‘Everyone who saw Kingston and walked away played a part in his neglect,’ says rescuer

A healthcare worker visiting the neighborhood fed Kingston then called the rescue group / Photo: Forgotten Dogs of the 5th Ward

“I apologize for taking so long to post an update,” Jamie Mitschke wrote on her Facebook page. “It has been a long, exhausting day trying to help Kingston and dealing with my other fosters.”

Anyone who has ever rescued even one animal knows the feeling. When you’re responsible for several of them, the exhaustion factor skyrockets, both physically and emotionally.

Yet Mischke diligently went on to describe the disturbing details of her experiences on that brutally hot day in one of Houston’s most impoverished areas.

A volunteer with Love Puppy Breath Rescue, Mischke had devoted her Sunday to join other volunteers from Forgotten Dogs of the 5thWard Project and Corridor Rescue, Inc. so as to locate and help an abandoned, deathly ill and starved dog who they named “Kingston.”

Mischke’s account not only sheds additional light on the events reported previously here on The Dozen Dog Diaries; she concludes with a moving plea for more citizen involvement to improve the plight of the world’s many forgotten and desperate animals.

‘They said he looked like a hyena—they were scared of him’

“Kingston was originally seen by a healthcare worker at an apartment complex,” Mischke began. “She fed him yesterday and e-mailed Kelle Mann Davis [of Forgotten Dogs of the 5^th Ward Project]. Kelle posted the pictures to Facebook late last night and I couldn't get the dog out of my head.

“At 7:00 a.m. today, plans were sealed to go on the search. We arrived at the complex just after 8:00 a.m. and talked to a lot of residents.

“It seemed everyone knew Kingston. They said he looked like a hyena, that we shouldn't touch him, and that they were scared of him.

“Poor Kingston had been hanging around the dumpsters and sleeping under cars for quite a long time—it's unclear how long—and no one lifted a finger until the amazing healthcare worker reached out.

“We drove and walked the complex and surrounding streets, always hearing stories of the hyena dog, but it wasn't until almost five hours later that we found him.

“Kelle and her wonderful husband came upon him walking down the middle of the road, and when the dog tried to make it over to Kelle, he collapsed. I was on the other side of the apartment complex, so Kelle called.

“I got there, and when we lifted him off the street, I was unable to feel any femoral pulses. Poor Kingston was in very bad condition. His mucus membrane color was terrible, his skin obviously horrible, and he was crawling with ants.

“The local area offered little for veterinary care. He would have to be in the car for almost 45 minutes till we reached a vet. We made him as comfortable as we could.

“Yvette sat in the back of the car with him on the way and she said that he was eating and was trying to get up and move. She kept him calm and finally he laid his head in her lap and relaxed. Poor guy.

“Kingston is at the vet now. His blood work wasn't as bad as we imagined, but it's not great. He is heart worm positive of course, and has sarcoptic mange. We'll know more later.”

‘At least he knew one day of love”

Tragically, Kingston did not make it.  The illnesses, severe malnutrition, and deadly dehydration that had mounted during untold months or years of neglect combined to create an enemy too fierce for even the expert and devoted care he had finally found.

Mischke, her fellow rescuers, and the many others who followed the dog’s harrowing story only took consolation in knowing that, as DeAnna McGuire Clawson put it, “at least he knew one day of love.”

‘Please don’t turn your back on strays’

“Every single person that saw Kingston and walked away played a part in his neglect,” Mischke wrote, “including the original person who owned him.

“Please, PLEASE...don't turn your back on strays. That is how they get to this condition.

“We understand that not everyone can take on a stray, but reach out. There ARE people that will help. There are people like us. Find us. We WANT you to find us.”

‘Teaching the public better ways’

“Awareness is key,” Mischke emphasized. “In this area of Houston there are many rescues helping to make things better for these dogs and helping to teach the public better ways.

“The rescue that Kelle Davis and I typically work with is one such rescue. It is the Forgotten Dogs of the 5th Ward Project.

“Please take some time to visit them at: Forgotten Dogs of the 5th Ward Project.

“Both of these rescues, Forgotten Dogs of the 5^th Ward Project and Corridor Rescue, Inc. and the people involved do amazing and selfless things on a regular basis.

