zantana

Its always so cute isn't it - to walk into a pet store - to see all the cute little wiggly pups begging for attention. Ah we think what sweet little puppies. Some go to the high class "designer" dog stores and pay up to $4,000 for one of these puppies. They take them home and think they must have come from a sweet home where the mothers and fathers loved each other and the owners took such great care of them - well its a nice fairy tale but a tale nonetheless. Let us waken you to the cold harsh reality of puppy mills that supply pet stores and yes even the co called "high class" designer dog stores.

Before you read further take the time to visit these links so you know and are aware how cute little wiggly puppies in the stores are raised. How their parents have to endure years of torture and ill health.

Now after waking to the world of reality let me tell you about a project that many of us are joined in to STOP Breeder kennel close out auction dogs going to these puppy mills and especially the Amish puppy mills.

I battled joining in this endeavor for many years thinking that it only caused the breeders to breed more dogs. Sadly this is not true. The puppy mills have realized the profit in breeding dogs literally to death as we live in a society that wants the tiniest dogs (regardless of breeding and health issues) and will pay the most money. Then I rescued my first mill dog. She had no life in her eyes - no spirit - was scared to death of people and had lived 10 years in a wire cage - her feet so damaged that she could barely walk. Her had hardly any hair - her body was so ravaged for multiple births that it was almost deformed. Before she died in my arms she at least knew some love - but had been so over bred that she had an infection that had coursed through her reproductive glands and since untreated as so many are spread through her whole body. It was then I realized that a part of what I did with rescue and rehab had to be involved in saving these dogs. I never cease to be shocked at the dogs that come to me after an auction. You see I choose to take those that are old, blind, deformed, deaf, and yes my friends they are still breeding them so that people can see the cute little wiggly pups in pet stores.

We attend the auctions and watch - its sick to watch an auction - to see mothers torn from pups - pregnant mothers held up in the air like a piece of meat. The Amish and other puppy millers bid like crazy. And we stop them as often as we can. The dogs then come to the Sanctuary and I have never ceased to be shocked at their condition. Skin issues - last time one so bad that under the neck was nothing but pus filled infected skin. A little Japanese Chin female with an eye infection so bad we lost the eye. We rehab the dogs - vet them - and then work to get them social - in the end we try to find them homes where they can finally see how a dog is suppose to live - what human touch is - that it can be beautiful and not painful. What it feels like to have fresh water every day and fresh clean food every day - what it feels like to lay in the lap of a human and feel nothing but pure joy.

Can you help us? There are many ways to help. Perhaps you can foster one of our little mill dogs - maybe adopt one - or maybe if you do not have the time or lifestyle to be a parent to one perhaps you can help us with transport - getting the dogs from Missouri to us. Perhaps you can help us fund this mission. The costs are sky high for sure. Its not just the cost of the dog and the transport but also the cost of vetting these dogs - perhaps you can sponsor one or help us raise the funds for the auctions by doing a fundraiser. Perhaps you may have supplies that you would like to donate - towels, blankets, bowls, food, collars, leashes, things you might not think anyone would want might be helpful to provide for these babies and our other dogs at the Sanctuary that so many have would rather forget about. If so please contact pdorsey@sanctuaryanimalrefuge.org

The Sanctuary and the other rescues involved would like to thank all those who help us in this effort. At times you may not get a quick response and thanks but know that because of you the 60+ mill dogs that have been rescued this year from your help and our efforts are now safe. We hope to save many more in 2007.

If you would like to help by making a donation to this cause checks can be mailed to STOP MILL DOGS - Sanctuary Animal Refuge 210 N Palomino Street - Clewiston Florida 33440 - or you can send a donation via paypal

Here are some pictures of our dogs that arrived March 6, 2007. Some are looking for homes - The little black poodle only a little over a year old is blind and so tiny maybe three pounds. All need love and care.

This little guy is a long haired chi - he is scared and has a skin issue but that will be easy to heal compared to healing the pain in his heart. 5/20/07 This little love is in a new home now and very happy

This little Shiba Inu is a doll but scared of life. She needs a home of her own where she is the only dog 5/20/097 Finally our scared little girl is going to a home the end of the month we are all happy for her.

These two little three month old Sheltie girls are adorable and not tainted by the life of mills as some of the adults are - yet they still have some effects. We are thankful to have saved them from a life of torture. 5/20/07 Both of these babies have found new homes.

Mon Petite is just that very tiny - and totally blind. He is a doll very skinny and a love. Scared when you touch him but we know that he will get better in time - Coal had changed much - he has mapped the house and the dogs all love him - we are still hoping to find him the right home

This little poodle did nothing but laid curled up in a ball - finally after three days she is coming out and doing a little better.

We were able to save another pup a little lhasa pup who is adorable. He is social already and just needs to find a home to love him. The little Maltese in the background has been bred too many times and is wanting to trust but still leery of people.

One of our seniors - Cindy who has him sent an email this morning telling me that he was like a man who had gotten out of prison after 25 years - Amazed at life - looking at the sky - maybe seeing life for the first time.

This girl is pregnant - very pregnant. Cindy has her as well and will deliver the pups and then she will have a life of peace and quiet.

