“Together We Made One.” By Shadow Adams

Right off the bat, I’ll tell you that I’m up here with Dukey. And I promise we are OK. Robyn had actually agreed to help me tell my story a while back. It’s a happy one too. But first I need to tell you about my Mama. Her name is Regina.

She was taught to love animals. Or maybe she was just born that way. See?

I appeared in her life about 6 years ago. My former Daddy needed to find me a new place to live because my other Mama went to Heaven and he worked a swing shift and couldn’t properly care for me. This picture was from our first night together.

I became her Shadow. And she was mine. We vowed to protect each other. Soul sisters forever.

We first met Robyn a few years ago when we had pictures done with our cat Grace. Then Mama & Robyn became good friends. They enjoy working together to help animals who need it.

Not long after that a dog showed up in the backyard at our house. We let him stay & named him Kermit. It fits. He is goofy, but he’s my best friend.

Then a little over 1 1/2 years ago I got sick with Degenerative Myelopathy. The short version is that it’s an incurable, progressive disease of the canine spinal cord common in german shepherds & some other breeds.

But I wasn’t in pain at all. Still kept playing. And they gave me a cool wheelchair.

Mama researched everything she could on the disease. She cooked me delicious meals every day that were good for my health.

Then one day Mama saw this silly picture. She had no intentions of getting us a puppy. But she thought this puppy looked like the perfect combination of me & Kermit. I agree. And I’m so glad she brought me a baby. We named her Lotte.

Kermit needs a best friend on earth when I’m gone. And she caught up to him pretty fast.

Pretty soon it was time to say goodbye. The disease had really taken over my body. So Mama invited over all her family & friends one by one to spend some time with me. Last weekend my grandparents came into town with our Mamie. They brought my other best friend Lola who Mama rescued & her parents couldn’t live without. Just pretend you’re watching a movie. I hope you feel all the good stuff I did that day.

The next day we went to see Lisa at Rummy’s Beach Club. She let me enjoy one last swim. I gave it my all for 45 minutes. Again, watch the movie. And don’t miss my rainbow.

Be Well My Friends. Love, Shadow

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What Incredible Pet Parents Look Like

I have had the distinct pleasure of meeting some of the coolest people over the last 5 years.

And they all have stories.

Meet Paula & Munchkie.

They first came in for portraits in 2011. And we had a blast.

Paula & Shawn own a real estate company. Their portraits were used to create fun greeting cards & ads that showed up in the most unexpected places.

One thing was clear. They loved animals. Especially Munchkie.

The next year we had fun creating images for holiday & birthday cards to send to their clients.

What we see as perfectly normal i.e. photos with our pets, I’m learning is quite extraordinary to many people.

Then I got to meet the rest of the family.

But the star of the show. Again.

Their dogs are their world.

Their children with 4 legs.

Adopted all of them. They know lives need saving & they do their part.

Magical happy living.

She came into their lives for very specific reasons.

Her mission was complete. Soon after this photoshoot.

Rest In Peace Munchkie.

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Love Stories. The Human/Animal Bond.

I’m not a street photographer. Or a pet photographer. Or… I’m a photographer. Please don’t box me in because I never know when something beautiful will happen & I happen to have my camera. Or I plan something beautiful that doesn’t fit into that category you want to put me in, i.e. Teddi O’Bear.

On June 4th, I posted this photo on facebook with the following:

I walked out of the corner store near the studio & got stopped right in my tracks…

Christopher aka Yetty: “Hey, cool tatts ya got there.”

Me: “Thanks. I love your puppies!”

Christopher aka Yetty: “I found 7 down the way in a ditch the other day. Could only grab 3. Gave one away.”

Me: “I’ve got some collars & dog food in my car. Also my camera, since I just came from a photoshoot. You sure are a sight to behold, honey! Do you mind if I take your picture?”

Christopher aka Yetty: “Wow. I would love a collar for brown one if you have it. I don’t have a problem getting them food. And, sure, yeah, take our picture!”

My life got pretty magical after that. But let me back up a second…

The day after meeting Yetty, I went back to the corner store & drove around the area to try to find him. Wanted to tell him how many people loved his photo & thank him, but to no avail. I spoke to the owner of the store who reported that Yetty & his girlfriend had been coming in every other morning for breakfast tacos pretty consistently over the past couple of months. I left my card & continued to check back in. He never returned. So, it was likely he continued on his way to Mexico which was the story he had told both of us. “Just passing through town…”

Then Michael Berry, a popular radio personality of the conservative persuasion, saw the photo & freaked out & was calling for me on air to get in touch. My phone was crazy that morning. Magical. (BTW, Who knew I had so many friends listening to talk radio?? Ha!)

Michelle Mantor, the publisher of Houston PetTalk Magazine saw the photo the same day. We have worked together for years, but it’s been a while since our last project. She saw the cover & story immediately & was as smitten with Yetty as I was. Major props to her. She gave me a chance in 2010 even though my style was less than traditional…fast forward 4 years & she puts Yetty’s photo on the cover. Gotta love that woman. Magical.

So we got to work. Decided to feature some of my client portraits with their pets & tell their “love stories.” Michelle picked her favorites & each client wrote a 500ish word essay. So, the deadline to go to print happened at the same time that Dukey’s blog post went viral. She adjusted the timing a bit for me & we made it in time. Thank you xanax. They are magnificent, OMG. And what a wonderful time to share Yetty & friends & all they represent with you.. Magical.

Enjoy.

XO,
RA

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Before Duke Died, He Lived.

It seems Dukey is not finished speaking. This time his words came through dog trainer extraordinaire Crystal Dunn of Austin, TX’s Leaps N’ Hounds. Wow. It’s the rest of the story. Reposted with permission from Crystal & Dukey’s family as a follow up to I Died Today.

XO, RA

Before Duke Died, He Lived.

Duke fell into the most unlucky group of homeless dogs out there. Big, black, and senior; statistically he was known as “least likely to survive” in the shelter world. This is because there are more large, black, mature dogs killed in shelters every year than any other type of dog.

Thanks to some great people in the area who work hard to save dogs like him every day, Duke’s story starts with a miracle win against terrible odds. He was given a foster home, a cute adoption video, and the opportunity to steal Jordan’s heart with his handsome dog smile.

The most frustrating thing about seeing dogs like Duke get overlooked in shelters is that they are often nearly perfect. I see families adopt puppies and struggle with pesky puppy behaviors every day. Sure, puppies are adorable and chubby little sweeties, but they grow up in a matter of weeks into big, destructive dog-sized puppies. Raising a pup from scratch is not for everyone. People can be fickle and quick to give up on them, even though our version of good behavior is a learned skill set for dogs. It takes time, money, sweat, and sometimes even tears. For this reason, if a family is going to surrender a dog to a shelter, statistically it is most likely going to happen between the ages of five months to a year. These are families who would be much happier adopting a mature dog – like Duke.

