Savannah's Paw Tracks

Autobiography of a Former Shelter Cat

Archive for the tag “special need cat rescue”

AMAZING RESCUE STORIES…Book Give Away

Hiya, Savannah Here!

This is a really impawtant day for me, and Mom to. ‘cuz it is our furry first ever attempt to have a little contest and a give away.  We have some success and some learning from this attempt.

The success…receiving encouraging and heartwarming stories from 11 commenters about cat and dog rescues, mostly their own stories.  Just Pawsome!!!

The learning…never have a contest that sets the host up to have to chose “winners” when talking about animal rescue…efurryone is a winner.

THE RESULT OF MY LEARNING:

 I WILL GIVE ALL ELEVEN COMMENTERS ONE COPY OF THE WONDERFUL NEW BOOK:

DOG IS MY CO-PILOT BY PATRICK REGAN

WILL THE FOLLOWING CONTRIBUTORS SEND ME THEIR MAILING ADDRESSES

I WILL SHIP THE BOOK DIRECTLY TO YOU FROM AMAZON.COM

I WILL SEND TO ANY COUNTRY

BE SURE TO INCLUDE ALL PROPER ZIP CODES, COUNTRY MAILING CODES, PHONE OR MOBILE NUMBERS IN CASE AMAZON NEEDS THEM FOR INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING

SEND MAILING INFORMATION TO MY EMAIL ADDRESS

ms.savannahcoolkat@gmail.com

Maxwell and OTRB Ryker, A Tonk’s Tail…errrTale

Easy, Easy Blog

DeDe, Rumpy Dog

Nerissa, Nerissa’s Life

Amber, a Cavalier King Spaniel,  represented by Nutty, Nibbles, Bingo and Buddy, Hutch A Good Life

Callie,  Troublin’ Times

Sammy, One Spoiled Cat

Alfie,  Mollie and Alfie

Austin, CATachresis

Spitty, Spitty Speaks

Cathy Keisha, Stunning Keisha

Now for the bestest part…the ELEVEN STORIES

I will post 5 today and the other 6 tomorrow…otherwise the post is way too long!!! OK???

:(I had Mom put Miss Tammy’s remarks in italics at the end where she was able to remark)

Maxwell and OTRB Ryker, A Tonk’s Tail…errrTale

We have a special place in our hearts for pilots who volunteer to do this – what a wonderful gift it is! Ryker was rescued from a breeder who was going to have him put down because he had a corona virus. Maxwell was rescued with horrid health issues (upper respiratory, awful ear infections, and deaf). In both cases, we spent literally months and months (almost half a year in Maxie’s case) caring for them daily and nursing them back to health. Ryker never was 100% healthy but he brought us joy for every one of the almost 14 years he was with us. Thankfully, Maxie has returned to complete and robust health – except for his hearing impairment. Because of these cats, I’ll always look for a less-adoptable cat or one with special needs. The rewards are tremendous!

Miss Tammy said she loved this story because of that last sentence highlighted in RED!…makes purrfect sense!

EasyEasy Blog

Hi Savannah, we are US- “outsiders” too, but I want tell our rescue-experience:

One of our formerly Huskies was adopted from a vet. A guy came into the vets office with this one year old Husky bitch and wanted a mercy-killing for her…because the dog was bought as a “toy” for his kids and they were  no longer interested in it.

She was alone in the apartment for 8 hours daily and the neighbors were complaining about howling the whole day. The vet refused to kill this dog and made the proposal, that he will find a new home for the dog. The guy agreed, but he said if anyone will adopt the dog he wanted the price he has paid for it. What an a..hole! The vet was very outraged about this guy, got the dog and told the guy to leave his office immediately. Normally we don’t want a second dog, but this was so absurd and cruelty, that we adopted this Husky bitch. She lived for 14 years with us and was the best girl that we ever had. We never regretted to adopt her, not for one moment. It was the best decision we could made.

I’ts hard to write about her, she passed away in 2009, but it does still hurt as if it would be yesterday – OMG where to buy a water resistent keyboard?

