When I cry so do they...

Its amazing to me how our four legged fur kids know exactly what we are feeling.   On the days of recent when my stress was higher than normal they were all growly and hyperactive, when I cried out of joy this weekend they licked my tears while wagging their tails.  Now that I am sick with the flu (Cold version) they are all giving me the best sleepy all day kind of day.  Everyone is just relaxed and sleeping. 

So what does that tell you?  Do animals FEEL?  Do they have EMOTION?  How do you explain dogs and cats with extraordinary ability to tell their owner when a seizure is coming, or lay on the foot of the bed when the owner is dying.  They are not just a living creature they are a feeling, emotional creature who have a 7th sense about them and their humans' needs.

This will be an entire chapter in "Through Barkleys Eyes, A Love Story with a Rural Animal Sanctuary",  A book I have been working on for the past several months.

There are so many good books about animals and emotions/how they indeed feel - I reccomend you start with Jeffrey Moussaieff Massons Books:

The Pig Who Sang to the Moon (the emotional lives of farm animals) & When Elephants Weep (the emotional lives of Animals)

Dogs and cats are no different, so remember the next time you see a stray cat or dog who is pleading with your for help dont turn your back, when you see an animal on death row at a kill shelter dont turn your back.  We are their voices when they have no choice.  Work harder, raise awareness, donate, transport, volunteer, foster and love our kids and the world would be a better place.

Payton on the left and Poppie on the right were rescued at only 4 and 5 ounces and bottle fed.  The entire litter is as emotional as we are!  They seek humans out, they are comforted when they are held, they purr when you talk to them, and they abolutley love each other. 

The end is only the beginning...

After much thought and consideration I resigned as the President and Director of Safe Haven of Iowa County today.  I started it 5 years ago on Dec 15th, 2005.   It was a difficult decision on the one hand but so easy on the other.   I wasn't meant to be a Director for the long haul, I am a home body who loves to work behind the scenes but was willing to be at the head of the last 5 years to get Iowa Counties first animal sanctuary going.  I am so proud of the people who have worked so hard along side of me to make a dream a reality.  I have big things planned to help even more animals in need as you will see in my resignation letter below:

12-12-10

            It has been my honor to serve the animals of Iowa County and beyond for the past 5 years.  A dream has become a reality.  Iowa County has its first ever animal rescue group that has saved over a thousand animals.  I am very proud of my role in making this happen.  However, I feel it is time to move away from the role of President and Director of Safe Haven and do what I enjoy the most which is being with the animals.  I will have so much more time to devote to one of my favorite activities…scooping poop at the havens…and even more importantly spending some time with my own family.

I will continue to foster, post animals in need of fostering, sponsors etc as I am able.  I will attend events and help with fundraisers whenever I can.  I have no intention of disappearing because the animals need each and every one of us.  This is an amazing time for new leadership as SHIC continues to grow and there are some incredible volunteers that make this the best group in Iowa County!

            I will do whatever I can to continue to support Safe Haven of Iowa County just not in the role I have held for the last 5 years, as long as the mission remains the same.

            I am looking forward to starting The Barkley Foundation and the Animal Rescue Help website www.animalrescuehelp.net which I have wanted to do for many months and never had time.  It will benefit many animals in need including animals at SHIC.  I look forward to continuing my work in rescue and helping animals in need.  I also look forward to the day that the permanent building is up and I can look at it and be proud of all that was done to make it happen.  

Rinthea Satterlee
Founder Safe Haven of Iowa County

So while one chapter changes a little a whole new one opens.  My mission in life is to help save the lives of animals one at a time and I will do it til my heart stops beating.  Merry Christmas and God Bless from Rinthea and The Island of Misfits

When you ask for supersized....this aint no french fry order

Where do you even start when you become a mom who loses their 4 legged kid (a St Bernard Mix at that) then after 9 months after searching you find a pure bred St Bernard and he seems super sized in every possible way...

Today is our 3rd as a family, Barkley II and the rest of the pack that is.  As most working moms do I had to go to work at my "day job" and had the house baby proofed and dogs separated accordingly.

Albert and Nanna stayed in the bedroom roaming free while Megan and Piper were their kennels  to join them.   The baby gate separated them from all the other dogs who were in kennels EXCEPT Barkley because they don't make crates big enough for my TALL SUPER SIZED FRY.

