Tag Archives: Thank You

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…

Success Story: Piper

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This afternoon’s success story is Piper! Remember that mangy little dog that was found in a culvert pipe? He had been hiding there for weeks getting sicker and sicker while people who saw him kept looking the other way. Lucky for him Diane Holt saw him and vowed to save him. She captured him and got him the help he needed. Then she fostered him till he was healthy and ready for adoption. In the end Diane decided to adopt him and even though we call it a foster failure when the foster home decides to adopt it couldn’t have been a better outcome for sweet Piper because he loves the Holt’s as much as they love him and now he gets to live with them forever. Piper is one lucky boy!

Read Piper’s rescue story HERE!

Throwback Success Story: Taffy!

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Today’s Throwback Thursday is Taffy! We had the pleasure of having her visit us during open house last weekend. Here she is with her own little girl in the bluebonnets and a picture of her with her family during our open house! It always makes my day to see one of our rescue dogs with their family!

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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…

Success Story: Roy!

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Roy_Adopted_Success Story_ TBAR True Blue Animal Rescue

Today’s Success Story is Roy. He had been with us for years. He had separation anxiety and needed to be inside with people or he’d worry and pace. Being a large dog that made him hard to adopt. Then, a few months ago he met his special people and they knew it was a perfect match. Now Roy lives in a house and sleeps on a bed and has all the comforts he deserves. I ran into him and his owner at the vet for a checkup not too long ago and was amazed at how calm and content he is now. This adoption gives us faith that there is the perfect person for each of our rescue babies! Happy tails Roy! You deserve it!

Success Story: Sable!

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Success Story Sable True Blue Animal Rescue

 

Success Story Wednesday! Sable was bottle fed by foster home Simone Nicole Belotal until he was old enough to be adopted. Bottling babies is very difficult and many kittens don’t make it. Sable is one of the lucky ones thanks to Simone. Now Sable has been adopted! Here he is with his forever home and best yet, this is Simone’s Mom so she’ll get so see Sable lots of times and know he’s being loved and cared for! One of the best possible outcomes! — with Deborah Petrosky.

Foster Feature: Piper

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This weeks foster feature is Piper. Here is his story written by his Foster Mom, Diane Holt, who didn’t give up on this little guy. Please like and share his story until he finds a home!
Melanie

 

Piper’s Story:

My husband and I were traveling down FM 1155, in Washington, Texas on Sunday afternoon July 20th, 2014. I see this little thing on the side of the road. I wasn’t sure what it was at first so I tell my husband, STOP. I jump out and see that it’s a tiny emaciated dog on the side of the road. He starts to run from me and he goes under the road into sewer pipes ones about 3-4’ big with 4 in a row. I follow trying to help him; he was in the worst shape of any animal I have ever seen alive. My husband and I try for over 2 hours to get him with no luck at all.

We leave very frustrated, upset, and sad. This little guy didn’t have a chance in the heat. It appeared he might be living on a sticky smelly dead deer by the road and hiding in the pipes for safety. It was getting dark so we had no options but to give up for now. I vowed that we were stopping just for now because we certainly were NOT giving up on this little life that desperately needed help. I kept wondering how he had come to be tossed out on the side of the road and left there like garbage.

I didn’t sleep all night thinking about him being out there. The next morning I asked my husband to call me on his way past there to let me know if he saw him. He didn’t see him. So I headed back down there around 1pm with food-hot dogs, ice water and towels to try to find him again and if nothing else leave the food and water for him to find. When I got there I see that there was another good hearted couple that also saw him and had stopped because he and his wife had been seeing him for weeks. He wouldn’t let them help him either. The man said he ran behind him this time and he didn’t see where he went. We spent about an hour looking for him but couldn’t find him. His wife called Tbar rescue from the road. I put out the food and water for him so at least maybe he can get something to eat and drink and I’ll check back.

I came back later that day and see him. He ran when I got really close to him and he started screaming because he’s so frightened. He ends up escaping into a 14” culvert pipe at the bottom of someone’s driveway on FM1155. I try everything I can think of to get him to come out. I offered him hot dogs and water and use soft talking but nothing I did would coax him to come out.

This culvert is maybe 14” wide and about 30’ long so it’s a lot better to deal with than the underground sewer pipes. I work with him for hours in 98 degree temps; it had to be well over a 100 inside that pipe. Folks passed by and out of the driveway. No one stopped to help or even ask anything. I tossed him hot dog pieces. He loved getting them and came for water but would never allow me to get close enough to help him.

I decided the ONLY way this little guy was going to get saved is if we can trap him. I was about 4 miles from home, so I try to block both ends of the pipe off with towels and stones to hold him in there. Leaving the food and water for him I head back to a neighbors to get a live trap and a long PVC pipe to reach down the pipe to guide him into the live trap. I return to find he had escaped.

Now I am unbelievably frustrated because I knew this little guy did not have much time to survive these temps. He is very thin, weak and had almost no hair left due to mange. He was in need of rescue badly and now it was late in the day and I couldn’t find him.

