Diamond Dachshund to the RESCUE

Diamond Dachshund Rescue of Texas  has taken in around 50 dachshunds and a few dachshund mixes since we started pulling from Town Lake Animal Center in 2010. While each one has a story to share there are a few that touched our hearts a little more than the others.

First is little Black and Tan boy Crash. He was taken by a Good Samaritan to an Austin Emergency Vet after being found apparently having been hit by a car. Stabilized, he was moved to TLAC and was placed under the care of their vet staff. Poor little Crash was unable to stand, weak, and it seemed like humane euthanasia may be the kindest option for him. DDRTX initially declined because of his initial outlook, but Crash and the TLAC veterinary staff refused to give up. He rallied and a couple of days later Dr Ciszny emailed DDRTX with his updated, much more positive outlook. Knowing in her heart that Crash was special, our Austin Area Volunteer Coordinator Debbie made room in her home for him. X-rays and tests at the DDRTX vet showed that Crash had escaped broken bones and was suffering from severe bruising and a broken tooth. Unfortunately tests also showed that he was suffering from heartworms; so Debbie and Crash set about getting him better so he could go through heartworm treatment.

A couple of weeks later an Austin couple was looking on the DDRTX website for a new companion for themselves and their black and tan doxie boy after losing their beloved other doxie companion, and they spied Crash and fell in love. Debbie took him along to the home visit and Crash instantly bonded not only with the couple but with their doxie! After they were approved as adopters they begged to be allowed to foster Crash until his heartworm treatment… of course DDRTX said yes! But this story does not end there… When they brought Crash down to San Antonio to an adoption event so that he could start his heartworm treatment they met Rex, another dashingly handsome black and tan DDRTX dachshund and offered to foster him while Crash went through treatment. A month later Crash was finished with his treatment and came home to Austin. Rex however did not come back to DDRTX and now there are three handsome black and tan doxie boys happily sharing their lives.

Clockwise from bottom: Crash, Rex, and Tracker!

9 yr old Rusty came to TLAC in a very sad situation. He and his 15 yr old female companion were surrendered after their owner passed away. Rusty was overweight, with terrible dental issues (the only thing holding his teeth in his mouth was the inches thick tartar) and his companion was blind and in pain from arthritis. In talking with TLAC staff we agreed that the kindest thing was for her to be allowed to pass over the rainbow bridge and be free from her pain, and that we would take Rusty and get his teeth treated.  Unfortunately, just days after being pulled from the shelter Rusty came down with a serious case of kennel cough. After an initial round of antibiotics, he continued to go downhill and was diagnosed with pneumonia; X-rays revealed a large amount of fluid on his lungs and an enlarged heart, and the vet also diagnosed a heart murmur. But his fighting spirit never died and with a combination of nebulizer breathing treatments 5 times a day, diuretics, and more antibiotics Rusty rallied and was deemed healthy enough to go to the DDRTX kennels at the home of our Executive Director to get a dental. But just one day after arriving at the kennels the difficulty in breathing returned and he was rushed to the vet. This time we feared congestive heart failure which, combined with an infection in his mouth from his rotting teeth, may be too much for him to fight. But again Rusty rallied and got better enough to have his teeth cleaned, some removed, and the infection cleared!

Feeling much better Rusty decided that he would much prefer a couch to a kennel and made his feelings clear! However, luckily for Rusty a spot had just opened up with the DDRTX coordinator in San Angelo whose home we lovingly call the West Texas Dachshund Retirement Home. Rusty settled right in rearranging the blinds, killing stuffed toys, and sunbathing on the deck. But this was not the end of the drama in Rusty’s life… this summer he was evacuated with several other Diamond Dachshunds when his home was threatened by wildfire! But Rusty took it all in his stride with the fighting, loving attitude that won us over when we first met him and TLAC.

Dachshunds are awesome little dogs with the spirit to make it through ANYTHING as these two stories prove!

