Please don't forget about the older dogs at the shelter still waiting.....

One by One, they pass by my cage,

Too old, too worn, too broken, no way.
Way past his time, he can't run and play.
Then they shake their heads slowly and go on their way

A little old man, arthritic and sore,
It seems I am not wanted anymore.
I once had a home, I once had a bed,
A place that was warm, and where I was fed.

Now my muzzle is grey, and my eyes slowly fail.
Who wants a dog so old and so frail?
My family decided I didn't belong,
I got in their way, my attitude was wrong.
Whatever excuse they made in their head,
Can't justify how they left me for dead.
Now I sit in this cage, where day after day,
The younger dogs get adopted and driven away.

When I had almost come to the end of my rope,
You saw my face, and I finally had hope.
You saw thru the grey, and the legs bent with age,
And felt I still had life beyond this cage.

You took me home, gave me food and a bed,
And shared your own pillow with my poor tired head.
We snuggle and play, and you talk to me low,
You love me so dearly, you want me to know.

I may have lived most of my life with another,
But you outshine them with a love so much stronger.
And I promise to return all the love I can give,
To you, my dear person, as long as I live.

I may be with you for a week, or for years,
We will share many smiles, you will no doubt shed tears.
And when the time comes that God deems I must leave,
I know you will cry and your heart, it will grieve.

And when I arrive at the Bridge, all brand new,
My thoughts and my heart will still be with you.
And I will brag to all who will hear,
Of the person who made my last days so dear

author unknown

Why we love our dogs....

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.

When he was standing before it, he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.'Excuse me!' he called to the man. 'Do you have any water?'

Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in.' 'How about my friend here?' the traveler gestured to the dog. 'There should be a bowl by the pump,' said the man. They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, and then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree. 'What do you call this place?' the traveler asked. 'This is Heaven,' he answered. 'Well, that's confusing,' the traveler said. 'The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.' 'Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's hell.'
'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?' 'No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.'

So now you see, sometimes we wonder why friends keep forwarding stuff to us without writing a word. When you are very busy, but still want to keep in touch, guess what you do. You forward mails. When you have nothing to say, but still want to keep in contact, you forward jokes. When you have something to say, but don't know what, and don't know how.... you forward stuff. A 'forward' lets you know that you are remembered, you are important, you are
loved, you are cared for. Next time you get a 'forward,' don't think that you've been sent just another forwarded joke, but that you've been thought of today and your friend, me, on the other end of your computer wanted to send you a smile. AND you are welcome at my water bowl any time!

A follow up to the Michael Vick Case

I just started reading a fascinating book by Jim Gorant called, The Lost Dogs-The Michael Vick dogs and their story of rescue and redemption. I know the story about what happened has been told over and over. It can't be told enough as far as I'm concerned. I know that God says we should forgive, but I just can't in this situation. When I read the first two chapters of this book, it told it from the standpoint of someone who was actually at the fights and was involved with what happened to these poor dogs. And although I have seen videos, it is something you never ever get used to seeing or reading about. This barbaric blood sport is beyond cruel. People that do it or participate,or attend, should be put in jail for life. OR better yet, let their punishment be the same as their crime. Let's electrocute and drown them. Or make them fight to their death against their will....

But that is not what this blog is about today. It is about the dogs that DID make it out of there. One dog has gone on to be atherapy dogs. Most live normal lives in homes with children and are loved for the first time in their lives. 47 of the 51 dogs made it out. This book shows what happened to the dogs that did make it out. I suggest this book to anyone interest in learning what happened to these great dogs. Here is a link to an interview they did on the book and the Vick dogs last week. A great read and a happy beginning for these deserving dogs.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6884146n&tag=related%3Bphotovideo.

Just remember, The "fighting dog" has few friends.

They live lives of brutality and unspeakable cruelty at the hands of those who gamble on their deaths, while betrayal and death await them at "humane" societies if they are "rescued".

These animals are victims of cruelty. Help end this ugly sport and fight BSL.

These dogs deserve a chance like any other. Their only crime was being born a pitbull.

Don't support "humane" groups that don't include these dogs in their circle of compassion.

Read more about the Vick dogs by reading this book.

http://www.thelostdogsbook.com/bio_contact/

Remember Nico, the deaf Dogo Argentino?

