Robyn Arouty: Recent Episodes
Robyn Arouty
Robyn Arouty is an award-winning portrait and pet photographer in Houston, Texas whose photostories about dogs have gone viral internationally.
Heather Roddy, nicknamed “Roddy” growing up, was born an entrepreneur! She makes beautiful jewelry which you can find in her Etsy store at etsy.com/shop/ValzoraBell and she is a highly sought after Energy Coach and founder of “The Roddy Method”. She also has a podcast called “Coffee Talks With Roddy” you can find on her website theroddymethod.com.
In this episode, we discuss how the Covid-19 global pandemic has affected Roddy both personally and professionally, and tips for us all on how to stay grounded during these uncertain times.
Priyanka with mascots for Woodlands Eco Realty.
I met Priyanka on facebook at some point. Same way I meet all the crazy dog ladies. We attract each other like magnets LOL.She owns a real estate company, Woodlands Eco Realty & Executive Rentals- Buy/Sell/Lease, which helps fund an assisted living home for seniors, Acorn Manor Assisted Living Homes, who are allowed to bring their pets. How cool is that?? When the human passes away, their pet goes to live the rest of their life at the organization she founded: Pure Mutts Animal Sanctuary.
I became a little obsessed with Priyanka and the magic of the sanctuary and asked if I could visit. She obliged and gave me a tour of her real estate office, the assisted living home, and the dog sanctuary. They are all in the Woodlands just a few miles from each other.
Our visit was amazing and I was so inspired! This was the first animal sanctuary I’d ever been to. The dogs were clearly all loved and cared for and seemed very happy. She even cooks them homemade vegetarian meals! Despite the Houston summer, it was really nice under all those trees and the place felt like a zen oasis. I wanted to hang out and play with the dogs, then lay down for a nap LOL.
We made plans to come back and photograph several of the dogs. There are adult dogs that were rescued as puppies and now could do well in their own homes. BUT, Priyanka is very particular..If one of these dogs speak to you, you’ll be asked to fill out a lengthy application and then visit Pure Mutts for at least an hour. The dog will need to choose you. If not, sorry about that! Well, that’s kind of how it goes.
Priyanka believes that each one of these dogs has a very specific mission to provide in a human’s life. She is only present to care for them until it’s time for them to complete their mission with their person. Cool, right??
Pure Mutts is our latest Pocketshots beneficiary. $25 from every session will go directly to them. If you’d like to make a personal donation to the sanctuary, you may do so here.
Say Hi to the Pure Mutts Gang available for adoption!(Commentary by Priyanka)
LULU
“She’s about 7 months old and was found in Houston as a stray. Skin and bones and very yellow from sleeping in her own mess. She spent 2 days in the ER and was very scared. She’s a little shy and very sweet. Once she realized she was safe, she turned into a happy-go-lucky fat sweetie dog!”
COPPER
“Thrown with siblings on the side of the road near a gas station. Mother and siblings were all run over and killed. He witnessed all of it..so I believe he has emotional scars. He was adopted out 2X but refused to eat.
Another dog named Coco at the sanctuary raised him. She passed away last year and now he’s open to meeting new people. He has really blossomed and is ready for a home all his own.”
SCARLET
“She likely got loose during a Houston thunderstorm and ran into a stranger’s house. The family took her to the vet and the vet fell in love with her and called me to take her. She is a fence jumper. Must have at least an 8’ fence to adopt her. She has an amazing personality & about 2.5 years old!”
SHEILA
“She and 11 siblings wound up at the shelter after their mother passed away about 5 years ago. The shelter was going to have to euthanize the puppies when I stepped in and took them. Most of the puppies were adopted. She loves car rides. Really thrives with other dogs around but is sad without them.”
Behind the scenes!
SHILO
(Sheila sibling)
TINKERBELL
(Sheila sibling)
PEANUT
“Peanut was hit by a car and was lying on the side of the road for 2 hours. I was driving with some real estate clients when I got the call. I asked them to get out of the car because I needed to pick up this dog ASAP. I left them on the side of the road. LOL. I took Peanut to the vet where they amputated a leg.
I figured I’d never hear from those clients again. But they called the next day to see how Peanut was doing. We stayed in touch after that and hey wound up buying a house from me!”
MILEY
(Sheila sibling)
MILO
(Sheila sibling)
Behind the scenes!
CINDERELLA/PIGGIE
“She’s about 3.5 years old. All of her puppies were adopted out at the shelter. They left her to die there, so I went to get her. She was found after Harvey.”
HARLEY
“Davidson’s sibling. Black tongue. They were abandoned in a home after the family moved away. Then Harvey hit. A real estate agent found them & called me so I took then into the sanctuary. About a year old.”
DAVIDSON
(Harley sibling)
BUSTER
“So happy go lucky and about 2 years old. On Thanksgiving I received a call to help with 2 stray pregnant dog by Hobby Airport. We had to trap them because they wouldn’t let anyone near them. 2 more dogs were discovered at that time so I took all 4. I built them their own cabins on the property because we were at capacity.”
FRECKLE FREDDY
“About 9 months old. A sweetheart. His family kicked him out but he wouldn’t leave. People would throw food at him to feed him. Someone finally took him to the vet. He stayed there 13 days. He had Parvo. They called me Xmas Day to get him. He’s so sweet and ready for adoption.”
SARA
“She was abandoned at a dog park. We aren’t sure how she lost her front paw. She’s about 6 months old. My friend visiting from Holland named her Sara. She’s delicate, dainty, & sooooo sweet. She still tries to use her paw and really needs a prosthetic one.”
More Sara!
Sara & Stacy behind the scenes!
SASHA
“Sasha was found in a neighborhood close to the woodlands. She is scared of everything and lady who found her contacted me. I usually only take dogs from the shelter. But Sasha looked like Moti and Heera. I have soft spot for dogs that look like Moti. Due to her shyness and fear I knew she won't make a good adoption candidate if she went to the shelter. So here she is. She is a loving sweet heart.”
CHLOE
“She was rescued by a client who found her on the side of the road. She’s very shy, probably because she was taken from her family too soon. She’s about 2 years old.”
Big thanks to Stacy& my sister Dawn for assisting!!
Disaster. Destruction. Death. Evacuate. Catastrophe. Crisis.
These words are not foreign to those of us in the rescue community. We live it every day. Feeling helpless & hopeless much of the time.
Just got off the phone with my parents. Checking in on them. And seeing if my Dad’s company had a large truck to try & rescue some friends & their 15 dogs near League City. He said, “No, I’m sorry, we don’t. Tell them to call the fire department.”
I spent the next 10 minutes explaining to him and giving examples of how that wouldn’t do a damn thing. They are rescuing PEOPLE now & DOGS are of a much lower priority. Especially 15+ dogs in one house.
Why so many dogs? Because our hearts are big for the over 1 million homeless animals estimated to be in Houston throughout the year. So some of us have more than we should. If not us, then who??
My thoughts are definitely all over the place this morning.. The floods are not effecting me directly as of now, besides being stranded in my home with no end in sight. But I seem to stay in fight or flight mode all the time because of rescue work. So the stress, desperation, & heartache don’t really feel foreign to me. Call me crazy.
I’m thinking about how fortunate I am to be sitting at the computer, dry, & in the air conditioning with electricity & food. My dogs are ok and safe. But I’m watching my City crumble all around me. Total devastation.
I’m thinking about how Houston is in the spotlite now. And everybody wants to jump and do something to help from all over the world. That’s very nice. But, guess what? Houston’s homeless dogs (& cats!) are in crisis mode EVERY DAY IN HOUSTON. Is this the legacy we want to leave for the next generation?? Not if I can help it.
They live outdoors on chains. Used & abused for human security. They are abandoned & roam the streets. They are in need of serious medical care. They aren’t vaccinated and their health is at risk. Disease is spreading. Puppies are everywhere. We are a virtually dysfunctional street dog puppy mill over here. We didn’t make these messes, but we feel obligated to clean them up. Have you ever tried to dig a hole in the sand?
So. We need you BEFORE, DURING, & AFTER Harvey. Our shelters stay FULL. Our rescue groups CANNOT handle the load. It's a nitemare.
We see what can happen when people come together. JJ Watt just raised over $1 Million to start rebuilding Houston. He told the news that the $ was largely from $5 & $10 donations from around the world versus several big donors. We have the power. We have the energy. We just have to get on the same page.
That’s really what I wanted to say. And that’s really the story here.. At least on this page.
Volunteer. Donate. Rescue. Give. Foster. Transport. Share. Adopt. Spay. Neuter. Outreach. Educate.
Warning: Graphic Images: Viewer Discretion AdvisedHarris County Animal Shelter in Houston, TX is a tough place to be if you’re a dog. They are overcrowded and understaffed. A group of volunteers work tirelessly creating videos to post socially for the ones who need the most help getting out.Two nights ago, it was Goldilocks’ turn. She is a 12ish year old blind cocker spaniel with a huge tumor. Here is the video which has been viewed over 28,000 times to date: What Happened Next?1. The director of Gulf Coast Cocker Rescue, Stephanie Collins, received 100s of pleas to pick up this dog from the shelter after people saw the video. But her rescue is full, their funds are low, and the group would need not only a committed foster, but one who would agree to take this dog into their home and their life forever if it came to that. It was unclear whether Goldilocks would be a hospice case at this point or not, but for sure she had a long way to go. And a lot of vet appointments.2. Vickie Grissom is a volunteer for the rescue group and has fostered over 30 dogs in the past 5 years. Most of them were special needs. Vickie, her husband Ashley, and Vickie’s parents (who live with them) made the committed offer.3. An email was sent to the shelter and plans to pick up Goldilocks were made for the next day. I met them at the shelter.
“It is overwhelming and easy to get swept away by the magnitude of the homeless pet population, and to become overwhelmed at all the deserving animals needing a home.”
— Stephanie Collins
“It takes resolve, focus, compassion, and a belief that the individual dog, like Goldilocks, has a value that makes the extraordinary commitment of time and money worth it. Given that little dog’s attitude and spirit, it is obvious to me that she deserves this chance.”
— Stephanie Collins
“Our motto is ‘quality care and forever homes, one cocker spaniel at a time’. The never-ending supply of these dogs is suffocating, but we founded on the principle of ‘if everything we do is for “just one”, it’s worth it.’”
— Stephanie Collins
Once they saw how bad she looked in person and smelled the stench of the tumor, they decided to bring her from the shelter directly to the ER for evaluation.
“The point is, everyone who is bothered by the problem needs to engage and do something to help it. They are either part of the problem, or part of the solution. There sure are a lot of people who jump on a thread and demand someone do something, especially when they see horrendous photos like hers, but how many of them actually step up to foster, volunteer, or donate? It takes all of that to help the organizations like ours who will go out on a limb for the one like her.”
— Stephanie Collins
“Gulf Coast Cocker Spaniel Rescue will never be a high volume operation. We find ourselves full of old, sick and behaviorally challenged dogs that just don’t move quickly, if they move at all. But there is nothing sweeter than being able to help one of them...and, thankfully, we find that like-minded people have been drawn to us. We often refer to the Starfish Story when we begin to feel overwhelmed, and it takes us back to our founding principles... focusing on The One.”
— Stephanie Collins
Here was the first report about her condition:Her white blood cell count is very high due to the infection. It is around 47,000, instead of the 15,000 it should be. Additionally, her red blood cell count is very low and she is quite anemic. This vet said the low end of normal is around 37%, and she is only 19%. They planned to put her on antibiotics, orally as long as she would eat for them, and to see if the numbers started to head in the right direction. We need the RBC count to bounce back or they may recommend a transfusion.While the shelter estimated 12 years of age, despite her cataracts and overall poor body condition… The vet felt it is a very likely possibility that she is younger.What I would love would be to be able to restore her vision in at least one eye, but first we need to address the tumors. There is one big mammary chain down the entire left side of her body, so they would address that, the baseball sized growth, and spay her. We would then start heartworm treatment once she gains her strength a bit.Friday afternoon report:Clinically, she's still doing great. She's happy, eating, and resting comfortably. The results of the ultrasound were as follows:• distended uterus with wall thickening. combined with high WBC count, pyometra (severe uterine infection) is suspected• well defined cysts in body of spleen, cancer/neoplasisa is considered unlikely, but while in the abdomen, suggests removing this as if the masses grow (whether or not benign), the spleen is at chance for rupture• changes in pancreas, consistent with chronic pancreatitis• lymph node enlargement in abdomen, but it's likely secondary to pyometra• Nothing to note about the diaphragm
Next steps: They are contacting a surgeon who does emergency/more complex surgeries for them, and has been doing so since 2004/2005. The question remains if this would require one surgical procedure or two. If two, the large tumor and mammary mass removal would be first, followed by the spay (to remove the uterus) and splenectomy a month or so later. That said, due to suspicion of pyometra, it's probably best to get the uterus out sooner rather than later, but obviously, the large, ruptured mass must come off as well.The determination of how to proceed will, unfortunately, have to be made once the surgeon 'gets in there'. They are touching base with him this afternoon to find out when, over the weekend, he might be available to do this.Red blood cells are holding steady, so soon this precious angel will receive the help she so desperately needs!!Stay tuned... and please help if you can.Update: Surgery is tonight at 8 pm. PrayAndBELIEVE.The rescue group is accepting donations now for her care here. And thank you.To Be Continued..
When Catherine got in touch about doing an End of Life photo session for her dog and explained he was going downhill quickly, we made plans right away. Then she told me the story about how he "wasn’t really her dog.”
His photo had been circulating on a shelter’s page last October and he was at risk of being put down. A woman in Dallas said she wanted to adopt him, so Catherine offered to pull him from the shelter and foster him until she could come to Houston to pick him up. But that never happened. For whatever reason, the Dallas woman decided she couldn’t manage a new dog in her life at that time.
So, here was Catherine with this dog, a middle-aged pit bull mix, who she never intended on having for more than a couple of days..he’s sick with pneumonia, reactive towards her 2 small dogs, and ZERO plan for what to do next.