I thought all day about what I would find when I got home.  Ive NEVER  left a dog free roam with my cats until I really get to know them...No choice this time unless I could come up with enough cash that would buy a small used car to purchase a people size jail cell made of solid steal...

Well the results....

I opened the door and that smell hit me instantly. That larger than life super sized smell of pee!!! Yep right by the front door - I had left two pee pads there and he hit all of one and a part of another so we came up with this as a solution to try for tomorrow.

What used to be ONE pee pad now became 5....I'm going to make millions inventing the largest affordable pee pads made out of recycled cat litter...

Move on to the size of the food container...Imagine a 5 cup Tupperware container....that's what I used for my dogs before Barkley II came.   Now that's how much I feed him alone!  I use this for my new container...

This is a 32 gallon garbage can (Chuck let me borrow it with puppy chow in it to give Barkley more calories) He is so tall he puts his head down INTO in!!!

The cat food is now being guarded with my treadmill, since he took it upon himself to not only break down the baby gate to my bedroom but he also got on the counter to get the container off and eat it ALL!!!   Luckily Albert was probably sleeping and didn't hear it crash to the floor Albert is my deaf 14 yr old beagle) or we would have had a fight on our hands because Albert is the pack leader in this house and food aggressive towards dogs as is Barkley II...

Now on to the playtime SUPERSIZE SIZE AND BARK...Have you ever seen a 17lb Boston Terrier take on a 100 lb 12 foot tall St Bernard who will eventually be 120-140 lbs once hes at his ideal weight. .   Lily is holding her ground and backs him off when he wants to play and she doesn't.  He DEMANDS playtime though so for 30 minutes tonight I have listened to him bark almost non stop while waiting for Lily or Jack to play....I allow this tonight just to see what his longest stretch of playtime really is AND to ware his ass out so I can get some sleep tonight instead of listening to his huge feet going clomp clomp on the hard wood floor at 1, 3, and 5 in the morning:)

But the good news for the day is that everyone is safe, none of my furniture was eaten and the cats have seemed to put their ear plugs in and run for higher ground because when this supersized puppy barks it shakes the windows and when he runs in the house YOU BETTER RUN if your smaller than him....

We have some training to do and they have some pack order issues to sort out but all in all it was a pee induced coma that will get me through the rest of the ear shattering, vibrating night....

I LOVE BARKLEY II!!!!!!!   I'm so glad he's here!

They say you cant replace your pets

I was in love with for the 2nd time in my life (Tucker my corgi is my first love and hes been with me for 4 yrs Christmas Day) but Barkley stole my heart the minute he walked in the doors at Safe Haven.  I was in a relationship at the time and knew the only way he was coming home to stay was to use the old "I have to take him to the vet tomorrow morning so he's just staying the night" routine.   Yep Barkley walked in the door like he had been there forever.  And my partner at the time fell in love too...

I spent almost 3 years with this amazing soul who truly taught me about patience and unconditional love.  I separated from my long term relationship in 2008 and we moved on to start our new life.  Barkley and Tucker were there for everything.  They knew every single second I needed them and they were there.   Barkley was my "Pappa Umpa" or so I called him.  I used to read out loud to him at night while he laid there demanding the belly rubs.  We went on many walks together and I can remember each and every time he saw a rabbit or a deer.  I had to practically sit down while he pulled me trying to get to whichever animal he preferred at the time.  He would also do things that drove me crazy like take the longest drink then come put his head on my lap only to fill it with THE biggest slobber piles you can ever imagine, he would find the biggest pile of mud to rub into, bring those huge feet he had filled with mud or snow and cover my entire kitchen, living room, bedroom in under 30 seconds - you name it it was everywhere! 

He would let Tucker clean his ears, sleep cuddled next to the cats, take in and accept every single foster that ever came through the door as if to say "This is the right place for you to be". 

In April of 2009 something was wrong...He started peeing in the house, going outside and not being able to pee, and started losing his appetite...This all happened in a course of two days.  By the night of the 2nd day he threw up (Ever seen a Saint Bernard throw up????  OMG!)  So I rushed him to Bright Eyes and Bushy Tails and they did blood work and it showed he was in renal failure.   His kidneys were shutting down.   And I was in NO WAY ready to let him go so he was put in intensive care for 6 days while they got his BUN and CREA numbers to the point that he could come home.

