Evie's Story

The animal control officer found her wandering the streets of a city. On a body score index of one to five, five being fat and sassy - she is a 1. Whether she got loose and got lost or whether the family that owned her couldn't afford to feed her, we will never know. Whatever the case, Evie, named for being rescued on the eve of Christmas Eve, needed help. The staff at the shelter called to see if PAWS Hancock would take her in. The shelter was full to the brim and that means that any animal that comes in with a health issue is at risk of euthanasia.

Evie was rescued and went to the vet immediately. She is about two years old and looks like a chihuahua and toy fox terrier mix. She weighed only 6.4 founds. She has a wonderful sweet personality, and her tail wags non stop in spite of the fact that she is starving. Her ribs and hip bones stick out for all to see, and she has no muscle mass in the front half of her body. She does have some muscle mass in her thighs. She is heartworm negative and is on a deworming program. She is also on a special feeding schedule for a week till she gets used to eating again without gulping down her whole meal and to give her internal organs time to readjust themselves to proper nutrition.

Right now Evie needs some time to get healthy again, but soon she will be looking for a new home. If anyone would like to help with her expenses or wants to adopt this sweetheart, please go to the PAWS Hancock website at http://www.pawshancock.org/ or email pawshancock@aol.com.

Clint's Cosmetic Surgery

Yes, it's true --- Clint, a six year old chocolate lab, has had cosmetic surgery!!!

Now, as the saying goes, here's "the rest of the story". Clint was a stray for at least two weeks. He wandered into a small town and hovered between two homes which were across the road from each other. His guardian angels kept him from getting hit on the road. One of the families finally called H.E.A.R.T. rescue in Eldora, Iowa and asked for help for this gentle, kind, well mannered dog. He was sick, and the rescue got him to the vet and on antibiotics, and he is healthy now.

Clint knows sit, not to jump on people, takes treats gently, loves to play ball, and the vet said he is only about six years old, in spite of the white muzzle. Clint has degenerative retinal disease that cannot be fixed, so he can see shadows, dark and light. He needs a home and family with a fenced yard to keep him safe. Unfortunately, because of his size (80 pounds) and his disability, only one person has come forward to meet him. Even more unfortunately, the person who asked for the meeting wanted a registered chocolate lab to replace her "lost" dog. Her lost dog had wandered off never to be seen again - her comment was that he probably went off to die and he "was just a farm dog". Needless to day, Clint would not have been adopted out to her.

Clint is very friendly and would really like to be a lap dog. He seems fine with other dogs, and is not interested in cats. He hasn't been around small children since he has been in rescue, but his good nature and gentleness makes one think that a family with children would be a definite possibility.

Clint is microchipped, current on vaccinations, heartworm tested negative and on heartworm preventive, and neutered.

The cosmetic surgery??? - when Clint was neutered, he had lots of extra scrotal skin, so the vet did a scrotal tuck!!!

Please pass this along and help me find a forever home for this wonderful dog. For more information about adopting Clint, go to www.petfinder.com and search for H.E.A.R.T. Rescue in Eldora, Iowa. Let's give this guy a home for Christmas!!!

If You Can't Adopt - - -

This holiday seasons takes a toll on animal shelters and rescues. Shelters, because of budget restrictions, often have to euthanize animals right before the holidays to keep from paying overtime. Rescues find that there are some folks who really want to adopt a dog or cat, but for the most part, everyone is caught up in shopping and preparing for the holidays while the shelters and rescues are full to the brim and stretching to make ends meet.

If you can't adopt, then please consider fostering even if it's just for a short time. Let's get as many of the adoptable animals into homes for the holidays. Never know, you might decide to keep the dog or cat! Also, if you do decide to adopt or foster this time of year, first of all for the first week or two, please don't invite everyone you know and their own pet to meet your new arrival. Give them time to settle in to your routine. With the excitement and stress levels of the holiday season, it's best to give them a crate in a room where they can smell, hear and see what's going on before they have to dive into the middle of a room full of excited children or stressed out adults.

If you can't foster, then maybe you could volunteer for an hour or two. The dogs, cats, and staff really appreciate it. They have lots of work to do and often don't have nearly as much time as they would like to walk, pet, socialize, groom, etc.

If you can't volunteer, then maybe you could donate. Bleach, dry dog food, dry cat food, litter, canned food, treats, tennis balls, toys, blankets, towels, even cheap collars and leads are all very welcome any time.

If you don't have time to do any of the above, maybe just sponsor an animal. Send a donation, however large or small, to help support a rescued dog or cat, horse, goat, chicken - it all helps out!!!

On behalf of the rescues and shelters that I have worked with and currently work with, we thank you for any help you can give us.

Taxi Needs a Ride

Taxi is a senior maltese at the Animal Protection League in Anderson, Indiana. He has bad teeth and even a couple of snaggle teeth in the front, a hernia, a fatty tumor, and with his age and health issues, he has yet to be adopted or even fostered. Ever since I first saw his face and read his story, my gut instinct has refused to let him out of my mind.

If I were still in Indiana, I would contact my rescue coordinator, aka "partner in crime", and ask to make a road trip to get him, with a stop at our favorite Taco Bell on the way. We used to do that every chance we had --- and always took extra crates so we could pull a few more adoptable dogs and even cats while we were there.

I can't explain the attraction. I look at pictures on Petfinder every day, but this little guy has gotten into my head and heart.

The Animal Protection League, formerly Anderson Animal Care and Control, has one of the most caring and dedicated staff ever. They try their level best to find homes for dogs, cats, and occasionally a chicken, goat, or some other animal.

Taxi - my prayer is for you to have a new home for Christmas.

