Shamrock Rescue Foundation Newsletter

Quarterly Newsletter Fall/Winter 2018 Issue

Pictured: Longtime Shamrock resident Honey Bunny who finally found her forever home in August 2018

This year, 61 dogs have been given a second chance because of you Thank you for supporting our mission to give second chances to those who need them most. You help us rescue dogs who are in danger of being put to death in public shelters.

These animals often have little to no hope of a better life, or of a life at all. Without our intervention, many animals now living happy lives with loving families would not have had a chance.

Your support has allowed us to rescue these innocent souls and provide medical treatments, food, and shelter until a forever home is found.

Grateful for your support.

Pictured: Bonded pair, Dio and Shadow, currently looking for their forever home together

Ron King President

Second chances for those who need them most

2 | Shamrock Rescue Foundation

Recent Rescues Name: Percy

Name: Stuart

Age: 8 years

Age: 10 years

Breed: Cocker/ Pekingese Mix

Breed: Chow Mix

Gender: Male (Neutered) Poor sweet little Percy sat at the Ventura County Animal Shelter for two months, which is frightening and stressful for any dog, but must be even more so when you’re blind.

When we heard Percy’s story, we had to step in save him.

Percy is now at our veterinarian, where he will need to have both eyes removed to avoid the pain his injuries have caused.

Gender: Male (Neutered)

This calm and quiet boy sat at OC Animal Care for almost two months with very little interest.

Stuart is partially blind from suspected glaucoma. Thanks to the Southern California Chow Chow Rescue Network and the pledges raised, we were able to rescue this friendly guy.

Stuart is now at our veterinarian and will need to have one of his eyes removed.

Name: Mambo

Name: Razi

Age: 9 years

Age: 8 years

Breed: Pomeranian

Breed: Chow Chow

Gender: Male (Neutered)

Gender: Male (Neutered)

Poor little Mambo was left in the night drop for Animal Friends of the Valley with a note saying “unable to care for.” When we saw his frightened little face above, we knew we had to save him.

Mambo was examined by our veterinarian and was found to be healthy. He is now staying with a foster until his forever home is found.

This friendly guy was in quarantine at the Downey Animal Shelter, so he wasn’t getting any views from the public. He was missing most of his fur due to total neglect from what was a severe flea infestation and possible fly strike. Thanks to the Southern California Chow Chow Rescue Network and the pledges raised, we were able to rescue this gentle guy.

Razi’s skin has been treated and he now has a clean bill of health.

Shamrock Rescue Foundation | 3

Currently Seeking Forever Homes ... Click the picture (if viewing the d

Buddha

Dio

Shad

Lucy

Peekaboo

Scoo

Marley

Shirley

Vio

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digital version) or visit www.shamrockrescue.org to learn more

dow

Brownie

Tiny

oter

Lilly

Jasper

olet

Yogi

Walter Shamrock Rescue Foundation | 5

Have a The Heartbreaking Reality of Senior Pets Being Dumped at the Shelter By: Maryanne Dell, Rescue Coordinator and Adoption Counselor

We save dogs, so I am writing about dogs. But this plea applies to all animals.

Many of the dogs that Shamrock rescues are seniors. Dogs generally are referred to as seniors around 7 to 9 years of age, but at Shamrock we save a lot of dogs whose ages come in double digits.

We save these dogs because, in most cases, their owners let them down.

Maybe you’ve seen some of the videos on social media: An older dog is brought to a shelter and, when the owner who is turning her in is asked why, the owner replies, “She’s old. She doesn’t do anything anymore. She’s sick. We can’t afford her medical bills.” Tugs at your heart, doesn’t it?

Sadly, it’s not an unusual situation. Every day, dogs who have given their lives to their people – who have loved them, guarded them, played with them and kept them company – are relinquished to shelters because they’re “too old.”

