Category Archives: Foster Feature

Foster Feature: Gina

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Today’s foster feature is Gina. She was next to be euthanized at the Brenham Shelter so the manager there asked if we could network her to find her a home. We sent out the picture of her in the kennel and although True Blue Animal Rescue foster homes are all full they came up with a plan to save this beautiful yellow lab. They contacted Kathryn Kwiatkowski of K’s Mutt Hut in Brenham and asked her to help. She offered a discounted boarding fee just to cover her care. Kathryn runs a wonderful boarding facility in Brenham, but she’s a rescuer through and through. She’s always rescuing animals and can’t look away when asked to help. The members of True Blue Animal Rescue chipped in to cover her board for several weeks. This will allow time to get her vetted and up for adoption.

If you or someone you know would like to adopt this sweet girl, please share or email us at [email protected]. Please help buy Gina another day by paying for a day of board. Go to t-bar.org and make a $10 paypal donation with a note to let us know it’s for Gina.

Thank you to all the wonderful people who donated enough to get her out of the shelter and a great big thank you to Kathryn of K’s Mutt Huthttps://www.facebook.com/kmutthut for taking care of her and giving her a chance!

Foster Feature: Honey

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Today’s foster feature is Honey. Written by Shellie Bellinghausen.

TrueBlueAnimalRescueFosterFeatureHoneyI got tagged in a Facebook post for a dachshund and a chiweenie (chijuajua/dachshund mix) one Friday evening recently. Yes, I’m THAT dachshund lady that everybody tags. A shelter in a town two hours away had an emergency situation and had to find homes for some of their dogs ASAP, or they would be put down Monday morning.

I replied to the post and started emailing with the shelter that evening. Their sheriff’s office had seized a large number of dogs that day in a cruelty case, and it took up half the shelter’s kennels. The kennel these two dogs were in was tagged for euthanasia. The dachshund was a year or two old, and the chiweenie about five months old. Two young and healthy dogs, perfectly adoptable.

Thankfully the owner of the dachshund claimed him on Saturday, but the chiweenie was still there. So TBAR pulled her from the shelter, and since we had an event all day Saturday, I met a transporter half way on Sunday to get her.

Turns out, the “chiweenie” hasn’t got a lick of dachshund in her, but is probably a corgi mix (shorter legs/longer body also). She showered me with kisses from the moment I first held her. Adorable hardly describes it. I named her Honey since her fur and her eyes are honey-colored.
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The sad thing is this precious little puppy would have had her life ended prematurely because this shelter, as do many across the country, had limited space and was greatly over capacity. Some of
these shelters have kill rates as high as 85%. Let that sink in. 85% of the animals that come in to some shelters die there.

Now before you get angry at the shelters, please know that the majority of the people working at these shelters are loving, caring, giving people who genuinely care about these animals. They do their best to adopt them out or find foster homes or rescues that can take them in order to avoid having to needlessly kill them. But with so many animals coming in their doors, their hands are tied.

In Septemberr, TBAR received a request from a local shelter to network an older Red Tick Coonhound. We networked her for a few days before receiving notification from the shelter that she was on the euthanasia list that day due to overcrowding. Again, TBAR pulled her, I picked her up that evening after work, and we had a pending adoption for her the next morning. Annabelle went to her forever home that Friday after a quick trip to the vet. What a difference a day made for her!

The reason we were able to find a home for her so quickly was through social networking. Facebook has allowed us to share pictures and descriptions of these animals with lightening speed! And friends share these posts, who share these posts, and so on, and so on, and so on (anyone remember that commercial from the 70s?). And someone out there sees it and steps up to foster or adopt. Networking works!

TBAR has even created a separate networking page on Facebook for just this purpose, called RAIN Networking (Rescue Animals In Need). Anytime we receive calls or emails for help with animals, we post them here first, and often times we don’t even have to officially bring them into rescue because these animals find homes through this page.

So whenever you see the countless posts from those of us active in rescue, even if you can’t help any other way, you CAN share the post, because you never know when someone you know may find an animal they can help.

And just as important, you can foster through a local rescue. You may have to fill out a foster application, which only takes a few minutes, and when an emergency situation comes up (and they do often!), the rescue can immediately respond because they have foster homes available. (Just like shelters, rescues are limited by the space they have available.) The rescue covers all the vet care (and many provide food and crates), you provide the love and one-on-one attention, which socializes them.

