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!

Zoe's Story!

In March of 2004 this girl was called "Camilla" and we adopted her at six weeks after she'd been spayed.  We named her Zoe, Greek for "life" because she was the happiest animal I'd ever seen after working with thousands of dogs, cats and feral cats as a volunteer.

A few months later her motor capabilities diminished and she was diagnosed with the worst hip dysplasia her surgeon had ever seen.  I did a lot of research and we had her hips excised at 6 and 9 months of age so there would be a maximum of recovery.  Since she's a smaller dog (32-38 lbs) there were no hip replacements so she grew her own from cartilage.  We walked her and my husband had her swim daily.  She looks a little funny, cow-hocked, but can run like the wind and corner to beat any Lab to a ball.

It's seven years after the surgeries and this photo is important, because it's taken the day after we moved into a strange home with other peoples' furniture even comforter cover after driving halfway across the country.  Does she look stressed?  I think not.  I've had one dog and two cats of my own, they're gone now.  We've had Zoe going on eight years and while she's a herder and doesn't do anything fun once ("it's routine!") she still is the happiest dog I've ever known and it's been a joy to be with her all these years.

When we arrived at the shelter we saw her litter.  I'd always adopted older rescues but wanted to try to train a pup once.  There was a hold on her so we also looked at a Bernese mix, a male pup.  The next morning we got a call that the hold was off and we could have her.  We were so excited!  To this day when she is too smart for her britches or drives us nuts squeaking a ball, my husband says "We should have got the dumb one."  Not that Bernese are dumb, only more docile.

We love our Zoe and thank you for being there when it was the right time to adopt a dog.  Best of luck in your new home.  You've provided homes for so many, now you'll have a better facility to serve the needs of the community.

Cheers!  Dee Carpenter

Volunteering - What it's all about!

I have been volunteering at Town Lake Animal Center for about two years now.  When I moved to Austin, not knowing anybody and with no job lined up, I thought volunteering would be an ideal way to fill my time, because I love animals, but can't have any at home.  I also thought I might make some friends with other volunteers.

 I loved taking the dogs out, but more than that I loved hanging around chatting to customers and helping them find the animal that was just right for them.  I hadn't really appreciated that one of the things I missed about working was this interaction with the public.  For me there was rarely a better feeling at the end of a shift than walking to the parking lot and seeing a family I had talked with taking a dog to it's forever home.

I have met lots of amazing volunteers and staff that I am delighted to now call friends, and I am looking forward to continuing to volunteer at the new shelter.  It feels so good to let a dog out of it's pen and give it some playtime and one-to-one interaction  But the most important thing for me has turned out to be getting involved in customer service and meeting the Austin residents who come in, sometimes just to look, and end up going home with a smile on their face and a new family member in their hearts.

Top 10 Reasons to Volunteer:

10. Something to do with that tired pair of sneakers and those old jeans (because you won't be wearing your Sunday best for this job!).

9. Puppy kisses :-b

8. A family of dedicated animal lovers volunteering and working alongside you to help save, shelter, and rehome animals in need.

7. Awesome stylish day-glow yellow t-shirts!!

6. The dogs and cats really need you & will benefit enormously from the time and attention you have to offer. You are their world.

5. Helping a customer find just the right new family member will make your whole week & fill your heart with love.

4. All the hand sanitizer you could ever want.

3. The moment a new dog looks at you with trust and confidence never gets old.

2. Gorgeous pitbull smiles :-) 

1. Most Importantly, because no-kill takes a lot of work and it'll only stay a reality in Austin if everyone does their share to help!

Become a Town Lake Animal Center volunteer today!

A Happy Ending for Rafael

Rafael, a gorgeous young Rottweiler, came into the shelter one very, very scared dog.  He would sit at the back of his kennel when a person approached and he didn't want to interact with anyone. He would retreat to the very back of his kennel and stay there all day long. No one was able to touch him; he flinched and ran away from attempts to pet him. Some of the regular volunteers noticed how scared he was. But they also noticed that he would make good eye contact with people and that when you looked into his eyes, you could see the glimmer in his eye of him wanting to interact but just being too frightened. Every day volunteers would go into his kennel and just sit with him, sometimes singing, sprinkling treats around the floor & offering them to Rafael to let him know that it was okay; that people were there to help & befriend him. He began to relax a little and was becoming more comfortable with us spending time with him in his kennel.

Just as Rafael was getting used to having a person in his kennel, he got an upper respiratory infection and had to spend more than a week in isolation. Volunteers were unable to interact with him. Everyone was worried about how this setback would effect the progress we'd been making.  Once Rafael was healthy and back into the general population, the volunteers started working with him again.  It was slow progress but there was always progress.  He still didn't want to be touched, but finally someone got him leashed up and out of his kennel.  Next thing you know he wouldn't let a person touch him but if he touched the person it was okay.  He started giving kisses. After weeks at the shelter, a customer became interested in Rafael.  The pink Interest Pending tag was there on Rafael's kennel gate for a long time as the customer contemplated what it would take to give Rafael the home he really needed. The customer ended up adopting a young female Rottweiler so this opened up Rafael to other potential adopters. But no other adopters emerged for Rafael; despite his great strides he was still timid about interacting with people and this meant most customers didn't notice him. More time went by.

