Humans Rescuing Animals - Restore Your Faith in Humanity

Restore your faith in humanity in four minutes!

Baby, 10-Year-Old Pit Bull, Saves Family And Its Dogs From Fire

BABY IS A HERO!  This is an incredible story!

A 10-year-old pit bull named Baby rescued a family and its dogs not once, but twice, during a house fire.

On Tuesday, Rhonda Westenberger and her sister, Evelyn, were sleeping when their Wellston, Okla., home of 17 years began filling with smoke and flames, KOCO reports.

Immediately, their pit bull, Baby, began barking and pounced on them until they woke up.

"There were flames shooting down the hallway," Westenberger told KOCO in the video above. "If Baby hadn't woken Evelyn up, I don't think either one of us would have come out of it."

Read the full story:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/baby-pitbull-fire_n_2688270.html

Duke n' Matt: Rescue Road Warriors

Duke, a friendly red beagle, was rescued by Matt in 2009. Now Duke and Matt are a team.  They volunteer to help transport rescue dogs from puppy mills and other places around the United States. They are RESCUE ROAD WARRIORS! They set out with many other volunteers to drive their canine "passengers" to safe shelters, foster homes, and adoptive families. Kids will meet Duke ‘n’ Matt, learn what it's like to be a Rescue Road Warrior, and find out why these volunteers help rescue dogs and puppies in this new Grammy Pags Story. Special "Learn More" and "Fun Stuff" pages included.  Available at Amazon in print and Kindle versions.

Note from Jo Ann:

Since I’m part of the Rescue Road Warriors team, this book is a wonderful opportunity to introduce children to the rescue world and help them understand just how important these volunteer transport drivers really are.  Without their dedication and selflessness, a lot of dogs and cats would die because they had no ride to a rescue that had room for them.

Some of these animals travel hundreds, even thousands of miles to reach a foster home or, hopefully, their forever homes.

So, the next time you’re out on the road and happen upon a caravan of mini vans, SUV’s, or maybe just those ordinary automobiles, that are loaded down with doggies, puppies, cats and kittens, be sure to honk your horn, give them a BIG THUMBS UPS, and wish them a safe journey.
 
They truly are amazing people who freely give of their time and gasoline to save as many lives as possible.

And please let me know how you enjoyed the book.  Your comments are always welcome!

Grieving Goat Transforms After Sweet Reunion With His Best Friend

Woman Squeezes Lifetime of Love into One Week

From Care2.com:

Annie had never known happiness. She had been beaten, neglected, and starved all of her life, and then she was dumped at a shelter to die. Annie waited on death row, terrified and lonely, crying every night for someone to help her. She was very ill, and the pound asked if I was willing to take her. Yep, I’m on my way.

I was asked to share the story about what I do for special case dogs on death row in shelters. I do realize that this might not be the most popular idea with all of you, but I’m hoping that maybe it will inspire someone to do the same. If you ever have the chance to do this, it will change your life. When there are terminally ill dogs on death row, I’ve made the decision to do something very special for them.

Because treating these dogs for their conditions would cause them immense suffering, I choose not to treat them. However, I also choose not to leave them in the shelter to be killed. In short, I bring them into my home for a few days. I adopt them into my heart. I love them with all that I have. And then I do what’s best for them… and let them go…

Before She Goes to Heaven – Annie Needs to Know Love
When I saw Annie, it was obvious that she was very sick. She was underweight, coughing, and having trouble breathing, in addition to skin and eye issues. The vet told me that Annie had advanced heartworm disease, congestive heart failure, and several other severe medical conditions. It was highly unlikely that she would pull through any of the treatments, and she would suffer tremendously throughout the process. The vet asked me if I wanted to go ahead with euthanasia. “No. I’ll bring her back next week. Before she goes to Heaven, she needs to know love.”

Read full story at Care2.com.

Dog who wouldn't die

January 8, 2013

A dog found shot in the head and face with a pellet gun, stuffed in a garbage bag and left to die is recovering from his injuries at an animal clinic in Texas. And it's thanks, in part, to a Facebook campaign launched to help pay for his veterinary bills.

The bag containing the 3-year-old male mixed breed was discovered tied to a fence in Conroe, Texas, earlier this month. When local residents opened the bag, the dog emerged, took a few steps and collapsed, according to the Montgomery County Police Reporter.

