MERLIN IS A BIG BOY

It doesn't feel that long a go when Todd and I went and picked them all eight up, plus mom and dad.
The wonderful family Phelps came and fell madly in love with Merlin. They spent many days at the hospice together with him and siblings. And then one day, they could bring him home.

The whole family adores Merlin, and he is having a wonderful family. That's Great Dane Amore!

AWL CASA DELL'AMORE OPEN UP FOR A NEW HEART

Our little big Joy arrived at the hospice this morning, and my heart melted right away. Those long ears, those big watery eyes, that grey face and long small legs.

Joy (Gioia in Italian) is about 14 years old, skinny but with a positive attitude.
She let all the dogs at the hospice smell her and then she started to smell around. What a good girl.
She is an old hunting dog that has been on a chain for many years. She has many cuts on her ears.
Found on the streets in the Napoli area among cars, lost and hungry.

Now she is with us. If someone wants to adopt her, a forever home only please, since she loves to cuddle and scratch those inner legs. She is a beautiful spirit, with a lot of fantastic manners.

She was shivering when Pio and Martina brought her in to Casa dell'Amore. I ran up to the office and took out a brand new dog coat for her. Perfect size!

AWL Sweden had sent down a package, I sent them a warm thought in thanks. That's warm Amore!

Again to my great animal team Martina and Pio. They are doing such a great team work. Francesca thank you for your heart with Joy. AWL supporters thank you for your donations we can open our door for these lost souls. Your donation is making a big difference. That's Amore.

BRUNO LONGHEART

Bruno, our beloved loving goof, has in a short time gone through so many people's hearts and still he is touching all of us who comes in his way.
We are very protective over our AWL dogs, and with Bruno it is even a little extra.

You can read about Bruno's journey via Tammy to AWL on earlier blogs, and now he has gotten a new owner--we hope--Both Bruno and James will go on a so called 2 week "trial period" together.

It is always difficult to adopt a 'stranger" and also for Bruno, James is a stranger whom we don't know much about, either. So both have to trust each other and do their best.

James, with his friends came out to the AWL Hospice last Sunday to meet Bruno.

James loved Bruno, there is something about Bruno Longheart!

James walked Bruno and he stayed by his side, he and his friends took him home. Some accidents have happened but James and friend Abbi takes it all with peace; they understand that Bruno has never been inside a home before. We suspect he is a former chained dog, it is very common here.

James and his friends do a lot of outdoor activities: hiking, camping, climbing and they love to bring their dogs with them. So I think Bruno will have a blast.

I spoke to James yesterday and he told me Bruno is a fast learner. What made me pleased was to hear that James and Abbi go home for lunch, taking him outside and playing. They have already gone through one soccer ball.

So how about Bruno donations? How about donating your football or soccer ball to the best player in the world. Bruno Longheart!

COSBY IS A BIG BOY

Another little chap has grown up at mom Wendy's home. One day....like this picture above..the next month...

In warm secure arms. My mom fell in love with me when she visited AWL Hospice where we stayed for a couple of months.

You never know what life will give you...do your best. I did and look at my gorgeous mom who adopted me from AWL rescue team/

That's Great Dane Amore!

SUNDAY BLESSING AT THE HOSPICE

From my heart, a big THANK YOU to all who came out to help us last Sunday at the Hospice Casa della Amore. It was a true joy and the dogs loved all the attention, love (and some even got to bath.)

Amy, you won Rosita's heart. No one could pick her up before!
Angelina brought a beautiful dog cover dress for Rosita. She enjoyed it!

We had a lot of "Handy Mandy" hands, light bulbs were changed, power washing, cleaning bathrooms, walking the dogs, bathing. It was a true Amore day.

We were many different ages, youth, young adults, children...it was so wonderful to see you all.

Thank you for making a difference, that's amore!

And you all brought such great dog food donations that we will share with the shelters in need.

AWL HOSPICE WANT TO THANK

All the people that donated and became members with AWL Sweden

dog covers were bought to the freezing oldies at the hospice in bella but cold Napoli.

The oldies also says THANK YOU to Himmelska Hundar for the 10 treat bags. So much to chew on...That was chewy Amore.

Thank you all, that's Amore.