Duke was beyond all that pesky puppy stuff. A calm and mannerly gentleman, he would never chew couches or jump on people. He didn’t need a kennel, he always eliminated outside, and he wouldn’t even think of stealing your underwear. He was the ideal dog for a family with children and other dogs, and the epitome of why dogs like him deserve a chance at life. He hadn’t done anything wrong. His first family divorced and abandoned him. He was cast out of the only family he had ever known.

It is a somewhat selfless act to adopt a dog with possibly less than half of his life left. Thankfully there are people like the Roberts Family that see the wonderful side of adopting an older dog. A dog like Duke blends into a busy family much easier than a young, needy puppy. The benefits outweigh the downside, ten fold.

Jordan and I had known each other for a while when she found Duke. I was hired to train their spitfire Min Pin named Brinks a few years before. She and I quickly became friends and we kept in contact after I moved to Austin. Then she and I got pregnant at the same time. While I was trying to figure out how I was going to manage my hectic life of dogs and people, Jordan was entertaining ideas of adopting a big dog. This came as no surprise since she is the type of person that drives a foster dog two hundred miles across Texas in mid-Summer, all while eight months pregnant.

She wrote to me after discovering Duke:

“I watched this [adoption] video three times today while sitting in traffic… I just sat there watching and crying…. Chris has already decided to nickname him Dukey. It’s just meant to be.”

I was happy to help her with Dukey’s adoption any way I could. My biggest concern was how her dog, Brinks, would deal with a new big dog in the home. After all, even the world’s most well-behaved dog may have a hard time getting pushed around by a Min Pin who harbored a serious Napoleon complex. No offense to Brinks, but he had gotten quite used to his life of luxury with their subservient Italian Greyhound, Nuni, as his faithful minion. A big dog was going to shake things up in the Roberts house. Add to that Jordan’s soon-to-arrive daughter, Elliott, and there was plenty of reasons to proceed with caution.

Everything was fine at first with some preparation, but within a few weeks the issues started to surface. Brinks and Duke were getting into spats over food. Duke warned Brinks by grabbing him with his mouth a few times, which scared the daylights out of everyone. Then Duke started guarding Jordan. He was very protective of the pregnant human that had shown him so much kindness. His bark was big, his size was intimidating, and no doubt he could destroy Brinks in one chomp if he wanted.

Jordan wrote to me, scared for her family, detailing the scenario playing out in her home.

“I’m just nervous. No one seems happy. It makes me ill. Poor Duke. Poor Brinks.”

Nuni & Duke were fast friends. Unfortunately, Brinks didn’t share in Nuni’s adoration. My heart sank. I could hear the doubt coming through her email. Dog trainers can easily become jaded with humans, especially if you work in rescue. I am no exception. I’ve seen far too many people suffer from Bad Egg Syndrome when it comes to their dogs reacting aggressively in any manner. Many people assume that a dog’s behavior dictates who they are, permanently. “They must be a bad egg. Gotta get rid of them.” They fail to realize that people often facilitate aggressive situations in their homes without realizing it. All dogs behave this way if they feel they must. If we are willing to learn and change our behavior, we find that most dogs have no desire to behave aggressively at all. My job wouldn’t exist if this wasn’t true.

I urged her to consider working through it and started pouring out advice to my friend. They can be helped and taught to think differently, I encouraged. It just takes some work.

Here is where Duke’s next chance at life happened. Despite a baby soon to arrive, Duke’s intimidating size, and the lack of time they had to work on these issues, the Roberts family stuck by their commitment to give both dogs a happy home and settled into the idea of making some changes. Getting these two very different dogs past their issues was a tall order and potentially risky if they didn’t follow the training protocol. I live three hours away, so I could only be present occasionally. Most of their training assistance happened via emails that started with sentences like, “this is a long one. Get your coffee.”

There were management protocols for safety, training exercises, and changes in lifestyle for everyone. They worked through the dogs’ battle over resources, taking ownership of these things and teaching the dogs a better way to win their food, toys, space, and attention. But that was just part of it. If the family was going to make it through this, they would have themselves to thank in the end. I could tell them how to get there, but only they could make it happen.

Needless to say, the Roberts family was successful in finding their balance. Brinks and Duke learned to accept each other. The dogs actually stabilized quickly, and life felt normal and happy again. The family even continued to foster other dogs. Baby Elliott was welcomed with wags and affection without issue. Then her little brother, Dax, eventually joined the pack too.

Duke and Elliott bonding over baby snacks. It wasn’t long after everything settled that the family found out about Dukey’s cancer. After learning that he would need an amputation and chemo, they were crushed. The incredible amount of debt they would experience while trying to give him more time, albeit with no guarantees, was mind numbing.

And then another amazing thing happened. An unknown benefactor came forward to fund Duke’s treatment.

Three legged and a little worse for the wear, Duke mended thanks to this kind person who asked for nothing in return. No one knew how long he had been in pain. Forever the gentleman, he just wasn’t the type to complain. However, it was clear as day when the pain subsided. His temperament improved, and he joyfully got around on three legs like he never needed the fourth to start with.

Nurse Nuni helped Duke mend after his surgery in the best way she knew how: cuddles. Duke’s story really is wonderful – not just in death, but in life as well. He overcame staggering odds again and again. He got a second chance at life when he was rescued, a third chance when his family didn’t give up on him, and a fourth chance when he survived cancer. With so many lives, we wonder if Duke may have been part cat.

In return he proved to be a pretty magical dog. The kind of dog that would let a toddler brush his teeth. The kind of dog that his groomer loved so much, she actually took him out on dog “dates.”

His family’s love for him, pictured so clearly on his last day, helps us cope with the loss of our own beloved pets. Duke’s life can teach us how to be better people for our dogs. Because a dog deserves a kind and dignified death, just as much as they deserve every chance at life that we can give them. Only this way can we even begin to be worthy of such canine loyalty, devotion, and love.

Farewell and thanks, sweet Dukey. You are dearly missed.

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Dukey Broke The Internet

It’s been approximately 3 days, 12 hours, & 41 minutes since we said goodbye to Dukey. What has happened during this time is nothing short of a million miracles.

First, I’d like to say that many people commenting on the blog post believe that Dukey belonged to me. I’m a photographer, animal rescuer & advocate in Houston, TX. Dukey’s Mama is Jordan, a dear friend of mine & rescue partner. I was just there on Monday for moral support & brought my camera along. When I walked in & saw the hamburgers on the counter I knew some special things were about to happen. I just felt it. Funny, Jordan told me yesterday “I don’t even remember you taking pics. All I remember is you holding my hand.” Praise God for realzz cuz that’s the kind of friend I wish to be.

So, I’ve watched Jordan handle Dukey’s death with sparkling grace. And she must have read my blog post from Monday morning & learned quickly from my mistakes (wink) because it’s clear that she let him “go” in a timely manner. Blessings & messages from Dukey started happening so quickly.

