals, Protection, World News — 3 Comments
June 9, 2013

Reblogged  from   :  Champions for Cetaceans

Posted on June 8, 2013

By Kirsten Massebeau

Ocean day is a day to celebrate our oceans, understand more about them, and take action to help the very bodies of water that give our world life. Part of the amazing underwater world of the oceans are the inhabitants which include dolphins. Highly intelligent with brains as large as mans dolphins remain at the top of the food chain in the ocean. They can easily be categorized as the people of the sea. Dolphin families stay together for a lifetime living in socially complex societies. They recognize themselves in the mirror, and call each other by name. Many scientists today believe that cetaceans deserve status as non-human persons: “They believe dolphins – and their whale cousins – are sufficiently intelligent and self-aware to justify the same ethical considerations given to humans. Recognizing cetaceans’ rights would mean an end to whaling and the captivity of dolphins and whales, or their use in entertainment ”. (source).

Bruges Dolphinarium by Frederich Clemente

Bruges Dolphinarium by Frederich Clemente

Sadly despite the scientific data that deems dolphins unsuitable for captivity the practice continues. Bruges Dolphinarium in Europe is just one example of the terrible dolphin suffering that takes place in Europe and worldwide. Trapped in cement tanks filled with chlorinated water dolphins are forced to spend their lives in suffering for human entertainment, forced to perform tricks for dead fish something that would have never been part of their diet in the wild. In 2005 Toni Frohoff, Ph.D. prepared a report entitled, Report on Observations and Preliminary Assessment at Boudewijn Seapark Dolphinarium in Brugges, Belgium:

Bruges dolfinarium is considered as “substandard”. The fate of our 6 dolphins (more than 30 died Under the Dark Dome) is a good example of cruelty, as Morgan is a good example of commercial cynism of Industry. Dr Toni Frohoff said : “The facility itself appears to be sub-standard compared to many facilities around the world that a) provide a more naturalistic environment for dolphins and b) adhere to international governmental regulations This is especially notable due to the extreme noise and reverberation that is characteristic of an indoor facility (and in particular this one that plays such loud music and encourages loud sounds from the audience as well). In fact, this was the loudest facility of the many that I have visited – and in my opinion, is completely unacceptable and constitutes cruelty to these animals who are well-known for their exquisitely sensitive hearing. Further, the ambient and reverberating noises of the indoor facility pumps and maintenance systems may produce continuous noise from which the dolphins cannot escape” (source)

Many died in the nets as the capture process continued. By SSCS Cove Guardians December 13th, 2012

Many died in the nets as the capture process continued. Those dolphins unwanted for

captivity were  slaughtered for pet food and human consumption.
By SSCS Cove Guardians December 13th, 2012

Read More Here

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Portland cop stops pursuit for duck family, caught on dash cam

Filed under: Animal Advocacy, Protection — 4 Comments
May 18, 2013
Portland cop stops pursuit for duck family, caught on dash cam 1 photo Portlandcopstopspursuitforduckfamilycaughtondashcam1_zps44ebf344.jpg

by TRAVIS PITTMAN / KING 5 News

Posted on May 17, 2013 at 9:12 AM

Updated yesterday at 9:14 AM

A Portland police officer’s pursuit of a speeding driver came to an abrupt halt when the officer stopped for a family of ducks crossing the road, and the whole thing was recorded on the officer’s dash cam.

The video was posted Wednesday, although the date of the incident wasn’t given. It shows a driver going 52 mph in a 35 mph zone.

Officer Mark James begins the pursuit. To add excitement, the video was sped up and high-energy music was added.

Seconds later, James comes upon a family of ducks crossing the four-lane road. The music changes to something more serene as James gets out of his car and escorts the ducks to a ditch and safety.

The speeding driver got away.

Portland cop stops pursuit for duck family, caught on dash cam 2 photo Portlandcopstopspursuitforduckfamilycaughtondashcam2_zps471f9afd.jpg

Watch Video Here

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Distressing scenes as a mother fought to stop her dead calf from sinking into HK’s polluted waters have highlighted plight of iconic pink dolphins

Filed under: Beauty Of Nature, Conservation, Crossroads News : Changes In The World Around Us And Our Place In It, Environmental, Pollution, Protection, Research, Seas / Oceans, Species Extinction., Wildlife — Leave a comment
May 9, 2013

Video of grieving pink dolphin mother underscores plight of disappearing species

 

 

 

Sunday, 05 May, 2013, 2:32pm

Simon Parry and Hazel Knowles

The many economical and ecological benefits to using human excrement and urine as fertiliser are not to be sniffed at. Fred Pearce gets to grips with a sorely underused resource.

10:01PM

 

A pink dolphin is seen in Hong Kong waters.

 

An hour into their journey from Tung Chung pier, the 20 members of the boat party finally got what they had been waiting for – a close encounter with the remaining pink dolphins who still make their home in Hong Kong waters.

 

But as the boat edged closer to the dolphins in the Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park and the eager tourists reached for their cameras, their excitement quickly turned to shock and distress.

 

“There were about four or five dolphins in the water and it seemed at first as if they were trying to get hold of something and support it,” said Ho Tak-ching, 34, a guide with Hong Kong Dolphinwatch. “It really wasn’t normal behaviour.”

 

The dolphins were trying to help a mother support the body of her dead calf and stop it slipping below the water’s surface.

 

“I started to film and it was then that I noticed the dead baby calf. From its size and colour, I guessed it was a newborn. It was so depressing and so very sad. While I was taking the video I couldn’t stop myself crying.

 

“There was a group of four or five dolphins taking turns with the mother to try to keep the baby on the surface of the water. We watched it for about 30 minutes.

 

It was so depressing and so very sad. While I was taking the video I couldn’t stop myself crying

 

“At first, I didn’t want to mention it to the passengers. But then some of them noticed the dead baby. They asked me, ‘How has this happened?’ They seemed very upset. They asked if there was something we could do to help, but I said there was nothing we could do.”

 

Grieving and unable to accept their calves’ deaths, the mother dolphins will spend up to two weeks trying to keep them on the surface of the water, exhausting themselves and going without food as other dolphins rally to help them.

 

These displays of epimeletic, or care-giving, behaviour demonstrate the intelligence and compassion of dolphins.

 

Disturbingly, they have also become an increasingly common sight in Hong Kong waters, where dolphin numbers are already in rapid decline.

 

The sad scene a week ago – captured on video and widely shared on Facebook – was the third separate incident of a dead calf being supported by its mother and other dolphins in Hong Kong waters last month alone.

 

In a scenario that paints a bleak picture for the future of the Hong Kong population, the calves are believed to have been killed by polluted water ingested by the mothers and then passed on to their offspring in their milk.

 

Video: Hong Kong Dolphinwatch

 

Despite being a protected species and a symbol of Hong Kong, figures to be released next month are expected to reveal a further sharp decline in the number of Indo-pacific humpback dolphins – also known as Chinese white dolphins or pink dolphins because of the change in their skin colour as they grow older.

 

Their abundance – or the number of them in Hong Kong waters at any given time – fell from 158 in 2003 to 78 in 2011.

 

Figures for last year are being finalised but will show a further “significant” decline, according to the experts compiling the data.

 

The death of the calves was almost certainly caused by pollutants in the seawater around Hong Kong, said Dolphinwatch spokeswoman Janet Walker.

 

“The toxins from pollutants accumulate in body fat because the dolphins can’t metabolise it and I am told dolphin milk is 40 per cent fat,” she said.

 

“The milk is very rich and fatty so it doesn’t disperse in the water when the mother squirts it out.

 

“That means all the toxins which are collected in the fat cells over 10 or 11 years of the mother living in polluted water goes straight to the first born.”

 

Walker described the death of three newborn dolphins in one month as “horrendous”.