The next 9 months we had another shorter hospitalization becase the bags of fluids I was giving him was not enough so we had to restart his kidneys again, once home we started all over again. I was giving him medications for everything you could imagine while also giving him bags of fluids every day - that dog let me poke him with a huge needle and laid there for 20-30 minutes as I rubbed his belly and told him how much I loved him.  He never grumbled or made a peep - he knew he was giving me more time and thats what he wanted too.  The vets told me the first hospitalization that he only had 2-3 months, they were right so that was the 2nd hospitalization, but he came home and they told me he only had a month left.  But I got another 5 months....

I wasn't ready the week before Valentines Day.  I wanted him to be with me forever but I knew as the days were going on and I had to manually get him to go outside to potty that the time was getting near.  I cried every single day and prayed every single night that he would go in his sleep.  I didn't want to be the one to make the choice - no one does.

Valentines Day was a Sunday.  I left for a few hours and by the time I got back he could barely lift his head.  His tail still wagged but I knew it was time.   His breathing had become deeper and I bawled hysterically as I called my closest friends and my dad who had to come and help us get him to the vet.   Barkley at one time had weighed 140 lbs.  He was down to 100.  I Called Dr Chenney who had been by our side every week for the past 9 months drawing blood and giving us the medication refills and giving us support.  He got very close with Barkley as well so when I made the emergency call that Sunday afternoon I kne he was just as devastated.  Dr Chenney cared for him for 9 months and let me go through every emotion over those 9 months and the entire time he supported Barkley and I during our mission to "Save my Pappa Umpa". 

You can imagine the 25 minute ride to the vet as the tears rolled down my cheeks and I talked to him in mumbled tones...He was so happy to be going for a ride - something we did often.  It was the most peaceful passing surrounded by my dad and my closest friends but I sobbed uncontrollably...  I was sure I couldn't live with out him......Devastated was the only word.  Dr Chenney came in on a Sunday to do the hardest job a vet can do not for the pets sake but for those that love them.  Not a single person in that room had a dry eye and my world stopped in time while I watched him take his last final breath and drifted off to the rainbow bridge to join the others who have passed. 

I spent the next 6 weeks crying every single night when I went to bed because he wasn't laying right next to me, he wasn't giving me his paw for a treat, he wasn't playing with the other dogs and making the loud play noises.

My house was absolutely bare once he was gone.  My heart was too.

I spent 3 months grieving then I decided I would fulfill my promise to Barkley that I would rescue another Saint in need someday.  I waited for one to come through Safe Haven but it never happened, I searched Petfinder periodically for 6 months and inquired about 10 Saint Bernard's over that period of time and none of them were the right fit....either dog aggressive, cat aggressive, kid aggressive.  I wanted an adult and began to wonder if it was meant to be.

Well 9 months TO THE DAY of Barkley's passing I received an email from one of my rescue colleagues who asked me to forward out an email about a 12 month old St Bernard who was literally starved to death.  I think she was shocked when I said "I will NOT forward this out". I saw his picture and description and I knew....

A few days later there he was - pulled from Cedar Rapids Animal Control Center by a temp foster who would find him a good home and then as you guessed it he came home with me for his forever home.  When he was first brought to CRACC he weighed 80 lbs!  He should have been a minimum of 120!

So Barkley the II (My 8 yr old niece Hailey named him) is here and his soul, his personality is EXACTLY like Barkley I.  They say you can never replace a dog and they are right BUT you can feel redemption when another dog walks into your life and fills those holes in your heart and soul because they are just like your other.  The look in their eyes that pierces your soul knowing how badly they need our help and wondering if they know how much you need them too.

I adopted Barkley II 9 months and 5 days after Barkley I passed over the rainbow bridge and I think Barkley I sent him to me so I could help another dog with needs and maybe just maybe be able to fill some of those voids after the loss of my soul mate (PS its already started!).  Now hes at 97.5 lbs and we have some weight to get on him and we will do it!  Thank you Barkley I for sending me Barkley II.

Get on the boat or swim....

I just returned last night from the No More Homeless Pets conference with a brain filled with so much information that you can't quite process it all without looking at your notes.  This year the theme was exactly what I needed...Get on the boat or start swimming.