“The things I've seen while I’ve volunteered with them, including all the events today,” Mischke confessed, “have honestly brought me to tears.”

Please see previous post about Kingston.

For more about Kingston and the issues of animal abandonment and neglect, please return soon to The Dozen Dog Diaries.

ALL PHOTOS AND TEXT BY KATERINA LORENZATOS MAKRIS unless otherwise noted

COPYRIGHT 2012

The Dozen Dog Diaries (DDD) would be delighted if you'd spread the links to these articles. Please just keep in mind that reprint or re-post of more than a paragraph or two of the text or of any of the photos is allowable only by explicit permission from DDD, who may be contacted at youradopteddogATyahooDOTcom. Thanks for visiting!

‘At least he got one day of love’: Starved, ignored, fatally ill dog finally found comfort

Kingston / Photo: Yvette Holzbach

 An urgent appeal spread quickly among animal rescuers in Houston, Texas on Saturday.

“Got a call from a nurse that does home health and she has seen this poor dog for a few weeks,” Kelle Mann Davis wrote on her Facebook page under a photo of a grotesquely emaciated and skin-ravaged animal.

Davis, who runs Forgotten Dogs of the 5^th Ward, explained, “The story from residents at the apartment complex is that the dog was left behind after a move. This dog needs help NOW. Can anyone please help him? I will help how I can but no room here right now. PLEASE SHARE!!!!”

The animal rescue community often can mobilize with lightning speed. In this case two groups, Forgotten Dogs of the 5th Ward and Corridor Rescue,Inc. quickly combined forces to take action.

‘He just so desperately wanted some love’

“We spent four or five hours looking for Kingston this morning,” reported Yvette Holzbach in a Facebook post.  A photographer, Holzbach volunteers to document the work of Corridor Rescue in the field. “As Kelle Mann Davis was leaving the area, she saw him cross the street. She immediately tried to get him off the road and he just collapsed. With help from Jamie Mitschke of Love Puppy Breath Rescue we headed off to the vet.”

“On the way there I rode in the back of the car with him,” Holzbach continued. “All he wanted to do was eat. I was amazed at his strength. He kept trying to sit up. I was trying to keep him calm. He eventually crawled over to me and lay his head next to my chest and pushed up against me, almost as if he just so desperately wanted some love. And that is how he stayed for the 30-minute drive.”

Next Holzbach reported, “His [medical test] results came back a lot better than expected so we are hopeful. It will be a miracle if he pulls through but I have the feeling that he is a little fighter. A big thank-you to Corridor Rescue who are offering assistance. I will keep you all updated as we go along. Hang in there sweet boy!”

Kingston / Photo: Forgotten Dogs of the 5th Ward

“Kingston” as the rescuers named him, was finally getting the care and love that perhaps he had never had in his life.

Yet he was weak—horrifically starved and dangerously dehydrated in the scorching Houston summer. According to Mischke, the vet found that he suffered from heart worm, an internal parasite, as well as sarcoptic mange, a painful condition caused by a skin parasite.

The cards stacked hard against the long-abandoned dog. He would indeed need a miracle to survive.

Sadly, the next day Davis had to deliver the news that it was too late even for miracles.

In an apartment complex two city blocks long, no help from residents

“It is with a heavy heart that I write this,” Davis posted on her Facebook page. “After surviving and suffering on the streets for many months, Kingston went over the Rainbow Bridge early this morning. I know many have already learned of this but I had to write a tribute of my own.

“At about midnight he crashed. He had been eating and responding, but he became limp and unresponsive and his vital signs dropped.

“He had, I believe, what he was seeking—a safe place surrounded by love and a blanket—where could give up the fight, and surrender to the angels who had been waiting to take him to a place where there is no hunger, so suffering, no neglect.

“We had so hoped for him to live and to discover what he should have known all along, and never did.

“I don’t understand how this boy lived in an apartment complex and no one saw him. No one saw his starved body or his ravaged skin. I will never understand how people can be so unkind, so uncaring.

“Kingston was in an apartment complex that was two city blocks big, with many residents who saw him. When asked, they knew exactly which dog we were seeking. But not one of them offered him a scrap or water or help for rescue.”

