Jake is one of the most wonderful dogs I've ever met! He's an old guy but he's got a great personality and lots of heart. But Jake needs to be an only dog. He is with me now but I have 5 other fosters and though he usually does fine, sometimes he just gets too aggressive with them or with the cats. I am at a loss of what to do. I don't want to put him in a kennel but it's very difficult to keep him separated from 9 other animals. Jake needs someone to take him into their home and make him their one and only love. I will take care of all the costs to get him to you if you can take in this charmer.
This cute little girl is Gretel. Sandra took her in to Reyes today and she's about 3-4 months old and healthy. She'll be going into foster care soon and then to the states for adoption.
Meet Kaiser, Quijote, Rusty and Lady. They are all gorgeous German shepherds who have recently been rescued in Puerto Rico. Kaiser was rescued from the beach and has been in foster care for a while awaiting shipment to a rescue group in northern Virginia. Quijote was found at a Walmart with a badly broken leg - his surgery will cost about $1,800. And then there are Rusty and Lady who were rescued in Luquillo - they are both heartworm positive and will require $450 each just for their treatments. We are seeking donations for the medical expenses for these dogs so please donate if you can. Also, if you are interested in adopting a German shepherd, we've got you covered! All 4 dogs are beautiful, sweet, and wonderful pets.
Take a look at this before and after - AMAZING!!!!
This is Pinturo, the boy who was rescued from the streets in Bayamon - the yellow on him is spray paint someone sprayed on him! He was heartworm positive so stayed at the vet for over a month getting treated but he was sent to St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in Madison, NJ and is now up for adoption. They renamed him Pluto and you can check out his adoption page and other photos here. Thanks to everyone who helped in his rescue and rehab and to Liz for sending him and Jackie for receiving him at St. Hubert's.
Here are a couple of very handsome boys! Both were rescued from the beach and are now in foster care in San Juan. I know I can place Bradley here in Florida because he's a little guy, but I will need help with Rex. It's very difficult to find homes for big dogs here because many people live in condos and there are a lot of size restrictions for dogs as well. So anyone looking for a big lug of a loveable rottie mix, you know where to find me!
See how beautiful Mr. Tucker boy is now (see before picture below)?! Tucker was picked up in the Yabucoa beach sweeps and taken to the animal shelter in Humacao. We were able to get him from there and he was in foster care with Carol for about a month. Tucker is so terrified and untrusting of humans that it took weeks before he would even be in the same room as Carol without cowering in a corner. A wonderful woman, Dorene, who has fostered for us before, agreed to take Tucker and try to work on his issues with humans. He managed to get outside her gate the very first day he was there but has remained safely within the gates of the larger area of her development (only 4 houses in it). He stays close to Dorene's house and has become a little less timid every day. But he remains in her care and Dorene has said she and her husband (I'm assuming he's as wonderful as she is!) will most likely keep him as their own since they wouldn't want to get him through his fear issues and then send him off to someone else only to have him start back at zero again. So keep your loving thoughts out there for Tucker so he'll know there are at least some people out there who will be kind to him. Thank you to Dorene and husband for their generous, compassionate hearts.
Meet Leo and Amber. They were rescued from shelters where they were next in line to be euthanized. A wonderful woman who lives near me has made it her mission to rescue one dog at a time before they are euthanized. Right now she has two wonderful dogs for whom she's looking for the right homes. Amber is a hound mix about 2 1/2 years old and 25 lbs. She's loving and playful and wonderful but she needs to be in a home without children because she is very protective of her owners. Leo is a big goofy black lab with a great personality. He is a true lab with a love for water and he is wicked smart. He is about 3 years old and weighs 50 lbs but need to gain a few to be healthy. Both these dogs have been in foster care for over a month and really need to find their permanent homes. They're located in Stuart, Florida but we'll move them to wherever you are if you're the right person! Check out the complete profiles for Amber and Leo on their Petfinder pages.
Traer, Laila and Pinky are the ultimate squirrel hunters! (Well, not really "ultimate" since they've never actually CAUGHT one.) There is nothing on earth they'd rather do than run from tree to tree salivating over catching a squirrel! If there ever caught one, I don't think they'd know what to do with it (I sure hope not!) but it is so amusing to watch them do their little dancing, yipping and prancing all the while.