Kitty Underground Railroad

Politics and policies made the early years for the now-famous TLAC volunteer cat team very grim.  The renovated cat building with its multi-cat group rooms was put into service in early 2004.  A volunteer "cat behavior" team was founded, and this small group has blossomed into a team of workers and advocates so dedicated and powerful it has city- and nationwide acclaim and recognition.

The early days were grim because so many animals were euthanized every single day.  Volunteers were told they had to accept this necessary killing and live with it.  A few volunteers with giant rescue hearts didn't listen. 

You might call it an underground railroad of sorts -- cat team volunteers would find a wonderful cat who was on the daily euthanasia list and then scramble to secure an approved rescue partner to put a hold on the cat and then find a "safe house" for this cat to stay until a forever home could be found. They put up posters around town, used craigslist, and begged friends and family to be saviors.
The kitty underground railroad saved dozens of lives … nothing compared to the thousands that have been saved by Austin Pets Alive and other rescue groups and the now burgeoning foster program … but it was a small, unstoppable effort and these volunteers are still at TLAC or elsewhere in Austin making a difference every day working with ringworm cats, unsocial cats, and very ill cats who need special feeding and encouragement.

Here's to the cats who made it out via the kitty underground railroad, and to all the ones who didn't make it -- the shelter is now a place where lives are saved, not sacrificed, and it is a very, very good time for the cats and dogs of Austin and TLAC.

Earliest underground cats:  BOB KITTY, PRECIOUS, SIENNA & UMBER, JACKSON, FURBALL

All Thriving thanks to The Underground Kitty Railroad!

Misty Meets Her Match

Texas Hearing and Service Dogs trains dogs to assist Texans living with hearing or mobility challenges. They provide the dogs and training free of charge.

THSD is dedicated to educating the public about Hearing and Service Dogs.

Texas Hearing and Service Dogs uses positive training methods. They use fun, rewards and lots of surprises to keep their  dogs motivated and eager to please

More about what they do and how they can do it visit: http://www.servicedogs.org/

They do an intensive "Matching Process" when they introduce possible "partners" or teams of dog and person in need of a service dog. They practice a few simple behaviors, and try to determine whether they are a compatible team.  Once matched, they begin intensive training with the dog for the specific services their new partners need.  Here is a truly touching story of one of their fabulous "Matches" written by Janet Duke of THSD.

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Intrepid was a beautiful black lab we pulled from TLAC and Misty had been waiting for the right service dog  match for a while. Touchingly, I learned that Misty had been watching Intrepid on our site for some time and always hoped he might be assigned to her.  She saw he was brought to matching with two prior recipients and thought he had been teamed.  When we called and invited her to matching, she asked who the dog was.  When we told her Intrepid, she burst into tears.  She even brought him a greeting present, as you'll see.

This video shows Intrepid, who we got from TLAC, meeting his new partner Misty at matching.


Intrepid, abandoned at the city shelter turned into an excellent assistance dog and throughout training we have used him at public events as he is so steady and well-behaved.

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We love ALL our Rescue Partners and sometimes, the magic that happens after our animals leave the shelter is truly amazing.

Confessions of a "Foster-holic"

Hi. My name is Erin - and I am a "foster-aholic."

Yes, it's true. I'm addicted to saving animals. It's been a life-long addiction, really. But I've only just begun to realize how important fostering really is.

My love for animals started at a very young age - we often rescued animals that wandered up to our house, and my mom even saved smaller creatures like rabbits and birds- she even helped save a trapped owl once. I am thankful that she instilled in me a love and respect for animals. My early experiences of "saving" animals has impacted my life in a huge way, and I hope to impart the same love for animals to my children!

 

I got started with fostering after my Boxer, Sissy, passed away on October 1st, 2009. Sissy was a special girl - my first Boxer - and she left quite a legacy in our home! Sissy came to live with us back in 2002. She was found by a coworker of mine as a stray. When I met her, she was all bones, had obviously had many litters and was so sad and desperate for love. I think it was love at first sight for both of us! Sissy came home with me and, from the very first day, acted like she had always been with us. 

