THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS

Today I yelled out loud, "I had it I am throwing in the towel!"

My husband looked at me, walked away without commenting back to me. He knows me!

After a couple of hours something will have changed my mind.

Since we have more dogs in the house now--I think my husband said something about 68 paws--it takes more time for me to get out of the house. It makes me late and frustrated; time to make a new Mercer House Schedule. Right now it is a lot 68 paws...I don't want to think about that. (Eight paws are going to Sweden to people I know very well)

But what made me smile later was looking at the donation paper I received;

I want to thank the Swedish Organization Chans for donating to us again. You can click on their name and read more about their other great work.

Also AWL thanks Maria, Richard, Engla and Becci for their donation in their late beloved dog Tossi's memory.

Before Christmas it is so hard on us since many people spend a lot of money on presents - but not on donating for the animals. January is even harder, since many people's wallets are empty after spending a lot of money over Christmas. Yet the needs of the animals remain constant.

But, you are the ones that make me pull the towel back out today....your Amore to the animals without an owner make us know we do the right thing. AMORE PER CANI

BROKEN HEART AND A BROKEN LEG

Last Saturday while having our mission work at the Rossella shelter, a couple showed up with this beautiful Setter named Olivier. His right leg was different, a big knot and bent weird, when standing still he didn't use his leg as a support. The man told me that they had rescued Oliver from being chained up in an industrial area. The chain was so small that AWL Eric had to cut the chain off, it couldn't be pulled over his head.

The man told me they had broken his leg some time ago and didn't seek treatment. Now the Patrone wanted to throw Olivie out! This couple got upset and took him and drove him to Rossella's cramped shelter. Eric fell in love right a way, setters tend to do that to his heart.

When put in a cage together with two other dogs, Olivier didn't know what to do. There were only two dog houses, already the other dogs' territory, and the area was so small and he had never been together so closely with other dogs before. He was so emotionally tired that he was sleeping while still sitting up.

We were many that day that wished we could do something more for Olivier.

Amore to the Italian couple who rescued Olivier with passion--they were very upset--and they had brought two big sacks of dog food and several big cans of wet food. That's a big amore heart. And to Rossella who took him in even if her shelter is getting smaller and smaller.....

ABBY OUR SWEET ABBY

(Read earlier blog about our gas station girl)

Abby is the sweetest and easiest dog I ever met. She is a fantastic girl!

Today we went to the "dog catcher" since she have an Italian microchip and we couldn't find her in the data base. As soon as I walked in to the office clinic carrying Abby, people came up and started to pet her. I am telling you, she is a magnet!

Dog catcher together with veterinarians looked in their data base but no number their either. I showed them her belly tattoo and by that they could find out that she had been spayed in another region. They called their office and to my happiness she could be adopted by me.

She had been a stray that the dog catchers had picked up spayed, tattooed and released.

Our wonderful Abby can now start working on her passport to her new family that are waiting in Sweden. --I know this family so Abby will have a dream future--

What an Amore dog and what an Amore day. Thank you ASL 2

JAZMIN UPDATE

Before:

Read earlier blog about Jazmin

After:

Jazz' foster family was canceled by me since I sensed and saw that she was suffering from a big broken heart. She would not benefit from a temporary arrangement, indeed it might hurt her all the more. I am home most of the day and many dogs here can also help her to heal, everyone has its own story to tell her.

I realised it wasn't so much the family she grieved since they had kicked her outdoors 3 years ago (3 years out of 7). She was feeling abandoned and sad that no one made a big deal of her leaving the house. What she is really grieving is the loss of her best friend, an older dog that the family had to put down to sleep. For five years he was comforting Jazmin and keeping her warm every cold morning under the balcony. He made Jazmin feel alive and to have one that loves you meant a lot to her. A couple of weeks ago it happened: he walked out of the gate and never came back. She never got the opportunity to say good-bye to her best friend.

Jazz' spirit bloomed up already after the first night with us. She was allowed up in my husband's bed next to him. She curled up to him and laid still the whole night, she remembered her friend that she slept together with for 5 years and who made her feel safe. The same feeling my husband provided to her.

In our house no other dogs are allowed in our beds. My husband was not aware about what had happened with Jazz and the other dog. This happened because my husband trusted his intuition and was able to sense Jazz' needs.

When you relax, the animals needs will be provided to you, and the healing process can start.

We already love our Jazz, she is fantastic. The adoption day on the 12th I cancelled (for her), we will take one day at a time and the future will tell us what will be best for Jazmin.

FAVORITE PICTURE

This is my favorite picture and it was taken without me knowing it. I am always so focus on my own work I don't see or hear other people around me. This is my passion, walking the streets visiting strays.

I am better together with them than with most people around me...sorry but I have to admit that.

I was out on my regular mission drive and ran into this old rough looking guy. He was very gentle but shy.

I take pictures so I can document them. That's my Amore passion. What's yours?