When one of our wonderful staff members noticed that Rafael was "at risk" and brought it to the attention of another staff member, they contacted the customer who had previously shown interest to let him know about Rafael's status.  In the meantime the customer had adopted a young female Rottweiler but he didn't want to see Rafael be in harm's way.  He came down to the shelter and spent two and a half hours with Rafael.  He made Rafael feel confident--sometimes laying next to him in his kennel.  They scheduled a meet and greet with Darlene, the new rottie girl that the customer had adopted from the shelter.  The meet and greet went okay but not great.  Both dogs had to let the other know where their limits were.  Another meet and greet was scheduled for the next day.  This time Rafael was in excellent form - walking with a prance in his step.  People were petting on him and he and the female rottie were getting along!  Rafael was a new dog.  The frightened dog who had come in weeks ago had disappeared and left a confident boy in it's place.  That customer adopted Rafael after the second meet and greet.  Rafael's new owner knows that he had issues and was patient, thoughtful and loving; and he's prepared to provide Rafael with the special attention he needs to continue working through any timidity or fears that he may have. Thankfully, now that Rafael is a long way from the shelter, those fears are now more a matter of who gets the best seat on the couch!

Without our wonderful staff and volunteers, and without this customer willing to step up and save a dog that needed saving, this couldn't have happened.

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!

There are Volunteers and then there are VOLUNTEERS!

I first met Maggie when I started fostering.  I took home a cat with an Upper Respiratory Infection so he could get better, but instead of getting better, he got worse, and stopped eating.  In a panic, I got in touch with the staff at TLAC, and they introduced me to Maggie, who taught me how to force feed the cat so that he wouldn’t get even sicker.  She was kind, friendly and capable and got me through the first crisis of my volunteering with TLAC.

Since then, I’ve learned that Maggie is pretty amazing, although I doubt she’d tell you that herself. It’s not just that she’s been a volunteer for 9 years.  It’s also that she’s a super foster parent.  Most of the time, she has at least half a dozen foster cats at home, and they’re not easy fosters.  They’re sick cats, or cats that have stopped eating, or need extra-special care for one reason or another.  I’ve never heard of her turning down a needy foster, and she often asks to take home cats with a very dim prognosis.  Usually she and her husband Mike manage to pull them through, but she’s lost several and keeps taking more cats, even though she cries over each cat that doesn’t make it. Her husband even maintains a blog about the trials and tribulations at Mike and Maggie's B&B "Tangent Oaks"

Just her fostering would make her special enough, but Maggie is also very actively involved with two other programs.  She helped create and co-manages the Nebulization and Special Feeding teams that care for the cats with URIs and cats that have stopped eating in the shelter environment.  She also created and co-manages the Desperate Housecats adoption event which showcases cats that need extra help getting adopted because of age, medical condition or lengthy stays at the shelter.  Maggie attends the events, helps photograph the cats, and writes a marketing flyer for every cat in the program.  In the year that it has been in operation, Desperate Housecats has placed about 120 cats at events alone, and countless others have been adopted from foster or the shelter due to Desperate Housecats marketing.

I’m so glad that I get to work with Maggie.  She’s an inspiration, and the very definition of what makes the volunteers at TLAC so special.


Fellow Volunteer and Foster Mom, 
R.E.

Adventures in Fostering

Around the time I turned 30 I started fostering kitties as I felt the need to give back in some way plus I love animals.  At first I usually fostered just one or 2 cats/kittens at a time and eventually it turned into litters of kittens.  Over ten years later there have been many many kittens come through my door and I have loved every second of it.  I adopted my own 2 cats, Tigger and Tabitha, from Town Lake 4 years ago and 3 years ago respectively and they are great "foster parents".  I can only imagine what they are thinking when a new litter comes home-"oh no not again!"

I've had all kinds of kittens-terrified kitties, sickly kitties, crazy kitties and just plain love bugs and through it all I've managed to not adopt anymore but I have been tempted many times. I've even lost a few along the way and it's always heartbreaking but I keep on fostering.  I've mastered the neb box, administered all kinds of meds and eyedrops and just recently I had to force feed one of my kittens.

My one hope for each one of my "kids" is that they have as good or better home than I've given them and that they live long, happy lives like my own cat Magic who lived to be 22 years old. She's still the apple of my eye-RIP sweet girl.

I can't imagine fostering not being a part of my life and when someone asks me about it I'm always hoping to recruit another foster parent.  It's so rewarding to watch scared kittens come out of their shell and really blossom into great kitties.  Helping the sick ones overcome their illness and turn into wonderful kittens is also very gratifying.

I even created a Facebook Page to keep up with my little charges - Heathers Fabulous Foster Kittens

I still shed many tears each time my kitties are adopted or when I return them to the shelter to get adopted. I have been asked many times how do I give them up and  it's very hard every time.  A few tears is a small price to pay for saving the life of those that have no voice.