TREVOR IS GETTING BIG, BIG AMORE

Remember last summer? AWL rescued Great Dane family!

Trevor was getting big...and he got a wonderful family that sent me the picture......

He is BIGGER!!!!

Nice divano with wonderful friends...this is my mom!

and my family re named me TYSON..I like that, big name to a big guy like me! That's Amore.

A TRUE HERO

I got in to my house last Friday after working a couple of hours at the hospice. Pio who helps me out watching the kids, was putting on his jacket when I receive a call from Dr. Lungo (Dr. Damiani clinic). They had a dying dog that had been poisoned, he told me, could we come in with Bruno and give a blood transfusion?

Lonely with my kids, already late evening, I asked him to allow me to call him back. I told Pio the story, could he go to the hospice and get Bruno and drive to Dr Damiani's clinic? I would pay!

Pio's partner, Martina, was waiting for him at home. A Friday evening after a long weeks work, dinner would be ready and they would have time to be together with their own dogs. But Pio said he would do it, and he even turned down the money.

I called Martina and told her that Pio would be late and what the reason was. Wonderful Martina said, "Of course he has to go!"

This is such unselfish, beautiful teamwork; no whining, no complaining.
He drove to the hospice, took AWL Bruno on a mission to save the life of another.

Pio, Bruno, Dr. Lungo, Dr Damiani, saved a life last night. That's heartwarming Amore.

I picked up Bruno yesterday from Dr Damiani's clinic, and the little girl Bruno gave blood to will make it.

The poison causes internal organs to break down and leak, an animal dies by internal bleeding. It's a slow and painful death. Dogs should have 45% red blood cells, this little girl had only 11%, she was close to death from the internal bleeding.

It is so beautiful, Bruno was rescued and saved, and now he saved a life. That's Amore!

MOGANA GREAT DANE THEN AND NOW

Mogana beautiful named by a a wonderful British family.She staid long at the hospice, but then she got a wonderful family up North. This is Amore~

ONE LIFE GOES, ANOTHER LIFE COMES

Bubba was found by Pio, on the highway when he came driving. It was a dangerous place for a small little puppy, well really for anyone.

When he came home with Bubba to his partner Martina, she fell in love with him right away.

Martina had just recently put her beloved dog, Luce, to sleep because they learned that she was full of cancer. She had become very sick, was in pain, and her quality of life had degraded significantly. Martina gave Luce the best months in her 16-year long life. Luce came to Martina and Pio from one of the shelters were the dogs ever get out. 13 years she had spent behind the bars, on cold damp concrete. And being bullied by her "cell mates"

Martina believes that Luce sent her Bubba, to tell him that he should stay in their home; you will be spoiled and loved. And that is very true.

AWL made sure that Bubba got vaccinations and a health check at Dr Damiani's clinic. It's all amore.

In memorial Luce the great.

AWL SPAY AND NEUTER PROJECT

These two dogs were brought by Giulia to have them spayed and neutered, since they always got puppies and lived on the street. We arranged appointment and paid for the visit and surgery.

The male had ehrlichiosis and couldn't be neutered, he is on a 30 day antibiotic treatment, and when healthy he will be castrated.

Thank you for sponsoring AWL so we can get the puppy population down.

Animals and Children: A GOVERMENTAL SHAME

Animals and Children: A GOVERMENTAL SHAME: Click on the link please.
"An Animoto-created video showing the horrible conditions in a governmental shelter in Campania (Napoli) Italy. Make your voice be heard agai..."

ONE LESS IN THE BRATT PACK

Our Brat-Pack, Gracey Lynn (German Shepherd), Ms Maple (beige), Billy Bob (black & brown Doberman mix) a funny gang. Well, it was time to say good-bye to our Gracey Lynn that had been with us for several months.
Not because of lack of families, we actually turned down three different families, because we didn't think the match was great for anyone, two-legged or four-legged.

Our Gracey Lynn, together with 5 other siblings was pushed down in a dirty bucket and left in a Park. The security called me, and Tammy went and picked them up and had them in her home for a couple of days. The pups were only about four weeks old. Then three were adopted and three moved in with us at the Hospice. They kept the oldies going--and us too.
Eventually, her two remaining siblings got adopted to the same family and left us with our little Gracey Lynn.

