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News of the 6-pack
     I can't apologize enough for not keeping up with the blog and website - it's just been a really tough couple of months. This email is all the way from January 2! But I think you'll forget about my lameness once you see the pictures and read the story. We are all so happy that the 6-pack all found such wonderful homes! Here is the email I got from Buddy: My name is Buddy and I am one of the cute 6-Pack Labrador mixes, rescued from Dead Dog Beach in October 2008. My Mama, Rosalinda, wrote about me early in December, letting you know about my arrival to my new home in Chicago. (GEEZ … I remember the tons of pictures she and my Papa took of me!!!!) Well, I’ve got some great news to share with you!!! Our great news goes a little some like this: You see, each night, when Mama, Papa and Jawee rock me to sleep, they talked a lot about my brother from the 6-Pack, “Ares”. My Mama fell in love with Ares the first time she saw him on the Manos Por Patas website. And she prayed and prayed that Ares would one day be her new puppy. When Mama finally met us at Ms. Eileen’s house (my foster mom), it was ME that chose Mama and her family. My brother Ares wasn’t very sociable that day, perhaps because we all went through so much change arriving in chilly Chicago from sunny Puerto Rico. But I kissed and kissed Mama, Papa and Jawee so much, because I just knew they would take care of me! I remember that my Mama told Ms. Eileen that we might just bring Ares home, too. So, I started double-kissing my new family sooo much! Bringing home Ares, too, would be my dream come true! Then, one night, Mama told me that she prayed for a sign. She never stopped thinking about my brother even though three weeks had passed by since I was adopted. She told God that if Ares was to be our new addition to the family, He would lead us to him. I believed Mama, and I know that she and my new family would take really good care of Ares, just as they take good care of me. It takes a lot of responsibility and love to raise puppies, but Mama, Papa and Jawee are great at it! Papa kept in touch with my foster mom, Ms. Eileen. We were thrilled to know that all my brothers and sisters were getting adopted so quickly! However, on Monday 12/22/08, we received notification that Ares was the only puppy left. And he was all alone. Mama started crying and Jawee got very, very sad. So Papa did just what God told him to do, and drove us to Ms. Eileen’s home to adopt Ares. YES … MY BROTHER ARES WAS FINALLY COMING HOME!!! Ms. Eileen met us at the door with Ares, and my brother was sooo ecstatic to see me!!! He kissed me all over and played with me so much, just like we did in Puerto Rico with our siblings!!! I missed him greatly, but I think he missed me more!!! When Papa and Jawee kissed Ares, they told him his new name was going to be “ROCKET”. Rocket is the name that Jawee gave him when he first saw Ares’ picture on the internet. And Mama liked that name for him, too. So, now … OUR FAMILY IS COMPLETE!!! Mama, Papa, Jawee, and Baby J.T.(our puppy brother Miniature Schnauzer)love me and Rocket very much! And we love them in return! We all go for walks every day, eat very healthy dog food and treats, play around with our million of dog toys, goof around with each other, and kiss our extended family members and their puppies! Each night, we sleep warm and cozy on our beds and receive lots belly rubs and massages. LIFE IS REALLY GOOD! Thank you to all the people involved in saving me and Rocket and the rest of the 6-Pack! You are our heroes (Katie of Island Dog, Sandy Soroka, Sandra Cintron, Eileen Oprins, Dr. Delgado and his staff, Alison Trazzera, Ginny Cornett and many, many other volunteers ... THANK YOU!) Mama always says “Everything happens for a reason”. I think the reason Rocket and I were saved was to bring much happiness to Mama, Papa, Jawee and Baby J.T. They give us their hearts each day, and we shower them back with kisses and hugs!!! We needed each other, and I think that’s what a family is all about.