Roxy Gets Another Chance

Roxy is an 18 month old German shorthair mix that was adopted from a local humane society at eight weeks old. She has a certificate of completion in obedience school, knows sit, down, high five, shake, is spayed, and very well house trained and crate trained and isn't a barker. She's currently at the end of her "teenage years". She weighs around 40 pounds and is a beautiful chocolate with classic shorthair white markings on her legs and belly.

My son called me one day and said her owners had decided that they could no longer keep her because of their 12 hour shift work and her "hyper" behavior. He asked if I would consider taking her in and doing some rehab as she also didn't come when called, and after that go on and find her a new home. They didn't want to take her to a local shelter as they were concerned about the possibility of euthanasia.

Roxy came to me with the main problem of not paying attention. I worked with her on her leash skills and recall, and in a matter of a couple of days she was walking like a champion on a leash and starting to come when called. My husband actually asked me just why they were giving her up as she has been so very well behaved here.

She improved so rapidly and behaved so well that I contacted the owner, as was the agreement, and told her that I really felt she could make this work if she was willing to take some advice, instruction and coaching along the way.

Yesterday I got an email saying that they felt their long shifts at work would make it just too difficult to take her back and to find her a new home. I was disappointed, but went on to email a local rescue that was willing to post her on Petfinder for me.

However, today I got another call asking if I really thought it could work. The owners just can't stand the thought of giving her up for good. Of course I do!!! So Roxy is going to get to go home, and I am going to do my level best to help them make this work for the whole family! So, in our prayers at Thanksgiving, we will be sure to include a prayer for this family and their success.

Cat Problems

This is about someone who is trying to save a bunch of cats --- barn cats to be specific --- that were dumped by people who didn't want them. These kind hearted folks live on a gravel road in the middle of acres and acres of farms, and they have provided shelter, food, and gentled these cats. They started out getting them spayed and neutered, but soon there were so many more that their fixed income would not allow them to continue the practice. As word spread that you could dump your cats on that piece of road and they would be fed and cared for, more were dumped. Just last week a tiny gray long hair about 8 weeks old was dropped off. You know it didn't stray out there!!!

Now, with winter coming and so many to feed, these folks need to find homes or barns or something for these animals. They have contacted rescue groups and shelters. The shelters will take them and admit that there are so many cats that euthanasia is almost guaranteed. The rescues want to charge these kind folks from $20 to $50 per cat to take them in. There are about 20 cats. In all cases, the rescues were somewhat accusatory - asking why they didn't have them all altered. I guarantee you that if that many animals, dog or cat, were dumped around here, we could not personally afford to alter all of them and neither can these folks. The fact that they have provided the care that they have and are concerned for their continued welfare speaks for itself.

I know the cats were dumped. I know they have been taken in and fed and given shelter and affection and attention. I don't know what the solution to her problem is going to be. I have found homes for a few of them with people who will make sure they do not reproduce.

I guess my biggest problem with this whole thing is that these good folks are going to have to pay lots of money they really can't afford to spend to attempt to be sure that these animals have homes and care ----- and they weren't the ones who just dumped them on a gravel road to get rid of them!!!!!!

FYI - Answering Questions

Since we moved, I have been asked by many people what my status is with PAWS Hancock, so here's the skinny.

The private rescue that my husband and I cared for could no longer afford to pay us. This had nothing to do with PAWS Hancock, as the work that I did for them was all volunteer. We were asked by a veterinarian to come back to Iowa and take care of his alpaca farm, so we accepted.

Am I doing rescue and rehab? Because we live on the farm in the home provided, we were allowed to bring the animals that we currently owned - horses, dogs, and cats. However, it is still not our home or our farm, and we are at the limit. Consequently, I am unable to foster any other animals at this time.

However, I am able to help out the local veterinary clinic which serves as an unofficial pound for the area by contacting rescue groups when their kennels are overflowing and adoptable dogs will have to be euthanized for space. I am able to post and crosspost for the shelters and rescues that I am acquainted with in an effort to draw attention and possible adopters to their animals whether it be canine, feline, or equine.

I still write the blog for PAWS Hancock and keep in touch with the staff there. We talk often about behavior problems, health problems, and anything else rescue related just as we did for five years prior.

Will I do rescue again? If possible, yes, definitely. We don't have a lot of income and I refuse to be someone who takes a lot of animals in and then can't take care of them properly. I'm picky. I want them to have clean, spacious surroundings, plenty of room to play and time to enjoy the outdoors and be dogs, good food, comfortable beds and time to spend with each and every one of them. I do not want to become someone who collects dogs and cats and takes in so many that there is no time to spend enjoying life. I certainly don't want to become someone who hoards animals - who takes them in and then convinces themselves that no one can care for them as well and won't let them go on to a new home, meanwhile collecting so many that often the quality of care seriously suffers. As a rescuer, I have seen this happen first hand, and it's not pretty.

I miss my work as a rescuer. I miss the rehab of the dogs. I miss going to the kill shelters and picking out as many of the adoptable as possible. I miss stopping at Taco Bell for lunch on those days. I miss the people at the kill shelters who called us and begged us to come save some of the dogs - as many as we could - because those folks really tried hard to find homes or rescues for the animals they took in. I miss the veterinarian and his staff that we worked with. They were always there for us. They taught me a lot, and they were good about giving straight answers when it was down to the hard decisions.

Would I do it again? You betcha! Of all the jobs I have had, and there have been quite a few, this has been by far the most rewarding - not the best paying job monetarily speaking - but the most rewarding in so many other ways.

Don't shop --- ADOPT!

The Saddest Happiest Day

Orlando, the puppy that aspirated something while with his first adoptive family, got bilateral bronchial pneumonia, nearly went over the Rainbow Bridge, and has been recuperating for the last five months --- has found his forever home!