To date, over 100,000 people from around the globe have come to my website to read his story. He has affected many lives in the most profound ways. Oh, did I mention, the post crashed my website & it’s server & the fine folks at Folio Websites worked their geeky tails off to get me up & running again with my own shiny new server? Yup, Happiness!

Yesterday I received an email from the editor of a very popular UK page who said, “Been sitting at my desk crying like a baby over this post.” And then he asked if he could share the story. Also wanted to know more about Dukey, how he lost his leg, etc. So, I asked Jordan to do some writing…

Dukey joined our family when we were expecting our first child. Shortly after our daughter’s first birthday, Duke was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. He quickly underwent surgery, to remove his leg, and chemotherapy. By this time, we were pregnant with baby number two.

Duke’s treatment was successful.

Just after baby number two, Duke had a swollen shoulder, right at his amputation site. This diagnosis was hemangiosarcoma. His tumor was growing rapidly and we were out of options. He would rally during the day, but his nights were increasingly uncomfortable as his tumor started to separate his ribs. We struggled with the decision to let Dukey go, but ultimately did everything in our power to protect him from further pain. With the help from our friends, Dukey had a beautiful day filled with love and happiness. We should all be so lucky.

THEN she wrote:

This is so hard to do right now, Robyn. I keep staring at my blinking cursor. I have too much to say about him and our lives together. It feels clinical and cold to just talk about how we got here instead of how he was so patient with Elliott when she’d used Chris’ toothbrush to clean his teeth. You know what I mean? I need help with this. I’m not finding my words still. Xoxo

I grabbed these pics off her facebook page from when it happened a few weeks ago. She posted them with the comment, “Note to Chris: Don’t use this toothbrush anymore.”

The last time I was at Jordan’s house was when she was pregnant with Elliott, Baby E, as we liked to call her. We had a blast doing an Awkward Maternity photoshoot with her hubby Chris & italian greyhounds Baci & Nuni, which you can see a bit of here on an old blog post. Wow, thanks google. LOL.

And how is E handling Dukey’s death?

“She gave him a big hug on Monday. We talked about it before I dropped her off. She still asks where he is. She knows he’s not coming back. She is just asking to see if my answer changes. I told her how much I miss him and am sad and that we can talk about him whenever she wants. She said she wants him back home. I said yeah, me, too.” —Jordan

Somehow I think there will be more…but I’ll say bye for now…

XO,

RA

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I Died Today. By, Duke Roberts

And I ate a lot of hamburgers. We had a party.

And I laughed.

And I thought about how much I’m going to miss it here.

We told jokes.

We were serious.

My friends from next door came to see me. They’re twins. When someone offered them one of my hamburgers, one said, “No thank you. I don’t want to take any from Dukey.”

Kristen came to see me. She’s a hoot. She’s my groomer. And my buddy.

While we were waiting for the vet to come Kristen said we were going for a walk. Then someone said, “How about a play in the water at the splash park down the street?” So off we went!

“You know I’m going to miss you, right?”

“And you too, right?”

“I need you to help me watch over my family.”

“Did you hear me? This is all I want!”

We got wet today.

We smiled today.

We felt grateful today.

We broke the rules today.

I listened to the kids play off in the distance. And thought about my two babies at home. I loved protecting them.

I relaxed today.

I felt no pain. Even though the tumor grew so big.

I felt the love today.

I said goodbye to my beautiful friend Kira. She “saw” me standing over everybody before the doctor said it was time. I was excited & jumping & happy.

Well, I didn’t say goodbye. I said ’til we meet again.

God, I was lucky. Our time was short. But you both gave me a second chance & we lived it up together. You love when I look at you. I’ll never stop.

Always,

DUKEY

**07/09/14 Dukey’s Mama Jordan just found his adoption video from almost 3 years ago. It sealed the deal for her. Don’t put the tissues away just yet. Here’s the real Dukey!

Dog Death, Dying, & Grief

So, then I lose 3 of my babies in a short amount of time. Boy, how’s that for God throwing some curveball lessons?

You’d think with my psychology background I’d be better at this stuff. But psychology experience is only one part of me. I’m jewish, remember? LOL. That means that my parents worked overtime to protect me from experiencing anything uncomfortable when I was young. I think death was difficult for them too. I know it was. And they didn’t want their kids to hurt…so there wasn’t a lot of talk about the process. It’s all good. Love them to pieces. This is my journey now. I wanted to be better at it…on some level I suppose…

I’ve learned a lot in the past 2 years. And knowledge is power… Two of my friends/clients lost their dogs unexpectedly this past week. Today I will be joining another while she says goodbye to her soul dog. I didn’t hold Maya as she went away. A friend needed to do it as I was in the fetal position in the corner of the vet’s office. It got easier with Beau. Then with PJ. I’m not a pro now…& I never want to be. But I know my support today is important to my friend.

What I know about doggie death, dying, & grief:

1. The time spent worrying about them leaving steals from the time you give them while they are here.

2. They leave when their mission is complete.

3. You can love again & again.

4. Experiencing death with your heart makes you stronger. You can overcome your fears. I’m living proof.

5. Letting them go when it’s time is the most selfless thing you can do.

6. Your soul is in your pet. Just look in their eyes & you will see it.

7. Loving hard means you will lose hard too.

8. Grief is only temporary.

9. They do come back. But you have to let them go first.

10. Animal lovers are a super special breed. Accept the love & support when you really need it. It’s ok.
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XO,

RA

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Hank’s Heart.

Another blog post with none of my photos. And no photography tips. Sorry. Another story needs telling.

On August 14th 2013 I received a call from Anju, a former client, telling me about a dog in distress that her husband Cory had just crossed paths with. He went to see a client in their home & saw a dog in a neighbor’s yard chained to a crate with no food or water. A rottweiler. Missing hair, skin & bones. She sent me this pic.

We first discussed reporting the neglect, but the county that would be assigned to the case does not adopt out rotties, so he would have more than likely been put to sleep if they were actively involved. Cory & Anju wanted to take matters into their own hands & asked for my help. I reached out to my good friend Mona who is a huge rottie lover & has lots of experience working with them in rescue. Anne with St. Francis Angels agreed to take on this medical case for 8 weeks. We raised the funds for his care.

Cory received permission to rehome the dog the next morning, rushed him to the vet, & then named him Hank.

I posted this that afternoon:

“He was breathing, but unresponsive when Cody arrived. He is in an advanced starvation phase where his body is feeding off his muscle. Miraculously, his blood profile was basically normal and he is heartworm negative, so his primary issue is hookworm anemia, starvation, and sarcoptic mange. I will pray for Hank & for the people who loathe themselves enough to allow this to happen. It’s very sad…but that does not change our job (as rescuers).”

