MC Parade of Rescue '01

Spencer
Rose

Spencer is now a year and a half old. Most of his first year was spent in a crate. Being taken to the Philadelphia SPCA emaciated and stained with urine was probably the nicest thing to happen to him in his young life. That is, until appeared at his cage door last March.

The decision to adopt this poor pathetic waif was an easy one. As soon as he was neutered Rose brought him into her home which already contained a Westie, Tetzel, and a larger, quite old dog.

Spencer quickly became house broken, and began to enjoy the ever-present food and water. Things looked pretty happy for him.

In April, Tetzel was suddenly called to the Rainbow Bridge. Max, the older dog followed her there in June.

Just when Spencer was learning to enjoy all the undivided attention, he got sick. Real sick. It took a few days at the vet's with IV's and lots of tests to determine he has Addison's. He loves his medication, is pretty sure it's peanut butter, and is now a healthy 16 pounds, up from the original 13.2.

One more happy day was ahead for Spencer, but we'll get to Sebastian later.

 

Angus
Nancy

Lucy Ryley rescued Angus last December. He comes from Long Island and was scheduled to be euthanized.

Nancy is the first to admit she was unprepared to be a terrier mom. She thinks he's high -maintenance because of his ferocious attacks on anything on wheels, including busses, streetcars, bikes, roller blades, shopping carts or strollers. If you are a man, don't think about wearing a hat and never, ever have a backpack.

Angus can make her feel wonderful and temporarily forget his shanagins when he snuggles next to her on the sofa, and sits at her feet with that perfectly innocent look all Westies have perfected.

Angus gets to go lots of places. To gatherings, Doggy Daycare has started obedience class and has visited Toronto. He is very affectionate, and loves to be fussed over. Just don't kiss him. He hates it. Hates the noise.

 

CHime Itzi Bitzi Mitzi
Angie Gittles

For any that are not aware of the coveted Chime award, it is one offered by rescue to any rescue dog we love. With it's capitalized "CH" it stands for Champion In My Eyes. All the rescues in the parade today will receive Chime awards.

Chime Mitzi, who also holds a CGC, began being spoiled by Angie and Vinnie Gittles in 1996 after being surrendered to rescue due to her many accidents in the house and nipping children. Both classic reasons Westies find themselves in rescue.

This is Mitzi's second appearance in the Montgomery County parade of rescues. Angie is currently campaigning her on the "Parade of Rescues Circuit" building an enviable collection of Rosettes.

It's good to see you again Miss Mitzi, the spoiled rotten one!

 

Mandy
Karen Spalding

Then 10 year old Mandy came into rescue on Christmas Eve 1999. Changes in her former family resulted in her being tied out on a porch for long periods of time.

Karen and her husband were new to rescue, and Mandy was their first foster dog. Upon her arrival, her ears wee full of dirt, and she was deaf from years of untreated ear infections. Despite frequent ear cleaning and vet checks, it was determined that the damage was permanent.

One evening Angie Gittles called saying she had located Mandy's original breeder, a responsible breeder, who immediately expressed concern for Mandy and wanted to come get her immediately! Karen's husband, overhearing one side of the conversation, shouts, "tell her she has a home!" And she did.

After coordinating efforts with the breeder and the rescue group, Mandy, the first foster, became a forever dog. She now understands a growing number of hand signals and certainly knows who runs the household.

 

Molly
Julie

To tell Molly's story, I must tell Julie's. Julie initially began her search for a Westie after her mother, who admired them, had been diagnosed with cancer. Julie soon found rescuer Kathy McNulty, completed her paper work, waited, and waited, practically gave up, when on July 1st of this year, she finally heard from Kathy. She had a 9-month-old female in the Newark, NJ shelter. Of course she wanted her! After finding out there had been 151 applications for this dog, Julie again gave up. But Tuesday afternoon a phone call confirmed Molly was hers, and Julie left at 5 a.m. Saturday to pick her up.

