May's TLC Volunteer of the Month!

Melissa and Shelby, who Melissa nursed
back to health after being VERY ill

It is with great pleasure I congratulate Melissa Gilmore - TLC's Volunteer of the Month for May, 2014!

I originally met Melissa at the Simi Valley Spay & Neuter Clinic and we got into a conversation... She expressed the desire to get involved in our rescue and shortly thereafter, Melissa joined us a regular volunteer.  

Gravitating towards working in the back, Melissa has rapidly learned our procedures and protocols.  She had to quickly learn how to administer meds, to know when a dog or puppy should be seen by our vet and just basic tough cleaning procedures to prevent cross contamination and sick puppies.

But beyond that and why she is nominated this month?  Melissa consistently goes above and beyond to make sure dogs and puppies are not dying on her watch.

Bottle feeding Liv

Recently we got in a litter of orphaned Kelpie puppies three to four days old.  Bottle-feeding newborns round the clock is an exhausting task to undertake, but three at one time?   I've done it - it is like climbing Mount Everest and back... sleep never ever seems so sweet as when you have been deprived of it for days on end - trust me!

None of these puppies should have survived, but all three did.  Liv, Bosco and Camryn owe their very lives to the care Melissa gave to them.  It won't be long now before this litter will be spayed/neutered and go up for adoption.

And had it not been for yet another dedicated TLC volunteer like Melissa, the world would have missed their gentle spirits and loving natures.

Congratulations, Melissa - you have been a valuable asset to TLC and we deeply appreciate all your hard work and passion!

Update on SnuSnu... (aka Rescue Juice 102)

Time for that magic dose of Rescue Juice that keeps us rescuers going... The moments that tug at our heart strings and regenerates us to keep on fighting the valiant fight for No-Kill in our county... We took an old timer named SnuSnu and having seen our vet, opted to find him a long term foster instead of euthanizing him... So I put out a special plea... 

A kind-hearted Sim Valley resident, Cindi, stepped up and offered to foster SnuSnu... This morning, she came into the rescue shop at Simi Valley Town Center before we opened and met SnuSnu in person... 

The TLC volunteers on shift all have been gushing about the unbelievable interaction between SnuSnu and Cindi this morning... 

And these are folks that have a LOT of hands on experience with dogs... Volunteers who have seen a ton of human interactions and the exchange between dogs and unfamiliar humans they have just met...   

SnuSnu absolutely MELTED into Cindi - the first time we have seen that since we pulled him out of Camarillo shelter... SnuSnu absolutely curled into her body and was truly happy, happy, happy!

THIS is the stuff 'Rescue Juice' is made of... When we save a dog's life and see we made the right decision...

Thank you, Cindi, for opening up your heart and home for this precious little guy!

Thank-you from PandaBear!

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Spaw Day today and helped to raise money for PandaBear's  life-saving surgery!  TLC raised $1,305 prior to yesterday... Then with 6 hours of dog bathing by some very committed (and now wet) volunteers, groomers and bathers, 28 dogs got 'spaw-a-fied'...

She needed $2,000 for her surgery on May 2nd and the Spaw Day brought in $682 - pushing the total to $1,987 collected!

Thank you to EVERYONE who has helped to save this dog's life!  A special thank you goes out to the Simi Valley Town Center Merchants Association and the Center for supporting this effort as well!

Thank you for recycling!

Thank you for gathering up your clean recyclables for TLC.  Today Paul and I sorted through about 3 weeks of recycling and when done, it was about a full truck bed.  Once taken to the recycling center, enough was recouped to save another dog's life!  
$121.48

Special plea for SnuSnu...

We are in need for a long-term foster (or even better - adopter) for a very special old guy... 

His name is SnuSnu and he just came back from seeing our vet... SnuSnu has a heart murmur and needs to take meds daily... He is 16 (and not 12 as we though), but there is still a LOT of healthy loving and life left in this old guy...

Pretty much deaf, he sees like looking through a shower curtain in his left eye - but none of these reasons are reasons we believe he should be euthanized...

I myself have two old timers that are just about the same at my house and they are not trouble at all...  They send time sleeping most of the day and night, get their treats and cuddles like everyone else..

But I cannot foster another old timer and have found that allowing nature to live out its life is a very rewarding passion - so I am offering it to others to enjoy as I do...

What SnuSnu needs is someone with a serene and slow paced life style...

Someone who will love and care for him because they themselves care about raising the quality of life and lowering the kill rates of unwanted and homeless pets in Ventura County...