Fosters are able to share additional pictures and information about these animals, such as temperament and whether the animal is good with children or other pets. When potential adopters read this information, it often seals the deal, and they know this pet is meant to be theirs. That’s what happened with Annabelle! Her adoptive family saw a picture of her that a friend had posted on Facebook. That picture reminded them of a Blue Tick Coonhound they had that was no longer with them. They knew Annabelle was theirs!

And Honey? Well, after seeing her pictures, my mom decided this little girl was for her (much to my surprise)! I’m telling you…networking works!!

Update: Moonshine

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Moonshine update. Here he is with the vet that pulled coggins and vaccinated him. He loaded easily and handled this new situation like a champ. Thanks again Juan Vendrell of TC Ranch Ventures for getting him to this point. Next phase will be his new training foster home with AJ Greer.

Moonshine update. Here he is with the vet that pulled coggins and vaccinated him. He loaded easily and handled this new situation like a champ. Thanks again Juan Vendrell of TC Ranch Ventures for getting him to this point. Next phase will be his new training foster home with AJ Greer.

Foster Feature: Moonshine

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Today’s Foster Feature is Moonshine by Melanie DeAeth

This beautiful gray stallion was seized in a large group of horses that had been running wild and breeding. He was about 4 years old and we could not get a halter on him so I needed to train him to be haltered and handled well enough for a vet to come out and vaccinate and geld him. I set out to do the work I love so much. There is no greater feeling than teaching a horse like this to trust. I knew I had to work with him every day so many evenings after work I ended up working with him at night, and in the moonshine. Which is where he got his name. I’ll never forget one night when I was working with him and getting him to continue to accept the halter and the pictures my husband took came out full of orbs. Believe what you will about this, I’m not sure myself, but it was a peaceful night and a night where Moonshine learned to trust and the pictures around him had orbs and our test pics around other animals that night did not. It was not raining that night either. It was my testament that working with these sensitive animals is magical work! As you can see, in the end he was haltered. I am posting some videos showing some of the work we did together too.

After Moon was vaccinated and gelded he went into a pasture with a group of geldings. He’s always been a soft and gentle soul who is searching for his special someone but needed more round pen training so he’d become a safe adoptable horse. Finally his turn to go to the trainer came and after a month with Juan Vendrell of TC Ranch Ventures here’s Moonshine accepting a halter, being brushed and he can be saddled.

The next phase of his journey will be continued training with a foster home. He should be going there in a week and we’ll hear more about this rescue horse’s journey

Foster Feature: Tommy Boy

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Foster Feature: Tommy Boy, By Melanie DeAeth
I have been doing rescue for most of my life and have watched things evolve and change over the years. One of the best things that has happened in rescue is social media. The ability to network and find a home for an animal by sharing their picture and story has led to rescue transport and placements across the country. This has helped save a lot of lives.

True Blue Animal Rescue has a Rescue Animal In Need page called RAIN Networking. When our foster homes are full, and that’s more often than not, we can’t take the animal into our rescue so we post them on the RAIN Networking page. From there others can share their picture and story and the animals find homes!

The first time I saw Tommy Boy was on Facebook. The close up of his eyes haunted me. Meanwhile, a friend and fellow rescuer, Casie Cooper, filled me in on his plight. This sweet boy was found near death and brought to the Fort Bend shelter. Shelters cannot rehabilitate dogs because they don’t have the space or the manpower. He made it to someone before he died but he was doomed because he ended up in a kill shelter that couldn’t rehab him.

Lucky for Tommy Boy, Bridget Love, a shelter volunteer, saw him and decided to do something about it. She got some pictures and proceeded to find someone to save him. The first rescue that offered didn’t have space or a foster home so they started raising funds to board him. There is a boarding place that accepts rescue animals long term but they need six months board in advance so this rescue was trying to raise $2500 before his shelter stay was up and he was tagged for euthanasia. Within a week there was $1000 in his fund. Still not enough to send him to the boarding place but enough to give him a voice and enough to cover his vet bills and give him a chance. That’s when Casie called me again and reminded me about this sweet dog who I couldn’t stop thinking about. There were a lot of people who donated to help Tommy. He wasn’t just one more starving and abused dog anymore he had a voice and I couldn’t ignore him or his sweet expression any longer.