 

She said: “There are not many things that kill babies that little. They are not as likely to get tangled in nets as they used to and I wouldn’t think the deaths were cause by a vessel collision because they stick really close to their mothers. So we think it’s toxins in the mother’s milk.

 

“Ideally, these dolphins should live 30 to 40 years. But here, if they get into their 20s, they are doing well. Half the dead ones every year are juveniles and babies.

 

“It is so frustrating. We have known about the problems facing dolphins for a long time, but no one is doing anything.

 

“The government claims to be doing something but then it is building this bridge to Macau and the third runway at the airport. That is an awful lot of construction in the dolphins’ habitat.”

 

Samuel Hung Ka-yiu with the skull of a dolphin. Photo: Nora Tam

 

Samuel Hung Ka-yiu, chairman of the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society, said he hoped the pitiful video would help people wake up to the reality that Hong Kong is on its way to losing for good the dolphin population first recorded in its waters in the 1600s.

 

“It is heartbreaking to watch,” he said. “You can feel for the mother. Why is she not giving up on the dolphin? It’s because she cannot accept that it has died. And why did it die? It is not the fault of the mother. It is our fault. We are causing this.

 

“The dolphin’s mother has to hold the baby the entire time otherwise it will sink to the bottom and she will do this for a week or two weeks, not eating at all. She is grieving.

 

“And what is causing that grief? It is because of us and everything we have done. I really hope people reflect on that.”

 

Hung, whose group has monitored and campaigned for the conservation of Hong Kong’s dolphin population since the 1990s, said: “I ‘ve never been so pessimistic about the future of our dolphins as I am now.

 

“I always tried to think that we could turn things around. We are able to maybe sustain the population with good conservation measures and good monitoring. But I think the pace of development pressure and the unwillingness to deal with threats like vessel traffic and the reluctance to deal with anything that hinders economic development is just too huge.”

 

In previous years, Hung said, his dolphin group had to deal with two or three threats at a time to dolphin habitat.

 

“Now we are dealing with seven or eight projects at a time,” he said. “It is crazy. There are so many battles to fight.

 

Read Full Article  and  Watch Video Here

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An eight-year-old who suffers from autism, has transformed from a ‘painfully awkward, isolated’ boy into an outgoing chatterbox, thanks to his beloved rescue dog.

Filed under: Animal Advocacy, Animal Rescue Stories, Cruelty to animals, Health, Holistic Health, Medical Research, Protection, Research, Therapy Animals — 9 Comments
May 5, 2013

The ‘warrior puppy’ given a new life after it was found starved near to death… and went on to change the life of the autistic boy who’s now its best friend

 

  • 8-year-old autistic boy who barely spoke transformed into lively chatterbox when met companion Xena
  • Jonny Hickey spent his time playing marbles in silence now he sings while playing with beloved dog
  • Rescue puppy scarred and starved through abuse nicknamed Xena, warrior puppy after making miraculous recovery
  • Family from Georgia found dog on Facebook group, which now has 19,000 fans
  • Research proves companion animals have ‘calming presence’ on autistic children
  • Releasing video updates to support Autism Awareness and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

By Sara Smyth

 

PUBLISHED: 07:01 EST, 29 April 2013 | UPDATED: 11:34 EST, 29 April 2013

 

 

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

 

In just two months, the Staffordshire terrier mix has made Jonny Hickey ‘the happiest child that I’ve ever seen him be,’ according to his mother Linda.

Jonny, from John’s creek, Georgia, barely spoke before meeting Xena. He spent hours playing marbles on his own and was terrified of new experiences.

Scroll down for video

Jonny Hickey, 8, is playful and bubbly when with his beloved dog Xena. His parents say he has become outgoing and sociable since he met his companion

Jonny Hickey, 8, is playful and bubbly when with his beloved dog Xena. His parents say he has become outgoing and sociable since he met his companion

 

Xena is said to have transformed Jonny's personality. The rescue dog was adopted by the Hickey family two months ago. She was being cared for by animal services at the time

Xena is said to have transformed Jonny’s personality. The rescue dog was adopted by the Hickey family two months ago. She was being cared for by animal services at the time

Xena had suffered from extreme neglect when she was found. Here, she weighs four pounds and is unable to stand

Xena had suffered from extreme neglect when she was found. Here, she weighs four pounds and is unable to stand

Xena fought for survival, earning her nickname Warrior Puppy. She was found unconscious but responded when given fluids and food. Cruelty charges are being investigated

Xena fought for survival, earning her nickname Warrior Puppy. She was found unconscious but responded when given fluids and food. Cruelty charges are being investigated

 

Jonny had had difficulty showing affection and was uncomfortable making eye contact. Since Xena has come into his life, he has become tactile and expressive. He cuddles and kisses the terrier

Jonny had had difficulty showing affection and was uncomfortable making eye contact. Since Xena has come into his life, he has become tactile and expressive. He cuddles and kisses the terrier

Xena, the rescue puppy, pictured recovering from her wounds. She was neglected and starved

Xena, the rescue puppy, pictured recovering from her wounds. She was neglected and starved

 

The pair have developed a special relationship since they met two months ago when the family adopted the puppy.

Since then, Jonny has transformed into an affectionate, happy boy who considers Xena his best friend.

Video footage of the pair shows Jonny singing You’ve Got a Friend In Me with Xena on his lap.

In another clip, he said that he and Xena make a ‘pretty perfect team’ and kisses the rescue puppy on the top of his head.

Mother-of-two Linda Hickey, 44, said in an interview with Today.com: ‘These two were destined to be together, to save each other at a level that humans just can’t understand.’

‘From the very first day, that dog was sitting in his lap in the car seat, giving him all these kisses. And that’s where she’s been ever since,’ she said.

The part-time preschool teacher said her son now chatters non-stop, telling her about his day at school.

Xena was brought to an animal shelter in Georgia at the end of last year after she collapsed in someone’s yard.

 

The four-month-old was scarred and emaciated after being dumped in a cage.

Staff at the DeKalb County Animal Services’ shelter in Georgia said Xena weighed four pounds and was close to death, according to Today.com.

Chrissy Kaczynski, from Animal Services said in 12 years of working with rescue dogs, Xena was one of the worst cases she had come across.

The puppy’s rapid recovery led to her nickname Xena the Warrior.

Mrs Hickey found the dog on her Facebook page and met her at a fundraising event last November.

She described the connection between Xena and her son as instantaneous.

Xena was dehydrated and emaciated when she was brought to animal services. She weighed just four pounds

Xena was dehydrated and emaciated when she was brought to animal services

Life has improved in the past few months for both Jonny and Xena, who are inseparable

Life has improved in the past few months for both Jonny and Xena, who are inseparable

Read Full Article  and  Watch Video Here

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Animal Rescue Stories Saturday May 4th, 2013

Filed under: Acts of Kindness, Animal Advocacy, Animal Rescue Stories, Generosity, Goodwill, Protection — Leave a comment
May 4, 2013

 

Scamper

Read heartfelt stories of rescue, and share your rescued animal stories with others.

