February/March 2006 News

Andy's Big Adventure

Once upon a time in a land not so far away there was a little dog named Andy. The handsome red miniature pinscher had fallen on tough times when his family no longer wanted him and he wound up at the local animal shelter. As Andy awaited his fate, a nice lady from Lost Angels heard of him and arrived the next day to help him find his new forever home.

Dilek worked very hard to find Andy the perfect family. Finally after a year of waiting along came John who fell in love with Andy and took him home. This is where the story usually ends with happily ever after, but Andy decided he needed a little more adventure before he was ready to settle down.

One evening Andy went for a walk with his new dad. John decked Andy out in a new red sweater, a collar and a shiny new retractable lead. As they walked Eric, John's friend, accidentally dropped the lead. Andy took advantage of the moment and quick as a flash he was gone.

John was inconsolable. He posted flyers in the neighborhood and placed an ad in the newspaper, but still no Andy. A week later as he was making plans to hire a bloodhound search group, John received a call that Andy had been found.

So where had little Andy been all this time? He was running around the neighborhood and crossing very busy streets for the first few nights until a nice man and his son found him. They took Andy home, removed his now very dirty sweater and collar and gave him a bath. A family member inadvertently opened the front door and Andy seized the opportunity. He was off again to find fame and fortune.

In the meantime, Dilek and the other LAAR members were up in arms. They searched everywhere they could possibly think of. Dilek was tireless in her efforts, and became more and more saddened as time passed with no signs of Andy. One early morning she again climbed into her car and started off determined to find her little friend. As she searched, Dilek called Kelly frantic about poor Andy. "Where could he be," she cried. Kelly calmed her down and told her to pull off on the next street and wait for her. She then set off to meet Dilek all the while praying that her friend find Andy safe and secure.

Dilek parked her car, put her head back and closed her eyes. All was quiet and then she thought she heard a whimper. It can't be, she thought, and put her head back. There it was again. And then she knew - it was Andy! But where was he? She called his name and heard his familiar bark. He was in the yard of the house directly beside where she parked! Dilek knocked at the door but no one was home. She tried to find a gate to the yard, but there was none. The vinyl fence came all the way down to the soil with a row of small white rocks in front of it - how was she going to get to Andy?

Just as Kelly arrived, Dilek dropped to her knees where she heard Andy whimpering. She and Kelly moved a few of the rocks and, lo and behold, there was Andy's nose moving the rocks out of the way on the other side! Between Dilek and Kelly digging on the outside and Andy digging on the inside, little Andy was finally free and jumped into Dilek's arms. After lots of kisses and a few more tears of joy, Dilek called John and soon Andy and his new dad were reunited.

Was it her love for a little dog or a higher power that guided Dilek to Andy that day? We all choose to believe what we will. Ultimately what we do know is that one little guy is very loved and hopefully will never again search for adventure without his dad...and they lived happily ever after.

Look Who's Found a Home!

Jose was recently adopted by Sue and here's what she had to tell us: "I wanted to share some Christmas photos with you. I swear, you would have thought we had a new baby in the house for the number of presents that were bought and the number of pictures that were taken! Jose has met all his new cousins and has made good friends with two of them, the other two, well, lets just say they're a bit too big for him. My Mom and Dad are so totally in love with him and he has gotten very attached to them as well. He is quite sociable and seems to love everyone but definitely sticks close to his Mom and Dad. I honestly believe this was meant to be. Thank you again for giving us such a wonderful animal."


DJ was recently adopted by one of our invaluable volunteers, O'Neil. DJ is pictured here with his friend Roxi, adopted by Heather.




Precious has been adopted by a wonderful family. They tell us she's quite happy and is a total cuddler! Heather and Troy feel very lucky to have her with them.




We had to share the comments we received from Floyd's new family: "Floyd is already a happy member of our family! We ADORE him!! -Don This is Truly a dream come true...i feel like i've loved him forever..Papi-Floyd is more than i could have ever asked 4...-christina Is he real????? I love him love him sooooooooooo...... i will never have another dog again that is not adopted... thank you!!!! marci".

Take a look at this little girl. According to her new mom, "Sophie has gracefully managed the transition from Floridian to northerner in the middle of winter. She loves the snow and wishes it would snow more, but is also enjoying the mild weather as it means long walks and more time to play at the park. Sophie loves to chew, follow people, and go to the dog park at the end of the street. Sophie does not like doggie school (it's hard to be good for an hour with all that temptation...) or long trips in the car. Our sincere thanks to Lost Angels for saving this wonderful puppy. She is a joy to have." Ali, Chris, and Sophie

Have You Heard?

