Save Dogs

Way Over Yonder

“Way over yonder
is a place that I know
Where I can find shelter
from hunger and cold.
And the sweet tasting good life
is so easily found
Way over yonder 
that's where I'm bound.

I know when I get there,
the first thing I'll see
Is the sun shining golden,
shining right down on me.
Then trouble's gonna lose me 
worry leave me behind
And I'll stand up proudly
in true peace of mind.

Way over yonder
is a place I have seen,
In a garden of wisdom
from some long ago dream.

Maybe tomorrow
I'll find my way
To the land where the honey runs
in rivers each day
And the sweet tasting good life
is so easily found
Way over yonder…that's where I'm bound 
Way over yonder…that's where I'm bound.”
                   
--Carole King

Please continue reading for some great news!

Sick Leave

I'm not feeling so good.  It's just a cold (and stress) but I'll be back soon.  I have pictures from Jasper's 1st birthday that I can't wait to post, but I need to get my camera cord from Sherri's house.  This blog is close to having 10,000 hits since I began writing in January.  It amazes me.  Please keep the comments coming--they make the "job" worthwhile.

Bye for now,
Jon

I Hate You, Don't Leave Me

"...the grass as bristly and stout as chives,
and me wondering when the ground would break,
and me wondering how anything fragile survives"
                                        --Anne Sexton

I finally figured out something about animal rescue.  You may or may not know, but there are a lot of personality conflicts in the rescue world.  I would have been the last to guess that people who spend their last pennies saving abandoned pets would let their egos dominate their rescue efforts.  Maybe it's too idealistic to assume that we could lean on each other when we fall upon hard times.

Pigs in a Blanket

This picture was taken last night of Sunny, Jasper and me.  We snuggled until breakfast this morning.  (I'm dog-sitting for Jasper while his parents are in Las Vegas).

I'm thrilled to be a featured blog on Typepad's homepage.  I love all the new visitors that have left comments and e-mailed me--I especially love getting sent pictures of your dogs!

In case you are new to my blog, I graduated from USC last year and have been dedicating myself full time to rescuing dogs.  The blog started with my rescue dog named Goldie and I shared his story as a way to help raise funds for his expensive vet bills.  It took over 3 months, but he finally found his loving "forever" home and his new name is Monkey.  My latest rescue is a 5 year old yodeling pit bull named Talula.  She is quite a colorful character and it has been a challenge to place her because she is not a young "designer" dog.  I've probably spent well over $3000 since January on rescue related expenses, but I've been lucky to recoup about half of that from friends, family, and generous web surfers.

I'm currently developing a small business online dedicated to connecting pet owners with quality pet care providers.  I hope to have it up and running by mid-July.  I'm also looking for a business mentor in Los Angeles to help me dive into the pet product market.  It's time to start earning a living! 

Thank you so much for visiting my site and please leave your comments and don't hesitate to e-mail me.  If you care to donate to the doggies, you can use the Amazon.com honor system or Paypal on the right hand side of the page.

Best wishes,
Jon

Funny Stuff

I was at my friend Sherri's house and took a picture of her 3-legged Chihuahua "Little Running Man" playing tug-of-war with her pit bull "Raj".  More updates coming soon!

Tears In Heaven

I've dreaded this entry because it's so damn depressing.
I wrote about a dog last month that we had treated for a severe allergic reaction (and spayed the same day).  During the spay procedure the veterinarian found out that she was pregnant and had to abort her litter.

Her owner brought her back to the vet clinic last week and this time the dog was blind and having random seizures.  She looked horrible and shaky.  We debated whether it was even worth the suffering to have this dog treated--she'd been through so much in her short 7 years.  It seems the allergic reaction that had swelled her head also caused some kind of brain trauma.

Ultimately, we decided to euthanize this poor sweet dog; she was just a shell of the dog that she used to be.  To keep her alive and in pain seemed cruel.  It was the first time I have ever watched a dog be "put down".  She was very calm as she drifted to sleep from the first injection the vet gave her and soon after the second injection her heart stopped beating.

I'm just thankful that I've been able to save 5 dogs from this fate.

_Jon_

"Beyond the door there’s peace I’m sure
And I know there’ll be no more tears in heaven..."