Semi-update
       I'm waiting to hear back from Sandra on how many puppies are at the beach right now. We have enough money in the account to get them all off right now as long as we have foster homes in P.R. for them (as in we can't afford to keep them at a vet's office or boarding). So---calling all foster homes! I know there are a couple of puppies already in foster homes - I'll update you as to which ones as soon as I know more. As for these pictures they are: 1 and 2 - Adriana and Gaby who are in foster care. 3 - A beautiful girl Sandra found tied to a tree with bush trimmer - I'm not sure whether she is still there or not. 4. 5 puppies barely 4 weeks old. 5. Jill's newborn puppies. 6. Debbie, Dixie's sister who died of parvo shortly after she was taken to foster care. 7. Dixie - she is in foster care and doing well.
Updates on pups
 I haven't been able to post on status of any of the dogs at the beach lately. Sandra has kept up with it, of course, so you can visit her blog at SANDRA'S DIARY for pictures and details.
Please be patient
I have been very out of touch with everyone lately and I apologize. I've been sick and have no energy to do anything much more than breathe. Please forgive me and don't be angry or hurt if I don't respond to emails or phone calls quickly. I hope to be back on track soon. ginny
Drake's home
  I couldn't be any happier. Knowing that the sweet and deserving Drake is in such a great home with a good sister and family is what it is all about.
The birth of "Sato Blend"!
 this morning i received an email from a guy who runs "good dog coffee" microbrewer in west river, maryland. one of his clients adopted a sato in this area and she mentioned to him about hands for paws. one thing lead to another and before i snuggled on the couch for my obligatory sunday afternoon nap, "sato blend" was born, complete with a picture of diane's dog aptly named "sato" (her original name was lulu and she is a rescue of mary eldergill's and she stayed at my house for about a week last christmas). the brewer, leo, has graciously offered to donate a portion of the profit to hands for paws! truthfully i haven't tried to coffee yet but diane has been a customer of theirs for years so i'll have to trust her whilst my own bag of java joy is on it's way here. ali, the web guru, will be posting the link on our home page soon but until then, check out the link below. Hands for Paws "Sato Blend" Organic Fairtrade Shade Grown Coffee 1 lbSKU: SATO1LB Good Dog Coffee in partnership with "Hands for Paws" ("Manos por Patas" in Spanish) is releasing this line of coffee in support of dog rescue and adoption efforts in Puerto Rico. A portion of the proceeds from the purchase of this coffee goes directly to "Hands for Paws" a charitable 501 (c)3 registered organization. The Coffee: You are buying a 1 lb. bag of Custom-roasted USDA organic, fairtrade, shade grown coffee! As with any of our coffees it will be roasted only after you order it. It doesn't get any fresher! Remember, that you decide the roasting and grinding levels. At checkout please select between Light, City, Vienna, and French Roast and select between Whole Beans, Coarse, Medium, or Fine grinding levels. Hands for Paws: "Manos por Patas" is a non-profit organization (501 (c)3 registered) dedicated to ending the suffering of stray dogs (called “satos” by the locals) roaming Puerto Rico, desperately in need of medical attention, food and water, and a loving touch. Their program involves providing sterilizations to the dogs as well as medical attention and vaccinations. With your help Hands for Paws will help broaden the program to provide free or low-cost spay and neuter services for all pets in Puerto Rico. They are also beginning a public awareness program that will involve radio and television spots to increase awareness about the cruelty imposed on these animals and will take programs into the schools to educate children about animal cruelty and ethical treatment of animals. Featured Dog: The beautiful dog featured in this label is a "sato" recued from a beach in Yabucoa, PR. Her name is actually "Sato" too! Her name is honoring her heritage and a reminder that many of cool looking love giving dogs like her still need our help! According to her owners, Sato is "the light of their lives." Help more dogs like Sato by buying this shade grown, organic & fairtrade coffee! Good Dog Coffee Micro-Roasters NOTE: This product is not eligible for store promotions. West Indian Treasures, Inc. PRICE: $12.98
Sato cam
 I saw this and thought it might be interesting to investigate. It's a little camera that goes on a collar and takes pictures at predetermined intervals (every 1, 5, 15 minutes...). It would be interesting to put one of these on one of the satos to get a view of the world through their eyes. It costs about $50 so it's a splurge but could lead into some interesting finds.
