Zeus

Hi,

I'm Zeus, and my mom and dad rescued me. I was living at a puppy mill, and the owner wasn't making money selling dogs, so she was persuaded to give up her dogs. I was about 10 months old and had never lived in a home before, just in a kennel. What a difference!

Mom calls me an "instigator" because I'm always trying to get the other dogs to play with me by nipping heels and ears. I like playing with the small ones, like Zia and Linus and Rerun.

Dad says my father must have been an armadillo because I have such a long, skinny nose and hardly and chin. He has such a sense of humor!

Seriously, I told you I was raised in a puppy mill, and I need to tell you about them.

Responsibly breeders use only proper bloodlines, and guarantee their puppies. Puppies are usually not sold before they are four months old, because they need this time for proper socialization with their mother and littler mates. During this time the breeder can determine which ones may be of show quality and which ones are pets.

Puppy mill breeders often sell their puppies at six to eight weeks of age, barely weaned and able to eat commercial food. Sales usually take place on public property such as flea markets and in front of grocery stores, where buyers cannot see the parents or the conditions under which they were raised. Should genetic deformities become apparent, or other medical conditions, the sellers are long gone.

Conversely, these buyers are often "impulse" buyers, who see a cute puppy and decide on the spur of the moment, to buy it. Little thought is given to a growing puppy's needs and when the puppy outgrows the "cute puppy" stage, it often ends up in a shelter or abandoned on the street.

But I was lucky.

Zues

The Hoarding Horror

Earlier this week my husband and I assisted in rescuing dogs from a hoarder. This is the first time we had been involved a situation such as this, and have come away from it a firm resolve do what we can to educate people to recognize hoarding situations and promote bettter laws and help for people who have the compulsion to hoard.

Simply put, hoarders are people who collect large numbers of pets, cannot provide the for the basic needs of those pets, such as food, water, shelter, sanitary living conditions and veterinary care, and do not recognize there is a problem with the living conditions of these animals. Hoarders are willing to live in the same filthy conditions as the pets they are hoarding.

Hoarding has been described as a mental illness that progresses over time. It is a pathological desire to acquire animals and control them.

Often when animals are removed from a home, the owners will acquire new animals and the situation is repeated.

The cost to the public to prosecute hoarders is considerable. Local animal control must seize the animals, and those in such poor condition they cannot be saved are euthanized, those needing veterinary care receive it, all must be boarded until the case is heard. Tax dollars pay all expenses, including court costs. Often hoarders do not have the funds to pay any expenses, including fines.

THEN THEY REPEAT THE HOARDING OFFENSES! Many hoarders will simply move to another location and within weeks are "collecting" animals again.

What can we do to stop haording? We can recognize hoarders and report them to the authorities, and here we must recognize that the authorities may be less than enthusiastic in following up on these reports, given the time, cost and the ability for hoarders to repeat the offenses. Keep reporting!

Ask for animal control ordinances that allow for follow up visits with the hoarders in order to keep them from repeating the offense.

Ask for intervention/counselling for the hoarders in order to stop the behavior.

Get involved with local humane societies and rescue groups.

Fuzzy Wuzzy's Tale

Dad says I look like a bottle brush with legs. I resemble that remark.
My story? Well, it ended well, but it was a rather rocky beginning. I was taken to the shelter as a puppy, and adopted by someone who took me back to the shelter. I don't know why, because I was only a puppy. Another lady took me from the shelter but couldn't keep me, so she gave me to another lady. This lady had a large min pin who kept trying to fight with me, so she advertised me "free to a good home".
Mom and dad came to get me, and I know they will keep me. I've been here almost two years, and they know all my tricks, and they still love me. I love them, too.

The Big Guy Talks

I've got a story to tell; just because I'm the biggest dog here, some of the others think I'm different, and maybe not as smart as they are.

My first owners bought me from a "back yard breeder" who was selling us in the Wal Mart parking lot. They said I was a chihauhua, but I'm not.

The guy was in the military, so he was away a lot, so the lady had to take care of me, and she had two little kids under the age of 3, so she didn't have time for me. To this day, I cannot stand the screeching little voices of children, and their sticky, probing little hands.

Well, the inevitable happened: they were transferred, and decided they couldn't take me along. Fortunately, the contacted the vet to try to find a home for me. One of the techs at the clinic called my new parents, because they knew these people rescued chi's. Notice, no one recognized I wasn't a chihauhua.

My new parents took me home and kept me. I don't know if I fit in because I'm 18 pounds, and the rest are so much smaller, but we all get along. My mom and dad have taken me to doggie training classes, so I know how to walk on a leash, sit, wait, and all those things they teach good doggies.

I'm a good dog.