My mom found Scamper during the summer of 2007 when he was only a few weeks old. He and his siblings were hanging around a bush by the side of a road. He was the only gray kitten in the litter, and he was also the only one who begged for my mom’s attention. So she brought him to our house that we were actually in the process of moving out of at that point. He immediately made himself at home, exploring, sleeping, and getting to know all of us. He was such a cute, scrawny little kitten, and he definitely knew how to play. He also knew how to make himself comfortable. One of the first things I noticed about him was that he liked to stretch out and even lay on his back while he slept, which I had never seen a cat do before. He was obviously very comfortable in his new home and we liked him a lot, so we decided to keep him. Despite our already having a very dominating, territorial female cat who had scared off all other cats who entered her domain, Scamper decided to stay. He didn’t get scared off. Not ever. We brought him with us to our new duplex that we moved into, and we’ve had him ever since. Of our two cats, he is definitely the house cat. The other one stays outside for the most part. Scamper prefers to sleep most of the time, either on my bed, my MOM’S bed, or the couch. But he also loves to play still. He also loves attention, as is evident by his frequent meowing at me to get it. He is definitely not scrawny anymore, he has a pretty good belly on him. But he’s definitely not fat. He’s just a healthy house cat. Scamper and I have become very good friends since the day my mom brought him to our old duplex. In my humble opinion, he is the greatest cat who ever lived. And he is definitely the greatest furry friend I have ever had :)

Lexi Smith
Chico, CA
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Bo the stolen cat

Bo was the neighbors cat. He was named Bo since he walks bow legged. He wasn’t being taken care of. He was skinny and sometimes he would have injuries. At Thanksgiving in 2008, he came to my house limping. He couldn’t step on his front foot. I took him to the vet. He had a bite which got infected. I had him treated and took him home. I was concerned he wouldn’t be taken care of. I talked to his owners. They thought that I had adopted him. They moved and I got Bo. My husband jokes that I stole him. My story is that he stole my heart so I stole him. He appreciates us so much. He likes to be with us. If we watch TV, he sits on the couch with us. He does like sitting on the laptop. I guess it is warm. He knows he is loved and he is one happy cat now. I can save all the animals but I’m glad I got to save my Bo.

Mary
North Salt Lake, UT
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Mecca the Rescued German Shepherd

Mecca is named for the place she was discovered, the Mecca Hills of Palm Springs, CA in late April, 2013. She’s believed to have been abandoned there to die. The kind people that found her knew they couldn’t take her in, but didn’t want to drop her at a shelter either. I spotted a listing for her online one day and my heart went out to the poor girl. I decided to take her in and try to find a rescue for her. Shortly after changing hands, the one year old Mecca weighed in at 60lbs. She was scared, bony, dehydrated, and showed signs of past injury. She’s had xrays, shots, and bloodwork done all in one scary day. Her first few days were frightening for us all, not knowing what could be wrong with her. But her xrays and bloodwork came back clear and she grows stronger every day! After weighing our options, we decided to keep her. I was planning on adopting a rescued dog after my move to Milwaukee in August 2013. I had no place for her in my home in California. But with a lot of help, she was able to be boarded and I can take her out daily for any length of time. She begins her obedience training in two weeks and in three months, she’ll be road tripping from California to Wisconsin where we’ll get the new beginning we both hoped for. The last few years have been hard on me, but just one week with Mecca has made me the happiest I’ve been in such a long time. I’m so thankful this beautiful dog came into my life. <3

Annicka
Brea, CA
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The Long and Sordid Tale of Greta the Great

Greta was intended as a breeding bitch in an effort breed extra-large pit bulls by crossing them with Saint Bernards. During her second heat, she escaped from her owner and came to my farm. We all knew what she was and most people were afraid of her because of her size and lineage. She was hungry, wormy, flea-ridden and didn’t know even basic commands, having been kenneled her whole life. I didn’t want to return her, but knew I couldn’t legally keep her.

I thought about surrendering her to the shelter as a “stray”, fully knowing her louse owner wouldn’t pay to reclaim her. I was counseled against that. Given her breeding, any questionable move during evaluation could send her to EU. I didn’t want to support the puppy mill by purchasing her. I didn’t know what to do. I just couldn’t take her back. Long story short, she is huge and eats a lot, and her owner is “frugal”. He knew where she was and knew I was feeding her. He waited six weeks and when he could see she plainly wasn’t pregnant, he deemed her useless and ceded her to me.

Now we have Greta. She is kind of a lunkhead but is so eager to please and has learned most everything I’ve tried teaching her. We have a Basset and a collie cross and all visiting children are directed to play with the big dog as she is gentle and has a ridiculous amount of patience with them. She picked out her own cat from our six gingers and believes that his name is “your cat”. Her greatest accomplishment, however, has been changing the hearts of the people around her. Fear has been replaced by love, making her a true ambassador for her breed.

Shannon
Cashton, WI
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Meet Carson

My wife and I live in Milwaukee. In August of 2012, we were visiting my family on Sand Mountain in Alabama. I was driving, about to go off the mountain, and suddenly I noticed this white pit bull right in the middle of my lane. Thanks goodness there were no cars coming as I swerved to avoid it.

We went back and she hurried away from us toward the trees. We have three dogs ourselves, two pit bulls and one beagle mix, so we always keep dog treats and water in the car, as well as dog bowls, so we tried to coax this starving little girl close enough to catch.

It took three hours but she finally let me walk up to her as she was eating. She was still very young and had no aggressive tendencies at all, so I was able to lift her up and put her in the car. We took her to the vet and got her shots and medicine. The pictures are of her as we were first feeding her, and then as we got her to the vet. You can see how skinny and frightened she was.

Then the hard part. As we always travel with our dogs, we had no room to bring this beautiful little girl back with us, much less know how she’d react to a 12-hour drive with a stop-over at a hotel room. So we began trying to find a home for her in Alabama, and we were successful. And old friend who has an eight-year-old boy and a Blue Healer puppy took her in and she immediately bonded with everyone.

We named her Carson and she’s a happy, healthy girl now.

Neal Wooten
Milwaukee, WI
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Milwaukee, WI

Hootie

I can’t take full credit on this one. A wonderful woman named Maureen rescued my Hootie at 3 weeks old. She was down south visiting her sister and the neighbors were on their way to the pound with my little guy. Their purebred collie had gotten knocked up by a great pyrenees, then dried up after the pups were born, and this was the sole survivor. Afraid he’d get parvo at the southern pound (or worse) Maureen took him back home to New Hampshire where she had another pup and several large Coon cats. Apparently taking in strays and finding homes for them was a hobby. How cool is that!? Maureen let me take Hootie at 7 weeks for the cost of his vet bills. He was barely 9 pounds but has maxed out at 100 pounds of fluffy love. He guards my chickens, sleeps with my cats and lets my collie be in charge even though he’s 12 years old and 30 pounds lighter. Hootie loves people, and especially kids, and has a regular cookie route through town.

Hootie slowly developed unpredictable aggression problems with some new dogs and a few local dogs. It took us a while to figure out, but we think its because he missed out on weeks 3-8 with mom and siblings. He was literally missing key skills in how to meet and greet another dog. He compensated by trying to scare them away. Now, through clicker training and positive reinforcement, he’s learning to relax and even make some fun new friends. And each time he looks to me instead of lunging in anger my heart melts because I know he is happier. He is my best friend and has taught me the value of patience, and trust and confidence when it matters the most. But most of all with Hootie, I have learned that oftentimes friendship is hard work, but its good work, and every dog deserves the chance to be a best friend. He sure is mine.

Donna
MONHEGAN, ME
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My Beautiful, Regal Queenie

My mom has always had a big heart for animals in need. One day, a lady came into the boutique where she works and said her family was struggling financially and they were trying to find some pets a good home.

Blueberry (as she was then called) was a cat with a lot of pain in her background. She had been an outdoor cat, but had been attacked by a coyote and had undergone extensive surgery. She’d survived, but had become a recluse. She would not associate with other animals, even other cats, and stayed in one room of the house where they kept her food and litter.

Mom agreed to take Blueberry and brought her to our house where she, upon seeing our lab/retriever mix (who wouldn’t harm a fly), bolted under the bed in my parents’ room. When I came home from work that night, it took some coaxing (and food bribes), but she finally came out from under the bed and laid in my lap, letting me pet her. Though cats have never really taken to me, Blueberry bonded with me and we’ve been close ever since. It’s apparent to anyone who visits that she’s definitely “my” cat (or I’m “her” human – one of the two, haha).