Molly was so very tiny, and covered with feces sitting quietly in the car for her trip home. Julie stopped at McDonalds for a cry, then discovered that Molly not only likes chicken nuggets, but there was a groomers right there! The groomer was so touched by Molly's story she cleaned her up at no charge.

Molly is now safe with Julie, and Miles, a Skye Terrier. She hunts the garden, and invites Miller, a neighboring Westie over for romps in the yard. She is bubbly, loving, and still enjoys rides in the car, and chicken nuggets.

 

Maggie
Pam Groves

Maggie could be a poster dog for rescue. It took the efforts of Westie Rescue, Akita Rescue, WestieMed and rescue transport to get her to her forever home with Pam in Decatur, IL.

Maggie and her then Westie friend Riley were left to run free on a farm in Kansas. The owners were afraid they would be killed by coyotes, and finally released them to Akita rescue. After initial care from our Akita friends, she was transferred to Westie Rescue in Missouri for vet care. What should have been a simple spay, revealed a huge hernia that was repaired, but the difficult surgery required extensive recovery complete with drainage tubes and all the other disgusting things vets can think to do to our little ones. WestieMed's financial help for the expensive surgery left all involved indebted to this incredible organization that helps give so many rescue Westies a second chance.

Maggie's farm days must have been beneficial, because on Labor Day, 2000, just 4 months after arriving in Pam's loving care, she earned her Junior Earthdog title. In May of this year she completed her CGC, she of course has her CHime, and is now working on her obedience titles, while training for Agility and Tracking.

Maggie loves her visits to the nursing homes and her Westie brother Winston. Rescues almost always make great pets, and more often than not, are wonderful performance dogs. They have their own way of saying thank you to their new families, rescue groups, transporters, and the wonders of WestieMed.

 

Jerry
Kandy Merric

Jerry and Kandy A sweet family pet for 3 1/2 years, Jerry decided to bite a new neighbor's child. The neighbor was a policeman. While Jerry wasn't reported, it was required he spend the 10 days quarantine at a kennel, and was picked up by rescue at the end of that stay.

Kandy picked up a little smelly, shaggy limping dog. It became known he went to the kennel with medication, but it was not administered, and was not included in his meager possessions.

After a trip to the vet, it was discovered two lactating patellae and a bad elbow caused the limp. Yet he can run, leap and fly up the stairs. He can't sit straight because of all the bad joints. We all think the child must have hurt him as no one has found a mean bone in his body, just problem ones.

A home was found for him, but just an hour before he was due to be picked up, the lady called and said she had just gotten a poodle from a local shelter!!!! Kandy's 14-year-old Heather seemed to smile. Prince, the 11-year-old wasn't sure. But, another foster had become a forever one! He used to be the perfect Westie, one that actually listened. Heather and Prince are teaching him to be picky about his meds, and to bite his lease before a walk. They will have him acting like a real Westie in no time!

 

Sebastian
Rose

Sebastian, like so many Westies suffers from skin allergy. His allergy seems to be to mold and fungus, and now, in his third and final home this five year old little boy is safe in the city of Philadelphia, with few trees in his neighborhood that bother him.

His first owners lived by the sea, and he was a happy boy, but when they moved to an apartment and Sebastian went to live with a friend, he was soon bald, itchy, had a yeast infection, on allergy shots special diet and lots of baths. After a year of trying, he was surrendered to a shelter. As a not very cute, special needs dog; he was on a fast track to the Rainbow Bridge. The shelter called rescue, and an All Breed rescue group took in Sebastian.

Alive in rescue, a depressed Sebastian began to withdraw. His ears became infected and his allergies still raged. Then Rose walked in. Rose and Spencer. She loved him at first sight, but poor Sebastian was so ill, both physically and depressed, he was not about to be won over very easily.

