Ruff Times Rescue Year One!
Success Stories
Blaze
Blaze was my neighbors dog but stayed with me alot. Before the rescue was started he was my part time rescue. When his Mom moved to Hawaii for a couple of years RTR was just starting and I made him my fist case. Upon his Moms return he stayed with her but still came to visit RTR and all of the dogs (including mine) that he had come to love. We lost him in 2012 and life will never be the same without our sweet Blazers!! RIP sweet boy!
Ruff Times 2011/2012
**** this page is still under construction so pardon us while we catch up
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Buster, Cally & Della
Rescued from an EXTREME case of neglect, these precious pups were dying before our very eyes, full of hookworms and severely dehydrated. Their family lacked the basic education of how to properly care for dogs and after over 2 years of trying, RTR has cut off all communication and assistance to the family who subsequently went on to tie a dog to a pole and allow it to die from heat stroke, lose another dog who ran away and after all of our help and assistance with spay/neuter/shots, food and erecting dog pens (to house them more humanely), they felt the need to bring home another Pit and allow it to have puppies...as they say..."you can't fix DUMB!" Our goal is to educate but not to enable people who refuse to evolve,
Rudy
RTR received a call that this little guy was found wandering the streets. We never could locate the owner or find him a home so he was adopted by the founder RTR! Here he is with his bro, Marmy:)
Scraggles
is blind but has vision like no other...he is amazingly smart and insightful, in spite of his disability. He was found with fishing line tied around his paw and lost a good portion of it as a result. The kind lady who took him in sadly passed away and a friend brought him home asking us for help. While we were looking for a home, that 'friend' fell in love and could not bear to part with him...the rest is history and he is a spoiled boy. We cannot take credit for finding him a home but we were there to help with vetting and other support. We are happy that Scraggles had the impact he did on the kind people who brought him to us looking for help.
Nisa
This sweet girl was rescued in Costa Rica, where she was chained 24/7 and living in dirt. Her owner told the rescuer he did not want her, so the Angel saved her and brought her to the U.S. Sadly, after 5 years she lost her home to foreclosure and her new apartment complex would not allow Nisa's size of dog.....Nisa was heartbroken to lose the only human who ever loved her. This was one of the saddest cases I have seen. We found a loving home with 2 other dogs and Nisa finally came around to her new environment, after realizing they loved her too.
left in a house after the owners foreclosed. They were left with no food and no water in a house that the owners foreclosed on. Some were outside and some were inside. We took them and some went to a local cat rescue while these 2 were older and no rescue would take them. RTR boarded these cats at Pawsh Pet Resort and Spa for almost 3 months before finally finding them a home. Pawsh Pet was wonderful to us and worked with us on the costs. The adoptive family is an in-law to one of our volunteers and also a friend to the rescue. We are so happy for them. They have piglets, ducks, a dachshund, a pitbull and some yorkies for brothers and sisters...this is a big happy family of MANY breeds and species that they have become part of.
Punkin'
Punkin' aka 'Buddy' is one of our first rescues. When he was just 8 months old a local vet called concerned that the family could not afford the care he needed and he seemed to be in danger of losing his paw. We took immediate action and called the family to offer our services (thr our KYPP program). The family had taken him in from a sister who was very ill and not expected to live. They did not want to keep him so we immediatley picked him up and were horrified to see that his paw had an exposed bone protruding thru it. We treated him for weeks fearing that his paw would need to be removed, the actions of Eastside Vet Clinic and You've Got a Friend Clinic both saved his paw and our pocketbook. Punkin' was adopted by a GREAT family but they had some personal life crisis and we took Punkin' back in. The family who rescued Benji fell in love with Punkin' and have now added him to their family. Punkin' (aka Buddy) amd Benji now have a happy life together with a loving family!
Mia
A co-worker of a volunteer asked if we could take her senior dog with no teeth and we agreed sight unseen. What a wonderful surprise when they delivered her to us, she was the most precious little thing ever and had no trouble finding a forever home with Sister "Mino". Mia had a great life and traveled back and forth to Canada with her parents and MIno. Sadly, they had to say goodbye to her this past year and we are broken hearted. We will forever miss little Mia who was a gentle little lamb.
Sasha was with another local rescue but we shared a volunteer who told us about her for added exposure. When I received an application on a dog that had already been adopted, I remembered Sasha and knew this person was the one for her....she went to that rescue to meet Sasha and they took her home and made her a happy dog. Her story was sad as her former owner just relinquished her but was heartbroken and worried for her. She is safe and loved and the other rescue informed the former owner of Sasha's good fortune:)
Georgi Girl aka Skittles
This gorgeous little (most likely purebred) JRT was found wandering in the Crackel Barrel parking lot in Winter Garden. A wonderful person picked it up and contacted us for assistance. Georgi Girl as she was called by us proceeded to chew up my glasses dig under the fence and escape 4 times (which if anyone knows me (Mel) I frown highly upon people allowing dogs to escape...lol. This dog wore me out! She found a wonderful forever home (THANK GOD) with a family that continues to support our cause and treats her and all of their animals with the utmost of love and respect. Thank you D for taking the problem child...lol! All kidding aside, we miss her terribly:)
Skye
Skye was found as a stray walking on the corner of Paramour and Lee in a rough part of Orlando. I (Mel) happened to be working but could not leave her behind. Some kind strangers helped me get Skye and held on to her until I could finish up. They lived in the vicinity and had taken in her brother when someone (they knew) dumped them on their street. The family said they took the brother but not her because they did not want puppies, so Skye was living with no food for days all the while watching thru their chain link fence as they fed her brother. This was heartbreaking to learn. They offered to let me take the brother too and I told them to give me a week to get Skye settled in, a decision I would later regret. When I inquired about taking the brother a week later the people said the man who dumped them had come back for him. It haunts me to this day to know that her brother is out there somewhere and I let him slip thru my fingers. Skye was in the 30lb range when we found her and now she is double that. She is a sought after hunting dog (Catahoula) and is bred to hunt in marshy areas. She can jump higher than any dog I have seen to date and proved that to me by escaping every fenced area I had for her. I am so thankful I found her as most likely she would have died in a matter of days if we had not crossed paths. She has yet to find a home but I count her a success story anyway and consider her 'My Baby'.