With the help of Dr. Doug and his foster mom, Gina, Orlando was able to be weaned off the antibiotics and got well enough to be neutered. While all of this was going on, a young man named Elijah, who suffers from asthma and knows the limits to his activity, not to mention the medication and the nebulization, was looking at Petfinder to find a dog. He spotted Orlando, read about his problems, and told his parents that this was a dog who had the same problems he did. They decided to look into adopting Orlando.

Orlando and Elijah love to play, but they have to sit and catch their breath every once in awhile. Sometimes they have to be nebulized, particularly when the weather is hot and humid. The great part is that Elijah understands Orlando's needs and vice versa.

So, after five months of treatment and some $10,000 in veterinary expenses, Orlando was adopted yesterday by Elijah and his family. For Nancy, Gina, and myself, it was the saddest happiest day - tears of joy and many thanks for the blessings and things that we learned from this event in our lives.

Hoarded Situation

Danny [see photo], Doogie, and Daisy were part of some 28 animals confiscated by a local animal control when an 87 year old woman was evicted from her home. The neighbors reported a terrible smell coming from the property. Investigators took 19 dogs and 9 cats from the property and had to do it in 15 minute spurts as the stench was so bad!

PAWS Hancock took Daisy, a 3-4 yr. old Parson Russell/chihuahua mix who is very nice but very timid and scared. Daisy needs a home with someone who will make her brave rather than reward her timid behavior. Doogie is also a 3-4 month old PR/chi mix, cute as they come, and already has a foster home while waiting for his forever home. Then there's Danny. Danny's ears were raw from fly bites, and he is heartworm positive and will start treatment next week. Danny has a wonderful personality, and if you would like to donate to help pay for his treatment or help sponsor any of these dogs, please go to http://www.pawshancock.org/.

Orlando is Ready to Adopt

In previous blogs dated 3/20/11 and 5/10/11, I've told you the story of Orlando, one of Olive's pups that got adopted, apparently aspirated something, got very sick with bilateral bronchial pneumonia, was returned to PAWS Hancock very sick, and thanks to the doctors and staff at IVEC (emergency clinic) made it back from the edge of the rainbow.

He has been under the care of Dr. Doug and his staff for the last couple of months and had a repeat chest x ray this week to see how his lungs were doing and give us a prognosis, as well as the potential for adoption.

It's all good news. Yes, part of his left lung is dead but won't pose any problem in the future. However, his right lung is clear and has compensated for the damage to the left lung.

Orlando is ready to find a family to adopt him. He will need medication, bronchodilators, and when the weather is very damp or very hot and humid, he may even need a breathing treatment with a nebulizer. He has been nebulized several times a day for so long he knows how to behave and when the timer goes off!!! Orlando has other dogs to play with at his current foster home, and it has been good for him. He knows when he needs to sit down and rest and catch his breath before continuing. He loves to eat, is house broken, and knows what "no" means.

Our hope is that someone will apply to adopt him that will be willing to give him the chance to function like a normal healthy dog. He needs someone who will, of course, keep an eye on his health, but not over protect him. He loves life, and he needs to be allowed to live it. It would be great if there were another dog for him to play with.

My thanks to IVEC, Dr. Doug and his staff, Nancy, and especially Gina, who took over his care when we moved. All have done a wonderful job in keeping his little boy alive.

Now, send in those applications or fill them out online at http://www.pawshancock.org/!!!

When a Door Closes

Rounder (blogs dated 3/19/09 thru 3/21/09) and Abby both had strikes against them when they were rescued. Rounder had been an escape artist, nearly been shot by police, nearly been euthanized by the local vet whose office also served as the pound, and finally, after a lot of rehabilitation, found his home with a great family. Abby was also a stray, an escape artist, scheduled for euthanasia by animal control and was rescued by the same great family. The dogs both had hound in them and liked to hunt, and on the farm there were plenty of critters that didn't belong. Rounder and Abby had a family that loved them, took excellent care of them, and when they found that Abby wasn't good about staying home, they went took the time and expense of putting up a fence to contain her. She managed to find a way out so she could go hunting, and they added more fencing and an electric fence component to keep her on the farm and out of trouble.

The family moved out of state and the dogs went with them. When they traveled back to the farm, they drove some 1800 miles so the dogs could be with them and have a vacation as well.

However, a few weeks ago, I got an email that the dogs had been killed the night of a monster storm. The family had to run to town, the skies were clear, and they didn't expect to be gone very long. The dogs were happy and lying one on the porch in the shade and the other under a tree in the grass. There was plenty of fresh water available, as well as shelter just in case.

While the family was away, a band of thunderstorm activity popped up and blew through with tremendous rain and wind. The electric fence was useless, and the wind and rain knocked limbs down - Abby could see a way to go hunting! Rounder and Abby died doing what they loved - hunting a critter, or maybe more than one.

The family was devastated, felt so guilty, and so empty. They got on Petfinder and found an older pup with injuries from an accident that they felt drawn to. It was at an animal control, a kill shelter, in their area. They contacted animal control and were told they would not be allowed to adopt. Heartbroken, they contacted me. I understand how this could happen - I have a dog that I rescued that would disappear under certain circumstances. I am working on her fear of thunder and loud noises, but it will take time. I contacted the rescue coordinator that I worked with while the kennel manager for the rescue, told her the story, and asked her if she would consider letting the family adopt. She also has had a few close calls with her own dogs and understands that sometimes stuff happens. She told me she would be willing to adopt to them as we both know they are an excellent family that deserves to adopt. Unfortunately, there wasn't a dog in the rescue that would fit. I told the family not to get in a hurry but to take their time and find the right dog, especially since they have three very well behaved youngsters.

Two days ago, they saw a brown face peeking through their front porch window. They couldn't believe their eyes when they realized it was a chocolate lab, probably purebred, very thin, but wanting to be saved. They immediately took him in, fixed him up a nice comfy bed, scheduled a visit to the vet, and took some pictures. He's obviously a young dog and thin from being on his own for awhile. They call him Rusty, and he has five people that love him dearly. From experience, I know that Rusty will be well taken care of and loved.

