|
 
 
|
Sponsor needed for this beauty
 This boy is in need of a sponsor who will take care of his medical bills. He's been with a foster for a couple of weeks but neither she nor I have enough money to get him vetted and her only alternative now is to take him to the shelter where he would surely be euthanized. Can anyone commit to taking care of him until we can get him sent to the states for adoption? I can probably get him placed with a German shepherd rescue for adoption.
And don't forget Lexi!
 Little Lexi will make the trip as well tomorrow! She's coming to Florida to find her forever home. Mary took great care of her and now she's ready to roll!
Happy Dog Stew!
 Old man Jake has hit the jackpot and is livin' the life! His new mom, Sandy, is taking such great care of him! Read her email below. She's also included her recipe for "Happy Dog Crock Pot Stew" which Jake is now eating - and apparently loving! Just want to let you know how wonderfully he is doing and what a joy he is! He is really settled in to our family life! He and Chewie are doing great together. We renamed him Pancho; he seems to respond to Spanish words and phrases like "Aqui, Pancho", and "uno momento por favor". His favorite past times are sleeping on the sofa and eating, eating, eating! I was amazed at how much he loves food. I want to let you know that I transitioned him off the special diet (Prescription diet I/D). I read the ingredients on the bag of dry food and the primary ingredient is corn. My vet told me to never feed a dog a corn based pet food. So I made him a special batch of my crock pot doggie stew (recipe attached) and mixed it in with his dry food. After 5 days, he was totally off the Prescription diet. He now eats a wide variety of foods, including meat based pet food. He has never had ANY digestive problems like vomiting or loose stools. I just have to be careful about his portions, because he loves to stuff himself then take a long siesta! HAPPY DOG CROCK POT STEW
Combine in large crock pot in any order: 1 lb. ground turkey or chicken (preferably organic) 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tbsp. oregano or Italian seasoning 2 tbs. tomato paste 1-2 strips dried seaweed (Kombu or Wakame works great) 1/4 cup dried lentils 1/4 cup organic brown rice 1/4 cup organic barley 1 large carrot, diced 1 diced large potato (white or sweet) 1/4 pounds roughly broken green beans (if using canned, rinse off salt solution) 2 tbs. coconut oil 1 tbs. olive oil Cover with hot water; Cook on low for 9-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours Too watery? Add a handful of organic oatmeal for the last hour of cooking (thickens stew and eases digestive tract. Good enough for humans- enjoy a bowlful with your canine friend!! You can add some chopped apple or use chopped tomatoes instead of tomato paste Instead of chicken or turkey, ground lamb, veal or buffalo are a hit COOL BEFORE SERVING Keeps in fridge for 3-4 days Top each serving with some cottage cheese for added calcium May be mixed with dry dog food
Sophie and Bobby are safe!
  Bobby and Sophie are finally safe! Sid offered to sponsor both of them through their medical treatments and even to find them homes in Florida.
Danger everywhere -- poor Yadira
 Sandra found Yadira, the mom of the 3 10-day-old puppies Sandra took in on Monday, dead in the street in town far from the beach. There are dangers everywhere for these poor dogs. I just hope she died on impact and didn't suffer.
Everyone should have a dog!!!
The little ones are safe for now
 Sandra brought the 3 tiny puppies to her house. They were left at the beach with their mother who was not taking care of them. Since they are less than 2 weeks old and need to be fed every 4-5 hours, Sandra brought them to her house to give them the constant care they need. She will keep them for 1-2 weeks until they are stable but then needs to find a foster home for them.
A rescue for Ginger!
 Ginger was rescued from the beach by Adri and Liz with Amigos de los Animales. She's been in foster care with Adri and will be ready for a new home in a couple of weeks. Good As Gold golden retriever rescue located in Illinois contacted me a few days before Ginger was rescued and expressed interest in helping get her placed with them in the states. Liz has talked with the rescue and everything is all set for Ginger to travel to Illinois once she's all finished with her vetting! Thank you so much to Good As Gold and to Amigos de los Animales for rescuing this beauty!
LBP's need foster homes ASAP!
LPP = Little Black Puppies! The litter of 4 is safe at the vet but need to be moved into foster care ASAP. The other 3 puppies are less than 2 weeks old and are still at the beach and we are desperate to find foster homes for them so we can get them off the beach.  
SunTrust will donate $100 to our organization if you open an account!
SunTrust will donate $100 to the charity of your choice (or you can choose to receive a $50 gift card to keep for your own cause) when you open a personal or business checking account. You can do this at any SunTrust location. We are registered under Manos por Patas because there is a group named "Hands for Paws" already operating in Michigan so make sure you redeem the offer under MPP rather than HFP. Visit the SunTrust website to find out more information.
