His name is Lenny the Pit Bull. His rescuer, Karen Douglas, has already set him up with his own Facebook profile to detail his story and his struggle.

He was discovered on the streets of Cooper Township, north of Kalamazoo, with numerous scratches, bite marks, and visible malnutrition. When he was brought to a veterinarian in Grand Rapids, Lenny was diagnosed as having kidney failure, infections of the jaw and mouth, and again, numerous untreated bites and injuries.

According to his Facebook page, “He was negative for heart worms, but the rest of his blood work was not promising. In short, his kidneys were failing. This could be due to the infection in his mouth, his general poor health, or there is a possibility he may have been poisoned. Poisoning fighting dogs is not an uncommon way for someone to ‘euthanize’ them.”

Lenny went in for surgery on Sunday and is currently undergoing fluid therapy. He has gained three pounds since undergoing treatment.

Veterinarians with Cascade Hospital for Animals is caring for Lenny and they’re taking donations to help out with his treatment. If you’d like to donate, you can contact them at (616) 949 -0960. They’re located at 6730 Cascade Road SE in Grand Rapids.

Diagnosis: Obstipation- complete obstruction of the colon

Total amount needed :$540

Owner contribution: $40

Need to raise: $500

Spayed: Yes

Volunteer case worker: Tammy

Squeaky is a 12 yr old female little black kitty with a impacted colon and possible abdominal mass. She needs to have the impaction removed no later than Monday.

The clock is ticking for this little gal, as this is a very serious condition and Squeaky is miserable.

If you can contribute to help Squeaky receive her surgery, please designate your donation to – GF – Squeaky Rose at http://www.imom.org/donation

Remember that no donation is too small, every dollar helps. If you
cannot donate, please share Squeaky’s story with your friends. Post her
on your Facebook and Twitter pages.

Let’s get this little gal all fixed up!

Tammy-IMOM

Squeakys pet in need forum page is:

http://www.imom.org/community/index.php?showtopic=6970&st=0

Squeaky’s mom has a sign she was planning to put near the freeway to try to find help for her baby.   I am hoping we can get this sweet baby the care she needs faster than a sign on the freeway will.

Times are hard for everyone and giving your animals away to already overcrowded shelters for a certain death due to a lack of homes is not the answer to the inability to provide urgent medical care.  The answer lies in the kindness of others who can spare a single dollar to help out.  Can you spare a dollar or more?

Freeway sign for Squeaky

YOU CAN DONATE HERE:  http://pledgie.com/campaigns/10799

My mission with Operation Fuzzy Mice is to provide vet care and other pet-related resources, either by paying for it directly or by referral and networking, to low-income families who own pets, and who would otherwise have to relinquish, abandon, or euthanize their pets for inability to provide care financially. Nearly all of these families have fallen on hard times due to illness, injury, family disaster, or national economic recession resulting in loss of jobs or homes. Pets are given up tearfully and reluctantly by owners, because families see no other choice. This of course does no justice to the pets, nor to California’s already-struggling economy when the state must support overcrowded shelters as well as euthanize and dispose of so many homeless animals. I have only known one case where an owner gave a pet up in coldhearted fashion. All others were tearful and reluctant, not just “dumping.” Even in abandonment cases, animals are purposefully left in places where someone else may find and care for them, and this happens because the owners can’t afford to pay the relinquishment fee at a shelter.

On the flipside to those who relinquish pets, are folks who have gone as far as moving to tent-cities or living in cars before giving up their pets, refusing to turn their back on a fellow member of the family. I have also met a lot of lifelong homeless folks who do things like attend mission meal lines, and take an extra plate home to the pet, or give their whole meal and themselves go hungry before that pet goes without, the way many parents would do for their children. For a lot of these folks, with no money, family, home, health or future, that pet is the only thing they’ve got. I’ve even met one man who believes if he didn’t have his dog, he would have no reason to stay sober.

I believe that these folks, with such love and devotion to their pets, deserve a chance, and their pets deserve to keep their homes and humans. This public assistance is our primary mission.