So, when one door closed, another opened. Rusty was out there somewhere needing a home. Whether he was neglected, dumped, ran off during a storm, we will never know - but we do know that he found his family. Yep, Rusty won the lottery!

Wiggles, Waddles, and a Wookie

Two trips to animal control in a week, but what a wonderful group of adoptable dogs we found!

There's the "N" pups - stands for nuthin' cuter! They are a cocker spaniel mix, friendly, learning about life, and ready for a new home. There's Zeke, a toy fox terrier mix that is not at all aggressive, likes people and will play as well as cuddle. There's Skippy, a dachshund/Jack Russell mix - they don't come any cuter. Bandit is a border collie, rough coat, puppy that wants a family and a job for the rest of his life.

Need something a bit older and more settled? We got him. His name is Scooby, a short legged, somewhat unusual looking mix of corgi and pug. He is an older dog, but he's well behaved, friendly, and looking for a home.

Then there's Wookie - a shih tzu puppy. He's a ball of energy, fluff, and fun

All of the above wiggle when they see people, some waddle while they grow and learn, and then there's Wookie!

Veterinary Request

We met the veterinarian that we use at our new locale some years ago when he was a teenager and his dad did an article on my husband's training methods for horses. He came out to the farm to geld our horses and commented that his veterinary clinic is the unofficial pound for this area. Any stray or unwanted dogs are brought there. They comply with the city's rules, and if the dog is adoptable, they often try to rehome or contact a rescue rather than euthanize.

Today we had our mini gelded, and Dr. V. asked if I could help find a home for a female black and tan coonhound around 2 years old. She was dumped about 3 weeks ago in the city and the police took her to their clinic. They have complied with the 10 day stray hold, contacted coonhound owners they know that might take her, passed the word around, but no luck finding her a home. Dr. V. said she is too nice a dog to euthanize.

I told him I would do what I could, including getting her vaccinated and having her spayed.

And so it begins, and if feels good to be trying to rehome a female coonhound. There is a rescue south of here that sometimes takes dogs for them. She may end up going there. It's in Jewell, Iowa. If not, I will do everything that I can to help her find a home.

There's a divine plan, you can count on it!

Orlando Update

Orlando is a beagle mix puppy born on January 3, 2011, and adopted out to a family. The family contacted our rescue coordinator late one night and said the pup was sick and they needed to return him. Orlando was very sick, taken to an emergency veterinary clinic, and after being treated with four different antibiotics, nebulized, put in an incubator with oxygen, he came home. That was in March.

Now, two months later, he still has some infiltrate in his left lung, and the radiologist and vets feel that he probably aspirated something that caused his severe bilateral pneumonia.

The good news is that he went to the vet today and his right lung is clear. His heart is sounding great. He has gained weight to 16 pounds, and he is able to play with the other dogs at his foster home. He is nebulized five times a day and given yogurt twice a day to help keep a good bacterial balance in his tummy. He eats very well and is doing very well at house training. He was having some problems with his feet due to the side effects of the antibiotics at his young age, but he has been weaned off most of the antibiotic, given extra vitamins, and this is correcting itself.

There is a possibility that he might require a bronchoscopy, which would cost $1500. PAWS Hancock has already spent around $10,000 for his care and medications and would certainly appreciate any donations.

The other good news is that the veterinarian thinks that if he continues to improve and gain weight up to around 20 pounds without any further set backs, he may just outgrow the residual. What a blessing that would be!!!

If you would like to donate to his ongoing care, see a picture of Orlando, or just say a prayer, it would be appreciated. The website is http://www.pawshancock.org/.

Cassie's Story

Cassie was a very timid black lab mix female when we spotted her at a local animal control. Timid, but not at all aggressive, and black - a color that very seldom gets adopted. She had huge soft soulful eyes, and the staff thought she was pregnant because she had gained weight. More than likely it was because the staff had been handing her more than her fair share of treats to try to bring her out of her shell. She was heartworm positive, extremely so.

We treated her for heartworms and worked on making her braver and more confident in humans. She had been dumped and was picked up as a stray. I decided to keep her for part of my "Dream Team" - a group of dogs that I have help me rehab. She got along with everyone and learned quickly. We went to work on basic obedience commands and off leash work. She was wonderful.

One day an older man and his wife came to meet puppies with the intention of adopting. Their last dog had been adopted, was a lively dog with some bad habits which they lived with and loved, but they wanted something that didn't have that energy level and the bad habits already built in. They looked at pups, and we could see doubt about whether this was the right decision.

I had Cassie come to meet them. She sat on command and waited quietly for further instructions. I had them take her for a walk - she was great on a leash, no pulling, no sniffing, just a quiet walking companion. They warmed up to her immediately, and she to them, so I told them to take her home for a week and test drive.

The gentleman called me the next day to say she must be sick because she was so well behaved and so quiet - just what he wanted, but he couldn't believe what he had. I assured him she was healthy, but told him to take her to the vet if it made him feel better. He did just that and she was given a clean bill of health. The family adopted her shortly after that.

As a mother and a foster mom, my gut instinct told me it was time to push this "baby" out of my nest and send her on her way to a wonderful forever home.

Happy Mother's Day to all!!!

Easter is for Dogs Too!

The dogs that we care for at the rescue share Easter fun with us every year. The evening before, I chop up hot dogs, boil or bake some chicken and debone it, break up the Waggin Train chicken fillets into pieces, and make peanut butter milkbone cookies to hide in the play yards so that when the "kids" are turned out for exercise while I clean their kennels, feed, and water, they have the fun of hunting for their treats. Some will seek and eat as quick as they can. Some will carry them around until they find just the right spot to lay down and savor the flavor, and some will actually bring them back to their kennels. If the weather is nasty, as it sometimes is, I "hide" the treats in their kennel - maybe between the food dish and their water bowl, sometimes just in a corner or under a Kuranda bed, but it gives them a chance to hunt for their goodies.