Fast forward a couple of years and my lovable purr-machine has completely come out of her shell. She and the dog even coexist nicely. She (eventually) comes out when we have company and will even perch in someone’s lap, depending on the person. It’s clear that she thinks she owns the place, so I renamed her Queenie – it just fits perfectly with how she carries herself and the personality that she has. She is regal and not afraid to let you know that she wants attention NOW! Several times when I’ve been at the computer for awhile, she will jump onto the desk and lay in front of the keyboard as if to say, “Excuse me, but did you not notice I was here?”

She’s sassy, she’s loving, and she’s my baby. I’m SO glad we adopted her!

Tina
Lilington, NC
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Princess Phoebe

2

My mother’s dog Cody had passed away from old age and medical problems, and our family was devastated. We wanted to wait until our hearts had healed a bit before adopting another dog, yet I began browsing Petfinder.com just in case (the same site we found our beloved Cody). I came across a beautiful young yellow labrador retriever named Heather (at the time). The site listed her at 3 months of age and showed pictures of a young, sad and sleepy-looking puppy in a crate. I began to read her story. “Heather” was rescued after being hit by a car in the middle of a street in Indianapolis, Indiana. She had a rope tied around her neck (Poor baby!) and had been running loose prior to being hit. The individual that rescued her ended up making calls, and the poor pup was placed in a rescue organization called Luv A Dog, who then began rehabilitating her. I showed my mother her picture, and she too fell in love. We called Luv A Dog the following day to set up a time to come visit. The poor thing was limping over to us as we walked into her foster’s home! She was the sweetest and most playful puppy, despite her predicament. Not to mention she was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful! We decided that we had to have her, but we learned that there were several other applicants for her, waiting for a decision to be made. Her foster mother could see that “Heather” was meant to be with us though ; ), so we brought her home that evening. We renamed her Phoebe, because she is absolutely goofy like Phoebe from Friends! She has been such an amazing addition to our family. She is spoiled rotten, but we wouldn’t have it any other way! : )

Meg
Richmond, IN
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Richmond, IN

Chica, abandoned Mexican dog (now sister to Eloise, Mexican street dog)

Chica came from Amigos de las Animales in Mazatlan where I was volunteering one winter (2007). I knew I would be bringing one of the dogs back to the States in the spring, but until she came in, I didn’t know which one. One look and I knew she was it.

She was dumped there by her owner (which, as I think of it, was at least decent of him considering some of the other options). She was terrified of everything and bullied by the other dogs. The director of the shelter figured she had either been in a cage or locked up somewhere the entire six months of her life. It took weeks of going into her cage every day to get her past her fear of me. She went from trying to run away (not easy in a small pen) and peeing all over herself, to wagging her tail while she was peeing herself (and me in the process), before I thought I could take her out on a leash for small, scary experiences in the big world. If she’d ever gotten away from me, I never would have seen her again.

I finally brought her back to my boat where she immediately felt safe and at home. The photo on the left is her in her kennel when she was still afraid of me and my camera. The one on the right is a happy dog who has discovered she is in a good place with love and security. Those pictures were about three weeks apart. She remained spooky and easily frightened for many months, but little by little she has grown into her surroundings and loves people (when she gets to know them anyway). She’s happy and races around like a crazy girl when she’s excited.

She, like Eloise, is now with my friends in Washington. We all spend a lot of time together as I am down there several months every year. I’m still traveling a lot, so it works out very well, and my friends are awesome doggy parents.

Lynne Stevens
Juneau, AK
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Delilah – The Divine Miss D

Delilah was a small emaciated and sickly cat that appeared out of nowhere and started hanging around with the feral cats I care for. She seemed aggressive, but only when I fed her. One day I noticed her sitting in the laps of the neighborhood children. We all wondered where she came from, because she clearly wasn’t feral. Then we trapped her during a TNR program for our neighborhood, but she was immediately returned to me because she was too weak to undergo surgery. At just 3 lbs, she was quite sick, and I feared the worst. However, she tested negative for FIV and leukemia, and I decided to try to nurse her back to health indoors, then find a home for her. Then her true colors emerged…she is sweet beyond sweet, a hugger, loves to be carried around, and purrs like a motorcycle. The vet says she’s mostly toothless and pushing 20 years old! Now at 4 ½ lbs and hopefully still gaining, and despite several chronic conditions we are treating, she’s happy and loved, and has become the fourth unexpected member of my feline family. Delilah, the Divine Miss D, will spend the rest of her days indoors enjoying how ever many lives she has left!

Katie Doyle
Nashville, TN
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My Guardian Jake

1

Jake was at a farm protecting goats for a friend of ours when I first saw him and thought he was just a gorgeous Great Pyrenees puppy. A month later when we were there, he was no longer with the goats, but in a pen with another dog and his beautiful white fur was orange from the red clay dirt in the pen. I was told he did not like the goats anymore and the farmer really had no use for him either, so I offered to take him. At 10 months old he had no name and zero manners. We named him Jake, gave him a bath, and taught him everything he needed to know about being an inside dog. Today, at 4 years old, he is most loving 120 lb dog. He no longer counter surfs, and would rather protect humans than goats.

Fran
Lucama, NC
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Pricillia:

3

While picking up cat food at Petmart they had the Humain Society there with pets that needed a new home.

Pricillia came from a home in Bremerton that was a horder 90 cats were picked up and she was one of them. They

spade her, micro chipped, and doctored her for a cold. She was skinny, full grown, and thin hair. She is a long haired tabby.

So shy for the longest time but hungry all the time. Now she is a little butter ball and breets around the house when she is happy and crys when she feels abandoned. My two toms are finally used to her and she will let us pick her up now and then for a little cuddling. So glad I rescued her:)♥

She finally looks beautiful and healthy. Still shy but such a sweet kitty:)♥

Christina Lucas
Bremerton, WA
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Xavi and Nena

1

Xavi was a puppy when we rescued him from a shelter in 2010, infested with fleas, he was abandoned in the snow with his brothers and sister who were already adopted. He has been with us for over three years. We moved to Tunisia, North Africa in 2011 and my husband and I brought him with us. He enjoyed the Mediterranean Sea and he goes wherever we go. After we came back to the USA, we wanted d to have another rescued dog to give Xavi some company and save another life. Nena (white and brown in the pic) was in the shelter for her third time. The guys at the pound even said “we hope this is her forever home” when I asked why, they gave me her documents … it was so sad. She had been pregnant, neglected, someone tried to tattoo her belly, she even lost some teeth due to a malnutrition. She was scared to even look at us, she ate with fear as if it wasn’t “OK” to eat, she was scared of men mostly. Now, it’s a sweet little 4 year dog who eats for two LOL has gained 8 pounds and is healthy, spoiled, and happy. She loves car rides, run with her brother, but above all, she loves to cuddle with us. I love my rescued dogs!!!

Angela
Charlotte, NC
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Riley

4

About 18 months ago, I adopted Riley, a 5-pound Maltese, from a rescue shelter in South Florida. He was four years old, but had no birthday and no real information about where he came from. All I know is that he was neglected. I was going through a really hard time when I adopted him, and I have to say that Riley was truly a gift. He was very scared when I first brought him home. He wouldn’t look anyone in the eye and would be constantly shaking. Now, he is a completely different dog. He is energetic, lively, playful, and happy. He has become my baby and my best friend. I do not know what I would do without him.