We do have some cats in our care, as we got started by taking in abandoned pregnant strays so that kittens would not be born feral. (It is mostly female cats who are abandoned, because owners cannot afford spaying them nor feeding more kittens.) Most of those cats are adoptable, but still live here, because in Bakersfield culture, no one wants to go through adoption proceedings when a neighbor or a newspaper ad is giving kittens away for free with no strings attatched. There’s a major cultural mindset of apathy towards cats that must change if Bakersfield is to reduce staggering cat overpopulations, and Operation Fuzzy Mice would like to take some small step in making that change.

Conan, who FelineUnit mentioned, is one of these foster cats. He and three littermates were bottle fed orphans. Conan sustained an injury at an interested adoptive home, and was reclaimed. It has been almost two months, and the paw has still not healed. The vet suggested irrigation surgery, but all we could pay for at the time was lancing. There have been other pets; Tiger was stepped on by accident, suffered head trauma, and was making a turnaround before dying. We await necropsy results, but there is no doubt that if Tiger received full IV meds and diagnostics immediately, his chances would have been far better. Tiger’s sister, Tina, was a runt, and diagnostic testing might have led to surgery to improve her chances. Survivor succumbed to flea anemia, which might have been reversed with a blood transfusion. Middy2 died of septic shock, avoidable if his giardia were diagnosed and treated immediately rather than waiting for funding. His sister, Nymph, carries the giardia and shows stunted growth among other health problems, waiting for funding. Buttercup is a terrior mix who has an unidentified skin fungus, the shampoo alone costing the elderly owner $25 per month. There are countless other pets in homes dealing with flea infestations, respiratory viruses, worms, unwanted pregnancies, and many other very treatable conditions, but the families, many homeless, unemployed, or on social benefits, have choose between providing this care or putting food in their stomaches.

There is a CareCredit account for Operation Fuzzy Mice, but it is maxed. The pets who were vetted in full on this credit line are thriving now. Those who had to wait for fundraising and then get minimal vetting have done poorly or have died. Our request to you is to drive to pay off or pay down the CareCredit, or, start up a fund for supplies or for spay and neuter assistance to families. Even more in need than money, are volunteers to serve on our executive board so we can apply for nonprofit status.

I hope your organization can help us, and I look forward to working together.

Michelle

http://fuzzymice.typepad.com/

My little 4 pound chihuahua is 2 years old and has seizures. It has been controlled with medication but he went in for his bi yearly Phenobarbital level check today and had complications. The vet could not get him settled enough to draw his blood and gave him a light sedative then a reverse to bring him out.

I took him home but he slept for several hours. Upon waking he could not stand on his front right leg. I called the vet and they finally agreed to see him. I feared they hurt his tiny leg trying to draw blood before the sedative.

Needless to say they cant find out whats wrong and are talking of a specialist. They are thinking either Hydrocephalus or Atlanto-Occitital Luxation. He needs to see a specialist immediately as he is in severe pain. If I cannot afford the specialist they are talking of an economic euthanization and I cannot bear this!

I am a nursing student who was working as a nurses aide but recently lost my job due to downsizing. I’m in the middle of a divorce and cannot afford all this extra expense. My little boy is my heart and soul right now I desperately need financial assistance. Thank you!!!

Elizabeth Warner
Findlay, Ohio 45840
567-525-5545

Our baby is very ill and after trip after trip and test after test at our vet, then the emerg. specialist, we need to take her to a neurologist, the tests alone will be $800-$2000 not to mention if she needs surgery. The specialist thinks it is either Meningitis, A Tumor or A Spinal/Disc issue. She is not able to use her back legs nor use the restroom without our help. If you would like me to email you the full timeline, meds she is on and symptoms to maybe give us some more insight, please send us a email.

Any Donation Amount Will Help! If we have anything left after she is better we will donate it to another group or fund to help other animals in need of medical help.

NOTE!  This family has been completely investigated and verified through MicroGiving Foundation.  Their verified profile and donation link is here:

http://www.microgiving.com/profile/SaveOurSnickers

My Barney

I was looking for a second dog for me and my yorkie when I first met Barney in a shelter. Someone handed him to me and unlike any other dog I have ever met or held he held onto me with all four legs – as if he was pleading to be taken from this place and given a home, pleading to have his life saved.