Kingston / Photo: Yvette Holzbach

Strengthened resolve to fight for ‘the unseen, the forgotten’

“It has made my resolve more strong,” Mann continued in her tribute to Kingston, “to live and be aware, to help others to become aware, to do all I can to try to change the plight of the unseen, the forgotten.

“Thank you Kingston, for sharing just a moment of your journey. You brought us tears and we had hope, but it wasn’t meant to be. Another mission of mercy, another rescue that brings heartache and pain.

“But we were honored, dear Kingston, to be by your side, and proud to have had the privilege of helping you with dignity and love. Thank you. You didn’t die with the ants eating your body, in a ditch all alone, hurting and scared, but am sure you waited for us to allow you but an ounce of comfort for your trip across the Rainbow Bridge.

“We love you boy. Run fast and run free. You are in our hearts forever more.”

‘Shame on the people who looked away’

DeAnna McGuire Clawson remarked on her Facebook page, “RIP Kingston. So sad his little body gave out the day he finally had a human show him compassion. Shame on the people who looked away in that apartment building and refused to give this poor thing water or food.”

“At least,” she concluded, “he got one day of love.”

To help the many other dogs like Kingston in the Houston area, please consider donating to or volunteering for rescue groups such as:

Corridor Rescue, Inc.

Forgotten Dogs of the 5th Ward

Love Puppy Breath Rescue

RIP Kingston / Photo: Yvette Holzbach

ALL PHOTOS AND TEXT BY KATERINA LORENZATOS MAKRIS unless otherwise noted

COPYRIGHT 2012

Dear Reader, 

The Dozen Dog Diaries (DDD) would be delighted if you'd spread the links to these articles. Please just keep in mind that reprint or re-post of more than a paragraph or two of the text or of any of the photos is allowable only by explicit permission from DDD, who may be contacted at youradopteddogATyahooDOTcom. Thanks for visiting!

Of dogs and dementia: How I got stranded in an old, cold, leaky house all winter

Plato, tossed in a Kefalonia trash bin as an infant with his two brothers, now enjoys California dreamin'  / Photo: Gavin B

This Dozen Dogs Diary entry was written but not posted in February, when the brain of your Dozen Dogs Diarist was half-frozen, so she takes little or no responsibility for its content.

Here I’ve been on the Greek island of Kefalonia for a period of time that the British call donkey’s ears (as in long), eight thousand miles away from home and family, shivering through one of the worst winters on record while pursuing two goals.

Both of these goals were set as the result of getting mixed up with dogs, as well as with a couple of members of a certain other often-needy species that has fewer legs, less fur, and a ton more attitude.

The two goals:

1. Trying to rescue/foster/rehome (RFR) Princess Kali Amanda, a delightful but highly energetic (read: runs me ragged) teenage street dog.

2. Trying to stop an elderly house from crumbling. And I do mean crumbling. Crumble Exhibits A through C as follows:

Crumble Exhibit A

Crumble Exhibit B

Crumble Exhibit C

How I got mixed up with Kali will be obvious to anyone who loves dogs, and you can find more details here.

How did I get mixed up with this old mess of a house?

Behold the two reasons:

Aunt and uncle in happier--or at least healthier--times (photographer unknown)

Both of those reasons (a.k.a. my aunt and uncle) developed severe memory impairment almost simultaneously. For several years as it worsened they shared their old shambles house here in Kefalonia with an extensive and sprightly community of mice and their droppings, with no water heater, no house heater, and sometimes no electricity or food except what a few kind neighbors and friends donated.

Most other relatives cleverly avoided involvement—even the relatives who are as rich as King Croesus and who could have rescued our aunt and uncle without missing so much as a minute of their horse shows or their Antarctic expeditions. (Bitter? Who? Moi?)

In 2006 The Saint (a.k.a. my husband) and I, who live nowhere near the richness ballpark of Croesus, started supporting aforementioned aunt and uncle. (If the Croesus ballpark were Yankee Stadium, then we would be rolling grounders in a school playground somewhere in Idaho).

In 2007 we evacuated Aunt and Uncle to the U.S. (If rehoming rescued dogs overseas seems adventurous, picture hopping the Atlantic with a 97-year-old guy and an 86-year-old gal in tow). We’ve cared for them ever since.