Dangerous dog toy - this is a serious concern.
 This ball, and toys like it, have only one hole and therefore create enormous suction pressure and have caused serious damage to dogs' tongues. "Four Paws is deeply concerned about reports of injuries suffered by some dogs as a result of a manufacturing defect in some of its Pimple Ball with Bell toys. In August 2008, we stopped shipping all potentially affected toys and implemented a recall directing all our distributors to have retailers remove them from their shelves and return them at Four Paws expense."FOUR PAWS RECALL
SNOPES.COM
Who can say "no" to this face!?!?
 See the rest of the newly orphaned puppies at the beach here: PICASA
I don't usually post these things but this is just so amazing
Look at this happy girl!!!
  This is the precious Beth (now known as Tala) having quite a fantastic time running and playing as all dogs should. Her mom and dad sent this to keep us updated on how she's doing. My favorite is in the video when her momma says "Tala, no digging!" and I said "Yeah right!". And that picture of her smiling is adorable - I know only one other dog that smiles like this! It's good ol' Sherman (now known as Jordan). These kinds of stories make EVERYTHING worth it.
You've come a long way, baby!
   It's difficult to believe that this is the same dog! This is Nadja then and now. She looks fantastic and even looks like a puppy again!
Aristacat Pet Sitting rescue page!
 When Barb adopted Sammy (originally Frida), I knew she was going to be in a great home! Barb has a pet sitting business in Port St. Lucie and made a special page on her website for Hands For Paws rescues! Take a minute to check it out! Thank you Barb, and snuggles to Sammy! ARISTACAT PET SITTING
Thank you, Yabucoa
  Somebody in Yabucoa better start paying Sandra for going to that beach every day and taking care of their living trash. People are now dumping dog DIRECTLY INTO THE PUPPY ROOM that Sandra has set up at the beach. That means they KNOW that there is someone spending their hard-earned time and money to take care of the dogs that they are too irresponsible and lazy to take are of and they are bringing the dogs deliberately to the beach to dispose of them! And Sandra has to take care of them because she is a good person with a good heart! Who are these people?!?! How about you leave a little money when you dump a puppy or at least a bag of dog food? People expect that they can just dump them there and they are magically whisked away to a safe and happy life. They probably think they are doing the right thing by taking the puppies there - that they are actually rescuing them. The ignorance abounds and there seems to be no end to it. Sandra works very hard to take care of all of these animals and her duties are getting out of control. And aside from the ridiculous ignorance and selfishness of continuing to dump puppies and not FIX THE PROBLEM BY SPAYING AND NEUTERING YOUR DOGS, dumping these puppies in the puppy room wrecks all the work Sandra does in keeping the puppies healthy and separated if they are not vaccinated. So many people work hard to raise the money to save the lives of these animals and every time we turn around there is another puppy that someone dumped. I am very serious about the idea of suing the government of Puerto Rico to get back all the money I have personally spent on rescuing the animals that are THEIR responsibility. Perhaps I can get a little of my sanity and my social life and that $300 rug.
Update on Kiefer
 He's gorgeous and he's so happy! His new family is so great to keep me updated on how he's doing and to send pictures. They just adore him - and how could they not!
The nursery is full
  I've lost count but I think there are 14 now, including this new little love. Here's a picture of them all in our pristine, "state of the art" puppy nursery at the beach. We are doing our best to get them all out of there but we have to have foster homes for them in P.R. before we can do anything. Sandra is keeping them fed and watered plus giving them medications and vaccinations but they are still at the mercy of whoever stumbles upon them at the beach.
Happy New Year for Nadja!