Matriarch Zarra has a Turn

I'm Zarra, and I appreciate my turn to "talk" because I'm voiceless. Sometime in my past someone cut my vocal cords, so I can only make a few sounds.

The vet estimates that I'm about 10 years old; that makes me the oldest of the herd.

I was rescued from a hoarder in New Mexico about three years ago, and came to Border Animal Rescue (BAR) and that's where my parents found me. Life is heaven here compared to the hoarder's place. I was kept mostly in a wire kennel, and my toes are deformed because of it. I also had many, many puppies. I'm so glad there are good people that rescuse dogs like me from bad places like that.

I help mom groom some of the other dogs, and my favorite place to sleep and watch the world to by is my bed on the top of mom's sewing machine. I'm happy.

Hi,

I'm Zola, and as you can see from the video, I'm the beautiful blonde chi, and you can see I'm the one with the impeccable manners. Zinnia posted a cute picture several weeks ago, but you can easily see her manners don't go with the picture.

But we're talking about ME!

I have a sad story with a wonderful ending. I was born and partially raised in a puppy mill on the border. The horrid lady who kept us had to give up some of her dogs, and I was one that was given up. The people who picked me didn't know I was pregnant already; I was about a year old.

When I had my three puppies, one died and one was born deaf. The people who I thought loved me wanted to SELL me and keep the puppies!

My mom and dad came to get me, and they've kept me. I know I can stay here forever. They had that medical procedure taken care of, so there won't be any more puppies, and I get spa treatements (Editor's note: baths) and in the summer I can lounge by the pool.

Life is good.

Zack's Dangerous Adventure

Zack here. Let me tell you about my close call on Wednesday morning. As usual, dad and I walked down the driveway to get the morning paper. But wait! there in the driveway was the biggest javalina I've ever seen. He must have weighed 500 pounds! I tried to tell him to leave, but apparently he took exception to my barking, because he came after me. Man, that sucker was fast. I hadn't stopped barking when he TUSKED me! I thought I was a goner.

Dad yelled at him, and threw gravel, but the damage was done. His tusk entered above my rib cage and came out below my shoulder.

Dad took me to the vet and Dr. Ioska said she'd seen worse, but that wasn't too comforting. She cleaned the wound and put in that terrible drain and gave me some really good pain killers. On Monday I will go see her again to have the drain removed and some more stitches. I wonder if I need plastic surgery....

(Editor's note: Javalina (havaleena) range from Arizona to Argentina, and can weigh up to 80 pounds. They will eat almost anything, but prefer native vegetation, especially prickly pear cactus. They are not pigs, but collared peccaries.)

Zinnia Has a Few Words

(Editor's Note: Zinnia has a number of challenges to overcome. She is a very special doggie, and has done well in spite of her limitations. She will remain with her adoptive parents, who love her.)

I'm Zinnia and I was found by a garbage truck driver in Scottsdale, and turned in to a rescue group, and my mom and dad found me there. I can't remember to potty outside all of the time, but I know when its feeding time. Mom and dad have me on a special diet because they say I weigh too much.

The vet says there's something wrong with my back legs because they don't connect right to my hips, and I can't jump, but I like to walk and I can sure run when I'm called to dinner!

Life is good here, we all have pillows to sleep on (that's my second favorite thing besides eating). I have lots of long hair and it needs to be brushed often, but I don't like that, so mom and I have to compromise. Sometimes I look like I'm having a bad hair day, so mom puts me in the sink and scrubs, trims and brushes. I growl when she does that, but she says it has to be done.

Was I supposed to say more?

Zack's Story

Hi,

I'm Zack, dog of few words. My favorite words are "Zack, treat!", and "Zack, let's get the paper!".

My story? I was a cute, fuzzy puppy. They tell me I'm part chihuahua and part terrier. My first parents called me Oso-that's "bear" in Spanish. I kept getting out of the yard and the Animal Control people in Sierra Vista kept finding me wandering the streets, so my first parents turned me in at the shelter.

Someone told my new mom there was a long-haired chi available at the shelter, and she and my new dad decided to take me home. I've been here six years and had many adventures, like the time I chased a coyote. He bit me and I had to go to the vet. Luckily I had all my shots so I was ok.

Mom and dad have taken me to doggie training so I know how to "sit" and "stay" and I love to walk on a leash. One of my favorite pastimes is sneaking into the living room to sleep on the rocking chair. My hair makes a beautiful contrast against the green upholstery.

I like to sit on mom's lap when she works at the computer. She thinks I want to learn to use EBay to order doggie goodies, but I have a problem typing. My fingers just don't work well on the keys.

I've talked enough.

I'm Zelda

Zane's been saying things about me, and I'm here to set the record straight. First of all, yes, I am an overachiever. You would be too, if you thought your life depended on doing something that would make humans keep you!