Jake is 10 years old, blind in one eye, arthritic, missing half his teeth and has mange scars all over him - but that's not stopping this little angel! He was sent in a kennel with Kelly, a 1-year-old Chihuahua, and we were all worried that he might be too old and cranky to deal with her puppy nonsense. But he not only dealt with it but he just loves her! Neither of them will go anywhere without the other now!
Keishya with Four Paws at a Time is desperately seeking a flyer for G-G (that's Golden Girl) to go from San Juan to Chicago. G-G was rescued with a large tumor on her belly. Funds were raised for her surgery but now she has placement in Chicago but needs an escort - flying her cargo is over $400 and flying with an escort is about $150. If anyone has plans to fly to Chicago within the next week or so, please contact Keishya at tshg@coqui.net.
Look at that face! This beautiful boy, named Quijote by his rescuers, was found lost and wandering with a terrible broken leg at a local Walmart store (see photo below). Jessica took him in and has gotten him the help he needs. However, he has a badly broken leg that needs serious surgery or to be amputated. Cutting the leg off is the easiest and cheapest thing to do - but not the best thing to do for Quijote. But the surgery that he would need is very expensive, probably close to $2,000 by the time it's all over. The leg is broken in two places and has begun healing so poorly that repair is not an option. The only thing to do other than amputate is to fuse the bones together using pins. He wouldn't be able to use the leg fully but at least he wouldn't lose it. This is important for Quijote because a) he's a large dog and b) he's a German shepherd. Losing a leg puts a lot of stress on the remaining legs and especially on the hips - and hip dysplasia is very common in German shepherds. So, he needs the surgery - and we need the money for the surgery so we're calling all dog lovers to help!
Jake and Kelly arrived into south Florida last night and they are both DARLING! Jake is just a gentle, precious old man (about 9-10 years old, blind in one eye and missing half his teeth) with whom I've fallen madly in love. And Kelly is just a little sweet kielbasa - all 10 pounds of her are just snuggly and loveable. They are with me now, reminding my cats that they don't like dogs. Hopefully Jake and Kelly will find wonderful homes soon.
Miami Dalmatian Rescue's ELEVENTH Puerto Rican Dal!
Pati from the Miami Dalmatian Rescue picked up Quijote from the airport last night. I was there getting my two little pickles and got to see the beautiful boy. He's a stunning dog with a great personality! I didn't realize it but Pati has taken in now 11 dalmatians from Puerto Rico! I first contacted her about 1 1/2 years ago asking for help with Alana who was abandoned at the beach. Pati was more than willing to help and has taken more since then. Pati also arranged for the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale NBC affiliate to have a camerman/reporter at the airport when we arrived and he interviewed us and got footage of the dogs. (I haven't seen the report - I'm about an hour north of that area - but will post it when I find out about it.) We all are so thankful to Pati for her wonderful heart and eagerness to help.
This is Nadja with her two babies, Alexis and Alanis. Sandra took them from the beach on Tuesday and they are safe and sound at Dr. Reyes' office. They all have mange, for which they are being treated. Once their skin clears up they will need to go into foster care for about a month before they'll be ready for adoption.
Kelly and Jake are getting all ready for their flight to south Florida today! I'll be picking them up to bring to my house and hopefully find wonderful homes for them soon. They are both really sweet little lambs - you can find out about adopting Kelly and Jake here.
Bradley was just rescued today. He is a male terrier mix, around 3 years old, small and very sweet. He was walking near the Shell plant gates, looking disoriented, like he was looking for something. His coat was tangled with sticky seeds of some sort of grass. He's at Dr. Reyes right now getting the once over. He's adorable, no?!?!
Christy and Pitusa landed in North Carolina last week and are being fostered by Rebecca until they are adopted. These girls have got it made now! Here's the email I got from Rebecca this morning:
"They are doing great. Pitusa immediately made herself at home, Christy had to warm to it a bit. When I brought them in the house for the first time, Pitusa immediately started exploring but Christy hung back for a while. Eventually both wandered enough to discover the cats. Now they act like they have always been there. Both of them are really sweet and seem to be very happy. They got out of the kennel yesterday (we have fixed the escape route) but came straight to the front door. One thing about the rescue dogs - they know when they have got it made. If only I could get some of their gratitude to rub off on my dogs!
