Please join us to celebrate our birthday and the lives we have saved over the last two years of hard but fulfilling work.  We would love to see Safe Hands alumni dogs and pups and catch up our extended Safe Hands Family of supporters, volunteers, foster and adoptive families.

We have been hard at work planning a festive and fun filled afternoon. Get your pups picture with Santa! Uncover your dog’s hidden artiste at our Picasso Pups area where your dog can paint you a picture.  Try your dog’s hand, um paw, um tooth at Bobbing for Hot Dogs.  Social small dogs and puppies can participate in doggie play groups. Meet and mingle with other Safe Hands families over snacks and beverages.

Enter the “Best In Show” Dog Show:
Prizes given out for “Best Ears”, “Best Wigglebutt”, “Best Trick” and “Best New (& Nutty) Breed”.  What is the Best New (Nutty) Breed you ask?  Most of our Safe Hands’ dogs are of, shall we say, indeterminate origin.  Is your dog a Jack-Bass (Jack Russell/Basenji), a Corgle Poo (corgi/beagle/poodle), a Belgian Maladox (Belgian shepherd/Malamute/Doxie) or like Cashew - a Long Nosed Kentucy Brown Sheporgi? 

To enter, send an email to:  safehandsevent@gmail.com with Best In Show in the subject line.  Tell us what category or categories you wish to participate in, your dogs name and a short paragraph about your dog the emcee can use.  For example, Cashew the LNKY Brown Sheporgi comes from an esteemed lineage of Court Jesters who were bred to teach people patience, help them expand their minds with great tests of will and determination and bring joy and laughter everywhere they go.  Cashew is a fine one year old specimen of the breed who lives up to the breed standard and brings both smiles and challenges to her mom on a daily basis.
 
Photo Contest:
Submit photos of your adopted Safe Hands dog for the photo contest with prizes in the categories of “Best Smile”, “Silliest Pose”, “Best Action shot” and “Best Friends” and cast your vote for your own favorite photos.  To enter the Photo Contest please email safehandsevent@gmail.com with Photo Contest in the subject line and send a .jpg file of the photo along with the category and your dog’s name and your name of course!  Photos will be displayed at the event.
*All entries need to be submitted no later than November 7th.
You Ought to be in Pictures!!
Enter the video booth and tell us your Safe Hands story - tell us how you found your new canine companion, what you thought when you met him or her, about bringing your new family member home or any other story you have to tell.  Video will be used on our website and potentially for a future documentary on Safe Hands Rescue.
Say Cheese!
Your dog is already a star in your mind, now tell the rest of the world!  Safe Hands Rescue is making a book and calendar and we want you!!  OK, we want your dog.  We are beginning work on a book that we hope will bring awareness to the plight of homeless dogs waiting in high kill shelters nationwide, one dog story at a time.  Each of these dogs is unique and special and each one could have easily lost their life for want of a home.  Let’s show the world the kind of great dogs found in shelters just waiting for a family of their own if only someone would come for them.  Let’s tell them how much richer your life can be with one of these guys in it.  You wouldn’t deny your furry friend his or her 15 minutes of fame now would you? 

We have professional photographers donating their time and we will be scheduling photo sessions in 15 minute increments throughout the day.  If you are interested in having your dog’s story told please email us your own words about your dog - how he or she came to live with you, what it is like to share your life with them, whatever it is you want people to know. Photo sessions will be scheduled prior to the event so you know when you need to be there. We will schedule photo sessions in the order submissions are received.  The best photos and stories will be selected for the book.  Stories may be edited for length or clarity.  The best photos and blend of photos will be chosen for the calendar.  To sign up for a photo session please email to:  safehandsevent@gmail.com with Photo Session in the subject line and include you dog’s story in the email or as an attachment.

Local Artist Jessie Marianiello of Stray Dog Arts will be displaying her fabulous artwork.

8 State Hurricane Kate by Jenny Pavlovic
Stay for a slideshow and discussion with volunteers who worked to rescue and care for animals in the New Orleans area after Hurricane Katrina.  Jenny Pavlovic, author of 8 State Hurricane Kate, will be one of the speakers.  Her book is the unforgettable story of the powerful bond between a cattle dog rescued from a rooftop and the woman who wouldn’t give up on her. The heartwarming story of Kate’s post-Katrina journey is a testament to the will and perseverance of the dog and human spirit! Kate’s remarkable journey, a tale of love, courage, and compassion, has inspired many others. Her legacy is a rescue network that continues to help dogs across the country today.  Books will be available for sale.  At least 50% of every book sold benefits animal rescues and a portion of proceeds from books sold at this event will benefit Safe Hands Rescue.

 Leashed, friendly and well socialized dogs welcome. Open to the Public.

EVENT INFORMATION
When: Sunday, Nov. 16th
Time: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Fetch Delivers Offices | 2303 Kennedy St. NE | Minneapolis, MN 55413
Parking and Entrance in the rear of the building.
Suggested Donation at the door: $5 per individual/$20 per family of four or more
First 200 attendees receive a gift bag!

On behalf of all of the Safe Hands Canines - Thank you!! We hope to see you at the event!

• - We have saved over 1500 lives.  Over 500 of those have been rehomed through Safe Hands.  The rest have been transported out of Harlan (primarily by Margie Swift who has now started Starfish Animal Rescue & Transport) and delivered to other rescues to find new homes where they are wanted and loved.
• - The shelter has towels and blankets and some sort of bed (half of crate that lost it’s door, kurunda style beds, etc.) for the dogs
• - There is a puppy room for the very small puppies where they are warmer and watched more closely.  Puppies are now receiving vaccine and at least one dewormer at the shelter.
• - Over 200 animals in the community have been sterilized since June when the low cost spay/neuter clinic first started offering dates in Harlan.
• - Perhaps most striking is that the euthanasia rate at the shelter has declined from 98% to about 45%.

I think of the lessons we’ve learned (why the hard way every time?).  No we can’t save them all, but that should not stop of from saving the ones we can.  Yes, it really does matter to the ones we are able to save and the families that love them now.  Every life is worth saving and saving the ones we can sends a powerful message.  Every person that gets involved, everyone who helps out and every friend, family member or co-worker who hears the tale and learns a little more is one more ripple being sent forth in this “Kindness Revolution”.  One person at a time, the world can and will change.  We should not underestimate our abilities.  Together we can and do make a difference every day.

I think of the faces from the past year - so many faces.  There are the happy and amazing stories - big old hound dog Jax who is now the resident dog at Sunrise Assisted living in Roseville bringing smiles to the residents there every day.  Beautiful Bella, the belle of the ball, she of 1,000 kisses, sunshine, smiles and love - in her forever home with a big fenced back yard and two girls who adore her.  Our New Year’s surprise - bottle babies Truman, Goldie, Pearl, Roxanne and Veronica.  Charles Wallace Martin III - the image of the ghost dog in the Walmart parking lot permanently etched in my memory, his happy and smiling face a new reality.  Tachio-t-o Rodeo Girl and her six fine babies.  Sugar with the tooth embedded in her tongue from when she was hit by a car, now a happy, goofy member of her own family, Two Tone Larry the Tough with his dangling leg who is now walking on that same leg.  Poppit who was paralyzed from a spinal injury and recovered to walk normally again.  There were some very difficult times too.  We gave heaven three tiny angels (and more pieces of our hearts) when we lost Milo and Dory to parvo and Francis to a horrible accident in her foster home.  But the sun did shine on our darkest hour and we found new friends in the Waltons who saved all of our dogs and pups and us after our horrible van crash in February.  Tiny baby Alexa and her broken leg - the one serious injury - now recovered and a loved member of her own family where she is the star around which the world revolves.

The Emile Zole quote is one of my favorites - “if you asked me what to do I will tell you I came to live out loud.”  We have lived loud, we have loved more than we knew we were capable of, we have lived to the point of tears, we have grieved, we have raged and danced and sung (off key!).  We have had found courage and strength where we didn’t know it existed.  We have drawn upon ourselves to find the best we are and have to offer.  We have given over our hearts and had them broken over and over again so that we might save another life.  We have celebrated with each success and reeled with the tough times, and come out stronger for it all in the end.  We have been a family and we have supported each other and gotten on each others nerves and yet, we come back for more because we all believe in the cause and we believe that life is the supreme value to which all other values are subordinate.  I hope we continue to do this and I hope this difficult but richly rewarding work we do continues to bring to us together as we keep in mind we all strive for the same goal.  We are more the same than we are different.
I hope each one of you knows how grateful I am for each listening ear you have lent, for each smile, kind word, open home, helping hand and shoulder to lean on.  If the pups could speak they would tell you the same.  They would tell you thank you for all you do so that they may have life.
Which leads me to…

Desperately seeking Susan (or Bill or Bonnie or Steve or fill in your name here) or
The (Safe Hands) Army wants you! (big finger pointing right at you - yes you)
It’s true, all kidding aside, we need help.  I have heard many times from many folks that you want to help but you can’t foster.  We still need you!!  All you need is a computer, a phone and some time.  All but one of the “jobs” below can be done from the comfort of your own home.  We can’t keep up without recruiting more heads and hands.  I now work two jobs to pay the bills in our fabulous current economy.  The only way we can continue to do what we do is to have some additional assistance.  Here are some of our needs:
Adoptable Dog Meet & Greet advance coordinator - get dates of upcoming adoptable dog meet and greets from me and ensure all current foster parents have dates and can bring their dogs and pups and if they are unable try to find alternate arrangements to get them there from our volunteer list.  Secure additional volunteer help from our contact lists as needed for the events.  Requires email, a phone and in general no more than a few hours per event - in increments of checking emails and making phone calls.
Spay & neuter day coordinator - get upcoming spay and neuter dates and ensure foster parents know the date for their dog’s surgery and have the pick up and drop off information.  Work to plan alternate arrangements if foster parents can’t drop off or pick up their pups.  We have info on who we can ask to help and how to make it work.  Requires email, phone and in general no more than a few hours per event in increments of making phone calls and checking emails.
Petfinder Assistance - a person willing to stay on top of foster parents to get photos and bios on foster dogs and who is willing to learn (the very simple) Petfinder system to put them online.  Requires internet access for Petfinder, email and phone.  Time varies.
Adoption Coordinator - a person or persons willing to learn to do home visits and finalize adoptions.  We train and have you attend a few adoptions with a current coordinator.  Requires car and ability to drive to home visits and ability to learn paperwork for adoptions.
Transport Coordinator - a person or persons willing to learn to use tools available through various transport sites and cross posters to work on filling leg transports and to organize and coordinate the transports.  Training available although there are resources we currently are not using due to lack of time and we hope to find someone willing to investigate other tools/sites/options available to do a better job than we currently can!  Requires computer/internet access and good coordination skills/project management.
If you think you can help us with any of these please, please, please let us know!!

Pup Updates:
Amazing and adorable Annie weathered her heartworm treatment like a real trooper thanks to loving care and attention from Bridget, Ollie and Ben.  She found her forever home with a single dad and his daughters who adore her.  They came wanting a puppy and left in love with a brindle hound mix girl name Annie whose charm captured their hearts.  Her new family took away the pain and sadness she knew as she watched her babies die in the shelter and replaced that with sunny, carefree days, romps in the park, belly rubs and cuddles under the blankets at night as they watch TV.  She has much to look forward to and there is no looking back now.
The “Care Bear” pups all found forever homes.  They teetered precariously close to the edge of extinction and instead are now happy, loved members of their own families.  Parker found a loving home where he has a precocious pug sister and two cats to keep him company and he attends play group and visits doggie daycare on a regular basis.  “Trade In” Tessa who’s family traded her in at the age of 2 so they could get a new puppy instead made it to Minnesota.  No more a “trade  in”, she met a family who is in love with her and will be bringing her home to stay this coming weekend.  She will be wanted and she will be loved in her new home, her real home, her forever home.
Our girl Alexis who arrived (surprise!) in a family way gave birth to her seven babies and they are now five weeks old and just went up on Petfinder today.  Check out our adoptable pet page on Petfinder to see the happy mom and her beautiful babies.
We also took in 18 new dogs and puppies since the last update.

Two Tone Larry the Tough
Indomitable is the word that comes to my mind when I think of Larry.  His smiling face and good nature are an inspiration.  Through surgery, recovery, physical therapy and all the pain that comes with he was a trooper.  He is now using the leg we thought he might lose, Larry earned his name and showed just how tough he really is.  I’ve said it before but it’s worth saying again, Larry knows he’s been saved, he knows he has been given a second chance, and to ensure us that it was worth it, he’s making the most out of every day.  Larry’s foster family is now Larry’s family, his real, forever family.  Larry is home to stay!

Train keeps on coming
We are expecting some new arrivals this coming weekend.  How many depends on you.  How about it - anyone out there ready and willing to take in a foster dog or pup?  The shelter has been unusually full the last few months and there are really great dogs and puppies there just waiting for their big chance.  Are you the one that can give that to one of them?

Drivers needed
We are in great need of folks that can drive to Madison or sometimes Janesville and back picking up the dogs coming to Safe Hands and other area rescues.  We pay gas and rental vehicle when one is necessary.  If you like a road trip and wouldn’t mind the drive please let us know.

We take them in our arms, we talk softly and kindly, we give them food and water and they start to believe they are safe.  They do not know how they came to be here and they don’t care.  Their tails wag, they look up expectantly, hoping for more of the goodness.  Sometimes you can visibly see them relax and surrender their care and their lives to these new safe hands in which they have found themselves.  It is as if they are thinking, yes, this is what I was hanging on for, this is what I knew life could be, this is it.  This is all they ever wanted.  Love, food, warmth, safety, kindness.  Such basic things.

For some it may “just” be that they were brought to the shelter by their family, watched as the family walked out the door, struggled to go to and instead were walked or carried into the back, into the bay of barking dogs, into the concrete room with concrete floors and put into a stall to wait and wait.  Some shut down, some are terrified, some try to make the best of their situation by making new friends.  They watch every person that comes to see if it is theirs, if they are now to go home.  They may watch as their new friends are reclaimed or brought home by new families, pulled to go to rescue.  They wait.

For some it is evident, theirs’ is a much harsher tale.  For some their bodies bear silent witness to the traumas they have endured.  A secret they keep well.  We can only guess.

Broken Dog
“We’ve got a broken dog”, the call came in.  What does that mean?  A broken dog?  “We’ve got a dog, a female, about 5 months old, she has been shot and she can’t bend her leg but she can walk on it but she needs medical attention.”

A day later Dr. Melissa, Janine and I meet our transport.  We find the broken dog in the crate.  I open the door and a sweet, goofy head pops out tentatively and then retreats.  I don’t want to pull or reach in force the pup out, not knowing the extent of the injury.  Some ear scratches and sweet talk convince pup that it’s safe.  Hopping, hobbling and stumbling out comes what is decidedly not a girl and decidedly not a puppy.  Lawrence Wallace has arrived.  He is also decidedly not using that leg he theoretically can’t bend.  It hangs at an odd angle and when he moves it swings in strange, weird and freakish ways in which a leg should not be able to move.  It is obvious the femur is broke clean through.

Larry puts his head in my hands, he is eager for more of the sweet stuff, it’s why he came out after all.  He buries his head in my chest, his tail wags furiously and I breathe deeply to be strong for this strong little man.  He hops around on his three legs, we walk and then transfer him to a new crate for his final leg to home.  He is a trooper.  He does not cry out, he is happy, he licks our hands and he smiles.  Larry doesn’t know what is happening.  He knows he is a survivor though and he knows he’s been through a lot.  So far this seems good and that’s good enough for Larry.

We get to intake and go through the process of feeding, walking, bathing and vetting all the dogs.  Larry waits patiently.  He is painfully thin and accepts his food gratefully.  He accepts any attention or affection given to him the same way.  He watches what goes on, he lays patiently.  The bath is big and scary and by the time we are done I am as wet as he is, if not more.  But even then  he was so good, trying so hard to trust and to let us do what needed to be done.

We love him.  We all love him.  He has enraptured and captured each of our hearts.  His strength and fortitude are nothing short of amazing.  How he has maintained such a happy disposition, such a positive outlook, so much joy, in the face of what had to be overwhelming pain and unknowable horror is miraculous and inspiring.  Larry knows there is goodness in life and he is sure he is destined for it and we are sure that we will move mountains to get him there.
Home Sweet Foster Home
Dr. Melissa leaves intake, Larry in tow, to take him to his new foster momma Angie.  Now that Charles Wallace Martin III is in his forever home (with Dr. Melissa and her family!) Angie is ready for a new dog to foster.  I asked Angie to tell me about Larry from her perspective and the following are her words:

I will always remember the 2:00 a.m arrival of this amazing little guy we call Lawrence Wallace, a.k.a. Two Tone Larry the Tough.  Melissa had brought him into my yard,  opened his kennel and we softly called him out.  Larry appears thin and frightened but has a sweet little wagging tail that does not stop.   We stop and look at one another speechless, Larry is walking on his two front legs.  I am instantly put under his spell.   He does his business like a good boy, and it’s time to meet the rest of the gang.  They are barking their heads off looking out the window,  I hold my breath hoping my dogs don’t rush out and knock over this already broken dog.  Larry’s  tail is going even faster,  as if to say  “Hi ya Friends”.  I am most worried about my deaf dog Kate, who is very young and playful.  Some how Kate knows,  they all know… this sweet soul needs us.   It’s late and time for bed,  everyone settles in like he has been a part of our clan forever.  My husband Don is at work and does not meet Larry until the next day.  Soon after Don arrives home Larry has already cast his spell.  Don called the clinic three times the first hour he was home to tell all of us about this amazing little guy.

Hmmmmm,  what breed do you think he is.  We have this discussion at work.  I am leaning toward beagle.  Vickie is thinking Jack Russell.  I have Jacks and tell Vickie no, I don’t think so.  Larry is now settling in,  feeling safe, full and loved.  Our question is answered that evening as he starts to play with Kate, I hear that howl. The beagle bay.  So cute.

After veiwing the jaw dropping x rays, my husband gives him his official nickname.  Two Tone Larry the Tough, his St. Paul mobster name. Don really watches too much television.  He is the toughest dog we have ever met.  Not a peep out of him, and we know he hurts.

Unlike Anything…
Angie brought Larry to the clinic for x-rays and the message I got from Dr. Melissa was, “Lynne, we took x-rays of Larry and it is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before - I don’t even know how to describe it”.  Indeed, it was unlike anything anyone had ever seen.  It explained why Larry had a penchant for walking on his two front feet like a person walking on their hands.  Larry’s left leg dangled useless, and it was surely broken clean through just below the ball of his hip joint.  But Larry’s right leg had been fractured in ways no one yet has ever seen.  In short, it is a mess, it broke vertically through the femur, it shift and rotated, there are multiple fractures and somehow, in some way, his body managed to form it into something and heal it up so that he can use that leg.  Dr. Melissa is right - there is no way to describe it in words - so I am attaching remarkable Larry’s remarkable x-ray.

Seeing the evidence of Larry’s trauma how we wish his body could talk and tell us what it went through, how it came to be in this state.  We are unable to even speculate or come up with a plausible scenario.  Perhaps it’s better this way.  We can focus on Larry’s future and not his past.  So what does the future hold for Two Tone Larry the Tough?  Friday he will have surgery.  If fortune smiles on Larry his left leg will be mended.  It the trauma and time passed is too great, he will lose the leg to amputation.  Either way, we believe Larry will be just fine, he’s been through too much already, he is a survivor.  This time he will have the love and support of Angie, Don, Dr. Melissa, the Safe Hands Team and hopefully your prayers and wishes will be with him too.  Together we will find for Larry the life he has been holding out for.

As Angie said:  There are really no words to describe how this little dog can steal your heart.  He is an inspiration.  I can not complain one bit about my aches and pains when I look at him.  His tail is always wagging when you speak to him, and he  loves to give kisses and to nuzzle his face next to yours.  He goes easily into his kennel, but is enjoying sleeping on the big bed at night.  He has found my moss roses particularly soft and comfortable, there is a Larry indent right in the middle of the flower bed.  There has not been one potty accident and he is choosing dog toys to play with.  He loves to play with all the toys, he will toss them around and play with them himself.  He will gladly play tug with the other dogs but does not give up easily or with out a word or two.    Even in his condition he gives Kate a run for the money.  I have to wonder which one is the cattle dog, as Larry nips at Kate’s heals.  He will chase her on his three working legs, or just sit and play with her.  Larry is laying on a giant dog bed napping as I write this e mail.  He is comfortable with his pain medication, and I am anxious to hear what Dr. Levine says on Friday.

Donations for Larry’s surgery are gratefully accepted.  We don’t know how much it will cost yet as we don’t know what exactly they will find or do when they go in.  We do have an excellent surgeon in Dr. Levine and know Larry is in the best hands!

Lynne,  Janine, Two Tone Larry the Tough and all the Safe Hands Team and pups

Sweet and beautiful Annie had nine tiny babies born at the shelter.  Sadly, less than two weeks old, they all perished in the shelter environment.  Annie was despondent and the shelter staff implored us to take Annie and show her there was still goodness in life.  Thanks to Bridget opening her home Annie is now in safe hands, she has blossomed and is the most loving, affectionate girl who just wants to please (and OK, play!).  Annie arrived heartworm positive and has received the series of painful injections that will clear her body of the worms and restore her energy and vitality.  You can see Annie on our Petfinder site.

Parker (Joone) arrived to scared to move, literally frozen stiff with fright.  Thanks to the tender loving care of his foster family and the resident dog, Bernard, Parker has learned to be a regular pup.  He loves to play and cuddle and although loud noises or fast movements can still make him unsure - he has faced his fears head on and come out triumphant.

The thing, the ever elusive “thing” about all these dogs and pups, is how much they want to live, how much they want to embrace life and love, how willing they are to try and how they are able to let the sunshine and goodness in.  There is a lesson they could teach us all.

Two Tone Larry the Tough
No one displays that indomintable spirit of determination and lust for life as much as Two Tone Larry the Tough.  Larry underwent surgery on his very damaged left leg just over a week ago.  The incredible Dr. Levine was able to save his leg and so far, Larry is doing amazingly well.  He does not let the pain get him down.  Foster mom Angie is keeping busy with his physical therapy and giving him the best chance at full recovery.  He is a trooper and smiles through it all, ready to be done and try to get Kate to play again!  It’s true, we alone can’t save them all, but Larry is absolutely going to make the most out of being one that we can.

A Place to call Home
Since the last update 56 of our dogs and puppies have gone home.  Home.  Such a powerful word.  What they all want.  A place to belong.  A place they can just be themselves, happy, playful, LOVED.  A place they are wanted.  Home.  What they all deserve.

Incoming!
I saw an interview where Mia Hamm said “you may get skinned knees and elbows, but it’s all worth it if you score a spectacular goal”.  I’d like to paraphrase that, “you may have to clean up a mess or two and make a few more trips outside but it’s all worth it if you save a life”.

So how bout it folks?  Who wants to foster a dog or pup?  We are working hard to bring a few new dogs and pups to the safety of Safe Hands.  To bring them Home.  If you or anyone you know can help please let us know.  I won’t lie and tell you fostering is always easy and convenient.  It often isn’t.  But it is an incredible feeling to look into a sweet fury face that is alive today because of you and hopefully, that makes it all worth it!
Driving Ms. Tessa (and Ace and Astor and Danny…) aka Drivers Desperately Needed
Our new arrivals are currently scheduled to land in the Chicago area Saturday around noon or early afternoon.  Does anyone know anyone who would give them a ride?  We need to get them from Chicago to Minneapolis and hope to break the trip into a few legs with drivers along the way.  We need someone to start in Chicago, then maybe a Milwaukee or Madison driver and someone from Minneapolis to make part of the drive.  We will pay for all gas!  Please spread the word.

To Harlan and Back - An Update

Our boy, for he will always be “ours”, Charles Wallace Martin III is home.  He will live the rest of his life happy and content with Dr. Melissa and her family.  He loves it there, he is happy, and he never goes far.  He is not all that keen to go anywhere actually, maybe always afraid he won’t get to come back.  But Charles Wallace is home to stay.

Aby’s babies, Meg and Andrew, grew up big and strong and were adopted into their new families last weekend.  Aby met a great woman who wants a new best friend and Aby will soon be home with her!

Vinnie is home with a mom, dad, human brother and canine brother.  He has a large back yard and a mom that will teach him to run the agility course there.

Delilah is home with one of our best volunteers and lives with another Safe Hands dog Moxie!  She sleeps in bed with dad at night with her body pressed into his, her head often found resting on his cheek.

Benny, sweet, gentle Benny, so many folks fell in love with
Benny, so many were interested in adopting him.  In the end his foster mom knew Benny’s journey was already over and he had a place in her heart and home for good.

I am also so happy to tell you that Digger, Max and Sadler have all made it out to rescue as well.  Thanks to Margie, Hannah and Dr. Melissa for working so hard to make that happen and tying up some loose ends!

Other Safe Hands news:
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds ~ Albert Einstein Part Three
Dr. Mickey, the vet in Harlan, has kept up his anti-low cost spay/neuter smear campaign with yet another low and defamatory letter to the editor filled with untruths and dramatic rhetoric.  This time many of the public had enough and let Dr. Mickey know how they felt in no uncertain terms.  People wrote in to decry his high prices that are more than “big city” prices in Lexington, his motives and to provide testimonials on the Woodstock spay/neuter clinic operating nearly monthly in Harlan.  I say nearly monthly because we did miss the month of July.  The good news is the next low cost spay/neuter clinic is this coming weekend and it is a two day, two vet each day clinic, with over 120 animals scheduled to be sterilized.

Janine saw him first, “Stray dog” she said.  I looked over and there he was in the middle of the Walmart parking lot.  Looking bewildered and more than a little sad he hesitantly approached one shopper and then another as they busily made their way to their cars.  No one even glanced at him, it was as if he were a ghost.  In the seconds that followed a million thoughts went through my head.  “He’s a big yellow lab, who will foster a big yellow dog”, “How can we pick up a dog and take him into that shelter?”  “I can’t pick up a dog and walk him into that shelter, I really can’t”, “Once I look into his eyes, see his face, touch him and put him into our van he is our responsibility”, “What are we going to do?  I don’t know what we’re going to do.  We can’t leave this dog here.”

I looked over, the big yellow dog resignedly gave up and lay down, exhausted, in a parking space.  I looked at Janine and Sue, “We have to get him”.  “Yes, we do”, they said.

I walked over slowly, treats and slip lead in tow.  As I got closer I could see every rib, closer yet, I saw notched and wounded ears, then I saw a beautiful face and big, sweet, bashful eyes.  He watched me cautiously but didn’t move.  Closer yet, he started to spook.  I threw him treats.  He sniffed at them but wouldn’t eat them.  I called to Janine, asked her to bring some canned food.  Yellow dog picked up the scent and crawled over.  Janine fed him from her hand.  I reached out to stroke his side.  After several handfuls of food, sweet talk and ear scratches I slipped the lead over his head.  He got up and came with us, hopefully but a bit apprehensively.  He seemed to so want to trust us, to want affection, love, good food and safety.  He seemed afraid to believe in the goodness we had to offer.  He seemed tired and ready to let someone else care for him if only he could find someone to trust.  This entire scene played itself out without a single person looking our way or noticing us with this big yellow dog.  We too were ghosts.

I lifted him into the van, he lay down in the back on a soft blanket.  Sue joined him with more love and ear scratches and softly stroked his head.  He closed his eyes.  We drove to the shelter in near silence, all of us overwhelmed by this gentle spirit entrusted to us.  I broke the silence and vocalized my angst, “We can’t take him in the shelter”, “We can’t betray his trust in us”, “He would hate it there, he would be scared, he would not understand, the smell, the noise, he would be overwhelmed and desolate”.  We all let it sink in that the life of this big, gentle, sweet boy with an old soul was now in our hands.  Charles did not know it but at that moment all of our hearts belonged to him.

“He needs a name”.  “Charlie, Chuck?” Sue asked.  “No, he needs a distinguished name, Charles” she answered herself.  It was perfect.

At the shelter we left the van running with the air on and our boy Charles sleeping soundly, a bowl of food and water next to him.  Dog, what dog, there is no dog in our van…  Periodically we would check on him and he would lift his big head to see what was coming next, still not fully sure of us, yet happy to see us and wanting to believe.  I swear he acted as if he thought this might be a dream from which he was not eager to wake.  He was watching, waiting, to see if the bubble would break.  If it was possible it only made us fall harder in love with him and more determined to protect him, keep him safe, and give him the very best life.  Although we’d offered him a bowl of dog food, he had not wanted to take it.  At one check in we found that he had decided he was ready to eat  and helped himself to some extra from the bag.  Charles was settling in.

At one of his regularly scheduled (and clandestine) potty breaks Janine found a few ticks and removed them.  A few turned into 50 or more as tick after tick was discovered and removed.  Charles sat patiently and placidly as ticks were pulled from his face, ears and body, not a sound or squirm from our boy.  I believe he knew he was in Safe Hands and was relieved to let these safe hands take over.

We spent a long day at the shelter assessing animals, doing what we could for them, taking pictures, offering comfort and what care we were able to provide.  Around 6 we got the call that Dr. Melissa was done with spay/neuter and she and Terrilea were ready to come over to the shelter.  Sue went to get them.  I’m not sure what magic happened on that ride over but Charles wove his spell once again and by the time they arrived he had Dr. Melissa and Terrilea as entranced as the rest of us.  He also had a newly improved name, a full name, Charles Wallace Martin III (Wallace Martin - Wal Mart - get it?  aren’t we clever?).  The full sound of his name was deemed appropriately distinguished enough for our new friend.

We’ve often sneaked small puppies into our hotel when they required round the clock care.  This time we got to “sneak” a 60 pound lab in….  The task was not made easier by the fact that Charles Wallace appeared to have never been inside before.  Terrified of the threshold he had to be carried in the building.  Once in he was a great boy, no accidents and not a peep out of him.  He slept with Sue and Terrilea, soundly and happily.  He enjoyed his eggs and biscuits for breakfast as much as the rest of us.  Charles Wallace was now “one of us”.  Determined to be no trouble, to give us no reason to cast him back, he slipped into our routine so easily.  I was so happy I thought I was going to cry when Dr. Melissa said she’d found a home to foster him.  Our boy was coming to Minnesota.

The day was a flurry of feeding, watering, vetting and loading dogs on vans.  Somewhere in there Charles Wallace got a bath whereupon about 50 more ticks were discovered and removed with great gusto and fury at the evil, vile creatures with perhaps a bit more colorful word or two thrown in here and there.  Once again, Charles Wallace stood placidly and patiently throughout.   During the day’s activities Janine went to Walmart for more crates and asked an employee in the parking lot if they knew anything about a big yellow dog.  She was told he’d been living there for months, as much as anyone could tell existing on whatever scraps might be tossed his way.

The first day with Charles he slept, hard, all day long.  We chalked it up to the first time he’d felt safe to sleep, been out of the sun and heat and bugs, and his malnutrition.  But the second day Charles still slept, hard, all day.  He’d get up for his outside breaks but that was it.  If we left the van doors open he did not try to leave.  In fact, he would only get out of the van if we put a leash on him.  He needed to be connected to us, to know he was coming back with us, he was not taking any chances.  He’d come along fine as long as that leash was there, the umbilical cord connecting him to his new found cocoon of comfort, care and love, otherwise he was staying put.

We began the long, long (did I say long?) trip back home with Charles Wallace on his blanket between the bucket seats up front.  Our concern began to mount as the trip progressed, we got cold, tired, perhaps, maybe, even crabby even at times, but Charles Wallace just slept and slept.  And occasionally coughed.  And that cough was a cough Janine and I had heard too many times before.  It was a cough we learned down in Tylertown, MS after Hurricane Katrina. It was the cough so many of the heartworm dogs had.  We tried not to think about it, tried to make excuses for the cough and the lethargy.  But we all worried.

Our fears were confirmed when Charles Wallace tested heartworm positive after our return.  The good news was that all his bloodwork and all other tests were fine.  He had no evidence of tick borne diseases which had us all worried, infested as he was.  He was skinny, scrawny even, probably 15 pounds underweight at least.  So it was the Moses’ prescription “good food, good home and a mom” with some immiticide thrown in for those heartworms.  He went to Angie’s house, he spent his days at the clinic with Angie and Dr. Melissa, he won over the hearts of everyone he met.  He got his heartworm treatment.  We all worried and fussed.

Slowly he has begun to feel better, some energy has returned.  He is still our gentle, soulful and sweet big yellow dog.  But there is a slight spring in his step and a happiness in his eyes that was missing when we found him in the Walmart parking lot.  Big yellow dog has a name, he has love, he is cared for.  Charles Wallace has started to believe.  He has started to believe he is here to stay.  He has started to believe that life is good and happiness abounds.  I imagine he has no idea how he ended up in our van that day or what fates conspired to bring him to us and I imagine that he does not care at all.  All Charles knows is he is happy to be here and happy to stay.

For me the trip always begins as it ends, in a sleep deprived blur.  No matter how hard I try to be organized far in advance, it just never seems to work that way.  Circumstances conspire to delay my progress,  Time is a funny thing, there is never as much as I think there is or should be.  Janine, Terrliea, Sue and I picked up the van, loaded up a full truck load of dog and cat food donated by the good folks at Fetch! Delivers along with crates, blankets, and other transport supplies.  At midnight I was still finalizing details on the foster contact list, the current list of dogs at the shelter, other rescue friends who might help us out and on and on.  At 1 am I packed.  At 2 am I went to sleep fitfully.  Terrilea, trying to sleep on my couch and finally relieved of a Cashew in her face, was finally able to sleep too.  Janine and Bear slept downstairs on the air mattress.  At 5:30 we were up and preparing to hit the road.  We picked up Sue and Dr. Melissa along the way and we were off.

Our trip was slowed by a major crash involving semis (but not us this time!) somewhere in Indiana and a delay and eventual detour that cost us well over an hour.  Later more road construction and more delays.  We rolled into Harlan late, I don’t even remember how late.  We knew morning would come all too soon.

At 8 am we were at the shelter so Dr. Melissa could look over the newest HBC (hit by car), Sugar.  Sugar landed on her face, on first inspection it appeared she had two badly broken teeth, one which left the root exposed, the side of her face and shoulder abraided and a soft tissue injury to one of her legs.  She was scared but sweet and happy to have attention and affection.  We gave her antibiotics and pain medication.  Dr. Melissa and Sue took their first tour of the Harlan County Animal Shelter.  It wasn’t easy.  So many faces, so much desperation.  We went to get Melissa started at the spay/neuter clinic.

The clinic was set up and ready to go, the other vet starting her first surgery.  Melissa jumped right in.  Terrilea stayed with Melissa to assist in recovery of the animals and also learned to pack surgical equipment for future surgeries.  The rest of us headed back to the shelter to evaluate, deworm, photograph and wheel and deal with other rescue groups to maximize the number of lives saved.

It seems every trip we take to Harlan has one dog or one event that stands out in my mind forever and it is this one dog or incident which forever characterizes and identifies it.  The Bella trip, the Cashew trip, the van crash…  This will be the trip of Charles Wallace Martin III.  It is at this point in the story where Charles Wallace joins us.  But Charles story needs to be told in another email.  I need to tell you Charles Wallace’s story and I don’t want to summarize or edit or be concise.  I want to tell it all.  All of us on that trip want to tell Charles Wallace story and what he means to us, how he touched us.

I also want to tell you everything that happened, I want you to feel like you were there too.  I just can’t though.  I can’t relive it all, I can’t take two days of your time which is about what I’d need and I can’t do them all justice and all of our experiences there are unique and different and we all experience things in a different way and I can’t being to relate what it was for all of us.  Hear are some snapshots:

We start down the first row of dogs, only a few kennels in we find Aby, and her two tiny babies.  Wait, there is another one, tiny feet and tail sticking out from the blanket, so small they look like a gerbils feet.  Our hearts sink.  This puppy is not moving and it is so much smaller than the other babies.  I go in to see.  It is tiny, it is wet and freezing cold, it is scrawny, it is alive.  While I disentangle it from the blankets I feel another tiny puppy.  She is also wet and cold and scrawny, but alive.  They have to be warmed, they need to eat, they are one third the size of their siblings.  Were they tangled and unable to get out and nurse?  Is there something wrong with them?  We don’t know.  We just know we have to try.  We warm a water bottle, get a dry blanket, wrap them up with their warm bottle and rush them to the vets at spay/neuter.  Aby appears to be a first time mom and she doesn’t really seem to quite know what to do.  The littlest two won’t survive if we leave them with her.  They are dehydrated, they get fluids, they get nutrical and sugar water and then puppy formula Sue and Janine got at Walmart.  They are put on a feeding regime, small amounts every 30 minutes.  One of the vet techs assumes their care and they will be delivered to a foster home experienced with bottle babies later that evening.  We have not heard how our tiny gerbils are doing, we pray they are growing strong like their siblings who are here in Minnesota with momma at foster mom Lea’s house.

We find Vinnie, hiding in the back corner of his kennel with his momma.  We find Karen and Shannon, happy and playful and begging to be free, we find a little chihuahua girl that looks to recently have had babies with a tail like elephant skin, begging for affection, we find Bigme and Minnieme, the Eleven with their ribs sticking out and bellies big and bloated and so many others from the pictures.  We deworm, we wheel and deal, “will Jack take Cody if we take Watson?” - Yes.  “Will you take Karen if Jack can take Shannon” -Yes.  RF will take momma so we can take Vinny and they can both get out.  Who will take all the moms and babies??  Jack will take the little chihuahua girl?  Great!!

I fall for Flora who climbs into my arms and leans into my neck, straining to stay there when I try to put her down.  Cute, sweet, smiling little Flora.  “You are coming home tomorrow” I tell her.

I enter a kennel with a small white dog and a beautiful merle coated shepherd.  The white dog climbs up me and into my arms.  I hold her and she melts.  When I go to leave she is frantic, desperate, way beyond what is normal.  I gently push her back as I shut the gate.  Moments later when I am in the next kennel I hear a fight.  The shepherd has white girl on the ground, attacking her, biting her face and neck.  I make loud noises to interupt and I go into the kennel and grab up the white girl.  We leave the kennel.  She is bleeding from puncture wounds.  I clean them.  I feel her all over and feel the scabs from prior punctures.  I am mortified that I left her in there when she so clearly tried to tell me she needed out.  I tell her she will come to Minnesota tomorrow.  I find a big kennel in the puppy room where she can safely spend the night.

We fall in love with sweet, sweet Benny, mellow boy who just wants to be loved, thank you.  So distinguished, so kind, so grateful.  Who will foster him, who can we beg??  We fall in love with Lanie, beautiful, playful, adorable Lanie.  Who will foster her - she’s not that much bigger than 25 pounds right??  What’s another 10 (or 15) pounds really?  She’s just a big baby, honest.  And she doesn’t have a chance if she isn’t on that van tomorrow.

Our home team makes it happen.  Suzanne whips out the phone and dials madly and we have places for Benny and Lanie, they can come home, they will be safe now.  Our home  team.  How amazing are these folks, we could not do these trips without them.  We need the home team to keep our intake and foster people updated and organized and ready to go.  We need the home team to set up and prepare for the arrival of all the new faces.  Daddy Vyto hauled loads of crates and supplies to Roxy’s shop to be ready when we rolled in Sunday am.  These folks who give their weekend to keep us together and welcome the new arrivals have my utmost gratitude.

Saturday passes, Sunday dawns, too little sleep, too much on our minds.  We spend the day helping Margie load the roughly 70 animals she will deliver to rescues that day.  We perform vet checks and vaccinate and deworm (again) all our new charges, we load the van, we walk a few of the animals that we can’t take with us.

I say goodbye to Digger, the yellow dog in the back who has my heart, the one that it is killing me to leave behind.  He is sweet and scared in that loud place, he is gentle and he easy going and he is not doing well there.  He is sad.  He needs to be out and he will be so grateful to whoever can save him, whoever will give him a home, a quiet place, some love.  I hold him in my arms, tears stream down my face and I promise him somehow I will get him out of there.

For Melissa it is Max, big beautiful shepherd Max.  He’s been there too long.  He needs to be out of a cage.  Yet when Melissa takes him for a walk he just wants to lay his head on her instead.  He craves a human of his own.

For Janine it is Sadler.  He is maybe 30 pounds, he is cute and energetic and needs a yard to run in and a friend to play with.  We all have loose ends we have left behind.

With the van packed and Charles Wallace riding on his blanket between the seats, everyone careful to place their feet just so that Charles will be comfortable. we depart for home.  The trip becomes a blur of mile marker after mile marker.  We stop to feed, water, walk and clean crates for all of our charges.  Then the steady pace resumes as we press onward.  Day turns to night turns back to day.  A traffic delay in Chicago adds an hour to our trip.  Finally, we reach our destination, Southpaw Grooming, Roxy’s shop, and the many volunteers that came to help greet the new arrivals and get them started on their new lives.

Epilogue:
Sugar had three broken teeth and during surgery they removed the broken the part of her K9 tooth from her tongue.  She is now doing well and is a happy girl!

Flora and Lanie have already found their forever homes and their adoptions will be finalized post spays this week.

Digger, Max and Sadler are at the shelter, waiting their turn on the freedom train.

On the off chance that anyone might be touched by their photos and offer a foster home or a forever home I’ve also included pictures of Laycee and Ariel - two bonded females, sweet, playful and loving and also Decha, a white shepherd mix, about 50 pounds, who has been at the shelter way too long and is mellow and quiet and who would like a second chance at life.

If you or anyone you know can help us get any of the dogs still there to safety by providing a foster home please let us know.  We would be truly and eternally grateful!

The trip to Harlan and back is long, grueling, physically, mentally and emotionally hard.  This group we traveled with did an amazing job, maintained calm amid the storm and civility in uncivilized moments.  I’d travel with them any time and am immensely grateful for each of them and all of the Safe Hands family.

Other Safe Hands news:
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds ~ Albert Einstein Part Two
Dr. Mickey’s defamatory letter did have a negative effect on our spay/neuter weekend as appointments cancelled.  The local paper promised to run rebuttals written by the Woodstock veterinary staff. a local Harlan woman involved with helping rescue dogs and investigate animal cruelty cases and Hannah who first introduced us to Harlan.  For reasons that we will never know they did not run any of the articles until the week after our spay/neuter event.  We hope this will mitigate further damage and that by the time of our next clinic things will be back in order.  Nonetheless, over 30 surgeries were performed at the one day clinic!

Waiting in the Wings No More
Penny and Micki have found and joined their forever families.  When I finalized Penny’s adoption and told her new family that we could not understand why it took so long for the fabulous Ms. P to find her home they told me, “It’s because she was waiting for us.”  How sweet is that?  And Taschio-t-o Rodeo Girl has met a couple that adores her with a doggie sister/playmate who is a great partner in crime, confidant and best canine companion.  If all goes well Taschi’s adoption will soon be finalized and she will be with her perfect family, where she was meant to be!

Read ahead about the first low cost spay/neuter clinic in Harlan, upcoming spay/neuter initiatives, a Tachio Momma and babies update, the next rescue and more!

Save a Life (or 67,000) today - Neuter or Spay - RECAP
Terrilea, niece Haley and I packed up and headed out for the first low cost spay/neuter clinic in Harlan.  This is the realization of one of the original goals of Safe Hands Animal Rescue.  We started to save as many as we could and also to be a part of the solution by preventing unwanted litters from being born through spay and neuter.  Making this part of the dream turn real took enormous effort, energy, networking and coordination.  Margie first started working with Safe Hands as a transporter but has since taken over networking with other rescues, coordinates and drives transports and took over organizing this spay/neuter initiative.  Her drive and determination are what made this a reality.  She is a force to be reckoned with - big thank you Margie!

The good news is that things were very well organized, the day ran smoothly, all aspects from intake of the dogs through record keeping, surgery, vaccination, recovery and return to owner were expertly handled.  Thirteen cats and 23 dogs were altered on Friday.  Safe Hands volunteers donated enough money to cover 7 surgeries.  The desire for the service far surpassed our expectations.  In one day over 140 people signed up to have their pets altered.  It’s great that people understand the importance of spay and neuter and actively want to make it happen for their pets.

The bad news is that one of the vets scheduled did not show up.  This vet was supposed to do both Friday and Saturday.  It is unfortunate because this is the sort of thing that undermines our credibility with area residents.  However, the fabulous folks at Woodstock Animal Foundation provided the infrastructure and know how to make this clinic happen and they will be going back on May 9th to provide the rest of the surgeries originally scheduled for our first weekend.

Update:  Woodstock was able to provide all the originally scheduled spays and neuters and many more on May 9th and 10th.  Additionally, seeing the enormous need and community desire for spay/neuter, they are committed to working with Starfish Animal Rescue and Safe Hands Rescue to continue this project in Harlan!

Next Neuter
The next spay/neuter weekend will be June 20 and 21.  This time we will be bringing the fabulous Dr. DeWoskin with us and she will be providing some of the surgeries.

I know I said this in the last update but…One momma dog and her offspring can reproduce 67,000 dogs in just six years.  Save 67,000 dogs from being born homeless.  Sponsor a spay!  Where else can you spend roughly $60 and make that kind of impact, get that bang for your buck?

Your donation of $58 will provide spay or neuter plus rabies and distemper vaccination for one dog under 45 pounds
$68 provides spay or neuter plus rabies and distemper vaccination for one dog 45 - 55 pounds
$78 provides a spay or neuter plus rabies and distemper vaccination for one dog 55 - 75 pounds
$48 provides a spay or neuter for a cat

If you can help the checks can be written directly to Woodstock Animal Foundation and will be tax deductible.  They should be mailed to Safe Hands Rescue at:

Safe Hands Rescue
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We will let them know in advance how many spots we can pay for and present the checks to them that weekend.

New Kids on the Block
How many new kids have come and gone in the last two months??  I’m not sure I can keep up.  Spring is usually a busy time and this spring has been no exception.  I do know at one time we had a record high of 43 dogs in the rescue (which included two moms and nursing babies!).

Our last intake was 10 dogs and pups which included a yorkie named Sid with a bad skin condition that immediately captured everyone’s heart, an 8 month old shepherd mix pup named Lula who took one look at Bridget’s son Oliver and firmly attached herself to his side, and Missy and her three babies, the smallest, Teddy who has a bum eye.  I’m thrilled to report that Ms. Lula is going to have her heart’s desire and become a permanent member of Oliver’s family so she will never have to leave the side of the boy she loves.  Teddy has been to the eye specialist and it looks as if he will likely not regain vision in his bad eye but it doesn’t slow him down and so far we are hopeful that he will be spared surgery to remove it.  He’s a real little character, a short legged, light golden fluffball who arrived a little unsure of the big, bad world and now has that world by it’s tail thanks to the love and care of foster mom & dad, Kelly & Vyto.

Siblings Shadow, Stella and Micki (Mouse) arrived looking like little chihuahua mixes but are evolving into something else and as far as I can tell entirely their own!  It’s why we tell people over and over, we really don’t know what breed they are or how big they will get. These best of breed, the All American Dog - the Heinz 57 - are the descendents of likely at least 11 kinds of dog, much like many of us are melting pots of nationalities.

Tachio Momma, Tachi, Tachi-o-t-o Rodeo Girl, Tach Nut, Momma T & her six fine babies!!
(This is from the Missing Update of 4/28 - babies are all adopted now!)
Momma Tach continues to do well and be an excellent mother.  She is teaching her babies to be careful wielding their sharp little teeth and watching her play with them and curl up to sleep with them is so sweet it hurts.  She is barely more than a baby herself.  Sometimes when I sit in the babies room and play with them Tachi watches me and she looks sad and then I invite her into my lap and as I embrace her she wiggles with happiness and wags her tail.  I wonder what her life was like when she was a baby.  I wonder if anyone held her and snuggled her, loved her and played with her the way she watches me do with her babies.  I wonder if anyone held her in their lap before.  She craves affection and attention, she is an excellent cuddler and a total goofball.  She loves to play and most of all she loves to be loved.  She is gentle, kind and sweet and all that is good in this world in a furry, four legged, compact package.

The babies are now almost five weeks old.  They all have their own little personalities and watching them grow and change has been a privilege and an honor.  Tachio has allowed me to be a team with her in raising the pups and we feed them, clean them, play with them and teach them how to be good puppies.  When I sit down with them Cindy Lou beelines over, she wants to be held up to my face, she struggles to climb in my lap with her short little chubby legs, she can’t make it.  I give her a hand up.  Irene is at turns feisty and snuggly and she is so much like her Auntie Cashew.  Petunia loves to stare into anyone’s face and she thinks toes are some sort of exotic chew stick as does her brother Soloman who is also a bit of a solo man as his name suggests.  Molly Bear wants to be held or at the very least sit on a lap and will cry if she feels neglected   Jolie Bear is the feistiest of the bunch.  She has a lot to say and will let you know just what she thinks girlfriend.  This sweet, sassy bunch are pleasingly plump and impossibly cute and will be ready for homes of their own very soon.  I will be so sad to see them go but so happy to see them start their lives in families of their own and I will always cherish this time with them.

Here’s the new stuff…
OK, so now babies are grown and gone, in homes of their owns.  It was so bittersweet as I finalized the adoptions, one by one.  These were my babies and as I told each of them as they started their own lives, they always will be and foster momma Lynne will always love them.  I’d watched them go from little pudding pots to personality plus pups.  I played them classical music, taught them about the hair dryer and the vacuum, the big outside, car trips and kids, but now it was time for them to leave the nest.  Parting really is such sweet sorrow.  It was fabulous to meet their forever families and see the excitement as we arrived.  It was so strange going home alone!  Molly was the last to have a home to call her own and her adoption was finalized just two days ago.  Early reports are excellent, the babies are healthy, happy and continue to flourish.

Sadly, Momma T still waits for her own family.  She is truly a character.  Her mischievous side has found it’s place now that the responsibilities of child rearing are behind her.  She is playful, energetic and hops like a bunny when she runs.  In an effort to show her skill set she has demonstrated the ability to keep any yard free of rabbits, squirrels or other varmits so if you have a garden those critters like to share Tashi will be thrilled to guard it for you.  She loves kids, belly rubs, outside and snuggle time.  Sadly, she does not like the camera and is sure the dreaded machine is meant to do her grave bodily harm.  It is therefore nearly impossible to capture her image in any way that adequately represents her endearingly unique, one of a kind visage with all it charisma and charm.  If you know anyone looking for personality and brains in a compact package that likes long walks, exercise and needs a belly to rub, let Tashio know.

Momma Hayley and her six tremendous tinies!
Momma Hayley arrived here just two weeks after Momma T.  She raised her tiny pups up in the warmth and love of Lea’s foster home.  Momma H is a happy go lucky, gorgeous, 11 pound, golden haired, ball of energy and joy.  She has found her forever home with foster mom Lea’s son and daughter in law.  Her six equally impossibly cute kidlets are now looking for homes of their own and you can view them on our adoptable pups page at www.safehandsrescue.org.

The Big “P” (This time a happy ending)
In the last update that you actually got, our boy Sammy was in the clinic with the big P.  He spent three days there before he was able to return to foster care and is now in a home of his own!

What’s Next?
Safe Hands is working to reorganize over the next month.  I’ve once again taken a full time job and we need dedicated volunteers to take over different areas of the rescue in order for us to continue.  I hope to report successfully on those changes soon!!

We will be going to Harlan the third weekend in June and will need foster families upon our return.  If you or anyone you know is interested please let us know.  Summer is a busy time for many so consider finding a “co-foster” to each take part time if you are traveling.  For many making the meet and greets or spay/neuter appointments can be a challenge.  Do you know someone who’d love to foster but can’t?  Maybe they would be willing to help out with some of these other foster duties!

We would love to take food, extra crates, blankets or towels to Harlan when we go.  If anyone has any of these things to donate please let us know.  The report from last weekend was that the shelter was down to seven bags of food and in desperate need of puppy food.

Finally Oprah
After years of people writing and emailing to request Oprah do a show on the homeless pet problem in our country, finally a show on puppy mills and the plight of homeless pets!  I really wanted to watch this show to see how the issue was portrayed and how deep she would go.  Fate had a different plan for me and I was dealing first hand with the realities of the problem as I tended to our newest rescues, delivered medications and checked up on sick puppies - more on that later.  As I was driving from one end of the metro and back though I received many teary phone calls from people who were watching the show.  I understand it was very moving and excellently done.  I hear it was hard to watch but the truth must be told and tell it she did.  Days after the show a woman said to me, “I had no idea the dogs in pet stores came from puppy mills!”.  Her companion scolded her for her ignorance and she said, “well, I guess I just never thought about it, they were just cute little puppies!”.  Yes, so many people never think about how those cute little puppies get there.  Maybe a few more will now.

Save a Life (or 67,000) today - Neuter or Spay
Many people have told me they are inspired to act after seeing the Oprah special.  One momma dog and her offspring can reproduce 67,000 dogs in just six years.  Save 67,000 dogs from being born homeless.  Sponsor a spay!  Where else can you spend roughly $60 and make that kind of impact, get that bang for your buck?  Harlan’s first spay-neuter days are here - Friday and Saturday, April 18th and 19th.  Enormous thanks to Margie Swift for making all the connections and getting this set up.  Woodstock Animal Foundation is providing the infrastructure (equipment, supplies and know how) so big thanks to them too!  The service will be provided at a low cost but many people can not even afford that. We would like to raise as much money as possible to sponsor as many spays or neuters as we can.

Your donation of $58 will provide spay or neuter plus rabies and distemper vaccination for one dog under 45 pounds
$68 provides spay or neuter plus rabies and distemper vaccination for one dog 45 - 55 pounds
$78 provides a spay or neuter plus rabies and distemper vaccination for one dog 55 - 75 pounds
$48 provides a spay or neuter for a cat

If you can help the checks can be written directly to Woodstock Animal Foundation and will be tax deductible.  They should be mailed to Safe Hands Rescue at:

Safe Hands Rescue
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We will let them know in advance how many spots we can pay for and present the checks to them that weekend.

New Kids on the Block
We took in five new puppies and one adult dog last week.  Sugar, Coco Bean, Regina, Sammy, Kota and Roscoe join our ranks.  Look for them on Petfinder soon!

Tachio Momma, Tachi, Tachi-o-t-o Rodeo Girl, Tach Nut, Momma T & her six fine babies!!
Momma Tach continues to do well and be an excellent mother.  She is teaching her babies to be careful wielding their sharp little teeth and watching her play with them and curl up to sleep with them is so sweet it hurts.  She is barely more than a baby herself.  Sometimes when I sit in the babies room and play with them Tachi watches me and she looks sad and then I invite her into my lap and as I embrace her she wiggles with happiness and wags her tail.  I wonder what her life was like when she was a baby.  I wonder if anyone held her and snuggled her, loved her and played with her the way she watches me do with her babies.  I wonder if anyone held her in their lap before.  She craves affection and attention, she is an excellent cuddler and a total goofball.  She loves to play and most of all she loves to be loved.  She is gentle, kind and sweet and all that is good in this world in a furry, four legged, compact package.

The babies are now almost five weeks old.  They all have their own little personalities and watching them grow and change has been a privilege and an honor.  Tachio has allowed me to be a team with her in raising the pups and we feed them, clean them, play with them and teach them how to be good puppies.  When I sit down with them Cindy Lou beelines over, she wants to be held up to my face, she struggles to climb in my lap with her short little chubby legs, she can’t make it.  I give her a hand up.  Irene is at turns feisty and snuggly and she is so much like her Auntie Cashew.  Petunia loves to stare into anyone’s face and she thinks toes are some sort of exotic chew stick as does her brother Soloman who is also a bit of a solo man as his name suggests.  Molly Bear wants to be held or at the very least sit on a lap and will cry if she feels neglected   Jolie Bear is the feistiest of the bunch.  She has a lot to say and will let you know just what she thinks girlfriend.  This sweet, sassy bunch are pleasingly plump and impossibly cute and will be ready for homes of their own very soon.  I will be so sad to see them go but so happy to see them start their lives in families of their own and I will always cherish this time with them.

The Big “P” (The Sad Part)
We have had a return of the big P - Parvo.  It started with Dory, she’d been here three weeks, it shouldn’t have happened.  But we heard from the rescue with her littermates that they had come down with the dreaded disease and two days later Dory turned too.  At first it seemed like one of the more mild cases.  She was down and out but then she’d walk around, she was drinking and occasionally she’d want to eat.  Then her appetite returned and we were cautiously optimistic.  And then she turned.  She crashed hard and fast.  I took her to Dr. Charlie’s house for intensive care.  Again it seemed she might rally.  And then she was gone.  Just like that.  And it never, ever gets easier to lose them.  Every life is sacred.  Every life matters.  If it didn’t we wouldn’t do what we do.

Dory was a ray of sunshine.  She had a gentle soul and was such a good puppy.  I loved her from day one.  She was sweet and loved to cuddle under your chin.  She loved to be held.  She loved toys and could entertain herself tossing and chasing toys in the air like a cat.  She was beautiful.  She had pointy little ears.  She had deep, beautiful eyes.  She had a home.  She had met a great couple who were going to be her forever parents.  They had prepared for her homecoming, bought her a bed and toys, treats, bowls, collar and leash.  They had her picture up.  She was just about to start her “real” life and just like that she is gone.  Rest easy Dory, you were loved and you will be missed.  Run free, play hard and find my Dexter to snuggle up with, he’s good at that.

Kota arrived last Wednesday and popped parvo positive the next day.  I can’t take parvo puppies at my house with Tachio and the babies here and I really hate to send them to a metal cage in a clinic where they will only be touched to be poked with a needle.  Foster mom wanted to keep him at home with her and I was immensely grateful.  I visited and helped Stephanie learn what to do and she took excellent care of the little guy.  I’m happy to report she says he is back to his old self and “all puppy” now!

Sammy turned parvo positive Wednesday, one week after arrival.  His foster mom also wanted to care for him at home and again I was touched by people’s desire to help and generosity with time and spirit.  I visited and checked on the pup.  Suzanne is taking excellent care of Sammy and at the moment he is holding his own.  Sammy can use your prayers. (Update:  Sammy was admitted to the clinic today after taking a downward turn - please, please pray for our baby boy.)

What’s Next?
We leave a week from today to go to Harlan and assist with the spay-neuter weekend.  We will be bringing a mini-van so it will be a smaller transport home but we are looking for anyone who wants to foster upon our return.  If you or anyone you know is interested please let us know.  A few of the dogs and pups needing foster homes are attached.  The biggest need in Harlan right now is puppy food so if anyone wants to donate a bag or two let me know!

Momma Pistachio (Tachio, Tach, Tach Nut, Tachio-t-o or Momma T) and her six babies are doing well.  Momma is painfully thin but still such a good momma.  She takes excellent care of her young ones and gives them everything she has.  It’s not always enough and I supplement with formula.  She tends to them, is tender with them, cleans them, feeds them and gets anxious when I bathe them.  Momma T is also about the best girl you’ll ever meet and someone will be very lucky to have her in their family when she has finished caring for her young ones and can find her own forever home.  She is sweet, gentle and loving.  She lets me hold her feet, look in her mouth, her ears, pick her up, kiss her face and hug her close.  She loves to snuggle and to be with someone.  She loves to be outside in the yard and just hang out.  She does not chew anything she shouldn’t and she is housetrained.  She’s such a great girl and I’m completely taken with her, charmed, in love.  She deserves the absolute best so if anyone knows someone that is thinking about a great dog keep Tachio in mind and let me know!

Babies are growing fast.  They arrived barely able to take a step, eyes open but ears closed, no teeth.  They also had a bad skin infection.  They now hear, see much better, have tiny baby teeth and boy are they active and they motor all over at playtime.  They play hard, for all of 20 minutes, then it’s back to nap time for a few hours!  I’ve watched them start to play, wag their tails, start to mouth EVERYTHING, make their first grrs in play, and they’ve learned that instead of being big and scary I actually am just a really nice, warm lap to sleep on and fun hands to play with and bracelets to chew on.  I’ve watched as their personalities emerge.  Jolie Bear, Molly Bear, Cindy Lou, Irene, Petunia and Soloman (the solo man!) all have pudgy little puppy bellies and sweet puppy breath.  Their skin is healing and the infection is gone.  They are sweet and amazing and I am thankful every day that they are here

Special Request
Does anyone have a nebulizer they no longer use?  Do you know anyone with a child who had asthma who has outgrown theirs?  Molly Bear has a cold and the other pups may come down with it.  The veterinarian recommended we try to find a nebulizer to use with them as they are too small and young for most drugs!  If anyone has one they aren’t using and would donate please contact me!

Never a dull transport…
The week before Momma T arrived we had another transport.  Margie and a friend drove from Chicago to the shelter and back up to Wisconsin with 48 dogs & pups and 10 cats on board.  We brought 42 of those animals to rescue in Minnesota.  We took in more pups than we had planned as we were still pretty full.  However, the night before the transport I got a call.  Margie had to pick up three dogs at a neighboring community shelter and they had 6 puppies, around 5 pounds each, they were going to be euthanized in the morning - would we take them?  Honestly, what do you say?  So six more babies jumped on board.  Later that evening I got another call, five more tiny babies dropped at the Harlan shelter, one of them not looking so good and really needing intensive care - would we take them.  Five more babies jump on board.  And finally, morning of transport, four boxer mix puppies dropped off at the other shelter as Margie is standing there - all girls about 10 pounds each - they will be put down that morning also - yes, we take them too.

Here is where a really big thank you goes out to One Life At A Time, another fabulous rescue that we work with.  They had more open foster room than we did and they took over 1/2 of the stowaways to help us out.  If you know anyone looking for a dog or pup and we don’t have what they are looking for tell them to check this rescue out on Petfinder!

Big Kids Now
Baby Alexa has recovered well from surgery on her leg and gets around like nothing ever happened.  She is ready for her forever home and with several interested families I believe she will be in her new home very soon!

All of the bottle babies that arrived in January have now found forever homes. Thanks to all who helped care for them, original foster mom Susan, new foster homes as they got bigger and needed to be split up, and their new homes for giving them what they all want, a Family!

Audrey, Benji, Chip, Dale, Cash, Cammielle and Emmilou have all found their forever homes.  Dolly, Frannie, Clover and Emily Grace are all being adopted by their foster families!

Here comes the Sun(shine)!
We got an Easter update from our girl Sunshine’s new home with veterinarian (and one of our Edgerton Angels) Terry and his wife Karen.  Sunshine is doing excellent, she loves the water, has found her voice but sometimes scares herself when she barks!  She adores her mom, dad and doggie sister and it shows in the photos they send.  She looks content, she looks like she is exactly where she belongs and she know it.  She is.

(Still no) Ruby Red Slippers (for Beautiful Belle)
Still no forever home for our sweet, social girl.  There must be a great family out there who is lacking only one thing, a beatiful, sweet, social butterfly girl who loves to run and play and will snuggle up for TV, a good book or bedtime!  Bella makes every day a better day with her shiny, happy personality.  Every day is a great day to Belle and with her by your side it will be for you too!!

Seeking Admission
The shelter is again overflowing and will soon be euthanizing for space.  We are working on a transport for next week and want to save as many lives as we can.  As always we can only save as many dogs as we have foster homes to put them in.  If you or anyone you know is considering fostering please let us know!  Just a few of our prospective arrivals are attached.  There are so many great dogs and pups at the shelter, if you or someone you know has a specific sort of dog in mind let us know and we can see if there is a match for you!

The girls are between 7 & 10 pounds each.  Young - probably 8 - 12 weeks.
Suzie had a littermate but he is no longer there and she is alone - 15 - 18 pounds and likely around 5 or 6 months old.
Wiggles is a female pup, around 25 pounds and 5 months old.

Wiggles

Suzi

The Girls

There are so many more but we are really full so unless we get new fosters this will be a small trip for us!!

The sad part
Well OK, the shelter having to euthanize is sad.  Very sad.  I said last time there was no sad part, but that part is always present.  Until we are able to get spay and neuter into place, until people choose to be responsible for their pets, until people decide that owning a pet is a lifetime commitment and until they believe that every life is sacred and valuable and worth fighting for, this sad part won’t go away.  Until then you and I and everyone like us can keep fighting the good fight.  First their must be awareness and then there must be action.  I appreciate everyone for doing what they can to further those goals, awareness and action.  Together we can make a difference and eventually we will really be able to say there is no sad part.

These are pictures of dogs and puppies currently at the shelter. We are working with several other rescues to find placement for them and many more at the shelter. We can’t guarantee that these dogs will be the ones coming to Safe Hands Rescue. If there is a particular dog or puppy you are interested in fostering please let us know.