SUMMER CUTS!!!

We hope all you Mommys had a GREAT Mothers Day!!! Mom spent most of hers helping us get shaved down to summer cuts. We've never been "naked" before!! It feels  kinda funny!! Here's some pics of us in the process!!

Below is Aunt Helenes story for today!! Please don't forget to vote for her in the 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 look 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!

Dear friends of Frances!

Thank you for voting for us. Please we need every day your vote!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All my dogs are happy and waiting that I put them in their beds. We had a quiet Sunday with a lot of work but without (bad) surprises! The weather was very warm and beautiful. Two dogs arrived today for boarding. They are with us already the third time. This time for nearly three weeks.

I took today some pictures from our new puppies with their mother. We found them in San Miguel – a village not far away from us. They are two months old and really sweet. The photos are not the best because the mother is protecting them very strong.

Please take a look at

http://www.meetyourdog.com/Our_new_five_puppies.html

The dog which has his castration on Friday is still with us until he is fully recovered and has his vaccinations. He will go back to his owner in a few days.

I want to tell you the story of our beloved Carolina:

Carolina was born in February 2008. She came with her mother Paula and her three sisters Michelle, Mindy and Paulina in the age of a few weeks.

One day Dee from Canada visited me and looked for a dog for her stay of one year in Costa Rica – meanwhile studying in the University. She felt in love with Paula – renamed her Tank and took Tank with her to her wonderful home in Canada.  Tank is living now like a queen and I am so happy.

Her daughter Carolina was two years ago adopted from a couple from the United States. They lived in San Ramón but after six months they decided to leave the country. I didn´t want them to take Carolina because where they were going was too dangerous for my dog. And I was right. Her mother for six months confirmed me that they now have a very hard and not very comfortable life. I am sorry for them but I am happy for my dog. The problem is that Carolina is very close to people. Even when we try to do our best she still prefers to be part of a family. She is trying to get attention from every visitor who is coming and is crying when they went away. We have so many pretty dogs – en total we have 180 dogs – so the competition is big.

Carolina is a very sweet, peaceful, easygoing, beautiful and lovely dog which goes well with children and other dogs. She is now 4 years old but she is still a young dog and she is a very healthy dog. Her weight is 13,5 kg.

Her mother Paula was adopted in the age of more than 5 years.

The most similar to their mother Paula is Paulina which is the reason for her name.

I think everybody who wants to adopt Carolina will fall in love with her.

Please let me know when you want to see the album of photos from Carolina.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.146106018775564.38771.100001285007181&type=3&l=3b82660c39

Please we all need your help and so we are asking: Please keep voting for us. I thank you with all my heart.

Many hugs Helene

Aunt Helenes Letter 5/10/12

Dear friends of Frances!

Thank you for voting for us. Please we need every day your vote!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My friend "Mette My" visited us in December 2011/January 2012. In January I was travelling to my friends in Playa Coyote. They had already two dogs adopted from Dogland and wanted a third dog – our beloved Felix – another beautiful big black dog! Felix arrived happy his new wonderful home and for luck the other dogs accepted him immediately as their friend. 

I spent several hours with them on the beach and it was a wonderful day. 

I traveled back on the same day and on the Ferry from Playa Naranjo to Puntarenas I got a phone call from a lady from San Miguel de Piedades Sur. Somebody left a puppy on the street and it was hit by a car. She asked me if I could pass by and pick the screaming baby up. I said yes and when I came from Puntarenas and arrived on my way home San Miguel I picked the baby up. 

It had his back broken and I took her carefully home. On the next day I brought her to my Vet Dr. Randall Villalobos. The X-ray showed it was broken but there was hope that it heals well because of the age of the dog. 

My spent many hours with the baby, gave her the name ALMA, was day and night with her and let her sleep in her bed. Alma was very well taken care and she was soon in a lot better condition and wanted to play. She was a puppy. We had to keep her quiet and in observation. When My left she was already walking.