We made arrangements for Tommy Boy to come live at my house. He took a freedom ride from Fort Bend shelter with Bridget to Casie’s house. From there my son, Cory DeAeth, picked him up and brought him to Brenham to live with us. He has puncture wounds, ear infections, eye infection and he’s very skinny. Once he gains weight he’ll be neutered and will go up for adoption. Meanwhile, you can follow his progress on Facebook page, A Walk With Tommy Boy. Like the page so you can see his progress and cheer him on.

Tommy’s story reminds us that it takes a village to do rescue and that it’s up to all of us to do what we can to put an end to abuse neglect and overpopulation. Don’t look the other way or think someone else will save this animal, do something yourself. The reward for rehabilitating a rescue animal is worth the effort.

Foster Feature: Butch Part 4

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Foster Feature from Shellie!

Butch the Dachshund – Part 4: Part of the Pack

Even though Butch had been able to see my other three dogs through the dog gate for ten days and seemed anxious to meet them, he was rather intimidated when it finally happened. He stuck pretty close by my side.

I had put Oliver’s old collar on Butch, which happened to be the same color as Oliver’s current collar. They are both black and tan dachshunds, so once they started running around together, it was clear that having the same color collar was NOT going to work – I couldn’t tell them apart without looking closely! I’d call out, “Butch, no Oliver…no Butch.” Oh my!

My three dogs really wanted to play with him, but he didn’t seem to know what that was. When he finally got to come in my room and pile on the bed with everybody, once they all settled down he jumped down, went to the toy basket, grabbed a knotted sock, jumped back on the bed, and dropped it on my tummy. He didn’t want to play…but it was like he was bringing me a gift! And once again, my heart melted as I looked into his expectant eyes.

I found out from the Animal Control Officer that Butch had been abandoned behind a motel in their small town…probably not a good area, based on how he related the story. They left his metal kennel there with a pillow in it. He would run out and bite people and run back to his crate for safety. The police were called, and they closed the crate door when he ran inside and then called the ACO. He spent the next month or so in their city pound.

Butch hasn’t shown much aggression, but he still has triggers that set him off. We’ll be working on those areas and getting him used to strangers. Over time, he’ll learn to trust that he is safe around people.

We worked on food aggression when he was in isolation, and now when they all eat together, since he is the slowest eater, my three gather around close to his bowl in case he walks away and leaves something behind. He has not growled, raised his lip, or shown any signs of aggression toward them! Makes a momma proud!!

He’s also learning to play! He will get excited and run and get a toy and bring it near me and chew on it for a short time. And he’s getting a little less intimidated by my three and will run around with them a get a little playful. Slowly but surely, he is coming around!

Butch will continue through rehab and, when he’s ready, will be available for adoption through True Blue Animal Rescue. Please go to www.t-bar.org and complete the adoption application if you are interested in adopting him or any of the other great animals at TBAR.

I’d like to give a special shout-out to this kind ACO who genuinely cares about the animals in his care and does things others won’t to help them! Through his kindness to Butch and allowing TBAR to rehab him, he has given Butch the opportunity to heal both physically and mentally and have a chance at a happy life with a great forever family. Thank you ACO Butch Schmidt of Columbus, TX! Your namesake will make you proud!

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Foster Feature: Butch Part 3

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Foster Feature of the day by Shellie Bellinghausen
Butch the Dachshund – Part 3: Isolation

When we finally left the vet clinic, we headed home. I took Butch straight to the back yard and put him in his crate. Only he would be allowed to use the back yard for a couple of weeks; my other dogs would have to use the front/side yard.

After getting my three dogs fed and settled, I moved the crate upstairs to the spare bedroom, which I keep blocked by a dog gate. The rabbit cage was in the same room, so the two had to be placed on opposite sides. My dogs were, of course, excited about the new “stranger” and got rather upset that they couldn’t meet him.

When I brought Butch inside, it was straight to the bathroom for his first anti-fungal bath with the special shampoo the vet provided. I wasn’t quite sure how he’d react and was still well aware he could attack if he got to scared. But he was an absolute angel and very patient, as I had to bathe him FIVE times before the water finally ran clean when rinsing.