It's what dogs do - hunt, and they love it!!!

Hug A Hound!

Hunting dogs, coonhounds, beagles, etc., have traditionally been kept outside either in kennels or chained to dog houses out behind the barn and were tested to see if they would hunt. If they were "hunters" they were kept till the fall hunting season at which time they were put to work. If they were outstanding hunters, they were kept in the kennels or chained to the dog house till the next fall hunting season, and in between they were bred to create more of the same. If they weren't good hunters, they were turned loose, dumped on a lonely road, or turned into a local animal control with a "they won't hunt so I don't want them" attitude. Times have changed!!! One of the first dogs that I did rehab work with was a coonhound/lab mix with a horrible record. He had been an escape artist and chewed up a cop car. His name was Rounder, and he is a wonderful, well behaved, family member now. PAWS Hancock currently has six wrinkly, sweet natured, lovable coonhound/lab mix puppies up for adoption. They were very well socialized and just as huggable as your favorite teddy bear. Coonhounds are perfectly capable of being house trained and are willing to become couch potatoes if that's what you are looking for. They are very loyal and easy going. Please check them out at www.pawshancock@aol.com!!

Old Friends & Old Dogs

I had the pleasure of visiting with old friends yesterday. Some 15 or so years ago I rescued a yellow lab female that I fully intended to keep as she was a great dog. Our friends came by with a horse that needed some tweaking, fell in love with the dog and asked if they could please have her. They are great "parents" and I knew she would have a good home, get to go on trail rides with them, and enjoy her life to the fullest while having excellent care. They named her Maggie, and she passed away due to cancer around a year ago. Their house was dogless for a few months, and then the search began for a new companion. It had to be a dog that would get along with anyone, not wander away, be well housebroken, get along with horses and other dogs. These folks go trail riding and camp out on weekends and the dog would be with them at all times. I didn't have anything at the time that would fit the bill, so they searched locally and opted for an older lab/whippet mix - a gentle older deaf female. They soon realized that she hadn't been outside much, as she didn't know what to do when let outdoors for any length of time. Probably she was kept inside as the original owners weren't sure she would stay home or come back, as she couldn't hear her name called. So, they started working on hand signals, and when I met this wonderful 14 year old lady yesterday, she was happy, stayed close, and was thoroughly enjoying her new life. Please give older dogs a chance - they have so much to give!

Orlando Comes Home

Orlando is an 11 week old beagle mix puppy that was born here on January 3, 2011. Olive, as in olive the other reindeer, is his mother.

Orlando attended an on site adoption event and was adopted by a family roughly two weeks ago. Apparently he became ill but wasn't taken to a vet. Approximately a week later, the family called around 6 pm on a Friday night and said they needed to return him as he was sick. At first the rescue coordinator was going to bring him here, but after observing him for a few minutes, she took him to the emergency veterinary clinic. Orlando was diagnosed with "dramatic bilateral pneumonia" and stayed at the vet clinic for a week, during which time he was placed in an incubator with oxygen. His red blood count was very low, and his white blood cell count was nearly off the chart on the high side. The doctors think he must have aspirated something at some point, but that's water under the bridge now.

He got to come home yesterday as he was finally able to breathe room air on his own. He has more medicine to take than most seniors, canine or human. He has to be nebulized three times a day, which he isn't crazy about. My husband has fabricated a container to help. The vet clinic used a fish aquarium, but since I don't do fish very well, we don't have an aquarium available.

Orlando is weak from both the illness but also from being inactive for so long. He has to be nebulized for 15 minutes and then walk and cough for 15 minutes. It wears him out, but his appetite is good, and he has discovered peanut butter - it makes the pills taste better. I have added a multivitamin to the list. He has hauled his toys into his crate, and he would very much like to get out of his play pen and visit his brother, Orion.

On discharge from the vet clinic, the x rays showed some improvement in the right lung, but no change on the left side. He is to return for repeat chest x rays and medication adjustments after being home for a week.

The bill at the vet clinic was over $7000, and we aren't done yet. If you would like to donate, even a $1.00, go to www.pawshancock.org. Paypal is available, and we guarantee it will be used to take care of Orlando.

Even if you can't donate, please say a few prayers for him. It all helps, and he can use all the help he can get. Thank you!

We Need a Home!

Vin is the smallest of the "V" puppies, abandoned without their momma, and rescued from a local animal shelter. He was very tiny and weak, so I separated him from the litter with one of his sisters, to give him extra nourishment, vitamins, and to keep him from being picked on. He has blossomed and is now probably no more than two pounds at 14 weeks old. He's paper trained, getting fiesty - tugs on shoe laces and pant legs if he gets a chance, chases a cat toy with a bell in it, carries a squeaky stuffed toy around and wants to play tug. I put a toy size collar on him last night, had to size it down to fit him. Will start a bit of leash training this week.

Orion is Olive's puppy, and he is also paper trained and has been moved to the main kennel where he is learning that he gets no reward for crying. He's a lover and wants to play, play, play. He has inherited the beagle personality. This week he gets a collar and finds out what a leash is.

We have the rest of the "V" litter - all very friendly, people oriented puppies. At 14 weeks of age, they top out at around 5-6 pounds. They are also paper trained and doing well with crate training. I have to buy some collars that will fit these little ones and then the leash training will start. There's Vic, Vaughn, Vlad, Vada, and Venice.

DeNose-O is the basset mix puppy that was dumped. He loves to be with a human and has a wonderful friendly personality. He's doing well with crate training. He's been to an on site adoption and handled the cats, the crowd, and the leash just fine.

