Rescue2

This rescue was not the result of any organization but a blessing from my guardian angel and Bogie's.

Bogie T. DonnyBrooke, the light of my life, was born 4/17/80. He was purchased by an artist in a pet shop on New York City's Park Avenue and given the unlikely name of Wolfgang. For the first 16 months of his life he was pampered and carried about, but then disaster struck. The artist and her family moved to Arizona and suddenly decided they wanted big, macho dogs. For six months they neglected him shamefully, putting the poor, sweet little guy out of doors, to pretty much fend for himself. Then they decided to "get rid" of him.

Spring turned to summer and our Arizona temperatures started to soar; we were well into triple digits. The Realtor who found nm the house this family rented, on five acres of wild desert land, is a close friend. She told me about this neglected waif who desperately needed a new home before the heat killed him. This was in 1982, two days before our first wedding anniversary so I was still a sort of newly wed. The plight of this Maltese just upset me something terrible and I started to cry. I begged Don to let me have him, saying I didn't need or want anything else for our anniversary except to be able to rescue this baby.

The very next day I drove out to 'see' the dog. The morning was fairly cool but temperatures were due to hit 118 degrees on that June 18th. The house these people rented was quite far out of town; more than 5 miles on a dirt road. When the car stopped there was a race from around the corner of the house as two Dobermans, three German Shepherds and more cats than I could count charged toward us, followed by two horses! I was too shaken to want to get out of the car!!

However, as the artist's husband and son came outside the racket subsided. The son was sent to 'find that dog' and he started crawling under the foundation of the house, which was up on pilings. We went into the house where the son found us about 10 minutes later. He was carrying a filthy, matted terrified little thing who was shaking so hard I couldn't bear it. I had told my husband that I was going to 'look' at the dog, but seeing how they had him living I knew I'd never leave without him.

My first stop with my new, but terribly frightened fur baby, was to a vet who examined Bogie and told me he was seriously underweight. He said the dog weighed less than 3 pounds and for his bone structure he should be between 6 and 7 pounds. It was obvious that Bogie couldn't fend off the other dogs and cats to get a decent share of food. Next stop was a groomer. Poor Bogie was so filthy and matted the groomer threw her hands in the air, telling me all she could do was shave him. When she finished I thought he looked good but now when I look at the pictures I took that evening I can see all his ribs and hip bones. It was pathetic. Within 6 months Bogie regained his normal weight and was rarely out of sight of me, his mom. He was a treasure and so intelligent. Happily, Don fell in love with Bogie very quickly and was a perfect puppy papa. Bogie was my constant companion for the next 13 years until he went to the Rainbow Bridge on March 29, 1995. One of THE most terrible days of my life.

Here is Miss Carrie Sue. Miss please! LOL

She is a Malti Poo...we think!

My breeder (who is in Maltese Rescue) called me on the Saturday morning before last year's specialty and asked if I could go to the Tampa Bay area about 2 hours from here to pick up a Maltese rescue from a kill shelter. She was unable to take this girl in because she had a new litter of puppies on the floor and did not want to risk it. This dog was being taken out of the kill shelter by a "Poodle Rescue" to save it from being killed that day but it was a Maltese so they needed help. My daughter lives there so she collected her and brought her to me. The agreement was that I would "foster" her till my breeder returned from the specialty and she would then find a nice home for her. Ya Right! As soon as this little darlin' arrived she unpacked her bags and moved right in. Within 3 hours the other 8 canines here acted like she had always been here and had that attitude...."Hey! What is one more?" When my breeder got home from the specialty and called....I told her that Miss Carrie Sue was staying. She was certainly relieved and happy that she was staying with us....so was Miss Carrie Sue. I really don't think she could have handled another move.

I would like to say that she was abused and that is why someone mistakenly turned her over to a kill shelter. She came so close to death. That was not the case. While she was in desperate need of medical care for a horrible infection in two teeth and her also her anal glands....someone really loved her and trained her. She was clipped terribly short. I would say off hand that she was a woman's dog and perhaps her owner died, got ill or just could not keep her any more. She was thin and very stressed....but who would not be after having been removed from your home and people? She settled in, made her place known and took a great liking to the four small Maltese here and they to her. She got the medical care she needed at once, blossomed and turned into a beautiful girl once again. She is now in her forever home with all her canine friends. We love her to pieces and I would have hated to miss out on her. It was like she was always meant to be here. So much for my "fostering" Maltese! LOL

Miss Carrie Sue taught us many things about herself. She is a wonderful dog to walk ...loves to go in the car ... can jump hurdles and gates ...can jump up on the kitchen counter and steal any food left out on it .... and loves being a Therapy Dog at the Assisted Living Facility where my mother lives. (I am sure she did this before.) She loves being called "girlfriend" and is my shadow ... loves the bow dryer and likes perfume put on her. She sleeps by my side always.

Here she is after about 5 months here. I just love her!