She prayed about it, reached out for help, nursed him back to health, got a dog trainer, and enlisted the help of her large extended family with this dog now known as Bittycakes.
A few weeks ago Catherine noticed that his belly appeared a bit distended and took him to the vet. Bitty was diagnosed with an enlarged liver and spleen and an autoimmune blood disorder. His health declined quickly, his kidneys were failing, and cancer was suspected.
We pulled up at the same time. There was Bittycakes..in the front seat of the minivan..smiling at me through the window. I went to say Hi and the first thing I noticed was his very pale gums and tongue. It had apparently been a rough night. Catherine told me that she scheduled his euthanasia for 11:30. Shit.
I asked her to give me a tour of their place so I could determine the best spots for photos. The family members filed in one by one and it all of a sudden became a crowded, busy work space. The portrait photographer part of me got stressed. How was I going to get cute photos for her?? And what was this conservative Asian family doing working out of a house in the heart of Montrose across from gay bars and restaurants?? And how did Bittycakes get so sick so fast?? My head was spinning and the questions were overwhelming me and I sat down at a table so I could try to get unanxious. Cuz, afterall, this ain't about me.
I took a breath and asked for guidance. Ah! It wasn’t time to take pictures was the message I received. It was time to talk to Catherine. So, we sat and spoke for almost an hour while Bitty roamed around with his G’morning Hello’s to all the family. There were already lots of treats and toys involved. Although, I had the distinct impression that this was just a normal day and they weren’t treating him any differently than they would any other time.
She told me about how important religion was to her family. That they had been praying so hard for Bitty. They are house church shepherds and hold prayer gatherings at their home for several families. This is something new..they started around the time Bitty came into their lives and they love it.
Her kids have picked up quick. She told me about a conversation she had with her 5 year old son that morning:
Mom: “Bittycakes is going to Heaven today.”
Son: “How is he going to meet God?”
Mom: “God sends angels to get him.”
Son: “I’m going to live until 200. Is Bitty going to still remember me?”
Mom: “Yes, Sweetheart. They wear name tags in Heaven.”
Natalie, Bitty's trainer, with Bitty & Catherine
This would be her first dog she would need to say goodbye to in this way. The others died of natural causes. But she didn’t want Bitty to suffer one more day.
When I asked her what Bitty came here to teach her, the answer didn’t come that easily. I told her I believe that our pets come with a certain mission. They sign up for it and when the mission is complete, it’s time for them to go. They know how they’ll go and they are ok with it.
What she said was, “I didn’t have a lot of faith that he could change his reactive ways towards other dogs. But he did. The progress was slow, but steady. At 35 years old, I’m pretty set in my ways. But he has inspired me to accept that I can change too.”
About this time we started taking photos, took a nice long walk to look for the kitties on his normal route, and of course, had more treats. The only thing that mattered at that moment was just being and feeling the love.
LOVE is the most important thing. At the end, it’s the only thing that matters. I hope you can see that here. Enjoy the photos and the sweet notes from Catherine..
“Bitty is in heaven now. Thank you. He just gave me a sign that he's ok. You're not going to believe this."
"I went through the McDonald's drive-through for lunch and ordered a ranch wrap. Well I drove off didn't check my bag and they didn't give me a ranch wrap, they gave me chicken nuggets, a cheeseburger, and fries. Bitty’s last meal today during the photo shoot, as you know, was chicken nuggets, a cheeseburger, and fries."
"He wanted me to know he's in a happy place. I took that as a true sign that God and his angels have him and that he is A-Ok now.”
"I was listening to a medical missionary at my church speak today about all the various patients that they see at the hospital in Kenya. Many are seeking cures for life threatening and terminal diseases.
One thing she said that really spoke to me was that she couldn't fix many of the people or cure their illnesses. She simply loved them and ran the race alongside them. And that sometimes God calls us to heal. Sometimes God calls us to finish the race alongside a dying friend. But most of all, God calls us to love."
"And then I realized that I had spent a lot of effort trying to fix Bitty. Fixing his dog aggression. Fixing his incessant chewing on his calluses with eucalyptus oil. Fixing his illnesses (which I ultimately failed at and couldn't).
But what he ultimately wanted and needed from me each day was simply to love him and make him a part of the family. And looking back, what he enjoyed the most (though Natalie is amazing) wasn't training, it was sitting on that disgusting green couch where many fosters have sat, and simply existing with us, his family."
“So you asked me what I learned from Bitty... as I lead my house church with my husband (the shepherd) and I listen to many of other people's marital problems, financial problems, all kinds of problems, I'm really not there to offer any advice to fix and provide a solution for someone.
I’m simply there to love and to run the race alongside them. In fact, the burden of fixing a problem, illness, is too great a burden to bear on my shoulders because I don't know God's plan. I only know his command to love one another. So that's what I'll do. Funny to learn that from a dog.. But I think I got it now..”
"Yes, Mama. I see you received my messages. Thank you for giving me a family and for everything you did for me. My work is done here. I'm so proud of you. Love, Bittycakes"
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The Story.This wasn’t the type of post I was used to seeing on Jessica’s page. She usually shares photos of her daughter Alexis with their rescue dogs or happy videos of her dancing. So last Sunday’s post stopped me in my tracks and I felt horrible. No one came? WTF?
Before long, the post made it’s way to Charlie Diggs, who offered to throw Alexis another birthday party the following weekend. There was something in his tone and the excited responses that you just knew this guy meant business.
Who is Charlie Diggs?He is a single father, cherished event promotor, and founder of Charlie's Helping Hands Foundation. According to the Facebook page, their primary focus is on helping catastrophe victims, veterans, and children. He has huge connections in the community and posted daily about the party taking shape. Donations of time, products, and services came pouring in. From Snow to Porta-potties to Princesses! Before long, it had taken on a life of it's own and hundreds of people were RSVP'ing that they'd be there. Many more sent video messages and gifts for Alexis. Just amazing.
Who is Alexis?I’ve been an Alexis fan for over a year. In fact, I planned to write an article about her several months ago. She is a pint-sized dog whisperer, horse whisperer, Little Miss Dolittle, and I wanted everyone to see. She learned from her mother, who is the director of Ranch Haven Rescue, an organization that works to help rehabilitate and re-home animals in need.
But something told me to wait. I didn’t know why but I’ve learned to follow my gut, and apologized to her mom, but that we would definitely circle back in the future and get it done. When I saw Jessica’s Facebook post about the party, I knew it was Alexis’ time to shine.
By the way, Alexis has alopecia, which is an auto immune disease that attacks hair follicles causing hair to fall out with no known cause or treatment. She doesn’t have cancer and isn’t sick, but her appearance often gets mistaken for both.
The Plan.I arranged to do a family photoshoot out at their house in the morning so we could have a story to tell Alexis. About an hour later, a limo came to take us to the party, but we pretended it was taking us to the next location for more photos.
Alexis is a dancer. A princess. A free spirit. I just love her.
She was clueless about the surprise. We watched Frozen in stereo in the limo donated by Bob Milner of Mercedes Benz of The Woodlands. It was surreal. She had no idea that she was about to see live princesses and virtually become one herself. My emotions were bubbling up around this time, just before we arrived at our destination, and I said to Jessica and Kyle, "This will be a story to tell your grandkids."
The Party.She was overwhelmed by the crowd of approximately 1,000 screaming when she got out of the car, but it quickly turned into happiness when she saw the gigantic birthday banner and her mom whispered in her ear that everyone was there for her.
There were guests who flew in from out of state to be there. Several people living with alopecia came to support Alexis. There were princesses. Snow. Birthday cakes. Gifts. (Tons of them..which will be donated to an orphanage in Galveston). A representative from The Children's Alopecia Project came in from Pennsylvania. Miss Texas was there. Alexis had her own bodyguards for the entire event. Police were directing traffic. There was a Paint Lady, Santa was there, Moon Walks. Channel 11 filmed the whole thing. Gosh, so many things and I want to credit everyone but I don’t have all the info, sorry. See the rest of the photos from the party below. It was a great time. Especially for all the kids, who only wanted to take selfies with Alexis and be her newest friend.
The Gratitude.I just received this note from Jessica which sums up the day perfectly.
“I was so proud of her. Until the very end of the party she was still smiling for every picture just about, giving hugs and saying thank you. She watched them load every single gift into that trailer and only grabbed one (a blue unicorn she held on to for comfort to drive home with). We have several kids at the house tonight and she has not asked about gifts once. She was so gracious and humble. I was very proud. She is just so happy to have friends. I am so thankful.”
“Tomorrow, one by one, she will open up each gift so we can hopefully get thank you’s out to those who were willing to leave a card. I cannot tell you how many people came up to me and grabbed my arm terrified she was not going to actually open their gift once they heard they were going to be donated. She will open them all. We will keep the memories of each gift and any special mementos specially made for her. But we want to gift back what the community gifted us in whatever tangible way we can to make some other childrens’ hearts smile this Christmas!”
Please visit my blog for photos and more information mentioned in this podcast. robynarouty.com
It’s rare that we get to hear the backstories about dogs who come into rescue. This is an opportunity to do just that..and so much more.
It was a bit of a trick question (given my years of experience in the psychology field and some things I’ve been wondering about lately), but I posted this on Facebook the other night anyway.
“I’m just curious.. What is the longest time you’ve grieved for a pet? & What amount of time do you feel is appropriate to grieve for a pet? This is a very personal topic and there is no right or wrong answer.”
I noticed some trends in the comments received, so I decided to consult with a couple of expert friends on the subject.Several people thought since my Ozzy had just passed that I was asking for advice for myself. So they consoled me. Super sweet. But that wasn’t the reason for the post.I picked up Ozzy’s ashes that afternoon and felt a very peaceful love for him and from him. I didn’t break down or cry like I was concerned about for the past week while I procrastinated on retrieving his remains. I suppose most of my grieving was done in private while he was still alive with cancer.The first person I spoke to about the post was Kira Ellis of Intuitive Pet Care. She is an animal soul translator. Best I can describe it is she helps people understand the connection between their lives and the missions of their pets. When I told her about the condolence responses she said,
“What they are telling you is what they need to hear for themselves, so they are really speaking to themselves in your eyes.”
I loved that. If the questions I asked brought healing on any level to my friends still grieving their pets who have passed on, I’m all about that.Some very powerful things Kira had to say about losing our pets:The death of a single animal has the power to generate a thousand human blessings.When an animal crosses over they set SO many blessings in MOTION — blessings we aren't always ready for or know how to receive. We rarely see the blessings because of all the pain:What we don't see are the 50 comments filled with love and support on the post we made about their death.What we don't see is the newfound motivation we now have to leave a dead end job or relationship. What we don't see are all of the missed calls from people who cared.What we don't see are the years of built up emotions now pouring out of us because we lost the closest thing to our hearts.We aren't always ready for them to leave because deep down we know that if they leave things will change. Our comfort zones will shift and more things will come, more things will go. The timing never feels right because they provide an incredible amount of safety for us. When they leave it’s the equivalent of a blankey being taken away from a small child. Losing an animal is incredibly painful because they SEE us. They see our hearts like no one else. Being seen by them is a gift in and of itself that we feel cannot be experienced outside of them. What they want us to know is that we CAN experience love like theirs, but in order for this to happen room must be made. This is why they leave. To release us to the world to experience a greater kind of love that they will now be guiding us to from the other side.THIS is their greatest wish for us.To Be Continued..
Ozzy in Galveston. Photo by Kristen Smith. http://shaggychichouston.com/
Pet hospice care is different from human hospice care in that it provides the option for euthanasia. The intention of pet hospice is not to cure your pet’s illness, but rather to ensure a peaceful end of life experience in your home.
Every end of life is different. My pets’ conditions in the past didn’t leave me much choice about making the decision to euthanize. One was almost 17 years old and her liver was failing, one was young but had dangerous behavioral problems, and the other had severe swelling of the brain. Making the decision to know when it’s time if your dog has cancer or another terminal illness can be much trickier.
Most vets do not offer this type of in home care. In fact, our vet sent us home with a terminal diagnosis, stool softener, no pain meds, and not much of a plan. I'm guessing that is how it's normally done but I just needed more support than they were able to provide.
I have known about Last Wishes In-Home Pet Hospice and Palliative Care in Houston for a while and decided to use their services with Ozzy. It’s perfectly ok to work with a new vet in this instance and you can have a copy of your vet records sent over to them. Dr. Cornelius and her staff were a godsend in our lives. They visited with Ozzy in our home every few days and were available daily for consultation as his needs changed.
Ozzy’s quality of life was my main priority. There was a lot of discussion about weighing risks throughout the entire process. When it was clear that the tumor under his pelvis was growing larger and preventing him from being able to poop, Dr. Cornelius reviewed her Quality of Life Journal with me. It really put things into perspective nicely and I figured if it helped me then it could help many of you in similar situations.
Here are the reasons I chose pet hospice care for my Ozzy:1. Kept us out of the Pet ER.They taught me how to give an injection for severe pain and fluids for dehydration in case of emergency and provided us with all medications just in case.
2. Gave me time to get used to the idea of his passing.A diagnosis of 2-6 weeks to live is shocking so that extra support really meant a lot. In our case, there wasn’t going to be surgery or other medical treatment for his cancer.
3. Daily support.You never know what the next day will bring. Pets with terminal illnesses have good days and bad days. I enjoyed celebrating the good ones with our hospice peeps. They were so patient and loving.
4. Comfort care.Ozzy being blind added more of a challenge to it. A dog’s eyes are very telling about how they're feeling, their needs, etc. and I didn’t have that benefit.
5. Pain management.This was everything. Liver flavored treat-like pain pills 3X/day.
6. Be in the Now.Last Wishes was really rooting for Ozzy and did everything they possibly could to prolong his life. They helped me stay in the moment with him.
7. Know when the time is right.It’s such a slippery slope and can be very scary trying to seemingly play God all on your own.
8. Gave me overall peace of mind.It’s been 2 days since we said goodbye. I miss Ozzy so much but I know we did the right thing.