Yadira's puppies
 Yadira and her 3 puppies, barely a week old, were dumped at the beach this weekend. Yadira is very shy and the puppies are tiny and not healthy - Sandra says Yadira does not seem interested in the puppies and she doesn't seem to be producing much milk - the puppies were very hungry. These babies need to be off the beach ASAP. Can anyone help in fostering them? They cannot stay at a vet clinic because they are too young.   
Gorgeous Kaiser!!!
 Who is that gorgeous dog?!?! It's Kaiser at his first day of training class!!!! I can't believe how beautiful he looks! His fosters say he did great in class and loved it! There are also people interested in adopting him!!!
Poor Roy
  Sandra saw Roy at the beach with a hook in his paw and one in the side of his mouth! She was able to get the one out of his paw but had to go back the next day with Angel to get the other one out - but they were able to, with difficulty, get the one in his mouth out finally. Sandra put topical antibiotics on the wounds and is also giving him oral antibiotics to help keep infection away.
The trashman cometh
 This morning at the beach Sandra saw this little dog running frantically after a car that was speeding away from the boathouse area. This is a typical event in this area and seemingly all of the island - you are tired of the dog or it's pregnant or it has medical issues or it's not cute anymore so you drive it down to the beach, toss it out the door and drive away, simple as that. Simple. Simple for the heartless and irresponsible person who finds it so much easier to do the convenient thing as opposed to the responsible thing. Just throw it away. Don't worry, Sandra will go to the beach every day to feed and water and medicate and soothe your living, breathing inconveniences. Yolanda will stay up all through the night watching a litter of puppies struggle for life and finally die in her arms. I will spend every "spare" moment of non-working hours on finding vets to provide discounted services, drivers to transport dogs from vets to foster homes to airports, foster homes to take in pregnant mothers ready to give birth and heartworm positive dogs that need to remain inactive for a month after treatment, adopters to take in 10-year-old blind and near toothless dogs or painfully timid dogs that cower at the glance of a lifted hand or sound of a raised voice, and donors who will send their hard-earned money to us in order to "clean up" your trash. Simple. Don't worry. You sleep well now, all is well in the world.
Katrina - rest in peace
 Sweet Katrina, the pretty little cat who was dumped at the beach with a belly full of babies, died last week in foster care. It's still unknown what caused her death - possibly pancreatic cancer. She lived a good life up until then and her little kittens - who aren't so little anymore! - are still happy and playful at A Cat's Last Resort with Carol.
SAFE!!!
 Seven dogs were rescues from the beach today!!! Diana, Ginger, Raven, Shilah, and 4 puppies are safe in vet or foster care now. Sandra took Shilah and the 4 puppies to the vet earlier in the day. Afterwards she met with Adri and Liz from Amigos de los Animales at the beach who brought Jane Velez-Mitchell, a CNN commentator and investigative journalist (and native Puerto Rican), who was visiting the island to meet with animal welfare advocates. While there, Jane offered to sponsor Diana's rescue and Adri took Ginger and Raven (and made Sandra promise to pick up Raven's brother Roy tomorrow since he couldn't be found today). Thank you so much to Jane and Adri for saving those angels! Tomorrow Sandra will pick up Bobby who has a sponsor.     
Another way to raise fund for satos
Use eBay to raise funds! – You can support Hands for Paws when you buy or sell on eBay with the eBay Giving Works program so you can support our mission when you buy and sell on eBay. Shop for items that benefit us and you can get a great deal and support our mission of rescuing stray dogs from Puerto Rico. Also you can support us when you sell items on eBay. Just designate us to receive 10-100% of your final sale price the next time you list something.
Thank you Verizon!
A generous donor made a gift of $300 to our organization and is lucky enough to work for Verizon which is a company that provides matching grants! Does your workplace provide matching grants for donations to non-profits? Check it out and see! Also, Verizon provides grants for volunteer hours - if an employee volunteers 50 hours in a year, Verizon donates $750 to the non-profit of the volunteer's choice! These are great ways to stretch donations to not just us but to other non-profits as well.
Laila and Traer wave goodbye to Florida and hello to Texas
 I admit it, I cried. Laila and Traer had been with me for almost 8 months and as much as I complained about them, they were really joys in my life. I made the painful decision to send them to Smiling Dog Farms, a sanctuary for dogs in Texas. There was much to do in the way of preparations and I tried to put the idea of not waking up to Laila nuzzling me in the morning out of my mind as I went through it all. In the end, they are now at their new home, scared and nervous, but hopefully calming down with every new smell and new snuggle and new muzzle they encounter. I am so thankful to Jay and Ricky for opening their hearts to these little angels. I'll post pictures and stories as I receive them.  
The old man and the sea!
 Old man Jake has struck gold! He found the perfect home and even beachfront property!!! Jake went to his new family last night and is going to be a very happy boy. Despite his age and medical issues, Sandy and her family welcomed him with open arms. I'm sure he was exhausted last night from all the commotion but I bet he slept well and has already been on a lovely walk on the beach!