Gracey Lynn was the weakest, smallest and had strange things happening to her. She had a big water bubble-blister looking thing on her back leg, which made it hard for her to walk. Part of her tail looked like a rat's, hairless and scaly. But we treated her, gave her good food and attention--we forgot the discipline--

And she became an even more beautiful girl, our Gracey Lynn. From a little ball of fur, to a beautiful German Shepherd. So of course we were very picky with a new family. Martina my great animal friend, found a wonderful family up North that had been waiting for one month for Gracey Lynn. What I love about the family's "mom" was that she kept calling Martina asking "When is she coming, when?" When the original plans fell through for Gracey Lynn to go to the family on Christmas Eve, they actually cried.

Martina's lovely other half, Pio, came and picked up heavy, lively Gracey Lynn to bring her to the driver that would transport her up North.

And we got lovely pictures from a very happy family and a very happy Gracey Lynn.
That's Amore!

Thank you Kendra for your phone call alerting us to the abandoned pups; Tammy for picking them up and having them for one week. AWL for not rushing any adoption just to get rid of them; YOU who made the donations for food and vaccinations and de worming and Gracey Lynn's stay at the vet clinic and treatment. Todd for going to the hospice late evenings to cuddle up with the brat-pack and your favorite Miss Gracey Lynn; Martina for finding a good home and not picking "whatever"; Pio for going to the hospice early on the morning to get her to the driver. This is darn good teamwork Amore!

BRILLIANT DONATION

The most brilliant donation! Thank you so much Gabe, the facility manager and Angela Colling from Support Site Fitness Forum for all the exercise mats. What a wonderful donation to our Hospice.
That's Brilliant Amore!

WE GOT HOME CHRISTMAS FEELING

I am very behind in publishing great peoples help to AWL. I apologies!



It has been the most hectic December I ever had had in many years, and this was not about celebrating! Many phone calls about "soon" to be abandoned dogs from persons Pcs ing back home to the States.
People who abandoned their dog(s) that I had to turn in one complaint against their behavior. But AWL is not an Animal Police, please this is not our work, its every ones, you more people that say NO, you faster an animal law can be set up.



Some dogs has been taken cared off, and new home has been found. BUT again, we are not an adoption agency but it is heart breaking when a family doesn't bring their dog with them back home.



In this hectic and chaos moment, there are those who have been wonderful generous with their time to AWL too. Lynn and Trine made our hospice look more "home". Handy Trine brought her tool box and put the curtains up that Lynn had made (donation) It is beautiful that even people that visit think we live there...no no, only doggies.

Thank you Lynn and Trine for making the hospice feel "Home Sweet Home" That's Amore

ANOTHER RAINBOW WINGS HAVE BEEN HANDED OUT

I wrote last Thursday a memorial peace for Leo, that some dogs touches your inner soul even if you only have known them a short period time.

I cannot say I got that honor to do that with Contessa, a beautiful long-hair German Shepard between 10-13 years old. But her story touched me, deeply.

Two weeks ago a recieved a message about a German Shepard with an eye problem in a 400 dog shelter, could I help? Well, you who have followed the last bloggings about Contessa knows what I am talking about.


Let me give you a little bit more information about this shelter and the woman behind it, Adrianne. Adrianne has a shelter and the Goverment said to her if she could take some dogs from them when they had caught them on the street she would get finacial help. She did and they gave her 200 dogs and helped her and then the money stopped coming in. She wrote, she called, she visited it was always the same...tomorrow!

She wrote to the Italian newspaper and TV, they came out filmed and interviewed and said..."of course we will help...tomorrow!" Well tomorrow has now been over 2 years old and she has 400 dogs in cages that never come out.

There is nothing wrong with her love for them, but she is walking on her knees, her face is so tired and filled with wrinkles, and still she thanks me a lot.

I introduced Simona and Martina to her shelter and they together with other girls are doing difficult work but doing it great, trying to adopt out dogs.



So, Contessa was in this shelter, a dog that the Government deposited with Adrianna. Her right eye becomes diseased, and starts to swell within the socket, turning this ugly redish-blackish color. Tumor!
Martina asks if we can help, and provide a place for Contessa to recover at the Hospice. That's how I came to know and care for Contessa.