Ashley
Delray Beach, FL
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Edna Jean

95

In September 2012 my boyfriend and I were on our way through a tiny town and just happened to stop at a gas station. As we pull in I notice cars going around a black dog eating trash off the ground. No one even bothered to stop and help her. :-( my boyfriend and I got out and approached her. She was very scared and had the most pitiful eyes. He said to me “Well, what do you want to do?”, even though he already knew. She was skinny, scared, tail tucked, head down, hairless along her back and back legs, infested with fleas, and smelled so bad. She was afraid of us and our leash (which I keep a spare in my glovebox) so we bought a lunchable at the gas station and threw her pieces to get her close to us. Long story short, we got her in the car. We took her in to the vet and got her all fixed up! We got her vaccinated, heartworm test, fecal test, DNA test (she’s a German Shepherd/ Finnish Spitz mix), allergy test (she’s allergic to dust mites and mugwort), every test we could think of! Poor girl had a rough day but she did very well. She has food allergies and is on a special food, is on immunotherapy injections for her allergies, she has arthritis in her knees so she takes joint supplements and medication. She has a full thick haircoat and is a beautiful girl! It has been 7 months and she loves life! She goes camping with us and loves to play in creeks and go places. She is the best, sweetest dog! So loving and just seems so thankful. When she gets her picture taken she smiles and every time she smiles it makes me so happy! We just got back from camping this past weekend, she went to the beach for the first time and got to play in the water. Love this girl so much!!! So glad we made the decision to stop at that gas station that day.

Kali Baugh
Anderson, IN
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Eloise, Mexican Street Dog

34

I was cruising on my sailboat in Mexico when I first saw her sitting in the street In La Cruz. She was gazing at us in a restaurant, hoping someone would toss her some scraps. I couldn’t resist that sad little girl and went out to her several times. She was afraid at first but got over that quickly. She started waiting for me to come ashore every day in my dinghy. I bought dog food for her. She had mange, fleas, ticks, infected eyes, huge bald spots on her skin that were so sunburned, they were raw. I slathered 50 spf on her every day while she was eating. A friend helped me give her mange & flea baths.

I bought a small kennel, and the same friend helped me get her in it. She got her shots, and I brought her on board “temporarily” so I could try and find her a home. No luck. My friends laughed at me, because she was obviously meant to be mine.

She stopped eating and got sick. Back to the vet to learn she had ehrlichia. Antibiotics and prednisone took care of that. Then soon after, I noticed her fat tummy with very prominent little pink nipples that I hadn’t noticed before. Ultimately we had eight adorable puppies on board my boat for 12 weeks…they all got homes except two runts who didn’t make it. I cried over those babies.

I brought her back to the States. I was still traveling a lot, so my go-to doggy co-parents kept her. We shared, but finally they said they were too miserable whenever I took her away. We worked out a deal. They are brother and sister to me now, and I go hang out with Eloise and them and one more rescue I brought back later on whenever I’m in Washington. (I spend a lot of time there these days.) Eloise is happy and loved and has the best life in the world. Spoiled rotten, and that’s just great!

Maybe I’ll send you Chica’s story later (rescue #2).

Lynne Stevens
Juneau, AK
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RESCUED A CAT AND SHE HAS BEEN A BLESSING TO US ALL

My children rescued a CAT That came to our home for food they begin feeding her and named her Bella. After a few weeks we found out she was expecting a litter. As the weeks went passed she had her l itter of cats she had 5 beautiful kittens. Two days after she had her kittens my dos whom i had for 1 yr had puppies and i did not know she was pregnant to make a long stories short my dog neglect feeding the puppies so my cat Bell took over. She has been a mother to 8, 5 KITTENS AND 3 PUPPIES. It is a beautiful thing to see her being a mother to them all.

sherrell brown
los angeles, CA
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Billy gets a home

2

About a year or so ago I began thinking of finding another dog to add to my furred/feathered family. I looked around online for several days before I came across Billy’s picture. His little face seemed so confused and frightened, and my heart went out to him. Billy had been sold like so much farm equipment with the property when his first owners left. His second owners ignored him completely and eventually they too put the farm on the market, left the state, and abandoned Billy along with a flock of chickens.

When the shelter brought him in he was filthy, starving and desperate for company; so desperate that rather than eat the chickens he was left with, he slept near them for company. The shelter said he was a boarder collie mix, about five, but he had never had a bath, been inside or even been through a door, never ridden in a car or worn a collar or leash. Bill had a scar about two inches wide and ten inches long from his spine around towards his belly, possibly a burn. The vet at the shelter doubted they had even taken him to the vet for the wound. When I first laid eyes on him he just looked silently into my eyes and put his paw on my knee. I knew this was my dog.

I expected to have my work cut out to house break him, but it took less than a day; he is a bright boy. I bathed him and discovered that he was shiny black and not fuzzy brown; but mostly what he needed to be held and talked to. Many hugs later he is a gentle charmer, a beautiful dog, who loves to travel, loves people and all other animals. He looks at the world with a wise little face and smiles. I made a very good decision to let you into my life, Billy.

Lisa Walker
Galesburg, IL
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Never Give Up

2

Lilly was only 6 weeks old when she lost the use of her hind legs suddenly. The vet still to this day doesn’t know why she suddenly lost the ability to use them, however they suspect a brown recluse bite. We took her to the vet immediately, they started her on antibiotics, vitamins, and fluids. She was at the vet for over a week and I visited her every day after work. She was so happy to see me, she would pull up on my shoulder and perch there like a bird and just purr so loud with joy to be held rubbing her little tiny head against mine. Her desire to be loved was so strong it made me strong for her. She had to be cleaned after going to the bathroom because she couldn’t hold herself up to go and she was not so fond of this but she would let me do it anyway. After about 2 weeks of treatments the vet didn’t have any other ideas of how to help her and recommended euthanasia but I just couldn’t give up on this tiny sweet loving baby. So I brought her home and we did kitty rehab every day. Her back right leg did have to eventually partially amputated because it began rotting at the joint from what they believe was poison from a spider bite. The healing process was long and difficult for her but she eventually regained the ability to use her hind legs and learned how to maneuver with her nub. Now she runs jumps and plays with the other cats like nothing ever happened to her. She is a remarkable example of what love and persistence can do for an animal that has the will power to keep going if they have the love of a human behind them. NEVER GIVE UP on an animal that has will power and love to give.

stacy
lexington, NC
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Monster Man Rescue

2

On May 11, 2012, my husband and I drove 12 hours round-trip to pick up a young Havanese who had been dropped off at a veterinarian two months earlier. Reportedly a stray, the vet was sure someone would claim the little guy but no one did. Lido Monster, named Mop at the time, only wanted to be loved, learn to play and trust. He has a genetic knee issue and his spine was broken sometime in the first 4 months of his life. None of this has dampened his spirit. He quickly adapted to his home by the Pacific Ocean, car rides and beach runs. He loves obedience and agility training. Next Thursday, we will earn our certification as a Therapy Team and begin our work in pediatric oncology wards. Monster, yes, that is his name, is our blessing from God.

Carolyn Bivens
Newport Beach, CA
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My rescue “Bear”

On a cold winter day while taking my daughter to school, I found my little 3 month old care “Bear”. After making several calls and contacting animal control office(s), it was apparent that this little guy was abandoned. Bear is now over 6 months of age and thriving. I have to report that our other dog, a 13 pound min pin, was not too happy at first to share his attention, but he has warmed up to the idea of having a brother. I and my family absolutely adore Bear, he is great at agility, he will go down slides, jump over makeshift fences and even play tug of war with “Sucre”, our chocolate/tan min pin. My daughter calls Bear and Sucre her brothers, as she is an only child. I cannot imagine our lives without these two animal souls, they have brought joy, laughter and love to our home/family. I don’t feel that I rescued my little care bear, I feel like he rescued me, because he has taught me patience and what is truly important in life.

vera
Downsview, AB, Canada
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Pit bull saves New York woman from burning home

Filed under: Acts of Kindness, Animal Rescue Stories, Bravery/ Heroic Acts, Community, Crossroads News : Changes In The World Around Us And Our Place In It, Explosion / Fire, Give Forward, Protection, Signs Of The Times — Leave a comment
May 4, 2013

Pit bull saves New York woman from burning home photo PitbullsavesNewYorkwomanfromburninghome_zps1cc98e26.jpg

View more videos at: http://nbcnewyork.com.