Toby needs an active family with a fenced yard. He needs room to run and play. He is also doing well with crate training. He would do best with older children as he has plenty of energy and might knock down a small child. He has been taught not to jump on people, as are all of the dogs here.

Charli, Celia, Carson, Cash, and Corky are doing very well with crate training, and this week we are putting on their first collars and starting to learn to walk on a leash. Charli is the most vocal. Celia is the lover and the most submissive. Carson and Cash are good all around. Corky is already in the main kennel area and has his collar and is learning to walk on a leash. He is the alpha male of the litter.

Then there's Gramps (Buddy/Dallas), the 12 year old pom mix that the lady dropped off at animal control because she was so sick she knew she couldn't care for him anymore. Unfortunately, in spite of vaccinations, he picked up kennel cough at animal control and brought it with him. We have been treating it, and he is feeling much better. We think it was the medicine - Gramps thinks it was the baked chicken! He is housebroken and simply needs a home to live out his life.

Olive (Olive the other reindeer), was spayed this week and is ready to find a home. She is a bit timid with new people, isn't at all aggressive, doesn't know what to think of our mini horses, and was the very best momma dog we have ever taken in. She is housebroken and quiet, has a spring in her step.

Jayda, our little toy fox terrier mix, is crate trained, but not housebroken. She is very quiet and loves to play. Has plenty of energy. I think that she would do best with older children because of her energy level.

Sable is a private rescue and this is a courtesy post. She is a sable female husky, 4 years old, that has been hit by a car in the past and has a gimp in her one hip. She has plenty of go power, knows not to jump on people, is housebroken, and needs a fenced yard and exercise to be happy. She is spayed, current on vaccinations, microchipped, and we are working on leash manners.

Please contact us at www.pawshancock.org if you are interested in any of these great pets!

Moving On

It was five years ago yesterday that we moved out here to remodel an old hog confinement into kennels, runs, and play yards for rescued dogs. About a year ago, the blog told about the economy putting a strain on the funding for the farm. We were recently told that my sister in law an brother are moving here and taking over the care and operation of the farm and kennels.

We had no idea what we were going to do, much less where it would be, or how we would come up with the money to get there. We prayed, and two weeks later we received an offer. We will be leaving on March 31, where my husband will care for Pine Forty Farms in Hampton, Iowa. We have halter broke alpacas for Pine Forty in the past, and we'll be back just in time to help with the annual shearing. Their fiber is made into clothing and sold through Waliki.

What will happen here? The rescue organization for which we have fostered for the last four years is negotiating in order to be able to continue to keep rescued dogs on the premises. PAWS Hancock, Greenfield, IN is working to buy or build their own facility, not only to house rescued dogs and cats, but to open up a low cost spay/neuter clinic - something this area needs desperately.

Right now the important thing, besides packing, doing taxes and bookkeeping, is to find homes for the rescued animals we currently have on site. Anyone interested in adopting should go to www.pawshancock.org or www.petfinder.com and click on Greenfield, IN to view our current dogs, puppies, cats and kittens.

The Plan

A friend called crying yesterday morning. Her border collie that she had rescued 8 years earlier had to be euthanized because he had cancer of the pancreas, liver, kidneys, and spleen.

Buddy had been her right hand helper for all those years. Her companion, protector, trusted friend. He helped her with the cats she rescued and cared for. He would herd them when they tried to wander.

A couple of hours later, she called again asking for the address and instructions to one of the animal control shelters we often pull from. She wanted another dog, a border collie. She doesn't have a computer, so I checked on Petfinder for border collies at local shelters, and printed out a set of driving directions so he could visit one of our most frequently visited animal controls. It was too late in the day to visit yesterday.

She walked into animal control and told them about losing her Buddy and wanting another border collie, an adult, already housebroken. They swooped her up and took her to the kennel area where there was a senior border collie that had come in late the evening before. He's 10 years old, looks much like her Buddy, and because of his age, even though he is a great dog, there was the danger of having to euthanize him for space.

They asked my friend if she minded an old dog, and she responded that she was old herself and didn't need something that would likely outlive her.

She brought her new dog, Duke (she's going to change his name), to meet me this evening. He's just exactly what she wanted and needed. Yep, things happen the way they do for a reason!

Puppies and More

We have 5 puppy mill puppies that a local animal control called us about a week ago. They were terrified, hungry, and not at all social. Due to the size of the shelter and the fact that they took in 12 dogs in two hours, the pups were in danger of euth.

One week later, they are happy, well fed, vaccinated, dewormed, and becoming very social. Their pictures will be posted on Petfinder and the PAWS Hancock website (www.pawshancock.org) later today. We were told they were collie mix, but after a close look, we think there's some Corgi and maybe golden retriever in them.

Our "V" puppies are ready to go to new homes. They had been abandoned, and after two weeks of good nutrition and deworming, they are growing, playful, cuddly, and ready to move to new homes. One pup, Vin, was extra small and very malnourished, but he's making a great comeback and is already a cuddler deluxe!

Aeneas, the border collie pup of Allie's, is still here, but we can't figure out why. He's absolutely a wonderful puppy. He's a smooth coat, quiet, pretty well crate trained, knows how to follow and marches right up and down the main kennel area with me, comes when called, learning sit.

Orion and Orlando, Olive's puppies, are very playful, paper trained, and looking for new homes. They remind me of the odd couple. Orlando is very neat while Orion is too busy playing to be quite so tidy.

Toby wants a yard and someone to play with, as do the basset mix pups, Gibbs and DeNose-O.

We will be getting Olive spayed next week. She's a sweet, kind, housebroken little lady who is a dedicated mom. No more puppies for her - it's time to enjoy life and a new home.