In exchange for the staggering outlay of time and cash required to care for two invalids with dementia—staggering because if we let ourselves think about it for too long our knees buckle—we got this house. 

Thanks a bunch.

Why I whine

Stop your whining, you might mutter with an eye roll. For gosh sakes, the place sits amidst an organic fruit orchard and a cute little vineyard in a quaint Greek village, just a 20-minute stroll from three different spectacular beaches on one of the world’s most enchanting islands.

If you were to mutter any or all of the above, you’d be right. I mustn’t complain. But I do anyway. This place has kept me from writing. As did my aunt and uncle till we figured out how to care for them, and as have the 128 or so dogs and a few kitties for whom The Saint and I did RFR during the past decade.

This long-neglected, once-elegant grande dame of a house, built by my gracious aunt and her debonair ship captain husband in the early 1960s, stands adjacent to the remains of the property’s original, 130-year-old stone house. That older house was battered and broken by the deadly series of earthquakes that leveled the island in 1953.

During the past decade of decline, while my aunt and uncle steadily misplaced more and more of their marbles, the “new” house became almost as derelict as the old one. We would definitely need the fortune of Croesus to restore it.

So for now it’s a question of how many Band-Aids to apply. And I’m the nurse.

The good news

There’s always a silver lining, as they say. In this case, it’s a furry lining. If we hadn’t owned this house during the past five years, 20 thrown-away little souls would have met unpleasant and untimely ends.

It functioned nicely as the nursery for two litters of puppies—one bunch plucked off a busy road and the other set from the trash dumpster down the street—as well as one litter of kittens. All the puppies and kittens found homes in Greece and the United States, thanks to help from numerous friends and rescue groups.* 

The mama kitty, an orange and white confection of a cat, ultimately found her fur-ever home with one of my best friends in California. 

Tika, who showed up pregnant and hungry, now lives La Vida Rica in the San Francisco Bay area

This old mess of a house has also served as a way station for two senior dogs, Vivo (now named Zachie) and Ginger, who successfully emigrated to the Lone Star State and the Golden State respectively.

(More on the puppies, kittens, and Vivo and Ginger to follow in future DDD entries.)

This poor old house, the helpless victim of my loud and frequent cursing, currently serves as a foster home for Princess Kali Amanda, who will be seeking her own forever family once we make it home to California too. (Please note: since February when this entry was written, that plan changed drastically and delightfully, as partially described here.)

So, OK, yeah, I shouldn’t curse. I shouldn’t complain. This old mess of a house, the one that has wrenched my back and pulled my ligaments and smashed my toes and blistered my hands and blackened my fingernails, the one that has made me sob with exhaustion and frustration and anger and homesickness, this old mess of a house has saved lives.

Ain’t no richer ballpark than that.

*Some of the friends and rescue groups who helped with the 20 dogs and cats fostered in this house:

Mary Cox

Pat and Dave Dolman

Shelley Frost
Jennie Giannakopoulou, Esq.

Yianni Gnesouli

Zoe Gnesouli

Meera Lester

A. Bronwyn Llewellyn

Rita Martinez

Dr. Amanda Mikeleti
Gloria Moustakis
Barbara O’Connor

Keith and Julia Preston

Dr. Lefteris Psarros

Dr. Paul Richieri

Anna Maria Simpson

Jean and Julia Spooner
Linda and Eddie in Kefalonia who were heroic but whose last name I can't remember right now!

Graeske Hunde 

Kefalonia Animal Trust

Praying for Paws

Vizsla Club of Northern California

ALL PHOTOS AND TEXT BY KATERINA LORENZATOS MAKRIS (unless otherwise noted) 

COPYRIGHT 2012

Dear Reader, 

The Dozen Dog Diaries (DDD) would be delighted if you'd spread the links to these articles. Please just keep in mind that reprint or re-post of more than a paragraph or two of the text or of any of the photos is allowable only by explicit permission from DDD, who may be contacted at youradopteddogATyahooDOTcom. Thanks for visiting!

Roaming Chihuahua killed and skinned, possibly by neighbor angry about dog feces

Another Chihuahua - not Shorty - available for adoption (see info below) /  Photo: Helen Woodward Animal Center

If ever there was evidence of the wisdom of keeping our companion animals safely at home, here it is.