Lost Angels needs fosters! We still have several dogs who need to be fostered until we find them their forever home. If you are interested in helping or know someone who is, please read our application. Our angels will thank you.

You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, 'Wow, you're right! I never would've thought of that!'
- Dave Barry

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.
-Roger Caras

If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your
pocket and then give him only two of them.
-Phil Pastoret

Tidbits

We often hear that a wet nose is a sign of good health while a dry nose indicates illness. Although a cold, wet nose can be a good sign, healthy pets can have warm, dry noses and sick pets can have cold, wet ones. An important barometer of health is appetite followed by water intake and behavior. When in doubt, call your vet.

You call and call but your dog just won't respond. Is there a hearing problem? Doubtful but always check with your vet if you notice any changes in your pet. Next to smell, a dog's most developed sense is hearing. Not only can they detect sounds that are much too faint for humans, but dogs can also hear sounds pitched at frequencies above or below a human's range.

Have you ever wondered what your pet's normal heart rate should be? A normal heartrate is 70 to 160 bpm. Large dogs tend to have slower heart rates in the 70 to 120 bpm range. Of course, the cardiovascular fitness of the dog will cause this to vary. The more active the dog the slower its resting heartrate will be.

Your dog loves to ride in the car with his head out the window but is it a good idea? Riding with their head out of the window can cause injuries to your pet. Wind exposure may result in eye or nasal irritation while dirt or insects could get in their mouths or eyes. If not restrained, an open window is an invitation to jump out or accidentally fall out. It is safer for everyone to keep your dog secured in the back seat of your car. Both of you will travel more safely and without distraction.

Spotlight On Our Adoptees

Two treats in one! We are Arnaldo and Bowser, both 6 years old and under 10 pounds. We are foster brothers who became instant best friends and love to play together. We are crate trained and loveable as can be. We are neutered and up to date on all of our shots, including rabies. Our adoption fee is $200. If you're looking for double the fun, please call our foster Mom at 813-486-4001 or email Lost Angels.

My name is Jake, a wonderful 4 month old Shepherd mix. I get along great with other dogs and love to play. I am neutered, current on all shots including rabies, and micro chipped. My adoption fee is $125 and I come with one free vet visit. If you can find a space in your heart for me, please contact the Angels at 813-514-0595 or email Lost Angels.

Hi. I'm Noni. I am an 8 year old chihuahua with a heart of gold. I am so sweet, mellow and just love to be loved. I am up to date on all of my shots, including rabies. I am spayed, have all of my shots, including rabies and am microchipped. I have been wormed for intestinal parasites, heartworm tested and am currently on a flea and heartworm preventative. My adoption fee is $125.00 and I also come with one free vet visit. Please take me home with you by calling my foster Mom at 813-486-4001 or email Lost Angels. I can't wait to be part of your family.

I’m Cracker - aren't I just the cutest thing you've ever seen with my underbite? I am a male Lhasa Apso weighing in at 23 pounds. I am 7 years old and get along great with other dogs. I am neutered, up to date on all of my shots, including rabies and microchipped. My adoption fee is $150 and I come with one free vet visit. If you have room in your heart and home for a handsome guy like me, please call my foster Mom at 813-486-4001 or email Lost Angels.


My name is Choo Choo. I am an 8 year old Pomeranian who weighs only 11 pounds. I'm just like a little teddy bear and would love to have my own family. I am neutered, up to date on all of my shots, including rabies and microchipped. My adoption fee is $125 and I come with one free vet visit. Please call my foster Mom at 813-486-4001 or email Lost Angels to find out more about me.

This is Daisy, a 1 1/2 year old female hound mix. Poor little Daisy has been through some very tough times and we can't wait to see her in a loving forever home. We originally met Daisy when she was just a puppy at a kill shelter more than a year ago. She was adopted but unfortunately recently returned to the shelter in poor condition. Daisy was severely neglected and only weighs 56 lbs. She is a very sweet girl and just needs to be loved. She has been spayed, is up to date on all shots including rabies, wormed for intestinal parasites, heartworm tested (pending) and micro chipped. She has been started on a monthly heartworm and flea preventative. Her adoption fee is $125. If you are interested in providing Daisy with a loving and caring forever home....please contact her foster mom at (813) 417-2106 or email Lost Angels.

To see all of our babies looking for a forever home, please visit Lost Angels Animal Rescue.