I've got them set up where they have the barn and a kennel to themselves, but there is a fenced yard right next to them where my roommate's two males live during the day and they seem to get along. I'll probably introduce them into that yard over the coming weekend. They did okay with my older female in the house, but Daisy gets ignored by all the other dogs. They can see Joe's female through a glass door when they are inside and, so far, there hasn' t been much of a reaction - just some half-hearted growls. Hopefully, I'll soon be able to get them together and get Pitusa over her other-female thing. My other female is an Irish Setter and, typical of the breed, she is crazy, so I generally don't associate the rescues with my bigger dogs. Except Roland, the gentle giant and he gets along well with females - they think he is handsome.
I'll likely wait a month or so before I post them for adoption. I like to allow them time to get comfortable with all the changes before they move again. Plus, we just enjoy so much getting to know them and I think it helps me to find the perfect match. I'll evaluate then whether they really need to stay together. As you know, when I rescue them, they have a home for as long as it takes to find a suitable new home. And they are always welcome back, no matter the reason.
Olga is coming to spend the weekend with us while her mom goes to see her "other children". I really enjoy having the former rescues come visit."
The beautiful Pinturo, Christy, and Pitusa are all here in the states and ready to find their homes! Pinturo, the big beautiful lab who was rescued with yellow spray-paint all over him, finished his heartworm treatment and is now at St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in New Jersey. Christy and Pitusa, the two girls rescued with Christy's litter of puppies living under a plank of wood, are now in North Carolina and will be fostered by Rebecca and hopefully adopted out soon. That's 3 down - now we just need to get Jake, Tucker, Rex, Kaiser, and Drake taken care of and the plate will be clean - for a while!
Just filling you in on status of our current rescues. If you're interested in fostering or adopting any of these little loves, let us know!
Maia and Mia were rescued from the beach this morning by Sandra. They are two little cuties, no!? They are at Dr. Reyes for now but will be going to Yolanda - the Puppy Queen - by the end of the week.
Pinturo - Pinturo is the poor boy who was found wandering the streets in Bayamon and had been spray-painted yellow by some moron. He was also heartworm positive and has just finished his treatment and been neutered. Lucky Pinturo will be flying to St. Hubert's in New Jersey for adoption.
Christy and Pitusa - These girls were rescued by Michelle and Maritza in Bayamon. Christy had puppies and Pitusa, Christy's sister, was helping her with "child care" (so sweet). The family was living under a piece of plywood close to a road and all, especially the pups, were in danger of being run over. The have all been adopted. They will be heading to foster care with Rebecca in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina this week.
Kaiser - This gorgeous boy is apparently the sweetest boy ever. He is patiently awaiting a flight to the Washington D.C. area to be fostered by Norma who does German shepherd rescue.
Jake - Little Jake is a big sweetheart. He's in foster care with Carol and is undergoing treatment for sarcoptic mange. Once his skin is clear, he'll come to the states for adoption.
Tucker - Tucker is also in foster care with Carol. He's doing well but is slowly slowly learning to trust humans. He was obviously traumatized by a person at some point but Carol is doing her best to get him to come around. Tucker will need more time to adjust to trusting humans and needs to be in foster care in a one-on-one situation as quickly as possible.
Kelly - This angel is in foster care with Yolanda. She was going to come with other puppies a couple of weeks ago but her skin condition wasn't quite cleared up.
Drake - Drake had been at the beach for many months and was picked up by animal control in the beach sweeps. He has a TVT (transmissible venereal tumor) that has to be treated with chemotherapy. And since it's transmissible, he has to stay separated from other dogs. I have found a foster home for him here in Florida with a man who does not have other dogs and I'm just waiting for a flight to get him here.
Rex - He's a gorgeous Rottweiler mix that was rescued last week. Rex is a big boy - about 55 lbs - and is super friendly and will be a great pet. As soon as he has all his shots, he's on the way to the states for adoption.
Kei and Kiyoshi - These siblings are at the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast. They have demodectic mange so are in foster care until that's cleared up but will be up for adoption soon after.