 Alma

My felt in love with Alma and when she finally came home to Belgium she wrote me and asked if she can adopt Alma. It was a very happy moment for me. We are now in the process to get the paperwork done which needs for Europe four (!) months. One month is over, we sent the blood to Kansas and are waiting for the result of the test for anti-rabies antibody in vaccinated dogs. When all is going well Alma can fly in August to Europe!!!!!!!!!!

My felt in love with a second dog from Dogland – Jessica - but the costs for every dog bringing them to Europe are $ 700. She will pay this for Alma but for Jessica there is no money left. I will try to get some money together to try and help and we will see what we can do. It would be a dream to give another dog such a wonderful opportunity!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Jessica

Please help me to help others. All my dogs need your help and so we are asking: Please keep voting for us. I thank you with all my heart.

Many hugs Helene

Little Miracles

Miracles do happen

Here's Aunt Helenes letter for Tuesday!! It's REALLY interesting  and has a happy ending!! Me and Mom love to read stories like this 'cause it proves there's miracles out there for those homeless furkids. Ya just gotta believe!!
 
Dear friends of Frances!

Thank you for voting for us. Please we need every day your vote!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am still waiting to hear more news about our upcoming adoption in Canada – this will be number 4 to go to Canada.

Our first adopted dog in Canada was sent in 2010 to my beloved friend Fiona. The story started with the visit of Sarah from Canada in Dogland in Costa Rica. She liked our place very much. A few weeks later she wrote me from Canada that she cannot forget a dog she saw in Playa Samara during her vacations. I offered her to travel to Playa Samara to look for the dog, take him with me and send him after recovering to Canada. But I couldn´t find the dog. On the way back to my car a lady was coming to me and asked if am Helene and what I am looking for. I showed her the picture of the dog and she answered that she knows the dog. A friend of her adopted him a few weeks ago. I was so excited but when we called the man he told us that this dog died two days before I arrived.

I was so sad and wrote all to Sara.

Sara´s friend Fiona was touched about the story and she liked also that I was willing to travel to find the dog. She was looking for a dog and she decided to adopt a dog from Dogland.

This is her first letter she sent me:

Hello Helene!

I am Fiona, a friend of Sarah Lowe's.  I believe she may have been in contact with you recently? Through Sarah, I have heard many wonderful things about you and about your dog rescue efforts!

We live in Ontario, Canada though we have been spending the last year in France.  We are now en route back to our home near Toronto.  We had been planning this year in France for over 5 years, and also planned to get a dog once we finished this sabbatical year.

And that time has come!

I am really excited to think that we might bring a dog into our homes and hearts in the near future.  We have been dogless for the last 5 years, since my 2 beloved dogs, Sprite and Basil, both passed away within a month of each other due to age-related health problems.  They were 13 and 14 yrs old.  At the time, our children were babies and we decided to hold off on adopting a furry family member.  The children are now 5 and 7 yrs old, and love dogs and are looking forward to adopting one.  We also have 2 cats, one of whom is quite elderly.

I would be honored if you would consider us as an adoptive family for one of your wonderful dogs there in Costa Rica.  I don't really know how we go about this process, so any information you can give me, or any questions you have for me, would be wonderful!

We want to open our hearts and home to a dog who is gentle with children and ignores cats. My son, who is 7, has boundless energy and would love a dog to play chase with and throw a ball to.  My daughter, aged 5, thinks she would like to dress a dog up in a tutu and have a tea party with him or her!  I have tried to explain that most dogs would not want to wear a tutu or drink tea!   Jane is working on a new plan that involves petting a dog and brushing him or her.  We own our own home, and have a very large fenced back yard.  I expect that I could take a dog to work with me much of the time as I am a veterinarian, so I work in a very dog-friendly environment.

I hope you will consider us if you have a dog that might be happy in our home!

Best wishes,
Fiona

We exchanged many e-mails and I sent many pictures and descriptions and finally Fiona decided for Moritz. I was so nervous when I sent my first dog to Canada and waited late in the night until Fiona sent me the good news – HE ARRIVED WELL and she liked him!!!

Moritz is living a wonderful life with Fiona and her family. It makes me so happy that Fiona always sends me photos and reports because she knows I love all my dogs deeply and they are always in my heart.