“His treatment plan will be obviously be one of feeding a highly nutritional calorie dense food, dewormings, and injections for his sarcoptic mange. In spite of his past he wags his cut little bald rottie nubbie and bears no grudges. He should weigh at least 85-100 pounds, but currently weighs only 59 pounds.” –Anne

An update from Anne a few days later:

“Hank has gained six pounds in less than a week! He is now eating eight cups of food a day reduced for the original ten. Rapid weight gain is not ideal in a starving dog. He has figured out the doggie door and splits his between his room and his patio. He loves his one on one time and when it is time to come in from playtime he beats us to the gate. He does not want to be forgotten outside.”

Then another:

“Hank, now referred to as HANK THE TANK continues to make wonderful progress!!! After 4 weeks of medical care & TLC he has gained 26lbs and is absolutely gorgeous!! Thank you so much for helping me help Hank!”

8 weeks later. Posing with his rescuers Cory & Anju.

I was working on several cases at the time & didn’t get a chance to meet Hank in person. But one person was there the whole way. She was his biggest cheerleader & couldn’t wait to bring him into her home to foster until we found him a forever place to be. It was Mona.

Hank never left Mona’s home. He fit like a glove & they were all smitten with each other. He soon became an ambassador for Mona’s new project: Pulling puppies from shelters (namely BARC) to transport to places like Colorado where there is more demand than supply for adoptable pets.

Hank LOVED the puppies up & entertained them while staying in Mona’s home for a week or two waiting for travel.

And Hank loved Mona’s prides & joy…her grandkids!

Hank played with literally 100’s of puppies in the past year. Mona is one of RPM’s (Rescued Pet Movement) most active & respected fosters/volunteers.

Hank wasn’t feeling well last night & Mona brought him to the ER. Tests revealed he had stones in his bladder & urethra & they recommended surgery immediately with a specialist. As Mona was about to transport him to Gulf Coast this afternoon, she received word from the vet that Hank had stopped breathing in his office.

Mona is devastated tonite.

After I spoke to Mona I contacted Kira of Intuitive Pet Care. I had to understand why he came in with such a blast & left in the same way.

“I feel his heart. He came into her life to help ground her through and help execute her project. He came in as the stability force she needed to lean on through everything. His gentle patient strength helped balance her impatient passionate emotional drive. He came in to help lay the FOUNDATION. He is a layer of DREAMS. He sealed the project and had to leave once it HIT ground. He WAS the ground before it actually could hold it’s own ground. He helped bring so much balance and heart into everything.

He doesn’t want her to feel like she’s alone in this; he is VERY MUCH still present and acting as her guardian angel now.
Because he won’t leave her side if he feels she needs him HERE.
He can better fulfill his guardianship from spirit now…”

RPM has recently secured a building that will become a temporary shelter & a small vet clinic to offset some of the costs to run their program. The board members spoke today after hearing of Hank’s passing. They plan on honoring him in a beautiful way. One of the puppy isolation rooms in the new building will soon have a plaque in his honor; called HANK’S HEART.

RIP You glorious angel. We pray for Mona’s healing & strength. And send condolences to her husband James & the rest of the family. Please help me lift up one of our sisters. It’s her turn to accept the TLC. XO

And for more Hank & friends, please visit my facebook page.

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We all have a story. This is Kellan’s.

Houston’s got a dirty little secret. 1.2 million homeless animals live in our city. You’re about to meet one who no longer calls the streets home.

On November 12th, volunteers for a rescue group were out feeding homeless dogs when she approached them. Clearly abused, neglected, & abandoned…& needed help immediately. A plea went out with these heartbreaking photos on facebook in hopes they could find a foster home.

Shawna told me that she called them right away without even thinking. “I was horrified. My heart sank and I wasn’t sure if I was going to be the help she needed. The night I took her home I sat on the floor and just cried with her.” A few days later, the group decided to find another foster with no pets. They weren’t sure yet if Kellan had been involved in dog fighting or used as a bait dog so they decided to proceed with caution and not put Shawna’s small pets in danger.

My good friend Michael was recently separated from a 17 year relationship & living alone. The day the plea for a new foster went out he said to me, “She needs me. And I need her.”

I got the idea to do a BEFORE photoshoot with Michael & Kellan the day after he brought her home. I “saw” the befores & afters in my mind & it just had to be. Special thanks to Sally Wheat, interior designer extraordinaire, for loving the idea of putting them in a swanky setting too & loaned us her amazing home literally, on a moment’s notice. She was instantly smitten with Kellan & gave us full run of the house.

“Fostering literally saves lives. She is a perfect example of that. I hope it reaches someone who has thought about fostering a dog but hasn’t committed to it yet.” –Alicia

Michael & Kellan. Soon a force to be reckoned with. I enjoyed visiting them often & reported her fab progress along the way.

She finally gained enough weight to be spayed & we made plans for the AFTER photos so we could list her for adoption. By now, Michael & John had reconciled & that meant they were going back to live in their home with two chihuahuas. I was a worried mess! Would she want to eat their little dogs? How did John feel about this? And Michael told me it would all be fine. And it was.

Shawna was with us on the photoshoot at their house. It was bittersweet. “Kellan is truly a special dog. I have never seen a dog full of so much grace and kindness. I hope that her forever family understands the enormity of Kellan’s life, what her story means for all of us involved in her journey and how special they are for choosing the most amazing dog. It will have to be a family worthy of such greatness and who understands that more than them “saving” Kellan, I believe she will be saving them. She has so far with every life she has touched.” –Shawna

Of course she adores her current family. She adores everyone. Michael is a man of his word. He loves Kellan & committed to nursing her back to health to prepare her for her new life. She is now available for adoption.

She is an amazing angel. I just don’t know how to tell you…

“Well, my work is done here now and I’m tired. Bringing Michael and John back together was my first trick. I’m ready for more!” Love, Kellan

ALL QUESTIONS, ADOPTION INQUIRIES, OR TO FILL OUT AN ADOPTION APPLICATION, PLEASE VISIT KELLAN’S PAGE BELOW:

http://www.adoptapet.com/pet/10205123-porter-texas-dogo-argentino

7/22/14 UPDATE:  Kellan has been adopted by a wonderful family! She is currently living the life in Pennsylvania! Here she is riding home from the airport. :)

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A Christmas Story.

Today my page is dedicated to telling a Christmas story. About love, devotion, & family. But I suppose I need to start from the beginning…

Paulette & Annette. Best friends. Business partners. Identical twins born 2 years apart…

Their lives have been filled with all the finest things life has to offer. Traveling the world together, loving the arts, meeting amazing people, & saving the lives of many animals have made everything even richer…

Earlier this year Annette was traveling out of the country & wound up in the hospital. Diagnosis was a broken arm. And pneumonia. She got a bit better & came back home to rest.

It was cancer. What would happen in the months to come was even more unbelievable. Starting with an amazing series of graphic art by Paulette to express her roller coaster of emotions. For months they were a team & a positive force to be reckoned with. They vowed to beat it. Together.