The dog was covered in blood, said neighbor Tami Augustyn, leading her to believe he was a "bait dog"—or a dog used by fight dogs for practice.

Augustyn rushed the dog to an emergency animal clinic, where he was treated for multiple bird-shot pellets to the face, eyes, mouth, neck and shoulders, and hypothermia from being left outside overnight.

Read the full story on Yahoo! News.

A Dove Called Noah

A story from the Wild Rose Rescue Ranch in Texas:

This one makes you wonder who are the smart ones.  How we treat the weakest among us is how we will be judged...

These little bunnies, about 6 days old, were attacked by a dog and orphaned.   Two out of the litter of five did not survive, and these three were not doing very well.

Noah  is a non-releasable, one-legged homing pigeon/rock dove that is in the rehab center.  Noah kept going over to the bunny cage and  looking in -- even sleeping in front of the door to the cage.

Then, suddenly, there were only two bunnies in the cage.
 

But when Noah moved a bit from the front of the cage, to everyone's surprise... there was the tiny bunny... under Noah's wing... sound asleep! That  little bunny rabbit had crawled through the cage, preferring a feather bed, no doubt to snuggling up with its litter mates!

Now, they are all together and the bunnies are doing GREAT. When the bunnies scoot underneath Noah's feathers, he carefully extends his wings out to surround them and then they snuggle.  When one of them moves and they start sticking out here and there, he gently pushes them back under him with his beak!  It is  beautiful and amazing to see.

This is what God does with us when we need the warmth and love He offers. He gathers us under His loving wings to a warm cradle of protection. All we need do in  return is give Him the thanks and praise for being with  us.

UPDATE ON NOAH:

We are Bob and Georganne Lenham of Wild Rose Rescue Ranch in Texas, home of Noah the Pigeon.
 

After  finding many posts online featuring Noah and the bunnies and reading about the many lives he has  touched (his story has been forwarded around the world), we thought we'd post a follow-up and a few new  photos.
 

We knew there was something special about Noah the moment we saw him.
 

Although the bunnies seem to be his favorite, Noah helps out with many rescue babies here at the Wild Rose Rescue Ranch.

Noah's first litter of bunnies, almost raised and ready for release:

Now, Noah helps out with many rescue babies here at the ranch.

How  wonderful it is to have a full-time, soft-feathered nurturer here at the rescue ranch!  He cuddles with all the babies as they snuggle under his warm feathers... and he "coos" as if singing them to sleep with a  lullaby.

Noah is truly, truly a God-send.

He will cover you with His feathers

And under His wings you will find refuge.

Psalm  91:4

A Chance for Bliss

To learn more about A Chance for Bliss, visit: www.achanceforbliss.org

It's Christmas You Know...

This beautiful poem was written by Sherry Ceiser of Sad Eyes Animal Welfare Society in New Jersey.

A Dog's Seeing-Eye Dog

From GlobalPost.com:

Lily the blind Great Dane and her best friend and guide dog Maddison have found a home at last, after their story went public and warmed hearts around the world.

The two dogs were being cared for by UK dog welfare charity Dogs Trust, which had problems finding a good home willing to take the unlikely pair. Their previous owner could no longer cope with the two big dogs, and in July handed Lily and Maddison over to be rehomed.

According to the Dogs Trust, Lily's eyes were removed as a puppy because of a condition called entropion, which means her eye lashes grew into her eyeballs and damaged them. Maddison began leading her dog friend and steering the way.

Click here to read the full story on GlobalPost.com.

K-9 Hereos of 9/11

This is a wonderful e-mail that I received in honor of the 10th Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

OLD WONDERFUL FACES SAY IT ALL...

True heroes of 9/11 still with us today:


Moxie, 13, from Winthrop, Massachusetts, arrived with her handler, Mark Aliberti, at the World Trade Center on the evening of September 11 and searched the site for eight days.


Tara, 16, from Ipswich, Massachusetts, arrived at the World Trade Center on the night of the 11th. The dog and her handler Lee Prentiss were there for eight days.


Kaiser, 12, pictured at home in Indianapolis, Indiana, was deployed to the World Trade Center on September 11 and searched tirelessly for people in the rubble.