I went home that day but could not forget him – I nicknamed him “Velcro boy” because he held on for life –his life. The following weekend I went back to get him and take him home – but that was short lived because as soon as I took him home – he defecated blood. It took me an entire year of vet appointments to get him healthy.

Over the years my Barney has aided the elderly downstairs and walking (this was done on pure instinct) – was gentle and protective around children and newborn babies and sat on the ground, sidewalk and sometimes street when I fractured my vertebrae in two places and would fall as I was losing my ability to stand and walk – always being there to help teach a new puppy to walk up and down stairs, or help train them – he was always there to offer help to those who needed him.

Now it is his turn. My Barney is dying of a very aggressive cancer – he has a mass on his anal gland, a mass on his bladder and an enlarged lymph node on his stomach and other areas. Only surgery can prolong his life – without it he has a very short time left – a few weeks or months, if lucky.

I have been unemployed for over one year, require a second spine surgery, have had 6 laser surgeries on my eyes and am in severe financial hardship. I am selling my couch and TV but that is not enough – I need help. Please, please, help me to be able to get Barney surgery to prolong his life.

Contributions can be made directly to his vet:

images here: http://picasaweb.google.com/handipets/ShadowFundraiser

We do not have a paypal link set up for Shadow but donations can be made directly to the vet the information is below on the vet estimate.

His Family says:

Becky McMullen

Shadow did indeed go to the vet and the vet wrote to Handipets Personally.
This is what Dr. Amanda Hurley from Shiloh Veterinary Hospital had to say:

I need help with these tests to
see if his immunity for overdue rabies is high enough to skip this shot
and the others he is coming due for.  The vets are afraid to give these
shots not knowing if his issue was autoimmune related.  If this
condition comes back his expenses will be probably thousand of dollars
and I do not have the money, but love my dog with all my heart and soul
and would give my life for him to be alive and healthy.  Any help u can
give would be appreciated.

Contributions can be made directly to the vet:

Dr. LeVeque
D’Adamo Veterinary,
30000 Joy Rd., Livonia, mi  48150,
734-421-1800

Annie has quite a story to tell.  Her life began as an abandoned pup.  Eyes just barely open.  Found in a clay pit, cold, hungry and unpottied.  We took her in and hand nursed and raised her into a healthy dog.  We were unable to keep little Annie though.  Our county has a restriction on dogs and we could only have 4 dogs.  Annie needed a home.  My sister kindly took Annie in and things were wonderful for quite some time.

Later, my sister adopted another dog who had been mistreated and was in need of a good home.  Molly a beautiful young boxer came to live with my sister and all was well for a few months….

But Annie Changed.

Annie became highly aggressive toward Molly.  My sister worked with the dogs but fights became death matches.  Unwilling to give up on either of these beautiful creatures my sister saved up money and called in a professional to work with Annie.  This did not work out.  My sisters yard is much too small for Annie to run freely, she is hostile to the neighbors dogs through the fence, unsafe to walk with other dogs around so Annie cannot be properly exercised outside, and she is dangerous to other animals inside.

After over a year of trying to work through this situation a horrible fight broke out between Annie and Molly last night causing injury to both dogs and to my mother and sister who tried to break them up.  Aside from Molly the boxer there are two senior dachshunds in the home who are also at risk.

Sadly my sister now knows that Annie cannot live with other animals, cannot use her back yard and cannot be walked.  This is no life for Annie and the other animals in the home should not be abused by Annie.

Annie needs a home as as SINGLE PET.  She has never harmed a human.  When I had Annie she never harmed a cat but because she has grown aggressive with other dogs I would not recommend her as a pet in a cat family and would be concerned about her around small children. She has no history of harming children but her fierce fights against other dogs would make me concerned.

Annie needs a good place to run.   We have never chained our dogs, they have always had space to run, but when neighbors complain that your dog barks viciously over a fence at their dogs….that is a problem.  If you have a privacy fence, or no nearby neighbors Annie would do great in your back yard. She loves to run and play.

My sister worked and was gone about 12 hours a day.  Annie had been left home while she was at work and there was never a problem.  When I had her we could leave her home as well.  Annie would work out well for working families.

