New dogs arrive

Three little ones and one adult female have shown up this week. And they are ALL gorgeous! They are "in the queue" to be taken off the beach on Saturday. Cross your fingers that they are safe until then.

A Donation Need

I've been making the runs to the Ft. Lauderdale and Miami airports in trucks borrowed from work or in rented vans. I'd take my own vehicle but unfortunately my Toyota Echo has just enough room for a driver and a shoebox or two - no dog crates. I know, it's a total stretch, but I'm putting it out there anyway - ya never know. I'm looking for the donation of a van (like a cargo van type) that could be used for animal transport. I obviously can't purchase one myself and the $70 rental for each trip is certainly adding up. If anyone has a vehicle that would be appropriate to carry 4-6 large dog kennels - with dogs - on a 4-hour round-trip drive without breaking down and would like to make a tax deductible donation, please contact me at ginny@manosporpatas.org. Perhaps some kind auto dealer would donate a trade-in or some such thing.

Hurray for Tala! A couple of months ago I received an email from a woman who had found 3 beautiful dogs wandering in her neighborhood - you may remember the blog posting. Katie was not able to take them in but care for them with veterinary care and daily food and water. She contacted me for help. Rebecca, the amazing woman at the Mid-Atlantic German Shepherd Rescue, immediately agreed to take the German shepherd in and homes were found for the other two dogs. Mama, who was renamed Tala, made the long trip to Washington, D.C. and was picked up by Rebecca at the airport. Take a look below at Tala's story and the pictures of this beautiful girl:

Description: Tala was a stray in the countryside of Puerto Rico like our previous dogs Nina and Nicole. Tala, then known as Mama, gave birth to a couple puppies under the porch of a frequent visitor to the island. She is very sweet but is still learning that people are nice and will give her love and affection - good things! :) Tala is going to be checked out thoroughly once she arrives (May 4th) to re-check her for heartworms. If she is positive we will treat her before she can be adopted. If she is negative for them, then she will then be available for adoption very soon. Don't wait - ask to met her today! She's a sweet girl who warms up to those who show her kindness and love. She's great.

Update 05/05: Tala (fka Mama) must be the luckiest stray dog in Puerto Rico: she found compassionate people who cared for her and her puppies and who sponsored her flight to the U.S. to help Tala in her search for her forever home. After having seen pictures of dogs who barely survive on Puerto Rico’s Dead Dog Beach, I was not sure what to expect when I picked Tala up at the airport. At the very least, I thought she would be very stressed out by her long trip. Well, Tala defied all of my expectations: she is a beautiful petite GSD who laid calmly in her crate while I was signing the paperwork. Katie and Barbara, her benefactors in Puerto Rico, had put one of their t-shirts in the crate to comfort Tala on her flight. Tala had it bunched up between her front paws and was resting her head on it, when I first saw her ;-) Once we got to my home, I took her for a long walk which she greatly enjoyed. Not once did she pull on the leash; she walked mostly behind me or beside me, taking in the smells and the sights. She did get spooked by a little white fluffy dog; she ran ahead and looked back at me as if to say “run for your life; don’t you see that scary white thing coming our way?”

Tala has been adjusting very well to her new surroundings: we are gradually introducing her to everything, allowing her to explore things at her own pace. She was initially a bit wary of our two dogs but on the walk this morning, she would have loved to run alongside Rolf and Argos in pursuit of deer. The tail wags are increasingly frequent and she loves to be petted once she gets to know you. She warmed up to my husband after an hour or so and kept pushing her head under his hand whenever he would stop petting her. She slept quietly through the night (staying in the same spot) and has not had one accident in the house. Tala is a sweet, calm, and gentle girl who would thrive in a family that shares those characteristics. Nothing would make Tala’s friends in Puerto Rico and here in the U.S. happier than for her to find that special forever home that she so deserves.

They Killed Danny

Yesterday, Steve and Sandra found Danny, a charming, spunky little guy, dead with a poisoned hot dog still in his mouth.

Here's Danny a few weeks ago









and here he is as Steve found him.









It's just sickening that someone actually set out to kill that dog - and others that haven't been identified yet. Someone, some evil horrid "human" went to a store and bought some poison, then went to another store and bought hot dogs, then put the poison into the hot dog, then drove to the beach, then lured a hungry stray dog to them with the promise of a tasty morsel, and then allowed this innocent, helpless creature to take the deadly treat from their hand.

And then there are the people who decided to make the dogs at the beach their handy moving targets of their .22 caliber weapon. Two of the dogs have bullet wounds in them - neither critical, thank goodness - but who knows how many will be found in the coming days where the aim was better and deadlier. Handfuls of empty shell casings were found scattered around the beach and boathouse area. Who in God's name does this?

Just a lookin' for a home

This is Girlfriend. She is, obviously, adorable. Her rescuer found a home for her - but the adoption fell through. So now she's back on the street again. Girlfriend is a super sweet beagle/hound mix. She weighs about 40 pounds and is between 1-2 years old. She's spayed and has all her shots. She plays well with others and provides sloppy kisses to all comers. We're hoping to find her a home here in the States but will get her to a shelter here if no one is able to take her. Anyone up for a new girl in their life?

Adopt ME! (?)

