Our very own founder and President, Melanie DeAeth, is receiving a Jefferson Award, the highest national honor for public service! All of us at TBAR are very proud of Melanie’s work and service, and thrilled for her to be receiving this recognition! The awards ceremony will be on May 13, and will air on KBTX Media – learn more by clicking here!
Nearly everyday, T-Bar receives emails from the caring people who have found, fed and sheltered an animal that appears to have been dumped and left to fend for themselves, but who are unable to keep the animal. Sometimes we are able to take in one or two of these animals when there is an open space in a foster home, but when T-Bar foster homes are full we reluctantly have to tell these compassionate people that we have nowhere to place the animal and we are only able to offer networking assistance through our RAIN (Rescue Animals In Need) Facebook page.
Animals who are born and grow up feral are better able to care for themselves than a domesticated animal whose had their food, water and shelter provided for them their whole lives. For Smokey, he was one of the lucky ones spotted on a porch bench at a Mexican restaurant in Somerville, Texas by one of T-Bar’s wonderful foster parents. When she walked up to him, he physically reached out to her as if he were asking, “Can you please help me?” After discovering that he was dumped, there was no possibility that she could leave him there on his own.
At that point, Smokey was only 6 months old and needed lots of food and TLC. At first, he was very anxious about his new surroundings and the woman who was caring for him. Sometimes he would be so scared he thought he had to defend himself and hide. But after a few weeks of being slowly socialized and shown love, he learned to trust this kind stranger.
For months, he waited and waited for his forever family to find him. Thanks to a Pet of the Week listing in the Brenham Banner Press, Smokey’s forever family had finally found him. When it was time for his Meet-n-Greet, Smokey did his best to charm them and show them that he was a very special boy. His new mom, Emilee, fell in love with him that day. She knew he was the right fit for her and began preparing her home for his arrival. It did not take long for Emilee and Smokey to bond. He is so happy to finally have his own girl to love him and spend the rest of his life with.
TBAR is a 501(c)(3) non-profit no-kill animal rescue organization. If you would like to help animals such as this one please consider donating to TBAR, volunteering, fostering, or adopting. Donations go directly toward care, feed, and veterinary care of the rescued animals and every little bit helps us to help another animal in need of safety and rehabilitation. Save a life: adopt instead of shop and spay or neuter your pets!
True Blue Animal Rescue officers, Dale and Melanie DeAeth, preformed a rescue in Brenham, Texas on March 2, 2014. Two horses that were classified as strays were placed under T-bar care and had to be transported by Dale and Melanie.
The morning started off in the low seventies, but once reaching the location of the animals the temperature had dropped almost twenty degrees in less than half an hour. The rescuers worked in frigid weather with the horses, which are believed to be mustangs. Stray horse cases mean walking up to a horse that could have had very little human interaction in the past. Melanie DeAeath spoke calmly to the pair of horses as the temperature dropped. She made sure the animals heard her voice before she stepped into the pen where they were being held.
The two horses appeared to be mother and daughter and wanted to remain close together. Thankfully the older of the two horses already had a halter placed on her, while the younger one did not want any one near her. After observing the two for a while Dale and Melanie decided it would be easier to lead out the mother on a lead line and see if the youngster would follow. The younger horse was very nervous and Melanie knew she would not be able to touch her.
At this point in the rescue the skies opened up and the cold grew even worse. Leading the mother horse out Melanie and Dale cautioned Jason and I to back up because if the horses decided to flee we needed to be safe. The mother came out and thought about running, but seemed to slip on the now slippery ground. Her daughter came out, and also attempted to run but slid and changed her mind. Both stood for a few moments while Melanie and Dale put themselves between the horses and their option to run. Arms wide, the T-bar couple slowly walked toward the horses and forced the horses, just using their bodies, up the ramp to the trailer. The youngest paused, unsure about going inside. Dale simply clapped his hands at the little female horse and she finished her way into the trailer.