In the era of reaching No More Homeless Pets we are facing too many arguments, disagreements, anger, and frustration not only between what is termed "No-Kill" and "Kill" but within our own rescue groups.  People are losing sight of what we are all here to do - that includes No-Kill and Kill rescues - SAVE MORE ANIMAL lives.

Its so easy for people who don't really know what goes on behind the scenes to want to jump up and yell the loudest, its easy for power seeking people to place judgments on others, and more than anything its those people who think they know how things should be that don't take the time to educate themselves or allow for others to have a say at all.

Rescue work and the no kill movement will exist when we all ban together and stand to make it happen regardless of the beliefs we may or may not have.

Ive been burnt out for the last 6 months, dreading every time the phone rang or the 150th email came in for the day.  Wanting more sleep, and simply to have a life.  I can't tell you the last time I sat down and watched tv or read a book (Something I did ALLOT before starting SHIC).  This work will drain every inch of your soul if you allow it.  This conference gave me some energy back.  This year I was honored to speak again about Rural Sanctuaries as I am the founder and director of Safe Haven of Iowa County http://www.wesavepets.com/ and we serve a county whose entire population is 16,000 people.  After the presentation I was honored to speak with many people who said things like "Your my hero, if you can do it we can too", "You made me cry, so motivational and inspirational", "thank you for sharing and giving us hope".   I felt so lifted by knowing that what we do and what I spoke about made a huge difference for other rescuers.  I could breath a little again...

The conference reminded me to keep taking a deep breath and remember what my job is - to help as many animals as I am able (regardless of negativity, doubters, and EEYORE doubtful kind of people) and to leave some responsibility in the hands of the many families who "have to move and can't take their pet", "have 60 farm cats who keep reproducing", "have a chained dog and wonder why it isn't good with children", "have a pit bull who they can't keep because of BSL", "Have a declawed cat who is peeing all over the house".  Yes we want to reach No More Homeless Pets and it WILL happen in my lifetime but I have a difficult job of trying to keep these pets in their homes through education, education, education...It will even happen in Iowa County Iowa!!!!

This is the year to start educating the public, market our animals harder to get them into homes faster, and above all accept that "I may not like you and you may not like me" and that is perfectly fine BUT we have a job to do and we must work together.  No EEYORES only TIGGERS allowed!

So if you want to see No More Homeless Pets happen its time to get on the boat or start swimming...Whats your choice going to be?   I am on the boat and my name is Rinthea TIGGER Satterlee!

My pack last year...my own and my fosters.  

Rescue me!

I was recently informed that "there is no way you can work 40 hours a week just doing rescue work".  I about fell on the floor and I wasn't sure if I was pissed or just completly shocked.  If you work in rescue and you happen to be the head cheese you ALWAYS work at least 40 hours a week.  People say how can you work a 40 hour a week day job AND work a 40 hour rescue job - WHAT CHOICE DO I HAVE....???

Rescue work never stops.  There is always a family moving who cant take their pit bull, a declawed cat peeing outside of its litter box, a dog contained in a car with no food or water, a litter of newborn kittens who need bottle fed, 12 rescues in need of help placing dogs on a euthanasia list, 3 digruntled volunteers, one board member who is going over the deep edge, 30 volunteers who rely on your constant communicatin to know whats happening, 2 staff to guide and direct, 10 foster homes to try and expand to 20 before winter, a building to raise, records to keep, fundraiser after fundraiser to keep the money coming in, spending nights trying to search for starving dogs, not to mention the 12 dogs and 31 cats I care for at home - most waiting for forever homes.  The list can go on and on and on.

The people who are closest to me KNOW how many hours I put in.  They know how many times the emails beep in, the phone rings, and they know how much time I DONT have to live a life on the weekends.  I work 10-14 hour days on saturday and sunday just trying to get caught up.  I am several days behind on returning calls (the very reason I tell people to email me on my voicemail).

I just simply ask that before someone judges someones time put in that they really ask the questions and consider spending a little time in my shoes - even if it's only for one day....

Really?  5 years into this and I am not worthy of a 40 hour a week title?  Will the bags under my eyes prove it? 

This is how I feel about that!

The pitter patter is gone....

When your in animal rescue and your an active foster mom you get used to things.   But it takes a while to get used to it....Then once its gone you feel empty even with a house full of fur babies left.