This is an URGENT plea for a home for Annie.  If one is not found within a month this sweet dog will need to be put to sleep.  All other things have been tried.  We know what kind of life she would have if put into the shelter.

We will not put her into a shelter to suffer in a cage till it’s her time for the gas chamber.  If a home cannot be found the hardest and kindest thing is to ease her into the the next life knowing she was loved.

She has been spayed, has been on benedryl to help calm her, herbals have been tried, she has been examined by a vet and is healthy.  A professional trainer has come to the home to help, the house has been divided and more humans moved in to help  keep things safe.  Sadly all attempts have failed.  Annie is a danger to other dogs and simply needs a rural home where she is the only pet.

Annie has never been abused from the day she was rescued.  We are unsure of what drives this emotional disorder, could it be because she was hand nursed?  Most do not agree, but that seems to be the only thing different about her life.  She had no young pups to play with and the older dogs did try to put her in the rear of the pack…could that be it?  If we had the answers I’m sure we could solve this problem, but sadly we know only this.  Annie is not safe around other dogs, but she is a wonderful and loyal companion to humans.  She deserves to live her natural days on earth in a home where she is the only canine companion to her human.

If you have room in your heart and home for a dog who is known to be dangerous around other dogs…but is the sweetest loving creature to humans, is house broken, spayed, healthy and does not destroy your home…please contact me here or at handipets@comcast.net

You can also reach my mother and sister by phone.  If you are interested contact me for their number.

The first  surgery was performed and with donations we were able to put just about  $1500 towards it. The remaining $2000 balance still remains and his left
leg needs the same surgery. I am looking for any kind of way to accept  donations.

I have a chip in page set up that is already accepting donations.
Cooper’s surgery was and will be performed at Metropolitan Veterinary  Hospital in Copley, OH. Donations can also be made directly to the  hospital. I look forward to hearing back from you. Thank you for your  time.

Here is a slideshow of the work in progress

If you cannot view the slide show CLICK HERE to view the photo album

If you can help out please do, we are making progress but without your help we will not be able to finish.

Donations are being collected a Give Forward

Thursday 3/18 at about 6 am I was driving down a dark street and barely made out an object lying in the road.  It was a black chow mix.  A neighbor saw a car hit him and speed off without stopping.  The dog was alert but in a lot of pain.  I waited two hours for animal control to show up.  They helped me get him in my truck and I took him to an emergency vet.

He has a broken humerus and multiple fractures of his pelvis.  But other signs looked normal, no internal injuries.   Broken bones can be mended.  But it requires surgery that can only be done by a specialty vet.  That coupled with the emergency vet care to stabilize him shot up the costs astronomically to over $7,000.  I hate the thought of putting down an animal whose injuries are so curable.  So since Thursday I have been searching for alternatives.  I have two non-profits who have pledged a total of $1430 so far.

costs:

1. emergency and stabilization care at:

Noah’s animal hospital
5500 millersville rd, indpls, in
317 253 1327

$2,350 (I have already paid this, but this vet said it would accept donations until next Tuesday 3/30 and reimburse me).  They kept him till today 3/22 when i delivered him for surgery to:

2.  vca veterinary specialty center
9745 randall drive, indpls, in
317 848 0318

$5,000 for 3 surgeries

He will need three surgeries – one for the humerus, two for the pelvis.  Maximum fee $5,000.  This vet generously cut the fees almost in half from the original $9400.  He also lowered the down payment from half upfront to only $500 upfront.  And he will let me make monthly payments of $660 for six months instead of paying in full at release.

These were all extraordinarily generous concessions, and against protocol.  I am very grateful.  But still a lot for me to cover on my income.  I make about $23,000/yr rehabbing properties in my low income neighborhood and renting them.   It takes me a long time to finish a place.  I do almost all the work myself.  Right now I live off 5 rental units.

A lot of people think it’s crazy for me to have taken things this far.  And they’re probably right because I don’t know anything about this guy.  But he just has broken bones which are fixable.  And I’d rather err on the side of compassion than practicality.

If anyone can contribute any amount to either location – you can call and explain what it’s for.   both vets should be able to verify costs and validity.

also dog will need about 8 weeks to heal, so if you know anyone who could foster or adopt him in the indianapolis area – please have them call me.  i have 2 chow mixes of my own and they’re a handful.  i also have front and back porch steps – all of which would make it very difficult to care for him.

