Success Stories!!!

 Happy Tails!!!

This is the stories of the Kennewick Eskies, a horrific puppy mill shut down in May 2009 after being allowed to run for over 42 yrs, while Benton County & it's citizens stood by & did NOTHING, the one's who tried were ignored by the entire police force & local agencies... not surprizingly We've all seen them, those adorable little puppies at the pet store, so tiny & sweet & full of puppy kisses... The sad reality is that 95% of the time their mothers & other siblings are sitting in 6 inches of their own feces, waiting for the kindness & relief that death will bring. Every time you buy one of these pups you are creating the motivation for yet another litter to be produced by a female who has been bred every cycle, never had vet care & because of the close proximity of all the dogs there is no way to guarantee there will be no inbreeding.

In May of 2009 the horror of what truly happens unfolds as authorities raid a puppy mill that has been in operation since 1967. We will go into why it was allowed to happen so long & to so many helpless creatures later but I'd like to introduce you to some of them now


Oso: Oso was one of the first one's to arrive, he was called "Oso dead" by some of the volunteers at the humane society because he was the most terrified of the bunch, he was also the first dog to have a breakthrough, within 9 days he was sitting in my lap with his own private wardrobe of collars, leashes, & bandana's, soon it became painfully obvious that he also had something else...seizures, no doubt from his lack of care & possible inbreeding but that didn't bother me, I was going to keep this boy, he had stolen my heart. Unfortunately for me he had other plans, we had a whole family that came up here from Oregon to look at another dog, that day Oso was extra agitated so I had him outside as well when they came & he immediately went running to one of the son's who the other dog was supposed to be for, it was love at first sight, & so my precious Oso is now an Oregonian with a whole family & a pretty little spayed bulldog girlfriend...such a far cry from the life of desperation he once lived in.

Damien: AKA Devil Dog, he is all of 10lbs but totally vicious according to some but he is a total snuggle bunny, he had to have all of his teeth pulled except for his canines & will now have to eat wet food for the rest of his life but he couldn't care less as he warms the lap of his new momma

Ellie Mae; She & Scooter were adopted together, I picked a very special woman named Sue for them because they were so physically & emotionaly damaged because of their past, they have made some gains but most days they backslide but Sue has promised them that they will never have to leave her & she will wait for as long as it takes for them to come around. Ellie does seem to have more breakthroughs than Scooter, but again, like many of the others, she also has seizures so every day is a battle for her & even though they're not here it just kills me to hear the pain in Sue's voice when they've had an especially hard day, & every time she asks me how someone could've done this to these beautiful sweet creatures & I have no answer for her

Scooter:When Scooter came through the door my heart sunk, he looked at me peed & had a seizure, I got him some valium, & held him til he came around a bit, as I held him I counted so many scars & felt his ribcage which felt like a brick road, his little legs were bowed out so far it was hard for him to walk, he's another I thought would be here forever, but then Ellie came, he bonded to her like superglue & as he built confidence his goofy little personality started to emerge. He was the runt & got picked on alot but not with Ellie around, no way, no how, then we found Sue & she took them both once she seen how bonded they were, even though she only came for Ellie, the good news is that over the past month he seems to be having more good days than bad for the first time. He has been put on a supplement & his legs are straightening up & he is more able to get around

Bianca: Sweet little Bianca just couldn't catch a break, she was in foster care, lost that home, went back to the shelter, came here, went to another foster home, & they couldn't deal with her so she was again brought back, but I promised her that if her people weren't able to find her she could stay with me forever... It was starting to look like that was her fate, until I got a call from Misty who wanted her in spite of her "fault" What is it that would send her back & forth so often? Seizures!!! Yep that was it, that was all, but Misty wanted her not in spite of her seizures, but because of them. So it was with sorrow & joy I said Good-Bye to my sweet little Bianca AKA Kea. I have to admit her seizure were terrifying to me & I have eperience with them, but I would sit next to her begging her not to die, yet knowing that it might be the only release she would have, but I just couldn't give up hoping for her to have the life she deserves, & now she has it!

Jesper: Is in Spokane with his original rescuer the lady who took care of them from the day they were rescued from that living hell but he will soon be on his way to Canada to live his life with an awesome rescuer

Hayden: Is in Spokane with his original rescuer the lady who took care of them from the day they were rescued from that living hell

Reynolds:Now when Reynolds got here he wasn't happy about me touching him, he put up with it but would always give me "The Look" he was always very curious about everything I was doing but still kept his distance...One night I was awakened by a dog licking my face & softly whining it was him!!! I threw the blanket over him & he settled in right next to me & we've been fast friends since that night. He is the funniest guy & watching him evolve has been so much fun, now he's the unofficial "Hall Monitor" he watches everyone, & if he can't make them mind he tells on them by running to me, barking, & spinning once. He also believes that he was meant for loving on & is willing to let anyone love on him. I don't know if I will be able to let him go...