  Our beautiful Nadja finally found her forever home. You may remember she was originally rescued with her two puppies, Alanis and Alexis, but the babies didn't make it more than a few days - they were just too sick. Then Nadja stayed in foster care in Puerto Rico for a few months before I could find a place for her here. Unfortunately, she must have had some kind of reaction at the shelter she was sent to because the shelter director deemed her aggressive and unadoptable. This was a huge shock since she had been a perfect angel at the beach and in foster care before and we can't figure out what the problem was at the new shelter. It was a struggle for a few days to find a place that we could transfer her to since she had this "bad dog" stigma on her. But finally CAP (Companion Animal Placement) in Hillsborough, NJ came through and took her with the understanding that if there were problems with her temperment we would have to take her. But she did fine, no problems at all. Everyone there loved her and were willing to take the time needed to place her. And it happened on New Year's Day! The message below is from her new family and I actually cried when I got the email from Leslie at CAP. Through all the horrors and headaches we go through with rescue, a beautiful story like this really does remind us/me how worthwhile our efforts are. I will keep you up to date on her progress and hopefully have some new family pictures of her soon. Nadja is doing great. I'm not sure if you ever had her in your house, but she is wonderful. She's very well behaved, doesn't jump on the furniture, doesn't beg for food, doesn't bark but likes to eat shoes...LOL.
She is very lovable. We are going love her back and take good care of her. We brought her down to Toms River to my parents house today. She did very well with our family, it was like she'd been part of the family for years.
We were trying to find a good name for her all day yesterday. My wife woke up this morning calling her Grace. We are all liking it so her name might be changing to Grace. (Gracey)
We'll keep you posted, but rest asure that she is in good hands.
Happy New Year
Carlos
Lola lives on
 I received this email from Christine, a woman who tried so hard to save a beautiful dog named Lola. She sent a $300 donation in memory of beautiful Lola. We know we can't save them all but everyone that is rescued is precious and vital to our humanity. Lola will never be forgotten. Sadly, she won't be the only dog to come to such a sad end, but she did have love and understanding in the end and we can all be slightly thankful for that at least. I'm sure you will remember me, but I know you work with a lot of people. To refresh your memory - you assisted me in trying to save Lola, the fawn brindle pit mix at the SPCA in Lakeland, FL. With your help, I brought her home to foster. She quickly became very territorial and protective, bit (minor) 3 people and tried to bite a 4th, and we ended up euthanizing her this past October.
I have wanted to do something for you as you were so supportive in many ways. I have made a donation through Paypal for your rescue organization. I did not see a place to do this, but I wanted to earmark the donation in memory of Lola.
I still think of Lola every day, and I cry too. I feel so sad that I could not keep Lola and work with her. I could not place her in rescue and my husband was adamant that she could not stay with us. I hope that one day I will have a facility where I can appropriately house and work on behavior modification with dogs like Lola. I truly believe that most do not need to be euthanized. What they need is individualized handling and a safe place to live while they learn appropriate behavior.
Watch CNN tonight!
 Liz informed me that Jane Velez-Mitchell will be airing an hour-long documentary tomorrow (January 1) on Puerto Rico's stray animal plight on her CNN show "Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell." The show is supposed to air at 8 p.m. eastern time. Jane is Puerto Rican born and is an animal advocate who has been very active lately in P.R. with animal issues.
UPDATE: I just went to set my DVR to record the show and it is on at 7:00 p.m. and I'm on eastern time. So check to see exactly when it starts in your area.
Sandra's day
   From Sandra's blog: Someone thought it was "funny" to dump these 3 puppies with the other puppies in the last day of the year. They were full of ticks and fleas and starving. This "person" thought it was even funnier to leave wet newspapers everywhere--the room was really a mess this morning and, as always, I had to clean it all, that's not healthy for the puppies. I'm really tired of people dumping puppies there trying to clean their conscience and thinking I'm their slave. There are too many puppies for me to handle. I love the puppies but it's really tiring to clean that room every day by myself.
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