Next morning I have my husband look for him on his way to the office and he didn’t see him. I head back down there around 11:30 with troops from Tbar to meet up because I was going to get this little guy today and get him the help he so badly needed. I get there and don’t see him but I’m going to set the trap up by the culvert pipe with food and water and just check it throughout the day.

I get down on my knees to set the trap up and look in the pipe and I see him looking back at me!!! I was so happy to see him. I wasn’t taking any chances this time so I set the trap up and locked it in place and put hot dogs up at the other end with water. Now I’m on one side with a PVC pipe and the trap is at the other end. Just in time Lauren from Tbar Rescue pulls up, I motion to her to get to the other end of the pipe. We toss him hot dogs but he wasn’t coming to us so we had to trap him.

With Lauren on one end and me on the other end Lauren starts to put the PVC pipe in the culvert pipe to chase him the other direction into the trap where I waited for him. Within 10 minutes we had him!!! Lauren and I hugged and thanked GOD for helping us get him as Melanie, another Tbar member, pulls up. Tears of relief after 3 days of trying to get him, it was a joyful event. Lauren says to me, ‘since you’re going to Foster him you get to name him!’ I said, what about PIPE….she replied how about Piper!!! How perfect. So now little Piper is my foster dog. Melanie loaded him up and off to the vets for help.

I will mention that I found out that he had been seen on this road in this condition by many folks over the last month or more. Some stopped and tried some just ignored him as it was someone else’s problem as if he was garbage. Yes, it took time to get him but his life was worth the effort.

Even the day I think I spent at total of six hours at the bottom of that driveway, folks actually drove in and out of that drive way and never even ask me if I needed help or what was wrong as they saw me at the bottom of their driveway in 98 degree weather crawling on the ground they just kept driving by vehicle after vehicle.

So I wonder about where the compassion has gone? If people do this to people no wonder they do it to animals. But if you just try, and keep trying or at least try to figure it out and not give up you might save a life. You won’t stop the problem, you won’t solve the grand issue but if you stop and try to help or at least report it to someone that can you’ll save at least that one life. Doing something is better than nothing, show some compassion and try, DO SOMETHING!

As it turns out Piper is a sweet, gentle and friendly 7 month old puppy who loves to sit in your lap. He also enjoys going for rides in the car, loves kids and gets along with other animals. Most surprisingly he’s completely housebroken too. He must have lived in someone’s house before they tossed him aside like garbage. Now he is mange free, vaccinated, neutered and ready for his forever home. He’s gone from being only 8 pounds to a healthy 14 pounds and he won’t get much bigger than that. He’s perfect for any family! Email [email protected] or call 936-878-2349 if you’d like to adopt Piper!

Ace and the incredible Rescue Transport Network

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Angie Hewett is a longtime supporter of TBAR (as she is one of founder Melanie’s sisters!) and recently she adopted her second TBAR dog! Where Angie lives, in Buffalo New York, it is much less common to see animals in need of rescue and adoption due to many factors, one of which is animal overpopulation control with the heavy promotion of spay and neuter programs. In many areas in the North it is much more common for spay an neuter to be enforced (otherwise you have to pay high licencing fees for your animals), and because of this there are many fewer unwanted pets in shelters than there are in the south (some even call it “pet underpopulation”). This with the combination of technology (websites, pet databases, etc) has created a whole new networking situation in the US today – people in the North want our unwanted pets, and a whole bunch of volunteers are ready to pull together to do rescue transport for dogs to get them up to their new forever home! In fact, compared to purchasing a pup up North, the transport option is still less expensive! Keep reading to hear about how rescue transport for dogs brought Jack and Ace together in their new family! 

TBAR Dog Transport (1)Jack and Ace are 2 dogs that we adopted from True Blue Animal Rescue. How lucky we are. We live in New York State and True Blue is located in the state of Texas.

We saw pictures of these amazing Dachshunds on True Blue’s Facebook page. I saw their pictures and really felt like somehow they belonged with me. I also could not imagine how I’d ever get them since I lived so far away from TBAR. I also was a little nervous because what if I found a way to get the dogs here and I found that they really weren’t good fit for our family.

As I previously mentioned Jack and Ace do live with us and here is how It all worked out.

TBAR Dog Transport (1)

Did you know that there is a transport service that will deliver reduce pets to anywhere in the US? Did you know that the fee to do this is not very much and the animals are very cared for and comfortable as they travel?

Well these services do exist, and it is exactly how we got both Jack and Ace

Now for the other concern I had. Both Jack and Ace were with one of TBAR’s foster homes. These people are amazing. They take these dogs in and do whatever they need to do to heal these dogs and allow them to be successfully placed in forever homes. The foster that had our dogs is named Shellie. Shellie is amazing. She started with sending us lots of pictures of the dogs and even sent us videos so we could really get a good idea of the dog’s personality. We also talked to Shellie several times over the phone.

TBAR Dog Transport (2)

We have young grandchildren and wanted to be sure Jack and Ace got along well with little kids. We also have another larger dog and wanted to be sure the little dogs would be ok with big dogs.