SnuSnu is small (less than 5 pounds) and is very content to hang out in his bed most of the day, trotting out when he needs to go potty - in other words, this is NOT a dog that requires a 5 mile walk every day!  This is not a high-maintenance challenge for anyone - this is just a nice dog whose owner chose to surrender him to the shelter system... If we all did this, our human species would all be exterminated at the age of 55... Which is about SnuSnu's years in human time...

SnuSnu will be very content just to be hanging out with a human that has a low energy style like his own... He won't care what channel on the cable you watch nor will he argue with the kind of food you choose to eat nor the hours you keep... So some of us, this could be a 'dream-come-true' kind of dog, ya know?

Standing

Caught mid-yawn

Are the person who can love this boy and care for him, allowing to live out the next few years of his natural life as it was intended to be?  If so, please come in and see SnuSnu at the rescue shop (Simi Valley Town Center - #587), email us at tinylovingcanines@yahoo.com or call us at (805) 527-7283.

Nellie Mellie

Dear Auntie MaeMae,

I hope this email finds you healthy and doing well.  How have you and the ladies at church been doing at bingo?  I hope Miss Sarah's ankle is doing better.

I wanted to tell you what I have been doing - I have been fostering for a small dog rescue recently.  And it has really been a lot of fun and rewarding.  

I fostered this momma dog I named "Nellie" and at first, she was NOT a happy camper.  She was pregnant and had two puppies in the carrier when she was coming to the rescue.  Then during the night she had a few more and oh my goodness, Auntie MaeMae - they were SO tiny!

Nellie Mellie (as I call her) was not a very friendly momma at first, but after a time, she realized that I was the source of all the good stuff coming her way - she REALLY liked to eat and had all those babies to feed.  It was so nice to watch them slowly grow up into nice puppies.  And Nellie Mellie became so friendly and loving.  

She's really not a very big dog at all and as soon as she felt OK leaving her puppies for a bit, she was out and about - exploring the back yard and patio.  She made a best friend in Ralph pretty quickly - after all, he's the one who is most likely to be found sitting in his recliner and watching TV - you know Ralph! 

Nellie Mellie turned in to be a very 'kissy face' little dog.  She always has a waggie tail to greet you and just wants to be loved.  All of her puppies grew up and got adopted at the rescue shop.  Now it is just Nellie Mellie who is looking for a good home.  Could you talk to some of the ladies at the church for me and see if they are interested in adopting her?  Nellie Mellie would make a great companion for someone and she gets along with other dogs.  She'd even make a great family dog with children around (or grandchildren).  

She is some kind of a Terrier mix so she doesn't shed hair as much as many other dogs do.  And she's potty trained, so please tell the ladies they couldn't find a better little dog to adopt.  She hands out kisses like they are free and I know - you always tell me that nothing worth having is ever free, but I promise you - Nellie Mellie's kisses are free and delicious to boot!

Hoping you can help me find Nellie Mellie a home!

Your favorite niece,
Rescuing Rita

P.S. Here's another picture of her loving up on Ralph - he's SUCH a ladies man!

=================================================
Special Note on Nellie:
She is now available for adoption and waiting for her new best friend at the rescue shop - http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/28341373

Honoring DiDi

Losing a dearly family member, at least for me, has always been an intense time of soul searching beyond just the emotional pain... Years ago, I thought I had all the answers but the older I become, the more I realize I do not... I guess the more you get to the end of your mortality, the more you question how the world works... 

After all these years, I've come to the conclusion that if you are VERY lucky in your life, you will know the love of 4 or 5 GREAT dogs in your life... Your family dog was there to play with you, comfort you in times of sadness or feeling alone, but you usually didn't have the full responsibility of financially providing for them or even 100% of their care... Parents make the decision as to whether you have or don't have a dog, whether the dog stays or not (sometimes depending upon your efforts to clean up poop and/or take care of feeding them, etc.)... And if you happen to have another GREAT dog as you go through adolescent years, count yourself among the blessed folks... 

But as an adult, we are too busy getting our own lives in order or on the right pathway... Social times cut into the time we spend with our dog... Moving, changes, college, work - anything can diminish the time we spend with a dog and as such, they don't always turn into great dogs... 

Once middle age hits us, we seem to take a whole different perspective about what makes a great dog and what doesn't... We seem to finally 'get it' and realize the full ramifications of owning a dog and what the responsibilities really are... And in turn, we will find at least one or two GREAT dogs before we too pass across the Rainbow Bride...

But when we lose a dog of ours, it hits us much harder and much different than when we were a child... 

Years ago when I lost a GREAT dog I loved dearly, a rescue friend told me that God calls all the best dogs earlier - He needs them to help the other dogs across the Rainbow Bridge who are having a hard time making it across... 