9. Euthanize in a comfortable place where he was less stressed.He was well enough to play with toys an hour before the end of his life. He went to sleep happy and relaxed. We didn’t have to let things get ugly. I chose to not have my other dogs present, but that is an option with Last Wishes if you prefer it.
10. Grieve in the privacy of my own home.I tried to be strong for Ozzy up until his last breath. But my emotional outbursts afterwards would have really disturbed business at a vet clinic.
Time is funny.We waste a lot of it. Either being overwhelmed with the past — feeling guilty or sad for what has already happened, or being stuck in the future — worrying about what might or might not happen. This is what anxiety is made of.
But there’s nothing like a loved one’s prognosis of “2-6 weeks to live” to make time stand still.That moment really stung. I reacted emotionally, as you might have noticed by my last blog post about Ozzy. Over the next few days I felt like a victim, which isn’t my normal style. I was angry. I was sorry for us. I had regrets. I was desperate to change our reality.
My energy went into resisting Ozzy’s diagnosis and all that would surely follow. So, I prayed for strength, peace, and a deeper understanding to guide me through this f*cked up situation.
Then a shift happened: I accepted that Ozzy is going to die.I have chosen to not allow his inevitable passing to consume my thoughts and take away the precious moments I have with him right now. Trust me, this is a conscious effort on my part. It doesn’t come naturally and isn’t easy; it’s tough inner work. I’m no expert, but it feels like the right way to be right now.
I surrendered to what is and immediately started living in the moment. When he had a setback the other day I didn’t freak out. I wasn’t thinking about how long he has or what the end will look like. I’m living and loving with him in the moment and handling our business as it comes.
Ozzy is not his failing body. That is just his form. I know when Ozzy leaves his physical body he’ll still be supporting me on my road to becoming the best version of myself I can be in this lifetime. He’ll just be doing it with my Angel Team above.
So, what really matters now? Paying attention. I’m taking time to talk to Ozzy. Pet him slowly. Feel his curly fur between my fingers. Revel in the joy I feel when he kisses my cheek. Cheer him on when he navigates my steep set of stairs on his own once again. Smile when I talk to him and it appears he can see me because he’s looking right through me with those beautiful light blue broken eyes. I want to remember all of this.
I am grateful for these gifts of peace Ozzy has given me.
I wrote this blog post a couple of weeks ago. Then we had the floods in Houston and then Prince died and then Ozzy was diagnosed. The timing just wasn’t right to share it. But I circled back this morning. I think it’s too important and was really a foreshadowing of what was to come in my life. On some level I knew there was bad stuff lurking.
Something tells me that a lot of animal rescuers will be able to relate. So I think it’s important to talk about this topic and if it helps people, then I don’t mind disclosing my personal experiences.
—
I am depressed.It happens. It’s hard to get out of bed. It’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last. Depression and anxiety have been a part of my life for many years — even during the time I worked as a psychotherapist, if you can believe that.
I know if you asked 20 depressed people how depression feels, you’d get 20 different answers. I can only give you my thoughts.. It feels dark. Hopeless. Helpless. It’s difficult to concentrate and remember things. I overeat. My nights are restless. Or I sleep too much. I fear the worst. I worry about my future. It feels like I’m living inside someone else’s body.
Anything can bring it on if your genetics have the biological propensity for depression. I’ve been on medication for years, but sometimes it just spills over and the meds aren’t enough. That’s where my life tools need to come in.
I know this is temporary because I’ve been through it before. Oftentimes, it’s the lead-in to something really beautiful. It’s the dark before the light. It’s a time for me to be quiet, isolate, and reflect on my life. I pray. I ask the Universe for the things I need and want. I just take it one day at a time. But part of the challenge of isolating is being in my own head too long. Because a lot of this is really an illusion.The illusion that my brain chemicals have created. So I suffer through it. Each time it makes me smarter and stronger than the last. Go figure.
Rescue work is a breeding ground for depression. I meet a lot of people who are clearly depressed but they probably aren’t aware. I can tell from their demeanor, their words, their attitude, their communication.
We aren’t machines. We have feelings, hopes, and doubts. We hurt when the dogs we are trying to help hurt. How could we not? But we aren’t born with the ability to express these emotions. It’s a skill that develops over time if you work hard at it.
On some level we may identify with the dogs we help. We have lived through traumas too. Have you grieved those events? Have you taken the time to understand them, forgive, move on? Or do you unconsciously react when those trauma buttons are pressed?
I’m not going to lie. Addie’s and Jewels’ deaths took a toll on me. I wasn’t ready to just be happy and positive and move on. They deserved more of my quiet time. To honor their lives, make them not in vain.I don’t have all the answers for sure. But putting things into perspective today was healing for me on some level. It’s not something we talk about. There is a ton of shame in it. But it’s fucking REAL.
I am blessed to have a few good friends I can talk to. They reached out this time when “I got too quiet.” LOL.
What to do? Get help. Talk to friends. A therapist or counselor or psychiatrist for medicine. If you’re having suicidal thoughts, it’s imperative you get help immediately. That’s called a crisis and it can go from bad to worse quickly.
This chart came to mind as I was writing. I think it illustrates the tough cycle that we experience in rescue. I’m certainly guilty of getting caught in this storm. Thinking I could have some guest blog posts soon on the topic. There is so much more to say..
There were two phrases I heard this past week that literally made my body shudder. First was when the vet looked up from examining him. I could tell she had just felt something that wasn’t supposed to be there.
“Ozzy has cancer.”
The second I heard about an hour ago. It came from Dr. Cornelius of Last Wishes In-Home Pet Hospice and Palliative Care. The consultation in my home was about to end and I needed to know. So I asked.
“He has 2-6 weeks. At best.”
A small cancerous tumor was found in his anal gland about 2 years ago and was surgically removed. But it had already spread to other glands. The large tumor now under his pelvis is painful and preventing normal elimination. Surgery is not an option. He can only poop about a flat pecan size at a time. Very soon that area will close up and there’s not a damn thing we can do about it.
I have a lot of experience with client dogs and cancer, but this is the first time with one of my own.
The past week has been spent spoiling Ozzy. I’ve stayed mostly in my head about his condition. Knowing the truth, but being present for him and not letting it hit that place. The place where you know that real is real and there’s no turning back and everything you love must one day leave you and how it hurts to the core of your everyness. Sweet, innocent Ozzy.
We went through hell with him 3 years ago when he lost his sight overnight. He is totally blind and after tons of testing, no known cause was found. He bounced back like a champ and has been a happier dog without sight than he ever was with it.
I’ve been letting him do all the things that used to annoy me. Like incessantly licking my arms and legs. Like chewing the squeakers out of one toy after another in a few minutes and push them off to the side. Like barking ’til his heart is content. Because that’s what he does. It makes him happy and I want him to be comfortable and happy right now.
So now we wait. Wait for him to die. Aren’t we all waiting to die, really? Most people probably refer to it as living but it feels differently to me today.
I’m thinking about all the things I regret. Why didn’t I take him for more walks? Why did I let him go live with that woman who didn’t care for him properly? Why didn’t I say Yes to his dad who wanted to take him to the park all those times? Why didn’t I cook him chicken more? More toys. More kisses. More time.
Here is the case that holds all the meds he will need over the next 2-6 weeks. His life is in this box. His comfort. His short future. This is what it’s come to.
It still happens often. I receive a note about someone needing help with a dog. Either finding a rescue or rehoming or a medical need of some sort.Yesterday something interesting happened. I randomly had a thought about my old friend JoJo who I haven’t seen or spoken to in several years. About 3 minutes later — I shit you not — she texted with a photo of a dog she was trying to find a home for.
For about the past year, about 97.3% of the time, I politely and apologetically decline to help. There’s a twinge in my tummy and a blip in my heart that happens after every time I do it. Kinda feels like guilt, but I have to remind myself quickly of a few things so a panic attack doesn’t ensue.
- If I give an inch for a dog, I’m following through ALL THE WAY, at a fast pace, & 150% capacity of everything I have. So, at this time, I cannot give even one inch. The concept of self-care only became part of my awareness about a year ago (& I’ll be 50 in August!) but I still don’t have the hang of it yet and learning the delicate balance of all things is still tricky. My boundaries mechanism thingee kicks in. So, I politely and apologetically decline.2. I believe that there will be a need for rescue work throughout the rest of my lifetime. I also believe there is a good chance that animals will need help, just as humans will need help, ’til the end of time. We Can’t Save Them All. So, I politely and apologetically decline.3. We all have nice cameras and contact lists in our pockets. So, I politely and apologetically decline.4. Social media is free and easy to use. We have friends, family, and people we presume to know on these networks. Networks = Networking = Help A Dog. So, I politely and apologetically decline.5. I have had a hand in saving, I don’t know, 100s, 1000s of dogs in the last 7 years. More than most people will do in 10 lifetimes. I have no regrets. So, I politely and apologetically decline.6. Everything I do is with INTENTION. My intention in these moments is to empower the person on the other end of the note or phone call to make it happen for this dog. I have the hope and intention that the dog will be safe until a home can be found. It is my intention to give them the strength, knowledge, and motivation to believe they can do it all. So, I politely and apologetically decline.Back to my friend JoJo. Aside from the dog talk, we decided it had been too long and made plans to meet later that afternoon at her husband’s beauty shop. As she was giving me the 5c tour, a guy who works at the shop approached us. “JoJo, you know that dog you were trying to find a home for? I would love to take her.”
XO,
RA
Photos by Ana Paula Grillo
We are ANGRY. We are SAD. We are CONFUSED.Angry because.. When you love animals, you want them to live. You want them to not be brought into this world unnecessarily because you understand all the risks. These photos made me physically ill. They represent everything we are working so hard to eliminate.
Approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats. Each year, approximately 2.7 million animals are euthanized (1.2 million dogs and 1.4 million cats). (ASPCA Statistics)
Sad because.. There is a large part of the population who believe that it’s an honor for dogs to give birth. They think it’s important for their children to witness this. “It’s natural.” “I want to bring puppies into the world who are just like my wonderful dog.” “The puppies will be so cute.”
I’ve got a news flash for you: ALL PUPPIES ARE CUTE. But that is not a reason to knowingly create them. This is precisely where the term “backyard breeder” came from. Doesn’t sound classy at all, does it?Everything I do is with the intention of raising consciousness for our cause. I’m sad that this dog’s maternity photoshoot went viral for the wrong reasons. I’m sad that it promoted dog birth. I’m sad that so many people see no problem with it at all. I’m sad for the dog. For her little body having to go through something she never signed up for and the apparent joy she radiates only as a result of wanting to please her owners -- at any cost.
Confused because.. We understand that spaying and neutering is the first step to ending the overpopulation epidemic. This photo is of a mixed breed dog whose owners chose to impregnate her. You don't have a litter on purpose and "adopt" them out. It just doesn’t work that way. They will say they have good homes for all the puppies. There are no guarantees of this. And what about the puppies’ puppies?? Where will they end up?? We know. And it’s not pretty. Several will go on to be homeless, abused, abandoned, and neglected.
If you loved these photos, I challenge you.. I challenge you to visit a high intake animal shelter or volunteer for a rescue. That’s it. That’s all you’ll need to do to change your mind and enlighten your spirit. Then you’ll never see these photos in the same light again. This isn’t something to glorify. Be classy. Be part of the solution, not the problem please.
My latest article is up on BarkPost!
This cutie pie Pit Bull's joyous personality is changing the world.
Posted by BarkPost on Tuesday, March 22, 2016
May you never have to:Choose between a vet bill and your rent.
Medicate your infant’s wheezing because of your fur baby.
Go into a nursing home or rehab and leave behind a pet when your family lives out of state.
Be declined for a pet friendly apartment because you can't afford the extra security deposit.
Choose between feeding your kids or your dog.
Re-home your pet because of domestic violence to both of you.
Live in a community without low cost emergency vet clinics.
Be so sick that you cannot walk your pets.
Need to find a food pantry that has dog food too.
Move into a homeless shelter that doesn't allow pets.
Have to answer the question “Why didn't the doggy love me?”
Lose a job or a spouse and be worried about paying for utilities when your pet is struck with illness.
Be told that your dog is not safe around your kid, despite professional training.
Have to move in with a family member whose pet is trying to eat yours or vice versa.
Set a dollar amount for your pet’s life more than which he will need to be put down.
Be shamed and humiliated for trying to do the right thing for your pet and family.
Be criticized at your most heartbreaking moment.
Be called names and harassed because you are trying to survive a bad time.
Be judged by people who claim compassion, but wrap it in ego, anger and bitterness.
Be haunted by your beloved animal crying as you leave him.
Be denied the second chance to adopt a dog that needs a second chance as badly as you.
--ANONYMOUS
The dog featured above is Samson and he is available for adoption. Please visit his adoption page here for more information or to fill out an application. Thank you.
Some of what you will see in this blog post is highly controversial in the rescue community. Some of what you’ll see will be difficult to unsee. But I want you to know that it was ALL done in the best interests of the dogs.
I believe that dogs come into our lives to teach us what it is we need to know. For most, it happens with our own pets. But for some, like Dukey and Addy, the lessons are more widespread. As a rescuer and photographer of pets, I’ve met many dogs over the years. Too many to count, but I’ve been lucky enough to experience extra special soulful connections with a few dogs.
Adalard is his name. The day may not be easy but we are fierce with determination. This entire network of helpers in the world, who are far greater than me. I am deeply saddened yet humbled by the beauty I see in the unity of many teams. We alone, do not create this, and we cannot always repair. But we LOVE just as fiercely as we fight. Know that. For certain. Adalard. Noble strength.
Watch out, we’ve got a live one here! His name is Walter and a village came together for this guy to be presented to you.. Available for ADOPTION now!
I brought along all the usual rescue stuffs..slip leads, collars, treats, etc. I asked David the best way to approach this for when we arrived? He said, “Oh, I don’t need the leashes. I’ll get them to walk in the crates on their own.”
