Hello again everyone and welcome spring! I was just sitting here getting ready to sign in and post our updates when I received an email from our VP saying that she wanted to post on the site all the updates for this month. I guess great minds think alike. Anyway, I loved the idea to have her do this month’s update as I have been on “reprieve” for the month of March and Laurie has done a wonderful job of taking the wheel.
So here it is:

Here we are nearing the end of March, hard to believe. Our goal for 2009 was to find forever homes for 150 pets. Since just January we have already rehomed 55 pets in our care to wonderful families! Though we revel in our successes, there were many tears as well during the past few months. As some of you are aware, we assisted another rescue group who was given the task of removing hundreds of dogs from a breeder closed down in Pennsylvania by the State. On a rainy, cold day I drove out to meet the group and retrieve four of the saddest little pups you could imagine. They had spent their life living in kitchen cupboards in filthy conditions. ChopStix and Lulu the Shitzus and Ali and Mama mini-dachshunds were so scared as I moved them from one car to another and we made the journey back to Waggin' Tails for a good check over, bath and grooming. All were severely underweight, ChopStix's hair was so matted to his body and dirty that he had developed a urinary infection as there was no place for the urine to go except the matted mound of hair. The dachshunds were in serious condition and needed to go immediately for veterinarian care and i.v. for severe dehydration. All were given a head to toe wash and hair cut, and within a couple of hours you could start to see their eyes twinkle, they knew that the future was going to be good for them. As the weeks passed we continued with their intensive veterinarian care, they had significant dental work done as well as of course all their necessary vetting. Each one blossomed into an absolutely wonderful pet, full of love and spunk, and then they were ready for adoption. All have found the most incredible homes; their journey took them far, but in the end into open, loving arms of families willing to give them a second chance and a new life. We also recently took in handsome Otto pulled from a puppy mill in Western New York and one of our wonderful foster families is currently working with him to get Otto use to such simple things as - human touch, good food, play, and a warm, comfy bed to sleep. Each day he shows remarkable improvement, and has actually become quite smitten with Roxy, the beautiful terrier in our group we are treating for heartworm to ready her for her new home and family. How forgiving these pets are for the tortures put upon them by man. With the economic situation, we have assisted numerous local families in the past few months in helping them rehome their pets that they no longer can keep. We don't judge, we just ask how we can help, and if we can, we do.

Though I should be happy, it still saddens me to know that there will be more coming to us from those horrendous kitchen cupboards, and I await the call to tell us to hit the highway again, and thus, we start all over. Spring time will leave us here at Waggin' Tails Pet Rescue with trying to fill back up our rescue bank account and we start all over again….

Happy Spring to all.
Laurie Smith Vice President

I would also like to add something of my own. Some of you may remember April of last year. We aided another rescue with a number of dogs that had been literally saved from being shot in a field in Lancaster PA. One of these dogs was a beautiful brown cockerpoo that we named Dasie. She was so shy and scared when she came to us. She had never known human contact and had lived her life in a crate that was barely big enough for her to move around in. With no pan in the bottom, Dasie had to live on the wire bottom. When she arrived, her feet were encrusted with feces and terribly matted. Of course we got her cleaned up right away. Well it took some time, but we did gain her trust and she has been here living with me all this time.
A little over a week ago we had an application come in. As we were interviewing the family, we came to realize that Dasie may have just found her new home. We did not have Dasie on our website as looking for her new forever home because she needed just the right home to be able to understand her and have the patience to continue working with her, though she had already done a 110 + percent turn around.
Dasie has finally found her new home. This family came and met her and fell in love. I received a phone call the other night from their nine year old daughter. We talked (actually she talked to me) for at least 15 minutes. Laughing and telling me all about Dasie and how wonderful she is. They couldn't be happier and it sounds like that goes for Dasie as well. Not to mention my husband and myself as she had become part of our family too by this time. They promised pictures and we very much look forward to receiving them. When we do, I will share them with you all on our Pawfect Endings page.
I guess that is all for now. Have a wonderful weekend and HAPPY SPRING!