Furever Loved

Dakota

Hi my name is Dakota. I had a family for 7 years and when I jumped up and broke my back they could not take care of me. They tried for a year to take care of me but it was too hard for them so they looked for a rescue that would take me. They called a lot of  rescues in Southern California even a couple in Arizona but none of them would take me or even answered. They did not want to take me to the shelter and decided to have me  euthanized at a vets office. Before they took me they went to a big adoption event and asked around for help. A person there took their number and called her friends at Dharma Rescue. The person was really mad at the people for not wanting me.
One thing the people at Dharma Rescue learned was not to judge and to listen to the story. You see it is not easy to care for a paralyzed dog or cat, but if you have experience it is not that hard. After talking to the family Dharma Rescue felt the family really tried, you see I had big sores on my legs and some went to the bone. They kept going to the vet but they never healed all the way and I kept opening them, so I made it harder for them to care for me.
​Once at Dharma rescue they took me to the vet for a check up, the vet was not hopeful my wounds would heal  because I kept chewing my leg. Dharma rescue believed they could heal them,it  took 6 months but the worst sores were healed and soon all the sores were gone. I also had a fear of men and people so I did try to bite sometimes, but  when I realized Dharma Rescue really cared about me and promised to take care of me forever if I didn't find a forever home I started to trust and behave. There was also positive thought that I could be a therapy dog and guess what I am! I had to repeat my obedience class and I finished 2nd in my repeat class and I have my CGC Canine Good Citizen badge.  I am also a PUP volunteer - Pets Unstressing People  at the LAX airport and I visit senior living  homes places.

I have been with my Dharma rescue family for 3 years which makes me about 10 or 11 years old. I have a degenerative eye condition and am starting to lose my eye sight but my Dharma family  is getting ready for that. It still does not stop my volunteer work. I am still waiting for my forever home to continue volunteering and making people happy. Could you be my special person.   We have decided to retire Dakota from the Therapy dog program. His loss of sight has made him cautious of to many  moving things around him. He can still race with his friends and have fun and join them on outings.
​​I now have a Muffin"s Halo which was donated to us by Muffins Halo special program  Second Chance"s for Blind Dogs for shelter and rescue dogs. This will help me with my therapy work.

Joey

Hi I am Joey. I am the old man here at Dharma Rescue. I have been with them for 8 years. I am probably13 yrs old. I was hit by a car and in OC and they kept me at the shelter for a long time moving me around so I would not be euthanized. The foster home they found me could not keep me anymore so they desperately  looked for a rescue. Dharma rescue took me in. Even though they had taken in sick and injured, disabled dogs, I  was the reason why they are training all the disabled dogs to be therapy dogs. My beautiful brown eyes and charming personality gave them the idea. Today my brown eye's are not working and I am blind. They believe my blindness was caused by the clinic over vaccinating me and putting flea control on my back when I was in there for my therapy dog check up. I became very sick and scabby after all the crap they put in me. Now anyone who knows Dharma rescue knows they only vaccinate what the law requires and NEVER uses flea poison on any of their cats and dogs. 

​They are 100% holistic and know exactly what over vaccinating and chemicals can do to a body. The techs took me to the back for a rabies only request  and someone back there gave me rabies,  a combo wambo shot and revolution all at one time to a senior dog. My people were very angry and upset and swore this would never happen again and they watch all the dogs now when they enter a vet clinic.
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Rudy
Hi there my name is Rudy /aka  Mophead. The humans don't know a whole lot about my past. I don't even want to think about it because it was not good. My life changed when Animal Control was sent to pick me up off the streets of South LA. I was dragging my legs and I was so matted you could not see my face. I think I looked scary and freaked people out. Once at the shelter they knew I could not be adopted by the public so they contacted Dharma Rescue and sent a ugly matted picture of me to them. The shelter said I was nice, in other words I didn't bite. Thank goodness Dharma Rescue had room for me.
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Here I am under that mess, I was a really handsome guy. So my name was change to Rudy after the handsome Rudy Valentino. Once at Dharma rescue I was cleaned up some more and they took me to the vet for x rays, blood work and teeth cleaning. The vet said my injuries were old and I had calluses on my feet so I had been paralyzed a long time. Thats ok because I now have a wheelchair like my other friends. I am now a therapy dog and I got first place in my obedience class and I have my CGC Good Canine Citizen badge. I am also a PUP volunteer – Pets Unstressing passengers at LAX. Not bad for a dog from the hood. I am a loving guy and love people and kids. 
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Update:  2018 we lost our Rudy to cancer . Age estimated  15-17 yrs
Rudy you were loved by everyone especially the children. His last year he sported a mohawk . the kids at Switzer school where he visited once a week played with his hair  turning it into a mohawk , so we went a step further and gave him a new look. He was a big hit with the kids.
Rest in peace Rudy-boy.
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Una
​Hello. I am  Una an 11 year old female boxer. I was hit by a car and my family did not want me. They wanted me to be euthanised but the clinic I was at kept me and fixed me, which meant losing my right leg, but at least I had a chance to wait for a rescue or new home. Now that I am with Dharma Rescue and I am having a lot of fun and getting out and making  people smile and laugh because I give sloppy kisses and act goofy. I get really good raw food which made me so healthy, because I was in bad shape when Dharma Rescue took me into their rescue family. If they keep this up I am going to be one of those long living boxers  with 3 legs.  I am so sweet everyone loves me. I may be old but I have lot of spunk and I am a certified therapy dog. I'm ready to go to the right home, do some volunteer work and bring a smile to your face every morning with a bunch of slobbery kisses.

