Nike aka Piper

Well, little Nike/Piper is doing well, as you can see from these photos. She is so adorable and most importantly, very healthy!

As some of you may remember, she came to our rescue group as a very sick 5 lb. puppy. And now look at her! If you'd like to see how she looked when we first rescued her and read about her recovery, check out our August archives.

Here's her mom's latest update on our little one:
Hi all,

Just wanted to let you know that Piper graduated from Puppy Class last Saturday, so she officially knows stuff.

I'm attaching two new pics of her ... one in the backyard showing off her long legs and the other in her yellow slicker.

Piper HATES the rain and pretty much refuses to go out in it. The slicker helps, but we may be getting boots too...

Happy holidays!

Nike Pupdate

Nike is doing well! Her new mom (her former foster) renamed her Piper.

Remember that Nike, er Piper, was about 4 lbs. when we got her? Well, now she's 19 lbs., and as her mom says, "still pick-up-able, but oof!"

I've included her current photo--all happy and healthy--and also one of the photos of her when we first got her as a very sick 5-week-old parvo puppy.

Thanks to your donations, we were able to get Nike the care that she needed--and now look at her!

Here's what her mom has to say:

Piper's working on losing the last of her baby teeth. She's currently got 7 canines, down from 8 a few days ago. The adult teeth are delightfully dull in comparison to the ones they're replacing!

She's been going to doggy daycare for a few hours at a time a few times a week and it's really helping her come out of her shell with other dogs. She's played with a Boston Terrier named Frankie there a couple of times. She even made friends with a big, friendly Akita up the street last week; they were licking noses.

Her favorite dog is still Whimsy, the English Mastiff in her puppy class. She was beside herself with excitement when she saw Whimsy walk in the door last Saturday. Watching her jump all over Whimsy (Whimsy pretty much lays down and lets her go to town) was hilarious.

At one point Whimsy just reached out her paw and pinned Piper with the weight of it. Too cute!

Her training is going really well. There were only two of us at class last week, so the trainer worked with us one on one with calling them to us. Piper was so good. She'd run right past people trying to distract her and sit for me.

I've been working on "down" with her (for lay down) for the past two days and she's totally got it. I told her "down" when I took her out earlier today and she leaped into position. I'm super impressed with her!

We may need to work on more difficult stuff. We're also working on walking without pulling and not jumping on people (that may be the more difficult stuff). For some reason the first time I asked her to "heel" she did as if she'd learned it.

Pup-date!

Do you remember Nike the parvo pup? Well, here's a BEFORE picture (5 weeks old and sick with parvo) ...

Check out her AFTER photo! Nike is healthy, happy and quite the imp! And I just love this new photo that her mom sent us. Nike (now known as Piper) is definitely full of personality. What an imp! :-)

Nike was one of the lucky ones. She survived parvo and was recently adopted by her foster. She's doing well and is now enrolled in a PetSmart puppy class.

Thank you all for donating for her care while she recovered. It surely made it possible to save her life.

Please donate to Critters in Need Pet Rescue so we can rescue more needy puppies like Nike.

Here's an update from her mom:

Just thought I'd send you an update on Piper (f/k/a) Nike. We joined a puppy class at Petsmart last Saturday. We're working on her interactions with other dogs (amongst other things like "Stay" and "Leave It"). Everyone was really impressed by the positive change in her this week.

She spent quite a while jumping on one of the other puppies this morning (an English Mastiff named Whimsy who weighs almost as much as me) - her other favorite in the class is a corgie puppy named Penny.

Happy Tails for Duke!

Duke is one of these dogs that I just fell for the minute I saw him.

I fell for him, not only because he's a beautiful dog, but also because he's such a love bug. He really is one of the most loving dogs I've ever met.

Since I was the one transporting him from the kennel to our adoption events, this was our opportunity to bond. I'd pet him and rub his ears, and he'd sigh with happiness.

A family decided to foster-to-adopt Duke to make sure that he was going to get along with their cats. Well, he quickly became part of their family, so we did the official adoption yesterday.

When I came over to the house, Duke came over and sniffed me. It took him a few seconds, but then he recognized me and was as happy to see me and I was to see him.