Contessa got her surgery and I picked her up in the evening. I was so proud how after only a few days, she recognized my voice. She followed me as a little puppy and when she wagged her tail, I was so proud over her.



I had warm feelings for her, I could see her beauty and I couldn't wait to get her better, or comfortable and she could walk with me on the grass and lay in the sun a little.

She had been in this shelter on the conrete floor since 2003, I wanted so much more for her.




We did everything according to the book. Made sure she wasn't suffering, blood test, ultra sound, x-ray and an eye specialist. But the Universe wanted somthing else.


The night when I went to the hospice to say good night to all the residents and Contessa, she was curled up by the radiater on a matteress and pillow. She lifted her face when she heard me coming in the stairs, it made me smile. She ate wet food and I petted her gentlely and told her I was proud over her.


The next day she had a bad sezuire that scared me when I saw it. I knew this was a severe one; I could tell from my experience with Cody. She got an veterinarian order for vallium and she slept. Nine hours later, she had another seizure that made her heart stop. Her life stopped suddenly without any warnings or explanations, only sadness.


I know this is my work and having a hospice and sick old clients this will happen. But it doesn't mean I won't feel anything, I do, because I care for them, I love them.

It is not an institution, it is Casa della Amore. The day that I stop crying for these souls, you will have to give me another job, because that is not Amore.


"Contessa, there was something special about you and in my dreams I wanted you to become better and either stay in the hospice forever, or Martina and I we would have found you a wonderful home.
Now you are together with Leo and the others with your rainbow wings. Rest in Peace, dear Contessa. I love you. "

A WONDERFUL SOUL IS HAVING THE RAINBOW COLORS

I think it was last summer I met Leo for the first time in Monterochello. He was a free stray, 15 years old and the people in the neighborhood all knew him. A lady fed him, an animal friend kept an eye on him, this was his life. He was known as being grumpy. If you tried to pet him he limped away, irritated. But he was loved.

Maria contacted Martina and me if we could help Leo, he started to become lame and he had fungus and other things, like erlichia. I met him and saw something behind that "evil eye." To put Frontline on him you had to come up behind him very quickly and put it on before he realized what was happening. He was quick around the parked cars and disappeared. I didn't know what to say. This was his life!

He got to Dr. Lungo for an examination. In they carried him in a cage wearing a muzzle. Leo was angry!

Medicine was provided and back with him but Maria had difficulty to give it to him.

Finally we got our Hospice and Leo was the first one I wanted. They carried him in the same cage and he had the same look. He limped out from the cage and went as fare as possible away from us laying in a corner of the garden with his back towards us. We could not touch him.

All right, I told him he could hear me and when he felt comfortable he could come and talk to me. After three days, I could wipe of his face, I could massage his side of his head--he love that-- and after one week I could give him a bath. Leo was my love! He was the biggest soul I had met in a long time, gentle and sweet, very quiet.

A week later I gave him his first bath. He didn't touch me! He was a true gentleman. Everyone loved Leo. He looked like Obiwan in Star wars with his black ears going out to the sides when he was happy to see us. He never wagged his tail that was his balance when he walked. It stood right out.

He hadn't played for years. Suddenly he stole the toys and came trotting like an 80 year old Fred Astaire. He hadn't been inside a house, and it took over a month till he walked inside but still wanted to sleep outside.

I never pushed Leo. I gave him good food and painkillers as needed, but a lot of love. He saw that in our eyes when we spoke to Leo.

The last month he slept inside because it was cold and rainy a lot. And Lena had sent him a special wonderful winter coat that he loved. He felt beautiful--since we kept telling him that--and he was toasty warm.

He was my friend. When drama happened during the day, Leo and I sat outside and we talked. I felt he many times said "Is this person worthy of your friendship?"

His back legs started to become weaker and one day his back leg seemed paralyzed. He couldn't walk! It broke my heart to see him and Leo who had been a strong man and survived many obstacles didn't want to become lame. You could see how he disliked being pampered like a baby. No, Leo was a Ranger and it was with big resistant I let him go...

I love you so much Leo. There are some you meet for a short period in life but it feels like forever. Thank you for teaching me about having a "backbone" myself. You are the only dog where I still feel that you are with me, on my mission, in the hospice, in my home. I am so thankful Leo that you are not leaving my side. That's Amore, my friend!