Bretagne and his owner Denise Corliss from Cypress, Texas, arrived at the site in New York on September 17, remaining there for ten days.


Guinness, 15, from Highland, California, started work at the site with Sheila McKee on the morning of September 13 and was deployed at the site for 11 days.


Merlyn and his handler Matt Claussen were deployed to Ground Zero on September 24, working the night shift for five days.


Red, 11, from Annapolis, Maryland, went with Heather Roche to the Pentagon from September 16 until the 27 as part of the Bay Area Recovery Canines.



Abigail, above, was deployed on the evening of September 17, searching for 10 days while Tuff arrived in New York at 11:00 pm on the day of attack to start working early the next day.


Handler Julie Noyes and Hoke were deployed to the World Trade Center from their home in Denver on September 24 and searched for five days.


Scout and another unknown dog lie among the rubble at Ground Zero, just two of nearly 100 search and rescue animals who helped to search for survivors.

During the chaos of the 9/11 attacks, where almost 3,000 people died, nearly 100 loyal search and rescue dogs and their brave owners scoured Ground Zero for survivors.

Now, ten years on, just 12 of these heroic canines survive, and they have been commemorated in a touching series of portraits entitled 'Retrieved'.

The dogs worked tirelessly to search for anyone trapped alive in the rubble, along with countless emergency service workers and members of the public.

Traveling across nine states in the U.S. from Texas to Maryland, Dutch photographer Charlotte Dumas, 34, captured the remaining dogs in their twilight years in their homes where they still live with their handlers, a full decade on from 9/11.

Their stories have now been compiled in a book, called Retrieved, which was published on the tenth anniversary of the attacks.

Noted for her touching portraits of animals, especially dogs, Charlotte wanted 'Retrieved' to mark not only the anniversary of the September 2001 attacks, but also as recognition for some of the first responders and their dogs.

'I felt this was a turning point, especially for the dogs, who although are not forgotten, are not as prominent as the human stories involved,' explained Charlotte, who splits her time between New York and Amsterdam.

'They speak to us as a different species and animals are greatly important for our sense of empathy and to put things into perspective.'

Update on Licking County Animal Shelter

Letter to the Editor of The Buckeye Lake Beacon
From "Watchdog" Bonnie Mansfield
April 2, 2011 Edition

See related posts on MyPetRescueBlog.com

An update on the Licking County Animal Shelter

Editor:

I want the public to be aware of what is going on at the pound under the reign of the current dog warden, John Silva. While I am THRILLED the gas chamber is gone, our battle is not quite over.

John Silva is from Cuyahoga County where his retirement wasn’t official until a few days after he came to work at Licking County Animal Shelter (the dog pound) as the Office Manager. The County Commissioners put Silva in this position (at the request of a former employee in March, 2009) and gave him about $10,000 more than the former Office Manager was making.

Silva has limited the intake at the pound to almost only stray dogs...no owner surrendered dogs...no cats...no other animals. He is basically doing the bare-bones minimum BUT made sure the dog license fees went up by a whopping 50% as well as increases in other fees (adoption costs, impound fees, etc.)! They no longer do humane calls which made up probably close to half of their prior calls. I believe the increase in dogs being hit by a car is substantial and possibly due to being turned loose (such as when someone loses their home) thinking they have no other option!

By March 23, in 2009, there were 457 dogs taken in; by March 23, 2010 intake was 336 dogs; and by March 23 of this year the pound has only taken in 277 dogs since Silva is running the pound and only taking in strays.

I received a call at about 10 o’clock one morning, a couple of weeks ago, regarding a dog hit by a car still lying in the road alive. The caller stated that he had tried to call the pound but they were not answering the phone. I reached them about 20 minutes later and was told they don’t answer the phone until 9:30. I informed the employee that the caller had only called 20 minutes ago. I told the employee the condition of the dog and that I already had someone on the scene. I asked her if they would have it seen by a vet. She said they would but didn’t have anyone to respond. I stated that I would transport the dog to their vet and she told me that the dog had to come to the pound first! We ended the conversation and I was frustrated knowing this dog was in serious condition and also knowing there would probably be a huge vet bill that I could not afford to bear. The employee called me back and said she was coming to get the dog. However, another employee (who was already in the area) showed up at the scene and the dog was taken out of our vehicle and placed in the pound’s van! As infuriating as this mess was, it wasn’t nearly as maddening as when I found out that some of the pound employees were at work on Facebook (PERSONAL PAGES) early in the morning when they WEREN’T ANSWERING THE PHONES!!