Duke is doing well. He's put on weight, his coat is getting shinier and he is just so happy. He's part of a family and he's thriving, as evidenced by the photo above.

When I said goodbye, I had tears in my eyes--yes, out of happiness, but also because I was really going to miss Duke.

It's such a scary thought that if Critters in Need Pet Rescue hadn't rescued him from the shelter, he'd be dead. You see, we got him on his last day.

There are too many dogs out there that we can't save and rescue work can be disheartening. But it's happy endings like this that makes rescue worthwhile.

Nike Update

Little Nike is doing well at her foster home. She is like any puppy, playful and having fun. She also weighs around 12 lbs. to 14 lbs. now. So she sure has grown!

We're so happy that Nike is doing so well. She'll be able to go out into the world on October 22.

Here's a short video of Nike playing fetch.

Rescue has sure been busy!

Critters in Need has been so busy rescuing dogs. A couple of weeks ago, we took in nine dogs in one day. Nine!

Eight of them were chi's from the Camarillo shelter and one was an owner turn-in to us of her min pin. Delane transported these nine dogs down to us and met us in Long Beach. Then Jane and I had take the dogs to my vet, Garden Grove Dog & Cat Hospital, so they could get the necessary shots.

Can you imagine showing up at my vet with nine little dogs? We had to name them and keep them all straight. Not an easy task, I can tell you! Then we had to get them back in the car and take them over to the kennel we use for boarding.

Some of the chi's have now been adopted or are in foster homes. But several pups still need fosters. Our dogs that need fosters are:

Gunner & Roxy, Marley, Tucker, Gidget, Charlie, Cosmo, Star and Bobby all need foster homes. So please contact us if you can help!

Here's our website:
http://crittersrescueonline.org/

And our email is:
dogs@crittersrescue.com

Cosmo is Safe!

Well, we've got Cosmo!

Richelle was great--she volunteered to pick Cosmo up at the vet where he was neutered in LA and bring him down to us in OC. And I have to say, he is just gorgeous! And sweet! Loves people and dogs. He's just a happy, happy dog--even after being neutered yesterday!

He loves to give kisses and just has the best temperament. I talked to Ana at the shelter and told her how wonderful he is, and she was so happy to hear that. I think he was a shelter favorite. Poor thing had been a stray and had been there since May! A long time for such a gorgeous boy.

He joined us at our PetSmart adoption event on Saturday and made friends with all the dogs there, especially the girl dogs. Cosmo loves the ladies.

He weighs only 34 lbs. but looks bigger than that coz of all that gorgeous fur! He needs a good brushing but he is just a beautiful dog. Richelle and I thought he looked like an Eskimo/chow mix.

Thanks again to all of you who have made this possible.

Two New Rescues--Benji and Cosmo

After trying very hard to make all this happen, the good news is--it did! We just saved two new little dogs, Benji and Cosmo.

Sweet little Benji is now at my vet after being transported from L.A. He really is very cute! He just kept looking at me with these big eyes and then sat at my feet so I could scratch his head. I do need to remember to bring my camera with me next time--I forgot, so I didn't get any photos of him yet!

But here is Benji in his pound photo--he's the little pom mix in the little photo. (The other photo is Cosmo's pound photo.)

Poor Benji--according to the paperwork, this was his second time at the shelter in four years and both times he came in matted and sick. URI's both times, heavy tartar on his teeth and fly strikes on his ears. Obviously, he wasn't well-cared for--and probably just thrown out into a backyard!

He seems to be over the URI, so we're doing pre-op blood work on him (since he's 14 years old) and getting that much-needed dental.

He has fleas so he'll be getting a bath, which should make him feel better too! He also has a small growth by his eye but he's had that for years apparently.

His exit eval said that there was a small mass (possible cyst) by his rear end, but my vet didn't find anything. We'll be double-checking that after he gets cleaned up.

So for now, he's staying for a couple of days at my vet.

As for Cosmo, he is getting neutered on Friday and transported to me by someone who responded to my pleas on Saturday!

YEAH!