Isolation was tough for Butch. He really wanted to be with me and to interact with my other three dogs. I kept counting down the days for him, but it seemed to pass so slowly. And every time we walked into the bedroom and he saw his crate, his head hung low. He was always so good to go inside, but he was equally saddened.

He could hear them barking when I came home from work and let them out. He could see them playing in the hall when we’d come upstairs. But most of all, he felt left out of all the activity. He wanted my affection and time so badly, but he could only have it for a few minutes at a time.

For me, everything took twice as long, having to do the same thing twice, first with my gang and then with him. I changed his bedding twice a day, washing it daily.

The worming granules had to be given with a couple tablespoons of canned food, and then he refused to eat the dry. I had to mix a little canned with it for a few days, and finally he got used to the dry.

He started to get food aggressive, so I took the food from him, put the bowl in my lap, and told him it was mine and that I would share it with him, but he couldn’t growl or guard. I kept the bowl in my lap and let him eat there. Well, he decided that was a pretty fair trade and, after that, wouldn’t eat unless he could sit in my lap! That didn’t last long…I know that trick!

After ten days, and the mites dying off, I gave him his third anti-fungal bath and cleaned his ears. I told him I had a special treat for him when we were done. And special it was…he got to meet my pack finally!

To be continued…

Foster Feature: Butch (Part 2)

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Butch_Foster Feature Part 2_ TBAR True Blue Animal Rescue Brenham Texas

This weeks Foster Feature is
Butch the Dachshund – Part 2: The Vet
by Shellie Bellinghausen

As we’re driving back to College Station, I wondered how the vet was going to be able to examine this very aggressive little dog. We’d have to muzzle him for sure, but I wasn’t sure if we could safely get close enough to put it on him!

About ten minutes into the drive, little Butch started whining and acting like he may be feeling car sick, so I pulled over and moved his crate to the front seat, hoping the cold A/C would help. We got underway again, and I rested my hand next to his crate so he could get used to my scent. Within a few minutes, he was whining again and pawing at my hand, pulling it toward him. We had well over an hour left in our journey, and I didn’t want him to throw up the whole way, so I pulled over again and turned his crate so the door faced me. I put a towel in my lap and, thinking to myself, “Here goes…,” I opened the door.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I guess I thought he’d be hesitant to approach me. Nothing doing! He walked out of that crate, across the console, and into my lap. He curled up and made himself comfortable, putting his nose up to my chin to sniff me. And out of nowhere, he kissed my face!

My heart melted!

This tough little boy, who trusted no one, not even the ACO who tried to befriend him for over a month, decided I was trustworthy. I told him over and over what a sweet, gentle boy he was and how proud I was of him, all the while petting him. And there he stayed for the rest of the trip.

When we arrived at the vet clinic a little while later, I wrapped him up in the towel and carried him inside. I was still cautious, knowing what he was capable of if he was scared. I decided to hold him for as much of the visit as possible to make sure he knew he was safe. When I handed him to her to weigh him, he tried to get back in my arms. But I held his sweet face and told him it was ok, and he settled down immediately.

The vet determined Butch had Cheyletiella mange, mites that cause what appears to be walking dandruff because they move around under the scales of the skin. They are highly contagious, so he would have to be isolated for a couple of weeks. He also appeared to have a fungal skin infection, probably because he was sleeping on a urine soaked pillow that he came into the pound with. This caused hair loss on his back end, tummy, and chest. In addition, he had a horrific ear infection. So this little guy had to be miserable.

As the vet gave him the vaccinations, he didn’t flinch. I held him the whole time, and he didn’t try to squirm of bite. She put medicine in his ears, which I would continue at home for the next ten days. He fussed when she drew blood for the heartworm test, which was negative, and again when he got the Ivermectin injection to treat the mites (it burns for a minute or so). Because he was behaving so well, we even trimmed his extra long nails!
I was sent home with instructions to bathe him in anti-fungal shampoo every five days for three weeks, and flush out his ears after each bath. He had to receive medicine in his ears each day for 10 days. We treated for worms over a five-day period, and he would have to have additional doses of Ivermectin each week for six weeks.

So now the real challenge…how to isolate him in my small condo from my three other dogs and rabbit!