It's me, begging for money again
I feel like all I ever do is ask for money. I hate doing it and I'm not good at it which is probably why the bank account is always so low. But there is literally no money in the account right now and I have bills up the wazoo to pay. That means we can't take any more rescues for a while which makes me so sad. We are taking Shilah and 4 little puppies in on Monday but after that, nada for a while. Please forward information on Manos por Patas to anyone you know to try to get donations. I wish I could pay what's needed from my own bank account but that's been tapped out for a loooooong time. And if you can help with the monthly donations for Traer and Laila (who are leaving for Texas in about a half hour - sniff), please go to the Smiling Dog Farms donation page and do so - you can sign up to do as little as $10 a month and it's done automatically once you enroll.  
Sweet Natalie
 Today has been a very hard day because I had to have little Natalie euthanized this morning. We still don't know what was wrong with her but in the end it was the kindest thing to do for her. She and her sister, Rosalie, arrived at my home just over 2 weeks ago. They both had upper respiratory infections but were otherwise seemingly fine. Rosalie was adopted about a week later and is doing just fantastic with her new family. But little Natalie was a case of "failure to thrive" from the beginning. During the last couple of days she stopped eating, stayed in a dark spot behind the sofa, and was in obvious pain and discomfort. Last night things got worse and I prepared myself for what I knew was the inevitable. It's possible she had distemper but most certainly other complicating conditions as well. She was vaccinated for distemper (she had the first and second shots for it) but it is still possible for a dog to get distemper depending on whether the shot/s were given properly and the immune system/health of the dog. I held her in my arms most of the night last night, all wrapped up in a soft blanket - I even let her sleep next to me in the bed. I'll miss her and having to make horrible decisions like this make me even more angry at people who don't take care of animals in the first place. She will be cremated and I will keep her ashes.  
Update on Quijote
 Here is an update on the gorgeous Mr. Quijote. He was rescued by Jessica a couple of months ago with a serious leg injury and has had surgery and is ready to go to his new home in Virginia! Take a look at the "before" picture below and compare it to this one to the left!!! "Just wanted to let you know that after all the odyssey that Quijote has been gone through, he is very happy, doing very well and will be ready to go in a few weeks to his new, loving home. The operation was a success. While he is not putting all his weight on the leg yet, Quijote gallops like a horse and has gained about 14 pounds! His personality is shining through and is now sweeter and more playful than ever. Life is good without pain! Dr. Rivera said Quijote is doing great and will be fully recovered in about 5-7 months. Quijote has had 3 sets of vaccines; will be neutered this week; is housetrained; and, as Mary(master rescuer) said: “he does not possess and ounce of aggressive energy in his body”. He loves playing with other dogs, male or females, especially puppies. The only thing I haven’t seen him with is cats and other animals besides dogs. He gets along with everybody he meets and… needs attention and lots of affection. After the surgery, I’m starting to think he is younger than 2 because he sometimes behaves like a puppy…(pulling shoelaces; playing with bottom of pants etc; baby crying when I leave.. etc..)" 
Dogs needing immediate help
 There are dogs at the beach in need of immediate help. Sophie's 4 puppies are about 6 weeks old now and really need to be off the beach. There are too many dangers for them including rats and cruel humans (what's the difference, you ask?). Also Gina is VERY pregnant and will give birth any time now. She used to be at the beach but somehow ended up a few miles away at a Walgreens store in town and it's a terrible place for her to give birth to and raise puppies. And Sandra is treating Shilah's wound as best she can but it's very hard to keep it clean in such dirty conditions. If anyone can help by fostering Sophie's 4 little puppies or take in Gina as she prepares to give birth and keep her through the weaning, please contact Sandra at wgundamz@yahoo.com or me at ginny@handsforpaws.org. We will of course also need funds to help with these angels and also to try to get some of the other new dogs from the beach.  
Final answer
  Well, I attempted to let my heart do this a few months ago but just couldn't follow through. But now the time has come for me to find alternate placement for Traer and Laila, my sweet squirrel girls. They are just too fearful of any new humans, though they are the sweetest most precious girls ever to me. I have decided to send them to Smiling Dog Farms in Wharton, Texas (here's there blog to see more on the dogs there). They are 100% no kill and take in the "trouble" dogs, though these girls aren't trouble in any sense except I have had trouble adopting them out. Laila and Traer will live in their own enclosure and doghouse and lots of attention from the wonderful people who run the facility. There are lots of acres for them to run and they can get human lovin' whenever they so desire - but won't be forced into it. The cost to build their enclosure if $600 which I will need to send to the facility upon their arrival. After that, the group asks for monthly sponsorship of the dogs at $70/dog. So I am looking for help with the costs of their enclosure and shipping (about $500) and for a few good people to commit to sponsoring a portion of the monthly funds. If you would like to help out with these precious girls, you can do so on the monthly donations page for the facility. If 10 people will agree to just $15/month then we're all set! Please let me know if you can help in either monthly sponsorship or donations for the shipping/building costs.