Under a tree in their front yard, a Horizon City, Texas family made the gruesome discovery of their Chihuahua’s partially-skinned and lifeless body, reports local television station KVIA. The week before, someone had left a bag of dog feces on their front porch accompanied by a note declaring “This is yours.”

Shorty sometimes escaped his property to cruise the neighborhood, according to family members. Somebody out there didn’t like that.  And Shorty paid the price.

In a tearful interview with KVIA, Melissa Ortega, one of the eight-year-old dog’s owners, said he was “very playful, very friendly. He just loved to cuddle with us.”

As for how the dog was killed, Shorty’s other owner Maribel Pizana told KVIA,“They put like a hammer or something through his torso. You could see all his insides.”

On Friday Crime Stoppers of El Paso listed this incident of animal cruelty as their “Crime of the Week.”  They offer a reward for information on the case.

“There have been no clues as to who might have taken the dog, or if that person was responsible for the cruel nature of the dog’s death,” states the Crime Stoppers of El Paso website. “Anyone in the neighborhood who may have seen or heard something suspicious, particularly relating to anger about a loose dog, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers as soon as possible.”

For tips on how to keep your dog from roaming, please see "Is your dog an escape artist? Tips to keep her safe." 

ADOPTABLE DOG - "Parade"
Shown in photo above, Parade is an affectionate, 11-pound, two-year-old girl waiting for you at Helen Woodward Animal Center.

ALL PHOTOS AND TEXT BY KATERINA LORENZATOS MAKRIS (unless otherwise noted) 

COPYRIGHT 2012

Dear Reader, 

The Dozen Dog Diaries (DDD) would be delighted if you'd spread the links to these articles. Please just keep in mind that reprint or re-post of more than a paragraph or two of the text or of any of the photos is allowable only by explicit permission from DDD, who may be contacted at youradopteddogATyahooDOTcom. Thanks for visiting!

Is your dog an escape artist? Tips to keep her safe

Don't let this innocent look fool you; Irish terrier mix Sophia is the Queen of Escape.

The following is an excerpt from Your Adopted Dog:Everything You Need to Know About Rescuing and Caring for a Best Friend in Need, by Shelley Frost and Katerina Lorenzatos Makris (yes, your Dozen Dogs Diarist!), published by The Lyons Press.

The common canine penchant for roaming is a top hazard. Just like people, many dogs like to get out and see the world. This is no reflection on her love for you; it’s just a dog thing.

Most will try to get out if they can. Some are regular Houdinis. All face severe threats to life and limb when they are out on their own.

Your first couple of days together could be the time when your dog is most likely to try to leave. It's strange but true that for a rescued dog, no matter how bad her life was before she met you, she might try to go back to it, just because it was more familiar. Even if you're giving her heaven on earth, she might be too confused to appreciate it right now.

Your job is to be her benevolent jailer, for her own good. Roaming dogs very often and very quickly become dead dogs.

Securing the yard

Fences   A surprising number of dogs are able to climb or jump to the top of a fence. They hold on with their paws, and use upper body strength to actually vault to other side… and they are out.

Make sure your fence is at least 6 feet tall. If your dog is a particularly large or motivated, you should have an even taller fence. Some dogs can easily climb a wire or chain link fence. A board fence is slick and discourages them.

To prevent jumping over a board fence, cut 2x4s into 1-foot lengths—enough to space one every few feet along the whole top of the fence. Nail one end of each into the top rail. Affix chicken wire (or other small-gauge link wire) to the 2x4s and the top rail, so as to create a barrier that your dog will hit if she tries to jump out.

You can do something similar to a chain link or wire fence, by installing the type of angled posts that are normally used to hold barbed wire at the top of a fence. They slip over the existing posts of a chain link fence.

However instead of installing barbed wire, use chicken wire (or similar material) to drape between the posts at the top of the fence. The material will sit at a 45-degree angle, making an effective barrier to a dog trying to jump out.

“Invisible” electric fences work well only if you have an existing physical fence and a large ½ acre (minimum) yard. Without a fence there is nothing to stop stray, loose dogs, children, delivery people, and letter carriers from entering your property. Your dog is at their mercy, and she might bite to protect her territory.