When you obtain a dog, however you obtain it, you are obtaining that dog for life. You are making a commitment to care for that dog to the best of your ability until he or she dies. You are not committing to care until “we don’t want to anymore,” or until “it’s too much trouble.” Your dog depends on you for his or her health, well-being and protection. Those are lifetime promises you make when you bring your dog into your home.

Yet, too many people renege on those promises. They take their old, often sick, sometimes injured, sometimes nearly-at-death’s-door dogs to a shelter and fool themselves that “He’ll find a home.”

Sadly, that’s highly unlikely. Our oldsters often have a hard time finding homes precisely because of their age. “I can’t take a dog that I’ll only have for a few years,” many people say. “I just can’t lose a pet that soon.”

We understand this. In a perfect world, this would never be something rescues had to worry about.

All dogs would be loved and cared for until they passed. But we don’t live in a perfect world. And neither do our dogs. And they are the ones who too often pay the price.

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If you obtain a dog, or if you already have one, please don’t take him or her to a shelter when the end is near. We understand that it can be hard to say goodbye, and sometimes turning a dog over to a shelter can help you avoid that pain.

But that’s not fair. It’s not at all fair to the dog who has loved you for years. It’s not a fair way to reward loyalty and love. Your dog would rather say goodbye with you present than in a strange place with strangers trying to do their best to ease the process.

It’s easy to blame the shelters. “Cold-hearted killers.” “They don’t care.” “They have no compassion.”

These statements and many more – many far worse in nature – have been tossed about because shelters euthanize. They euthanize not because the people who work there are cold-hearted or don’t care. They do it because too many owners don’t care enough to do the right thing by their pets. They dump them and move on. But for the dogs, often there is no moving on.

Please don’t be a part of this problem. Please be part of a solution. Love your animals. For their entire lives.

Shamrock Fundraiser!!!

Shamrock T-Shirts - $20 Each + Shipping Support Shamrock with a new t-shirt! All proceeds after the cost of the shirt go to Shamrock. These cotton tee’s come in black, green, and light gray. A huge thanks to Shamrock volunteer Will and his wife Desiree for designing and facilitating the making of these shirts!

To purchase a t-shirt, please visit: www.shamrockrescue.org/shop/.

New Website!

We have a new website!

The new site better showcases the dogs that we currently have available for adoption and automatically exports to hundreds of rescue websites! The site also shares recent adoptions, educational articles, news, adoption information - including our adoption application - and more!

Check it out at www.shamrockrescue.org.

Shamrock Rescue Foundation | 7

Happy Tails It Takes a Village - From Los Angeles to Wyoming By: Maryanne Dell, Rescue Coordinator and Adoption Counselor

Annie had quite the journey en route to her forever home in Wyoming with Jane and Sulo. She was in the L.A. County shelter system, with very little interest from anyone. But Jane and Sulo were very interested. The only hitch: they live in Wyoming. But where there’s a will, there’s a way, as they say. A Shamrock adopter offered to foster her, so Shamrock got her from the shelter. Plans were made to drive Annie (whose name was Frannie in the shelter) to Utah and have her meet her new mom and dad there. We arranged a home visit from a local rescue group and Jane and Sulo earned glowing reports. When Annie’s original foster had to travel out of town, a second foster stepped up and cared for her. Finally, it was off to Utah. Annie was a great traveler and settled right in wherever she went.

We are happy to say she is doing very well at her new home! Here she is cuddled up with her favorite toy racoon that she picked out herself.

How to Help Thank you for your support! Without our donors, fosters, and adopters, we wouldn’t be able to continue to save dogs that are facing death in area shelters. We are so grateful to each and everyone of you. We have no paid employees. All rescues, adoptions, animal transports, media, administration and other work is completed by volunteers. 100 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to the rescue and care of the animals. All other expenses are absorbed by caring people.

To donate, please visit: www.shamrockrescue.org/info/donate Or Mail a Check to: Shamrock Rescue Foundation 2300 E. Katella Avenue, Suite 235 Anaheim, CA 92806 8 | Shamrock Rescue Foundation