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~ Savannah and puppies ~
Rockport TX Rescue
In May, authorities in Rockport , TX discovered 54 dachshunds living in
a single room in a mobile home. When these dogs were seized, the small
animal shelter in this South Texas town was overwhelmed. A plea for help
went out, and volunteers with All Texas Dachshund Rescue (ATDR) went
into high gear, transporting the majority of the dogs to Central Texas ,
where eight were placed with Central Texas Dachshund Rescue and nine
were entrusted to Diamond Dachshund Rescue. More than 32 adults and
puppies remained in the care of ATDR, and that number has increased with
the delivery of more puppies. When animal control seized the dogs, the
breeder separated mothers and puppies, placing all the puppies in one
box. Volunteers worked diligently to return puppies to their rightful
moms, but in spite of their efforts felt they had probably made some
errors. That fact became abundantly clear when more than a week later
one of the nursing “moms” delivered her own litter of puppies!!
When Savannah gave birth shortly after the move to rescue, she
encountered difficulties and required a C-section. In addition to this
expense, several of the dogs have demodectic mange, two are heartworm
positive and require treatment, all the adults need dentals, and, of
course, all need vaccinations, spaying and neutering, treatment for
internal parasites and bacteria, treatment for skin problems from living
in filthy conditions, and heartworm testing. Vetting expenses thus far
reach into the thousands of dollars, with only a small portion of this
to come back to the rescue group through adoption fees.
Making room for so many dogs and finding the funds to meet their needs
is a major undertaking and Almost Home Dachshund Rescue Society
recognizes the dedication of the Central Texas rescuers who responded so
readily to the needs of these precious ones. We are proud our
organization was able to respond to their commitment and assist ATDR
with funds to meet their extreme medical expenses.
AHDRS has been able to respond as we have for one reason only – because
we have such generous and compassionate donors who make it possible. Our
hope now is that your generosity will continue as you make a gift either
to the rescue groups involved in this undertaking of helping so many
dogs in need or to the AHDRS medical fund so we can continue to assist
other rescuers in their efforts.
If you want to help AHDRS continue to help rescue groups such as these,
please make a tax-deductible donation through the Paypal button below or
send a contribution to:
AHDRS
Rockport Rescue Fund
PO Box 9671
Greensboro, NC 27429-9671 |
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To assist one (or all!) of the Central Texas groups, please visit their
websites and please let them know you heard about their needs through the
Almost Home “Can You Help Me” page.
All Texas Dachshund Rescue www.atdr.org
Central
Texas Dachshund Rescue
www.ctdr.org
Diamond Dachshund Rescue
www.ddrtx.org
~ Zenzi ~
The needs ATDR must meet will not stop with
their current expenses. Among the puppies in their care is a very
special little girl named Zenzi who has a serious heart murmur and a
congenital heart defect known as patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). This
condition will require surgery to save her life, and will be undertaken
when she is between three to six months old. The procedure is expensive,
but there is no question that this little one will receive the care she
needs to ensure a long and healthy life.
Given the thousands of dollars required to get all the breeder dogs to a
healthy condition, this is truly an “extra” expense with which ATDR
needs special help. Please make a donation to help with Zenzi’s surgery.
“Zenzi” is a special name for this little one coming from a German name
that means “to thrive and grow” and we know our donors will help ensure
that this precious little one will, indeed, thrive and grow.
Please make a tax-deductible donation by using the PayPal icon below or
by sending a check, made out to AHDRS, to:
AHDRS
Zenzi Fund
PO Box 9671
Greensboro, NC 27429-9671 |
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~ Rikki Tikki Tavi ~
Homes Needed!
While financial help is always needed, it’s only part of the story of
rescue. Rescuing dogs is the beginning. Getting them healthy and ready
for a second chance comes next. But the story isn’t over until they have
homes.
All of the dogs from the Rockport rescue will eventually be looking for
homes, adding to the already over-burdened list of adoptable dogs in
Texas . Whether because of the failure of implementing successful
spay/neuter programs, the failure of authorities to enforce leash laws,
or the failure of owners to recognize the need for responsible,
life-long care of their pets, the number of homeless dachshunds in Texas
is immense. A quick check of just three dachshund rescue sites in the
Central Texas area reveals almost 150 dogs available for adoption. This
does not reflect the number of dogs in the Dallas /Ft. Worth area, the
Houston area, or the shelters located in both the urban areas as well as
the hundreds in the rural small-town areas.
As our Texas and Louisiana members can attest, such a large number of
homeless dogs requires not just the need for often non-existent foster
homes, the funds to provide for them, and the adopters to offer them
forever homes, but it also means many other homeless dachshunds often
end up either in high-kill shelters with little hope for a second chance
or get handed over to neighbors, friends or family to continue to live
in backyards, intact and producing more puppies, and susceptible to
heartworms and other internal, as well as external, parasites.
The sad reality is that foster homes have room for only so many animals,
and that rescuers’ own dogs are in need of love and attention, too. When
foster dogs arrive that are not adopted for months on end, that is one
less space for another dog needing help. That there are not enough
families adopting dogs in Texas really hits home with one of our Texas
members who has had a wonderful foster available for adoption for eight
months and another available for almost five. Although space is limited,
she couldn’t turn down yet one more recently who was on “death row” in a
local shelter. (Visit Chuey and Maizy on our Available Dachshunds page.
Rikki Tikki Tavi will be listed when his evaluation is complete.)
If you live in Texas or a surrounding state and can travel to help
transport a dog to your home, take a look at the Texas rescue sites (and
our own Available Dachshunds page) and all the wonderful dogs awaiting
homes in Texas and consider making room for “just one more.”
Homeless dogs are asking, “Can You Help Me find a home?”
Donations received in excess of the costs for a particular dog will be placed in the AHDRS Medical Fund and used to help other dogs in need.
Dachshunds we have helped
Contributors
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