I’m almost 2 hours into my 3rd gallbladder attack since Saturday. The doc told me today that we need to get bloodwork & an ultrasound ASAP & in the next breath said she’s fairly certain the gallbladder needs to come out. Joy. Sent me off with a look of pity & instruction to stay away from fatty foods. (And if you’re a client reading this, just know there are some sick days in my very near future, starting now.)
I got distracted. In your thoughts of me. At some point they became more important than any of mine.
Statistically speaking, the odds were pretty good one of my dogs would be returned, although I hadn’t considered that prior to receiving this totally unexpected text from Ozzy’s new mama:
Once Upon A Time, there lived a handsome prince named Diego.
Who dreamed of living a fairytale life.
Diego and I sat down for a serious talk. I made sure he knew how much I love him. How proud I am of him. How hard this was, but I was letting him go because it was the ultimate life for him.
Her home was so beautiful with the calmest energy. At one point I mentioned I’d like to just stay & nap on her sofa. Turns out she used to own bed & breakfasts, so she is the primo hostess. We decided to see how it would go over the weekend & then talk more about adoption. I could tell her puppy was thrilled to have a playmate over.
“My 6 year old daughter is obsessed with dogs. She wanted to work at a shelter or rescue but they all said she was too young. I fear one day she’ll wind up like you. Saving dogs & neglecting her own health.”
I can’t believe it’s already been a week since I wrote Chapter One: Rescuing Robyn.. (Yup, better go back & read that post first if you haven’t already).
This is very personal and as real as I’ve ever been & I don’t have the energy or desire to apologize for it.. It’s come to this.
The following is an excerpt from a note I wrote to a dog trainer recently:
Two years ago I told you the story of Julia, a rescuer who was pinned in between 2 cars while trying to save a mama dog & her puppies.
Gorgeous animals. Kind people. Smart. Progressive. No bullshit. They love hard, so they hurt hard too. Here’s a glimpse of what Thursday mornings look like at the Rescued Pets Movement facility. Quite the story..
It’s Colorado transport day. 4 huge vans. A veterinarian. Organizers. Transporters. Countless fosters. A photographer. Drivers. Office managers. Assistants. Board members. They all show up because it takes all the parts of this primo engine to work. They all pull their weight. Because they know the alternative is that every single one of these animals would perish in the shelter. All 106 dogs and 15 cats.
There’s just no pretty way to say it. I know it’s hard to volunteer at the shelter. RPM is a great alternative. Their fosters keep dogs for a week or two in most cases prior to their transport. And it saves their lives. Please contact them via facebook or their website if you are interested in learning more about fostering or donating to their cause.
And remember these faces. You just might see them again here. Playing in the snow.
XO,
RA
Just a dog.. of the young Anatolian Mastiff variety who, about 7 years ago, landed in a Georgia shelter where animals are killed to make room for others. They bounced him around from eager foster home to foster home. Despite his striking good looks, he was a huge wild child with no manners and apparently wore out his welcomes a little too quickly. Rio Bravo eventually caught the eyes of Denise & Dell Bryant, a retired couple in Houston, TX. They adopted him. Gave him the love, stability, and training that he needed. Enough to find his purpose.. & become a 150 pound certified therapy dog. (I took the photo above for an art installation at Memorial Hermann Hospital Medical Center in 2012 of the 19 therapy dogs & 1 cat who work in the hospital. I’ve been smitten with him ever since.)
Just a dog.. who piloted an animal assisted therapy program for down syndrome & autistic children in Houston..of which the Kids Developmental Clinic’s program is based on today. Who worked weekly all these years assisting literally 1000’s of people and children to heal. “I can’t tell you how many stories there are. One time we were visiting a young child who had been in a coma. He laid his head gently on the child’s arm. It didn’t take long. First the fingers moved. And then his little toes. Then he woke up. It was amazing. But that’s just the power of Rio Bravo.” (Most of the photos above were taken by Rio’s proud Daddy Dell Bryant).
Just a dog.. who dressed in silly costumes to do his work. Because it made people smile. Even when he got sick. And he was very sick. Aggressive bone cancer in his leg sick. He did his therapy work as scheduled on January 16th. His parents were so proud. Unbeknownst to them, it would be his last tour of duty. Helping heal the patients at Memorial Hermann Hospital’s Outpatient Cancer Center. Funny how life works, isn’t it?
Just a dog.. who “spoke” on command, but never barked for just no reason to his parents even though it is a common characteristic of the breed. He spoke to them a lot the last few days. Let them know it was time.. But maybe they needed one more sign.. It came in gorgeous rainbow colors of light soon after I arrived this morning.
And then, as planned, Denise & Dell said goodbye to Rio Bravo tonite. Even though their hearts are broken, the Bryant’s are so grateful for all their blessings by way of Rio Bravo & they so appreciate all their friends & those who loved him so. Just a dignified doctor, healer, counselor, soldier. Just a big brave guy with a gentle soul who did so much living & inspiring & kicking ass in his short time here. Popular on foot. No interwebs needed. Just a legend. Just my friend. I love you Rio Bravo. ‘Til we meet again..
XO,
RA
Donations in memory of Rio Bravo can be made to the following charities that mean so much to his family:
National Anatolian Shepherd Rescue Network
FAITHFUL PAWS Pet Therapy of Houston, Texas
Rio singing along with the band on the visit to Memorial Hermann Hospital. Dell said the band had a hard time keeping a straight face.
Dear Maximus,
My face is wet tonite. Not the normal kind of wet, though. Like when you watch a super sad movie. No, not like that. I feel happy. But not the type of happy like when you’re getting handed that big fat Lotto check or something. For sure some tiny speckles are on the inside of my eyeglass lenses. So I know it’s real. And it’s about you..
From prehistoric-mini-dinosaur-monster-looking-dude, to unbelievably gorgeous exotic beast, I marveled at your every valiant healing step. From foster home to permanent home, you lived well and loved even better. Each person you met since August experienced your wisdom and presence in seriously profound ways. I tried to be a good gladiator-in-training student too. Here’s what I learned from you Sweet Maximus..
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Know when to battle & know when to surrender. Be brave for both.
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Be kind. Even when you’re losing.
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Feeling vulnerable doesn’t suck so bad. There are worse things.
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Live large. And with a purpose in mind.
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Fight for what’s right. Ok, I knew that one already. But you really drove it home.
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If you love the one who’s in front of you, make sure they know it by the look on your face.
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Do your job really well. It matters to more people than you realize.
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Inhale the good stuff. Every day. Love heals and strengthens all things.
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Honor your angels. They chose you for a reason.
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Teach only to students who are ready and willing to learn. It’s energy well spent.
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Ask for help. Make it really known that you need it. Even if you have to look like a prehistoric-mini-dinosaur-monster-looking-dude.
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Be humble.
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A safe and peaceful home is everything.
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Be a gracious houseguest.
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Make the best use of your time. Come in with a bang and go out the same way.
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Know your value. Appreciate when others know it too.
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Let them see you shine.
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Be scared. And do all of the above anyway.
So, about the wet on my face. Thinking it’s my soul talking. You hugged it in the coolest ways and it cries tonite in your honor and memory. Sleep well. Thank you. ’Til we meet again..
XO,
RA
Was sitting at iHop this morning, waiting for my friend Teresa from Lone Star Shih Tzu & Lhasa Apso Rescue who was running a little late, when she called to say she got caught on the phone trying to find a foundation or excavation team to come out to Memorial where a little 9 pound maltipoo dog was stuck under a house since Friday.
After she arrived, she said that Adele of Houston Miniature Schnauzer Rescue had got in contact with Captain Langston from the Houston Fire Department Technical Rescue & they were on their way to the house with a team. So we headed that way too..
Wow, those guys totally kicked ass! It took several dog lovers contacting each other through social media to make this all happen. It was cold & this dog is tiny. There was no heavy equipment; it was all done by hand. And did I mention that the homeowners whose sun porch was being torn up were out of town?
The home is on a hill & there was an intricate concrete & beam structure below which created a maze of sorts. They had no idea how the dog got under there or where he was exactly, but they heard his cries.
They removed parts of the deck as needed.
They used a snake with a camera on the end of it to look for Onyx.
Channel 2 News was there to capture it all.
There were plumbers there digging from the other side of the house also.
They kept bringing in containers to haul off all the dirt & leaves they dug out from under the house. Then he said the cries were getting louder.
It was like watching a live birth, I swear.. There was Onyx! And he handed him up to the rescuer above!
Mama was thrilled & they ran him directly over to Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists.
Last report is he was back home with only some eye irritation from the dirt. Great job everyone!
robyn arouty-
Update: Video of the rescue courtesy of Teresa below!
I had a pretty good idea of what David meant when he surrendered Madonna & Anthony Ciccone to me that day when he said, he “..didn’t want anything standing in the way of their happiness and well-being.” Wish he could see where his buddies are today..
If you’re not familiar with their story, go here.
Madonna was adopted right away & now lives in Alabama on a fab farm. With horses, chickens, donkeys, all kinds of stuff, & greyhound & great dane brothers!
It took a little longer for Anthony, but boy did we enjoy the heck out of that goofy angel guy at the studio! I have to thank a few people for donating their time & resources for Anthony. I couldn’t have done it without you: Jessica, Michelle P., Regina, Kristen, Bryan, Karen, Katie, Julia, Lisa, Kira, & Michelle M.
Then an adoption application came in from Kathleen, a Houston doctor, who wanted to meet him right away. Her 13 year old son Tres had been wanting a dog for quite a while..even created a digital presentation for his parents about why he should be allowed to have one. As rescuers we are not necessarily fans of giving pets as gifts. But since this was a well thought out adoption for a fine young man, I decided to have faith & be excited for the beautiful life I know Anthony will have with Kathleen & her loving family.
On Christmas Eve night, I snuck him into their home while the family was at church. And he was the biggest hit!
Here he is with his new family!
Tres is a Star Wars fanatic. He renamed Anthony Chewbacca & they’re calling him Chewy.
Chewy is sleeping in a crate in Tres’ room…right next to this awesome galaxy Christmas tree (minus the A&M thingee, anyway).
Did you know that George Lucas was inspired by his own dog sitting in the passenger seat of his car when he came up with the Chewbacca character? (The dog, named Indiana, also inspired the name of the lead character in another one of Lucas’ film franchises – Indiana Jones. It is said that Chewbacca’s name is derived from собака (sobaka), the Russian word for dog. Cool, huh?)
“I’m Luke Skywalker, I’m here to rescue you.”
They didn’t know how or why..
But there they were…abandoned in a neighbor’s yard.
I shook my head. Called a good rescue friend. And took out the camera.
She recently had puppies…& now she was nursing two small kittens.
Caring for them as if they were her own.
Protecting them and teaching them.
Compassionate and loving. And doing all the motherly things.
And happy to have the job.
The (thus far) unnamed Mama Yorkie & kitties have been graciously taken in by Buster’s Friends Rescue. If you would like to help with their care, you can click on the yellow donate button here: http://bustersfriends.org. Thank you.
RA
My Name is Maximus Decimus Martinez, commander of the Armies of the Warehouse District, General of the Houston Legions, loyal servant to all who feed me. Ooh, I meant, Need Me! Father to many murdered sons. And I will have my peace. In this life or the next!
OK. The truth is I’m just Maximus. But you can call me Max. I have seen The Gladiator movie 8 times on Netflix & so now I randomly break into Maximus-The-Gladiator-Speak. LOL. Here is Part One of my story if you are not familiar.
I was a novice gladiator here. Still a common person. I thought the Gods had a sense of humor that I was still alive.
The day Kim drove up I was really tired. Tired of feeling sorry for myself. I barked, “Dear Gods! Allow me to go home!”
Robyn documented our Kira and the cavalry meeting very carefully.
This is my foster brother Freddy. Kim bought his freedom too. (Did you catch that reference?) He stayed in his crate in my arena the entire time. He learned a lot too.
I have seen much of the rest of the world. It is cruel and brutal and dark. I was looking for the light. I found it with Kim. Kira shined it even brighter.
I’m not looking back. What’s done is done. And I have a lot of work to do here. This much I know is true. What we do in life echoes into eternity. And my life is about to change.
Houston is a colosseum of people in pain. Doing painful things to animals. It is hard to talk about. The suffering will continue for as long as we fail to solve our own problems. The guys who arrange dogs to fight are no different than the businessmen who organized gladiator fighting for money in Roman times. They were called lanistaes. The term also meant “butcher.” Interesting. You know dirt cleans off much easier than blood. But I digress…
Kira speaks with animals. Not for them. She helps us reconnect our emotions and our hearts and souls. The soul has all the answers. She has many keys.
1.2 Million of my brothers & sisters are out there in the swelter. Tens of thousands are bloodied with needles. Thousands more will never leave these places. I refuse to believe they fought and died for nothing.
I know no fear now. Kira is an amazon. A female gladiator of sorts; conquering the walls that separate so many important things. She believes that causes and effects are related. For example, a recent “effect” in my life was that my back legs stopped working. The “cause” was my inability to accept my new life in a family environment. I’ve always had to provide for myself. Knew not of love and affection. The change was a shock to my core. But now I quite like it. And I can walk!
We should know when we’re conquered. Our battle is within ourselves. I thought myself so elite. So busy trying to hide my unappealing parts, yet that is precisely what the world saw of me. Surrender now. Selfishness is not becoming. The chariot to our authentic lives await.
Strength and honor. Authenticity and heart. End to spirits of War. Isn’t that what we all pray for? I fought the good fight. My armour on the soil. Retreated. Withdrew my weapons. Home is my reward.
I think I was afraid all my life. Broken from the pack today thanks to Kira. My grip has shifted and I can march on with the swords of my soul blazing.
I know now that I have talent for survival. All for the glory of the empire! My brothers and sisters. Animal and human gladiators alike. Hear our new battle cry! VICTORY!
I battled the streets of Downtown Houston for the last couple of years. I am part golden retriever, part akita, part german shepherd, part sharpei, part rottweiler and part gladiator. Quite the large empire some might say.
On June 30th while on her way to work, instead of shielding her vision like so many mercilessly did before her, Kim stopped her chariot. She cried. And I surrendered.