Tonight I have 11 dogs - down from 13 just hours ago.  Bella an 8-10 week old pit bull I rescued from the Cedar Rapids Animal Control only 6 days ago has a new family - 99% sure so she went on a home visit.  Then little Luke a 12 week old pit bull I rescued from a high kill shelter in Chicago came on Saturday and he is now in ICU at Bright Eyes and Bushy Tails fighting for his life with Upper Respiratory Infection- Pneumonia on both sides of his lungs.  

Let me take you back over the past 6 days.   When you introduce new dogs to an already good sized pack there is a certain level of calm insanity and a little stress because everyone is figuring out if they are going to kill them or take them under their wings.  So we have mass hysteria, noise, and lots of feet sounds.   Then by day 2 everyone is happy but its still mass hysteria only because the noise of feet is 8 paws louder every time we play, run, chase, go outside. 

Then everyone gets really comfortable on the 3rd day and the playing REALLY starts so add 52 paws, and 13 voices and you have some noise.

By the 5th day the new puppies are testing their boundaries with their foster mom just to make sure she is still the pack leader....And this is when the other 11 dogs decide to try it too:)

Then comes the 6th day when a foster mom has to take one to the ICU and worry then take the other to their new family and so many emotions at the same time can't be more confusing.  But it doesn't truly hit you till you come home and there are 8 less paws and 2 less voices and it feels like your house is empty even with 11 dogs still home.

What a wonderful day for Bella and a scary day for Luke and all I can say is I'm proud to have been their mom!   I look forward to the day when I hear Luke's big clumsy feet clomping on my floor! 

Luke is on the left, Bella on the right and Koda in back.  3 of the most wonderful bully kids a foster could ask for!

Phoenix - She found freedom today!!!

I find myself so busy sometimes doing rescue work at home that some of the most amazing things I dont see until after the initial moment happens.   You see when you work a full time day job and get home at night you have 2 hours of animal care to do before you even start your rescue work.  So on the weekends after fundraising events, board meetings, site visits, emails, and phone calls you just simply work it all away.

Today I am in my usual spot - STANDING at the kitchen island with my netbook working away while briefly interrupted by the occasional cat who walks across my keyboard and ever so rudely puts their hind end in my face to say "I'm here", all the while I do the normal sllliiiddddeeeeee them to the side so I can finish what I am doing before I get another call or another email that has to be addressed.   Then there is the occasional pack leader that has to come out and say 'knock it off' to the occasional dog spat on the floor by my feet (why do dogs have to be right where you are anyway;)

So only moments ago a cat walks across my keyboard and i do the usual sllliiiidddddeeee her away and I realize that its Phoenix and about had a heart attack!  I wanted to jump up and down and act like a 5 year old getting her Christmas presents a day early but knew that was a VERY bad idea.  Instead I grabbed my blackberry right beside my netbook and took this picture...

She stared right into the camera and didn't move.

Let me tell you her story and why this is a miracle.  The day Phoenix (she had a different name) was rescued she was living in a home we identify as a hoarder.   Most people think that the definition of a hoarder is someone who has allot of animals.  The key is not the number of animals but the medical attention they receive and the living environment they are surrounded by.   This woman had 30 cats in her home infested with fleas, overflowing litterboxes, poop and urine on every inch of the floor and the cats were in less than ideal shape physically.  Let me tell you that there are hoarders that have 5 animals so its not the number of animals but the conditions in which they are found.

So as we worked hard to find placements for them there were two left who needed safety.  As the founder of an animal rescue group you often times get the "last picks' because I wont let an animal be put down unless there is good medical cause.

Phoenix was FERAL.  She would bite, scratch, rip your eyes out if you let her.   We left her at the vet clinic so she could get spayed right away and my intention was to find her a farm home.  Well as things unraveled she came home with me the next day with her friend...They lived in my master bedroom - became bedroom kitties.   I didn't see or hear Phoenix unless it was 2 am and I opened my eyes to see in the mirror of my bathroom that she was sitting on the corner of the counter.

I couldn't find that cats hiding place for 4 months!   There were several weeks I NEVER saw her and tried 'smelling' for a dead corpse (sounds terrible but what else do you do to find a feral cat!)

On the 4th month something amazing happened - She started appearing out from one of the drawers in my vanity!   She had found that she could get in behind the drawers and have all the privacy she wanted.   SOOOO RELIEVED!   So I upped the ani a little and pulled out both bottom drawers (which now make great sleeping boxes).  within two months she would start sleeping on the foot of my bed!