Nike's Follow-Up Vet Visit!

Here's what her foster mom had to say:

Nike now weighs 6.6 pounds, so she's plumping up nicely (I even had to loosen her collar the other day)!

She got her first set of shots (2nd set to come in 3 weeks) and a deworming pill. The vet thought that she probably did have worms b/c of her very round tummy and she may need a 2nd pill when she goes back.

She got her first pedicure (those nails were getting long).

The vet thought she might be a lab mix, but he thought she could be mixed with something smaller and not get much above 15-20 pounds.

The thin fur on her belly they thought was probably because of her breed and not because of her parvo.

Overall the vet thought she looked great and like she'd never been sick. She's supposed to be lethargic from the shot, but she's been a wee maniac this morning, so she seems to be impervious to that side effect.

Check out the action shot of her jumping at the camera.

Her foster is taking Nike for her follow-up vet visit next Tuesday.

As you can see, she's such a little thing. She sure looks lost on the bed!

Here's the latest update:

She's still doing well with the housebreaking. We're holding at about one accident a day that's not either outside or on a pee pad (and it's always when I'm on the phone). I've got her poo schedule pretty well figured out, so she hasn't pooed inside since Saturday.

I'm attaching two new pics of the cuteness. (The other side of her bed in the first pic is, of course, totally empty.)

Going Through Fire and Smoke to Rescue Pancho!

Today I had to battle smoke and fire to pick up a beautiful dog named Pancho (we've renamed her Princess) that we rescued from the Camarillo shelter. She was due to be killed.

I was driving on the 101 near Agoura Hills when I saw black smoke billowing across the freeway. And being a woman, I began to multi-task, and quite well, thank you very much.

I starting taping the fire while talking to Jane, Critters in Need's founder, on my hands-free cell phone. Jane was watching the fire on TV while I was driving through all the smoke.

And that's when Amanda (who got Princess out of the shelter and who is pictured here with her) called me. She didn't know about the fire yet.

Then we hung up and I switched back over to Jane. That explains my conversations that you hear on the video.

The brush fire, located by the freeway near Agoura Hills, started under suspicious circumstances. It even jumped the freeway.

The smoke covered the freeway and it was hard to see and breathe. The orange smoke filled my car, even after I turned my A/C off. Helicopters whirled overhead and dropped water on the fire.

Traffic slowed to a crawl.

Finally I passed the point of origin and saw the flames. And the KCAL 9 news truck. :-)

Princess and I had to go back to Orange County via PCH. Forget about getting back on the 101!

The fire, which burned within 50 feet of about five homes, was 80 percent contained Tuesday afternoon with the help of about 250 firefighters and six water-dropping helicopters.

Nike's World

Nike was able to go to her foster home on Friday. When we picked her up, we noticed how bright and alert she looked. She was all cute and wiggly, like a puppy should be!

Thanks to all of you for your caring thoughts and donations--and of course, the vets at Garden Grove Dog & Cat Hospital!

This was what the foster wrote about her on Sunday:

Nike is a total lap puppy --it may be the lab in her. Awfully hard to get stuff done, but even harder to say no to that face.

She's doing better with the puppy pads today. We're more hit than miss, which is good progress. And she even pooped outside today.

Her appetite is great. She's eating all her food, so hopefully we'll get some puppy pudge on her.

She's very even-keeled. When she's outside and other dogs are barking or the neighbors pull in behind the fence and honk their horn, she doesn't react at all.

The kitties are starting to venture out a little bit more.

Marleigh sat on the other side of the kitchen gate and watched Nike for a little while yesterday and then later, last night, George did the same. Izzie's still not sure that venturing farther than peeking around the corner from the living room is safe.

Nike's really great when she sees them, though. She just quietly sits down and wags her tail and waits for them. So I think things are going well!

Nike Update!

Yes, it looks like Nike will be going to her foster tomorrow.

We found a wonderful foster for Nike for 30 days. The foster has a cat so Nike will be surely socialized with kitties--which is always a good thing!

Since Nike will be shedding the parvo virus for two months, we will need another foster for the second month.