Let me rewind a minute…

2 years ago I spent the day with Kelle from Forgotten Dogs of the Fifth Ward Project. A skinny white dog came running across a huge field to greet us. He was very sweet & needed help, but if you know the “bridge story” you’ll remember we had bigger fish to fry that day.

Annette & Paulette saw the photos I posted here that night & Paulette asked me to take her back to where we saw him the next morning. And there he was! Happily got in the car & we were off to Gulf Coast for his first treatment of many over the last couple of years.

Here’s Paulette with Bob aka Bosley in much happier & healthy times last year. He’s an important part of the story…

Paulette & Annette have rescued so many dogs together & they have donated an ungodly amount of their income to the rescue, care, & medical treatment of so many others.

Annette’s cancer treatment continued with her sister by her side.

Then awesome sweetheart Scooch went to heaven.

Then their precious Pooey The Poodle died.

All the while, the sisters were caring for their mom Eloise who had Alzheimer’s. I had the pleasure of meeting her a few years ago when they brought her in for portraits. She passed away in their home peacefully only a few months ago.

Bob turned out to be an incredible soldier & nursemaid to Eloise. He never left her side in those final months.

Why was this happening to their beautiful family all at once?

Then the news came. Paulette reported, “We found out my younger sister, my best friend, my favorite and best person I have ever met, kindest most ethical and genuine human being ever made….has no more viable options for treatment of her cancer. She is terminal, and has entered hospice in our home.”

Paulette & I have been discussing a visit. She wanted me to capture this time which we finally did last Sunday morning. I was so saddened to hear that the night before my visit they lost another pet. Berkley, a gorgeous beagle mix had died of old age in their home. Besides Bob, Hermoine is the only other dog left in their home now.

“There is no doom nor gloom, we know love outweighs loss, and life goes on even when we are missing the life we have loved and lost. They say expect three months. But no one knows. We take each day and love.” –Paulette

In true Super Bob fashion, he was a lovely host during our visit…

…& he hasn’t left Annette’s side either. He signed up for this mission. That’s why he showed up that day & jumped in the car like he was saying, “Geez. I’ve been waiting on you guys. What took you so long?!” Incredible.

So sorry, but there isn’t a happy ending to this story. Unless, of course, you pause for a moment to consider what the Universe has planned for Paulette. Annette’s life will live on through her in the lessons they learned together & the wisdom her sister showered on Paulette daily. She is an amazingly talented doll designer & artist who has told me she would like to pursue her art more seriously once she has time to devote. Whatever it is, it will be magnificent & I can’t wait…

XO,

RA

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PJ: The Next & The Final Chapter

This one is long too. And the photos aren’t the best. And I curse a lot. And I’m not apologizing for it. Maybe one day I’ll write that book I keep threatening to, but for now it’s another blog post…

Having enough wits together right now to tell you what I know so far. In all it’s raw ugliness. If I don’t do it now it risks never being done. I take pictures & I write & it soothes a bit…but again, there’s a story that deserves to be told. Her life will not be in vain, dammit. And there were secrets.

Got the speediest course in the last 24 hours. A life course. A death course. And the complicated crap that gets in between.

Have you ever known someone with a serious mental illness like schizophrenia? They can see & hear things that other people can’t. When I used to read patient’s charts at the hospital they revealed the same histories over & over & over…abuse, neglect, trauma, lack of support. Interviews brought details from past lives sprinkled with religious themes & paranoid delusions. Yes, so sad. Some could be helped but others will suffer forever. Society is so ashamed…used to lock these people up in institutions for years. Families are shamed & shameful. They all have a dirty little secret.

Clinicians care for patients in these “conditions” but sometimes it’s too much. Sometimes they take on the unsettled energies of the ones who count on them for help. Sponges in spirit. They give…& it takes from them too. Sometimes if you can’t fix this horrible pain & despair & living nightmare it takes a toll. So you try to teach coping skills. Play soft music. Bring peace in ways maybe they weren’t aware of before. To make their lives less hard to bear. But you know those lives will never be what they truly deserve.

PJ had a hard life before she was abandoned on that dirt road. I don’t know the details of what she endured, but I felt the pain loud & clear. It’s better if I don’t know. She watched 2 of her puppies die when they were run over by workers rushing to their job. The last one, Pinto, was adopted by PJ, the guy who alerted me that they were there & worked up on the tower at the end of the path.

About 6 months ago I got a call from PJ’s wife. She explained that Pinto had become aggressive towards other animals on their property & could I help? If I couldn’t then “the worst” would have to happen she said. Well fuck no I can’t help! I’m busy rescuing other dogs & dealing with my own shit & hearing that PJ’s only surviving puppy was also aggressive & about to be killed was all too much to take, so I was rude & hung up as quickly as I could. Then blocked it out of my mind. Until now. A dirty little secret.

PJ was schizophrenic. She was OCD. She was on the autistic spectrum. She never got over the loss of her babies & the trauma of watching them die. She suffered abandonment. She was sweet & loving. More affectionate than all my dogs put together. Only 2 nites ago she laid on her back with all her legs spread out & head cozy on my thigh & I tickled & massaged her fat piggie belly for over an hour while she lay quiet & didn’t move an inch & I whispered to her knowing in her deafness she couldn’t hear me but on some level I know she could. I’ll never forget that moment. I hope there’s an angel assigned to piggie belly rubbing up there.

But the last 24 hours was different. There had been a series of aggressive episodes leading up to this point. She was forced to stay in her crate because it was too dangerous for me to let her out. I needed to make a decision quickly. And I did. But not without the help of some kind people I know. Seems there are more little dirty secrets than I ever knew about. Rescue is a weird world. People outside of the bubble don’t know what goes on & what needs to be endured. Because we love them & feel put on the planet to protect them. And they don’t ask for a damn thing. Ever heard a deaf dog in desperation? Here you go…& this was nonstop despite how many sorted drugs I pumped in her in hopes she could rest one more night here.

I reached out privately last nite to several rescue friends. Was so confused & inexperienced with this sort of thing. Maybe there was a stone I hadn’t turned? Maybe there was another country place she could stay? Allie wanted to take her back but the owner of the land she stays on refused & said that it was too much of a liability to have an aggressive dog there. And who could blame him? Allie & I have spoken daily since PJ came to live with me. She was very supportive & so hopeful for a good outcome. But I realized last nite that Allie was MY angel. She kept PJ alive for ME by providing a zen environment free from the distractions that plagued her…which was most things/objects out of the norm…& kept me happy knowing I could visit & not have to be faced with making a decision.

PJ was not rehab-able. Allie told me straight up she would always have to be “managed” & I could never trust her with other dogs or most situations outside of her small space. I’m sorry if my last post eluded to the idea she was now perfect after her time at Allie’s. She was country institutionalized. So if Allie was my angel, I needed to be PJ’s. They don’t make big girl panties big enough. For realzz.