This little Spitz boy is a doll - but this picture represents his life. Now we hope to give him a new one where he will be able to lose the look of pain and mistrust.

The following dogs arrived two weeks ago and you can see they were not quite as good looking as the ones above.

The two chins that came with the infected skin and the eye infection are darling - beginning to come around. As you see the picture remember this is two weeks after we got them and the skin is beginning to heal - you cannot imagine how horrid it was when we first got him. The little girl in the back is the one that will lose her eye and is already blind in it simply by not treating a simple infection.

This is suppose to be a two year old standard poodle. Well he may not be but he is finally coming out of his shell. He came with an eye infection for which he has been treated and hair that is unreal - we still have not gotten him to settle in enough to let us clip him.

These are three of the six huskies we have - the old mama has a tumor on her side and they are all very fearful. Here I am in their pen trying to show them that we will not hurt them

This is one of the five cockers we received. All are getting very friendly and looking for homes.

These are three of the four boxers we have. The old mom and pops have been bred too much but are becoming great dogs. All are looking for homes.

They came to us with tags around their neck like cattle at an auction. We always like to include the tags with each adoption package to remind the families that adopt them of the life they had and were doomed to. Its a special way to let each family know that is blessed to save one of these babies that what they did was a great thing. Just as it is important to save the abused and battered dogs we do these mill dogs have endured a life that society wants to ignore.

A note from Touzer one of our mill dogs that has found a new home - these letters I get from new parents often give me the strength to keep doing what we do

Hello, Mama Palena,

Thank you for rescuing me from the auction and the life I had in the puppy mill and taking care of me.

You aren't chopped liver - I don't even know what that is. You're awful special.

Don't think of me as going away. I just came home.

My real Mommie said it was a wonderful myth that might come true that I would have a home - that mean a place where I really belong and people who cared about me and would let me be a real dog. And that I would all the care I couldn't even imagine. And, that I would do all the things carried down through very short generations of dogs' memories that we are meant to have. Things like clean water in clean dishes, my own dinner dish, my own collar, my own bed and that I could walk around and lay down where I like, and that I could play, what ever that is, in a yard and run and that I would sleep in my own mess. I would be loved and petted and talked to and given a name. My very own name. Like a real dog.

I guess I'm getting my Mommie's myth come true. She's a nice lady - I could tell. She says she's my new Mommie. It was a long way home. I have a home - no cage! I have friends - "brothers" who look like the ones I really had. Rufus wants to play, he says. He's only a year old but he's been here for 4 months. Shiraz is not supposed to play; he's a little older than me and hurt his back. Doctor's orders - whatever that is. I have bowls of clean filtered water and ice. I don't know about this ice stuff yet but Shiraz and Rufus really like it so I'll try. I have my own dinner dish - but I didn't eat much, I don't know, it was just so different, everything is. I have a new collar. I'm told I'm going to get a tag with a telephone number on it and a microchip! I have a bed. I can trot around the whole house and sniff or just lay down wherever I want. I can walk and follow the Mommie around. Rufus wants to play - maybe tomorrow - when I learn how to play little dog games. The yard was something else! I just trotted around and around with my nose to the ground - so much to sniff! I lifted my leg on some things outdoors and that's OK; the Mommie doesn't think I should do so indoors, particularly on my bed. She says I’ll learn. So much to learn!

And, most of all, I have my very own name – Touzer.

The Mommie says it’s from the word “tousle”, to ruffle hair, like my ruffled fur. She says it was the name of her grandmother’s first dog and she wanted to name a dog Touzer. She said she wanted a dog named Rufus. Now she has both.

I think I’m getting the care my Mommie said I couldn’t imagine, because she couldn’t imagine it. My nails got trimmed. When she trimmed my paw fur the Mommie discovered that I have dew claws and they were growing in. She found the hurt in my back paw pad. It’s old. I just don’t like it touched. She thinks it’s swollen and will get better. She trimmed my ears of the mats and snarls. Then she gave me a bath with oatmeal shampoo. Then my ears! Wow that made my hind legs shudder. She said they were dirty. And, she washed my eyes with special stuff too – everyday she said.

The Mommie said that was enough for one day. I didn’t care, whatever she wants to do. I was worried about the bath – memories. But I’m ok. Tomorrow when my fur is dry, it gets a “razor trim” for the sporty look and my teeth start getting brushed. I’m told I have to take vitamins for small dogs. Whew!!! She says I’m a little ragamuffin like Rufus. But, she says we’re perfect just the way we are. She also says I’m going to wear my tail out. I don’t think so.

When the Mommie put me on the little bathroom chair to wash my eyes I didn’t really know how to jump down. I don’t know how to jump up like the others, either. They get on the furniture – which is all new to me. I guess I have a lot to learn. I’m willing and I’ll do my best. I do know how to give kisses.

Thank you for saving me, Mama Palena. Thank you everyone else for taking care of me and getting me to where I belong – home.

Tail Wags & Kisses,

Touzer

a.k.a. Charles

5/20/2007 Two auctions are being held the weekend of May 24th. We will be there - if you would like to help us please donate to bring more dogs out.