To be continued…

(This picture was taken the following morning. He’s like a whole new dog! There is confidence in his eyes, where before there had been resignation and uncertainty.)

Foster Feature: Butch (part 1)

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Butch_Foster Feature Dog _ True Blue Animal Rescue TBAR Texas

Today’s foster feature is Butch the Dachshund – Part 1 (By Shellie Bellinghausen)

When one of our fosters advised me there was a dachshund at the Columbus city pound, I knew I had to call to see if he was still there. Yes, I’m the crazy dachshund lady…well, maybe a few dogs shy of being crazy.

When I called the city office, the lady I spoke with wasn’t aware of a dachshund but left a message for the Animal Control Officer to contact me. He called a couple days later and said there was, in fact, a young dachshund there, but he was very aggressive. He had bitten the officer, drawing blood on more than one occasion. If this had been anything other than a small town city pound, this dog most likely would have been euthanized right away,

This little guy had been there for over a month, and the ACO, whose name is Butch, was able to get him to at least let him pet him, but he still couldn’t pick him up. I was relieved to find out he was not dog aggressive, as the officer had put him in with another small dog for a little while, and they got along well.

After finding out the requirements for TBAR to be able to pull as a rescue and getting TBAR officer approval, I arranged to pick up this dachshund after our event that weekend. Even though they are closed on the weekends, Butch was willing to meet me there late that Saturday afternoon.

I had no idea how I was going to be able to work with an aggressive dog in my small condo with three other very active dogs (dachshunds, of course). Over the next few days, I kept praying God would somehow cause this little guy to feel completely comfortable with me and remove any aggressive tendencies.

When I arrived in Columbus that Saturday afternoon, I followed Butch to the kennels. As we walked to the gate, we could hear the dachshund barking at us. Once we were inside, he continued barking and growling viciously. Butch told me that several people expressed interest in adopting him, but when they saw how aggressive he was, they weren’t willing to take the chance. To me, there was no choice. This little guy needed help, and at TBAR, it’s what we do.

I brought hot dogs with me (bribery might work, I thought). But when I tried to give him a piece, rather cautiously so as to keep my fingers in-tact, he wasn’t interested. So I gave a little to the other six or eight dogs impounded there. I decided to give it one more shot with the dachshund, and this time he very gently took it from my fingers. That was a good sign, and I was encouraged. Still, I wasn’t sure how I was going to work with this little guy.

Butch was able to get him into the metal crate he had been brought in with, and I had him put a collar and leash on him that I brought with me. I figured this way I’d at least be able to control him when getting him out of the crate later. Into the backseat he went, and we started on our way.

I decided to call him Butch, after the ACO, who was a tough ol’ guy with a kind heart. This little dachshund was definitely tough, but I wasn’t sure how kind he’d be.

I immediately called the vet we use in Bryan, Dr. Thurstin at CCC Animal Clinic, and she graciously agreed to meet me at the clinic as soon as I got back to town that evening. I needed to make sure he didn’t have anything contagious before bringing him home. But how in the world was she going to examine him?!

To be continued…

Foster Feature: Sonador

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Today’s foster feature is our newest rescue horse, Sonador.

The County Livestock Officer in Austin County responded to a call and found her tied, around the neck, to a tree- both back feet tied with a rope- starving, with no food or water anywhere she could reach. He IMMEDIATELY seized her and called for TBAR’s assistance.

She spent 5 days at the vet waiting for a clean coggins report. Since this case was going to court evidence had to be collected too. Even though it was more than obvious to the vet the horse only needed food, he had to run fecal tests, full body exams and assessments to determine that she is a healthy otherwise, underweight, 10 year old mare who’s current condition was due to the lack of food.

We would like to thank Deputy Nathan Hale for removing her from this abusive home and the judge in Austin Co who awarded her to True Blue Animal Rescue on August 20, 2014. Now we can all breath a sigh if relief knowing that this sweet mare will never suffer again!

Sonador will need a few months of foster care with good food and lots of love to recover from her abuse/neglect. She settled nicely in with the other horses in her current foster home but she’ll be ready for an adopter very soon! She’s sweet, gentle, easy to handle and loads easily into a trailer. Please email [email protected] or call 936-878-2349 if you’d like to adopt. If you’d like to donate toward her vet care use True Blue Animal Rescue’s facebook donate button.