Peaches will receive her next dose of Heartgard, and we hope she handles it okay. She was the dog who was incorrectly reported as a negative on her heartworm test. Unfortunately, she was very positive, anemic, and since they went ahead and did the spay surgery, her immune system was compromised and her white count was very high. We have been treating her with antibiotics, vitamins, and additionally some beef liver (which she tolerates but doesn't like), and she will be re-evaluated after this dose of ivermectin. She is feeling very much better.

There's an adoption event this coming weekend - come on out and meet these wonderful dogs!

A Door Opens

After having a great adoption weekend, we had some space available, so when animal control called to report an overflow and their weekly euth. date coming rapidly, off we went to see what we could pull.

We brought back two 5 month old females, one a sheltie mix already housebroken, knows sit, and the other a fox terrier ? mix - excellent temperaments. We also pulled a 12 year old male maybe pomeranian mix that had been adopted by an older lady. Unfortunately, her health has taken a severe downturn, and she presented to animal control because she was on her way to the hospital and could no longer care for the senior. The staff at AC had him in the office where he was getting along with the other dog, cats, and people and taking a major nap on a bed under the desk. We'll see if we can find a home for him to live out his days in comfort and love.

Then we went to the back and there were puppies - lots of puppies. Big ones, little ones, litters, and singles. The litter we picked to bring home was abandoned and when found nearly a week ago, they were starving. The staff has done a great job of putting weight on them. They need a good deworming and some new toys to play with. They look like they might have chihuahua in them - something small for sure. There are eight of them, approximately 8 weeks old, and they will need homes.

Today will be a day for photo shoot to get all these newbies up on the website and Petfinder.
The website is www.pawshancock.org

Valentine's Day Delivery

What more could you ask than two basset mix puppies around 3 months old for Valentine's Day?
You could ask the idiot that dumped them in a farm field during a snow storm about 9 days before why he thought that would be doing them a favor instead of taking them to a shelter.

Fortunately for them, the owner of the property came home from running some last minute errands and passed by the field before they froze to death. She took them in, posted them on Craigslist and Facebook, and tried to find them homes with no luck. She could not keep them herself so called me a few days ago to see if we would take the puppies. We had an adoption event over the weekend and by Valentine's Day, we had a few spaces and everything in quarantine had been thoroughly disinfected and dried and was ready for new occupants.

So, for Valentine's Day, I got Gibbs and DeNose-O, two basset/beagle/dachs (?) mix puppies, both needing a good deworming, but otherwise in excellent shape.

Peaches Fight for Life

Peaches was tossed outside a year ago because there was a new puppy in the house. In December, 2010, a neighbor brought her to us so matted we couldn't tell what sex she was. She was tested for heartworms which was reported as negative and spayed in January.

I give heartworm preventive once a month - everybody gets their dose on the same day. Peaches got her dose, and the next day she didn't meet me at her kennel gate that morning, and I noticed that her breathing was rapid. When turned out to play and potty the day before, she had been fiesty and I had cautioned her not to get hurt on the ice and snow. She didn't eat, so I knew she needed to see the vet. After blood work which showed her to be anemic with a high white count, they retested her for heartworms. The test was very positive, and because of her age, the anemia and the high white count, the veterinarian suggested that she be euthanized because her chances of surviving the treatment for heartworm were very slim.

Since we know we killed some adult heartworms with this dose, and she survived, we are opting to try giving her a dose of ivermectin (Heartgard) once a month, multiple vitamins with iron for the anemia, and antibiotic for the high white count with a recheck of blood work and chest x rays in about 45 days to see if she responds and can be saved. If anyone reading this would like to help with the expense, please go to www.pawshancock.org

She is feeling better, but she doesn't like taking medicine or eating the beef liver that was prescribed as part of her diet to help treat her anemia. She likes chicken!!!!!!!!

Herbie - A Whole Lotta Love

My brother called one afternoon to tell me that one of his co-workers had found a puppy in the pucky weeds near his home. Herbie was found on one of the coldest nights of the year. He was thin, very hungry, so cold he was shaking, and so scared it took some work to capture him. My brother was sending the pup, about 4 months old, out to me via a trip to the local vet. The vet found no symptoms, but Herbie did have a fever, so he gave him antibiotics for a week.

Upon his arrival, we put him in quarantine and asked his rescuer what he could tell us, as he had had the pup at his place for 3 days trying to thaw him out. He said Herbie would not walk through any door, doorway, cross a threshhold, would immediately crawl on his belly with submissive urination, wouldn't walk on a leash, but he definitely was hungry.

The vet thought Herbie might be shepherd/collie mix, but Herbie is huge for his age, so I believe he may have some mastiff in him. Herbie has finished his antibiotic, has no fever and no symptoms of any disease process. He has a great appetite and is going to be the giant economy size at this rate of growth. He has learned to walk on a leash and I am teaching him "sit" which he is learning rapidly. He has learned to come when called, walk through doorways and gates, and also that he gets rewarded for walking up to me and sitting rather than hitting the ground with his belly and crawling.

Herbie doesn't have a mean bone in his body. He just wants someone to be his buddy and show him what life is all about. He will be moved from quarantine to the regular kennel area in a couple of days, and his learning process will continue until he is adopted.

Surely there is someone out there who wants a giant economy size, lovable dog that's guaranteed to take up most of the bed when he grows up!

Knock on the Door

About 15 minutes ago there was a knock on the door. We had tucked all the rescue dogs in for the night, fed the wood burner, and were getting ready to get cleaned up and fix something to eat. There's a big (for Indiana) snowstorm headed this way so we spent most of the day preparing and stocking up, in addition to taking care of the 44 dogs that are here.