I must have been a cute puppy, because someone adopted me, but as I outgrew that stage, they lost interest, and I was abandoned. Yes, this man put me out of the car in Texas Canyon, and left me!

Texas Canyon is an area along I-10 in southeast Arizona made up of weird rock formations. No one lives there but there are lots of coyotes, and sometimes even bobcats. It's scary as hell for a small dog.

Fortunately, a kind lady saw this happen, and she rescued me. She couldn't keep me, so she turned me over to Chihauhaua Rescue and Transport in Tucson, AZ., and they found my mom and dad.

I was so nervous meeting them for the first time! I barked, jumped on furniture and even pooped on the floor. The lady asked the man, "What do you think?" and he said, "She's perfect!" Of course, by this time I was on his lap, licking his face.

So they kept me, but I was still worried that I might be abandoned again, so when they seemed happy when I brought them a ball, I kept on bringing them things. I think they will keep me; I've been here for six years, and they are now training me to be a therapy dog.

I get to wear this vest, and they can take me everywhere, like restaurants, where I have to stay under the table, and I go to formal training classes to make me a "good citizen". There will be more training after that until a become a Certified Therapy Dog, then I can go to rehabilitation facilities and visit people.

So there, Zane Carlos, being an overachiever is something to be proud of!

(Editor's note: Next week, if he chooses, Zack may have a few words to say)

Zane Speaks Again

Last week I told you a bit about myself; let me now tell a bit about my family. There are 12 of us here at the homestead, plus mom and dad. Sometimes there are more, like when we get a "foster" dog. That happens sometimes when someone finds a lost dog, mom and dad will keep it until the owner is found. Once a lady had to stay in a hospital for a while, and her two dogs stayed with us until she could take them home again.

Well, about the permanent crew: we have Zelda, she's the overachiever I mentioned last time we talked. Then there's Zack, the wuss that always has a bad hair day. Mom says his dad must have been a Brillo pad. And there's Zinnia. You know how humans tell blonde jokes? Well, Zinnia should have been blonde. She just doesn't have much upstairs. She and Zola are what mom calls the "wide bodies". They're both long hairs, and chubby. In fact, they look square, and have to be on a special diet.

Then there's Zarra, who won't talk about her life before she came here; we think she was owned by a hoarder. She's had lots of puppies and is on special medication called 'glucosomine' to help her joints.

Maybe I'll let some of them be guest editors in the weeks to come, and they can tell their own stories, and even insert their pictures. (You will see what I have to put up with.)

The rest? There's Zia who looks like a sewer rat, Zeus who we think was sired by an armadillo, Mr. Harry, who has no hair, Zipper and Petey who are just little brown dogs, and the favorite, Licorice, the teacup.

It's a tough job, keeping all of them in line, somebody's gotta do it.
(Editor's note:Next week, Zelda will tell her story.)

Zane Carlos Speaks

Hello. My name is Zane Carlos, and I'm the alpha dog in a herd of chihuahuas. Now that's a serious job, considering I'm responsible for all of them, from the 2 1/2 pound teacup to that 18 pound doofus, Zipper.

My mom and dad chose me from the animal shelter; that's the old one, before a kind lady donated money for the new Nancy Brua Animal Care and Control in Sierra Vista, AZ. I was found wandering the street, and was taken to the shelter.

This nice lady came by looking for a long-haired chi, and there I was! She picked me! Then she called this man over to look at me, and she said "he's the one" and the man agreed.

Before they took me home, I had to be neutered. And I gotta tell you guys, it's not so bad. It's no big deal. And the neighbors can't blame me when their Yorkie turns up pregnant!

Home was great! I had a whole house, and my dad fixed the fence so I couldn't possibly get out. I guess they wanted to keep me. They sure did funny things, like getting down on the floor and rolling a ball. I had to teach them I don't retrieve, that's such a mundane thing. Now I have a sister, who thinks she's an alpha female, who is fixated on retrieving a ball. She's ok, and I'll admit, she always has my back.

Mom and dad call us, Zelda and I, the A team! We sometimes get to travel with then. We've been all the way to North Dakota to visit grandma. She likes us, too. Especially that little suck up, Zelda. I don't know what it is about people they way they like to throw balls, but grandma really got into it, and Zelda just played along.

We went to Wisconsin and visited Alex and his dog, Zoe. She's a big min pin, but we got along fine. Not so fine visiting in Tennessee, where they had CATS. One of those monsters took a swipe at me. The nerve of that hussy!

Here at the homestead, my days are busy. I nap, bark at the javalinas, nap, eat, watch the herd, nap, bark at the doorbell, watch the herd, bark at them, nap, eat, you get the idea.

Next week, I will tell you more about the others, especially that overachiever, Zelda Lou.