Miss Tammy said she was brought to tears by this one because the vet refused to put the dog down; he kicked the a–hole out of his office…and these people adored this dog and still revere her to this day. I have had my heartstrings tugged like this as well.  I have a dog “Harley” that I pulled from the county shelter (kill shelter) and feel the same way about him…he is my “heart dog”.

RumpyRumpy Dog

RUMPY’s COMMENT ON MY POST:
Every critter in our family is a rescue. The biggest challenge has been DeDe. She told some of her story today. She has food allergies that took two years to diagnose. And once that issue was resolved, the hyperthyroidism and other problems showed up. her meds cost around $200 a month. Many people think behavioral challenges are hard with rescues, but it’s the medical issues, especially with older dogs, that can be so hard to deal with.

FROM RUMPY DOG POST ON HIS BLOG:

http://rumpydog.com/2012/07/22/dear-dede-7/

Miss Tammy felt so badly for DeDe…she commented that Jen’s unwavering determination to not give up on DeDe and her allergies and to get to the root cause was so remarkable. A lot of people would have given up or surrendered the dog.

NerissaNerissa’s Life,

Wow! It sure does sound like you’ve got a lot of really good peeps living ’round your place. They sure do a lot to help the anipals in need. Personally, I’ve never rescued a dog or cat ’cause, well, I’m a cat myself. I was feral though so my peeps rescued me.

But, they also rescued my aunties’ mama. She was living in Venezuela on a resort but starving to death. She had lost all her teeth even from feeding her babies and not getting proper nutrition herself. So, the peeps got all her papers in order and bought a carrier and a plane ticket for her and guess what? She came home with them to Canada. That’s how my aunties came to be Canadian kitties just like me. Pretty neat, huh?

I should just mention that my aunties were in their mama’s tummy when she flew here to Canada. Yeah… she was preggers, again. So… my peeps didn’t just rescue one cat from there. They rescued five for the price of one! Thank goodness, too, ’cause my aunties are now fifteen years old but I don’t think they would have ever survived had they been born over there in South America.

Miss Tammy remarked that anyone who is willing to go to the trouble of purchasing a PTU, get all the necessary papers and buy a plane ticket…to save an animal…then those are real animal rescue heroes. 

Hutch A Good Life,

I also want to share another story, about another puppy farm dog my Aunt took on before she met Missy. Amber was a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

She was beautiful but ungainly. Her legs bent into awkward positions which made walking hard. Her legs were like this because of so many forced pregnancies in a tiny space with hardly any room to move. She was scared of everything. Illness and fear followed her every step. She lived with my Aunt for nearly eighteen months and was just beginning to trust humans again when she passed away. Unfortunately, despite only being young the years of abuse had taken their toll on her body. She was useful to the original owner for her beauty. How awful is that? He destroyed her beautiful body but not her spirit. She fought till the very end.

Although she never really trusted anyone again I like to think that she was happier with my Aunt than she had ever been before. She died a happy dog with a safe home, good veterinary care, a loving family and with the knowledge that not everyone was going to beat her or lock her in a dark space and steal her puppies.  It is maybe not as happy an ending as other stories but it is true and happens more often than people are willing to think about.

Miss Tammy commented she appreciated this story because it is all about making the dogs life comfortable no matter how much time it had left.  I have done this with some shelter dogs and cats as well.

 

Those are the stories for today!!!…let’s hear it for all who commented…

Be sure to stop by tomorrow for the remaining 6 stories

APAWS…APAWS…APAWS…!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you efurryone, Paw Pats, Savannah

A purrPrise: My Champion

Finally…runs in office..slams door…whew! Jumps on chair…hits “PUBLISH” with left paw (I’m a lefty in case ya hadn’t noticed!)

Now it’s all together…the whole story can come out.  Mom and I have done a ton of storyboarding on this one…’cuz it kind’a goes back a ways….

…I know this is kind’a long…but it’s gonna be good…trust me…

The question efuury lady cat must ask herself…if and when do I need a CHAMPION to guard my honor?…and ‘cuz of my background, I never thought I would need to ponder(vocab builder) this question.