By Pei-Sze Chang, NBCNewYork.com

A pit bull saved a woman from a fire in her Long Island, New York home on Friday, barking to alert her as the flames began to spread from the front to the back of the house.

Jackie Bonasera said she was drying her hair in an upstairs bathroom of the home on Gabriele Drive in East Norwich when she heard the dog barking. She ran downstairs and saw the flames on the side of her garage.

She was able to escape the house.

“I ran out of the house and my neighbors came running over, and then I thought about the dog – I’m like, ‘He saved my life, I have to save his,’” Bonasera recounted.
Pit bull saves New York woman from burning home b photo PitbullsavesNewYorkwomanfromburninghomeb_zpsdd7810d7.jpg
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Idaho Humane caring for 64 pit bulls seized from dogfighting compound . Sadly, 11 Have had to be euthanized

Filed under: Animal Abuse, Animal Advocacy, Animal Rescue Stories, Cruelty to animals, Protection — 2 Comments
April 28, 2013

Idaho Humane caring for 64 pit bulls seized from dogfighting compound

Idaho Humane caring for 64 pit bulls seized from dogfighting compound

by KTVB.com and KING 5 Staff

Posted on April 9, 2013 at 8:06 PM

Updated Tuesday, Apr 9 at 8:19 PM

BOISE — A spokesperson for the Idaho Humane Society says one of the 64 pit bulls brought to Boise for care Monday night had to be euthanized.

The pit bulls were found at the scene of a triple murder in southeastern Idaho. They were loaded into trailers and truck beds Monday and taken to Boise.

Idaho Humane said the dogs are in very poor condition. The majority of the dogs are underweight and suffering from malnutrition. Many of the dogs had open lacerations and extensive scarring from old wounds. Many are suffering from skin, eye, and ear ailments resulting from neglect of their basic care. A few dogs have old injuries of broken bones that were left untreated.

Hannah Parpart, Idaho Humane Society, said one of the dogs was having seizures and was euthanized Tueday morning.

Despite their obvious neglect and poor treatment, the Idaho Humane Society found the majority of the dogs to be friendly and accepting of handling by people.

Investigators believe the dogs were part of a dog fighting operation at a rural ranch outside Holbrook in Oneida County.  Police discovered the bodies of two men and one woman at the property last Friday.  The search continues for the suspect.  Cash and several dozen marijuana plants were also found at the home.

Law enforcement requested the dogs be moved to the Idaho Humane Society in Boise because it is the largest Humane Society in the state.  Once the pit bulls arrive, veterinarians will begin administering any necessary medical treatment.

“Sixty-four dogs, kind of triaging them all at once and trying to assess all their medical needs at once, is going to be a challenge,” said Parpart.  “And then finding space to house that many dogs at once as well.”

Parpart says the Idaho Humane Society had to relocate most of its adoptable dogs to its PetSmart adoption center to make room for the 64 pit bulls.

“Our staff is well prepared for dealing with a large number of animals and processing them through and giving them the medical attention they need, it just takes some shuffling of resources,” said Parpart.

Through this Friday, the Idaho Humane Society is reducing its adoption prices for dogs and cats by 50 percent to try and free up some space at the shelter.

Once the pit bulls are healthy, they will be evaluated for behavioral issues.

“We’re being realistic with these dogs knowing their backgrounds, but we’re definitely going to look at each dog individually to see, assessing them for adoptability,” said Parpart.

If the dogs are determined to be adoptable, Parpart says it will likely be sometime before that can happen.

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11 pit bulls taken from Idaho dogfighting operation euthanized

Credit: Zach Stotland/ KTVB

by KTVB.COM

Posted on April 27, 2013 at 1:09 PM

Updated yesterday at 1:20 PM

BOISE — Three of the 63 pit bulls rescued from a murder scene at a dog fighting operation in southern Idaho have been transferred to a rescue organization in California, according to the Idaho Humane Society.

The move marks the first step in moving the dogs into the care of people who can rehabilitate them, according to humane society staff.

 

Credit: Idaho Humane Society

Picture here are two of first three pitbulls to be transferred to a Los Angeles Pit Bull rescue organization in the wake of tragic

Spokesperson Hannah Parpart says pit bulls Helena, Hershey, and Granny are headed to Angel City Pit Bulls, a nonprofit rescue organization dedicated to creating a better future for the breed in Los Angeles.

Photo of enclosure  where dogs  were  found

Pilot Peter Roark with the nonprofit Dog is My Copilot organization was able to fly the pit bulls to Los Angeles on Friday.

Unfortunately, the future wasn’t so bright for several other dogs.

Parpart said 11 of the pit bulls had to be euthanized due to dangerous behavior.

“We knew right from the get-go that there was a group we’d have to euthanize,” Parpart said, describing their behavior as “hyper focused” on fighting other dogs, and saying staff felt they wouldn’t be safe in homes.

The good news: Parpart says the humane society is trying to clear about 11 to 12 dogs for local adoption, but most won’t be ready to go until next weekend.

“We’re still talking to people and doing the match-making business,” Parpart said.

Those who want to contact the humane society about the adoption should call: (208) 342-3508

In the meantime, the Idaho Humane Society is still trying to find rescue organizations throughout the United States to accept the remaining 40 dogs, which are expected to need further behavioral help and socialization.

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Animal Rescue Stories

Filed under: Animal Advocacy, Animal Rescue Stories, Protection — 3 Comments
April 11, 2013

Sadie’s Survival

Read heartfelt stories of rescue, and share your rescued animal stories with others.

I’ve always considered myself a cat person, but I’ve always had a special place in my heart for dogs. I had been yearning for a little puppy for the past few weeks, so a few days ago, I adopted a chihuahua- rottweiler mix puppy. She’s 5 weeks old and I named her Sadie. She and her 5 siblings were dropped off at our local shelter and they didn’t have a home. This is a typical “dog choosing the owner” scenario. I walked up to the cage where all of the puppies were and I put my hand in there and she came up to me and licked my hand. Immediately I knew. I was very quick in deciding which pup because I knew she wanted me. She has such a fun personality and she’s very playful but also loves to cuddle. I’m proud to have been able to give her a “forever home”.

Cassandra Hunsicker
Lexington, SC
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The Tankster

My “Tank” is a paws rescue, When I went to adopt an older cat I thought I would just find a regular sized kitty. Wrong ! This 20 pounder had been living in a 4′x4′ cage for 2 months! The lady opened the door and said “come on out Diego”, I looked down and said ” No that’s a tank” and he looked up at that moment and he came to a new home with a new name and a weight loss diet. At his 1 year check up he had gained 3 pounds. I was shocked! He had been stealing the dog’s food when I was away. Now no one’s food is left out when I leave the house. Hopefully the next check up will find him lighter. A sweet very vocal wall-eyed flame point Siamese mix who purrs instantly when touched. He’s very loving. I couldn’t have found a better tempered pal.