I was doing well until my back legs ceased to move. Tests show no definitive medical cause for this, although they are beginning to improve now.
If you would like to see more of my story, please visit my facebook page.
Here is a video of what I looked like on Day One at Kim’s house.
Thank you friends for life for the use if the crate.... I'm resting in it comfortably now...
Posted by Max Out for Maximus on Monday, June 30, 2014
Kira of Intuitive Pet Care came to our house last night. It was an intense meeting of the minds. I listened intently to everything she had to say. She helped me feel safe. Her wisdom will help me go far and become a more civilized gladiator. But more importantly, it will help those I love. Afterall, that is why I am here.
Here is what Kira told Kim, my foster mama:
“Max finds it very hard to accept help or affection. He doesn’t really know how and it really isn’t who he is since he is used to holding up everyone else around him. He knows how to carry the weight and be a leader. He doesnt mind much of anything. He is very subtle in his ways. He likes to do things without making a big deal about it. He’d rather not have all eyes on him.
You need a strong male supportive energy that is available to you to help you feel less alone sometimes and to hold space for you and help counteract all the worrying you do. He is so NOT a worrier and he knows that everything is ok and works to be the ground under your feet that affirms that for you.
He’s working with your husband and helping him feel more confident and strong in himself to find more balance in his life. He loves the family and the 3 boys who really inspire him to let loose and have fun and just be free of responsibility.
He was so used to surviving that he didnt have time to let loose or have fun. He was always doing something to provide and sustain. He never knew what touch was so it was hard for him to integrate at first because thats a lot of energy to accomodate and process. It was really intense because he had nothing else to compare it to, so coupled with the love of a human it was like magic. We’ve made a believer out of him.
He balances the energy with his presence and brings more calm stable energy to the house to counteract the built up tension and need for playful expression and need for affection and relaxation.
The built up tension comes out in the trio (Kim’s other 3 dogs) through excessive licking, playing, and expressive movements. Max is all about going with the flow and learning how to accept love which is also something he is working on your husband with and why he can sort of relate to his energy in a different way.
The loss of his back legs was essentially representing a rebirth that he didnt know how to accept or deal with at first, but is slowly gaining momentum and accepting his new life in a family environment. His inner personality that was used to being on the streets is being reformed into a personality that knows what love looks and feels like so his physical body needs to to adjust and relax into all the changes.
Max is the most humble gladiator you’ll ever meet.”
Take a look at this video to see what happened just minutes after Kira’s visit. I have never felt so peaceful and free:
And this is me now!
Posted by Max Out for Maximus on Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Right off the bat, I’ll tell you that I’m up here with Dukey. And I promise we are OK. Robyn had actually agreed to help me tell my story a while back. It’s a happy one too. But first I need to tell you about my Mama. Her name is Regina.
She was taught to love animals. Or maybe she was just born that way. See?
I appeared in her life about 6 years ago. My former Daddy needed to find me a new place to live because my other Mama went to Heaven and he worked a swing shift and couldn’t properly care for me. This picture was from our first night together.
I became her Shadow. And she was mine. We vowed to protect each other. Soul sisters forever.
We first met Robyn a few years ago when we had pictures done with our cat Grace. Then Mama & Robyn became good friends. They enjoy working together to help animals who need it.
Not long after that a dog showed up in the backyard at our house. We let him stay & named him Kermit. It fits. He is goofy, but he’s my best friend.
Then a little over 1 1/2 years ago I got sick with Degenerative Myelopathy. The short version is that it’s an incurable, progressive disease of the canine spinal cord common in german shepherds & some other breeds.
But I wasn’t in pain at all. Still kept playing. And they gave me a cool wheelchair.
Mama researched everything she could on the disease. She cooked me delicious meals every day that were good for my health.
Then one day Mama saw this silly picture. She had no intentions of getting us a puppy. But she thought this puppy looked like the perfect combination of me & Kermit. I agree. And I’m so glad she brought me a baby. We named her Lotte.
Kermit needs a best friend on earth when I’m gone. And she caught up to him pretty fast.
Pretty soon it was time to say goodbye. The disease had really taken over my body. So Mama invited over all her family & friends one by one to spend some time with me. Last weekend my grandparents came into town with our Mamie. They brought my other best friend Lola who Mama rescued & her parents couldn’t live without. Just pretend you’re watching a movie. I hope you feel all the good stuff I did that day.
The next day we went to see Lisa at Rummy’s Beach Club. She let me enjoy one last swim. I gave it my all for 45 minutes. Again, watch the movie. And don’t miss my rainbow.
Be Well My Friends. Love, Shadow
I have had the distinct pleasure of meeting some of the coolest people over the last 5 years.
And they all have stories.
Meet Paula & Munchkie.
They first came in for portraits in 2011. And we had a blast.
Paula & Shawn own a real estate company. Their portraits were used to create fun greeting cards & ads that showed up in the most unexpected places.
One thing was clear. They loved animals. Especially Munchkie.
The next year we had fun creating images for holiday & birthday cards to send to their clients.
What we see as perfectly normal i.e. photos with our pets, I’m learning is quite extraordinary to many people.
Then I got to meet the rest of the family.
But the star of the show. Again.
Their dogs are their world.
Their children with 4 legs.
Adopted all of them. They know lives need saving & they do their part.
Magical happy living.
She came into their lives for very specific reasons.
Her mission was complete. Soon after this photoshoot.
Rest In Peace Munchkie.
I’m not a street photographer. Or a pet photographer. Or… I’m a photographer. Please don’t box me in because I never know when something beautiful will happen & I happen to have my camera. Or I plan something beautiful that doesn’t fit into that category you want to put me in, i.e. Teddi O’Bear.
On June 4th, I posted this photo on facebook with the following:
I walked out of the corner store near the studio & got stopped right in my tracks…
Christopher aka Yetty: “Hey, cool tatts ya got there.”
Me: “Thanks. I love your puppies!”
Christopher aka Yetty: “I found 7 down the way in a ditch the other day. Could only grab 3. Gave one away.”
Me: “I’ve got some collars & dog food in my car. Also my camera, since I just came from a photoshoot. You sure are a sight to behold, honey! Do you mind if I take your picture?”
Christopher aka Yetty: “Wow. I would love a collar for brown one if you have it. I don’t have a problem getting them food. And, sure, yeah, take our picture!”
My life got pretty magical after that. But let me back up a second…
The day after meeting Yetty, I went back to the corner store & drove around the area to try to find him. Wanted to tell him how many people loved his photo & thank him, but to no avail. I spoke to the owner of the store who reported that Yetty & his girlfriend had been coming in every other morning for breakfast tacos pretty consistently over the past couple of months. I left my card & continued to check back in. He never returned. So, it was likely he continued on his way to Mexico which was the story he had told both of us. “Just passing through town…”
Then Michael Berry, a popular radio personality of the conservative persuasion, saw the photo & freaked out & was calling for me on air to get in touch. My phone was crazy that morning. Magical. (BTW, Who knew I had so many friends listening to talk radio?? Ha!)
Michelle Mantor, the publisher of Houston PetTalk Magazine saw the photo the same day. We have worked together for years, but it’s been a while since our last project. She saw the cover & story immediately & was as smitten with Yetty as I was. Major props to her. She gave me a chance in 2010 even though my style was less than traditional…fast forward 4 years & she puts Yetty’s photo on the cover. Gotta love that woman. Magical.
So we got to work. Decided to feature some of my client portraits with their pets & tell their “love stories.” Michelle picked her favorites & each client wrote a 500ish word essay. So, the deadline to go to print happened at the same time that Dukey’s blog post went viral. She adjusted the timing a bit for me & we made it in time. Thank you xanax. They are magnificent, OMG. And what a wonderful time to share Yetty & friends & all they represent with you.. Magical.
Enjoy.
XO,
RA
It seems Dukey is not finished speaking. This time his words came through dog trainer extraordinaire Crystal Dunn of Austin, TX’s Leaps N’ Hounds. Wow. It’s the rest of the story. Reposted with permission from Crystal & Dukey’s family as a follow up to I Died Today.
XO, RA
Before Duke Died, He Lived.
Duke fell into the most unlucky group of homeless dogs out there. Big, black, and senior; statistically he was known as “least likely to survive” in the shelter world. This is because there are more large, black, mature dogs killed in shelters every year than any other type of dog.
Thanks to some great people in the area who work hard to save dogs like him every day, Duke’s story starts with a miracle win against terrible odds. He was given a foster home, a cute adoption video, and the opportunity to steal Jordan’s heart with his handsome dog smile.
The most frustrating thing about seeing dogs like Duke get overlooked in shelters is that they are often nearly perfect. I see families adopt puppies and struggle with pesky puppy behaviors every day. Sure, puppies are adorable and chubby little sweeties, but they grow up in a matter of weeks into big, destructive dog-sized puppies. Raising a pup from scratch is not for everyone. People can be fickle and quick to give up on them, even though our version of good behavior is a learned skill set for dogs. It takes time, money, sweat, and sometimes even tears. For this reason, if a family is going to surrender a dog to a shelter, statistically it is most likely going to happen between the ages of five months to a year. These are families who would be much happier adopting a mature dog – like Duke.
Duke was beyond all that pesky puppy stuff. A calm and mannerly gentleman, he would never chew couches or jump on people. He didn’t need a kennel, he always eliminated outside, and he wouldn’t even think of stealing your underwear. He was the ideal dog for a family with children and other dogs, and the epitome of why dogs like him deserve a chance at life. He hadn’t done anything wrong. His first family divorced and abandoned him. He was cast out of the only family he had ever known.
It is a somewhat selfless act to adopt a dog with possibly less than half of his life left. Thankfully there are people like the Roberts Family that see the wonderful side of adopting an older dog. A dog like Duke blends into a busy family much easier than a young, needy puppy. The benefits outweigh the downside, ten fold.
Jordan and I had known each other for a while when she found Duke. I was hired to train their spitfire Min Pin named Brinks a few years before. She and I quickly became friends and we kept in contact after I moved to Austin. Then she and I got pregnant at the same time. While I was trying to figure out how I was going to manage my hectic life of dogs and people, Jordan was entertaining ideas of adopting a big dog. This came as no surprise since she is the type of person that drives a foster dog two hundred miles across Texas in mid-Summer, all while eight months pregnant.
She wrote to me after discovering Duke:
“I watched this [adoption] video three times today while sitting in traffic… I just sat there watching and crying…. Chris has already decided to nickname him Dukey. It’s just meant to be.”
I was happy to help her with Dukey’s adoption any way I could. My biggest concern was how her dog, Brinks, would deal with a new big dog in the home. After all, even the world’s most well-behaved dog may have a hard time getting pushed around by a Min Pin who harbored a serious Napoleon complex. No offense to Brinks, but he had gotten quite used to his life of luxury with their subservient Italian Greyhound, Nuni, as his faithful minion. A big dog was going to shake things up in the Roberts house. Add to that Jordan’s soon-to-arrive daughter, Elliott, and there was plenty of reasons to proceed with caution.
Everything was fine at first with some preparation, but within a few weeks the issues started to surface. Brinks and Duke were getting into spats over food. Duke warned Brinks by grabbing him with his mouth a few times, which scared the daylights out of everyone. Then Duke started guarding Jordan. He was very protective of the pregnant human that had shown him so much kindness. His bark was big, his size was intimidating, and no doubt he could destroy Brinks in one chomp if he wanted.
Jordan wrote to me, scared for her family, detailing the scenario playing out in her home.
“I’m just nervous. No one seems happy. It makes me ill. Poor Duke. Poor Brinks.”
Nuni & Duke were fast friends. Unfortunately, Brinks didn’t share in Nuni’s adoration. My heart sank. I could hear the doubt coming through her email. Dog trainers can easily become jaded with humans, especially if you work in rescue. I am no exception. I’ve seen far too many people suffer from Bad Egg Syndrome when it comes to their dogs reacting aggressively in any manner. Many people assume that a dog’s behavior dictates who they are, permanently. “They must be a bad egg. Gotta get rid of them.” They fail to realize that people often facilitate aggressive situations in their homes without realizing it. All dogs behave this way if they feel they must. If we are willing to learn and change our behavior, we find that most dogs have no desire to behave aggressively at all. My job wouldn’t exist if this wasn’t true.
I urged her to consider working through it and started pouring out advice to my friend. They can be helped and taught to think differently, I encouraged. It just takes some work.
Here is where Duke’s next chance at life happened. Despite a baby soon to arrive, Duke’s intimidating size, and the lack of time they had to work on these issues, the Roberts family stuck by their commitment to give both dogs a happy home and settled into the idea of making some changes. Getting these two very different dogs past their issues was a tall order and potentially risky if they didn’t follow the training protocol. I live three hours away, so I could only be present occasionally. Most of their training assistance happened via emails that started with sentences like, “this is a long one. Get your coffee.”
There were management protocols for safety, training exercises, and changes in lifestyle for everyone. They worked through the dogs’ battle over resources, taking ownership of these things and teaching the dogs a better way to win their food, toys, space, and attention. But that was just part of it. If the family was going to make it through this, they would have themselves to thank in the end. I could tell them how to get there, but only they could make it happen.
Needless to say, the Roberts family was successful in finding their balance. Brinks and Duke learned to accept each other. The dogs actually stabilized quickly, and life felt normal and happy again. The family even continued to foster other dogs. Baby Elliott was welcomed with wags and affection without issue. Then her little brother, Dax, eventually joined the pack too.
Duke and Elliott bonding over baby snacks. It wasn’t long after everything settled that the family found out about Dukey’s cancer. After learning that he would need an amputation and chemo, they were crushed. The incredible amount of debt they would experience while trying to give him more time, albeit with no guarantees, was mind numbing.
And then another amazing thing happened. An unknown benefactor came forward to fund Duke’s treatment.
Three legged and a little worse for the wear, Duke mended thanks to this kind person who asked for nothing in return. No one knew how long he had been in pain. Forever the gentleman, he just wasn’t the type to complain. However, it was clear as day when the pain subsided. His temperament improved, and he joyfully got around on three legs like he never needed the fourth to start with.