3 weeks ago she decided to join me while using the bathroom and i touched her head for the first time.  2 weeks ago she started DEMANDING I pet her every time I was in the bathroom and now today she decided to COME OUT OF HER SAFETY ZONE ALL TOGETHER!  SHE came out of her den for the past 6 months and was sitting on my kitchen counter!  13 dogs and all!

What a PROUD moment and a reminder to pay attention to the small things even when the world is moving fast!  Welcome to the world Phoenix.  You have truly risen from the ashes!!!!

I'm expecting!!!!!

Yes you hear it right - I'm expecting!   I just heard the news...I'm going to be a new mom.

Little Isabella an 8 week old pit bull puppy and Luke a 12 week old pit bull puppy will be arriving this weekend.   Fast pregnancy hun?

I have wanted to foster some of the dogs at SHIC for some time now but none of them were a good fit for my pack - We have 10 adults at the havens and my pack accepts puppies or seniors and nothing in between. 

After seeing the MANY pit faces cross my email in the past month I saw two pictures out of the hundreds that jumped out at me!

Meet Isabella (Izzy for short)

8-12 weeks old and seen thrown from a car in Cedar Rapids.   She is in an emergency shelter in a home in CR but will be gracing my packs presence in the very near future.

Meet Luke

12 weeks old and scared to death to be in his prison cell in Chicago.  He is being neutered today and will be arriving soon to learn what its like to have a pack, a family, and a life outside of solid walls.

So when told I am a "saint" for pulling these puppies I say actually I am legally insane and I say so with a smile on my face.

When others judge me because I'm not taking a Safe Haven dog its because they don't understand how dogs work.  You can't just throw them all in together and expect everyone to get a long.  You have to KNOW your pack and know what works and what doesn't.  I'm just lucky enough to be able to help a few young pit bulls who will find wonderful forever homes.  

So now my "Island of Misfits" will include 3 pit bull pups - the worlds most compassion and loyal breed in the world!

Even compassionate animal advocates have bad days....

My day started as a happy, laid back kind of day...I like those days because they dont happen often.  By 12:00 I knew a call to the dentist was in store.....OUGH!   What I thought was an absess (never had one before) turned out to be an impacted wizdom tooth with a cyst which is well infected....So go to the pharmacy and they proceed to tell me my insurance isn't good until Oct 1st.   So I pay the full fee and my shoulders start to sink....

So I get home and as Im pulling in the driveway I see two heads peaking over the back of the couch through the bay window....Koda (formerly Wizzie) and Lily....

Koda had figure out how to OPEN the locks on his wire crate then proceeded to let Lilly loose as well.  So I had Kodas arch rival Albert free in the hosue, and Lilly's arch rival EVERY CAT that runs..

So immediatly I start search for body's....All the cats were accounted for, no blood found anywhere! 

Then I start to SEE what my hosue looked like    PEE PUDDLES EVERYWHERE and in every room!!!

All I wanted to do was murder 4 dogs!   But the good mom that I am I cleaned up all the messes then made them dog treats!

That is how you punish your dogs ya know....Make home made treats....

The calm AFTER the storm

He didn't WALK into our house he RAN!   Things including cats went flying in all kinds of directions and I said "Oh my god what have I done".  In came Koda (formerly Wizzie) a 11 months old large, muscular and ALL puppy pit bull.  My dogs about had a heart attack seeing this FAST large boy zoom in like he owned the place. 

The first night was a little chaotic to say the least.  I got NOTHING accomplished but introductions and seperating spats...He was the energizer bunny and didn't stop exploring for a second until 1:30 that morning. 

He was a puppy and has no skills so thats what happens when you combine the two.  He even figured out how to jump on the kitchen counter!   Bubba would have been proud of Koda!!!!

He spent the entire evening sniffing every cat butt, dog butt, and tried playing with everyone!   Some of my dogs were not appreciative and had to show him where his place was and there was a lot of barking BUT then last night at 9:30 he CRASHED!   He hit the bed so hard that he didn't move an inch at all last night. 

You see there is so much for stimulation and playing around the "Island of Misfits" that when new foster dogs come (Ive had 4 in the past 4 months) that it intrigues new dogs til they almost explode.  Then when they get to the fenced in 1 acred back yard they run and run and run until they can't run anymore!  It really is a dogs heaven!  During the day they get their individual crate time to calm down and gear up for a fun night:)

So after the first night of complete exploration and running and playing the 2nd night becomes Mom sharig her pillow with a pit bull who can't play or explore a single ounce longer! 