Gail DeSutter
Greenville, CA
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Scamper

My mom found Scamper during the summer of 2007 when he was only a few weeks old. He and his siblings were hanging around a bush by the side of a road. He was the only gray kitten in the litter, and he was also the only one who begged for my mom’s attention. So she brought him to our house that we were actually in the process of moving out of at that point. He immediately made himself at home, exploring, sleeping, and getting to know all of us. He was such a cute, scrawny little kitten, and he definitely knew how to play. He also knew how to make himself comfortable. One of the first things I noticed about him was that he liked to stretch out and even lay on his back while he slept, which I had never seen a cat do before. He was obviously very comfortable in his new home and we liked him a lot, so we decided to keep him. Despite our already having a very dominating, territorial female cat who had scared off all other cats who entered her domain, Scamper decided to stay. He didn’t get scared off. Not ever. We brought him with us to our new duplex that we moved into, and we’ve had him ever since. Of our two cats, he is definitely the house cat. The other one stays outside for the most part. Scamper prefers to sleep most of the time, either on my bed, my MOM’S bed, or the couch. But he also loves to play still. He also loves attention, as is evident by his frequent meowing at me to get it. He is definitely not scrawny anymore, he has a pretty good belly on him. But he’s definitely not fat. He’s just a healthy house cat. Scamper and I have become very good friends since the day my mom brought him to our old duplex. In my humble opinion, he is the greatest cat who ever lived. And he is definitely the greatest furry friend I have ever had :)

Lexi Smith
Chico, CA
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Our Adopted Family

It started in 2007 with Mr. Big, a pure bred Rat Terrier who showed up in our yard on the Fourth of July. We searched for months to find his owners but soon came to realize that he was probably unwanted due to some emotion problems. His healing was drastically helped in 2008 by a half Jack half greyhound puppy we named Scully. At 10:PM one night my daughter called me up begging to take a puppy her co-worker was taking to the pound the next morning. She was only 4 months old and a roly-poly ball of energy. Next came Mini in 2011, she was at a rescue and featured on the front page of the local newspaper and yet no one else responded to her little terrier Corgi mix face. She is the sweetest girl I have ever known. When I saw Max also in 2011 on the petfinder site I had to get him even though he was in another state. He was another pure bred Rattie (a Decker) with severe emotional problems. Our newest baby is Hurley, a little bit terrier and a lot of everything else, again a petfinder find in 2012. These five have become our children. I can’t imagine life without any one of them. They have given us so much. It amazes me that these were dogs no one wanted. Each one of them is a piece of my heart.

Ellen LaPlante
Port Huron, MI
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Our little guy…Loki

On April 23rd 2012, our beloved German Shepard girl, Nina died in my arms at 13 1/2 years old. She was my daughters first dog, and our first dog as a family. I was raised with dogs since I was 7. Losing one is never easy, and I think about each and everyone of them. But losing my Nina hit me hardest. So hard, that I was sure I couldn’t handle the heart ache, therefore, was not going to have another dog.

My husband and daughter however, had different plans. My daughter couldn’t bare the emptiness of the house and suggested that we adopt a dog. I said I wasn’t ready. My husband kept leaving info of various dogs from different shelters strategically placed for me to see.

Finally, after my daughters pleading, we took a ride to a no-kill shelter. After looking at several cute dogs, I just wasn’t feeling it and much to my daughters dismay, I wanted to leave. The director of the shelter asked me to look at one more dog who was actually born at the shelter 5months prior.

My daughter begged so I said ok. All I remember from that moment on was a bundle of boundless energy running into the room and leaping into my daughters lap. Well as you may have guessed, I fell for him! Since adopting Loki, we also got another German Shepherd, a boy this time, & very different from my Nina. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of her, but adopting my little guy Loki has been the best way to heal my once very broken heart.

Lori
Port St Lucie, FL
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Rescue -March 31/2013

1

We had a kitten and older Tom coming to house to eat. Both were scared of people so food was put outside for a few weeks . We trapped the kitten and had her spayed, she is really scared and has 4 of our other rescued cats to get used to. As soon as we can ,we will try to trap the Male and have him neutered . He has extra toes and I hope he will be easier to tame then the female kitten. .

I think the male had a home but the female’s Mother must of had kittens after she was dropped off and this is only one survived.

People that drop off cats should be found and charged.

Anonymous
Port Hood, NS, Canada
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Meet Bandit

Bandit had a rough start to his short life. He was first owned by a Chinese exchange student who gave him to the owner of a Chinese restaurant when she returned to her own country. The restaurant owner’s wife was subsequently in a horrible car accident that left her both mentally and physically impaired. Because the man had so much to attend to, his invalid wife, two small children and two restaurants, he had no time for the little dog. Bandit was put in a small cage and almost forgotten. He stayed in that small cage for about a year. Seldom walked or played with and fed sporatically. When I got him, he was just a small bag of bones. Two weeks later, he now weighs in at 10.9 pounds, has a healthy looking coat and is just a bundle of pure love. He has stollen all our hearts, including that of my older doxey, Nutty. Bandit has finally found his permanant home.

Anonymous
Tellico Plains, TN
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Lia from Rosiori Dog

My husband threatened to move out if I brought a dog home. But morally I could not let Lia with her sad, longing look stay in Rosiori´s hell in Romania. There were five dogs in her “box”; one m2 per dog and a lot of urine and excrements. (I didn´t know she had been rescued to a vet station i Bucharest because of an infected ear and her thin condition.) There was some problems getting her to Sweden, but finally we fetched a very shy dog from the airport and drove her home through the snow storm. She was very scared, wanted to stay in the basement, but I “scratched up the stairs”. After that she got braver. And braver. She´s curious. After two monthts we can do everything we want and take here everywhere. She is also helping dogs with behavioral issues, since I´m a dog coach at weekends (and I send the extra money I earn to sterilizations of romanian dogs and cats). And my husband hasn´t moved.

Ylva Gefvert
Skövde, Sweden
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My Little Lady – Tina

TINA – Tina was born in 2000 and had herpes in her right eye. I worked for a lady who owned a landscaping business and she fostered cats and kittens. In 2001 she fostered Tina a tortie. Tina needed sab in her eye and ½ a lysine twice a day. Tina would lie on my desk and wait for me by the door. Jackie finally told me that she needed to take Tina back on Friday. I thought about Tina and the possibility that nobody would adopt her because of her eye problem. I asked to return Tina to the shelter so I could adopt her. She came home with me and immediately took care of Baby my tortie that was 18 years old and looked like Tina. She was prim and proper and had so much love to give. She loved giving me kisses on the tip of my nose. Tina also came to me and opened her mouth when I hollared “Silly pilly time” so I could give her the pill and put the sab in her eye. Within a month, Baby’s organs began to fail and she died in my arms. Tina went into a depression. Jackie then fostered Simon a light and dark gray tabby who was several months old. When she told me that Simon had to go back to the shelter on Monday, I asked if I could take him home over the weekend. It was love at first sight. Tina came out of her depression and they were inseparable all weekend. I took Simon back to the shelter and adopted him. In 2007 Tina got FIP and passed away on June 6, 2007. My friend who I was living with became highly allergic to cats. A friend that I worked with said her mom was looking for a mate for her cat Frankie. Simon got his forever home. I miss Tinalina so much. Having rescues are the greatest joy in the universe.

Helena Molnar
Surprise, AZ
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Meeka’s Story

I had signed up to rescue a Siberian husky about 10 years ago. I received a call that there was a 2 year old husky in serious need of a home. She had been terribly abused, teeth missing from getting continually beat with a baseball bat. She was scared of anyone that came near her. They said if I didn’t get her by that Friday, that she would be euthanized. I went that day to see her. She was in a kennel hiding under the bench seat. I softly called out to her to see if she would come out. She looked very nervous, but still came to the gate to see me. They let me take her out for a walk. She bounced on her hind legs for the first 2 minutes of the walk, she seemed so happy! I took her home that day, and with much love and rehabilitation Meeka has gotten over much of her nervousness. And she’s had her “brother” Kodiak helping her for the last 7 years. Meeka turned 13 this year, and we believe she’s had the happiest life we could give her. She has definitely brightened our lives with her sweet disposition and funny woos. We adore her! <3

Melissa Miller
East Berne, NY
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Easter and Ella

1

I always had cats. I was so disappointed when I found out I was allergic to them. I went 20 years without one and then I found out I was not allergic to Himalayans. I called every shelter in Maine and finally found one 6 hours away. After they checked my references, they told me I could have this wonderful 1 1/2 year old male named Easter (because he was born on Easter Sunday). He was a god send to my family. My stepdad, Don, was confined to bed most of the day, Easter became his constant companion. I had never seen him laugh more than I did at Easter comical antics.