Fiona is a vet so it will be no surprise that she is an avid animal lover and had been a dog owner in the past. And after living abroad for a year, Fiona and her husband knew the time had come to add another member to their family. The entire adoption process took only 12 days. From the initial introduction to the time Moritz touched down in Toronto.  Moritz was chosen for Fiona and her family because of his playful and gentle nature and his ability to get along with cats!

By all reports the match is perfect. Now, when Moritz isn’t running around with Fiona’s 5 and 7 year old children he can be found keeping company with her other pets, 2 cats.

Just yesterday arrived again an e-mail from Fiona with two beautiful pictures of Moritz. She wrote:

Hi Helene!

Just wanted to let you know that Moritz is continuing to do well and has so much fun here with us. Here is a photo taken today at a park. We were there for 3 hours and he ran around where-ever he wanted, chasing bugs and having fun with the children!
He is such a sweet dog!

Thanks again for sending him to us!
Love Fiona

Fiona and her family were in the fortunate position of being able to adopt a dog, but many other dog lovers aren't. For this reason I created a sponsorship program that allows people to sponsor one of the dogs so that I can continue to provide them with all the necessities of life. Please take a look at www.meetyourdog.com to see current residents of 'Dogland' – page “Our beloved dogs”.

We got today two more dogs for boarding.

NICOLE GOT ADOPTED!!!!

Here's Aunt Helenes letter today!! NICOLE GOT ADOPTED!!! YAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She will be SOOO much happier with a family to love!! WE'RE ALL SO HAPPY FOR HER!!!

You GO Nicole and you too Aunt Helene!!! You're doin' a great job finding homes for these furkids!!

Don't forget to vote for her shelter every day please!!! 

www.animalrescuesite.com and vote for "Asociacion Elena - Perros que ME encontraron" in Costa Rica!!

 

Dear friends of Frances!

Thank you for voting for us. Please we need every day your vote!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today we had a wonderful adoption. Jackie and Bob - big dog lover - brought me their dog, Jazmine, for boarding and at the same time they were looking for a good company for her. After seeing all the dogs they both decided to adopt Nicole and they are really in love with her. She will live in a beautiful property on the beach in Uvita. Nicole is a very sweet and beautiful dog and we wish her the best for her new life. 10 months ago we found Nicole in a box in front of our gate together with her sisters Gaetana and Violetta and her brother Frank (Sinatra). These babies were six weeks old and very thin. We gave them all what they needed and they changed to healthy, sweet, energetic and beautiful dogs in very good shape. Jackie and Bob will come back to us on Friday to pick both – Jazmine and Nicole - up to travel back to their home – the new home for Nicole. They promised me to send photos and to keep me updated about Nicole. It is always hard for me to let a baby go but I know she will live better than with me. She will receive a lot of love and all the attention she needs.

Jackie and Bob were fascinated to see all the dogs in such good condition. This makes me happy and we really do our best to keep them healthy and happy and to offer them the best life we can.

Our concrete path is ready and it looks good. Now everybody who comes to visit us can go up easily even when it is in the rainy season.

Please we all need your help and so we are asking: Please keep voting for us. I thank you with all my heart.

Many hugs Helene

 OH!!! And Mom got my comfort shirt made!! WHOOO HOOO!!!! I am SOOOOO handsome in that thing!! Take a look and tell me I'm not a sexy little guy!!

Tailwags!!!
BudBud

Neat shirts for us furkids

Mom started making shirts for us to maybe help us not be so afraid when it thunders!! The first one she made fits Mieko pretty good except the front flap, that goes around the chest, is a little long. It still fits pretty good though, except the end of the flap sticks out a little. Mom's gonna make some more when she gets some more velcro. They're made from a stretchie material and they're supposed to fit real snug and make us feel secure...like we do when you hug us. We do love bein' hugged y'know.

Aunt Hlelenes letter 5-3-12

Dear friends of Frances!

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

Yesterday we picked up a dog – big size – with five puppies. They are now together in a yard and sleep in a big house. Every stomach is filled and the world seems to be good.

