Saving Sasha, Our New Foster

On Tuesday, Miami-Dade Animal Services (MDAS) put out a list of 42 dogs to be euthanized the next day if no one came to their rescue. Every summer, the shelter gets packed to the brim with animals and sadly, they kill many dogs (and cats) when there is not enough space to house them.

Our wonderful friends at Dogs On The Move threw together a last minute transport effort, in an attempt to save as many dogs as possible. Dogs On The Move is a nonprofit organization  in South Florida that transports pets from high-kill shelters to responsible 501(c)3 rescues and no-kill organizations for re-homing (Facebook page here). With the support of dog lovers, fosters, donors & rescue groups, a plan was in place. By the end of the day, a total of 9 dogs had been saved, 8  from the euthanasia list.

Sasha’s intake picture from MDAS

On Saturday, we’ll pick Sasha up from MDAS after her spay surgery. She will stay with us for a few weeks until her transport leaves in mid-July to a rescue group. From there, she will go on to find a wonderful family to call her own. We don’t know much about this sweet girl but can’t wait to get her. She looks so sad. She’s a 1 year old white & blue merle Catahoula Hound mix. She was an owner surrender, meaning her owner signed a paper saying they knew she could be killed within minutes of being dropped off. They left her anyways. The reason? “We’re moving.” The look in her eyes just broke my heart. Sadness, confusion and defeat.

We can’t wait to pick her up, love her and give her a warm (well, cold..it’s Miami…) home to stay in. We’ll post her freedom pictures soon!

PS- Remember Enzo? Here’s he is with his new DAD! He’s lovin’ life in South Carolina and Paul adores him. A total match made in heaven 🙂

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Dedicated To Rescuers

By Arlene Pace

Once I was a lonely dog, Just looking for a home.
I had no place to go, No one to call my own.
I wandered up and down the streets, in rain in heat and snow.
Ate whatever I could find, I was always on the go.
My skin would itch, my feet were sore, My body ached with pain.
And no one stopped to give a pat, Or to gently say my name.
I never saw a loving glance, I was always on the run.
For people thought that hurting me was really lots of fun.

And then one day I heard a voice, So gentle, kind and sweet,
And arms so soft reached down to me, And took me off my feet.
“No one again will hurt you, Was whispered in my ear.”
“You’ll have a home to call your own, where you will know no fear.”
“You will be dry, you will be warm, you’ll have enough to eat.”
“And rest assured that when you sleep, your dreams will all be sweet.”
I was afraid I must admit, I’ve lived so long in fear.
I can’t remember when I let, A human come so near.

And as she tended to my wounds, And bathed and brushed my fur
She told me about the rescue group, And what it meant to her.
She said, “We are a circle, A line that never ends.”

“And in the center there is you protected by new friends.”
“And all around you are the ones that check the pounds,
And those that share their home after you’ve been found.”
“And all the other folk are searching near and far.
“To find the perfect home for you, where you can be a star.”

She said, “There is a family, that’s waiting patiently,
and pretty soon we’ll find them, just you wait and see.”
“And then they’ll join our circle, they’ll help to make it grow,
so there’ll be room for more like you, who have no place to go.”
I waited very patiently, The days they came and went.
Today’s the day I thought, my family will be sent.
Then just when I began to think, It wasn’t meant to be,
there were people standing there just gazing down at me.

I knew them in a heartbeat, I could tell they felt it too.
They said, “We have been waiting for a special dog like you.”
Now every night I say a prayer to all the gods that be.
“Thank you for the life I live and all you’ve given me.
But most of all protect the dogs in the pound and on the street.
And send a rescue person to lift them off their feet.”