Ella, a German Shepherd Dog, was a stray in Florida. She was dumped by her owner. A friend of mine who volunteers in a rescue contacted me and asked me if I wanted her. We had to go through many hoops to get her to Maine. But thanks to many angels she made it. She flew in a plane, stayed in several kennels and made a trip in a Winnebago. Now she lives with Easter, now 10 years old and me. Easter never took to any other cats but she and Ella are good friends.

Linda Woodard
Cape Porpoise, ME
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The mass stranding of sea lions on Californian shores doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon . Some speculation as to the cause being Radiation from Fukushima

Filed under: Animal Advocacy, Animal Rescue Stories, Biological Hazard, Contamination, Disaster Management, Earth Watch Report, Global Disaster Watch, Mass Animal Deaths, Protection, Radiation, Research, Research, Seas / Oceans, Wildlife — Leave a comment
April 8, 2013

Rescued SoCal Sea Lions Get Meals at The Marine Mammal Center April 1, 2013

MarineMammalCenterMarineMammalCenter

Published on Apr 2, 2013

The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA has more than 127 seal and sea lion patients on site – double its normal amount for this time of year. Included in those numbers are 30 malnourished California sea lion pups that were transferred from Southern CA rescue centers that are over-run with patients. The unusual morbidity event is one of the worst in recent years. Read more at http://www.MarineMammalCenter.org/socal.

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California sea lion stranding crisis escalates to ‘epic proportions’

By
Nix

– Posted on April 7, 2013 

The mass stranding of sea lions at Californian shores doesn’t seem stopping anytime soon and condition has deteriorated even more. The stranding(s) spiked in January and have intensified in recent weeks, the numbers have already surpassed total number of an average year. By March 13th, there were 517 pups admitted to marine mammal rehabilitation centers and by April 4, the number has risen to 1100Wired. Authorities still don’t know what is the exact cause of the stranding. NOAA’s marine mammal stranding coordinator for the state of California, Sarah Wilkin said, “We’re still getting strandings of animals at kind of equal rates to what...

The mass stranding of sea lions at Californian shores doesn’t seem stopping anytime soon and condition has deteriorated even more. The stranding(s) spiked in January and have intensified in recent weeks, the numbers have already surpassed total number of an average year. By March 13th, there were 517 pups admitted to marine mammal rehabilitation centers and by April 4, the number has risen to 1100Wired. Authorities still don’t know what is the exact cause of the stranding. NOAA’s marine mammal stranding coordinator for the state of California, Sarah Wilkin said,

“We’re still getting strandings of animals at kind of equal rates to what they had been. We don’t know how long the event is going to go on.”

According to the National Marine Mammal Foundation it is a crisis of epic proportions (CBS8) and announced a challenge grant to help pay for sea lion’s care. Last week the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) has declared an Unusual Mortality Event (UME) for California sea lions in California from January 2013 through the present. NOAA reports live sea lion strandings are nearly three times higher than the historical average.

 

Read Full Article and  Watch Video Here

 

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Is Fukushima Radiation Causing the Epidemic of Dead and Starving Sea Lions In California?

6 Apr

Painting by Jonathan Raddatz

Cross Posted from ZeroHedge.com

Associated Press reports:

At island rookeries off the Southern California coast, 45 percent of the pups born in June have died, said Sharon Melin, a wildlife biologist for the National Marine Fisheries Service based in Seattle. Normally, less than one-third of the pups would die.

It’s gotten so bad in the past two weeks that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared an “unusual mortality event.” That will allow more scientists to join the search for the cause, Melin said.

Even the pups that are making it are markedly underweight …. Rescuers have had to leave the worst of them in an effort to save the strongest ones, she said.

Routine testing of seafood is being done by state and federal agencies  and consumer safety experts are working with NOAA to find the problem.”No link has been established at this time between these sea lion strandings and any potential seafood safety issues,” NOAA said in a statement.

Given that the FDA has refused to test seafood for radiation, we’re not that confident that the government is looking that hard to see if Fukushima fallout is the cause.

Reuters notes:

From the beginning of this year through last Sunday, 948 sea lion pups came ashore in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties, according to figures from NOAA.

“There really isn’t an oceanographic explanation for what we’re seeing,” Melin said. “We’re looking at disease as a possibility and also at the food supply, and it could be some combination.”

CNN reports:

This is an unprecedented crisis for the species in this state says the Pacific Marine Mammal Center.

“So we are seeing exponentially higher numbers” [Keith Matassa, who runs the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach said].

CBS News reported last week:

”They’re very sick,” said Keith Matassa, who runs the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach. His team is nursing 115 sea lions back to health. “A normal sea lion at this age — 8 to 9 months old — should be around 60, 70 pounds,” said Matassa.

“We’re seeing them come into our center at 20 to 25 pounds, and really they look like walking skeletons.”

 

Read Full Article Here

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Kenya plans to toughen sentences for convicted wildlife poachers or smugglers ina n attempt to stamp out wildlife crime effectively

Filed under: Animal Advocacy, Conservation, Cruelty to animals, Legislation, Poaching, Protection, World News — Leave a comment
April 7, 2013
FLORA AND FAUNA

Kenya to toughen poaching sentences to save elephants

by Staff Writers
Nairobi (AFP) April 06, 2013

Kenya plans to bolster current lenient sentences for convicted wildlife poachers or ivory smugglers in a bid to stamp out a spike in elephant killings, the government said Saturday.

“We intend to fight poachers at all levels to save our elephants,” government spokesman Muthui Kariuki said in a statement.

A major obstacle to this is that Kenyan courts are currently limited in their powers to jail or fine those convicted of wildlife crimes, he said.

“One of the major setbacks are lenient penalties and sentencing for wildlife crime by the courts,” he said.

“The government is concerned about this and has facilitated the process of reviewing the wildlife law and policy with a view to having more deterrent penalties and jail terms.”

Poaching has recently risen sharply in east Africa, with whole herds of elephants massacred for their ivory. Rhinos have also been targeted.

Passing tougher wildlife laws will be made a priority for Kenya’s parliament, elected last month but which has yet to begin business.

“We look forward to… parliament giving priority to passing of a new wildlife law and policy,” Kariuki added.

Kenya’s current wildlife act caps punishment for the most serious wildlife crimes at a maximum fine of 40,000 Kenyan shillings (470 dollars, 365 euros), and a possible jail term of up to 10 years.

Last month, a Chinese smuggler caught in Kenya with a haul of ivory was fined less than a dollar (euro) a piece.

 

Read Full Article Here

 

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Kenyan, Tanzanian poachers arrested in possession of ivory

Souce:Xinhua Publish By Updated 07/04/2013 6:21 am

NAIROBI, April 6 — Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said two suspected poachers, a Tanzanian and his Kenyan accomplice have been arrested while in possession of six pieces of ivory weighing 43kilograms.

KWS said in a statement issued on Saturday that Emellian Shirima, Tanzanian, and Uchapa Mirie, Kenyan were arrested on Thursday in Taita Taveta in the coastal region.

“It is believed that the ivory was from a recent poaching incident in the area. KWS officials will prefer charges against the suspects for being in illegal possession, dealing with a government trophy and failing to make a report of being in its possession to authorities,” the statement said.

In February, two Tanzanians were arraigned in a Nairobi court after they were arrested with 16 pieces of ivory weighing 141 kilograms in Ongata Rongai Township on the outskirts of Nairobi. A Tanzanian registered vehicle was impounded in the incident.

Rampant poaching in Kenya has forced the wildlife agency to step up anti-poaching measures after experiencing a loss of 19 elephants since the beginning of 2012.

 

Read Full Article Here

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