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Update: Una has been diagnosed with DM Degenerative Myelopathy.
This is a disease with no cure but other modalities will help extend her life. Una has her own facebook page for her friends to follow her journey.  

Update: It is with great sadness to say our dear Una has lost her life to her disease.  Our good bye to her is on her facebook page.  We will keep her donation button up so donations in her name will go to her  DAWGS friends. Thank you to all who loved her and followed her journey, she will be missed more then words can say.
https://www.facebook.com/una.dharmarescue/ ​​
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Daisy, December 2, 2013
​Daisywas turned into the shelter in Camarrillo Calif. by her senior owner because she bit a child. A plea to save her was circulating on facebook. This picture broke our hearts at Dharma Rescue so we took off for a 2 hour drive to save her from being euthanised. You can read about her journey with us on her facebook page by clicking her picture. Her name is highlighted in yellow because her favorite thing to do was to lay in the sun.
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Missy, February 2011
A dog now named Missy was turned into a high kill shelter by her family. She was 17yrs old when they had the shelter come and pick her up and take her to the shelter to be euthanized. Shelter policies have all dogs wait a week for a review before being put down. She was going to lie on a cold slab of cement waiting for a decision to live another week or die on review day. We were checking the shelter list when we saw Missy's face and her age and immediately went into action to get her out. No dog belongs in a kill shelter but it is worse to see a dog as old as Missy discarded after 17 years of companionship. The shelter told us we had to pick her up that day because she was scheduled to be put down the next day. 

She was weak, dirty and could barely walk to the car. We called our vet’s office an hour before they closed and got her in.  Sitting in the waiting room we got shocked and disgusted stares from customers thinking we had let our dog get this way.  The plan was to have her humanely euthanized but first she would get an exam. Her heart was good and strong so we had blood work done and left her in the care of our vet for the night. She deserved a chance to live and know she was loved. The next morning the call came in and her blood work was good although she was severely arthritic and emaciated. 

The first 8 months Missy did great. She was stiff walking but she walked on her own and sometimes tried to run when she was playful and doing her happy dinner time dance. As months went by, her rear legs got weaker and we had to help her up and help her walk outside to do her business. Bless her heart, she never wanted to have a potty accident in the house and tried her best to get outside and as quickly as she could.
October 2012
Missy cannot walk and has become incontinent.
It is physically and mentally difficult to care for very old large senior dogs. Our homeopath vet tells us the bigger old dogs have issues at night. They are restless which gives the care givers very little sleep. We agree it has happened with every old large dog we have cared for. It is a difficult time so along with the homeopathic care so we use conventional meds to make the seniors more comfortable in the evenings.  Some people think we should put her down and it is discussed many times but if she were put down right now, it would be because it is inconvenient for us, her care givers to care for her…not because she is ready. We have had many seniors and every dog and cat know when they are ready and we will know when she is ready to go and if she needs help, we will honor her and help her move on. For now she is almost 19 yrs old, in human years she is almost 100 yrs old. She sleeps a lot during the day, still loves to eat and enjoys a good massage.

November 19,2012 We made the difficult decision to let Missy go and be free from her old body. She was ready and went quickly and peacefully. We thank her for being our life teacher and teaching us patience, respect and love.