This is what we call the sweet "Island of Misfits" and life is good...

Saying goodbye is the hardest but they always leave soemthing behind.

When a new foster arrives are your home you can't help but look for qualities in them that remind you of the past kids in your life...There is always that hope that somehow we will find that one cat or one dog that will somehow fill the void in out lives after loosing someone so special in our lives.

It dawned on me last night that I get to share my life with animals even though some of them are only temporary and as if a ton of bricks hit me over the head I realized that most of my newest newcombers fill some pretty big voids.

On August 3rd I lost my Salty Sand man - a rescue who spent the first 12 years of his life in a tiny cage being a breeder and father to hundreds of puppies at the expense of his own health and comfort.   I brought him home two years ago and he quickly became know for burrowing and licking anyones skin that he could.   He was my little boy weighing in at a whole 7 lbs.  He hated winter and was a rather odd duck in so many ways.  Then came Lily the Boston who is now my constant licker.  Meechie then came along and he is my burrower....

On Valentines Day I lost a 9 month fight with Kidney failure with my best friend in the whole dog world...Barkley and I spend 9 months in and out of the ICU, everyday we did sub q fluids three times a day, did medications, and towards the end he ate whatever we could get him to eat.  He had a heart of gold.  He loved anyone and everyone.  His favorite thing was to steal the bed from me.  He would get his massive 145lb St Bernard body onto the bed and I had to sleep around him.  Last night after 3 hours of trying to sleep Koda (formerlt Wizzie the Pit Bull) did something that remind me so much of Barkley.  He finally plopped down right on top of me and wouldn't move for the life of him!  

Barkley used to make himself comfortable whereever he wanted and if I ran to the bed first to beat him he made himself all to comfortable right on top!  His head must have weighed 40 lbs itself..

Sometimes I think they leave us because they know another is in need, I think they send us certain ones too.  Shortly after Barkleys passing came Piper "the devil" dog, a corgi who is wired just a little (ok a lot wrong) and after having her in my home for 5 minutes I KNEW she would have lost her life if I hadn't taken her.   We happily exist with only minimal use of blocking tools to save my feet and legs from being shredded by her teeth...We have an understanding that I dont mess with her if she doesn't mess with the other kids. 

So thanks Salty and Barkley for bringing me great fosters who remind me of you both on a daily basis.

I still miss you like crazy and can't wait to meet you over the rainbow bridge.

Ill always be your mama and always be forever grateful for what you gave me....

You have lots your wizzin marbles!!!!!

Its moments like tonight where I ask myself "are you out of your mind?"  Yep I think the answer is officially yes...

It all started about a month ago when a woman contacted us to get help with her dog.  She couldn't get custody back of her kids until she rehomed her dog - guess what his breed is....Yep the vicious, unpredictable, scary, aggressive pit bull. 

10 months old and grew up in a home with happy go lucky children, and a 3 month old pit bull puppy as his canine playmate.

So I knew of someone looking for a rottweiler or a pit bull and immediatly contacted him.   It was a match made in heaven until his business insurance agent showed up and informed him he would lose his business insurance unless he paid an extra $5,000.00 for liability coverage for owning a pit bull or rehome the dog. 

So I spent the next 10 days posting and posting and posting and calling and emailing and trying to find someone to help Wizzie the 10 month old pit bull who was being thrown from not only one home but two simply becuase he existed.

I found a temporary foster home for 2 weeks until my largest foster dog Bubba Gump was adopted.  Then he was coming to my house.  Its such a devestating trend we see with pit bulls - even people in our own rescue communities have allowed the media to sway our compassion...More pit bulls loose their lives not becuase they are visious, terrible dogs but becuase even our rescue communities have been convinced not to trust them. 

More people should try fostering a pit once becuase they are by far the most loyal and compassionate dogs on the face of this earth.  You want a dog that is family oriented you get yourself a pitbull but before you do be sure your in a community that allows them and make sure that you have plans for your pit in the event that a life changing event finds you needing to find a new home becuase this society is not designed to help this beautiful breed.