So today I pay honor to a GREAT dog that I was privileged to save as a rescuer, a dog that found a great furever home, but who has passed across the Rainbow Bridge now... I know in my heart DiDi is there now with my Rogaine, discussing things and getting caught up on the past few years...

I know Rogaine is proud of the rescue that came to be because I made him a promise I would save at least one dog's life every month in his memory... He is probably appreciative of having a female sidekick in DiDi to help the other dogs that are struggling across the Rainbow Bridge... 

In my mind's eye, I can see them kicking back when their shift is over for the day and hanging out on a couch somewhere... I'm sure BooBooBear and Abby come around to join them on the couch as well...  BillyBoy probably announces his arrival with his infamous yodeling... 

But I am just as sure that ScudderButts and BeeGee were there before anyone else, claiming the primo, softest doggie bed before anyone else arrived at the end of their shifts...

The water is cool and pure, the food is amazingly good and the beds are the softest ever... And there is no pain, no sorrow and lots of laughter and sharing of great memories... And special sun-bathing salons just for the Chihuahuas who love to do this so much!

And in my idea of Heaven, there is no poop for us humans to pick up either!  No shelters, no bad dogs and only great ones... Hopefully there is a fantastic dance floor there and country music is streaming nonstop!... 

A rescue friend of mine says we rescue folks are the luckiest of all for we get to meet, save and celebrate so many great dogs finding their furever home along the way... That as hard as it is to know we can't (and won't) save them all, the celebrations of each one as they passed through our lives is enough and there is no amount of compensation or feeling that matches the rescue feeling... I have had the privilege of meeting many GREAT dogs and owning a few, so I am grateful to be a rescue person and having known DiDi along the way.... 

And so, DiDi, give a hug to Rogaine and ScudderButts for me... And for us that are left behind, let's celebrate the joy that DiDi gave to many of us in TLC when we held her wedding long ago on 11/22/10:




Love,
Linda

It takes a community....

Humans are not solitary creatures... While we do require a bit of our own personal space, we thrive best in community settings... Two thirds of Americans own a pet and do so because of the additional creature comforts they render to our lives... And so, by and large, our community here in Simi Valley has at least 60,000 pets if statistics ring true... 

But it STILL takes a community to save a dog's life... Such is the case of Alfee, a sweet boy that recently ended up in Ventura County Animal Services' facility (VCAS) at Camarillo... Adopted as a pup, he was surrendered by the owner to them recently, not having a seen a vet in at least two to three years.... 

While I cannot speak for VCAS, I would imagine their budget would not allow for expensive surgeries like the one Alfee needed.  He had a massive growth of tissue and bone that had grown up from his lower jaw and was displacing his teeth. I can only begin to imagine how uncomfortable this must have been to simply eat or drink:

Not adoptable, we choose to save Alfee's life, get him out of the shelter and somehow raise the funds to get his mouth squared away... However, it was just not TLC that accomplished giving Alfee a new lease on life - it was a community of humans that did this:

• VCAS for making the decision to not euthanize upon surrender by the owner
• Simi Valley Town Center for granting a location to TLC to run Ventura County's only full time rescue shop
• Dr. Amsel and the Simi Valley Spay & Neuter Clinic for consultation and Xrays
• Dr. Betty and Dr. Koss of Caring Hands, who offered a discounted cost to TLC for the surgery
• TLC volunteer Kathryn, who did all the necessary pre-op visits and blood work
• TLC volunteer Jerri, who offered her home as a temporary foster while Alfee recovered from his massive surgery
• A few Simi Valley residents who heard of Alfee's plight and the need to raise the needed $600 to have the surgery (a special thank-you to the three residents who donated towards his surgery! ♥).
• While we did not raise the majority of Alfee's surgery costs, TLC did not stop in our commitment to give Alfee a quality of life he deserved.

So, no... It is not just one person or organization that takes a dog with little chances of having a quality life, but a multitude of folks in our community that make this happen.  Yes, it is just one dog and his life, but it is a great example of what CAN be done if we all just pull together and make it happen!

Alfee is a sweetheart and GREAT dog - he deserved better than he got from his previous owner.  Alfee gets along with everyone, and has been such a patient fellow - from 4 hours to initially demat and clean him up by the TLC volunteers upon his arrival - to undergoing painful surgery without any fussing - to the 2 hours to be professionally groomed after he recovered and ready for his 'glamor shots'.... And onto finding his furever home now...

I am reminded of the quote "Mr. DeMille, I am ready for my photos now!" (or something like that)... Allow me to present the new Alfee!

Thank you to one and all who made this happen for Alfee!

Sincerely,
Linda
Director, TLC