Quinn:Quinn was the epitomy of silent beauty he was somewhat reserved but his eyes held you captive, he assimilated very quickly & decided he was my official footwarmer. We had just went through the death of Reese 10 days before & I had sat at my computer to answer emails, Quinn almost hesitated, looking up at me, but I called him over & told him it was okay to warm my feet, so I kicked off my slippers & he settled down, I finished up a few emails about 20 minutes later I went to stand up but he wouldn't move, I tried to wake him up once again, called his name & then I realized he wasn't breathing, I did CPR on him for well over 45 minutes, I guess I knew it was futile, but I just couldn't believe this was happening again, I must've been there with him for hours crying into his soft fur, holding him as if that would help, when I finally got up it was dark outside, knowing full well the vet was closed by then I made him a little bed next to mine & in the morning I took him to be cremated. I almost gave up at this point, but I had so many others depending on me that I had no choice but to go on. His necropsy results were the same as Reese's...cancer

Reese:Reese was such a beautiful sweet creature but the second he arrived I knew something wasn't right with him, he was almost complacent but I chalked it up to all he had been through in his life... Shortly after he arrived, with just enough time for me to fall in love with him, he stumbled out of his kennel walked towards me & started spinning & crying, within minutes he had crossed the rainbow bridge, there was no real warning or even time to get him to the vet. The vet found out later that his precious little body was riddled with cancer, it seems he had been in horrible pain for quite some time. Not once did he snap at me when I picked him up or did is nails or tried to clean the tear stains off of his eyes, he didn't make a sound when I bathed him after he arrived. There was just no warning. He was cremated where he will remain with me, until I cross over to meet him again

Healy: Was adopted by Caroline with Bo, but he decided he wanted to live with her friend instead

Sammy: Is back in Spokane with his original rescuer loving his life

Bo Duke:Bo is my heart-breaker, he came with 3 toes snapped clean away from the bone but still inside of the skin, we thought he was going to need the whole leg amputated but luckily because of the magic fingers of our vet Dr Mark call he only lost those toes & is now runnng all over the place, thanks to the love & caring of his new momma Caroline, but you see there was a problem, she already had, a Bo at home...so Bo's new name is Charlie! He has come so far & is still so loving in spite of all he's been through, no doubt because Patty at the Spokane Eskie rescue worked with him for many months before he came to me.

Bashful: Is playing across the Rainbow Bridge waiting for me join him

George: He is still here with me, he has cancer, so he will spend his last days with me...

Hanska: Is now named Link & having a great life

Joska: Is now living in Seattle running most of the local dog parks with his everlasting charm

Adson: Adson passed away on 7/21/2010 we don't know why, but he always seemed a little sickly, he was a very timid boy but he was so sweet. He put up with me grooming him, picking him up & was just getting to the point where his little tail would wag ever so slightly & he would actually come up to me without a treat in my hand for an ear rub. I can't tell you what happened, he was in his kennel then started to scratch, his "I want out" so I got up to open it, he stumbled out of the kennel & I picked him up & checked him out, he didn't seem to be in pain anywhere, was breathing fine so I put him down again & he stumbled again, I went up stairs to get dressed to take him out to the vet, by the time I came back down he was struggling to breath & then he gasped about 3 times & then just like that he was gone, the very next morning our senior respite care poodle died too so it's pretty safe to say I am not happy about this month at all.

Joy: Is living in SW Washington taking her rightful place as Princess of her castle

Willa: Is living in Auburn with her new mom & dad who cant have kids but she is trying her hardest to fill the void

Ulfred: Is now is Pierce county with his new family

 Watsi & Huka: Were a bonded pair, & were adopted together by someone sent from the Seattle area Eskie rescuers, so after they tried to damage my reputation, call animal control, the final analysis is that they took my boys to Heart Bandits in California & wont return them, I will start a lawsuit as soon as I am able to for the return of the boys, they were the one's hardest for me to adopt out, they survived parvo & were so close. I still cry for my lost boys. I just hope they are okay & know that I love them & miss them. I wont rest til I know & Kititas is a small town, they told the police Chief that Sherry Meyers from the Eskimo rescue here arranged for them to be taken down there

Winu: Is now living in Oregon having fun all on all his new property

Felicia: Lives in West Seattle with her momma Quinn

Odale: Was adopted by a young couple & is teaching them about responsibility

Marley: Marley is lost, the man who adopted him dumped him at the pound & I suspect he was put down...way to go Craig

Ollie: Adopted n living a life of luxury

Nini: By the time Nini got to me she was very sick, seiures had taken such a toll on her little body that she only stayed with us for 3 months.. She was such a sweet beautiful girl, she haunts my dreams, sometimes I still think I can smell her here, I don't know why but she smelled like sugar cookies to the point that I still can't walk into a bakery.