Well, Shellie solved this for us too. She took the little dogs to a friend’s house who had little children. Jack and Ace did well with them. She also went to another friends house who had a big dog. Another success.

After the conversations with Shellie and finding out how easy it would be to transport the dogs across the country we decided to adopt Jack and Ace, and I must tell you we couldn’t be happier.

TBAR Dog Transport (3)

I want you to know how worth it that it can be to adopt a rescue dogs. Sure there’s an adjustment period, you have to get used to each other (generally they tell you it takes at least 2 weeks for them to settle a bit and start to show their personality), but once this is accomplished you couldn’t have a better pet. Rescue animals really appreciate it when they feel safe and are finally in their forever homes.

Please don’t ever rule out taking a look at True Blue Animal’s website. If you see the perfect animal listing I promise you that transporting the animal to you will be easier than you could ever imagine, and you will be able to talk to the person fostering the animal to be sure this animal will be a good fit for you and your family.

We love Jack and Ace so much and we are so happy we took the chance. They really complete our family.

If you are interested in any TBAR animal, don’t let distance stop you from inquiring! Email [email protected] or call (936) 878-2349 and we can discuss with you our rescue transport for dogs!

TBAR Foster Feature: Kassy Part 2

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TBAR Foster Feature Dog Kassy (3)

On day three I was outside with the dogs because I wanted to make sure Kassy used the potty so she could be loose for an hour before crating her again. I admit I was sleepy; it was 7:30 and too hot for coffee. I heard Jack make a funny noise. I looked to see Jack and Kassy playing with each other. It was amazing! What was even more shocking was she was instigating the play. She happily bounced over to Jack, raised a front leg, smacked him in the face and then began to run around him. Her tail wagging, she then bowed with her front legs stretched out and her hind quarters still up. This is the classic body language that my dogs use with each other meaning, “Let’s play!” Jack, who for some time I always have thought of as a puppy, looked at her like she was crazy. He barked once at her and I sat up and took notice. But Jack’s bark did not stop Kassy from her quest to play.

TBAR Foster Feature Dog Kassy (1)

In fact she wanted Jack to bark. His bark triggered in her the desire to run in circles around him and then come back and smack him again. Jack had a new best friend and he wasn’t sure what to do about it. He acted like a gentleman and played as long as he could stand, but once done he headed for the back door and then sat down.  Still, watching Kassy play was huge. Seeing a dog that was so full of fear when I first got her that she messed herself twice, now have a big doggy smile on her face was staggering. I began to understand that Kassy had no clue how to be a dog and now more than ever I was going to be relying on my pack to help this dog in need. I just wasn’t sure they were up to helping sort out such a backward little girl.

Day seven I was in for a surprise yet again. Kassy at this point still wanted to only be in her kennel. It was her safety spot. The cat’s basket that was in the same room as her crate also became a “safe zone.” Kassy enjoyed cramming herself into the beautiful Garden Ridge Pottery basket my mother had gotten the cats. For days our foster dog would transfer herself from the kennel to the basket, non-stop. Almost like she had no control over her actions. Then day seven happened.

TBAR Foster Feature Dog Kassy (2)

I should point out that at this time we also took in another Corgi mix named Bacon, from a rescue group in Nixon, Texas. Call me crazy, but when I saw her picture and plea for an adoption for a special needs dog I just had a hard time saying no!  My dogs before this have always been solid colors. I am not sure if that was by choice or fate. But Bacon was a black and white Corgi mix and she looks a lot like Kassy, only a bit shorter. But back to day seven. On the seventh day, I was on the couch and I saw a dog sleeping in the middle of the room I was in. At first glance I thought it was Bacon, who came to us a very socialized dog that slid into our home with ease, now asleep. I then looked at my feet and saw Bacon napping there. (She is like my shadow and I love it!) Kassy was sleeping in the middle of the room. Not under something, or in something, but in the middle of the room with nothing to shield her from me! Not only was she napping but she seemed to be at peace. I was so excited I started to cry a little. I didn’t think the dog would grow this fast but things were looking up. Her accidents when we touched her had started to disappear. Everything seemed to be going so well.  But then week two knocked us for a loop and we had major steps backwards.

To Be Continued…

We hope our “Foster Features” help to inspire others to open their homes to animals in need. If you are interested in becoming a foster home for a Texas animal rescue, please visit our info page, email [email protected] or call (936) 878-2349. It is because of foster homes like Casie that TBAR is able to save more lives!

Community Spotlight: Wal-Mart

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TBAR Donations from WalMart

Today we want to thank our community supporter, Wal-Mart, for their regular donations of animal food! It is the wonderful workers at the store that find the bags that are eligible for donation and put them aside for us, and then call us to come pick up the donation. These food donations are so valuable to us because they really make a huge difference in our costs. This regular donation allows us to feed more animals while keeping food costs low so we can and put donated and fundraised money toward medical care for all of our horses, dogs, and cats.

Thank you Brenham Wal-Mart and associates for making a difference in the community by donating to TBAR and helping to save more lives!