All during the trip back to True Blue Animal Rescue the rain got harder and the weather got windy. To help the horses adjust to their new setting, they were placed in a separate area away from the other T-bar animals. This would also help the current horse residents get used to the new ones. Both horses were somewhat thin, with protruding hips and bald spots, which suggest malnutrition. Dale made sure that they got some hay right away as they got settled in. The horses were then given the names Jessi, for the mother horse, and Starlet, for the daughter, due to a small white spot on her forehead.
Thanks to T-bar the horses now have people to keep them safe and work with them. Their training and rehabilitation will start with having them getting used to humans and seeing the vet. To follow the progress of Jessi and Starlet, keep watching the T-bar site or like them on Facebook. Look for them at True Blue Animal Rescue.
TBAR is a 501(c)(3) non-profit no-kill animal rescue organization. If you would like to help animals such as this one please consider donating to TBAR, volunteering, fostering, or adopting. Donations go directly toward care, feed, and veterinary care of the rescued animals and every little bit helps us to help another animal in need of safety and rehabilitation. Save a life: adopt instead of shop and spay or neuter your pets!
Polar Bear is a Great Pyrenees. He is an adult male, neutered, up to date with routine shots, house trained. You can tell by his picture why he was named Polar Bear.
TBAR is a 501(c)(3) non-profit no-kill animal rescue organization. If you would like to help animals such as this one please consider donating to TBAR, volunteering, fostering, or adopting. Donations go directly toward care, feed, and veterinary care of the rescued animals and every little bit helps us to help another animal in need of safety and rehabilitation. Save a life: adopt instead of shop and spay or neuter your pets!
True Blue Animal Rescue is again helping with the vetting and re-homing of more donkeys. T-Bar President, Melanie DeAeth, received a call about three homeless donkeys that were wandering the streets of Burleson County, Texas. After contacting the Sheriff’s Department, T-Bar agreed to assist in getting these skinny little guys to the vet and then helping them find their forever homes. Once their time on “stray hold” is up, T-Bar volunteers will be headed out to pick these three up and then will be taking them straight to the vet. They will be gelded, vaccinated, wormed and will also receive hoof care.
All they will need are families who will take them home, love them, feed them and make sure they never have to live the homeless life again! If you are able to foster or adopt any of these three, please email us or call (936) 878-2349 for more information!
TBAR is a 501(c)(3) non-profit no-kill animal rescue organization. If you would like to help animals such as this one please consider donating to TBAR, volunteering, fostering, or adopting. Donations go directly toward care, feed, and veterinary care of the rescued animals and every little bit helps us to help another animal in need of safety and rehabilitation. Save a life: adopt instead of shop and spay or neuter your pets!
Today is International Women’s Day, a day for celebrating the positive achievements and strength of all women, everywhere.
The theme of 2014 IWD is “Inspiring Change”, and that is exactly what the ladies of TBAR strive for everyday! Our amazingly powerful group of women has been the driving force of this nonprofit in Brenham, Texas. Without them, TBAR would not be what it is today.
We would like to thank all of the women officers, staff, and volunteers that work hard to make this organization a success in its mission to stop animal cruelty. It takes great courage AND great heart to face the realities of animal abuse and neglect, and it also takes strength and determination to continuously give your time to a higher cause while maintaining jobs, homes, families, and other life situations. We encourage everyone to honor the women in your life whom you most admire, and remember the International Women’s Day vision: “make a difference, think globally and act locally!! Make every day International Women’s Day. Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding”!
Jewel, aka Ebony, was born on September 12, 2013, along with her siblings: Winston, Buffy, and Piper. Jewel’s mother, Gracie, gave birth to the litter of 4 shortly after being rescued off the streets by a very kind soul. Jewel spent a few months growing and learning how to be a great little kitty with her foster mom, but she found her perfect forever home with her new fur-sibling, Jack.