Squirrel-Girl patrol
 Here are Pinky, Laila and Traer keeping a close eye on the squirrel activity in the backyard! I had just brought them in for dinner but a frisky rodent caught their attention and they streaked to the window for a closer look. 
They're heeee-re
 Brigitte, Darcy, Dennis, Bliss, Ninoschka and 5 puppies from another rescuer all arrived safely this morning and will soon be up for adoption at the Tri-County Humane Society in Boca Raton, Florida.    
Live this quote
"The greatness of a nation
and its moral progress can be judged
by the way its animals are treated ...
I hold that, the more helpless a creature,
the more entitled it is to protection by man
from the cruelty of man."
- Mahatma Gandhi
Amber's photographs for sale
 Amber and her husband, Rob, found a dog on the beach during a vacation in Puerto Rico last fall. The dog had been hit by a car and couldn't move his back legs. People at the beach said the dog had been there for 3 or 4 days, constantly crying out in agony. Amber and Rob did everything they could to get him the best care possible and lo and behold, he wasn't actually paralyzed and was operated on now walks like a champ! Amber and Rob fell so in love with little Tino that they had to bring him into their family. Amber has put some of her photographs online for sale and is donating 50% of the profits to Manos por Patas and other groups rescuing dogs in Puerto Rico. Visit her website - The Amber Show - for more info. Thank you Amber!
New "garbage"
Here are this weekend's findings at the beach.    
Cancelled AGAIN!!!
We have had some seriously bad luck with flying pups out lately. The cargo company we use has taken on hazardous materials only hours before flight time on 5 separate occasions with pups all ready to fly out! It's been so frustrating, okay, yes, I've cried a few times, and the poor little loves are just so patiently awaiting their new lives. Brigitte, Darcy, Dennis, Chablis, Bliss, Peanut Butter, Ninoschka, and Gretel - Gretel already has an adoptive home and they've been so wonderfully flexible with all the last-minute changes - have been slotted to fly but not made it. We're trying again on Tuesday so we need a collective finger crossing!!!!
Shilah and Sheryl
 Shilah and her puppy, Sheryl, appeared at the beach about 2 weeks ago. Katie of Island Dog kindly offered to sponsor their rescue but Sandra has not been able to catch them yet. Yesterday Shilah appeared with this big wound on her body. Sandra said it appears to be from being dragged from a car or some other kind of road rash/burn. She hasn't seen Sheryl. Keep your good thoughts out there for these two girls - hope that Sheryl appears and Sandra can get them both to help and safety.  
It's a miracle!!!
 I can't remember exactly but I think we've had SEVEN trips set for Kaiser and they've all fallen through. Until now!!! Kaiser made it - finally - to his new home in Maryland last night, well, very early this morning. His new fosters, the Konrads, who are associated with the Mid-Atlantic German Shepherd Rescue, have him all tucked into a snuggly bed at their home. They have started a blog for him so we can keep up with his progress. They say he is very gentle and sweet though obviously confused about all the goings-on. Thank you so much to Marian and the Konrads for taking this boy in, to Katie of Island Dog for transporting him, and to Adri of Amigos de los Animales for her constant support and care of him.
Destiny's story
  This is Destiny. She was rescued by the wonderful people at Second Change Animal Rescue in Villalba, PR. Please read below about this angel and the angels that are saving her life and donate to them anything you can. "Bonnie has been rescuing animals on the island for over eight years now, but has never seen a dog suffering so severely and still yearning for affection. We believe that she will lose her leg in the long run, but for now our goal is to combat the severe infection and extreme emaciation to rebuild her strength and endure surgery. She greets Bonnie with kisses of thanks in spite of her past. She is now on a high dose of antibiotics & pain medication. She has been given an Iodine shampoo that revealed a beautiful white coat underneath all her dirt. She's eating four meals a day of home cooked chicken liver and rice. She's a wonderful girl who must have sustained this injury a month ago for it to get to this point and has clearly been starving for months prior to this injury. Her will to live is strong and we will do everything in our power to make sure she knows only love from this point forward." Second Chance Animal RescueHC-01 Box 3547 Villalba, PR 00766 www.Boxer.Dreamhost.com
|
|
This boy is in need of a sponsor who will take care of his medical bills. He's been with a foster for a couple of weeks but neither she nor I have enough money to get him vetted and her only alternative now is to take him to the shelter where he would surely be euthanized. Can anyone commit to taking care of him until we can get him sent to the states for adoption? I can probably get him placed with a German shepherd rescue for adoption.