Siku too is epileptic, his new dad takes him all across this country, even to Canada & Mexico with him in his long haul truck. He is getting to be quite the little ladies man from my latest reports... it seems he not only has the people in this country wrapped around his paw he has got Canada & Mexico wrapped up as well. At 2 of his favorite truck stops his treat is a T-Bone steak, not just the bone but the whole steak & when his dad & him get a hotel room he gets his own single bed even though he sleeps with him... my efforts to get him to adopt me too have so far been futile

Kiko: He is a little Dynamo, he had some living to do & he wanted to get to his people. We were at a stop light & he was barking his head off at a couple in a car, we pulled into the store parking lot & they pulled in behind us, I thought they must be shopping too but they approached the car & as I was getting out my worst fear came true, he jumped out of the car & went running... straight to them!!! After some talk we found out that they had just lost their Eskie & had been looking for another but didn't know if theey were ready, it didn't seem to matter to Kiko, he was ready to begin his new life with them. He is now a part time Washingtonian spending his winters in Arizona

Kierra came to my house on December 15th dropped off on my doorstep, I was so angry because I really thought it was Joy, they looked the same down to their bent ear & single coat. After driving all the way down to Vancouver & making a fool of myself it was obvious this wasn't my little Joy because she was right in her own living room with her mom! What else I didn't know is that she was also very pregnant. One of her baabies had a liver shunt and crossed the rainbow bridge after only 3 short months with us but I cherish every day, every second & every memory we ever had with her. Kierra was spayed & is still here with us, losing her baby took such a toll on her little heart & she is still in mourning which just breaks my heart thinking how she must've felt as litter after litter of pups were torn from her.

Faith: Is now living in Bellevue with her new parents

Hope: Is now living in Spokane with her new parents

Love; Love graced us with her presence for 3 beautiful sweet months then she went across the rainbow bridge, we had her cremated & threw some of her ashes up on Tiger mountain

Charity: Is now living in California with her new parents

Java: It is questionable as to where Java came from, he was by far the most beautiful of the bunch, he passed away in my arms on May 27th, 2010 exactly 1 yr to the day of the puppy mill raid. His second to last seizure he had went completely blind, I asked him if he wanted to go, he gave me to little kisses & laid his head on my chest, I started to revive him but his world was terrifying enough for him when he could see, blind it would've been sheer terror every minute of every day, so now he is free, & he took a piece of my heart with them lie they all have

Tolek: We call him Tolek Tookie Tookie Tolek & he does a little dance for you, he went home on New Years day to live out his life with Rosemary & her daughter. Tolek, I will miss so much, he took quite a while to come around but when he did it was like gang-busters! It's these type of dogs that relly drive home the fact that all of these dogs should've been someone's spoiled little Prince. So many nights he slept next to me with his little paw wrapped around my neck & I cherished those precious moments beasue I knew this day would come when I would have to hand him over to someone else UPDATE: Tolek was returned not once but twice by people not willing to give him the chance or the time he needed.

Meeko: I saved Meeko for last because he was my boy, he was the first dog I rescued from this woman long before the raid, he was 8 yrs old when I got him, I believe he was someone's pet & may have been sold at auction to a life in a puppy mill, he was so dainty yet so ferocious especially if he thought anyone was going to hurt his momma, I got him shortly after I had my stroke & he seemed to know that I was weak & vulnerable, there were times when I would fall & he would run to get me a pillow which were twice his size to put under my head, he would try with all his might & his heart to push it under my head & then he would lay there with me until he heard one of the kids or my husbands car & then he would bark like crazy & drag them to me. Once the full horror of where he came from & how he was treated settled into my brain it took me about 4 weeks to stop crying, by the time I figured it out he had already crossed the rainbow bridge... He also died of cancer at only 9 & a half years old


Below is the handout that goes standard with each Eskie so that people will know their story. It is a hard one to read, it must've been even harder to live, now all we can do is try to give them a better life, & try to save the thousands more in this state living in the same conditions.


