FYI:Sending Checks

For those of you who want to send checks to help us with our lack-of-funding issue, please note that the address for the Los Machos Beach Project has changed to the general address for Amigos de los Animales.

Please make checks payable to:
AMIGOS DE LOS ANIMALES, INC.

Address:
Amigos de los Animales
ATTN: Los Machos Beach Project
PMB 357
1357 Ashford Avenue
San Juan, PR 00907

Also, please add LMBP to the memo line of the check. Sorry for any confusion. All changes have been made to the sidebar of this blog as well.

Thanks SO much,
Shanti

Iris and Bambi

Remember our Arecibo rescues Iris, who was so broken and mangled from being hit by a car, and Bambi, an old 5-pounder that has four teeth left? Well, ADLA's Liz has worked some magic with these two and found them both a place to go.

Iris will be going to Chicago with Alicia of Second Chance Rescue sooner than later. Unfortunately, Iris is still quite shy, but it seems in her best interest to send her now and allow her to adjust to the domesticated life in Chicago versus adjusting in San Juan only to be put through the traumatic experience of air travel months after she comes around.


Bambi, on the other hand, is being scooped up by foster mom extraordinaire Adrienne of Wag On Inn. Though details are still being ironed out, Bambi should be flying as a carry-on on next week's flight to Newark on Sept. 26.

As for other Arecibo rescues, though I've been waiting to get pictures before posting the news, Sebastian (six-month-old silver tabby that thought my dog, and anything else for that matter, was his momma, or at least some milk-producing being) was adopted about a month ago by a co-worker of my friend Kate in Chicago. I received a lovely drawing from one of Sebastian's new family member saying that he is "the coolest cat."

Zoey, our orange foster puppy who battled the odds, was also adopted by a co-worker of Kate's at the Veterinary Specialty Center in Buffalo Grove, IL. Needless to say, I've been dying to see how big both of them have become, if Zoey has full coat of fur finally, if Sebastian has gotten over his suckling needs, and all the rest. Rosa, Adri's rescue from Arecibo with the unforgettable underbite, was also adopted in a heartbeat through Wag On Inn.


Today, a woman I have gotten to know quite well via phone, Marlene, is coming over from the small town Utado to ship off her rescued pups Diamonte, Cuba, and Miriam (pictured above as the "Bandana Gang"). They will be shipped up to Boston where ADLA's Rosina will pick them up and shuttle them off into foster care until the ADLA fundraiser she's planned on Sept. 19. Boy, do we need one of those. I know it's getting old to hear about it, but we still need nearly $5000...and it's not like we've stopped rescuing either. Our bill continues to grow. What's scary now is that we will HAVE to stop soon if our bills continue to go unpaid. As generous and patient as Dr. Ramos has been, enough is enough.

My focus this week, to raise $300 for Los Machos Beach's Marley, whose heartworm treatment began on Sept. 2. He has been cleared to go to New Jersey on Sept. 30 for the TEAM SATO walk I've discussed in a previous post. However, he has not even been partially sponsored. Anyone wanna throw this guy a bone, made of money???


Thanks so much everyone,
Shanti

The delay in posts

I apologize for not writing for awhile. We have a bunch of upcoming trips for satos including an adoption event in Boston arranged by our lovely Rosina of ADLA, another adoption event coordinated by the Monmouth County SPCA for their big dog walk fundraiser, specifically for "Team Sato," co-arranged by Wag On Inn's Kathy, AND a big shipment of satos going to St. Hubert's on Sept. 26. As if that weren't enough, Colin and I are also shipping ourselves to Orlando on the morning of Sept. 26 along with our sata Boca, where we will commence our 10-day road trip cross-country, stopping along the way to see dearest family and friends on the way to our new, by-the-beach home (we're officially homeowners!!!) in San Diego.



Needless to say, I've been planning many things at once, not leaving me much room for blog-writing. But I'll sqeeze in a bit of an update while I drink my second cup of coffee today.

Sofia, the recently rescued gato from in front of my new apartment in Ocean Park, is doing great. Turns out she was well on her way to having and large litter of kittens when I picked her up, but Dr. Ramos was able to perform the oh-so-important spay and abort procedure since she was not too far along. She is still at Dr. Ramos', though my running buddy Becca has asked to foster her for the rest of Sofia's time on the island. Fine by me!!! Eventually, pending Jackie's approval of course, she will go to St. Hubert's.

Marley, the most recent Los Machos sato Adri and I rescued, began his heartworm treatment on Sept. 2 and is doing very well. Dr. Ramos and his staff says Marley has been a very "chill" and happy dog, though he doesn't seem to be the biggest fan of puppies jumping on him. I guess Marley let out a corrective "grrr" upon being molested by some puplets at the clinic. It's alright, Marley. I know puppies can be a bit much sometimes. If all goes well with Marley's HW recovery, he will be shipped off to New Jersey for the SPCA event in New Jersey, where he will be up for adoption on behalf of "Team Sato."