For the past year, several volunteers have been coming to the pound to help the animals. They clean cages, walk dogs, scoop cat litter, mop floors, bathe dogs, groom dogs, take pictures, update websites...whatever needs to be done. Not only is this helping the animals, it also helps Silva’s image. When a kind-hearted volunteer greets the public, it makes them want to come back and spend money!

Although our tax dollars were spent to build a pound and equip it to house at least 64 cats in the 2 cat rooms, Silva rarely takes cats. He wouldn’t allow cats from a hoarding situation to remain at the pound for more than 12 hours.

Some of the cages in one of the cat rooms were removed and put out in back of the pound for awhile (I’m not sure where they are now). Doors were taken off some of the cages that remained inside. The room was called the “Vet Room.” I have received several complaints from people who have adopted animals from the pound MONTHS AGO who are still waiting for the spay/neuter surgery to be performed. Remember... they have already paid for this service in the cost of the adoption ($100 per dog/$55 per cat).

I told Silva that I have at least one veterinarian that will come to the pound and spay/neuter animals for the fee that the public pays when they adopt an animal. It wouldn’t take much to set up the “vet room” to do these surgeries.

Silva responded to my idea with a lot of condescending babble claiming that they have a “potential secondary source for altering cats” and “the shelter is able to provide adoption customers with more definitive S/N appointment information and avoid confusion” and “our written communication regarding surgery also factors in periodic surges of adoption activity” and other statements that are just cover-up and a way of saying ‘thanks... but no thanks!’ Silva’s last line was “It’s all about teamwork!”

TEAMWORK? An upcoming adoption event had been planned to help adopt the few cats at the pound. Had the adoption event coming up not been canceled, I have been told that Silva would have made these VOLUNTEERS (that have been working for him and the pound) pay $55 IN ADVANCE for cats they took to the adopt-a-thon for the pound! Where’s the teamwork there, Silva?

Bonnie Mansfield
Buckeye Lake

Transform Vick's Bad Newz Kennels

Transform Vick's Bad Newz Kennels to the DDB Good Newz Rehab Center for Chained and Penned Dogs

What football star Michael Vick and friends did to Man's Best Friend at the Bad Newz Kennels in Smithfield, Virginia was beyond comprehension to most of dog-loving America.

The dogs all lived chained or penned, and then were forced to endure fighting and possible death in the name of entertainment for man.

Now Dogs Deserve Better, a nonprofit organization working for chained and penned dogs, wants to rehab this property and transform it to the Good Newz Rehab Center for Chained and Penned Dogs.

Every dollar that's given for DDB to buy this property sends dog abusers a message: We don't like what you do and now we as a nation will show you how animals DESERVE to be treated.

Every dollar that's donated for this project purchases one fenced square foot of the property. Can you help us today?

Stand with us to make this center a reality.

Take back power not only for the dogs who died there, not only for the fifty chained and penned dogs who called that place 'home', but for you, for me, for every dog still chained, still penned, still living outside and ostracized from the family in America.

Take back power for the pitbulls, for the labs, for the shepherds, for the mutts that pepper the landscape of this great nation.

Take back power for every single person with a conscience who resides on this planet and is able to judge for him or herself right from wrong.

For more information or to donate from the website, visit this link.

http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/ddbcenter.html

Let's raise $30,000 toward the center to give the Dogs Deserve Better foster dogs a place to call home, a place to be loved, housetrained, socialized, and vetted. And a caring, supportive environment to thrive, excel, and even find their own new, inside, home and family.

They deserve all the best this world has to offer.

Rescue Angels

Tail tucked between your legs,
Confusion in your eyes -
I know it's hard to understand
That someone heard your cries.

When loneliness is all you know
And pain is all you feel
And no one can be trusted,
And hunger's all too real...

That's the time the Lord sees you
And lets you know He's there
that's when He sends His messengers
The hearts that love and care.