Thank you to the Molder family for giving Jewel a loving home and spoiling her like she deserves!
Pictured is Emery and Jewel on the way to her new forever home (above) and Jewel sleeping the first week with her favorite new girl (below)!
Below is Jewel and her new fur-brother, Jack, who was also a rescue kitty who has now found his forever family.
Click here to view the current listing of TBAR cats waiting for a forever home!
TBAR is a 501(c)(3) non-profit no-kill animal rescue organization. If you would like to help animals such as this one please consider donating to TBAR, volunteering, fostering, or adopting. Every little bit helps us to help another animal in need of safety and rehabilitation. Save a life: adopt instead of shop and spay or neuter your pets!
This week is Pet Sitter Appreciation week!
From all of us at TBAR, and all of our personal and foster pets, we want to THANK everyone who steps in when we have to step out. Sometimes it’s for fun things, like a vacation, sometimes it’s for sad times, like a funeral, but no matter the reason your pet only knows that you are gone. Some pets get sad and confused, and even might refuse to eat. Sometimes our pets may be old or sick, and our pet sitters make sure they get special love and their medicine on time. That is why we have to pick certain special people whom we know can be there for our pets. So for all those people that we trust to come into our homes, or to take our pet into their own, we thank you for being responsible and also loving to our pets.
Having a pet doesn’t mean you can’t get out and travel if you want/need to, it just means you’ll have to find someone who can take great care of your pet while you are gone! Visiting Pet Sitters International is a great way to locate a sitter. One of our TBAR volunteer staff members, Amy, is a regular pet sitter and offers the following advice to those looking for a pet sitter, or looking to become a pet sitter:
“I chose to take on pet sitting as secondary income to help pay surgery bills almost 2 yrs. ago. I wanted something with flexible time & didn’t want PT work after my FT job and something in retail or fast food. I love animals so sought out to get my name out there. I’m registered on care.com & sittercity.com Most of my success has come from care.com & word of mouth. I have a few regulars right now and love all their animals as if they are my own.
Always make sure to meet the owner & animals before the job starts to learn the routine, get emergency contact #s including their vet, trusted neighbor or friend, etc. Interact with the animals so you can get to know them & vice versa.
I love the interaction with the animals especially after a hard day at work. There is nothing more relaxing than talking to “someone” who is happy to see you, listens, & loves you unconditionally.”
– Amy Hemsell, TBAR Staff (and TBAR Pet Sitter)
Amy pet sits for the 10 mile radius from downtown Brenham and can be reached at 713-992-4700 or email [email protected]
And here is some advice (and notes of appreciation) from some of the TBAR Officers and Staff!
“As an owner of multiple dogs and cats, vacation time can either be stressful or not considered at all. We ask ourselves ‘how can we afford to go anywhere?’ A ‘Pet Sitter’ who comes into your home to care for your animals is the best way to go. Especially if you have large animals like horses or donkeys, someone who can come to your home twice a day to feed and check on your extended animal family is the best way to go. Be sure to provide a safe environment for each animal as the care taker will only be checking on them twice a day. Supply all medications, food, access to water and emergency phone numbers for your care taker. Planning ahead will make your vacation time away from home much more enjoyable.
My friend Harriet Patrick does “In Home Boarding” for limited number of dogs. She temper tests her boarders because they must get along with her own personal dogs. She likes to meet your dog in her home before you leave on vacation. There are certain advantages to an “In Home Boarding” environment over a professional kennel. Dogs are in the house interacting as a family. This situation causes less stress on the dogs. Harriet provides Pickup and Delivery if you are in a rush to get to your appointment or airline flight. Don’t worry about coming home to a dirty dog that has been in a small kennel while you are away. Harriet will also bath and groom on request. Harriet has 30 years training and showing dogs, and she has experience with older dogs and those with special needs.