Update: Nico, the deaf shelter dog whose photo inspired online rescue community, has a new home in Indiana

Last year, Janet Kinosian shared the story of Nico, a shelter dog who was rescued through the efforts of Southern California rescuers and a community of animal-loving Facebook users. Since then, Nico's story has gotten even better; here, Kinosian fills us in on what's been going on in the life of this hard-luck dog who became one of the luckiest couch potatoes in Indiana.

Remember Nico, the defeated deaf white Dogo Argentino at South Los Angeles animal shelter -- who moved so many people with the sad photo of him first posted on Facebook? Nico, the forlorn animal who evoked the agony and utter defeat so many discarded animals must experience? Well, it's a joy to update you on Nico's life.

Just look at these two photos before and after: Can this possibly be the same animal?

Photos like the one on at the top aren't anything new on the Web: Tens of thousands flood Facebook alone on a daily basis. What was different about Nico's photo, though, was what it captured: the loneliness of an animal that lay against the shelter's wall full of sadness, seeming to have lost all hope. That only spurred on Southern California rescuers.

And that's where the photo below it comes in.

Things have worked out well for Nico SwanGarris. That's his new name and he lives now with his two moms and new sister, Brisby, a pit bull mix who is also deaf and white, in Indiana. He still loves balls, baths and life as a major couch potato, says Bridget Swan, who, with her partner Melissa, adopted Nico in November 2009.

Last August, Southern California animal rescuer Nikki Audet first posted Nico's photo on Facebook, and Kelley Gibson, a rescuer and animal transporter based in a San Diego, helped get him to the Hamilton County Humane Society in Indianapolis. Nico likely didn't know how lucky a hand he'd been dealt.

He quickly went through training to help him with issues resulting from his deafness and teach him how to navigate in a world of sound. His bumps and nicks and battle scars were attended to. He was happy and safe when Bridget and Melissa decided they wanted to adopt a dog, and Bridget's friend said she should see this dog at the local humane society.

Swan remembers that, at first, the animal agency was a bit wary of her adopting Nico. She didn't understand why until she was clued in by shelter staff that Nico was a bit of a celebrity and they wanted to make sure she was adopting him for the right reasons.

These days Nico walks in parades with his new moms, “loves to sit up close on your feet so he knows when you are walking away,” says Swan, and “in general is 100% low-key. He'll get a wild hair in him once in a while, but he's a mellow guy, and he deserves it after all he went through back then. He just loves people -- despite whatever was done to him -- and gives lots of kisses. He's very generous and free with his kisses. He's just so dependent on us, and he likes to hang with you 24/7.”

Nico has had one setback: A cancerous tumor was discovered and removed shortly after his adoption. Recently, Swan and Garris learned that the cancer has returned, but they remain optimistic about his future. "We are attempting a holistic approach so that we can hopefully avoid an ear amputation," Swan says. "We know that he will beat this just like all the other terrible things he has put up with in the past. He is a loving fighter and is strong."

According to Swan, finding toys for Nico can be a bit of a problem, as he loves and chews up Kongs, bones and anything he can wrap his canines around. He also has hundreds of fans on Facebook who hear about his daily happenings and send him messages of love and support.

Asked what Nico might say now that he's safe and sound, Swan replies: “The main message is this: Just because it's a cute small dog or puppy doesn't mean it'll be your best companion. Go for the downtrodden, defeated dogs, look at the underdog, because they will give you all their love and gratitude and forever be grateful you literally saved their life.”

So this soulful, special dog, once full of sadness, now lives out the good life in the Midwest. It's the happy story ending all dog rescuers wish for but often don't always see -- though every animals deserve nothing less. We're wishing Nico a happy, healthy and cancer-free future!

Reprint courtesy of **Janet Kinosian-Voice of the Voiceless

Shelter Dogs-Buying vs Adoptiong

If I stated that I had just returned from a country that manufactured 20,000 "widgets" a day, even though they had hundreds of thousands of widgets sitting in the warehouse, and then also daily destroyed 16,000 widgets because there was no more room to store them, you would think I had visited a nation of backward morons. That is ecactly what is happening in this country every day, except the widgets are living beings who often suffer horribly before having their lives prematurely ended --Kris King

These dogs did not make it out.

Free at last...