Pinky Rocco, Laila, and Traer - These babies are all in foster care with me in Florida. Pinky was rescued by Gina and Rocco by Michelle. They are both super wonderful dogs that are ready for their new homes. Laila and Traer were both rescued from the beach as puppies but had already, in their short lives, endured trauma that makes them very timid even now. They are wonderful girls and will be great pets but are difficult adoptions since they are so shy to newcomers.
Congratulations to Julian Rastrelli of Stuart, FL who is our lucky raffle winner for the Caribbean cruise! We raised almost $2,500 on the raffle and funds will be split between Hands for Paws and The Ark Animal Sanctuary. The Ark is a "work in progress" in Florida. Our plans are for a 20+-acre refuge for unwanted animals of all types - dogs, horses, chickens, you name it! At present the group has been rescuing dogs from the "E" list in shelters. The "E" list is those dogs who have not been claimed or adopted at animal shelters and are soon to be euthanized. So far 9 dogs have been saved including Leo, Amber and Shadow. Thank you to everyone who bought a ticket and congratulations again to Mr. Rastrelli! And thank you to All Creatures Animal Hospital for letting us hold the drawing at their office - pictured are Amanda, Jodi, and Stephanie. All Creatures has been FANTASTIC with our organizations in providing excellent discounts for us.
April 28, 2008 —Later this year, cockfighting will be banned in Louisiana, making it illegal in all 50 U.S. states. But in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, it is a legal, thriving industry with more than a hundred licensed arenas.
Remember Yoli, one of only two dogs that survived the horrible incident at Barcoleneta last October? Well take a look at her now! She had serious injuries and it wasn't even certain she would live. But with amazing care from her rescuers and vets, she is a shining beautiful happy girl. She is still in foster care because she is a bit of a difficult adoption since she cannot control her bowels. If you have the possibility of providing a good home to a special needs girl like this, please contact us.
PETA Offers $1,000 Reward to Bring Animal Abandoners, Abusers to Justice
Group Challenges Practice of Dumping, Abusing Dogs on Streets
For Immediate Release: May 7, 2008
Contact: Kristin DeJournett 757-622-7382
Puerto Rico--Reports indicate that as many as 100,000 stray dogs wander the streets of Puerto Rico--many of them starving and sick--and abuse of these animals is rampant. Although laws exist to prohibit the abandonment and cruel treatment of animals and at least seven animal shelters are available to receive unwanted animals, abandoned and abused animals are such a common sight on the island that PETA regularly receives complaints from concerned tourists and residents on the island.
PETA is offering as much as $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone who abandons or otherwise abuses animals in Puerto Rico. PETA is also sending an urgent letter to Governor Aníbal Acevedo-Vilá, Puerto Rico Police Department Superintendent Pedro Toledo, and island mayors urging them to vigorously enforce existing animal protection laws and publicly post notices that detail penalties for abandonment and refer people to local animal shelters.
Please consider this information--it might be the only way to bring violators to justice.
"People who abandon dogs and cats in the streets are sentencing these animals to a long, drawn-out death by starvation, disease, injury, or cruelty," says PETA Manager Martin Mersereau. "Mistreating animals is a crime in Puerto Rico, and anyone caught abusing or abandoning animals must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law."
Anyone with information about animals who have been abandoned or abused should contact the Puerto Rico Police Department at 787-793-1234 or their local police department.
PETA's letter to Puerto Rican officials is available upon request. For more information, please visit PETAEnEspanol.comor HelpingAnimals.com.
Well once again, Byron and Kerr thwarted all attempts for rescue today! They were off chasing an estrous female and wanted nothing to do with Sandra and Liz. But this guy, Rex, was pretty excited about the opportunity to get off the beach and is now at the vet's office getting neutered and all checked over. He's a big boy - looks like he's got a lot of Rottweiler in him - and will hopefully be available for adoption in the next few weeks.
Sweet Drake was picked up a few weeks ago by Animal Control and has been at the Humacao shelter since then. He's been neutered and has all his shots and is heartworm negative. However, he has a TVT - transitional venereal tumor - which is treatable but also contagious to other dogs. The treatment, which is chemotherapy, takes about 4 weeks and he will have to be isolated from other dogs until it's complete. It just breaks my heart to think of him being all by himself for a month so I'm wondering if there is anyone out there who is in a situation where they don't have a dog but would be willing to foster Drake through his treatment. We would take care of all expenses, of course. Drake is a very sweet boy, about 35 pounds. If you would be interested in helping him out, please let me know so we can spring him from his cell!