Nurse Nuni helped Duke mend after his surgery in the best way she knew how: cuddles. Duke’s story really is wonderful – not just in death, but in life as well. He overcame staggering odds again and again. He got a second chance at life when he was rescued, a third chance when his family didn’t give up on him, and a fourth chance when he survived cancer. With so many lives, we wonder if Duke may have been part cat.
In return he proved to be a pretty magical dog. The kind of dog that would let a toddler brush his teeth. The kind of dog that his groomer loved so much, she actually took him out on dog “dates.”
His family’s love for him, pictured so clearly on his last day, helps us cope with the loss of our own beloved pets. Duke’s life can teach us how to be better people for our dogs. Because a dog deserves a kind and dignified death, just as much as they deserve every chance at life that we can give them. Only this way can we even begin to be worthy of such canine loyalty, devotion, and love.
Farewell and thanks, sweet Dukey. You are dearly missed.
It’s been approximately 3 days, 12 hours, & 41 minutes since we said goodbye to Dukey. What has happened during this time is nothing short of a million miracles.
First, I’d like to say that many people commenting on the blog post believe that Dukey belonged to me. I’m a photographer, animal rescuer & advocate in Houston, TX. Dukey’s Mama is Jordan, a dear friend of mine & rescue partner. I was just there on Monday for moral support & brought my camera along. When I walked in & saw the hamburgers on the counter I knew some special things were about to happen. I just felt it. Funny, Jordan told me yesterday “I don’t even remember you taking pics. All I remember is you holding my hand.” Praise God for realzz cuz that’s the kind of friend I wish to be.
So, I’ve watched Jordan handle Dukey’s death with sparkling grace. And she must have read my blog post from Monday morning & learned quickly from my mistakes (wink) because it’s clear that she let him “go” in a timely manner. Blessings & messages from Dukey started happening so quickly.
To date, over 100,000 people from around the globe have come to my website to read his story. He has affected many lives in the most profound ways. Oh, did I mention, the post crashed my website & it’s server & the fine folks at Folio Websites worked their geeky tails off to get me up & running again with my own shiny new server? Yup, Happiness!
Yesterday I received an email from the editor of a very popular UK page who said, “Been sitting at my desk crying like a baby over this post.” And then he asked if he could share the story. Also wanted to know more about Dukey, how he lost his leg, etc. So, I asked Jordan to do some writing…
Dukey joined our family when we were expecting our first child. Shortly after our daughter’s first birthday, Duke was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. He quickly underwent surgery, to remove his leg, and chemotherapy. By this time, we were pregnant with baby number two.
Duke’s treatment was successful.
Just after baby number two, Duke had a swollen shoulder, right at his amputation site. This diagnosis was hemangiosarcoma. His tumor was growing rapidly and we were out of options. He would rally during the day, but his nights were increasingly uncomfortable as his tumor started to separate his ribs. We struggled with the decision to let Dukey go, but ultimately did everything in our power to protect him from further pain. With the help from our friends, Dukey had a beautiful day filled with love and happiness. We should all be so lucky.
THEN she wrote:
This is so hard to do right now, Robyn. I keep staring at my blinking cursor. I have too much to say about him and our lives together. It feels clinical and cold to just talk about how we got here instead of how he was so patient with Elliott when she’d used Chris’ toothbrush to clean his teeth. You know what I mean? I need help with this. I’m not finding my words still. Xoxo
I grabbed these pics off her facebook page from when it happened a few weeks ago. She posted them with the comment, “Note to Chris: Don’t use this toothbrush anymore.”
The last time I was at Jordan’s house was when she was pregnant with Elliott, Baby E, as we liked to call her. We had a blast doing an Awkward Maternity photoshoot with her hubby Chris & italian greyhounds Baci & Nuni, which you can see a bit of here on an old blog post. Wow, thanks google. LOL.
And how is E handling Dukey’s death?
“She gave him a big hug on Monday. We talked about it before I dropped her off. She still asks where he is. She knows he’s not coming back. She is just asking to see if my answer changes. I told her how much I miss him and am sad and that we can talk about him whenever she wants. She said she wants him back home. I said yeah, me, too.” —Jordan
Somehow I think there will be more…but I’ll say bye for now…
XO,
RA
And I ate a lot of hamburgers. We had a party.
And I laughed.
And I thought about how much I’m going to miss it here.
We told jokes.
We were serious.
My friends from next door came to see me. They’re twins. When someone offered them one of my hamburgers, one said, “No thank you. I don’t want to take any from Dukey.”
Kristen came to see me. She’s a hoot. She’s my groomer. And my buddy.
While we were waiting for the vet to come Kristen said we were going for a walk. Then someone said, “How about a play in the water at the splash park down the street?” So off we went!
“You know I’m going to miss you, right?”
“And you too, right?”
“I need you to help me watch over my family.”
“Did you hear me? This is all I want!”
We got wet today.
We smiled today.
We felt grateful today.
We broke the rules today.
I listened to the kids play off in the distance. And thought about my two babies at home. I loved protecting them.
I relaxed today.
I felt no pain. Even though the tumor grew so big.
I felt the love today.
I said goodbye to my beautiful friend Kira. She “saw” me standing over everybody before the doctor said it was time. I was excited & jumping & happy.
Well, I didn’t say goodbye. I said ’til we meet again.
God, I was lucky. Our time was short. But you both gave me a second chance & we lived it up together. You love when I look at you. I’ll never stop.
Always,
DUKEY
**07/09/14 Dukey’s Mama Jordan just found his adoption video from almost 3 years ago. It sealed the deal for her. Don’t put the tissues away just yet. Here’s the real Dukey!
So, then I lose 3 of my babies in a short amount of time. Boy, how’s that for God throwing some curveball lessons?
You’d think with my psychology background I’d be better at this stuff. But psychology experience is only one part of me. I’m jewish, remember? LOL. That means that my parents worked overtime to protect me from experiencing anything uncomfortable when I was young. I think death was difficult for them too. I know it was. And they didn’t want their kids to hurt…so there wasn’t a lot of talk about the process. It’s all good. Love them to pieces. This is my journey now. I wanted to be better at it…on some level I suppose…
I’ve learned a lot in the past 2 years. And knowledge is power… Two of my friends/clients lost their dogs unexpectedly this past week. Today I will be joining another while she says goodbye to her soul dog. I didn’t hold Maya as she went away. A friend needed to do it as I was in the fetal position in the corner of the vet’s office. It got easier with Beau. Then with PJ. I’m not a pro now…& I never want to be. But I know my support today is important to my friend.
What I know about doggie death, dying, & grief:
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The time spent worrying about them leaving steals from the time you give them while they are here.
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They leave when their mission is complete.
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You can love again & again.
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Experiencing death with your heart makes you stronger. You can overcome your fears. I’m living proof.
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Letting them go when it’s time is the most selfless thing you can do.
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Your soul is in your pet. Just look in their eyes & you will see it.
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Loving hard means you will lose hard too.
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Grief is only temporary.
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They do come back. But you have to let them go first.
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Animal lovers are a super special breed. Accept the love & support when you really need it. It’s ok.
—
XO,
RA
Another blog post with none of my photos. And no photography tips. Sorry. Another story needs telling.
On August 14th 2013 I received a call from Anju, a former client, telling me about a dog in distress that her husband Cory had just crossed paths with. He went to see a client in their home & saw a dog in a neighbor’s yard chained to a crate with no food or water. A rottweiler. Missing hair, skin & bones. She sent me this pic.
We first discussed reporting the neglect, but the county that would be assigned to the case does not adopt out rotties, so he would have more than likely been put to sleep if they were actively involved. Cory & Anju wanted to take matters into their own hands & asked for my help. I reached out to my good friend Mona who is a huge rottie lover & has lots of experience working with them in rescue. Anne with St. Francis Angels agreed to take on this medical case for 8 weeks. We raised the funds for his care.
Cory received permission to rehome the dog the next morning, rushed him to the vet, & then named him Hank.
I posted this that afternoon:
“He was breathing, but unresponsive when Cody arrived. He is in an advanced starvation phase where his body is feeding off his muscle. Miraculously, his blood profile was basically normal and he is heartworm negative, so his primary issue is hookworm anemia, starvation, and sarcoptic mange. I will pray for Hank & for the people who loathe themselves enough to allow this to happen. It’s very sad…but that does not change our job (as rescuers).”
“His treatment plan will be obviously be one of feeding a highly nutritional calorie dense food, dewormings, and injections for his sarcoptic mange. In spite of his past he wags his cut little bald rottie nubbie and bears no grudges. He should weigh at least 85-100 pounds, but currently weighs only 59 pounds.” –Anne
An update from Anne a few days later:
“Hank has gained six pounds in less than a week! He is now eating eight cups of food a day reduced for the original ten. Rapid weight gain is not ideal in a starving dog. He has figured out the doggie door and splits his between his room and his patio. He loves his one on one time and when it is time to come in from playtime he beats us to the gate. He does not want to be forgotten outside.”
Then another:
“Hank, now referred to as HANK THE TANK continues to make wonderful progress!!! After 4 weeks of medical care & TLC he has gained 26lbs and is absolutely gorgeous!! Thank you so much for helping me help Hank!”
8 weeks later. Posing with his rescuers Cory & Anju.
I was working on several cases at the time & didn’t get a chance to meet Hank in person. But one person was there the whole way. She was his biggest cheerleader & couldn’t wait to bring him into her home to foster until we found him a forever place to be. It was Mona.
Hank never left Mona’s home. He fit like a glove & they were all smitten with each other. He soon became an ambassador for Mona’s new project: Pulling puppies from shelters (namely BARC) to transport to places like Colorado where there is more demand than supply for adoptable pets.
Hank LOVED the puppies up & entertained them while staying in Mona’s home for a week or two waiting for travel.
And Hank loved Mona’s prides & joy…her grandkids!
Hank played with literally 100’s of puppies in the past year. Mona is one of RPM’s (Rescued Pet Movement) most active & respected fosters/volunteers.
Hank wasn’t feeling well last night & Mona brought him to the ER. Tests revealed he had stones in his bladder & urethra & they recommended surgery immediately with a specialist. As Mona was about to transport him to Gulf Coast this afternoon, she received word from the vet that Hank had stopped breathing in his office.
Mona is devastated tonite.
After I spoke to Mona I contacted Kira of Intuitive Pet Care. I had to understand why he came in with such a blast & left in the same way.
“I feel his heart. He came into her life to help ground her through and help execute her project. He came in as the stability force she needed to lean on through everything. His gentle patient strength helped balance her impatient passionate emotional drive. He came in to help lay the FOUNDATION. He is a layer of DREAMS. He sealed the project and had to leave once it HIT ground. He WAS the ground before it actually could hold it’s own ground. He helped bring so much balance and heart into everything.
He doesn’t want her to feel like she’s alone in this; he is VERY MUCH still present and acting as her guardian angel now.
Because he won’t leave her side if he feels she needs him HERE.
He can better fulfill his guardianship from spirit now…”
RPM has recently secured a building that will become a temporary shelter & a small vet clinic to offset some of the costs to run their program. The board members spoke today after hearing of Hank’s passing. They plan on honoring him in a beautiful way. One of the puppy isolation rooms in the new building will soon have a plaque in his honor; called HANK’S HEART.
RIP You glorious angel. We pray for Mona’s healing & strength. And send condolences to her husband James & the rest of the family. Please help me lift up one of our sisters. It’s her turn to accept the TLC. XO
And for more Hank & friends, please visit my facebook page.
Houston’s got a dirty little secret. 1.2 million homeless animals live in our city. You’re about to meet one who no longer calls the streets home.
On November 12th, volunteers for a rescue group were out feeding homeless dogs when she approached them. Clearly abused, neglected, & abandoned…& needed help immediately. A plea went out with these heartbreaking photos on facebook in hopes they could find a foster home.
Shawna told me that she called them right away without even thinking. “I was horrified. My heart sank and I wasn’t sure if I was going to be the help she needed. The night I took her home I sat on the floor and just cried with her.” A few days later, the group decided to find another foster with no pets. They weren’t sure yet if Kellan had been involved in dog fighting or used as a bait dog so they decided to proceed with caution and not put Shawna’s small pets in danger.
My good friend Michael was recently separated from a 17 year relationship & living alone. The day the plea for a new foster went out he said to me, “She needs me. And I need her.”
I got the idea to do a BEFORE photoshoot with Michael & Kellan the day after he brought her home. I “saw” the befores & afters in my mind & it just had to be. Special thanks to Sally Wheat, interior designer extraordinaire, for loving the idea of putting them in a swanky setting too & loaned us her amazing home literally, on a moment’s notice. She was instantly smitten with Kellan & gave us full run of the house.
“Fostering literally saves lives. She is a perfect example of that. I hope it reaches someone who has thought about fostering a dog but hasn’t committed to it yet.” –Alicia
Michael & Kellan. Soon a force to be reckoned with. I enjoyed visiting them often & reported her fab progress along the way.
She finally gained enough weight to be spayed & we made plans for the AFTER photos so we could list her for adoption. By now, Michael & John had reconciled & that meant they were going back to live in their home with two chihuahuas. I was a worried mess! Would she want to eat their little dogs? How did John feel about this? And Michael told me it would all be fine. And it was.
Shawna was with us on the photoshoot at their house. It was bittersweet. “Kellan is truly a special dog. I have never seen a dog full of so much grace and kindness. I hope that her forever family understands the enormity of Kellan’s life, what her story means for all of us involved in her journey and how special they are for choosing the most amazing dog. It will have to be a family worthy of such greatness and who understands that more than them “saving” Kellan, I believe she will be saving them. She has so far with every life she has touched.” –Shawna
Of course she adores her current family. She adores everyone. Michael is a man of his word. He loves Kellan & committed to nursing her back to health to prepare her for her new life. She is now available for adoption.