Back to losing my marbles - I now have 11 dogs again including my fosters and now I find myself with a large exuberant playful puppy who is reactive to barking.  HELLO thats what most of my dogs do is bark...They tell me exactly when someone has pulled into the driveway, knocked on the door, etc.   ADd to that several senior dogs who are grumpy who dont care for a young dog running from one end of the hosue to the other and sliding across the hard wood floors. 

Oh yeah and dont forget the bark that this boy has found from deep within.  My cats look at me like "Have you lost your marbles....AGAIN".

So while the pit bull continues to lose its life all across this county that we call the Just, Free, and Proud I will give a little of my own comfort to save this one!   He is only one but he is an important one...

The drama will continue to unfold as our home learns to settle with a large strong puppy in the house but as we settle in so will Wizzie who has been through so much in the past 30 days....Its my job to make it work, to teach him and to train him and to give him a 2nd chance at life....I am a true rescuer...but I HAVE lost my marbles

When Fear Becomes Happiness

I met him on August 21, 2010.  Most people would have said "why would you make friends with HIM?"  He was mean, didn't want anything to do with people, he just wanted to stay by himself.  He was homeless, cold, and obviously scared out of his mind.  He was big too which made him scary in itself.   But I made up my mind that no matter what I was going to break through his outer shell.

We sat there on the steps under the overhang of a building in downtown Cedar Rapids and I sat there silently for at least 10 minutes.   Occasionally he would grumble a little but he wasn't going to speak - he was only going to make sure I knew he wasn't happy that I was bothering him.

I sat there for a good 10 minutes, almost in his lap and refused to budge.  He refused to budge too. 

Then something happened.   After 10 minutes of silence he sniffed my shirt.  I didn't say a word nor did I look at him,touch him or talk to him.   We are on his terms simply because his growling at another volunteer 15 minutes prior told us he meant business...The police had now arrived after someone reported him as a vicious pit bull (thats a whole nother topic).   So my work was really cut out for me. 

It was time to PROVE to the CRPD that he wasn't a threat to anyone including myself who had spent the last 15 minutes in silence next to a dog sitting taller than my own head.  I asked the Officer to stay back and let me work with the "'vicious pit bull" he seemed all too happy to allow me to handle him.   I told him who I was and what I did and he relaxed just enough to allow me to finish my "dog whispering" activity.

This boy continue to come close enough to sniff as I continued to ignore him for about 2 more minutes after the officer arrived (and kept a safe distance).  We had been selling dog treats at the farmers market this day so I had a stash brought over from our table and slowly began the treat game.

We started we setting a treat down on the ground and he ate the first one.

Then I bumped the ani up a bit and he had to start eating it out of my hand.  Within 20 minutes from start to finish this growling, shaking, thin, halk hairless dog was walking on a leash with me down 5th Ave!

I contacted my rescue friend DeAnne and she met me with her vehicle and we opened the back door and he jumped right in.   She took him to Cedar Rapids Animal Control Center and they scanned him for a chip (nothing found) and they told her he would be euthanized because of his skin condition looking like Mange and the fact that he would be labeled a pit bull mix.

I gave her clear instructions when she picked him up that if there was any issues to call me and tell me and Id find a way to get him into my own large pack at home.   Well the call came not 45 minutes after they had left for CRACC...And we made plans to bring him back to my home base...At 12:30 DeAnne brought Bubba Gump III to me and we drove home the 45 minute drive while he slept with his head in my lap the entire time.

He has spent the last month in my home with my 10 other dogs and has been the BEST Rottweiler Mix ever!  He loves my nieces who come to visit often, loves every dog and cat I have and more than anything loves sleeping in my bed at night.

Today is a special day for him - He is meeting his new family!  I foster allot of cats and dogs and the moment they meet their new families is so bitter sweet - more sweet than bitter but you spend a lot of time with thes kids sometimes they are in the worst of shape not only physically but emotionally and you help them heal.  And then they find their forever home and you shed a tear out of pure love for them.  Happiness that they found the perfect family.
 
That Bubba Gump III became my friend that day because I didn't label him, didnt show fear but strength, and because I opened my home to ONE MORE DOG even when I had so many already.   It was his fear that gave me strength and determination to SHOW him that the world is a better place because of humans and not the other way around...

Bubba got a 2nd chance and was saved from euthanasia but he reminded me that all dogs deserve a 2nd chance even when the outside shell tells you to run away!