So, back to my friends…the ones that gave me the strength last nite. Here’s some excerpts from conversations I had. It was like loving poetry popping in my inbox through the nite. Sharing here because I just know someone else will need to hear these things…

“There is one thing worse. A dog who has never known love left to die in the street. That is worse! She is loved, you are listening to her and she will go to sleep in a warm loving place.”

“I feel despair sometimes because there are so few places to “put” animals who need help. When one has particularly bad issues, and we’ve done all we possibly can under the circumstances, we have to also remember the safety and wellbeing of other people (those who may agree to take her in) and other animals including that of ourselves–I know you love her, but you cannot have a dog in your house like this.”

“There are times that I say out loud, “What the fuck am I doing?” On the nights I get home late from work and I have to clean pee from my incontinent senior cat, then clean vomit from a dog, then make sure this dog gets meds, take everyone out, feed them, then…you are right, it is a blessing & curse.”

“It takes so much more courage and love to be able to call it then to keep a dog alive so we don’t feel the pain. She wasn’t OK at Allies. She was not faced with anything.”

“As rescuers we do what we can, we give our best. We are always going to be the ones with other dogs. If PJ were a human, she would have to go into an institution. I am not a fan of killing–I can’t even kill bugs. But I do believe there is such a thing as humane euthanasia and that there are worse horrors. What if you were not here tomorrow to care for PJ? What would happen to her then? No one would be able to take her on. And she would be mistreated because no one would understand or love her the way you do. I know this is not easy and it shouldn’t be. You are preventing worse things from happening to her.”

“She came back to the one person who would advocate for her…and be that strong for her.”

“I know the end of the story. But I adopted them anyway because my life with them in it, even for a short time, is better.”

And then there was my Kira from Intuitive Pet Care:

“I love you soulsiSTAR you are amazing. We know it, the animals know it, the universe knows it, and I hope YOU know it. You are not alone in your experiences, your feelings, your thoughts. You are LOVED and supported more than you know. There is no wrong decision when it is coming from your heart. You always have and always will do the best you can to make sure the animals are taken care of. Be gentle with yourself and always remember the decisions you make are perfectly guided in every way. There is more that you will see later.

Let the tears flow to move out toxins and heal emotional undercurrents. This is good…ALL of it. The divine plan doesn’t always have to feel divine to prove its existence. Everything will be OK . I know you’re wondering when things will smooth out and it seems like it’s one thing after another but please trust you are going through A LOT of healing and transformation right now. Don’t let it add to your shell but instead let it serve to BREAK It. OPEN your heart through the pain. Don’t close it (PJs lesson).”

And finally, Sue. We were in brownies & girl scouts together in NY & our rescue work got us back in touch a few years ago. She is a veterinary tech & was coaching me on the doses of meds every hour to try to help PJ relax:

“I’m home all night. I can stay up with you if you need me to.” Cue:  ugly cry, again.

This is sooooo not about me, but… I can tell you that making the decision to euthanize your otherwise gorgeous & healthy 3 year old dog is more painful than the dictionary has words for. Like someone is slicing all your guts up while you’re awake & have no strength in any of your limbs to fight back. Helpless? Shit. That would be putting it mildly. Paranoid? That you made the wrong decision which is so final that you just can’t fuck it up? Yes. Regretful. Pissed. Confused. Blessed because you knew them & you loved them & they loved you & you wish that was all it could be & it still was but it’s not. And it won’t be ever again. Not in this lifetime anyway.

God, I wish my time would come sooner. I just want to hold them all again. The 3 babies I lost in a year. And if you think that makes me sick & suicidal for wishing & hoping & thinking about it then fuck you too. I don’t have children. And I don’t know why God made me a crazy dog lady. But that’s what it is. It’s real for me, so judge all you want cuz I ain’t listening…my shoes are Jimmy Choo & your ass can’t afford to walk in those bitches anyway if you got something to say about it. I’m blessed. And I know it to the core of my being, I know it. She came back to me from Allie’s so she could sabotage shit so I would be the one to give her this gift. She is with her babies again. The voices are gone. No one can ever hurt her. Not even one more time. No more muzzles. And I’m letting her go so she can be back with me in spirit as soon as she’s ready. Yup, another dirty little secret.

So 2 angels came this time. 8am at my house this morning. Dr. Flores & Christina. They won’t want me to go on & on about them & I will respect that. But just know what they did was extremely loving & brave. Our heart soldiers in this crazy mess. By choice.

I felt the moment PJ’s heart stopped beating. My dogs stopped barking from inside the house. No trains. No construction noise. And PJ was forever quiet & I noted that moment you could hear a pin drop in the big city. She was at peace & we gave her that gift.

“Oh this horrible wonderful life of mine. Crying & laughing. Loving & hating. Peace. Fear. Hope. More lessons. Friends who are soul sisters more than anything. They get it & are with me in the most profound ways. Several of them, so I am the luckiest most blessed girl in sadness tonite. Wow it humbles me to the core. Makes no sense in so many ways. But we keep marching…” — Love, RA

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PJ: A Deaf Pit Bull Dog’s Rescue Story

Some of you are familiar with PJ’s story. Here’s a recap, what’s happened since “the video,” & what’s about to happen. This post is painful to write…both physically & emotionally…but her story needs to be told. (BTW, it’s long…& most are less than fantastic iphone pics taken with adrenaline charged hands.)

CHAPTER ONE. The Rescue

In the early morning hours of June 28, 2011, I received some information about a dog & her 3 puppies that had been dumped on a remote dirt road in a county just outside of Houston. We arrived about 9:45am. The mama dog was guarding one of her puppies by the fence who lay dead just under the main gate which led to a tower where my friend worked. We spent about an hour trying to lure her closer with treats. She ate the treats but kept running back to her post by the puppy.

She found an open spot on the fence & got through it. I thought we lost her at that point, but she wanted to smell her baby. It was so heartbreaking.

Only one of the puppies survived. He was full of fleas & had a deformed paw.

County animal control wasn’t much help. They said if they came out & they caught her, that she would be taken to their shelter & homey don’t play that. The owner of the land called Ivan Smith, an inspector with the local police department, & he came right over to help us. From the other side of fence, he was able to get a rope around her neck & pull her through the hole back to safety. She was very scared. Here he is trying to get her in the crate so we could take her to the vet.

Ivan is also an animal rescuer. He built 3 hidden cameras himself on this land where dumping of heavy trash & animals are a huge problem. He grabbed the cameras & we watched the video in his truck. What we saw was totally horrifying.

He captured photos of the perpetrators’ truck, but the camera missed the men & the license plate. We’ve heard different stories & received a few leads since then, but the perps were never caught. These images are forever etched in my brain.

Ivan & I became good friends & we went on to rescue other dogs abandoned on the same road.

CHAPTER TWO. The Fan Club

We named her PJ after my friend who alerted us that morning. Mange, heartworm+, & the trauma of being abandoned & then seeing her babies die had taken a toll. This pic was taken back at the studio after our visit to the vet.

