Monday, April 30, 2012

A visit to Aunt Helenes Shelter 4/28/12



Hola Y'all!! Below is another letter from Aunt Helene. Mom and Aunt Shirley had a GOOD time visiting with all the dogs on Sunday and all the dogs seemed to enjoy the attention!! Mom took treats of course and every dog got one.
Aunt Helenes letter says they start giving baths this week. Can you imagine bathing 180 dogs!!??!! 
You can see Aunt Helenes dogs at her web site http://meetyourdog.com/Costa_Rica_Dog_Adoption.html
Or at 

Here's some pics of that visit!! 




Dear friends of Frances!
Thank you for voting for us. Please we need every day your vote. All my dogs are sending greetings.
My dogs and I had a wonderful weekend with the visit of our big friend Frances. She is such a loving person and all my dogs got very excited being touched from her and getting some cookies. You saw the photos!!!!
I hope so much Frances will visit soon again. I think she likes Dogland!!!!
On Sunday my dogs Violetta and Alfonso had a great day. Their sponsor Gabriella and husband Jorge were visiting us. It was so touching to see my two dogs so happy about all the attention they got.
Today we have two surgeries and we will start this week to give all the dogs a bath again. This will need many, many days.
Please keep voting for us. I thank you from all my heart.
Many hugs Helene

Friday, April 27, 2012

Today at Lighthouse


Hola Y'all!!!

Aunt Helene is helping with a book sale!! It's hard to get books in English here so y'all come see what they've got!! Sometimes when they have these sales the proceeds go to help Aunt Helenes shelter. This time it's going to help the nursing home and the museum!! 
OH!!! One of our friends saw a special furkid on Aunt Helenes Petfinder site and GUESS WHAT!!! The fuzzbutt got adopted!! 
WHOOOO HOOOO!!!!!!!
A home of her very own!!!
Here's Aunt Helenes letter for today.
 
Dear friends of Frances!

Thank you for voting for us. Please we need every day your vote. All my dogs are sending greetings:

Please go to the page “Our beloved dogs” in www.meetyourdog.com and you see the photos to each name (only some photos of the last dogs they found us are missing). I will update the website this weekend.
On Saturday there will be in San Ramón the big Book Sale (around 4.000 (!) used books). Gran Venta de Libros UsaDOS - Come one…come all!                                    
After months of soliciting, collecting, sorting and organizing we are pleased to announce the opening of the doors for our Gran Venta de Libros taking place on Saturday, April 28 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Regional Museum in central San Ramón.  This edition of our book sale will feature a collection of over 6,000 used books, CDs, DVDs, and other educational materials.  We are expecting literally thousands of people to attend the book sale to take advantage of one of the best selections of used books in Costa Rica at great prices: most books will be priced between €1,000 to €2,000 (admission is free).  This will be a true community event and will also include various activities and food and beverage from the Museum’s 1930 Café.  One hundred percent of the proceeds from the sale will be distributed to two beneficiaries: El Museo Regional and the Hogar para Ancianos.  We have the books…now all we need is YOU!

What:                                    Used books, CDs, DVDs, Magazines and Jewelry/Crafts
English AND Spanish!!!

Day/Date:                           Saturday, April 28

Time:                                    9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Location:                             Museo Regional de San Ramón

Prices:                                  Used Books:       €1,000 (paperbacks); €2,000 (hardbound)
Discounts for ALL students

Beneficiaries:                    100% of the proceeds will benefit:

El Museo Regional de San Ramón
                                                Hogar para Ancianos de San Ramón (Senior Center)

Refreshments:                  Coffee and pastries will be sold at the Museo’s Café 1930 (all proceeds will benefit the Museo)

Information:                      Website:             www.actionalliancecr.com
                                                English:                Louisa Wittman: 8.997.9903; reesemickie@gmail.com
                                                Spanish:               José Esquivel: 8.702.8479; jesquivelg@hp.com
Frances and I will be there around 11 a.m. Please come and visit this wonderful event and when you want you can meet Frances and me.
Thank you again for voting. Please vote every day!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hugs and love. Helene

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Aunt Helenes Letter 4-26-12

Dear friends of Frances!

Thank you so much for all your support. I really need your vote – every day until 17th of June.

Our two new dogs – Kevin and Johana – are doing well. Please pray for us that we will have tomorrow another wonderful adoption. 