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Bette, June 2011
Bette passed Sunday evening. She went in peace with no distress. She was only sick Friday & much worse and on a down hill slide  on Saturday and Sunday it was time to say good-bye.  I am so happy she was part of the Hopp family for a short time and that you had the joy of her in your home.  She was a love & is missed. 

We love you Bette. You were the best  dog to have in our Dharma Rescue home. You were quiet, sweet, happy. Two of your favorite things were food and belly rubs. You came to us from the streets a dirty, scared old lady. We guessed how old you were 10 years is always a good number but you could have been older. You were so good and when someone wanted to adopt you we were hesitant to give you up. But we are a rescue and if a perfect home came around we knew we had to let you go and love someone else so we could bring in another senior homeless dog. Goodbye old loyal friend. We will always miss your smiling face.
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Lily, November 12, 2012
Lily was was a big part of our lives. She started with us when she was a sick 6 months old kitten . We had just started our journey on holistic care. With her we  learned about the power of homeopathy ,diet and supplement. She was a great teacher to us. It only took 2 months for her to get better. we were told by a conventional to "get rid of her" because she would be a "problem" because of a virus she had. We kept her and became her  moms. Yes we spoiled her and were her fierce protectors. she was known as a Diva, she even told a couple of pet psychics she thought the other rescue cats we had in the shop were orphans and dumb. One psychic said if she could talk she would sound like  Katherine Hepburn. 

She was our special girl for 13 years. She was our poster child for holistic living. During her 13 years she went to the vet only one time for dental work. When we noticed she was not eating much we took her to the vet for blood work, 
x-rays and what ever the vet recommended for our Lily. Her blood work was perfect and  x-rays should no blockage but very little food in her system. For the next 3 weeks she was in and out of the vets, at our home being hand fed,fluids even consults with our homeopathic vet. She kept getting worse and did not want to eat. It all happened so fast. Here was this beautiful little cat that never got sick and now she was dying. 

After telling a pet psychic rescue friend about Lily she started to tell us what Lily wanted. She asked if we were going through changes in the shop and yes  we were going through major changes,including downsizing and 1/2 the store being closed down. She said Lily felt she didn't have job. Her job that she gave herself for 13 years and did very well was greeting the customers in the retail part of the store.Since downsizing not many people came in. looking back she didn't have a lot to do. She said she wanted to die at our home so her wish was granted. The vet that came examined her said he thought she had Horners symdrome . It could have been cause by a fall,the virus, tumor,cancer, we will never know. What we did know was  it was neurological and affected her eating. 
We always assumed our Lily would live to be 25 years old. She was called away from us too soon. We will always miss her.
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Jed​
We called him the old fart
​because that's what he was. We got him from our friends at Boxer rescue. He was a senior medical special need. The vet for our boxer friends said he did not have long to live so they wanted him to go to a home to die comfortably and be loved. It is not easy to be with an animal that is going to die but it is one thing we are able to do. They said he was 10 years old  because he was a owner turn in  at the high kill shelter he was rescued from and the owner knew his age. Ten is a good age for a boxer to live too.
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When we picked him up he looked like he was knocking on deaths door. But he was alive and we were going to give him every chance to turn around and fight to live. A visit to our vet to diagnose  him and a call to our homeopathic holistic vet. He was so sick he didn't want to eat. We tried everything:  raw, cooked, package...nothing. Finally we remembered the Satin Balls recipe.   A batch was made and he ate it. We knew he was on his way to recovery. Using homeopathy,supplements and cooked foods he got better and made a full recovery.

​Jed lived to be 15 years old. Our friends at boxer rescue knew him during his years with us when they saw him at adoption events. The full name Boxer rescue gave him was Jed Clampett, we didn't change his name it fit him. When his boxer rescue friends saw him they were always surprised to see jed Clampett, they couldn't believe he was still alive. He felt popular with the greeting " is that Jed Clampett"! as he strutted off with one of us.
During his last year the degenerate disease that plagues boxers finally caught up with him. He still tried to walk. We helped more and more as the disease crept up his spine.  One late night we knew it was time and we took him to an emergency clinic, we felt his body could not wait until the morning when we had a vet come to us. It was a decision we fought with in our hearts over and over.  Thank God we had a very compassionate vet that night and he went in a loving respectful manner with us by his side. We love Jed you old fart and we know you are always with us guiding us though our rescue journey.