Some times in rescue, there are harder cases to handle than others. Sometimes there are images that forever haunt your dreams. Alex is one of those dogs. I do try and keep it together, but every now and then there is one that breaks you and reminds you that we still have a long way to go in fighting animal cruelty, homelessness, and suffering. Alex is one of those cases. This actually happened in July, but it took me a while to write even a brief blurb about it without feeling filled with saddness. The pain and suffering this dog must have suffered is beyond my comprehension. I want to know WHY this happened and how so many saw this and did nothing. Mutts Matter actually sent a rescue offer in for Alex, but thankfully a local rescue got to him. Sadly, it was not soon enough. His medical state was dire. He was emaciated, full of tumors, had mange, and his organs were slowly shutting down. This dog suffered a long and painful life, until death.I would like to say the photo below is his "before" photo. But sadly, he lived and died this way.

I received an update on him just a few days after he was pulled. ALEX WAS DOING WELL DURING THE NIGHT AND EVEN WALKED OUTSIDE TO DO HIS BUSINESS. THE VET CLINIC SAID DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS HIS BODY TEMPERATURE STARTED TO DROP. THEY GAVE HIM HEATED BLANKETS AND PADS. SADLY HE SLIPPED AWAY TO THE RAINBOW BRIDGE AT 8:30am. I WOULD LIKE TO THINK AFTER A LIFE LONG ABUSE AND NEGLECT SITUATION AND 8 DAYS IN A DOG POUND HE WAS SO COMFORTED BY LOVING PEOPLE AND WARM BLANKETS TO LAY ON. HE TOOK COMFORT AND SLIPPED AWAY IN HIS SLEEP. HIS REMAINS WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO SAINT FRANCIS AND BURIED WITH ALL THE DOGS AND HORSES THAT WE HAVE LOVED.

It is cases like this that make me want to fight even harder to help animals in need. I will continue helping and fighting until my last breath on earth. Until then, rest in peace Alex. We fight for you...

Lib·erty (lib′ər tē) freedom or release from slavery, imprisonment, captivity, or any other form of arbitrary control

Updates at MMR

I haven't had much time to blog. Between rescue, transports, applications, and owner surrenders-well there just isn't enough time in the day to blog about rescue. I am living it every day. I just thought I would post some photos of some of our dogs that have recently come in, and the ones that have been around for a while, along with some updates.

Below are some photos of Zoey. Remember Zoey? She was our English Bulldog that came out of the puppymill in NC. I drove to the VA/NC border to get her. She was a mess. Sad and broken on the inside and out..


The two photos above were taken in July when she first came into MMR. She has demodex mange and numerous health issues. She looks sad and she probably felt even worse. She lived the first few years in a cage as a breeder dog. No love, no vet care, just a breeding machine.

The photos above are Zoey now! Look at the amazing difference love and care can do. Her foster mom took these. Most of her hair has grown back and I think I can see a smile here. Can you? She is doing GREAT! So thank you to all that helped foster her and nurse her back to health. THIS is what rescue is about and what makes all the heartache worth it.

This little one above is Lil bit. She arrives on Wednesday from TN. I adopted her sister Shiloh.

Lil Bit will need a patient owner, and someone that understand shy dogs. She needs some confidence. She tends to flatten out when someone goes to pet her. She is just scared and needs to learn to trust. She is going to hang out here with me and our pack for a while.

I got the photos above from Ruby's foster mom Debbie. (thank you Debb) Ruby is the boxer we got out of a VA shelter. She is heartworm positive, but going for her last round of treatments next week. She is being fostered with several pugs and a Mastiff. She is still looking for a forever home and will make a wonderful addition and couch buddy. You can apply for her on our website at http://www.muttsmatterrescue.com/ I love that she is trying to squeeze into the pug bed in the bottom photo :-) She will need to go to someone with boxer experience.

Last but CERTAINLY not least is our adorable Oreo. Oreo came out of Athens, GA. His mom was used for dog fighting. Oreo (we think) was used as bait b/c he wouldn't fight. He came in covered with bad scarring all over him. He was also terrified and would shake and flatten himself when people came near him. But he has made remarkable strides thanks to his wonderful foster family. These kinds of cases need experienced pitty fosters. So we were lucky we had someone to help us with him. He is now trusting of people and really enjoying his foster family. He is even playing with toys now. Look how adorable he is. Oreo is looking for his forever home still. Sadly, pitbulls are so misunderstood and therefore usually stay in rescue longer than most of our other dogs. Pits are usually some of the sweetest dogs. I hope someone will open their heart to this wonderful dog soon. He deserves a chance..but then again, they all do.