Piper
This sweet little guy (brown smaller dog in pic) was pulled from a kill shelter in Miami and a fellow rescuer brought him here seeking help. He actually was transported with Mr. Peabody who you may have also read about and is pictured just below. RTR stepped in with and took Piper. We received an email from the family of Buster (RTR alumni pic here) offering to foster him. After delivering him to their house we never had a second to look for a home.....they informed us they loved him and he was to stay right there! SUCCESS! This was one of the easiest adoptions ever! We never got to know Piper but we like it that way! Way to go Piper! Enjoy our boy Buster and your new home!
Mr. Peabody
Mr. P was found by a vet running loose on the street. When he scanned him to see if there was a chip, he was relieved to see there was. Upon contacting the owner, he was told that, "Mr. Peabody was his name, he was their 'stud' dog for breeding and because they were finished with him, they set him loose."
Think of this the next time you go to BUY a dog...there is a back story and it is usually not pretty.
After a treatment for kennel cough, our wonderful friends G&B took him in to foster. They had friends that would eventually fall in love and take Mr. P in. We are so happy that he is being loved and cared for as he is now..... and..... no more stud service for this guy:)
Casey
Casey had a Dad who traveled alot and though he loved her very much he could not possibly care for her. Sadly, she was nearing the end and needed to be with him but just couldnot. RTR took her in and cared for her and gave her all the love anyone could give. When it was her final days, we phoned her Dad and it took him 2 weeks to get back to town. Casey held on, unbelievably, and when he came to her and put her in his arms, she looked up at his face (though she was for mostly blind at this point) she let out a big sigh of relief and took her final breath in his arms. This is a VERY true story and makes me believe even more that animals love and feel as much as humans. Casey held on for the moment she could say goodbye to her Dad.
Daryl aka Kelly was taken in with his Mom Princess (seen below). They were both adopted out to great homes. Daryl had his own private beach and another dog to play with in the sand. He also traveled to Canada for part of the year! He was given a great life by his adoptive family. Sadly, he escaped their e fence and was struck by a car...Daryl died on the scene and we miss him terribly!! Rest in Peace sweet boy and we now that you and Mom have found each other over the Rainbow Bridge.
Princess and her son Daryl (seen above this post) were relinquished by their family. She is a purebred registered Boxer. This did not matter in the least to the foster who ended up adopting her. To her she was a purebred no matter what the papers said! Sadly, after 3 great years of being loved and cared for by her new Mom, Princess has croassed over Rainbow Bridge but we are so happy and honored to have been able to give her a great life in the few years she had left. We will miss you Princess...
Tony
This little guy was one of our KYPP recipients and thanks to RTR was able to remain in his home because he was given all shots and neutered. He was fighting with another unaltered male and RTR even neutered this male for the family. We are happy for him and wish him all the best!
Ruka was running loose and thankfully picked up on Highway 561. Before we could post her picture our volunteer who found her decided she was going to have to stay with her....lol! Short and sweet happy ending for Ruka:)
Bella was rescued by someone who witnessed her being thrown from a car that barely slowed down to safely let her out. I am so thankful that they took her and contacted us. Bella was so beautiful that she had a home in less than 2 weeks...thanks to her ad in the Clermont Newsleader, she was spotted by a young gilr who wanted to give her a happy home! Bella fit right in with her and her brother and she even has an older sister dog to play with. Bella has a wonderful Mom and Dad and a huge fenced back yard. She really hit the jackpot! We know you are having a GREAT LIFE Bella!!.
Sadie and Sammy deserved so much more than what they got. Their loving Dad who took excellent care of them (except for overfeeding..lol) sadly passed away. Left behind with a Mom who did not care for them (and against her husbands wishes) she just dumped Sadie and Sammy and moved away. A caring neighbor saw that she was taking them to animal control and thank heavens she stepped in. She put the word out all the way from Jacksonville and when RTR found out, we had them delivered and fostered them on a huge tree farm with a great family. They were not initially going to be seperated but after fostering them together we realized that they actually only tolerated each other. Sammy was young and playful and Sadie wanted to be left alone. The foster kept Sammy as he loved their other young male dog. Now, Sammy spends his days playing and running around. Sadie, on the other hand wanted to lie around in the air conditioner and relax, We found Sadie a home with a wonderful Mom who had just lost her dog, who immediately took her to the vet and started her on a regimen that enabled her to lose 15 pounds. Sadie could not climb steps when she first went there and later, when Sadie came to visit RTR...she jumped out of the car by herself! Sadly, Sadie just passed this year (2015) but she had 3 wonderful years with her Mom and was able to live and thrive on beautiful farm with horses...of course, she still stayed inside for the air conditioning. We are happy that they found happiness after the loss of their loving Dad.