She is an amazing angel. I just don’t know how to tell you…
“Well, my work is done here now and I’m tired. Bringing Michael and John back together was my first trick. I’m ready for more!” Love, Kellan
ALL QUESTIONS, ADOPTION INQUIRIES, OR TO FILL OUT AN ADOPTION APPLICATION, PLEASE VISIT KELLAN’S PAGE BELOW:
http://www.adoptapet.com/pet/10205123-porter-texas-dogo-argentino
7/22/14 UPDATE: Kellan has been adopted by a wonderful family! She is currently living the life in Pennsylvania! Here she is riding home from the airport. :)
Today my page is dedicated to telling a Christmas story. About love, devotion, & family. But I suppose I need to start from the beginning…
Paulette & Annette. Best friends. Business partners. Identical twins born 2 years apart…
Their lives have been filled with all the finest things life has to offer. Traveling the world together, loving the arts, meeting amazing people, & saving the lives of many animals have made everything even richer…
Earlier this year Annette was traveling out of the country & wound up in the hospital. Diagnosis was a broken arm. And pneumonia. She got a bit better & came back home to rest.
It was cancer. What would happen in the months to come was even more unbelievable. Starting with an amazing series of graphic art by Paulette to express her roller coaster of emotions. For months they were a team & a positive force to be reckoned with. They vowed to beat it. Together.
Let me rewind a minute…
2 years ago I spent the day with Kelle from Forgotten Dogs of the Fifth Ward Project. A skinny white dog came running across a huge field to greet us. He was very sweet & needed help, but if you know the “bridge story” you’ll remember we had bigger fish to fry that day.
Annette & Paulette saw the photos I posted here that night & Paulette asked me to take her back to where we saw him the next morning. And there he was! Happily got in the car & we were off to Gulf Coast for his first treatment of many over the last couple of years.
Here’s Paulette with Bob aka Bosley in much happier & healthy times last year. He’s an important part of the story…
Paulette & Annette have rescued so many dogs together & they have donated an ungodly amount of their income to the rescue, care, & medical treatment of so many others.
Annette’s cancer treatment continued with her sister by her side.
Then awesome sweetheart Scooch went to heaven.
Then their precious Pooey The Poodle died.
All the while, the sisters were caring for their mom Eloise who had Alzheimer’s. I had the pleasure of meeting her a few years ago when they brought her in for portraits. She passed away in their home peacefully only a few months ago.
Bob turned out to be an incredible soldier & nursemaid to Eloise. He never left her side in those final months.
Why was this happening to their beautiful family all at once?
Then the news came. Paulette reported, “We found out my younger sister, my best friend, my favorite and best person I have ever met, kindest most ethical and genuine human being ever made….has no more viable options for treatment of her cancer. She is terminal, and has entered hospice in our home.”
Paulette & I have been discussing a visit. She wanted me to capture this time which we finally did last Sunday morning. I was so saddened to hear that the night before my visit they lost another pet. Berkley, a gorgeous beagle mix had died of old age in their home. Besides Bob, Hermoine is the only other dog left in their home now.
“There is no doom nor gloom, we know love outweighs loss, and life goes on even when we are missing the life we have loved and lost. They say expect three months. But no one knows. We take each day and love.” –Paulette
In true Super Bob fashion, he was a lovely host during our visit…
…& he hasn’t left Annette’s side either. He signed up for this mission. That’s why he showed up that day & jumped in the car like he was saying, “Geez. I’ve been waiting on you guys. What took you so long?!” Incredible.
So sorry, but there isn’t a happy ending to this story. Unless, of course, you pause for a moment to consider what the Universe has planned for Paulette. Annette’s life will live on through her in the lessons they learned together & the wisdom her sister showered on Paulette daily. She is an amazingly talented doll designer & artist who has told me she would like to pursue her art more seriously once she has time to devote. Whatever it is, it will be magnificent & I can’t wait…
XO,
RA
This one is long too. And the photos aren’t the best. And I curse a lot. And I’m not apologizing for it. Maybe one day I’ll write that book I keep threatening to, but for now it’s another blog post…
Having enough wits together right now to tell you what I know so far. In all it’s raw ugliness. If I don’t do it now it risks never being done. I take pictures & I write & it soothes a bit…but again, there’s a story that deserves to be told. Her life will not be in vain, dammit. And there were secrets.
Got the speediest course in the last 24 hours. A life course. A death course. And the complicated crap that gets in between.
Have you ever known someone with a serious mental illness like schizophrenia? They can see & hear things that other people can’t. When I used to read patient’s charts at the hospital they revealed the same histories over & over & over…abuse, neglect, trauma, lack of support. Interviews brought details from past lives sprinkled with religious themes & paranoid delusions. Yes, so sad. Some could be helped but others will suffer forever. Society is so ashamed…used to lock these people up in institutions for years. Families are shamed & shameful. They all have a dirty little secret.
Clinicians care for patients in these “conditions” but sometimes it’s too much. Sometimes they take on the unsettled energies of the ones who count on them for help. Sponges in spirit. They give…& it takes from them too. Sometimes if you can’t fix this horrible pain & despair & living nightmare it takes a toll. So you try to teach coping skills. Play soft music. Bring peace in ways maybe they weren’t aware of before. To make their lives less hard to bear. But you know those lives will never be what they truly deserve.
PJ had a hard life before she was abandoned on that dirt road. I don’t know the details of what she endured, but I felt the pain loud & clear. It’s better if I don’t know. She watched 2 of her puppies die when they were run over by workers rushing to their job. The last one, Pinto, was adopted by PJ, the guy who alerted me that they were there & worked up on the tower at the end of the path.
About 6 months ago I got a call from PJ’s wife. She explained that Pinto had become aggressive towards other animals on their property & could I help? If I couldn’t then “the worst” would have to happen she said. Well fuck no I can’t help! I’m busy rescuing other dogs & dealing with my own shit & hearing that PJ’s only surviving puppy was also aggressive & about to be killed was all too much to take, so I was rude & hung up as quickly as I could. Then blocked it out of my mind. Until now. A dirty little secret.
PJ was schizophrenic. She was OCD. She was on the autistic spectrum. She never got over the loss of her babies & the trauma of watching them die. She suffered abandonment. She was sweet & loving. More affectionate than all my dogs put together. Only 2 nites ago she laid on her back with all her legs spread out & head cozy on my thigh & I tickled & massaged her fat piggie belly for over an hour while she lay quiet & didn’t move an inch & I whispered to her knowing in her deafness she couldn’t hear me but on some level I know she could. I’ll never forget that moment. I hope there’s an angel assigned to piggie belly rubbing up there.
But the last 24 hours was different. There had been a series of aggressive episodes leading up to this point. She was forced to stay in her crate because it was too dangerous for me to let her out. I needed to make a decision quickly. And I did. But not without the help of some kind people I know. Seems there are more little dirty secrets than I ever knew about. Rescue is a weird world. People outside of the bubble don’t know what goes on & what needs to be endured. Because we love them & feel put on the planet to protect them. And they don’t ask for a damn thing. Ever heard a deaf dog in desperation? Here you go…& this was nonstop despite how many sorted drugs I pumped in her in hopes she could rest one more night here.
I reached out privately last nite to several rescue friends. Was so confused & inexperienced with this sort of thing. Maybe there was a stone I hadn’t turned? Maybe there was another country place she could stay? Allie wanted to take her back but the owner of the land she stays on refused & said that it was too much of a liability to have an aggressive dog there. And who could blame him? Allie & I have spoken daily since PJ came to live with me. She was very supportive & so hopeful for a good outcome. But I realized last nite that Allie was MY angel. She kept PJ alive for ME by providing a zen environment free from the distractions that plagued her…which was most things/objects out of the norm…& kept me happy knowing I could visit & not have to be faced with making a decision.
PJ was not rehab-able. Allie told me straight up she would always have to be “managed” & I could never trust her with other dogs or most situations outside of her small space. I’m sorry if my last post eluded to the idea she was now perfect after her time at Allie’s. She was country institutionalized. So if Allie was my angel, I needed to be PJ’s. They don’t make big girl panties big enough. For realzz.
So, back to my friends…the ones that gave me the strength last nite. Here’s some excerpts from conversations I had. It was like loving poetry popping in my inbox through the nite. Sharing here because I just know someone else will need to hear these things…
“There is one thing worse. A dog who has never known love left to die in the street. That is worse! She is loved, you are listening to her and she will go to sleep in a warm loving place.”
“I feel despair sometimes because there are so few places to “put” animals who need help. When one has particularly bad issues, and we’ve done all we possibly can under the circumstances, we have to also remember the safety and wellbeing of other people (those who may agree to take her in) and other animals including that of ourselves–I know you love her, but you cannot have a dog in your house like this.”
“There are times that I say out loud, “What the fuck am I doing?” On the nights I get home late from work and I have to clean pee from my incontinent senior cat, then clean vomit from a dog, then make sure this dog gets meds, take everyone out, feed them, then…you are right, it is a blessing & curse.”
“It takes so much more courage and love to be able to call it then to keep a dog alive so we don’t feel the pain. She wasn’t OK at Allies. She was not faced with anything.”
“As rescuers we do what we can, we give our best. We are always going to be the ones with other dogs. If PJ were a human, she would have to go into an institution. I am not a fan of killing–I can’t even kill bugs. But I do believe there is such a thing as humane euthanasia and that there are worse horrors. What if you were not here tomorrow to care for PJ? What would happen to her then? No one would be able to take her on. And she would be mistreated because no one would understand or love her the way you do. I know this is not easy and it shouldn’t be. You are preventing worse things from happening to her.”
“She came back to the one person who would advocate for her…and be that strong for her.”
“I know the end of the story. But I adopted them anyway because my life with them in it, even for a short time, is better.”
And then there was my Kira from Intuitive Pet Care:
“I love you soulsiSTAR you are amazing. We know it, the animals know it, the universe knows it, and I hope YOU know it. You are not alone in your experiences, your feelings, your thoughts. You are LOVED and supported more than you know. There is no wrong decision when it is coming from your heart. You always have and always will do the best you can to make sure the animals are taken care of. Be gentle with yourself and always remember the decisions you make are perfectly guided in every way. There is more that you will see later.
Let the tears flow to move out toxins and heal emotional undercurrents. This is good…ALL of it. The divine plan doesn’t always have to feel divine to prove its existence. Everything will be OK . I know you’re wondering when things will smooth out and it seems like it’s one thing after another but please trust you are going through A LOT of healing and transformation right now. Don’t let it add to your shell but instead let it serve to BREAK It. OPEN your heart through the pain. Don’t close it (PJs lesson).”
And finally, Sue. We were in brownies & girl scouts together in NY & our rescue work got us back in touch a few years ago. She is a veterinary tech & was coaching me on the doses of meds every hour to try to help PJ relax:
“I’m home all night. I can stay up with you if you need me to.” Cue: ugly cry, again.
This is sooooo not about me, but… I can tell you that making the decision to euthanize your otherwise gorgeous & healthy 3 year old dog is more painful than the dictionary has words for. Like someone is slicing all your guts up while you’re awake & have no strength in any of your limbs to fight back. Helpless? Shit. That would be putting it mildly. Paranoid? That you made the wrong decision which is so final that you just can’t fuck it up? Yes. Regretful. Pissed. Confused. Blessed because you knew them & you loved them & they loved you & you wish that was all it could be & it still was but it’s not. And it won’t be ever again. Not in this lifetime anyway.
God, I wish my time would come sooner. I just want to hold them all again. The 3 babies I lost in a year. And if you think that makes me sick & suicidal for wishing & hoping & thinking about it then fuck you too. I don’t have children. And I don’t know why God made me a crazy dog lady. But that’s what it is. It’s real for me, so judge all you want cuz I ain’t listening…my shoes are Jimmy Choo & your ass can’t afford to walk in those bitches anyway if you got something to say about it. I’m blessed. And I know it to the core of my being, I know it. She came back to me from Allie’s so she could sabotage shit so I would be the one to give her this gift. She is with her babies again. The voices are gone. No one can ever hurt her. Not even one more time. No more muzzles. And I’m letting her go so she can be back with me in spirit as soon as she’s ready. Yup, another dirty little secret.
So 2 angels came this time. 8am at my house this morning. Dr. Flores & Christina. They won’t want me to go on & on about them & I will respect that. But just know what they did was extremely loving & brave. Our heart soldiers in this crazy mess. By choice.
I felt the moment PJ’s heart stopped beating. My dogs stopped barking from inside the house. No trains. No construction noise. And PJ was forever quiet & I noted that moment you could hear a pin drop in the big city. She was at peace & we gave her that gift.
“Oh this horrible wonderful life of mine. Crying & laughing. Loving & hating. Peace. Fear. Hope. More lessons. Friends who are soul sisters more than anything. They get it & are with me in the most profound ways. Several of them, so I am the luckiest most blessed girl in sadness tonite. Wow it humbles me to the core. Makes no sense in so many ways. But we keep marching…” — Love, RA
Some of you are familiar with PJ’s story. Here’s a recap, what’s happened since “the video,” & what’s about to happen. This post is painful to write…both physically & emotionally…but her story needs to be told. (BTW, it’s long…& most are less than fantastic iphone pics taken with adrenaline charged hands.)
CHAPTER ONE. The RescueIn the early morning hours of June 28, 2011, I received some information about a dog & her 3 puppies that had been dumped on a remote dirt road in a county just outside of Houston. We arrived about 9:45am. The mama dog was guarding one of her puppies by the fence who lay dead just under the main gate which led to a tower where my friend worked. We spent about an hour trying to lure her closer with treats. She ate the treats but kept running back to her post by the puppy.
She found an open spot on the fence & got through it. I thought we lost her at that point, but she wanted to smell her baby. It was so heartbreaking.
Only one of the puppies survived. He was full of fleas & had a deformed paw.
County animal control wasn’t much help. They said if they came out & they caught her, that she would be taken to their shelter & homey don’t play that. The owner of the land called Ivan Smith, an inspector with the local police department, & he came right over to help us. From the other side of fence, he was able to get a rope around her neck & pull her through the hole back to safety. She was very scared. Here he is trying to get her in the crate so we could take her to the vet.