Yes, rescuers are angels
You cannot see their wings,
They keep them neatly folded
As they do their caring things.

The medicine to make you well
Good food to make you strong,
And finally to help you learn
That hugs are never wrong.

The perfect place then must be found
The home where you can live
Secure and safe and happy
With joy to get and give.

When you reach your Forever Home,
Your place to feel whole,
The Angels smile, and off they go
To save another soul.

-- Author Unknown

Cats Have It Made in the Shade

Man Built a Sanctuary for Homeless Cats

Craig Grant bought a tree farm far away from the city and turned it into a sanctuary for all the cats he has rescued.

He lives there with the cats and provides lots of love, care and companionship. It’s hard to imagine that once he was not a cat lover and did not want cats until he met his son’s cat Pepper. He also got to experience what it is like raising a litter of kittens.

“Over that time I learned that every cat had its own unique personality and it wasn’t long before the kittens were swinging from my curtains. I didn’t care. Something had changed… I didn’t want to give them up.”

The condo life was not easy for the kitties, so Craig found a tree farm and settled down there for his fur babies.

Over the next several months, he rescued more and more homeless and abandoned cats. The number of new residents kept going up, so Craig expanded the sanctuary to make more room for the animals.


The farm was named Caboodle Ranch and is now a permanent home for all the homeless, rescued cats. Each of them has a sad story of their past, but now they are living in heaven.

“Cats should be able to roam free, and at Caboodle Ranch, that’s what they do.”

Craig has built many beautiful cat houses and decorated the place with vibrant colors and tons of liveliness.

All the cats are spayed and neutered. Don’t forget to visit Caboodle Ranch (non profit rescue center) at their website and check them out on Facebook.

Donations Needed for Pretty Girl and Justice

My friend and fellow rescuer Robin of Measle's Animal Haven Pit Bull Rescue in Dublin, OH is appealing for donations for two very special Pit Bulls in need of surgeries.

Pretty Girl (pictured at left) is a blue and white American Staffordshire Terrier who is about 2 years old. She came to us with a horribly broken jaw that had been crushed and dislocated when she was a puppy and had healed very badly. She cannot even open her mouth and was very emaciated when we took her. She has now gained weight and is so happy in her foster home, but we want to fix her jaw so she can eat normally and live a normal life. She can only open her jaw about 2 millimeters and if she ever vomits she could choke to death because she cannot open her mouth.


Justice (left) is an American Staffordshire puppy who is 6 months old as of 6/23/10. He was rescued by a kind animal control officer from a horrible situation in which he was being slowly starved to death. Also his back legs had been badly broken and allowed to heal badly. He also has a broken foot, pelvis, and his two rear femoral heads are broken. When we took him he weighed 16 pounds and should have weighed 30+. This puppy has been horribly mistreated by people and yet he loves them more than anything. His favorite thing is to curl up on your lap and sleep with his head on your chest while you watch TV.

Measle's Animal Haven is a 501(c)(3) organization and any donations you give are tax-deductible (we will be happy to provide you with a receipt). Please help us fix Pretty Girl's and Justice's broken bones and continue to save the lives of so many pit bulls every year.

We also need donations to continue our PIT FIX program, which has allowed us to spay and neuter hundreds of owned pit bulls, so we can reduce the number of unwanted bulls that are euthanized every year in Central Ohio. The demand for this service is incredible and it allows us to also educate pit bull owners on how to be responsible owners.

Our Chip In page is:
http://measlesanimalhaven.chipin.com/justice-and-pretty-girls-surgeries

PLEASE help us help them, and the countless other pit bulls we save every year.

Sincerely,

Robin Laux, Director

Measle's Animal Haven Pit Bull Rescue
501(c)(3) Non-Profit No-Kill
P. O. Box 4142
Dublin, OH 43016

E-mail: measlesanimalhaven@yahoo.com
On the Web: http://www.measlesanimalhaven.org

"Dr. Dolittle" Hirt Does a Lot for Rescued Animals

From Barbara McGrady of S.P.A.:

"Dr. Dolittle" Hirt does a LOT!

Dr. Hirt not only talks to but HEALS castaway animals that others aren't willing/able to help.

The Short of it:

This amazing veterinarian in Clyde, OH is in the process of forming a non-profit animal rescue sanctuary... Another Chance Sanctuary Rescue & Rehabilitation Retreat.