We built two new yards and have nearly always dogs with us while their owners are on vacations. We are offering boarding your dog.
My workers and I are dog lovers and we take really good care of the dog during his stay with us. We have many dog owners they bring us their dog and are very content how we treat the dogs and they love the environment for the dogs.
You can see pictures of our Dogland at www.meetyourdog.com -  page “Photos Dogland”. If your dog needs some medicine we are giving him the medicine exactly how he needs it. First of all we give him his own house with bed inside, attention and love and we provide vet service if he would need some.
We are looking for somebody who makes a trip with Condor to Frankfurt/Germany. Our beloved Roy is adopted and his family in Germany is waiting for him but the airline don´t allow that he makes the trip alone. There would be a trip over Atlanta with Delta and Roy could fly alone but the costs for the flight are $ 2.240 (!!!!). I couldn´t believe it. So forget is. Hopefully soon somebody will fly to Germany and takes Roy with him.
We have very windy weather and I am always worried about all the dogs on the street or with bad owners.
We are still leading the challenge but the second shelter is coming closer. Please vote every day for us and help us to win.
All the 180 dogs are sending greetings. Love and hugs Helene

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

4-25-12 From the Lighthouse

Aunt Helene's shelter is still in 1st place thanks to you folks!!
The others are gaining on her though so we gotta VOTE VOTE VOTE to keep her in the lead!!
We REALLY want to help her win this one. Her dogs deserve our best try!! Ask your friends to help too please!!

Just go to www.theanimalrescuesite.com
and click on the vertical tab "shelter challenge." Then click on Costa Rica for the country and click search and l
ook for "Asociacion Elena - Perros que ME encontraron
Click on that and click VOTE and then type in the letters/numbers that appear to confirm your vote!!!! The next time you go to the vote site there should be a little thing at the bottom of the vote thing that says, "This is the shelter you voted for during your last visit." All ya gotta do is click VOTE!! Ya don't even have to do a search!

GUESS WHAT!! Jaime got released yesterday!! Mom video'd it and you can see it here!!
http://youtu.be/iRfGXhyyVKE
He sure looked like he was having a good time exploring that tree!! We'll feed him for about two weeks. By then he should be able to fend for himself!!
You GO Jaime!!

Aunt Helene has been REALLY busy at her shelter so we don't have a letter from her today. Mom and Aunt Shirley are going to visit her on Saturday and Mom promises to take LOTS of pics to show you!!

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO VOTE FOR AUNT HELENE!!!
Tailwags!!!
BudBud

Monday, April 23, 2012

Aunt Helenes story Tuesday 4-24-12


Hola Y'all!! 
It feels really good to be back to blogging on a regular basis. Mom says I talk too much but I can't help it. I've just got a lot to say!!
Delilah is back on a diet!! In my opinion Lluvia needs to go on a diet too. She's sorta...ummmmm...pudgy.





 WHOOOO HOOOO!!!! You folks are FANTASTIC!!!! You're still keeping Aunt Helene in the lead!! She's AMAZED!!! Mom explained to her that it's REAL important to get as many good friends voting as possible so she's working really hard to get all her friends to vote!!

Here's her letter for Tuesday.
 
Dear friends of Frances!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am aunt Helene but I think you already know this. :-) 
I am the lucky one Frances is supporting. She knows that I have many dogs – in the moment 181 – and I am very delicate with adoptions. I love every single dog and I cannot let him go if I am not sure the new home offers him a better life than I can give him. We have large doggie yards of 3-6 dogs and they sleep in small houses. In each yard with concrete on where they can run around and play there is a big table with benches and above the table there is a metal umbrella. They love to be on the table above this umbrella when there is a lot of sun or when it is lightly raining. It looks so relaxing.
I have to buy their food, to pay the Vet bill, medicine, to pay people that are helping me and much more. Not much left for me but when  they are happy I am happy too. But there is for sure a limit I cannot go over – space and money are not endless.
We had this year – for us – many adoptions:
Esmeralda (Belén – her name now is Esme), Josue (San Juan de San Ramón – his name is now Cukie), Daniel (Tres Rios – his name now is Rem), Maricella and Tatjana (together in San Ramón), Anabella (Alajuela), Cindarella and Ronny (sister and brother, together adopted in Playa Tamarindo) and Lina (Vancouver,Canada) – 10 until now and we have not even 4 months into the year.
I wish I could find many good places for my dogs – one is more beautiful than the other. What is the reason to buy a dog when you have the possibility to get one of these amazing and unique dogs?
You can see the photos of nearly all the dogs in www.meetyourdog.com – on the page “Our beloved dogs”. Please take  a look and I hope you like the photos.
I am telling this all to you to let you know about the place you are supporting with your votes. Frances explains, we have to be careful not to lose ground and we should get as many votes we can.
Thank you for voting for me and my beloved dogs. I send you my best wishes and all my love. Helene

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Aunt Helenes Monday Story

Hola Y'all!! 