A couple of weeks after Sissy died, a friend of mine mentioned  Austin Boxer Rescue to me as a way to work through my grief. I had never even heard of ABR at the time, but I went ahead and filled out the foster application. We actually got our first foster dog within the same week, who we almost adopted! I wasn't ready for another dog though, so we kept fostering, and have had close to 100 different dogs in our home over the past two years! Some of them stayed a few days, some of them stayed for a few months, but ALL of them were amazing!

The thing about fostering is that it opens up a place in your heart that you might not have known was there. Once that "spot" is open, it never really closes. It took me awhile to realize WHY fostering was so important to me, but about six months into it, I figured it out: it was a way to for me to make a difference in this world, every day. A tangible difference. Not like donating cloths, or recycling (which I also think is important), but something I could really take ownership of. For me, it's a way to step in for these animals (who depended on their human to take care of them, forever) when they need us the most. They've been hurt, let down, sometimes abused, and we're able to help them heal and be loved again, forever. It's an amazing thing.

Just recently, we decided to check out other rescue organizations in the area, and brought home our very first foster kittens from Town Lake Animal Center: the Spice Boys (Sage and Basil). We had never fostered kittens before, but when the call came out for help, I thought, 'Hey, WHY NOT?' And how could I resist?

Lol, thankfully my husband has a sense of adventure and agreed to let me bring them home. Both of my children have always LOVED cats, and they have been so happy to have baby kitties to play with! My youngest is almost three, and he is learning to be "gentle" with the baby kittens. They are much more delicate than the puppies we have fostered in the past. He is so excited to see them everyday, and lovingly calls Sage (who is very tolerant!) his "Coco." It has been the coolest experience to see these little kittens blossom into "pets" - they both purr and call out for attention every time we come into the room. They are so fun to watch; it seems like they put on the antics just for our entertainment!

My background is in nursing - I worked with cardiology and ER patients for almost 15 years, and "retired" when my youngest was born. However, I feel like I have found my true calling in life by working with animals. There are so many that need our help, it's hard to look the other way. Plus, getting them back on their feet, and helping them find their forever home gives me a great feeling of accomplishment and happiness - one that I never had in all my years of working as a nurse. Animals never ask you for anything but love and kindness, and they give you back so much more in return. I look forward to many more years of working with area rescue groups, and I hope to spread the word about the importance of our cause to as many people as possible.

FOSTERING RULES!!

-Erin
*mama to skin-kids Kiahna (12 yrs) and Phoenix (2.5 yrs)
*mama to fur-babies Sissy (RIP 10/1/09), Jake (10 yrs), Finn (1 yr), Noble (6 months), and "step-sister" to fur brother Pete (7 yrs)

*foster mama to Sage and Basil

When it comes to saving an animal - it's never just one person

It takes a community of dedicated humans to save one little Black and Tan

Olivia

In the summer of 2006, we adopted our Black and Tan Coonhound, Olivia Rose,
from Town Lake Animal Center (TLAC) and began our friendship with Jerry
Dunham.

Jerry Walking the Kennels at TLAC

Jerry lives in Austin and is a familiar face to the staff at Town Lake. As a
Placement Partner, he volunteers his time at TLAC looking for dogs that he
have not been claimed and ones that he can pull out of the center and place
in foster care. Walking the cages is an unenviable task; many dogs only had
a few days to find a home. Today¹s ³live out² rate for TLAC is stellar.

Our little B&T was pulled and fostered by Lynn McConnell who traditionally
fosters Malamutes but generously gave up some her precious space for our
skinny little girl. Lynn took the extra time to nurse Olivia back to health
after a scary infection set in.

We stayed in touch with Jerry and had a chance to visit TLAC a couple of
years later. There we met Kathryn Sharp, the Rescue Coordinator for TLAC. I
wanted her to get a chance to meet one of the dogs that had come through her
program full circle and was now a healthy family pet, living in her forever
home.

We are happy to see TLAC doing well and saving more dogs than ever and can¹t

Angela Faeth
CoonhoundCompanions.com

wait to visit again when the improvements are completed, and visit our

"forever friends" again!

Coonhound.

