WHERE ARE THEY NOW DDR Dog Alum Spotlight : ROCKET!
as told to his mother,
Patti Harris
Hello everyone, this is Rocket speaking (formerly Yoda) and I would like to say WOOF WOOF to all my friends at the Downtown Dog Rescue. Boy, while I was walking those streets of Compton, I never imagined that life could be so cushy. When the authorities finally caught up with me, I thought it is was all over! Then they took to this place where I had ‘nip and a tuck”. Ouch that hurt!
Then I was on my way to a new foster family in Pasadena. I was finally on the receiving end of treats. One day in the middle of January, a family came to visit to check me out! I wasn’t looking my best yet and my ears were way too big for my little body (Hence the name Yoda). This was a nice family and the mommy came with treats for me! I wasn’t sure if they had a name picked out, so I just knew what to do. I made a quick break and I ran fast down the street and made my new momma chase me. When we finally made it back to the house, I knew I had secured my new name – Rocket Dog.
I had a little difficulty settling in at first…I mean, who invented this thing called a “doggie door”? It kept hitting my tail until I figured out how to speed up! My first night was so sweet…I slept on the bed, in-between my new mommy and daddy. I knew right away that this was going to work out fine! I have this yard all to myself, except I cannot figure out what to do about this big thing of water in the middle. No matter how many times I bark at it, it doesn’t move.
About a month ago, my new doggie siblings arrived for a visit. Both rescue dogs, both Maltese. It has been fun when they are over because we are all the same size and have fun together. If you look at the picture of me lounging in the back yard, you will see a cute Maltese – her name is Gizmo. Isn’t she pretty?
Stringbean had a canine girlfriend — Liberty, recently networked — who was lucky enough to find a home — but he’s been left behind. Kristen and I remember him plying her with kisses to bring her out of her shyness. But, even though he is such a sweet boy, with those goofy ears, one up and one out, and brings a smile to everyone who meets him with his tail always wagging, Beanie has been at the shelter for too long and must get out now!!! He loves life so much, is always happy, wants to please and delight you. === by Irene Soriano Brightman Dogs Speak Out Against Dog Fighting from For Pits Sake on Vimeo. WHAT WE DO: The Knock Out Dog Fighting program has been working to end violence in our communities and stop the torture of dogs used for dog fighting for over a decade. We continue to break new ground by reaching different audiences with the message that abuse, whether to a human or animal, is not a sign of strength, power or greatness. Kris Crawford says. Our youth intervention program for schools, community centers and juvenile detentions facilities consist of one time assembly presentations or ongoing weekly classes and workshops. We have programs specifically geared to hot spots for gang activity that have an emphasis on behavior modification for At-Risk, High-Risk, Impacted and Intentional youth and adolescents. One of the things that is unique about our program is we don’t just go to schools or juvenile detention facilities and tell kids not to fight dogs….we work with them so they stop abusing animals AND we give them healthy alternatives. We don’t go in and say don’t do this and don’t do that. We bring in positive role models that tell them you CAN do this and you CAN do that and them we show them how! We foster hope by helping them come to the realization that they are capable of much more than they have ever dreamt possible. We engage them so they can rise above their circumstances and become champions and help us end the distress of these animals…to help us Knock Out Dog Fighting. Spokesperson: “Being a champion takes drive, discipline, dedication and a whole lot of heart…. Dog fighting is animal abuse and we need your help to stop the torture and suffering of these animals. I’m exercising my strength out side of the weight room, so please join me in stopping dog fighting.” Perhaps the biggest crisis we ever responded to was the 61st Street kennel situation, where over 118 dogs were being neglected, allow to attack and often kill each other, right in our own backyard, in South Central LA. To date, all of the dogs that we could rescue are safe and lots of them have been adopted. We are now down