Or, if the yard is too small, such as a yard in a standard 50’ x 100’lot (the house and garage take up most of the area), the dog might panic, thinking the yard itself is zapping her. She could then become destructive to the outside of the house, trying to “escape” inside.

Digging Out  

Many dogs love to escape, and love to dig. Bad combination. But there are preventive methods.

Ideally, if you are putting up a new fence, first pour concrete 2 to 4 feet below ground, and 4 feet into the yard, all the way around the perimeter.

This can be quite pricey. A cheaper method is to sink pre-fab cement board vertically to those depths. Even less expensive is to install chicken wire or other stiff wire mesh (with ½-inch to 1-inch holes so that your dog can’t get a claw stuck in it) all along the perimeter, attached to the fence with pieces of wire.

You can either dig and bury it vertically to a 2-foot or 4-foot depth, or lay it on the surface horizontally at those widths, and cover it with dirt, bark material, or landscaping.

Yet another option is to use composite rolled roofing that comes in a 3-foot width, and slip it under the fence, laying it horizontally on the ground. You may cover this, too, with dirt, bark, or landscaping. Its sandpapery, abrasive surface discourages digging paws or ripping mouths.

Securing the house

Make sure all doors and gates shut and lock securely.

Fix broken screens and window panes.

DO NOT leave windows open if there’s a chance your dog can jump or climb out of them.

For one piece of proof as to why keeping dogs safely at home is vital, please see Chihuahua killed and skinned, possibly by neighbor angry about dog feces

ALL PHOTOS AND TEXT BY KATERINA LORENZATOS MAKRIS (unless otherwise noted) 

COPYRIGHT 2012

Dear Reader, 

The Dozen Dog Diaries (DDD) would be delighted if you'd spread the links to these articles. Please just keep in mind that reprint or re-post of more than a paragraph or two of the text or of any of the photos is allowable only by explicit permission from DDD, who may be contacted at youradopteddogATyahooDOTcom. Thanks for visiting!

‘The dog who wouldn’t die’: Attacked and left for dead, Addy lived to love again

Addy at bedtime, recovering nicely / Photo: Llasa Happy Homes

"It is far worse than I could imagine," said Randee Goldman, Executive Director/Founder of Lhasa Happy Homes. She had just met Addy. "This little six-pound, emaciated angel, matted to the bone (probably under six pounds when the mats come off), has a broken jaw, a bad eye, neurological damage, and still she is a trouper."

Few of us have faced the type of cruelty and neglect that Goldman says the diminutive Lhasa apso endured, and even fewer of us would be resilient and forgiving enough to come out the other end of it as plucky and loving as she is now.

Sometimes, when we’re feeling drained, as if we’re just not up to the challenges in our lives, a story like Addy’s rings in with a wake-up call.  

An email interview with Goldman provides a follow-up to the story first covered by San Diego Animal Advocacy Examiner Naida Austin.

Interview with Randee Goldman, Lhasa Happy Homes

The Dozen Dog Diaries (DDD): How did Addy’s injuries occur?

Randee Goldman: She was rescued from a backyard breeder. The SOB “didn't allow dogs in the house.” And she hadn't been groomed in over a year.  But that wasn't the worst of it. 

He had a German shepherd who had recently delivered puppies. The assumption is that the German shepherd attacked Addy. He found her lying in a pool of blood coming from her mouth.

He left her for dead in the backyard.  Then eventually he decided to bring her in the house to "die peacefully,” but never took her to the vet!

After a few days, "she got up and started walking around, then started eating," he told us [Llasa Happy Homes]. "She was like the dog who wouldn't die.”  That is a quote from his original emails.

DDD: What exactly are Addy's injuries?

Randee Goldman: She has a broken jaw that has now been repaired by Dr. Robert Olds, she is blind in one eye from previous trauma that was never treated, and she has some neurological issues from being attacked by the German shepherd, who probably had Addy's head in her mouth.

DDD: What does the vet say about her chances for recovery?

Randee Goldman: Surgery was done last week and she is doing great. Not sure about the neurological damage.

DDD: Is this one of the worst neglect/cruelty cases in your experience? 