A rescue is born!

It was June, 1997, the day after a devastating F-5 tornado, when a dazed, bedraggled, and disoriented Rottweiler stumbled toward me out of the woods.  Having recently purchased a new house, my friends all encouraged me to take this wonderful girl home. Instead, however, I imagined some desperate child searching for his lost companion and contacted Town Lake to pick her up.

This sweet and trusting creature had quickly found a place in my heart and later the same day I submitted an application to our shelter to adopt her, should her owner not come forward. Every day I visited her, waiting until I would be able to take her home. On the last day before she would be available for adoption her owner did appear, and told the shelter staff her name, Katy, and promised to return with the funds to spring her from her kennel prison. Four more days the shelter staff and I waited anxiously for his return. He did not come; he did not return telephone calls. On the fifth day, I became the proud owner of my very first Rottweiler, and my first dog in 20 years.

I became involved with rescue shortly thereafter, realizing for the first time the plight of companion animals, particularly Rottweilers, in our society, the incredible perception of disposability of life and was appalled. In Katy's honor, Katy's Promise Rottweiler Rescue began, promising a future of love and uncompromising commitment to abandoned, neglected and abused Rottweilers.

Our rescue focuses on young dogs and puppies, often dumped in shelters and on the streets, unwanted by their indiscriminate breeders.  Often very ill, these new lives are nurtured in a home setting, provided extensive medical care and socialization with other animals and people of all ages.  Only when they are physically and emotionally prepared for their new lives, fully vaccinated and altered, are they offered for placement with exceptional families.

In Katy's name we give highly individualized care to a small number of Rottweilers in an effort to change lives and change public perception just one Rottweiler at a time.

Beloved Katy

In September, 2008, just a few months shy of her 15th birthday, Katy lost her battle with liver failure.  Rest easy my sweet Kate.  You changed my life and taught me how to be a better person.  You are forever in my heart.

--
Toni Liguori
KPRR
Austin, Texaswww.kprr.rescuegroups.org

From Austin to ALASKA!

When I adopted my 5 year old female long-haired chihuahua , she
was sore and groggy from her operation just that very morning. She was tired and
scared (she doesn't mix with other dogs well), she had an eye infection
going and to top it all off, her name at that time was "Princess".

In short, she was having a miserable time.

When my friend (who had picked her up for me) gave her to me,

she lay in my lap and I didn't expect her to even want to move, but she did:
she lifted her head to look at me, and then her tail gave a few wags!

I think we both knew right then that Fuzzy (yeah, SOMETHING had to be
done about her name!) was home.

Over the following days I used the eyedrops the rescue had
given me to clear up Fuzzy's infection (it is a lot of fun trying to get
drops into a squirmy little chihuahua's eye!), fixed her name problem, and
made sure she got plenty of healing rest curled up next to me on the
couch. She has been with me for nearly a year now here in Fairbanks,
Alaska (where her long, thick coat comes in handy!) and goes everywhere
with me....
John C
Fairbanks AK

Sasha finds an angel

The Way Home

By Joyce Martin

December 2007

I saw you through the chain link fence so sad and all alone

I wondered if you’d come to me as I offered you a bone

You slowly backed away from me not sure of what to do

And then you found the strength and courage that I had seen in you

I took you from the kennel even though you were afraid

Trusting me that I was there to make sure that you were saved

We walked a bit to see if you could keep up with my pace

But not so sure you would by the worried look on your face

We found a quiet place to sit away from the barking and noise

At first you would not look at me but then you heard my voice

You sat there so quietly as I stroked your matted fur

I think you saw the kindness in me even though you were not sure

I took you home with me and gave you your first bath

You ran and shook and were so silly you made me smile then laugh

I knew there was a happy dog underneath the mats and dirt

And all it took was words and kindness for you to become alert

So now you have a safe place to rest until you find a home

And soon the right family will come along to call you their very own

The tears will come softly as I see you walk away

But in my heart I know that you are safely on your way

Be happy my sweet foster dog your dreams have finally come true

It’s time for me to go again to save another like you