Larriet Spaniels, Home Environment dog boarding: 11818 Beinhorn Dr (Houston, TX 77065), 281-705-0364, [email protected]”
– Linda Taylor, TBAR Marketing and Events Director
“I’d like to thank my sister and future brother-in-law for pet sitting my little furry man, Archie. Knowing I was going to be leaving him for two months was difficult enough, but having family there to care for him while I was gone was a huge relief.
Being trusted with someone else’s fur child is a big responsibility, but being able to bond with animals you don’t see every day is always a joy and can hardly be considered work! That is unless you’re pet sitting for TBAR. That’s hard work and all of the furry friend love you could handle in a single day!
You wouldn’t leave your children in the hands of strangers and neither should you for your pets! Always check references from previous clients for potential pet sitters.”
– Alissa Cannon, TBAR Secretary
“Finding a sitter that you can rely on is hard. But finding one that you know can take care of all your pets needs is even harder. My pets are my children and all have different little needs. I am grateful that I have a friend that is taking the time to try and bond with all my pets, even my most shy dogs.”
– Olivia Moore, TBAR Photographer & Journalist
“In our last city we had a great pet sitter. He loved his dogs and loved all dogs. Our dogs loved going there, and even used to stare out the back window and whimper when we took them back! I learned from his facility that a good pet sitter should be willing to let you visit them and show you where your pet will be staying. This will help alleviate YOUR stress, which will make your pet more at-ease as well.
In our new city we have not found a new pet sitter, so the pups have been staying at camp – that is, my parents’ house, and home to about 35 TBAR foster dogs! My dogs have so much fun running around with all the other dogs! Thanks Mom and Dad for taking in your ‘grand-dogs’ so I can take a break!”
– Jessica Ripley, Webmaster
“True Blue Animal Rescue is a volunteer organization made up of foster homes. We don’t have a facility with staff to take care of the animals. They are all cared for by the families who foster them. Foster homes usually have more pets than most people, making pet care a challenge. As the largest foster home in Tbar I know this first hand. I also know how important it is for us to take breaks from caring for the 30 or more dogs and over 35 horses that my family fosters at our home. To us, a good pet sitter is very important. We love and care for all of our pets and foster pets and we couldn’t leave and relax if we didn’t feel comfortable with our pet sitter. For us a pet sitter is someone who will not only feed and water the pets but will also be observant and look around and see how they are all doing. If they have any questions they can call and we can make sure that our pets are getting everything they need whether we’re there or not. With that type of dedication and communication we get to take the breaks we need so we can continue caring for this many animals and that’s what keeps Tbar going. So, on behalf of all the animals we help in True Blue Animal Rescue I want to say ‘thank you’ to the pet sitters we’ve had here and to all the pet sitters everywhere. I hope you know how important you are!”
– Melanie DeAeth, TBAR President
As a part of our Community outreach and involvement TBAR often gives presentations to different groups to spread the TBAR mission and message while possibly setting up future partnerships. These presentations help to grow awareness about improving the treatment of animals in our community.
TBAR was pleased to have several of our members attend a meeting of the Aggieland Rotary club this past Thursday, February 27, from 11:30am-1:00pm at Traditions Country Club in Bryan, Texas. Our Marketing and Events Coordinator, Linda Taylor, gave an informative presentation complete with slideshow covering the TBAR goal of improving the treatment of animals through education and communication.
The members of the Rotary seemed very engaged and interested and we were pleased that a few of them have already inquired about becoming foster and adoptive homes. In addition, shortly after the event TBAR’s Facebook page passed 3000 followers! We are very excited to have crossed this milestone so we can continue to make an impact for better animal treatment in the Brazos Valley area!
TBAR is a 501(c)(3) non-profit no-kill animal rescue organization. If you would like to help animals such as these please consider donating to TBAR, volunteering, fostering, or adopting. Every little bit helps us to help another animal in need of safety and rehabilitation. Save a life: adopt instead of shop and spay or neuter your pets!