Picture Ulla Linders (c) 2009 November

MICKE AND SOPHIA LOREN

,

Micke contacted AWL after one of our volunteers Vania had told him we maybe could help him. Micke had been adopted by the German Shepard who fell in love with him the first time she saw him. Sophia was a stray, or an abandoned dog with no microchip or collar.

She is wonderful, calm and nice, a little bit of an older lady between 8-9 years old. Micke could not turn her down. We met up at the vet clinic and she was terrified to walk in. Dr Damiani was wonderful and took his time, comforting her and taking it very easy. Jackie was there with AWL Abby, and I had Stray Sammy with me who needed to remove the stitches after his surgery.

She's not sterilized so we made an appointment so she can have that done and they discovered that she had mammary tumors. Blood tests was done and we are happy, Leishmania test came back negative. This week she is going in for an x ray and surgery, please keep Sophia in your heart and mind.

She just found her Amore partner in crime!

OUR FIRST RAINY MISSION

Our handy-mandy's, Todd and Eric, making plans to help out with building "something".

This is our wonderful Jackie. She brought the barbecue grill with her, and a lot of hot dogs with bread. Suddenly I hear her asking. "Should they have them grilled or raw?" She meant the dogs!

We love Jackie and the dogs yesterday all 85 dogs got hot dogs. (We turned the grill on later and there were 8 hot dogs left for the volunteers :-) But a big strawberry cake and drinks later for our volunteers )

This is my Amore. I call him Square pants, and he is 10 years old with arthritis. I want him out so baldy that it kills my heart. He is in a cage with 4 other athletic dogs, and he has a plastic pallet to lay on. It's cold and wet... can you imagine how he feels in there?

Puppies found at a church. AWL volunteers were making sure the were dry and warm.

On the US NAVY Base this big handsome German Shepard was roaming around. Eric and Todd went and picked him up and we found he has an Italian microchip. With help from Sarah and her husband Armand dog boarding, they are helping us having the guy (they named him Soldier) until Monday when we can bring him to the veterinarian and hopefully find out who owns him. Then, hopefully bring him to the owner that misses and loves him and will be jumping up and down out of joy that Sarah and I are bringing him back. Keep your fingers crossed for this outcome!

Yesterday's volunteers, I am so proud that you came and helped even if the rain poured down.

Lindy, Kristin, Brandy, Mark, Todd, Jackie, Eric and Mia

JAZMIN HAS A BROKEN HEART

I got this picture in my email box a week ago with the text that this was Jazmin, she needed a family in 15 days since her family was moving to the States without her. This picture spoke so much to me that I couldn't delete it, so many questions ran through my head. And the loudest question was "How can you leave your friend/pet behind after 7 years together?"

After a couple of days I found out the phone number and spoke to the lady. This is the story I heard; "We bought Jazmin for 10 euro 7 years ago. She has been great with my three children the age between 2 and 11 years old but she chases the cat."

I told her people would not understand why they were not bringing her with them. "The airlines said it was too cold to fly her in and it would be 4 stops for her."

And they were going to live in an apartment and wanted Jazmin to have a better life than living in an apartment.

I told her that she didn't know where Jazmin would end up now, or with whom --- that couldn't necessiarily mean a better life for Jazmin?

Had she tried the NFOA (adoption organization) here?

In September she got hold of them and was told she could come down to the adoption day with Jazmin but she couldn't do that with three children, standing there the whole day.

I wondered why couldn't a friend babysit or her husband, or....

Had she talked to family and friends I asked her. They didn't have a big family, her husband's family lived here in Napoli and they all lived in apartments.

I found out that since they got a cat, it had lived inside, and Jazmin was kicked outside... since 3 years ago. There had also been another dog, an older one living with Jazmin outside, but that one was put down to sleep a couple of weeks ago.

I told the woman not to tell the children any fairytales about where Jazmin would go or why.

To my surprise I was told the children rather wanted the cat, the cat slept with one of the children!

I sent her an email telling her we could come Friday and pick her up. The reply was if we could come before 12, since they had other things to do!

That was ok with by me but they had to make a donation to AWL since we clean up when people doesn't want their friends anymore but never a check saying thank you for solving my problem.

Of course she had thought about that.

I told them we are a foundation that helps sick strays not driving around picking up pets that the families are tired of, or "cannot bring the with them"

Today at their house, no one said good bye to their dog. I asked the girl what Jazmin didn't like, "To be out in the rain and being jumped on!"

The rain poured down when we entered where she lay, for three years, her home was under a terrible balcony on an old wet blanket. She didn't want to come out to the man who tried to get her. Finally he got her out and I had to tell the girl, the daughter to hug Jazmin good-bye. They had been together for 7 years, and she had to be told!
She petted Jazmin and ran into the house. Eric opened the door and Jazmin jumped right in, and so did we ---quickly--- we just wanted to get away from there. In my SUV she was in the back. Eric said, "Do you want to sit in my lap?" (Eric wants her :-)

She is wonderful inside. No accidents. Nothing with my 13 other dogs. Olivia loves her and have been sitting with her for hour. My husband looked at me. "I love this girl"

She is calm, polite and careful. She is a true wonderful lady.