When I went to the door, there stood two women with a black lab mix puppy in their arms. They were driving down our road behind another vehicle when the car slowed down, the door opened and something got tossed out. The women nearly hit the puppy, stopped and caught him, and brought him here. The driver, who is a volunteer with the local fire department, said she figured he was meant for us as this happened just about 100 yards from our house.

There's a 20 acre woods next to us, and that pup would likely have gotten into the woods and killed by a coyote if the women hadn't been behind the car and rescued the puppy. That's provided he didn't get run over in the meantime, as we live on a fairly busy road.

I brought him in the house, and it's obvious he has been well taken care of, at least till tonight when his owner decided he just couldn't keep him any longer. What a jerk!!! He has now been vaccinated with a 5 in 1, given Bronchi-shield III to prevent kennel cough, dewormed, and flea preventive has been applied. He is in a kennel with a Kuranda bed, fresh water and a big bowl of puppy chow. I put a collar on him, and when I left him tonight, he was wagging his tail and happy to be safe.

Gotta give him a name, but it can wait till tomorrow. Why someone would wait till after dark on the night before a major snowstorm to dump a puppy that isn't anywhere near old enough to exist on its own for even a short time is beyond me.

Small, Cuddly, and Energetic

We currently have six small dogs that are in need of homes. Claire, Spritz, Lil Buddy, Guppy, Harry, and Peaches. For pictures go to www.pawshancock.org and click on Animals to bring up their web pages.

Claire is a very small beagle female who loves to cuddle but needs to have her time outside to run and sniff. While she has never been worried about my husband or brother, once she is out of the kennel environment, she has shown timidity towards men. She was returned to rescue because she didn't readily accept the presence of a man. This can be fixed easily and is really no excuse, but if a person isn't willing to work on the problem, then it's not the home she needs.

Lil Buddy (we put the Lil in front because we have a Big) is a min pin mix, housebroken, very friendly, also a little timid around men but less so than Claire. He loves to have his outside time, but is more than willing to come inside and snuggle, especially in cold weather.

Harry was first fostered by someone who wanted an agility dog. He was said to be too much of a couch potato. He was adopted by someone who wanted a dog that would cuddle, and she said he was too active for her lifestyle. Somewhere in between we have what Harry needs. He and Claire run and play every day, come inside and eat and snooze. Harry is very smart, and already house broken and clicker trained.

Spritz was found as a stray by a family. They kept him for three weeks. Spritz can climb better than any dog I have seen in a long time. This dog should get a chance at agility training as he absolutely loves the challenge. He's smart, housebroken, knows sit. He needs someone who will be his pack leader and keep him focused. He's a Jack Russell/beagle combo.

Guppy is an older male min pin/chi/pom? mix. He's a character and food guards with other dogs. It has never been a problem with me. I can take his food away any time I want. He is house broken, goes outside to potty and is willing to come back in and snuggle up. He does need his time outside to run around a bit.

Peaches is around 6 years old, house broken, quiet. She sneezes occasionally and isn't real fond of very young children. She's a cocker spaniel/poodle/bichon? mix and is perfectly willing to go outside and then come in and snuggle up.

Guppy and Peaches are at the point in life where they have mellowed out and are willing to spend less time sniffing the ground and more time on the couch.

The other four, Spritz, Claire, Harry, and Lil Buddy simply need more exercise, someone who will give them rules and structure, and even a job wouldn't hurt. None of this group will get along with cats.

Somewhere out there, there are people who want to adopt that will fulfill their needs and give them a wonderful home to live out their lives --- we just have to find them!

Sometimes We Lose

When you rescue pregnant undernourished moms, there is always the chance that some of the puppies will be stillborn or die after birth for whatever reason. Our rescue group has been very fortunate over the past four years, but sooner or later the odds catch up. Last Friday and Saturday we experienced just such a situation.

Allie, a first time mom, had 11 puppies and all did very well till day 4 of their lives, when one female was no longer with the litter and obviously failing. We consulted a vet, and he recommended that we weigh the pup and do supplemental feedings for 48 hours. If she gained weight and got stronger, to continue supplementing as it was probably just a nutrition problem with a huge litter and a new mom. Baby Girl did improve - for about 4 days - and then she hit a wall. She would nurse and drink from her bottle, but she wasn't gaining any longer. The other pups in the litter were first twice, then three times, and then four times her size. On Saturday she refused to eat, and later that day she quietly passed away on my lap.

Olive blessed us with five live pups on January 3. There was one stillborn pup. All of the remaining pups were doing great till day four, when the female puppy was isolated from the rest - a sure sign something was wrong. Following the vet's advice, I started feeding her, but she passed away a few hours later. In this particular case, a cleft palate was responsible - she was nursing but wasn't able to utilize the nutrients.

I have dealt with puppies and kittens for many many years, and although I know from experience that when a pup or kitten is isolated from a litter and in trouble, it usually doesn't turn out well, I still have to try. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Olive and Allie knew instinctively what I would find out in time.

By the way, there is a great product from Manna Pro, called "Nurse All". It's a milk replacer for dogs, cats, pups, kittens, and 9 species of farm animals. It's available at your local farm store and is reasonably priced and mixes up easily without a lot of lumps. It's an all milk product, the puppies love it, and it does not cause diarrhea.

The rest of the puppies in each litter are growing, eating, and Allie's pups have their eyes open and are starting to get very mobile. Allie decided she needed a little time off the other day and jumped three fences to visit the neighbor's alpacas, great pyrs, Tippy, Cinder, and Abby. My hubby went to get her, and she loves riding in the car! Having such a big litter has been a little much for her, so I am supplementing their feed to help her out. They are cutting teeth and slurping formula. They will be three weeks old on Friday.

Olive has been a mom many many times. She keeps her babies close, and there are four little boys that are fat and happy.

While I have to try, a very wise person once told me something that I won't ever forget - "Maggie, you can't rob God."