Randee Goldman: Sadly, I have rescued dogs who were thrown from cars and then hit by another car, dogs who have broken pelvises, heart problems, or mange so bad they look like alligators. But this is the first time I've actually known that the owner truly left the dog to die because he didn't have the money to take her to the vet.  A six-pound helpless dog, who he didn't have groomed for over a year, and all she wants to do is give and receive love.  It's about the top three in terms of horrible.

DDD: Do you know if any charges will be filed against her former owner? 

Randee Goldman:  The dogs are our first priority.  Getting neglect charges to stick is difficult. We are still working on what and how to do this effectively.

DDD: What's her personality like? Any particularly sweet traits or funny quirks? 

Randee Goldman: She is a survivor.  She is cuddly and curious, loving and outgoing. While she has some neurological issues, they don't seem to bother her.  She loves to cradle herself against your body when you pick her up.  Because of her issues, any expression of love is endearing.

DDD: What does it mean to you to be able to rescue her?

Randee Goldman:  I'm a rescuer, it's what I do.  Addy is the hero, not me. I am blessed to have been involved with rescuing her from a terrible place, but she is doing all the work.  I'm just paying the bills!

UPDATE from the Lhasa Happy Homes Facebook page yesterday:  

"At this moment," Goldman writes, "I am in tears. ADDY IS A NORMAL DOG!!! I watched this video in awe of this little lady who has literally come back from the dead and is prancing around like a little show dog. Dog bless you Ian and Eva [Addy's foster parents]. YOU are MY heroes. This little baby girl has stolen my heart and THIS IS WHAT RESCUE IS ABOUT!!"

To apply to adopt Addy or the many other dogs who Goldman has rescued, or to make a 100% tax-deductible donation to help with those bills with the bills for their care (Addy’s medical bills are nearly $3,000 so far), please contact Lhasa Happy Homes.

Thanks to San Diego Animal Advocacy Examiner Naida Austin for the original coverage of Addy’s story.

Please note:  In a separate incident involving a different owner, Miss Tallulah, a four-pound Yorkshire terrier, was also severely injured by a bigger dog. Her owner, like Addy’s, did not take her to the vet for treatment.  Now Miss Tallulah has been treated and awaits adoption through Lhasa Happy Homes. 

For more articles about a wide range of animal issues please visit Animal Policy Examiner (APE).

ALL PHOTOS AND TEXT BY KATERINA LORENZATOS MAKRIS (unless otherwise noted) 

COPYRIGHT 2012

Dear Reader, 

The Dozen Dog Diaries (DDD) would be delighted if you'd spread the links to these articles. Please just keep in mind that reprint or re-post of more than a paragraph or two of the text or of any of the photos is allowable only by explicit permission from DDD, who may be contacted at youradopteddogATyahooDOTcom. Thanks for visiting!

Dog with horrifically mangled nose and mouth found wandering in Dallas

Francesca Bubbles, 'very affectionate' despite severely injured face
Photo credit:
Dallas Animal Services

It’s hard to imagine withstanding the pain of a grotesquely mangled and swollen nose and mouth. It’s harder still to imagine being able to stay “in a great mood” or “very affectionate” while you were enduring it.

But that’s exactly how shelter workers at Dallas [Texas] Animal Services described Francesca Bubbles, a young blue pit bull or pit bull mix who animal control officers found wandering the streets Thursday.

Though they couldn’t yet say for sure, the medical staff suspected the horrific wounds on her snout might be the result of an untreated tumor or abscess in her mouth and jaw.

“Despite these injuries,” said shelter director Jody Jones, “Bubbles has a beautiful soul and amazing spirit. She is gorgeous!”

After Francesca Bubbles received preliminary treatment for her injuries, her basic vaccinations, and a heartworm test (negative), a rescue group called DFW Rescue Me pulled her from the shelter on Friday, stepping up to the plate to take on her care and re-homing

Please check this page again for more on Francesca Bubbles.



To donate toward Francesca Bubbles’ medical care and other needs, contact DFW Rescue Me.

For more articles about animal issues please visit Katerina at Animal Policy Examiner (APE).

ALL PHOTOS AND TEXT BY KATERINA LORENZATOS MAKRIS (unless otherwise noted) 

COPYRIGHT 2012

Dear Reader, 

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