Her heart is broken. She doesn't understand what went wrong or like children many times wonder, "What did I do wrong?"

Her best friend for many years, the older dog, that kept her warm was put down to sleep a couple of weeks ago, and she didn't get closure on that loss, either.

We didn't even get to know what her habits were, what she eats...nothing. Just the paper and made sure we would sign the ownership. That was it!

And what I don't get is that she is microchiped, rabies and vaccination shots, her record is up to date, how can you be so thourough with that and not bring her with you?

Apartment! Well start walking the dog, it's just one dog!

Oh yes, thank you Eric for carrying in the four bags of dog food that was donated from them.

And yes they said thank you!

Remember this is not Animals Without Limits blog! The views expressed are mine alone.

YOU CAN STILL VOTE FOR AWL PLEASE 29th

PLEASE VOTE FOR US, NOW YOU CAN DO SOMETHING FOR THE STRAYS

Google has automaticlly translation possibilities.
http://tasso.net/Tierschutz/Die-goldene-Pfote/Kategorie-Ausland.aspx

Click on the box were it says AWL Animals Without Limits Suditalien
A presentation AWL shows up, scroll down
At the bottom, will be the place where you can vote. Please click the bubble next to "AWL- Animals Without Limits" and then press the button at the bottom that says "abstimmen".
　
Now, also please share this out to all your friends and family. We only have a few days to get as many votes as possible... the judges will take the voting into consideration. The prize is a "Golden Paw" trophy, and Euro 5000. If AWL wins, this will go toward establishing an animal hospice in Campania Region of S. Italy.

LUSSY'S ADVENTURE

Lussy was adopted by a family that already had a young dog, and in the family a 2 year-old boy.

One day I got to know that the family couldn't keep Lussy, I was told she was snapping towards their son. But the mother wanted to have help since she loved the dog. I told the go-between that I could and would drive over and help them every day, for free. They would take care of it. I told them that for any problem, I would be there in a heartbeat. The go-between told me that it was the son that was "not nice to the dog."

A week later I got a phone call, now they won't keep the dog. Lussy has been locked in but has been allowed out when the boy is sleeping. Not a good way for the dog to live.

My heart stopped. Poor Lussy, another family that doesn't want her. But I couldn't believe Lussy was that bad. She had been with my daughter, we were different people carrying her around and interacting with her.

I knew she was like a "Princess," loved to be a lap-dog and could be around other dogs and children.

I called the lady and made the arrangment that I would pick Lussy up in two days at 09.30

At the day, ten minutes late, me and my 4 year-old daughter rang the door. No one answered. I looked around and there were a lot of garbage bags outside the door (I can have that too,) toys laying around, maybe they were sleeping? I rang la ong time on the doorbell. Finally, the lady opens the door and their 2 year-old peeks behind her legs...sure enough they were sleeping. She had completely forgot about our agreement.

Lussy was so happy to see me, she yelped and jumped up in my arms. She wasn't still one minute, it was difficult to get the collar on.

I asked about the snapping and why she thought Lussy would do that?

The answer was that the son played rough with the dog, "since we as parents play rough with our son". At the same moment the boy bangs his big plastic toy gun on Olivia's head.

I took Olivia and Lussy under my arms and hurried out, very angry. It clearly wasn't Lussy that was the problem in this situation... it was the "parents".

Lussy loving-up on Olivia in the car after retrieving her from the abortive adoptive family.
Martina and one of her other dogs. Can't you just see the Amore in her eyes?

A wonderful young Italian woman agreed to try to foster Lussy and a few days later, I got this email from her;

She is beautiful and very sweet. My dogs love Lussy and Lussy loves my dogs and my cat. They have a lot of fun and play together all day! Last night the princess has stayed with me on my bed. Perhaps we have already found a wonderful adoption for her, though, when she goes to live with her new family, I will be sad because I already love her so much and she is already attached to me.
Be happy and peaceful.
She is really like a little princess with me.
Lussy sends you a big kiss.
I will communicate to you all the news.
See you soon.
Martina & Lussy

Lussy in Martina's arms.

My heart was so happy, I was worried but my gut said something else. One week later I got this email:

Hello Mia,

we finally found the adoption to the Princess Lussy. We chose a nice lady who comes from Pisa and has three cats. We believe that Lussy arrives in her new home on weekends. Yesterday I cried so much for this information but I am happy that Lussy has found a family. She is fantastic and very sweet.When I have more news I will inform you immediately.Thanks very much for giving me these beautiful days with Lussy.

Many kisses Martina

Good Luck Amore Lussy, I hope and pray that this is your final, "forever" destination. I will keep an eye on you, though. Martina, a big thank you to you for your wonderful help and heart.

Above three (3) pictures are Martina's other dogs. As you can see, she is a big animal lover, and spends much time working at the Rossella Shelter helping the many souls there. Don't these guys just look so content?