We also realized at about Day 3 that PJ was deaf. So we started training her with hand signals as best we could.

After several days of decompressing in my studio, she started coming out of her shell. What a great personality! Everybody wanted to meet her. There was a whole album on facebook of her fans coming daily for visits & kisses.

She was so happy & we were working on getting her well enough to be ready for a new home.

Then one day a friend of mine was over playing with PJ. When the friend stepped closer to me to take a measurement for a project we were working on PJ bit her in the leg. That’s when things got complicated. For months we worked with different trainers & she did well with no further incidents, but then she developed a strange obsession with objects. It started with brooms & mops. She would stare at them then attack them. It was scary & I felt helpless. The general consensus was to put her to sleep. But I loved her & the thought of it made me totally sick inside.

CHAPTER THREE. The Miracle

The next day I received a call from a woman named Allie Keaton who is the founder of a non-profit organization called My Service Dog. We met the previous year when I was hired to take photos for an article in Houston Pet Talk Magazine. She needed some information & then we got to gabbing….turned out she was a photographer in her former life. Then the chat turned to PJ, as the situation was weighing heavily on my mind that day. Was hoping maybe she had some good sound advice because I felt like I was being forced to make a decision I didn’t want to make. (Here is Allie with her service dog Nick who actually trains the puppies to become service dogs).

After hearing PJ’s story, she told me on the phone, “I am committing to you & PJ right now. If it takes 2 weeks or if it takes 2 years.” (It almost took the latter). The next nite PJ & I headed out for a weekend in the country. Our luck was about to change.

Up until this point, I was very outspoken about using only positive based training methods. But desperate situations sometimes call for desperate measures. I had to agree to let Allie do it her way for this to work. Watching her wear a prong collar for the first time was hard, but Allie explained the reasoning & I actually tested it out on myself. It looks scarier than it actually is & simulates the mother dog correcting her pups with a firm nudge. When I found out 2 days later that PJ was walking around an obstacle course of 10 mops & brooms outside with no problems it made me very happy. She was quickly doing things I never thought were possible…& all around cattle, cats, & other dogs.

I visited them as often as I could in the months to come. Allie’s work with her day after day, month after month was all in the name of love & rehabilitation. Miss Thang is super intuitive & was able to figure out what would work best for PJ. Eventually she learned to relax & just be a dog, without the weight of the world on her shoulders. She felt safe. And Allie became our angel.

CHAPTER FOUR. Coming Home

Sure, I was hoping that she could stay with Allie forever. She loves it there & they both adore each other. But it takes a lot of time away to place service dogs with their humans, so we both thought it best to make this change.

I just lost Beau. My hands are filled with pain. I’m behind on my work. I could go on & on. It’s just never a good time for these kind of changes, is it?

My good friend Michael is building a temperature controlled indoor/outdoor kennel on my property. PJ will have her own space once again, but it will be apart from my other dogs. This will be a one day at a time deal. PJ is amazing. So, we never know what tomorrow will bring.

Yes. I’m tooting my own horn. I practice what I preach. PJ’s life is worth fighting for just as any other life on this planet. It’s taken a lot out of me & Allie & many other people. There have been sacrifices, tears, anger. But we keep fighting. When one thing doesn’t work, we try another. The commitment to her was made the day I rushed to that dirt road like a bat outta hell. I look forward to sharing new chapters with you soon…

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NOTE:  My Service Dog is currently in need of some assistance to finish their schoolhouse. It would mean the world to me if we could get their building up & running so Allie can continue her amazing work for so many in need. Please feel free to make a donation in PJ’s name or in the name of your loved rescue dog. Here is the direct link:  http://myservicedog.com/donations.html Thanku. XO

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Loving Beau. The Village.

Sleep wasn’t about to happen last nite & the words just kept appearing in front of my eyeballs. So, with the gospel music blaring, I thought about how many soldiers made up our #lovearmy this past week. Wow.

What happened:

Beau, my 10 year old catahoula mix & oldest of my pack started acting a little different, but there were no solid “symptoms” that brought us to a vet. But I had a bad feeling. Turned out his condition was rare & came on fast & furious. The seizures he had were not of the epilepsy variety. Rather, they were caused by either fluid on the brain or inflammation of the brain; a condition with no options for treatment in a 10 year old dog. (But I loved all the suggested treatment paths by dog loving friends; my favorite being the homemade marijuana oil.) Violent & horrible to watch. No worries, I will spare you the details.

I had 8 more days with him after the first one. On the last day he had several, which is more than anyone should ever have to endure in a lifetime. He didn’t know who I was for a couple of weeks & was confused & afraid & tired most of the time, refusing to come out of the safety of his crate most days. If you are interested in seeing some of what we were dealing with, I have posted videos here & here of what would happen between seizures.

I have lovingly built the richest empire of a network when it comes to dog stuff. Man, I’m so lucky, especially at times like this. I want to share our experiences with you & some links in case you need to call on any of these people in the future. There are also several angels I need to acknowledge & virtually hug today…

Here goes!

Jen jumped in her car at midnite 2 Fridays ago to drive us to the emergency room after Beau’s first seizure. Thankful too for Sunset Blvd. Animal Clinic’s new 24-hour care program. Ironically, the owner, Dr. Young, was Beau’s first veterinarian after me & Maya adopted him. Then she was back at my house last night texting from the parking lot, “Not stalking you. Just here if you guys need company.”

Dr. Huddleston from Westheimer Bellaire is the vet who saved my foster Joe’s life from distemper. I brought Beau to see him & he knew right away what was going on. He offered a referral for extensive testing, but was frank with me about how stressful running them would be & likely inconclusive due to the very clear textbook symptoms Beau displayed. He was available by cell phone the entire week & I absolutely friggin’ adore him.

Mattison is my voice of reason in life & in business. She was a major league Beau fan. (OK, the truth is she sees the rest of my pack as “patients at the asylum”…with Beau as their warden, I suppose! LOL.) Went out of her way to see him last week & give him some sweet goodbye messages to take with him on his way.

Regina watched my dogs when I went out of town a few weeks ago & told me about a slight change in his personality then. She paid her respects this week too. Positively one of my favorite people on the planet.

Biological & soul sista Dawn insisted on bringing my 2 young nieces on Saturday after Pocketshots to say goodbye. I was tired & frustrated & maybe not so nice. Maybe. 😉 But she loves my pretty & unpretty parts just the same… & basically just ignored my inability to be grateful at that moment. This morning I received this photo from my 3 gypsy girls with a note:

“Soleil, Emonni & I said a prayer for you & Beau-Beau this morning. We lit Lavender incense to honor his peacefulness and loving requests for relaxing belly rubs. We told him we’re happy he’s healthy now & enjoying “alone time” with Maya once again. We asked him to bring you peace while he watches over you with Maya… We love you Rob.”