Today I brought three adult dogs for surgery. One of the dogs has two puppies which I have also now with me. We wait with the surgery. When they will stay with me there is no hurry. So we got yesterday and today in total 11 dogs more. It is scaring but what can I do. They are all full of parasites and the mother of the puppies needs a “Sarna” treatment. Always when they have difficult situations – having puppies, not enough food, sleeping outside, parasites – their immune system goes down and one of the first damaged organs is the skin.

The two puppies are in the moment together with our youngest family member Kevin. He was until now alone because he is still too small to get well with the other puppies – Victor, Vicky (sister and brother), Estefanie and Estefan (sister and brother) and Roxana (daughter of Rebecca). Now Kevin is happy – only the two new puppies are missing their mother and screaming but the mother needs quietness after her surgery from today. The other two females they got surgery today are a small brown dog and middle size white dog. The brown dog will go back on Friday to his owner. The other dogs will stay with us. Especially the mother dog has to be healed from “Sarna”.

They all will get or have already their shots, deworming pills and treatments to be free from parasites.

We are making a new concrete path for walking up to the dogs until the rainy season starts. There is a lot to repair and to clean.

I am coming back from feeding all the new dogs, putting ticks out, put the spray for the fleas on and pet them – it is so touching to see how grateful and happy they are. Some with more, some with less fear. I am sure tomorrow they will be all confident and different. This makes me happy. They are now safe and sleeping well tonight.

Please we all need your help and so we are asking: Please keep voting for us. I thank you from all my heart.

Many hugs Helene

Aunt Helene sent us this story last night. It's a sad story with a happy ending. Aunt Helene does wonderful things for the animals. Please vote for her in this challenge!!

Early this year a lady from Canada called me and asked me to pick up a dog she has seen on her vacation. She told me, "We made a boat trip in Los Chiles and as we started up the river, a dog started to run along the path at a tremendous rate. The person driving the boat said the dog's owner abandoned him in the town and took a boat to Nicaragua and the dog has raced up and down the waterway every day for three months - sometimes four times a day - looking in every boat that went by, every single one looking for the horrible human being that abandoned him -  running twenty miles a day. He jumped over creeks, swam over canals (and there are crocodiles) and kept looking at us  "Are you there?"  "Where are you?" ... a couple of us started to cry. When we got back I bought food and fed him. He is a sweetheart! Then he disappeared to the river to find the person that broke his little heart."

I wrote her back that I am willing to help and two days later I traveled to Los Chiles and picked the dog up. Los Chiles is on the border to Nicaragua – from where I live a 4 ½ hour trip (one way). I found the dog exactly where she told me he always is before the boat starts, brought him home, named him Amor and here he is waiting for a wonderful home he deserves. He is very attached to humans, is beautiful and loves attention. You can see photos of him in my website http://meetyourdog.com/DOGS_THEY_FOUND_US_2012.html

I was very happy that I found him and the lady from Canada is happy to know him safe.

All my dogs are sending greetings and are very grateful. Please keep voting for us. Many hugs Helene

PLEASE help us to help Aunt Helene win this challenge.

When we found out we weren't allowed to win the challenge this time me and Mom spent hours researching all the international shelters to see which one to help. If you remember, in a previous post, we mentioned that every shelter we researched has outside funding and that some are sending plane loads of dogs to the US shelters. Here's a recent news story about one. http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/iteam/I-Team-Atlanta-Humane-Society-Animal-Origins

Aunt Helene is like us. She works out of her own pocket and on what few donations she can get. And she doesn't send plane loads of dogs to the US where they ALREADY have way too many street dogs.

We REALLY REALLY want to help her since we aren't allowed to win two in a row.

We're attaching a pic of Amor. Maybe one of you will decide he's make a wonderful new family member!! How can a human just abandon a cute furkid like this? Don't they even CARE????
I'm sure glad there are people like Mom, Aunt Helene and YOU FOLKS who DO care and are willing to help us.

All of us furkids and featherkids say THANK YOU!!!!!

Tailwags!!!

BudBud