It's starting to be rainy season here in Costa Rica and SOME of us enjoy it more than others!! Delilah thinks it's GREAT!!!



Here's Aunt Helenes' Monday letter!! 

Dear Frances!
I worked today in facebook to get as many votes as I can. Also we got two new dogs and so please my letter is short today. Also on Sunday I am nearly alone and this is not funny. Monday will be better.
Thank you for all what you do for me. Love Helene
My dear friends!
Please keep voting for us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We have two new dogs. A baby dog which arrived on Saturday – 2 months old and on Sunday they brought me a female dog after an accident. She is recovering. For luck there is nothing broken. I suppose she is two years old. We named him Kevin and her Johana. My friend Coco says it is a very typical Austrian name. I think she is right. I already love them both but my time is even more limited. For luck today it was not raining so much and so all is a lot easier to handle. Sergio is out of danger. Jayro needs a leg surgery, Dragi has cancer, Sara has arthritis, Benji has big skin problems, Louise has Sarna etc. etc. But with so many dogs there are still more than 170 dogs really fine!! Good looking and healthy!
 I cannot believe that the new week already starts. Time is running so fast.
I want to thank you all for voting for us. It is really exciting and to see how many good friends my dogs and I have this makes me very happy. Thank you for liking my try to help.
Send you all my best wishes. 
Love Helene

  Be sure to vote for her shelter in the shelter challenge!! Us Lighthouse kids want to help her win this one!!!!!!
Just go to www.theanimalrescuesite.com
and click on the vertical tab "shelter challenge." Then click on Costa Rica for the country and click search and l
ook for "Asociacion Elena - Perros que ME encontraron
Click on that and click VOTE and then type in the letters/numbers that appear to confirm your vote!!!! The next time you go to the vote site there should be a little thing at the bottom of the vote thing that says, "This is the shelter you voted for during your last visit." All ya gotta do is click VOTE!! Ya don't even have to do a search anymore.


Let's help her win this challenge!!!
Tailwags!!!
BudBud

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Aunt Helenes Sunday Story


Buenos Dias Y'all!!!

Don't forget to vote for Aunt Helenes shelter today!!
Just go to www.theanimalrescuesite.com
and click on the vertical tab "shelter challenge." Then click on Costa Rica for the country and click search and l
ook for "Asociacion Elena - Perros que ME encontraron
Click on that and click VOTE and then type in the letters/numbers that appear to confirm your vote!!!! The next time you go to the vote site there should be a little thing at the bottom of the vote thing that says, "This is the shelter you voted for during your last visit." All ya gotta do is click VOTE!! Ya don't even have to do a search anymore.


Here's Aunt Helenes story for Sunday!!!
Dear friends of Frances!
Many times I get an e-mail or a phone call from people visiting Costa Rica and being worried about a dog they have seen in special situations. The problem often is they cannot take him with them home – too short time until their flights back, too long time needed to make the paperwork – we need four months to get the papers for a dog who found his home in Europe.
Two years ago I travelled to Playa Santa Teresa to look for a dog a couple from Germany could not forget. I wanted to help to find the dog, bring him to me, make all the paperwork and send him to Germany (normally after four months). I did this many times.
Arriving Santa Teresa I walked the beach up and down with the photo of the dog in my hand and asking people and looking around. One man told me he knows the dog but has hasn´t seen him for many days. Finally I went to the hotel where the couple from German spent their vacations. Marysol in the reception – a wonderful, kind lady got tears in the eyes when I asked her for the dog and she told me that exactly this dog was adopted one week after the German couple left and lives now with his new family in California. We both were crying for happiness. I asked her for the e-mail from the lady who spent days in her vacations on the phone to get the permission to take the dog home with her.
I traveled back to my dogs and wrote the German couple and they were very happy about the good news. I wrote also to the lady in California. She didn´t answer me and I wrote again:
Dear Audry!
I bag you please write me only three words:  Paco is fine! and I  will never border you again. Thank you.  It would make me happy.
I send you my best wishes, also to your family. Love Helene
This was her wonderful answer:
Hi Helene,
You are very kind to be so concerned about Paco. I am so happy he is loved all over the world. You are a blessing to this world.
Please don't feel like you are a burden or that you are being ignored.  I am not in my email's religiously. :) I would rather be hiking with my dogs. There is only so much time in a day and I choose to be with my family rather than at a computer.:) Its a time thief.