Ivan is also an animal rescuer. He built 3 hidden cameras himself on this land where dumping of heavy trash & animals are a huge problem. He grabbed the cameras & we watched the video in his truck. What we saw was totally horrifying.
He captured photos of the perpetrators’ truck, but the camera missed the men & the license plate. We’ve heard different stories & received a few leads since then, but the perps were never caught. These images are forever etched in my brain.
Ivan & I became good friends & we went on to rescue other dogs abandoned on the same road.
CHAPTER TWO. The Fan ClubWe named her PJ after my friend who alerted us that morning. Mange, heartworm+, & the trauma of being abandoned & then seeing her babies die had taken a toll. This pic was taken back at the studio after our visit to the vet.
We also realized at about Day 3 that PJ was deaf. So we started training her with hand signals as best we could.
After several days of decompressing in my studio, she started coming out of her shell. What a great personality! Everybody wanted to meet her. There was a whole album on facebook of her fans coming daily for visits & kisses.
She was so happy & we were working on getting her well enough to be ready for a new home.
Then one day a friend of mine was over playing with PJ. When the friend stepped closer to me to take a measurement for a project we were working on PJ bit her in the leg. That’s when things got complicated. For months we worked with different trainers & she did well with no further incidents, but then she developed a strange obsession with objects. It started with brooms & mops. She would stare at them then attack them. It was scary & I felt helpless. The general consensus was to put her to sleep. But I loved her & the thought of it made me totally sick inside.
CHAPTER THREE. The MiracleThe next day I received a call from a woman named Allie Keaton who is the founder of a non-profit organization called My Service Dog. We met the previous year when I was hired to take photos for an article in Houston Pet Talk Magazine. She needed some information & then we got to gabbing….turned out she was a photographer in her former life. Then the chat turned to PJ, as the situation was weighing heavily on my mind that day. Was hoping maybe she had some good sound advice because I felt like I was being forced to make a decision I didn’t want to make. (Here is Allie with her service dog Nick who actually trains the puppies to become service dogs).
After hearing PJ’s story, she told me on the phone, “I am committing to you & PJ right now. If it takes 2 weeks or if it takes 2 years.” (It almost took the latter). The next nite PJ & I headed out for a weekend in the country. Our luck was about to change.
Up until this point, I was very outspoken about using only positive based training methods. But desperate situations sometimes call for desperate measures. I had to agree to let Allie do it her way for this to work. Watching her wear a prong collar for the first time was hard, but Allie explained the reasoning & I actually tested it out on myself. It looks scarier than it actually is & simulates the mother dog correcting her pups with a firm nudge. When I found out 2 days later that PJ was walking around an obstacle course of 10 mops & brooms outside with no problems it made me very happy. She was quickly doing things I never thought were possible…& all around cattle, cats, & other dogs.
I visited them as often as I could in the months to come. Allie’s work with her day after day, month after month was all in the name of love & rehabilitation. Miss Thang is super intuitive & was able to figure out what would work best for PJ. Eventually she learned to relax & just be a dog, without the weight of the world on her shoulders. She felt safe. And Allie became our angel.
CHAPTER FOUR. Coming HomeSure, I was hoping that she could stay with Allie forever. She loves it there & they both adore each other. But it takes a lot of time away to place service dogs with their humans, so we both thought it best to make this change.
I just lost Beau. My hands are filled with pain. I’m behind on my work. I could go on & on. It’s just never a good time for these kind of changes, is it?
My good friend Michael is building a temperature controlled indoor/outdoor kennel on my property. PJ will have her own space once again, but it will be apart from my other dogs. This will be a one day at a time deal. PJ is amazing. So, we never know what tomorrow will bring.
Yes. I’m tooting my own horn. I practice what I preach. PJ’s life is worth fighting for just as any other life on this planet. It’s taken a lot out of me & Allie & many other people. There have been sacrifices, tears, anger. But we keep fighting. When one thing doesn’t work, we try another. The commitment to her was made the day I rushed to that dirt road like a bat outta hell. I look forward to sharing new chapters with you soon…
—
NOTE: My Service Dog is currently in need of some assistance to finish their schoolhouse. It would mean the world to me if we could get their building up & running so Allie can continue her amazing work for so many in need. Please feel free to make a donation in PJ’s name or in the name of your loved rescue dog. Here is the direct link: http://myservicedog.com/donations.html Thanku. XO
Sleep wasn’t about to happen last nite & the words just kept appearing in front of my eyeballs. So, with the gospel music blaring, I thought about how many soldiers made up our #lovearmy this past week. Wow.
What happened:Beau, my 10 year old catahoula mix & oldest of my pack started acting a little different, but there were no solid “symptoms” that brought us to a vet. But I had a bad feeling. Turned out his condition was rare & came on fast & furious. The seizures he had were not of the epilepsy variety. Rather, they were caused by either fluid on the brain or inflammation of the brain; a condition with no options for treatment in a 10 year old dog. (But I loved all the suggested treatment paths by dog loving friends; my favorite being the homemade marijuana oil.) Violent & horrible to watch. No worries, I will spare you the details.
I had 8 more days with him after the first one. On the last day he had several, which is more than anyone should ever have to endure in a lifetime. He didn’t know who I was for a couple of weeks & was confused & afraid & tired most of the time, refusing to come out of the safety of his crate most days. If you are interested in seeing some of what we were dealing with, I have posted videos here & here of what would happen between seizures.
I have lovingly built the richest empire of a network when it comes to dog stuff. Man, I’m so lucky, especially at times like this. I want to share our experiences with you & some links in case you need to call on any of these people in the future. There are also several angels I need to acknowledge & virtually hug today…
Here goes!Jen jumped in her car at midnite 2 Fridays ago to drive us to the emergency room after Beau’s first seizure. Thankful too for Sunset Blvd. Animal Clinic’s new 24-hour care program. Ironically, the owner, Dr. Young, was Beau’s first veterinarian after me & Maya adopted him. Then she was back at my house last night texting from the parking lot, “Not stalking you. Just here if you guys need company.”
Dr. Huddleston from Westheimer Bellaire is the vet who saved my foster Joe’s life from distemper. I brought Beau to see him & he knew right away what was going on. He offered a referral for extensive testing, but was frank with me about how stressful running them would be & likely inconclusive due to the very clear textbook symptoms Beau displayed. He was available by cell phone the entire week & I absolutely friggin’ adore him.
Mattison is my voice of reason in life & in business. She was a major league Beau fan. (OK, the truth is she sees the rest of my pack as “patients at the asylum”…with Beau as their warden, I suppose! LOL.) Went out of her way to see him last week & give him some sweet goodbye messages to take with him on his way.
Regina watched my dogs when I went out of town a few weeks ago & told me about a slight change in his personality then. She paid her respects this week too. Positively one of my favorite people on the planet.
Biological & soul sista Dawn insisted on bringing my 2 young nieces on Saturday after Pocketshots to say goodbye. I was tired & frustrated & maybe not so nice. Maybe. 😉 But she loves my pretty & unpretty parts just the same… & basically just ignored my inability to be grateful at that moment. This morning I received this photo from my 3 gypsy girls with a note:
“Soleil, Emonni & I said a prayer for you & Beau-Beau this morning. We lit Lavender incense to honor his peacefulness and loving requests for relaxing belly rubs. We told him we’re happy he’s healthy now & enjoying “alone time” with Maya once again. We asked him to bring you peace while he watches over you with Maya… We love you Rob.”
The rest of my pack were beyond patient & sweet. Each went right into their crate every time I asked while Beau had the run of the house. One of the symptoms of this disorder is aggression, so risks of harm to all needed to be minimized.
My parents may not understand my strange dogsworldlife completely, but their support & love means everything to me. In the good times & the bad. Forever.
Catherine from Paws Memorial was an angel in Maya’s passing & again with Beau. Their personal service & careful protocols & sweet extras are beyond a godsend for a grieving pet parent. By the time I got home yesterday, she had already sent this photo of Beau’s paws/tail artwork as a keepsake for us.
By & By Memorials by the same rad company who makes Fetching Tags created Maya’s special box for her ashes. They will create another original for Beau.
Teresa runs a very busy rescue & a business, but she drops everything when I need her, for realz. She was the first one I called 3ish years ago after realizing Beau had eaten a coffee soaked dish towel & only thrown up 1/2 of it. There were complications after the obstruction surgery & he stayed in the hospital 5 more days refusing to eat just to make matters worse. The surgeon discharged his depressed little butt in hopes he would eat at home. Teresa came right over & rubbed stinky tripe on his gums to stimulate his wanting to eat again & he had a full meal of chicken after that. Yesterday she drove us to Paws Memorial & was there every step of the way for which I am totally grateful.
Dr. Moore with Foster Creek Veterinary is Teresa’s badass vet out in Richmond & met us to end Beau’s suffering outside on the Paws Memorial property. It was a beautiful & peaceful place under a patch of trees. He is a genuine & very kind man who loves animals bigtime.
Ria Loves Beau. I love Ria.
All the love & support from clients & friends & family lifted me up yesterday. We are surely ONE.
The day after his first seizure I reached out to Kira of Intuitive Pet Care to see if she could have a little chat with my boy. OK, that’s not true. It was more of a hysterical text message asking “if he was going to fucking die?!”
She told me that Beau wasn’t responding with a definitive yes or no, but she felt a sense of overwhelming peace with him. He told her that he was pleased with the work he had done here in this lifetime. In hindsight, she likely knew the truth then, but gave me just enough information to take with me over the next few days as it all played out.
Last nite Kira sent this to me. Her gifts continuously stop me in my tracks. Luckily for us she writes daily on her facebook page. A stunning reflection, yet again, of the perfection of a dog’s love:
“His belly was a source of calm for you. A source for gathering your thoughts and feeling like everything really is ok. His gift to you as he leaves is peace. He is giving you a sense of peace you have never felt before because it is in his spirit that you can feel the FULL extent of the peace he instilled in your life when he was alive. As he walks into his spirit you walk into an even more peaceful existence.
It is in his transition to spirit that a chapter of your life is complete. Leaving his body marks the beginning of a new dawn. Another sign you are moving towards a more peaceful way of life. It is a rebirth of habits, a celebration of memories, a death of resistance, and a reunion of souls. The love you shared together is now part of the love you bare to the world. It is greater, more powerful, and a love forever transformed.”
Just so you know, here is one side of Beau’s tag. It’s a personalized Fetching Tag made 10 years ago & he lived up to greeting everyone on his back for belly rubs all the years since.
Guess it’s time to design the next memorial tattoo. Here’s a peek at Maya’s on my arm…with LOLA’s puppy paws.
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xo
I’ve had my eye on her for months. Ever since she heard of the white boxer at the cemetery that we were unable to catch…she wrote me right away…said if I could find a foster, she was on her way out there to assess the situation. So many rescuers…but she’s different. A dog whisperer, perhaps. Call her what you want… but the bottom line is she’s got freaky skills & her gifts are called upon for the toughest of cases.
A retired nurse & modest woman…become independent rescuer…just minding her own biz…but now on a mission to save & protect “The Forgotten Dogs of the 5th Ward” in Houston.
Meet Kelle Mann Davis. RockStar.
It happened pretty quickly… I mentioned that I’d love to spend the day with her sometime…& after I convinced her it didn’t matter how icky her car was…she said, “how about tomorrow if it doesn’t rain?”
4 of us went in Kelle’s car at noon today…met on the east side of town. They had a list of things they wanted to accomplish. First up was a call from Barrio Dogs about 3 puppies near a ravine. The man that heard them crying was supposed to meet us there…but he was nowhere to be found. So, we started walking. Should have worn my boots today…
We were walking a couple of stories above the ravine…it was terribly steep…i’d say close to 90 degrees…& the dirt was mud…you get the idea. The thought of them being close to the water scared me…had no idea how we’d pull that off without being in serious danger.
Then they made some noise…2 lil’ shits in the bushes. Aren’t they cute? They came over pretty quickly when the food came out. But, that was just 2 out of 3 puppies…
The puppies were eating & we turned around to see a skeleton of a dog in the distance. Kelle walked in his direction…they met each other half way…he was a friendly guy. He got a meal out of one of the many bags of food in Kelle’s trunk. This continued to happen throughout the day…dogs appearing out of nowhere…TONS of them.
And then we were off the find puppy #3…
There was an abandoned bridge about 1/4 mile up the road. It all happened really quickly… I heard a peep, looked over…& I couldn’t believe what I saw!
I turned around to call for Kelle…& this is what I saw… A neighborhood street…with people walking & cars passing…right next to a dead dog on the road. It’s commonplace in these parts of town. Very sad…but true.
Also wanted to show you…on the left side of photo is where the walkway towards the puppy is.
Without 1 ounce of hesitation Kelle was running for the bridge. As soon as the puppy saw Kelle, her tail began to wag!
Can you even believe this shit?? And btw…it was a miracle in itself that my 50mm lens captured this…no telephoto today.
Then she friggin’ swoops down & grabs the baby!!! Sherry was waiting for Kelle to pass her up. Unbelievable!!!
So, our first mission was just about over… Insane!
So, then the guy who originally found the puppies showed up with a crate. The next puppy came out of the bushes & Kelle got him pretty quick. The 3rd & final puppy was a different story… Let’s just say he gave her a run for her money. But all ended well. And this gentleman took all 3 home to foster temporarily through Barrio Dogs, Inc.
Then the ice cream truck showed up. Totally weird. So, the girls got Kelle a creamsicle for her troubles. HaHa. We were soon off to make the rounds. Here’s one guy that Kelle visits weekly…she knows the owners & drops off dog food.
We went to visit Oleta. She’s 90 years old & told Kelle she’d like to sign a form that would give Kelle rights to her dogs if anything should happen to her. Unfortunately, she wasn’t in the mood to discuss today…she had just rec’d bad news from the doctor’s office…
Please don’t let all this work be in vain. I am an animal advocate before I am a photographer. So, I hope these photos inspire you to reach out & do more. Your skills can fit in somewhere in the animal welfare community…I promise… If making a donation is how you’d like to contribute…then you may do so here:
http://peopleforkristi.chipin.com/fd5thwp