The rest of my pack were beyond patient & sweet. Each went right into their crate every time I asked while Beau had the run of the house. One of the symptoms of this disorder is aggression, so risks of harm to all needed to be minimized.

My parents may not understand my strange dogsworldlife completely, but their support & love means everything to me. In the good times & the bad. Forever.

Catherine from Paws Memorial was an angel in Maya’s passing & again with Beau. Their personal service & careful protocols & sweet extras are beyond a godsend for a grieving pet parent. By the time I got home yesterday, she had already sent this photo of Beau’s paws/tail artwork as a keepsake for us.

By & By Memorials by the same rad company who makes Fetching Tags created Maya’s special box for her ashes. They will create another original for Beau.

Teresa runs a very busy rescue & a business, but she drops everything when I need her, for realz. She was the first one I called 3ish years ago after realizing Beau had eaten a coffee soaked dish towel & only thrown up 1/2 of it. There were complications after the obstruction surgery & he stayed in the hospital 5 more days refusing to eat just to make matters worse. The surgeon discharged his depressed little butt in hopes he would eat at home. Teresa came right over & rubbed stinky tripe on his gums to stimulate his wanting to eat again & he had a full meal of chicken after that. Yesterday she drove us to Paws Memorial & was there every step of the way for which I am totally grateful.

Dr. Moore with Foster Creek Veterinary is Teresa’s badass vet out in Richmond & met us to end Beau’s suffering outside on the Paws Memorial property. It was a beautiful & peaceful place under a patch of trees. He is a genuine & very kind man who loves animals bigtime.

Ria Loves Beau. I love Ria.

All the love & support from clients & friends & family lifted me up yesterday. We are surely ONE.

The day after his first seizure I reached out to Kira of Intuitive Pet Care to see if she could have a little chat with my boy. OK, that’s not true. It was more of a hysterical text message asking “if he was going to fucking die?!”

She told me that Beau wasn’t responding with a definitive yes or no, but she felt a sense of overwhelming peace with him. He told her that he was pleased with the work he had done here in this lifetime. In hindsight, she likely knew the truth then, but gave me just enough information to take with me over the next few days as it all played out.

Last nite Kira sent this to me. Her gifts continuously stop me in my tracks. Luckily for us she writes daily on her facebook page. A stunning reflection, yet again, of the perfection of a dog’s love:

“His belly was a source of calm for you. A source for gathering your thoughts and feeling like everything really is ok. His gift to you as he leaves is peace. He is giving you a sense of peace you have never felt before because it is in his spirit that you can feel the FULL extent of the peace he instilled in your life when he was alive. As he walks into his spirit you walk into an even more peaceful existence.

It is in his transition to spirit that a chapter of your life is complete. Leaving his body marks the beginning of a new dawn. Another sign you are moving towards a more peaceful way of life. It is a rebirth of habits, a celebration of memories, a death of resistance, and a reunion of souls. The love you shared together is now part of the love you bare to the world. It is greater, more powerful, and a love forever transformed.”

Just so you know, here is one side of Beau’s tag. It’s a personalized Fetching Tag made 10 years ago & he lived up to greeting everyone on his back for belly rubs all the years since.

Guess it’s time to design the next memorial tattoo. Here’s a peek at Maya’s on my arm…with LOLA’s puppy paws.

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xo

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Forgotten Dogs of The 5th Ward Project

I’ve had my eye on her for months.  Ever since she heard of the white boxer at the cemetery that we were unable to catch…she wrote me right away…said if I could find a foster, she was on her way out there to assess the situation. So many rescuers…but she’s different. A dog whisperer, perhaps. Call her what you want… but the bottom line is she’s got freaky skills & her gifts are called upon for the toughest of cases.

A retired nurse & modest woman…become independent rescuer…just minding her own biz…but now on a mission to save & protect “The Forgotten Dogs of the 5th Ward” in Houston.

Meet Kelle Mann Davis. RockStar.

It happened pretty quickly… I mentioned that I’d love to spend the day with her sometime…& after I convinced her it didn’t matter how icky her car was…she said, “how about tomorrow if it doesn’t rain?”

4 of us went in Kelle’s car at noon today…met on the east side of town. They had a list of things they wanted to accomplish. First up was a call from Barrio Dogs about 3 puppies near a ravine. The man that heard them crying was supposed to meet us there…but he was nowhere to be found. So, we started walking. Should have worn my boots today…

We were walking a couple of stories above the ravine…it was terribly steep…i’d say close to 90 degrees…& the dirt was mud…you get the idea. The thought of them being close to the water scared me…had no idea how we’d pull that off without being in serious danger.

Then they made some noise…2 lil’ shits in the bushes. Aren’t they cute? They came over pretty quickly when the food came out. But, that was just 2 out of 3 puppies…

The puppies were eating & we turned around to see a skeleton of a dog in the distance. Kelle walked in his direction…they met each other half way…he was a friendly guy. He got a meal out of one of the many bags of food in Kelle’s trunk. This continued to happen throughout the day…dogs appearing out of nowhere…TONS of them.

And then we were off the find puppy #3…

There was an abandoned bridge about 1/4 mile up the road. It all happened really quickly… I heard a peep, looked over…& I couldn’t believe what I saw!

I turned around to call for Kelle…& this is what I saw… A neighborhood street…with people walking & cars passing…right next to a dead dog on the road. It’s commonplace in these parts of town. Very sad…but true.

Also wanted to show you…on the left side of photo is where the walkway towards the puppy is.

Without 1 ounce of hesitation Kelle was running for the bridge. As soon as the puppy saw Kelle, her tail began to wag!

Can you even believe this shit?? And btw…it was a miracle in itself that my 50mm lens captured this…no telephoto today.

Then she friggin’ swoops down & grabs the baby!!! Sherry was waiting for Kelle to pass her up. Unbelievable!!!

So, our first mission was just about over… Insane!

So, then the guy who originally found the puppies showed up with a crate. The next puppy came out of the bushes & Kelle got him pretty quick. The 3rd & final puppy was a different story… Let’s just say he gave her a run for her money. But all ended well. And this gentleman took all 3 home to foster temporarily through Barrio Dogs, Inc.

Then the ice cream truck showed up. Totally weird. So, the girls got Kelle a creamsicle for her troubles. HaHa. We were soon off to make the rounds. Here’s one guy that Kelle visits weekly…she knows the owners & drops off dog food.

We went to visit Oleta. She’s 90 years old & told Kelle she’d like to sign a form that would give Kelle rights to her dogs if anything should happen to her. Unfortunately, she wasn’t in the mood to discuss today…she had just rec’d bad news from the doctor’s office…

Please don’t let all this work be in vain. I am an animal advocate before I am a photographer. So, I hope these photos inspire you to reach out & do more. Your skills can fit in somewhere in the animal welfare community…I promise… If making a donation is how you’d like to contribute…then you may do so here:

http://peopleforkristi.chipin.com/fd5thwp

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