We are still in need of donations to cover Nike's vet bills. Please send donations to:

28206 Via Alfonse, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677.

Thank you ALL so much for your contributions and your prayers about this little girl. It's wonderful to know that there are so many caring people out there!

Good News!

Nike was given solid food yesterday and did well! She can go home today. However, we are in DESPERATE need of a foster which will accomplish three things: keep her safe, get the TLC she needs and stop the ever-climbing vet bill.

However, she cannot go to a home with dogs as she will be shedding the active virus for two months. I figure that a cat-person would be just the ticket to care for this little girl.

Nike will have to stay at the vet--at $85/day--until a foster can be found.

Please post on this blog if you can help!

Photos of Nike, the poor little pup that is fighting for her life! Please help her!

Help Us Save This Little Pup's Life!

PLEASE CROSS POST!

Nike is only five weeks old, yet she is fighting for her life. You see, this little puppy has a deadly disease--parvo.

Nike's owner sold her on the street on Wednesday for $5, like a sack of oranges. The couple that bought her did not take her to the vet, even though it was obvious that she was sick.

Kym, one of our volunteers, received a call from her dog sitter who had heard about the puppy and asked if she would help rescue the pup. He brought the dog to her Thursday evening.

When Kym saw how sick the puppy was, she immediately rushed it to the emergency vet. They tested the puppy out in the parking lot for parvo.

When they swabbed the poor little puppy's butt, Kym said that the dog let out a horrible scream. It was awful.

The test was positive.

Kym was given the option to put the puppy down, but she refused, even though she knew that emergency treatment would be expensive. She had held this little girl against her chest and looked into her eyes and knew she had to do everything humanely possible to save this sweet little pup.

And Critters in Need backed her decision 100 percent.

Friday morning, Kym took the puppy (now named Nike) to my personal vets at Garden Grove Dog and Cat Hospital. Dr. Hess said that Nike had a chance of pulling through, but that she would have to stay in the hospital for at least seven days. She is hooked up to an IV.

Dr. Hess called me on Saturday morning with an update: Nike was bright and alert, with no diarrhea or vomiting. He was cautiously optimistic as a dog with parvo also can go quickly downhill.

Today, Dr. Hess called me and said that Nike was depressed, which meant that she wasn't feeling as well as she had the day before. However, there is still no diarrhea or vomiting, so that's a good sign. He's hoping to be able to get her onto food in a couple of days, but that may be too early.

Critters in Need Pet Rescue is committed to saving this brave little girl, but we need your help! Vet bills will be at least $900--it will most likely be more than that. We already have spent $550 to date.

Any donation will be of tremendous help. No donation is too small. $5, $10 or $25, it will all add up.

Donations for Nike can be sent to:

Critters in Need Pet Rescue
28206 Via Alfonse
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

Don't forget to specify that your donations are for Nike.

Please forward this blog to friends and family. It would also be greatly appreciated if you also would download the attached flyer that I created for Nike and post wherever possible.

Thank you all so much for all of your help. With your donations and prayers, we can save Nike's life!

Critters in Need Pet Rescue--what we do.

Critters in Need Pet Rescue is a non-profit volunteer organization based in Orange County, Calif. We are dedicated to saving the lives of abandoned dogs and finding them loving homes.

We have over 30 dogs available for adoption right now. We have both purebred and mixed breed dogs, small and large.

The photo is of our dog of the week, Jasper, a lovely cocker spaniel mix that we rescued from a high-kill shelter on the day he was due to be euthanized.

We also have dogs that need fosters, such as Gunner and Roxy, Star and Rusty. Please take a look at them on our website:

CrittersRescueOnline.org

Critters in Need Pet Rescue is always in need of volunteers and donations. Please contact us at Dogs@CrittersRescue.com if you wish to help.

One of our recent fosters wrote up a very lovely account of how fostering (and later adopting) Kona from us changed her life. In fact, she is currently fostering Jasper in the hopes that he will be added to their family.

Please click here to read her story.

Come visit our dogs at PetSmart, located on the northwest corner of Jamboree and Barranca in Tustin, on Saturday afternoons. Please click here for details.