When her clients bring in pets with serious health issues and are unable or unwilling to pay for medical care or specialized surgery necessary to save their lives... Dr. Hirt doesn't consider euthanasia as an option, unless the animal is suffering and CAN'T be helped.

She spends her money to save these animals' lives, and cares for them for the rest of their lives, if responsible homes aren't found.

CURRENT CRITICAL SITUATION

Dr. Hirt is hoping others who love animals can help...

A client of Dr. Hirt's recently passed away unexpectedly
and she had a rescue of her own...
to the tune of 58 cats and 3 dogs.

Donna Schneider passed away three weeks ago.

She lived in Castalia, Ohio.

As a rural mail carrier
Donna rescued many cats along her route.
She couldn't stand to see them suffer along country roads.
Dr. Hirt vetted most of these cats
and did what she could to help Donna.

Dr. Hirt is volunteering her time to go to Donna's house to feed, scoop and water, and when I can, I have volunteered my time to ride along with Dr. Hirt to help.

Someday, when I make my exit, I hope that at least a few will join together to properly care for the animals S.P.A. has rescued, too.

Last time I met Dr. Hirt at her clinic
to help care for Donna's cats
and walked over to her SUV,
this is what I saw...

Dr. Hirt takes various groups of her rescues to the clinic with her each day.
I was finally able to make room on the seat for me!

When we arrived at Donna's house
I could not believe all of the cats.
Most appeared to be very healthy,
except for a few with kidney failure and old age.
A couple were diabetic,
but Dr. Hirt took them to the clinic soon after Donna's death.

Donna has photos and cat plates, cat cards, cat calenders, etc.
all over her house!
Not to mention hundreds of cat toys.

She had placed an electric blanket over her dining room table
so the elderly, ill cats could keep warm and comfy.
It was still turned on my first visit there three weeks ago,
soon after her death.

I found this photo of a few of Donna's cats
in a stack of photos on an end table...

Donna's son will be selling her house soon
and all of the cats have to go!

Dr. Hirt is taking all of Donna's
beloved rescues under her wing...

Dr. Hirt has 35 dogs living in her home, as well as pot bellied pigs, birds, cats, and in her barn; goats, sheep, horses, AND MORE.... ALL RESCUED ANIMALS!

She is personally in financial trouble from spending all of her own money on the hundreds (probably thousands) of animals she's rescued. She should have filed for non-profit status long ago. She has been personally funding her no-kill sanctuary.

We think that all veterinarians must have big bucks, right? And attorneys? Why, of course...

Last night, when I was trying to fall asleep, trying to stop thinking about all of the animals lined up who I needed to help "tomorrow"... I began thinking about how the people I most admire in this life always seem to be hurting for money.

They are somehow driven to make a difference and are not only compassionate enough but also intelligent enough to know just exactly how to do that... focusing their efforts on stopping the madness regardless of the monetary pay-off. And yet money is a necessary part of this life, isn't it...

I guess the moral of this story is that being a good guy isn't easy. Money and glitz has a powerful pull but aside from that, we all have to eat. Where does one who is so motivated to make a difference draw the line?

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “A little integrity is better than any career”.

He also said, “Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.”

That's what I admire most in these special individuals... their courage.

Dr. Hirt is trying to figure out a way she can afford to convert part of her outbuilding into a cat shelter for Donna's cats. There is already a cement slap as big as a two car garage, she said. What she needs is insulation, wall board, ramps, propane heat, windows, etc. and then all of Donna's cats will be safe.

Every time I have gone to Dr. Hirt's place I am moved to tears that someone would undertake so much, that she would do so much to stop the suffering for all of the animals who reside there.

Does anyone have a way
to contact Ellen or Oprah?
Dr. Hirt would be a good candidate
for help from a national level.

In the meantime...
anyone wishing to donate to

can do so in one of the following ways...

1.
ANOTHER CHANCE SANCTUARY PAYPAL LINK...
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=ZGY32JTAUQEV4

2.
OR SNAIL MAIL TO:
Another Chance Sanctuary
3320 C.R. 175
Clyde, OH 43410

Thank you!

Barbara McGrady
Society for the Protection of Animals