to the last few 61st Street kennel dogs that still need a forever home. Seven days a week, twice a day, for many hours, I’m with the dogs. We do lots of things together, including, going to the park, going on walks, going on car rides, and of course, Billy takes dogs out several times a week for special long hikes. Just feeding and cleaning up after 20+ dogs every day is a lot of work but when you consider that each dog comes with a complex set of challenges. One of the biggest challenges is how to say, “no more dogs”, saying it and meaning it, otherwise, one runs the risk of becoming another 61st Street kennel where the president of the rescue could not say the word NO. She kept taking on more and more dogs, all in the name of no-kill. Larry was one of the dogs that went to her “no kill rescue” Larry is a wonderful dog, super sweet, who loves all female dogs, is tolerant of male dogs but hates small dogs. He was chained 24/7 at the 61st Street kennel. He is definitely ready for a forever home but not one calls, not one e-mails and zero applications have come in for this great dog. Rather than running to rescue another dog, we focus on working with Larry, making his life, while at our kennel, the best possible life he can have. Larry was a dog that at one time, was an urgent plea from a shelter dog network, offering a rescue group money to take him, and look where he ended up, in hell. Sure he was rescued but he was chained up with 117 other dogs. Sure he wasn’t euthanized but the suffering that this dog endured at that kennel was so great that if we had not come into truly rescue him, being euthanized would certainly […] And who this week will do the honors to thank these two guys? It’s our beautiful Jade!!! I would like to thank first and foremost, my newly adoptive family for choosing to adopt me! Second of all like previously mentioned we want to send out a special shout out to SANDMAN and FRANKIE! Thank you Jade, wow, able to say thanks and spread the goodness about SPAY/NEUTER…good girl! Your ears are up! You’re being called by your new family!!! Run!!!!! Have a great life JADE!!!!! Again, from DDR – much thanks to Frankie and Sandman! See everyone next week!
URGENT SOUTH LA SHELTER RESCUE ME SPOTLIGHT: MUST GET OUT OR WILL BE KILLED : Stringbean Beanie’s a ham A1108252 South L.A.
HE’S A REAL HAM :. HERE HE IS ASKING “WHAT TIME’S DINNER?”NUZZLING, LOVING, PLAYFUL, A STAFF FAVORITE!!!!!BUT BEANIE’S SERIOUS HERE — AND BEGGING FOR HIS LIFEDDR YOUTH MATTER: Nishi Girl Scout Troop 12135 “OPERATION SAVE THE HOMELESS PETS”
Lori and I were very excited to host the donation presentation from the NISHI GIRL SCOUTS TROOP 12135 – Junior Bronze Project 2009-2010 members this past Saturday at the kennels! Coordinating fundraising projects for DDR is extremely fun and gratifying and the visit from Troop 12135 has been a wonderful highlight! 14 amazing young ladies and their leaders presented Lori with big bags of dog food, dog care items purchased from PETCO, dog beds and used blankets among other many things. I was amazed at what the girls had accomplished at the culmination of their project “OPERATION SAVE THE HOMELESS PETS.”
ANIMAL WELFARE COMMUNITY: KNOCK OUT DOG FIGHTING .ORG
Mona Liza “MO” Reyes – Kris Crawford
NPC Figure ChampionLori’s Corner: “When the crisis is over the work begins!”
I don’t think that I’ve ever opened up my e-mails and not read about some crisis happening, going to happen or will happen if… Usually the “if”reads “if a rescue doesn’t step up and save this dog now!!!!” These rescue pleas can be overwhelming and frustrating if I don’t stay positive. My pack of about 20 rescued dogs, have for the most part, all survived some horrific situation or were rescued on their last day or last hour at the South LA shelter.
FRIDAY SHOUT OUTS – Giving Thanks!
She got adopted this week and why not? Look at this sweet and beautiful girl…so..let’s do this…JADE?
Lori and DDR are very excited about the new Compton Spay/Neuter flyers that Frankie designed and Sandman profiled. We know that these flyers and postcards will surely attract many Compton residents to make use of our monthly DOG CLINIC so many more people will have the needed information and hopefully have their pitbulls fixed. There’s too many of us in South LA running around that will end up in the shelter and get euthanized. I’m spayed…and thank goodness for that…
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PITStop Community Assist: THE DELUNA 8