Last weekend, Mark, the Store Manager at Origins in the Boca Raton Town Center Mall, allowed us to set up a playpen full o' pups in his store! Origins is a line of Estee Lauder beauty products that have all natural, mostly organic, and NO tested-on-animals ingredients. They are introducing a new dog shampoo and invited us to bring some pups and literature. Our little cuties brought people into the store and allowing us to set up brought dollars into the donation jug. We made $180 and passed out about 80 brochures so hopefully more people will hear the word and will donate as well. I sat in the playpen to keep the dogs from jumping out and a couple people actually asked about adopting me! I turned them both down because they said they didn't have spa tubs or a horse barn. Thanks so much to Mark, the Origins staff, Danielle, and Robyn for everything!

New Pups Roll in to Florida

Last night Danielle and I picked up a bundle of pooches at the airport in Ft. Lauderdale. Pati from Miami Dalmatian Rescue met us there to pick up 4 dalmatians that arrived as well. Rocco is the dalmatian who was rescued with a severe injury around his neck. It appears his owners had his collar/wire so tight around his neck that it dug a trough all the way around his neck. He's been getting treatment for it but it's still red and healing. We weren't even able to put a collar around his neck. The poor guy's gone through a lot but he's on his way to a great life now!

Pati also took the absolutely adorable dalmatian puppies that were taken from Dead Dog Beach last week. They were a lot tinier than I had expected! They were so cute I could barely stand to let them go. But I did (so settle down, cats!).

We brought Ricky and Chari as well as Janice with us. Ricky and Chari are two 10-year-old little ones who have been together all their lives. They were taken to the Tri County Humane Society in Boca Raton to be placed for adoption. This shelter was the perfect choice because they have a senior ward perfectly suited for the likes of these two characters. It is certainly hoped that they will be adopted - together only - very soon. But if not, they will live their lives in luxury at the shelter.

And Miss Janice, what a sweet little girl. She was taken from the beach in late January to be spayed and was found to be pregnant and to have a severe, life-threatening uterine infection. The puppies had already died inside her when the vet went in. But Janice came through the surgery well and is absolutely beautiful. She is very shy - she's got Chihuahua in her so she trembles at any unexpected noise or movement. She is staying with me for a few days to get her bearings and then will go to the Vero Beach Humane Society. I feel so horrible about moving her into yet another living situation - to then go into (hopefully) her final arrangement. So I'll have her here with the boys and me for a bit of time.

Take a look at the pictures below. These are really terrific dogs.

Alana's New Forever Home!!!

Alana is the dalmatian that was found abandoned at Dead Dog Beach last month. Pati from Miami Dalmatian Rescue was kind enough to take her in and voila! - within a couple of weeks of arriving in Florida, Alana was adopted to her forever home!!! You can read the note below from her new parents. Hurray for Alana!!!

Hi Pati,

Just wanted to update you on Alana and I. She traveled very well with us back to Deltona, FL. I had a blanket that I acquired just for her, which she really loves laying on. I bought another toy for her, but she still loves her duck best. She is so sweet and wonderful!,and she seems very happy, too. We watch TV together, and I put her blanket on my bed, and she sleeps next to me.

Wanted to send you a couple of pictures taken last weekend in my front yard. They were taken by my brother-in-law of my sister, Alana, myself. Alana is so warm and loving. She likes to grab an article of clothing while I'm doing laundry and run off with it. We play tag running through the house. Each evening when I get home from work, we go for a walk around the block, and she is making friends with some of the neighbors (especially the kids).

Thank you so much for everything you have done,

Bob and Alana...... the world's best Dalmatian

The Unsung Heroes

I want to take a moment to recognize two people whose efforts get overlooked far too often. I've wanted to do this for a long time but have let other things take precedent.

Sandra Cintron and Steve McGarva are the backbone of everything that I can do from Florida. The End. They are the ones who go out to the beach every day, often spending hours of their own time, to give food and water for the dogs there. Though keeping them fed and hydrated is certainly critical, they also provide medical care to the animals. They give vaccinations, dewormer, antibiotics, medication for mange, and anything else the animals need - and most often they pay for these all out of their own pockets. They know who is who there and who needs what and who gets along with whom and who would be adoptable - and so much more.

They are the ones who find the mangled and mutilated bodies of the dear dogs they have come to know and love over the months and years. They deal with the heartache of holding the lifeless body of a dog they petted and loved only the day before. They bury them and give them dignity in death rather than leaving their bodies in the sun to rot. They are the ones who bear the pain of seeing first-hand the visciousness that exists in some humans.

I am angry with myself for being remiss in mentioning their heroic efforts in caring for the dogs that most of us only hear stories about or see pictures of. I think somehow because they are so central to the entire rescue effort in my heart that I just assumed they would know how much I appreciate and care for and love them. Maybe they knew before but they will certainly know now. Thank you Steve and Sandra. (Sandra is pictured with her husband, Angel, who is also of great help to her and to the rescue efforts at the beach.)

Beautiful Betsy

Just a quickie to show you how amazing Betsy looks now! She's up for adoption at the Vero Beach Humane Society and is doing just great. Take a look at her when she was a skinny, mangy little girl at the beach - and take a look at her now (photo courtesy of VBHS)! Va Va Va Voom!