THANKS!

Laurie Klinger

Donations are being collected a Give Forward

Leslie Ford

My vet is Dr. LeVeque @ D’Adamo Veterinary, 30000 Joy Rd., Livonia, mi  48150, 734-421-1800.

I need help paying for tests for my 9-year old dog. Her name is Browndog. I have had her since she was 6 weeks old. Early part of Dec, 2009 she started loosing the ability to walk on her hind legs.

She has undergone tests and been seen by a neurologist, Before the neurologist examined Browndog they thought it was her knees and they were going to do surgery. We were referred to the surgeon and he said it was not her knees but her spinal cord. She has been on steroyds and pain medications.

The neurologist localized her problem to the middle of her spinal cord. Said is could be from protruding disk, degenerative problem or a mass. But to conclude the exact problem they need to do an abdominal ultrasound, thoracic raadiographs and an MRI. We have already spent our savings treating her to date. We are broke and these tests are going to cost aprox $3,000.00. We just don’t know what to do, we don’t want to put her to sleep. But do not want to see her in pain either.

If anyone has suggestion, please let us know.

Thank you in advance for any advise you may provide

Jennifer Eynon

Browndogs Veterinary info is below.  All images are clickable for larger view

Misty Raine of Rockin’ & Ridin for Autism says: ” My *Burp Day* Request is to HELP fellow critters via Rockin’ & Ridin’ for Autism Non Profit 501(c)3 Charity public ID P15719 Tax Deductible Receipts Available”If you wish to donate to a 501c3 Tax Deductible Charity raising funds for Handipets please use this link:http://tinyurl.com/yatxkv2

Dixie Thunder of Aiken County SC helped us raise funds to build a small lumber and wire mesh kennel for our special critters.  Unfortunately weather and outside animals trying to get in took it’s toll on the kennel through 2009 and the 2010 South Carolina snowstorm finally destroyed it.  We are spending precious funds on temporary patchups of a collapsing kennel when what we need is to build a new one.  We can’t keep patching the existing one AND buy new fence panels at the same time.  This is where we need help.  We can keep patching the existing damaged kennel as long as someone is willing to help us buy new fence panels.  Once we have all the fence panels we need we can begin erect the new fence, tear down the remains of the old one and recycle whatever we can to finish off the new one.

We run our kennel out of pocket and with the annual Crippled Critter Benefit Events held by Dixie Thunder.  This alone helps us care for the animals, providing them high quality grain/gluten free commercial foods such as
Taste of the Wild Roasted Venison and Smoked Salmon dry food,
Dick Van Patten’s  Natural Balance® L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets® Venison & Green Pea Canned Formula,
Honest Kitchen dehydrated raw food for cats as well as raw foods a diet known as BARF

We also use botanical and holistic care and buy items locally at Aiken County’s Herb Store

How you can help

We can accept gift cards for Superpetz as this is the only local store that sells the dry and canned foods we feed our crew.  Helping us with animal food helps us put our funds toward fence panels.

We can accept gift cards for Home Depot which has the lowest price stockade fence panels in our area and they have an E-Gift card program.

We can accept gift cards for The Tractor Supply Company which has the right size wire mesh at the lowest cost in our area.

We can pick up items purchased if you wish to just purchase one or more of the items we need and let the store know Amy Hawkinson will pick up.

The Store addresses are:
Home Depot
Aiken #1117

1785 Whiskey Road
Aiken, SC 29803
(803)648-6291

Superpetz
1589 Whiskey Road
Aiken, SC 29803
803-641-1146

Tractor Supply Company
AIKEN
#724

2655 WHISKEY ROAD – AIKEN, SC 29803
(803) 648-4449

Finally we are accepting Credit/Debit/Paypal donations here:
http://www.chipin.com/contribute/id/e39514f608b80ed7

Handipets is NOT a 501c3 charity.  Donations to Handipets are NOT tax deductible.  If you wish to donate to a tax deductible charity please scroll back up and donate to the Rockin’ and  Ridin’ fund raiser to benefit Handipets.