But, life changes…..

…I used to stare in my Mirror and ask…”what is wrong with me? I think I look OK…I am nice…I keep myself nicely groomed…why doesn’t any huFamily want me…”…

…I would lie in my hidey hole (no one at the shelter ever suspected I had it all tricked out)…and while brushing my fur…wonder…”maybe I don’t have HONOR and that is why no one wants me???…”

…and then this man came along in the shelter, and reached in and petted me, and then his wife did this special rubbing on my ears and head…and, well…you all know the ending…

I WAS TAKEN TO MY FURREVER HOME…and I had HONOR!!!

Then I started to blog my autobiography. Mom helps…and she is the one who put my HONOR at risk…

Remember that June 19 post…My Name Is Not Marilyn???…all those ‘cheesecake shots’ Mom posted!!??

…like this one…????

Well! That is what started me to fret (vocab builder) about my HONOR…’cuz of those cheesecake shots Mom posted…I got lots of comments that made me fear my HONOR needed protection…

Chancy, from Chancy The Gardner,  warned me…”Oh, my! Sweet Savannah you better lock down the place…there’s going to be mancats scratching at your door….”

The boys over at Katnip Lounge commented: “Boom Chicka Wow Wow:…Mommy! Fainty Mancats clean up in Aisle Three!”

Rumpy Dog had to control June Buggie: “Oh my DOG! *covers screen so June Buggie don’t drool on it*…”

Alfie, over at Mollie and Alfie …commented: “You is smokin HOT girl, has your Mum got a pole?? Yep as they say, if you’s got flaunt it, and you certainly have!…Can’t wait to see some more, I wonder if Mum’s got some Ice cubes as well.”

Kozmo, at Cat from hell said: …”Oh! My! Cod!…Nellie hid your post from me yesterday! Savannah-You are one hot Mama! I could go for a girl like you if I did not have my Calico Rose….Kisses…Kozmo”…

After all those comments…one final comment came in which gave me hope…and an IDEA!!

Finally, my doggie pal, my Mr. Big Guy Jetty from Hi, It’s Jet Here, said:

“Listen with the boys getting a look see at those pics, you’re gonna need protection… and I VOLUNTEER!”

I immediately replied:…”Oh Jetty…you are so big and strong…I would totally feel protected if you were my CHAMPION!!! ….digging in box, throwing stuff out…searching…searching…can’t find it…but I will give you my handkerchief and you can be my official CHAMPION!!”

My Big Guy responded right back, fast as lightening…”Hey, Jetty here. I would consider it a great honor to receive your hankie and take on the role of your CHAMPION…”

I sent back my reply as fast as my paws could type…”ok, let me find that hankie and I will ‘award’ it to ya…”

MY CHAMPION IS MY DOGGIE PAL MR. BIG GUY JETTY!!  TAAAAAADAAAAAA!!

Jetty, I promosed you my hanky, and here it is…and I know you will wear it with pride when you are needed…

And Jetty, I had this special badge made for you and I to post on our bloggys so efurryone knows you are my OFFICIAL CHAMPION!!!

That’s my big PurrPrise for efurryone!!!  And MY CHAMPION JETTY is just seeing our badge for the very first time today!!! PURRPRISE JETTY, MY BIG GUY!!

I want to give a warm shout out to  Miss Ann, from Zoolatry, and thank her for her fabulous art work.  HUGE PAW PATS, Savannah

Part Two: Making Change For Animals and A Give Away Contest

Hiya! Savannah here!! Well this is a really exciting post today,at least for me…

If you read my B4TC post on July 15, you remember I talked about a Person, Miss Tammy, a dog, Sammie, and Pilots, Pilots ‘N Paws.

Now, I am taking about another pilot, a van, lots of people, some dogs and two Food Banks…all working together to Be the Change for Animals.  Cool, huh??

Miss Tammy is the link to this because she volunteers with my former shelter  called Kitty Corner, and it is owned and operated by a private, non profit organization called the Contra Costa Humane Society (CCHS).  My Mom and Dad volunteer here too.