Little Beth, who is now called "Tala", has a wonderful new home with Lauren and Paul! She has wiggled her little cuteness right into the family and they all love her. What a lucky little girl but she certainly deserves it!
Look at this gorgeous boy! Jessica went to visit him and take some pictures and she said he was so friendly and excited and wiggly, she had a hard time getting a good shot! Pinturo is the boy who was rescued and someone had spray-painted yellow on him. He just finished his heartworm treatment and is all ready to go to a great home. This boy is a typical black lab with a great personality! If you're interested in adopting him, contact me!
Here are Karyn, Bindi, and Beth with their new families! Karyn's new mom, Ashley, was so excited to have her come home with her! And both Bindi and Beth were originally adopted to other families but unfortunately had to come back because a family was allergic to them. No worries in finding new homes for these cuties!
Look at this little pickle! Little Nia has a wonderful home complete with a big sister, Maddie, and a great yard to play in! Check out the video of Nia learning the great art of bucket herding from her big sister! Nia is just an adorable girl and is going to have a wonderful happy life.
Christa McAuliffe Middle School group works to assist animals
By Jennifer Shapiro |Special Correspondent
May 4, 2008
Boynton Beach - When the Animal Rescue Club formed at Christa McAuliffe Middle School in Boynton Beach a few months ago, its adviser and creator wanted to find a special cause to support.
Dana Silbersweig found her cause, not in South Florida, but in Puerto Rico.
"People tend to forget that Puerto Rico is a United States territory, and the animals there suffer the most horrific conditions," said Silbersweig, who teaches sixth-grade math. "People that no longer want their animals drop them off at a beach known as 'Dead Dog Beach' and they are left there to starve to death or to die by confrontation with another animal."
The Animal Rescue Club, which has more than 100 students, went to work collecting money for a nonprofit group called Manos por Patas, which translates into Hands for Paws. The club held a "Dollars for Dogs" fundraiser and collected $2,300 for the charity, which is based in Port St. Lucie and helps provide veterinary and foster care for abandoned animals in Puerto Rico.
"This donation has been incredibly helpful," said Ginny Cornett, president of Hands for Paws. "I have been able to pay for outstanding vet bills in Puerto Rico and here in Florida so we can now get more dogs into the vets for rescue. The donation the school gave us will save at least 10 dogs from sad and short lives at the beach."
It costs about $250 per dog for the vet and foster care and shipping to the United States, said Cornett.
The Animal Rescue Club also donated $900 to the Tri-County Humane Society in Boca Raton, Silbersweig said.
Though the club is new, Treasurer Taylor Horninger, 12, is proud that its has made a difference. The sixth-grader got involved because she loves animals. She and her family once rescued three kittens from a shelter, she said.
"So far we have been able to donate a lot of money to shelters in need, and also we were able to collect many items off of the Tri-County Humane Society's wish list to donate to their shelter.
"After rescuing my animals, I realized how many cats and dogs at the shelters needed good homes and I wanted to help. This club gives me that chance," Taylor said.
She said she hopes that next year the club will raise even more money.
A love for animals is also why club Secretary Katie Clarfield, a sixth-grader, decided to join.
"I really like animals and I like to help them in as many ways as I can," Katie said. "The leader of the club is really good and she is really committed to it and we'll be doing better every year."
I want to thank you all so much for the response to my posting for funds for Mookie and Jason. We got in enough funds to pay for their flight to Save That Dog sanctuary in southern Indiana and they will be flying out tomorrow. I encourage you to visit the Save That Dog website and to make donations to Catherine for her sanctuary operations. She has a wonderful set up there and I know these little satitos will be happy living out in the country!
Jake is one of the most wonderful dogs I've ever met! He's an old guy but he's got a great personality and lots of heart. But Jake needs to be an only dog. He is with me now but I have 5 other fosters and though he usually does fine, sometimes he just gets too aggressive with them or with the cats. I am at a loss of what to do. I don't want to put him in a kennel but it's very difficult to keep him separated from 9 other animals. Jake needs someone to take him into their home and make him their one and only love. I will take care of all the costs to get him to you if you can take in this charmer.
