The Homeless Gentelman and His Dog

The Hubby and I were on our way home from dinner last night when I spotted a homeless gentleman and his dog walking on the side of the highway. There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, that gets to me more than a homeless person and their dog. Due to the fact that we are involved in dog rescue we usually have dog food in our car at all times. Thankfully, last night was no exception. As with all of my attempt at good deeds lately, I came very close to screwing this one up as well. When we first spotted the gentleman and his dog they were on the opposite side of the highway so I had to exit the highway and turn around. By the time we got back to where we saw him they had disappeared. After a few minutes of looking and going up and down the highway we were able to find him. The Hubby was kind enough to get out and give the food to the gentleman while I stayed in the car for safety reasons. People are notorious for going 80 miles an hour down that stretch of highway and my door was to the side of traffic. I watched as The Hubby greeted the gentleman and his dog. Both were kind and excited to meet The Hubby. The sweet doggy jumped up and said hello and The Hubby gave him some petting and loving. The gentleman shook The Hubby’s hand and thanked him for the food and the measly $8 we had in cash. I am sad that there are no shelters in the Dallas/Fort Worth area for homeless people and their pets. This made me wonder if there were any shelters at all like that in the country. Oddly enough when we got home I was watching Pit Boss on Animal Planet and the show was about that exact subject. The Pit Bull rescue was doing a blanket drive for a shelter that specifically shelters those who are homeless and have pets. This of course was in Los Angeles, but it made me feel a tiny bit better that somewhere there is a place for these amazing folks who have so little and chose to share what little they have with a dog who is most likely their only companion in life, and possibly the only live being who gives them unconditional love, friendship, joy, comfort, and respect.

Tiny Giraffe Kisses To Everyone!

Not Much Better

I got some really good sleep last night so that has helped my mental stability a little bit but not a lot. At least it is some improvement. Of course, I am off of work today so that means I have skirted my responsibilities and am not fully functioning.

My husband got the carpet pulled up in our bedroom and painted the floor. While this is something that we have wanted to do for years now it means our house is in disarray, even more so than normal. This has me highly stressed out. The bed is in the living room, the dresser in the master bathroom, the night stands are in the hallway, the clothes are in the dinning room. I am about to lose my mind. My aunt has done so much to help us get the house in order and now it feels like the house is back to where we started. I pray that once the bedroom gets put back together and I no longer have bedroom furniture strewn all over the house I will start to feel better.

I also saw my psychiatrist yesterday and she raised my antidepressant dosage. Next week I will also start therapy again. It worries me a little because it is one other thing on my plate. Obviously, it is completely necessary so I will have to make it work.

Tonight I am meeting with a lady who is interested in adopting Shandy. I really need this to work out. She is impossible around Kya and it is not fair to Kya. We also really need a break. Having 6 dogs in the house is completely overwhelming. I feel so guilty for taking a break, but I am close to falling apart.

Tiny Giraffe Kisses To Everyone!

Falling Apart

Well Kya went to the vet today. I wanted her to have a check up because she has been having chronic diarrhea for the past month. The lady that we got her from had her on Albon and some probiotics with only minimal results. We were informed by the vet that chronic diarrhea in cats is the hardest thing to diagnose and treat. I find this a bit overwhelming and it breaks my heart for our little Kya. A fecal exam was done and was negative but he gave her a dewormer anyway because he was not able to get a whole lot for the fecal exam and he said that sometimes there can be bad stuff in the upper GI tract that doesn’t show up in the fecal. The vet also prescribed and anti diarrhea medication (Pro-Pectalin Gel), a prescription diet for sensitive stomachs (EN Purina). I pray this gives us some results.

One of our foster dogs, Shandy, is about to drive me crazy as well. She just won’t give Kya a minutes rest. We have been in the process of getting her adopted but it won’t happen overnight and it’s never a guarantee that the adoption won’t fall through at the last minute. It’s not as simple as moving her to another foster home either because the group is low on foster homes. We are unsure of the best way to handle the situation because this is the only dog in the house that can jump a baby gate so that doesn't help to keep Shandy contained. Shandy means no harm at all. She just wants to play but that doesn’t make Kya feel any better. Kya was around dogs her whole life, but Shandy is a little over bearing. There is an extra bedroom in our house that is vacant and we have turned it into Kya’s Room, but I don’t want her separated from me at all. Keeping the foster sequestered is hard because she barks incessantly and it stresses both Kya and me out. I am trying to find comfort in the fact that this situation is not going to last forever because Shandy will be adopted eventually, but I am impatient and want Kya to be able to get used to her new home.

This leads me into another issue. We have made the hard decision to quit fostering for a little while once these two fosters have been adopted or moved. This isn’t a permanent change and we will continue to do transport and other volunteer work, but our pack needs a break and I need a break. We tried to take a break earlier this year but the guilt got to me and I gave in and ended up with two fosters. I am hoping I can stick to the plan better this time.

My mental health feels like it is faltering. My stress level is through the roof, focus is non existent, and I am starting to not function well. I called in sick to work today and already called in for tomorrow too. I feel like I am starting to fall apart. I hate this. With my aunt’s help I am finally getting my house in order but I am starting to fall apart in every other way. That is always my problem. I can’t seem to get more than one thing in order at a time. These are the times I begin to hate myself.

Tiny Giraffe Kisses To Everyone!

Tiny Giraffes, They Do Exist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Riggin, the Italian Greyhound, incognito as a TINY GIRAFFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Riggin is the one of our IGCA volunteer's furbabies.

Tiny Giraffe Kisses To Everyone ESPECIALLY TO RIGGIN!

Landry Update!!! The Hope Contiunues!

For those who are not familiar with Landry's story click here and here.
For quick reference, this was Landry when they found him in late July:

This is Landry now!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Abba Lawrence with TIGR for saving Landry!

All photos by Abba Lawrence.

Remember, Landry still needs a forever home!

Contact TIGR for info!

Tiny Giraffe Kisses To Everyone!

Little Ricky Update

Little Ricky is doing MUCH better. His soreness and limping are gone. The bruises are fading as well. Thank goodness. I was getting worried about him. He is a doll and such a lover. Human contact seems to be the most important thing to him. Even food seems less important to him that being with his human buddies. My hubby and I can't even go potty without him crying for us. Even when we are in the shower he wines until he figures out that we are behind the shower curtain. I am unsure yet whether or not it may be a case of separation anxiety. That is something we will have to keep and eye on.
He goes in on Wednesday to get neutered and then he will be moving to a different foster home. I am going to miss this little guy!
Tiny Giraffe Kisses To Everyone!

Worried About Little Ricky

Little Ricky is still really sore today. He was limping again this morning and I have to be really careful if I pick him up because he still cries out in pain if I’m not. His bruising is the same, no worse, no better. I worry about him. Not sure yet if a trip to the vet is called for, but keeping a close eye on him. I am a worrywart so my thoughts go straight to possible internal injuries and broken bones. Later today I will give my rescue rep a call and see what she thinks. I am guessing that since he isn’t lethargic and still willing to try and play he is going to be fine and there are no “real” injuries. It’s hard to tell with dogs. The reason I am so worried is we had a little girl come through rescue several years ago and she had been attacked by another dog. Half her poor leg had been ripped off! She had been taken to the vet immediately after the attack by the owner was triaged. When rescue got her we took to have the rest of that leg amputated. While she was on the operating table she passed away due to internal injuries. We were all shocked and devastated because she was acting like a normal little doggy right before we took her to the vet. She was very social and ate and seemed fine (other than the leg of course). Plus the vet that triaged her did catch any signs of internal injuries (I don’t know the vet that triaged her so I don’t know if they were incompetent or if the owner didn’t want any real testing done or what). Granted Little Ricky’s case was obviously not as severe as there are no open wounds and he has all of his appendages, but I still worry.

Tiny Giraffe Kisses To Everyone!

Little Ricky is Back! Had a Greyt Evening with My Aunt!

My Aunt Lynn and I had dinner at Chipotle after I got off work. As always, it was wonderful and we talked and talked! After dinner we went and picked Little Ricky from his current foster home. This is a little guy my hubby and I picked up last month from a kill shelter in Oklahoma. He stayed with us for about a week before moving to another foster home (We were already full and were only supposed to do his transport from Oklahoma but got to keep him a bit longer). Today his foster mommy called me and was very worried because Little Ricky and one of the other bigger Iggies in the home had quite a scuffle. Little Ricky was not picking up the social cues that the other dog was giving and Little Ricky's foster mom was worried that there would be a repeat scuffle. We decided that Little Ricky might do better back at our house so my Aunt went with me to go pick him up. (Again there was lots more talking! Shock!)
Poor Little Ricky got his clock cleaned pretty well. He has a pretty good sized bruise on his ribs and he was limping earlier. He is also pretty sore and I have to be careful how I pick him up or he lets out quite a good yelp or Iggy Scream. None of this gets in the way of his sweetness though. Giving kisses is still his most favorite thing to do. I swear this is the sweetest little guy we have had and that is saying something because we have had some sweet little babies come through here.
After we dropped him off at the house my Aunt and I went to the bookstore and looked at books and talked some more. It was really nice. We are going out to eat and to a movie tomorrow night and my cousin is going to join us. My Aunt and I are so excited.
Here are a few pics of our sweet Little Ricky!

Tiny Giraffe Kisses To Everyone!

Greyt News!

Maya, one of the 29 Greyhound/Greyhound Mixes seized by FWACC in July was just adopted!!!!!
Thank you TIGR (TX Italian Greyhound Rescue) for taking her in and getting her well so that she could find a forever home!

Tiny Giraffe Kisses To Everyone!

Update on the FWACC Dogs

Here is an update on the Greyhound/Greyhound Mix dogs recently seized in Fort Worth. There was one seizure of 28 dogs in late July and then another seizure of 11 dogs earlier this month.

GALT posted this on their Facebook page earlier today:

From the original FWAC seizure of 28 hounds, GALT's six surviving greyhounds are improving - Max, Ella, Pico, Charlie, Nate and Nicole. They will begin their treatment for Babesia within the next 7 days. Their oral medication has been extended for an additional 2 weeks. Of the 11 greys from the second FWAC seizure, 5 are with GALT, 5 are with Greyhounds Unlimited, and one is with It's A Grey Area. GALT's adults Jitterbug, Red and Sweet Pea are being closely monitored each day for any signs of illness. All suffer from Ehrlichia canis and Babesia canis. Jitterbug is heartworm positive and also has positive titers to Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Medication has been started on all three adults. Two puppies, Bessie and Delilah, are being treated for symptoms of upper respiratory infections, with the hope that it is not distemper. Their conditions are guarded and they are being monitored closely. Please continue to send your positive thoughts for all of these greyhounds to improve and survive the terrible existence they have endured.

Sincerely,
The Officers, Directors, and Committee Members of Greyhound Adoption League of Texas, Inc.

Tiny Giraffe Kisses To Everyone!

A Happy Tale - Milo Got Adopted!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Milo found his furever home today! He was put on Petfinder Thursday and Dawn emailed me Friday and said she already had someone contact her about Milo. I was excited but wasn’t counting on it panning out. Those in animal rescue understand what I mean. We are forever getting people interested in dogs that change their mind or don’t meet adoption requirements. So I got Milo all ready this morning and took him to the Adopt-A-Pet event that the Coppell Humane Society was having today. I had honestly forgotten about Dawn saying that there was anyone interested in Milo. When we arrived at Petsmart the family that was interested in him was already there waiting for us! They had gotten there about 30 minutes before the event even started. When Milo and I came around the corner where they were waiting they looked up and exclaimed “It’s Milo!” Dawn came over to introduce us and let me know that she had already checked vet references and everything checked out great. She then let us all go to the back so that Milo could meet the family and their terrier mix, Lucy. Everyone hit it off instantly. Sweet Milo never even made it to one of the show crates. I can’t believe how fast he went! Amazing! Here is a picture of Milo’s new Mommy and Furiend. I love a happy ending!

Tiny Giraffe Kisses To Everyone, Especially Milo and His New Family!

Dinner and an Urgent Care Clinc Visit...It Was Going to be Dinner and a Movie

I am a bit loopy on pain meds tonight but I hate to go a whole day without posting something. Plus, this evening was a bit crazy.

I went to dinner with my Aunt Lynn but afterward ended up in the urgent care clinic. I hesitate to tell this story because I don’t know that everyone will really understand that what happened was our fault and not the dog’s. Last Sunday my hubby and I had a sweet little Italian Greyhound that we were overnighting. The poor little dog had a broken leg and had been through a whole lot that weekend. He was scared, tired and in pain. Jeff picked him up (while standing) and the little guy got scared and tried to jump from Jeff’s arms. NOT GOOD! He surely would have broken another leg and further damaged his broken one. Both Jeff and I panicked and grabbed for him. In all of the commotion the little guy bit my thumb and bit through the thumb nail. It hasn’t been getting any better and when my Aunt Lynn saw it at dinner she was positive that I should have it looked at. Since it was already 6pm and a Friday we ended up at Care Now. They gave me 2 shots and then gave me a prescription for pain meds, antibiotics and Naproxen. I almost had a heart attack when the Dr. said I would have to fill out some form that would be sent to animal control for follow up. Thankfully my Aunt was thinking quicker than I was and told the Dr. that we don’t even have the dog anymore because it was a rescue situation. Thankfully the Dr. assumed that I no longer knew where the dog was and decided to forgo the paperwork. WHEW!!!!! I swear I was already planning on ways to abscond to Canada with the little guy. Thank you Aunt Lynn!

Well I am off to Vicodin Dreamland.

Toodles!

Tiny Giraffe Kisses To Everyone!

The Hope Continues - FWACC Cruelty Case Partial Update

This is Landry. He is one of the 29 Greyhound and Greyhound Mixes that were seized by the Fort Worth Animal Care and Control in late July. (Link 1, Link 2, Link 3)Landry was taken in by Abba Lawrence with Texas Italian Greyhound Rescue. From the moment TIGR and Abba laid hands on Landry his suffering was over. Landry has since had surgery for the many warts that had taken over his mouth and is being treated for an infection on his cheek that has left a hole in it. He has also gained 15 pounds!

Pictures can do his story more justice than words.

This is Landry when he was found.

This is Landry now! It brings tears of hope and joy to my eyes. I love you Landry and I love TIGR and Abba for saving him!

Tiny Giraffe Kisses To Everyone And Especially LANDRY!

Meet Our Current Fosters!

Rocco

Sweet Boy Rocco came to us from the North Richland Hills Animal Shelter. When he arrived he has a terrible case of Kennel Cough that was dangerously close to turning into Pneumonia. He went through 3 different rounds of antibiotic to clear it up. Sadly, that was not the end of his troubles. Rocco also tested positive for Heartworms. On July 26, Rocco was treated for his Heartworm infection and continues to recover. Once he has recovered a bit more he will get neutered and have a dental done. Then his next stop will be to his forever home.
Rocco is a laid back boy who fit in almost instantly. He gets along with all of our dogs and does not seem to have any behavioral issues. Rocco is going to make one forever home wonderfully happy!
For information about adopting Rocco contact IGCA Rescue of Texas or email me at skittleiggyluv@yahoo.com

Meet Shandy!

Shandy is a sweet and talented girl who loves her humans! She has Canine Discoid Lupus which can be treated with medication when she has flare ups. It mainly effects her nose which will begin to scab over when her condition begins to worsen. Due to her condition sunblock is a must even for short periods of time in the sun. She also has a condition called facial muscle atrophy. At this time it is not causing her any discomfort, pain or problems.
Shandy is a playful little gal and athletic as well. This girl can clear a babygate with no problem and will do so in a heartbeat to get to her beloved humans. Her other talent is catching Cheerios and other small bits of food in her mouth when tossed to her.
Shandy is friendly to kids, small and large dogs, and cats. She is a social butterfly and often takes center stage when around groups of people.
She loves to burrow like most IGs but blankets are not always enough for this little gal. She likes to burrow under stacks of pillows and even burrow under the pillow top mattress pad on the bed so it is suggested that you always preform an "iggy check" before sitting down or laying down on piles of pillows and blankets or before climbing into bed.
For information about adopting Rocco contact IGCA Rescue of Texas or email me at skittleiggyluv@yahoo.com

Milo

Milo is a wire haired Pug-Chihuahua Mix. He is a friendly and sweet boy who is good with small or large dogs as well as cats. His favorite spot is next to me (his foster mom) on the couch and he prefers to sleep in bed with his humans. After living with Italian Greyhounds he has also learned that being under the covers is quite cozy as well. Even though he is a small dog his bark is robust and he is very good at letting his humans know if he hears something outside. This could be problematic if living in an apartment. When Milo came to us he caught on to the whole “potty outside concept” very quickly. He is very good about going to the door and scratching at it or whining when he needs outside to go potty. While he has not spent a lot of time with children he has always done very well with them when he is around them. Milo has always lived with other dogs so it is unknown how he will do as an only dog. I am pretty confident that if he was an only dog in a situation where there were humans home most of the time he would do well. It is not known how he would do as an only dog in a home where the humans were gone for long periods of time on a daily basis.
If you are interested in letting Milo adopt you please contact the Coppell Human Society or 972-462-1121. You can also email me at skittleiggyluv@yahoo.com.

Tiny Giraffe Kisses To Everyone!

Videos of the Rescued Greyhound/Greyhound Mixes

Here are some videos of the dogs from the blog post regarding the 29 dogs seized in Fort Worth last month.
These are NOT easy to watch!
Video 1
Video 2
Video 3

Tiny Giraffe Kisses To Everyone!

A Dog's Forgiveness

On Sunday a group of dog lovers gathered to mourn the loss of four Greyhounds who suffered and died due to the cruelty of humans. Thankfully their last few days on earth were spent with those who saved and loved them, and now miss them with all their heart. I told the story of the 29 dogs that were seized by Fort Worth Animal Care and Control in my blog last week. For those who didn’t read it, it is sufficient to say that these dogs had suffered neglect so bad that four of the 29 could not be saved. It was the worse neglect that many seasoned dog rescuers had ever seen. In a touching article written by Jeffrey Weiss for The Dallas Morning News he said “A criminal investigation is still ongoing, but it was clear that the surviving greyhounds had already forgiven humanity. Four were brought to the service. Nate, who had been covered by 2,000 ticks when rescued, wagged his tail and licked the hand of a friendly stranger.” His statement about how these abused dogs had “forgiven humanity” struck a powerful chord for me. As rescuers we get a chance to witness this forgiveness often and for me it never ceases to amaze me. That forgiveness is one of the things that helps rejuvenate us. Nothing gives me more hope and joy than the unconditional love of a dog. There have been so many fosters come through my home who have been given no reason in the world to love or trust me, but they do. The somehow forget the abuse and neglect they have suffered at the hands of humans. There is no anger, no revenge, no passive aggressiveness, no cold shoulder, no ultimatum, just wagging tails and kisses. If only we humans were as good at this as dogs are.


I saw a quote the other day. I don’t know who it was by but it was perfect:

“To err is human,
To forgive, Canine”

Tiny Giraffe Kisses To Everyone! And some wonderful dog kisses too!

A Story of Horror, Remembrance and Hope

Last month, on July 8, Fort Worth Animal Care and; Control seized 28 dogs from a Fort Worth home. One of the dogs was a Saluki, the others were Greyhounds or Greyhound Mixes. Their condition was described as “appalling and shocking” by a GALT representative. Some of the dogs weighed as little as 35 pounds. The heaviest weighed in at 51 pounds! Greyhounds and Salukis are LARGE BREED DOGS! For the sake of comparison, our own Retired Racer, Buddy, weighs in at around 75 pounds. These precious dogs were covered in fleas and ticks. It was said that one dog had abound 1,500 ticks on his body. Yes that is Fifteen Hundred! Most, if not all, have tick born diseases, intestinal parasites and are anemic. Most of the dogs have pressure sores, some that have become infected. To make matters worse, later in the week another dog was discovered who was sick and emaciated as well.

Thankfully, 7 wonderful rescue groups stepped up to foster these suffering dogs:

Greyhound Adoption League of Texas took 10 dogs.

Greyhounds Unlimited took 8 dogs.

Texas Italian Greyhound Rescue took in 6.

All Breed Rescue of Texas took in 2.

Collin County Humane Society took 1 dog.

Salukie Tree of Life Alliance took 1 dogs

It’s a Grey Area took 1 dog.

These groups are absorbing vet bills that could range in the thousands of dollars for EACH DOG! It is going to take most of these dogs up to 4-6 months to recover and be ready for adoption.

Sadly, not all of the dogs have made it. At the time of this post at least four of the sweet babies have passed away. GALT will be having a memorial service on Sunday for those who have passed.

I can not understand how any human can sit by and watch any creature suffer in any manner. Thankfully, the human that was responsible for all of this suffering will be held accountable.

Tears flow as I write this. I look at my precious Buddy and I can not imagine him emaciated, covered in pressure sores and ticks. My heart breaks at how much these poor babies had to suffer, but thankfully there is hope. These sweet babies will have a second chance thanks to these rescue groups who are giving their time, money, homes and hearts to these dogs. Never again will any of these dogs want for a home, food, a soft place to lay or someone to love them. Their lives will only get better from this day on.

For more information and videos click here.
For more information about the dogs who did not survive and the memorial service being held on Sunday click here.

Below are just a few pictures. In the fourth picture you will see some tube sticking out from the poor dog. Those are to drain puss from where the tick and flea infestation has been so bad. The 2nd and 3rd pictrues are NOT of a dead dog even though that is what it may look like.

Tiny Giraffe Kisses To Everyone and Everydog!

It IS Hard to Let Them Go

It irritates me when people find out that I foster dogs for rescue and respond by saying something like "I could never foster. It would hurt too much to let them go!" Most of the time I smile and tell them it's not that bad and the joy of seeing them find their forever home makes up for it. What I would rather do is smack them and sarcastically say, "I am lucky to be an automaton and have no emotions. That’s what makes it easy." The reality is that it IS hard and it hurts like hell sometimes. I have had a number of fosters that I so badly wanted to adopt but knew I couldn't because we already have five dogs and that would leave less room for future fosters. All of our fosters are hard to let go of and all of them are missed when they are gone. The bond that is forged with a foster dog is often as strong as the bond created with our own dog.


Most foster dogs don't come in all healthy and happy. Many of them are sick, starved and/or terrified. Some are close to death and others so scared of humans that they urinate or defecate when approached by one. As a foster home it is our job to nurse them back to health and teach them that not all humans are bad. There are nights that neither dog nor foster parents get any sleep because the dog's illness is so bad it does not allow for rest and sleep. Medications need to be administered or bandages may need to be changed. Hours can be spent quietly and patienlty sitting with a dog trying to coax them into trusting you and the rest of the human race.

We learn who they are and discover their quirks. Their strengths begin to shine through and we try to cultivate those to make them more appealing to a possible forever home. Some have to be taught how to play. Others have to be taught that not everything is a toy. We watch as they bond with our own dogs who sometimes get a bit jealous at all of the attention the fosters get.

These special dogs can spend weeks or often months with us. The whole time they are with us we know that all of the hard work we are doing is getting us closer to the goal of a forever home, which means letting them go. We welcome them, nurse them, hold them, help them, and love them all the while knowing that we will hand them over one day and often never see them again.

Is this hard? Yes! Does it hurt? Yes! Is it rewarding? Yes! Will we do it again? YES!

Why? Because of the next foster dog that is in line needing a foster home. You see, the line is endless. Dogs are put to death everyday simply because there are not enough people out there willing to love them and take care of them. Millions of dogs and cats are being put to death simply for being born. So, as we hand over one foster another is being handed to us and the cycle begins again.

Tiny Giraffe Kisses To Everyone!