CCHS has several programs, but I’m just going to share a couple of really unique ones I want to show off to my readers.

First, the dogs, the van, the pilot and some people….

CCHS partnered with our local county public shelter,  Contra Costa Animal Services and with a private non profit no kill shelter, Southern Oregon Humane Society, to put into action a program called Operation Rescue Paws.

CCHS works with Contra Costa Animal Services to pull dogs from this shelter, which does euthanize, and then CCHS coordinates transportation for the dogs to Southern Oregon Humane Society where they have furrever homes waiting for them!!! YEA!!!

This is mostly small dogs…at risk of euthanization and the Oregon shelter guarantees adoption.

Now for the transport from Northern California to Southern Oregon. Here comes the pilot and the van!!

The first group of dogs was small, only 4 or 5 of them…and a very kind pilot, not part of Pilots N Paws, volunteered to transport these dogs to Southern Oregon.

…loading up…

…ready for take off!!!!…

…now the people volunteering to drive the van in stages to Oregon…

…this van had 14 dogs…

…some passengers before loading…

…and look at this special little doggie…he was fine…just needed the cone thingy ‘cuz of a small issue…

Isn’t that a pawsome program!! And CCHS will be doing it again…as soon as they can get some funds raised to help with the cost. Of course, they also have to coordinate foster homes for a few days for all those doggies before they go on the trip to Sourthern Oregon.  Lots, and lots of work…but what a great ending!

Another program CCHS has…and I really think this one is totally cool…helps dogs and cats and people!!

Here come some more people, some dogs and cats, and two food banks.

All of us cats and dogs know how much joy, love and healing comfort we bring to our human families.  But as the peeps’ economy has sort’a tanked…so many peeps struggle to not only feed their human family, but their aniFamily members too.

So, CCHS partners with two local county food banks, Contra Costa County Food Bank and Solano County Food Bank, to help families be able to feed and therefore keep their aniFamily members.

The food banks give CCHS any dog or cat food they collect. CCHS then puts it into 4-6 pound bags (dry food…canned food is distributed by so many cans based on need) …and then CCHS distributes the dog and cat food on the same day and site each month that the food bank distributes people food.

As with people food banks, our program called Animeals, is intended to only be supplemental. CCHS cannot provide a whole month of food, but we are trying to help people keep their dogs and cats.

CCHS does have one requirement, and it aligns (vocab builder) with their Spay and Neuter services…that requirement is that people who receive the supplement dog and cat food must show that their pets are spayed or neutered. (a sort’a sad reflection on peeps’ lack of education about the need to spay and neuter…is that when CCHS instituted this requirement…the number of peeps coming for dog and cat food dropped by about 150)

…CCHS has food barrels distributed around our county…they are placed at many pet food stores…asking people to donate…

…this is a distribution day…

I hope you learned about CCHS and maybe got some ideas for programs like these in your area…

It is just one more way that people, a van, a pilot, and rescue organizations and food banks are being the change for animals every day.

NOW…THE GIVE AWAY…

Keeping the focus on Being The Change for Animals and Rescue…I am giving away 5 copies of the great book I talked about in my July 15 post… Dog Is My Co-Pilot, by Patrick Regan.

  • To win, just leave a comment and tell me “what have you done to rescue a cat or dog?”  Briefly mention on or two challenges you overcame with your rescue
  • It can be about your own dog or cat you rescued or maybe you helped someone else
  • This is open to all readers to whom I can send the book via AMAZON…I will order it and have it shipped to you direct from AMAZON

How to select the 5 winners…hmmmmm…tapping claw up,down,up,down…AHHH HAA..

  • I will have Miss Tammy read all the comments and pick the 5 that make her have  “HAPPY LEAKY EYES”! … I’m talkin’ about the leaky eyes like lots of you had when you read about her dog, Sammie.

Mom is reading the book to me every night before bed…a couple of stories each night….we sniffle…hug each other and smile a lot…I know  you will enjoy this book.

Paw Pats, Savannah

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