Well, there's a bit for now. Hopefully it won't be so long until next time!
Shanti

Sofia

Since all of Colin and my household goods have already been shipped to San Diego, we are currently living in the second bedroom of a friend's apartment in Ocean Park. Outside of our lovely new apartment, I've made a new friend.



I've named her Sofia, after one of our neighbors in our complex who was also feeding her from time to time. Sofia is a rare beauty. The first time I saw her, she pretty much just darted over to me, as if she knew what my area of work has been for the past year. She charmed me with her sweet mew, walked graceful figure eights between my legs, and began to expect me on a daily basis. As soon as I confirmed that she's no one's cat officially, I decided that she was just too gorgeous, sweet, and adoptable for this street life. The truth is there are so many cats in Ocean Park that rescuing each one we see within its half-a-mile radius would not work out so well considering our limited resources. Most of the time, spay/neuter and release is the best option. That being said, there are always exceptions.

Sofia's one beauty blemish: a patch of what seems to me like mange or possibly an old bite wound still in the process of healing.

So, now that Colin and I are officially carless, Liz was kind enough to loan me her ride for the morning so that I could bring Sofia into Dr. Ramos. Boca came along for the ride, for what turned out to be an oh-so-dramatic nail trimming. That's right...our Boca is a drama queen. In her defense, however, it was her first nail trimming. She bled a bit, too...poor baby.

Boca, on the way to Dr. Ramos', very concerned that "her kitty" was yowling in the car. Boca proceeded to stick her tongue between the grating of the kennel door, offering her support as best she could.

Sofia didn't seem to mind Boca at all. In fact, she seemed to provide Sofia some comfort.

So Miss Sofia is now safe, though I'm sure a bit scared and shocked. First we'll get her spayed and vaccinated. Then we'll find her a home or shelter to go to. I am hoping she will be a relatively inexpensive rescue. If all goes according to my master plan for her, her rescue and shipment should only cost around $200.

If you feel so inclined to sponsor Sofia, you'd be making a great investment!!!!

Thanks for reading,

Shanti

ALDA featured in Orlando Sentinel!

Many of Puerto Rico's stray, abused pets live in peril

Blondie in foster care and other good news!

While we are still financially struggling, only having received $250 recently (though so much appreciated) in donations toward our vet-bill debt, I remain hopeful that our efforts will eventually make some funding appear. Now would be a good time to have money start growing on trees.

On to the happiest of topics, Adri has been working with me to find a place for Blondie to go, since for whatever reason we have been unable to find an adopter for this blonde piece of perfection. Blondie is finally out of her kennel at Dr. Ramos'. Until we find her a place to go, she will be staying at Adri's house in foster care. She's doing very well there. Adri is about to leave for the U.S. until mid-September, and Blondie may not be going anywhere until then. However, at least she is playing with other dogs now and getting A LOT more excercise!

In other great news, it looks like Liz has lined up a spot for Iris with a woman who fosters dogs for Second Chance Rescue in Illinois. Iris may still need more recovery time in Puerto Rico, as her front leg was never amputed but is still healing. This leg is not going to be functional, but based on his professional opinion, Dr. Ramos decided she could keep her front leg. A foster situation will be great for Iris, as she is still quite nervous around humans and needs socialization before being adopted.

In even more great news (it's been a nifty week, eh?), our newly rescued Marley was recently featured in a Boston paper, North End News! Fellow ADLA rockstar Rosina arranged the whole thing and asked for a bio of any dog we thought might need a boost in his/her adoption possibilities. Here's what we came up with for him:

*Marley* is a one-year-old, border-collie mix Amigos de los Animales recently rescued him from Los Machos Beach in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. Los Machos Beach is a regular dumping ground for unwanted dogs and is known for mass poisonings and beatings of the abandoned animals who have no choice but to live there. *Marley* was a long-time resident of Los Machos Beach. (If you would like to read more about the Los Machos Beach Project, please visit www.losmachossatos.blogspot.com. Unfortunately, it was witnessed that during his time on the beach, large rocks were thrown at him, he was hit and kicked by a group of teenage boys and was intentionally hit by a car. Despite his experiences, *Marley* is undeniably trusting and loving. His favorite activities include following people around and being scratched behind his ears. He is approximately 45 lbs. and is currently undergoing heartworm treatment. He has already been neutered and vaccinated . He has not shown any signs of aggression and enjoys the company of other dogs. In sum, Marley is an amazing dog. Marley is desperately seeking a sponsor and/or adopter. Once he is given a clean bill of health, he finally will have the chance for a happy, healthy life filled with love he so greatly deserves.

No bites yet from Marley's media debut, but we'll see what happens. I do think Marley is an excellent candidate for St. Hubert's, so he will be all set either way.

Remember Cha Cha and her little cuties? Well Cha Cha has officially become the pet of one of Dr. Ramos' staff members, