OLD TOWN SPRING PET FEST, SCHNITZEL AND THE PUPPIES

9 More days until Halloween!!

Trick or Treat, Trick or Treat,  I want something good to eat!!

Gimme that candy or I'll give ya a kiss!!!





Hi dear friends,

I am so excited and so is Mommy. Tomorrow is the 2010 Pest Fest in Old Town Spring



 ATDR will be participating along with a gazillion other rescue group and I will be working the kissing booth, of course. There is so much to do. A pet parade, costume contest, blessing of the animals and much much more. Me and Mommy will only be going on Saturday, so if you leave around hereabouts, come on over and have a good time and buy a kiss for a good cause.

Here is the agenda for both days:

SATURDAY                                                           SUNDAY


10:30 Dock Jumping                                                  Warm Water Dog Swimming

11:00 Blessings of the Animals                                     Trap, Neuter, Return

11:30 Contraband Dogs                                               Contraband Dogs

12:00 Rescue Round Up Parade                                   Emergency & Disaster Safety for Animals

12:30 Rescue Round Up Parade                                   Can a Rescued Dog Change the World?

1:00 Rescue Round Up Parade                                     Blessings of the Animals

1:30 Can a Rescued Dog change the World?                 Helping the Canines with Courage

2:00-3:00 Costume Contest                                          Costume Contest

3:30 Obedience Training Class

4:00 Obedience Training Class Raffle & Rescue Group Drawings

See I'm ready for a smooch.

OK.....here is why Mommy is so excited.

                                                    SCHNITZEL!!~!!

Remember him from WeinerFest in College Station. Mommy and everybody else fell in love with him and his brave fight to walk. Well his foster Mommy and her family live in Houston so that means he should be there but then ATDR is involved in two other events, one in Beaumont and one is Austin this weekend too.

This is his story taken from ATDR website.

Whether or not you believe in "Guardian Angels" you would have to admit that little Schnitzel has someone with some "pull" looking out for him.  Tiny Schnitzel was turned into the Harlingen Humane Society unable to use his back legs.  For almost any other dog, this would have been an automatic death sentence in a shelter.  But Schnitzel's warm, loving personality and sweet, good nature started him on a path through a series of guardian angels looking out for him.  Some caring folks at the shelter reached out to rescue contacts and soon our President, Linne Girouard was contacted.  One look at this precious guy and she knew we had to help him. Schnitzel is now being cared for by one of our long-time foster moms who has experience working with down doxies and he's doing well.  He can walk now, but has no bend in the knees.  ATDR took him to an orthopedic specialist and they don't believe it is a skeletal problem, but that it is a ligament problem.  Schnitzel has been put in braces, to which wires will be added, all in an attempt to encourage the knees to bend.  It will take a long time, a lot of patience, many medical expenses, and much rehabilitation, but the doctor is encouraged Schnitzel can be helped.  If you can donate to help ATDR to help Schnitzel and thus becoming one of his guardian angels, please do so.  He is going to need all the help he can get for quite a while.  Stay tuned for more updates on this cutie!!




Sept 15 UPDATE:

 Schnitzel's foster mom wrote, "Schnitzel has been to the orthopedic doc twice in 4 days because the little stinker wiggled out of his last pair of braces. Everyone at the clinic was surprised as he didn’t chew and undo any of the gauze or wrapping tape; he apparently just used his front paws to push against the braces and worked his legs out of them. Little Houdini man!! The doc said he appears to be making progress, but it is a slow process and the “Schnitzel Witzel” seems to have more patience than the people in his life.
He is a very vocal boy when he wants attention. He has endeared himself to all his foster siblings and can be usually found snuggling or playing with them. His favorite toys are the plush animals and we discovered the ones without stuffing which is a fabulous thing for all in the house since he had showered the floors in “stuffing” before then.

"He gets around pretty well considering his “boots” and always has a great attitude. He will require a lot of rehab so please consider contributing to his ongoing care. No amount is too small! Hugs and kisses from the Schnitzel!!!"