 

Kennewick Eskies...

Imagine being held prisoner your whole life, never knowing the feeling of a touch, a kind word, being so hungry that you would eat your own or other's feces just to fill your belly, being crammed into a cell with 30 other prisoners just like your self in a space where you could barely sit down let alone turn around, never being able to relieve yourself & having to urinate & deficate on yourself & then having to stand in this for years. This the life the dog that you are considering getting has had.

The dogs you are inquiring about are what is termed "Death Row Dogs" deemed as unadoptable, & so badly damaged by their past that they are beyond repair & in some cases they may be right. I get these kind, there's plenty of other rescues to take the cute well balanced adoptable dogs.

I start by building up their nutrition, getting them fixed, chipped, dewormed, deflead, & groomed. They are given Wellness puppy food, small bites, electrolytes, pet tabs plus, premium gold vitamin & mineral supplements, then thier dental is done which usually is very extensive at which time their anal glands are also cleaned & their nails done. I try to socialize them to the best of my abilities, get them used to human touch, let them explore the feel of different textures on thier feet, snow, grass, wood linoleum, fleece, carpet, I give them knuckle bones so they can get rid of some tarter, but most have no idea what to do with them at first, i get them stuffed animals & various toys which they may or may not ever learn to play with, I free feed all the dogs & any type of food aggression is not tolerated, the offender is put into a kennel to watch the others eat. When they get here they shove 4 or 5 of them into one crate & have a nervous breakdown if the crate door is open, we try to get them to the point where they can kennel up alone or chose for themsleves to sleep with 1 buddy with their kennel door open.Somewhere in there we try to get a collar, & harness on them. We also paper pad train them, because most are still so shell shocked that they will stand at wait for another to defecate & will eat the feces, so I stand guard to pick up so they don't get to it, at which point I try to redirect them to the food bowl.

I cook once a week & hand feed them so they get used to me being a good food source, when they first get here they are fed kibble in the same way which creates the bond we need to start with. Some of these dogs come around fairly quickly, but most take many months for even the smallest of accomplishments. These are not the cute little dogs you see at the park chasing frisbees all around, these are not the beautiful dogs that are on their way to the Eukanuba Dog show, some are physically diminished, some of their coats may never recover, some may never be able to go to a park. What they become or accomplish starts with me, then ends with you & them.

Adopting one of these dogs because you feel sorry for them is wrong in every way. They don't need sympathy, they need love, strength & leadership from someone who has the patience to work with them. These are not dogs you can take around & show the world "Look what I did, I rescued a puppy mill dog" They are not trophies, they are living breathing, thinking feeling creatures, if you have the mindset that they are puppy mill dogs, they will remain so. If you are looking for a companion & are willing to work on creating the masterpiece they can become then please read on...

These dogs get along well with other dogs & cats, they are not leash trained, when they first come to your house they will probably have accidents everywhere because they will be disoriented, they will also probably hide under something or stay in their crate for days, they may bite you or nip at you if you try to push them too hard, some have issues with urine & feces, & will pee on others or roll in thier own or others poop, so they may not smell too wonderful, unless your lucky enough to adopt around the time I give everyone their knock out pills so I can wash them & do their nails. You may be overly concerned with their personal hygiene, I am more worried about their emotional needs & I don't want them to become addicted to narcotics so they are only groomed or bathed once every 6 weeks, the ones I can pick up are bathed every 2 weeks. I also choose not to leash train them because they dont go outside as often as they should. I have between 6 to 25 dogs to care for at any given time, I also believe that it is something you should do, because every "normal" dog LOVES to go outside, if this is an activity he/she learns with you it a sustainable show of positive reinforcement, it is also a great accomplishment for you both designed to give you both confidence as a team. Your dog has a ritual... it is called "Friday night treats" its the day I cook for them, they can all eat off of a fork, they usually have great manners about waiting to be hand fed. The leftovers are cut up & used for treats for when they do a good job at something. They are not destructive, they've learned to chew on rawhides, knucklebones, bones, or pig ears. I don't recommend them for homes with small children or any children under 9 yrs old,as the world is still a pretty scary place to them & it is a recipe for disaster most times.

They have worked very hard & come so far from the terrified little creatures who would rather sit in their own waste than come out of their kennel, but your expectations of them have to be realistic or you will both fail. I will support you & help you through the life of this dog, i will also take them back at any time if you feel this is too much. So if you're not scared out of your wits by now then please fill out the attached adoption application & lets get you a dog!


 
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