The first days in his forever home were pretty rough. This poor scared, ill boy sat or lay still as a statue. Even Spencer didn't make him feel better. Rose constantly talked to him, hugged him, medicated his ears and his allergies, and he remained withdrawn. As he slowly healed, his spirit revived, and when he began to feel secure that he wasn't going anyplace ever again, he down the long road to well adjustment.

He now shows his Westie colors, is getting his hair back, feels free to howl at his Mom when he wants something, and rough houses with Spencer. He is home. He is happy.

 

Katie
Gwen Law

Katie came to the home of Gwen Law in December 2000 at the age of 11 1/2 years. Her former owner was not in a position to treat Katie's medical problems. Katie had a yeast infection on her skin and badly infected ears. She also had several bald spots on her body and there was no hair on the inside of her back legs and at the base of her tail. Gwen initially took in Katie to foster her and treat her skin condition but, Katie has since become a permanent house member. The yeast infection in her skin has cleared up but the hair has never grown back in the bald spots on her body but it has grown back some on her legs.

Katie loves to play when she comes in the house from being outside. She attacks one of the many dog beds laying around the house, biting and shaking it, along with barking, etc. Then she needs a rest. Food, however, is her favorite. She is the last one fed and the first one finished. She will then try and intimadate Gwen's Westies out of their food by lowering her head and sneaking up on them, and when she is about 6 inches or so from their bowl, she will do a very low growl. After 10 months, Katie hasn't figured out that this doesn't work but I guess the slogan, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again" is her motto.

Tyler
Renee Savaria

Tyler is a six-year-old male Westie who came from a broken home. He was adopted from a shelter at age two by a family who, unfortunately, was unable to give him the attention he needed. He was left alone, tied out in the yard for 10 to 12 hours a day for two years. When Tyler's family divorced, he went to live with his owner's grandparents. He was not welcome, as, at four years old, he was still not housebroken.

Tyler was adopted by Renee Savaria from Kandy Merric in September 1999. He suffered from severe allergies, low self-esteem and feared being left alone. Tyler did not even know how to play. With some TLC, Tyler was housebroken in a week and now loves to play "tag" with his Westie "brother" Doogie. His allergies are under control and he never has to worry about being left alone as a member of his family is always with him. Tyler is also the inspiration for the creation of Westie Rescue of New York.

Henry
Renee Savaria

Henry is our resident senior citizen. We estimate he is about 13 years old. He was sighted walking against traffic on a busy highway one day in June. A good samaritan stopped the traffic and gave Henry a lift to the nearest rescue representative; me. He had no collar and efforts to find his owners proved fruitless. Henry is totally deaf and doesn't see well but there is nothing wrong with his sense of smell. He can smell cookie a block away.

Henry is a lovable little guy and a great lap dog. He gets along well with most other dogs and loves to have his belly rubbed. If a forever home is not found for Henry he will be more than welcome to live out his golden years with his foster family.

Morgan
Renee Savaria

Westie Rescue of Greater Washington rescued Morgan from a puppymill in West Virginia. He was transferred to Westie Rescue of New York for fostering and adoption. While at the puppymill, Morgan did not fair too well. A thorough examination showed that his skull had been slightly fractured, his spine damaged and a good part of muscle had been torn from his back leg. The abuse this four-year-old suffered left him stiff and unable to run or climb stairs. Through the joint effort of both rescue groups, Morgan received the medical care he needed.

In spite of everything he is a sweet natured and loveable Westie. He likes to cuddle and steal socks. John and Krista Newkirk of North Babylon, New York adopted Morgan in July 2000. This past year has seen a lot of firsts for Morgan. He had a birthday party; he ran for the first time on December 5th, played in the snow for the first time on December 10th, received his first Christmas gift and barked for the first time on March 19th. Everyday events for the average pup, but milestones in the life of a shy dog who used to be afraid of things as small as a crack in the sidewalk. Morgan still can not climb stairs but he always get a gentle lift from loving parents.

Parade of Rescues 2001




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