Paco is a very healthy and happy little dog. I will be sending you a photo of the family and updates of Paco. We have been working with a dog trainer since we have been back and he is SO smart. He sits, lays, shakes, heels, goes to his "place", settles down when asked, and we are still working on the  jumping. We walk and hike daily and he loves his Yorkie brother, chihuahua sister, and his two kitties. All the dogs are on an organic raw diet and WOW has his coat changed. We cook there food every morning and evening. It contains meat, veggies, fruits and we add brown rice. We mix this with organic dry food. Paco also LOVES his treats and his toys. They all share a big basket of dogs toys and all day long when we are picking up toys all over the house. He is a dog toy fanatic.
You can no longer see his bones, the whites of his eyes are beautifully bright, and he is flea, tick and parasite free. He will be getting fixed in July and have a chip put it. 
Paco is very loyal and protective and always wants to be touching myself, Ryan, or one of the other animals (sometimes he thinks he is a small dog). At night when we go to bed he snuggles right smack between my husband and I. I end up spooning him more than my husband. When I wake up in the middle of the night Paco is sleeping on his back with his long legs sticking straight up in the air. It is hilarious.
Right now he is on one of the couch's with the Yorkie snuggled up and sleeping. I want his life. hehe!
Let me get some good shots this weekend of all of us together and I promise I will send them to you next week.

Thanks for checking on our little family.
Much love to you,
Audri Geary

I hope you all liked the story which was and is touching my heart. I have still tears in my eyes when I read from Audri: “When I wake up in the middle of the night Paco is sleeping on his back with his long legs sticking straight up in the air”. These are the moments and the stories they let me keep on doing what I do.
Please allow me to ask you to keep voting for me. Frances is worried that we are losing ground. She has the experience. I would need your vote every day until 17 of June.
Thank you with all my heart. Love. Helene

Lots Going On At Lighthouse

Hola Y'all!!!
We've got lots of news. Some happy and some not happy. We've been pretty busy here at Lighthouse so it has been a while since we posted anything.


We lost our precious furgirl, Bunny. She was the "special" puppy mill pom who had been the light of our life for 14 years.  She was born in a puppy mill where several litters contracted distemper. The mill owners threw all the "damaged goods" into a ditch to die because they couldn't sell them. 
Someone found Bunny on a pile of dead puppies and brought her to us. Due to the distemper she was brain damaged. She had peripheral vision only and she had a spinal deformity. But none of that slowed her down. Once she was feeling better she became the happiest, smartest little furkid in the world. 
She passed away Thursday, April 19th and we all miss her like crazy. Our light has faded and our world is sort of dark right now. She was the BEST!!!! She will be missed!!!
Mom did a memorial video. You can see it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qxLWFkc_Mo


Thanks to you guys we won the last shelter challenge!!! YOU FOLKS ROCK!!! THANK YOU!!
THIS TIME we've decided to try to help another shelter to win!!!  
Aunt Helene has a shelter in San Ramon and, like us, she gets no outside funding. She has LOTS of dogs and really needs to win the shelter challenge!!
Just go to www.theanimalrescuesite.com
and click on the vertical tab "shelter challenge." Then click on Costa Rica for the country and click search and l
ook for "Asociacion Elena - Perros que ME encontraron
Click on that and click VOTE and then type in the letters/numbers that appear to confirm your vote!!!! The next time you go to the vote site there should be a little thing at the bottom of the vote thing that says, "This is the shelter you voted for during your last visit." All ya gotta do is click VOTE!! Ya don't even have to do a search anymore.



She will be sending us one story a day about one of her dogs. We'll be posting it here on my blog so everybody can come read it!! If you want to visit her site you can go to
http://www.meetyourdog.com/


Mom is raising an orphaned squirrel and he is almost ready to be released. He's a cute little guy and really piggie. Mom says she hopes there's enough fruit trees in Costa Rica to keep him happy!!! Our little friend, Lucy, came to visit and Mom let him out of his cage to meet her. His name is Jaime!!!


Mom also rescued a baby owl!! Some kids in our village found it and brought it to Mom. It was really skinny and pretty weak. Mom named him Doc,fattened him up, got him healthy and then took him to a rehab place for baby owls!!  The vet there tells us he is doing GREAT!!! Here's a pic!!

OH!!! And we found a hummingbird nest in the driveway. It had fallen out of the tree in our yard. We had all been watching the mama hummingbird while she raised her babies. After they left the nest the wind blew it out of the tree. 
It was made of DOG FUR!!!!!! How neat is that??? Us dogs shed the fur and the birds pick it up and make a nest out of it!! Sort of like recycling!! I think we should call it "Habitat For Hummingbirds!!!" 
Don't forget to vote for Aunt Helene!!!


Tailwags!!!!!!!!!!
BudBud