 OCT 13 UPDATE:

  Mr. Schnitzel had his braces removed and is now “walking” on the pads of his back feet as opposed to walking knuckled under as he did before. This is a big improvement for our boy. He has also earned the nickname “Forest, Forest Gump” from some of his fans. We are now embarking on Physical Therapy for the next 2 months. Schnitzel receives regular Hydrotherapy, Massage Therapy and walks. He will be re-evaluated by his orthopedic vet in December. He indicated that we may never achieve a bend in the back knees, but he is very pleased with his progress thus far.

Schnitzel also made his debut at the Weinerfest in College Station recently… he was quite a hit. He enjoyed every minute of being fussed over by volunteers and attendees alike. In addition to meeting new friends he managed to sneak in several long naps…. the puppy was pooped! Please consider donating to offset Schnitzel’s continuing medical and therapy bills. Thank you for your support!


As you can see Schnitzel get around pretty good for as little crippled boy but look at what happened to Forrest Gump.





Shelby and Puppy update:

The time has come for Shelby and her puppies to be parted. Mommy and Sandra were very disappointed when the families that were going to adopt them didn't cooperate with them, contact us, come visit the pups or allow us to do a home visit  and Sandra wasn't comfortable with it. Mommy found out about a Pit Rehabilitation Group that does puppy rescue in Brazoria. She has talked to the man that runs the place, 5 or 6 times, and each time it sounds like exactly what we need, and with all her heart knows this is the best place for the puppies to have the best chance at good safe homes where they will never have to go through what Shelby has. Dr Briles said we had to get the puppies away from Shelby and that will never happen as long they are in the same house. They have been weened for over two weeks now. Mommy has prayed and prayed that things will work out for the puppies good.

The final decision was made because of several things he told Mommy that they do before  any puppy is adopted out.

1. They do a home visit.
2. They require 2 visits to the rescue site to get a feel for the potential adopter.
3.  They do a Vet check.
4. They do a criminal check.
5. The pups are spayed or neutered before they leave there.
6. They guarantee that the pups will be 100% indoor dogs and will be sent off with their won crate when they are adopted.
7. They provide everything the pups need: food, medication, spay and neuter (including hernia repair for Petey and Megan)...everything after we turn them over.
8. The pups will only be adopted into families within 50 miles of the site.

As, most of you know, most people don't donate to a pit bull rescue because of the stigma placed on the breed. They do ask for what they call a "surrender fee" but it is more like a donation of $150.00 per pup. I believe is only fair. Thanks to your generosity in the past we have the $600.00 available.

Sandra told Mommy last night that Shelby has been breathing very hard and has been coughing up some blood. Sandra is taking Shelby to Dr Briles tomorrow. Now that the puppies are weened and they are leaving home, it very important that Shelby start the heart worm treatments she couldn't have while she pregnant, then she still needs to be spayed and her skin is looking bad again so treatment needs to started for mange again. I have asked Dr Briles to give me as estimate of how much it will cost to get her whole again. We are down to $400.00 now in her Pay Pal account and we are still accepting donations for Shelby's Fund.  We could never have done what has been done without help from all of you. 

                                                        



 The following pictures were taken last night when Mommy went to see Shelby and the puppies. As you can see in the first picture, Shelby is exhausted. Sandra is keeping Shelby because no one wants to adopt a pit with one eye and sawed down teeth. If we could keep the puppies we would and Mommy has cried herself to sleep for 3 days about not being able to keep Megan. Sandra will have 5 pits and 2 dachshunds plus a newborn baby herself soon. Mommy is looking a surgery next year and I can't look after a pup.



 Shelby and the puppies playing.







Mommy and Sandra are taking the puppies with them, when they go Sunday to visit the rescue site and if they aren't comfortable with the setup, they don't have to leave them. Please pray that we are doing the right thing but Mommy says GOD wouldn't have taken us this far it he didn't approve. Mommy will give a full report when she get back, hopefully with pictures of the place.

 

Love, kisses and {{{huggies}}}....Mona

 

PS.....Please go over to Kissa Bull's blog for Sandra's post about the puppies going away.