As 2015 comes to a close, we are so happy to reflect on all that was accomplished this year with the help of several new volunteers. You can follow us on Facebook at Colorado Miniature Schnauzer Rescue and Vintage Dog Rescue. On our Facebook page, we share information about our new rescue dogs, adoption pictures and “happy tails,” as well as Schnauzer “funnies,” including talking videos from the dogs at Camp Schnauzer Bowzer.
Our most famous rescue of the year was a Schnauzer wannabe. Dunkirk came to us from a freeway near Houston via a shelter there. He had an old injury that kept him from using his left front leg. Our surgeon thought he could repair the leg, so for the first time, we went to our Facebook followers and asked for help in raising funds for the surgery. “Facebook” Susan has dramatically improved our social media presence and our supporters truly came through for Dunkirk. On February 19th, Dunkirk had surgery to repair his front leg. After surgery he had to rest for about six weeks, then he went to water therapy for several weeks. Dunkirk is still in rescue, but he now has full use of his leg. He would make a wonderful only dog. He loves to play with his person, especially fetch with one of his toys. His ideal home would be with a person or couple who work from home or are retired, because Dunkirk loves company.
Our connection with a shelter in Houston led to a steady stream of Schnauzers and Schnauzer wannabees from the Houston area. That shelter gets so many animals that are heartworm positive, and those dogs are usually euthanized even though heartworm is treatable. We have taken in about a dozen young Texas terriers, treated them and adopted them into loving homes. These young dogs truly got their second chance in rescue. Our new fosters, James and Caroline, Sandra, and Richelle have helped us by fostering our increasing number of dogs.
True to our name, Vintage Dog Rescue, we took in quite a few seniors this year. Older Schnauzers tend to have bad teeth, and dental cleaning and extractions can cost hundreds of dollars each. After care, they require time and canned food to heal, and can be more difficult to adopt because potential adopters worry that they may not live as long as a younger dog. Colby was one of our seniors who needed major dental surgery. He is now living with one of our repeat adopters out of state. A new volunteer, Maria, organized a fundraiser for us, selling tee-shirts with two adorable Schnauzer designs. The proceeds paid for two of the most serious dental surgeries. Another tee-shirt fundraiser is about to kick off too! Maria also takes many of the beautiful pictures of our rescue dogs. The ladies from Shutters for Shelters also donate their time and talents to take pictures of some of our dogs. These professional photographs make a big difference in how quickly our dogs find their new homes.
We also took four dogs into rescue with severe eye problems. Cricket had been blind from birth. The other three lost an eye to disease or injury. In these situations, because the eye isn’t functioning anyway, it is usually best to remove it to prevent future infections. We obtained a Muffin’s Halo for two of the dogs. It is kind of a cane for dogs, to help them learn their way around their new home. Muffin’s Halos make the dogs look like little football players with a special helmet. With the Halo our dogs gain confidence quickly.
Running Bear was a puppy mill rescue. He was so scared that he couldn’t really be touched or held when he came into rescue. While in foster care RB learned that people aren’t so bad. He learned to play with the Schnauzers in his foster home and to begin to allow human touch. His adoptive family continues the work to build his confidence, but RB is safe and loved.
If you would like to join in the love, we always need foster homes. You can test out fostering for a couple of weeks to see if it works for you. There are two different situations when dogs need foster families. We take in a lot of senior minis, often with medical or behavioral conditions. It can often take us a long time to find the right home for them, so we need families who will foster these dogs, loving and caring for them for up to six months. The love is the most important part. Foster families also find senior dogs are usually more mellow, and have at least some training. They are so much more comfortable in a typical home environment while waiting for their “forever” home. The time you give them, whether it is house training or helping them put their fears to rest in a new situation, can make the difference in getting them adopted. Since these dogs are not usually shown often, they can be fostered almost anywhere within reasonable driving distance of Littleton.
Younger minis and healthy, well-adjusted adult dogs usually find homes quickly, so we need foster homes for them near Littleton to reduce the driving time when they have a prospective adoption appointment. We quarantine the dogs for two weeks before they go into a foster home to make sure they don’t have any illnesses or parasites, so fostering is safe for families with existing dogs. During that two week quarantine the dogs are vetted, including spay/neuter surgery and any needed shots. We also try to get them groomed before they go into foster care. Rescue pays for any vet costs incurred including medicines or special foods if necessary. Thank you to all of our existing fosters for their help. They truly help to save two lives because they allow us to take in another dog in need of rescue.
As always, a special thank you to everyone at Chatfield Veterinary Hospital. They are so helpful in squeezing in an appointment for a new rescue dog, finding cost effective ways to treat our dogs, and recommending wonderful potential adopters for the rescue dogs. Thank you also to Sarah, who donates her time every week to grooming the new dogs, and keeping everyone looking sharp and ready for adoption. And thank you to Caroline who makes the fleece blankies that the dogs take with them into their new homes. While owner surrendered dogs usually have toys or beds to help them make the transition to their new home, shelter dogs and dogs from rural areas out of state usually come with only the collar around their neck. Caroline’s blankies come to them in rescue and keep them comfortable when they move into their “forever” homes.
Rescue dogs need quality veterinary care and food which is expensive. Vintage Dog Rescue is a 501(c) 3 IRS recognized charity, so your donation is usually tax deductible. You can use PayPal from our web page (button below) or mail your donation to 11757 West Ken Caryl Ave., Suite F-276, Littleton CO 80127. Every dollar goes to vet care, food and other things like toys to make their time in rescue more comfortable and enjoyable.
Thank you all so much for all your help and support this year.
Susan Lummanick
Here’s the printed version of the year end letter (click to enlarge). The photos along the border are all of the dogs that were adopted in 2015!!
