Puppies!

“I immediately braked and stopped the car, and started going backward,” Matei explained to The Dodo. “I went out of the car and there were three puppies, jumping on my leg and very happy. They did not have any idea that they were one inch close to death.”

Matei was uncertain what to do at first, but since the puppies were so sweet, he knew he could not leave them alone. He gathered the puppies into his car and headed home – a three-hour drive.

During his ride, Matei put photos of the puppies on Facebook and contacted his neighbor – an experienced rescuer.

Matei’s neighbor met him at local vet office to help get the puppies cleaned and examined.

After getting a checkup, the dogs were determined to be about 4-5 weeks old! The three puppies had fleas but had no other notable issues. Someone just dumped the puppies on the side of the highway.

The challenges faced by these puppies did not break their spirits. No matter who they met, they were friendly and excited.

Matei left the puppies with the experienced rescuer, who agreed to take and rehome the dogs. Matei had to say goodbye and hoped for the best.

“I left after with her promise that all the pups will be fine and that she will take care finding them new homes,” Matei said. “I checked after one week on her Facebook page and all the pups were with their new families, safe and happy.”

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Image Credit: Emma Bias

While Marvel and her siblings look different, they are all best friends! Age and species can’t change the love they have for each other. Everyone was happy to celebrate her special day.

“Skye is the black lab and she is 6 years old,” Emma Bias, the crew’s mom, told The Dodo. “Neave is the yellow lab and she is 3 years old. Espurr is the cat and she is 1 year old. Sparrow is the bearded dragon and he is 4; he is the only brother in the group. They all love each other very much. The sisters love to play and cuddle together.”

Image Credit: Emma Bias

At her party, Marvel got lots of presents – including treats and an awesome pizza squeaky toy.

Marvel played with her sisters in the yard, playing fetch and tug of war. The brothers watched from the sidelines.

Of course, there is no party without food! Everyone had a special treat…

Image Credit: Emma Bias

And lots of it!

Image Credit: Emma Bias

“I made a homemade dog-friendly cake which was made of oats, carrots and blueberries with peanut butter icing,” Bias said. “I made cheese and chicken biscuits, and I left out salad for the bearded dragon.”

Everyone loved the treats, and they certainly loved sitting at (and sometimes on) the table. What a great way to celebrate the first year of life!

Image Credit: Emma Bias

After two hours, party time came to an end. Luckily for all the partygoers, the fun never has to stop – there are many occasions to celebrate in the future!

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While Koda was waiting to be adopted at the Kent Animal Shelter in Calverton, New York, the Animal Farm Foundation noted that he would be a great candidate for the Assistance Dog Program. This program takes qualified pit bulls from shelters and gives them the necessary training to become service dogs.

“All dogs are individuals, and while some tend to prefer staying cozy on the couch all day as a family pet, others have the right characteristics to perform service work,” Bernice Clifford, director of behavior and training at AFF, told The Dodo. “In Koda’s case, he had a great personality, was very comfortable with being around other dogs and people and had the desire and energy to do the work.”

Koda began his life at a farm and enjoyed roaming around with the cows. Unfortunately, the landlord did not enjoy the animals mingling and demanded that Koda be rehomed. When a new home was found, animal control checked up on the new owners – and it turned out they had been convicted of animal cruelty in the past. Koda was taken out of the home and was placed in a shelter.

Koda spent a year training for basic obedience and understanding environments to be experienced with his handler (for instance, grocery stores, airports, plans, or public transportation). He learned about how to respond to seizures, how to pick up dropped items, and how to call for help when needed.

Once he completed his training, Koda was paired with a handler that matched him perfectly – Fiona Gilbert, and exercise physiologist from San Francisco, California.

As a sufferer of multiple sclerosis, or MS, Filber experiences a number of symptoms on a daily basis. When she saw a documentary about a woman with the same diagnosis utilizing a service dog, she felt inspired to try the same.

Gilbert applied for a service pit bull in 2014, and has waited three years to be paired – an average waiting period for a service dog, according to Gilbert.

“It was my husband who first said, ‘What you need is a pit bull service dog,’ and I remember saying, ‘Don’t be stupid, there’s no such thing,’” Gilbert said. “And here I am with an ultra-amazing pit bull service dog.”

“It’s not often that you see a movement therapist needing a service dog to help them move and do their job,” Gilbert expplained. “I travel a lot for work and my job is physically demanding.”

Gilbert works with patients suffering from neurological disorders, much like herself. Her job can leave her exhausted. With Koda, Gilbert is able to use less of her body strength to work, allowing her to better focus on the task at hand – helping her clients!

“Koda braces me when I do [flexibility training] work on my clients so I am not so tired at the end of the day,” Gilbert said. “I’m able to do things like make dinner and have a conversation with my husband without falling asleep on the couch or into my soup.”

Before Koda came into her life, daily tasks such as walking could be extremely difficult. “Walking is one of the trickiest [and most tiring] things to do when you have a neurological disorder,” she said. “With Koda, I can trust him to make sure that I am safe and walking well, so I don’t need as much energy to walk.”

The exhaustion Gilbert felt from her job caused difficulty managing her MS.

“When I get exhausted, my symptoms flare,” Gilbert said. “Travel became difficult. I look healthy, but I can’t form words, so I would appear to be drunk and sometimes denied boarding a plane. Having Koda means I am not as tired and my invisible disability becomes visible.”

While Koda is a hardworker, he also enjoys his free time. He loves basking in the sun…

Snuggling…

Playing with squeaky toys…

And having snacks!

The relationship between Gilbert and Koda helps to tear down negative stereotypes about pit bulls.

“I’d never owned a pit bull before Koda, but I was familiar with their public image and thought it was unfair to sideline an entire breed,” Gilbert said. “Seeing us work, people have been learning about dogs as individuals.”

“Koda has had quite the roller coaster in life and so have I,” Gilbert said. “But being a pit bull or a person who has a diagnosis handed to them or a crappy history doesn’t define who they are. It is what they do with it, it is how we respond back to the world that defines us.”

Source: The Dodo

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Romeo and Damian, 5-year-old pit bulls, were both rescued by the Nassau County SPCA. 

The two dogs were starving and dehydrated. Their ribs showed through their skin and their bones were bulging out. The dogs were brought directly to veterinary care – something that had clearly been denied for both dogs for their entire lives. 

When the vet was checking out the dogs, metallic foreign bodies were found in Romeo’s stomach. Clearly, there had been a great amount of trauma experienced by both dogs.

Fortunately, the two dogs did not lose their love through all they suffered. Since being rescued, the dogs seek constant human attention. Romeo and Damian are clearly thankful for all of those that have helped them recover. 

“They are both incredibly sweet,” Maria Mora, executive director of the Nassau County SPCA, told The Dodo. “Kissing is what they do best. They will need a little training, though, as they need to work on their manners.” 

Aside from the bond with humans, the two dogs have a serious bond with each other! The two are always touching and cuddling up with each other. 

“They will be up for adoption once they are medically cleared, which we expect to be any day now,” said Mora. 

No matter what they have been through, Romeo and Damian know they have each other. Because of their bond and the kindness of rescuers. the two dogs can go on to live happy lives full of love and comfort. 

If you are interested in adopting Romeo and Damian, check out the NCSPCA website! 

Source: The Dodo

 

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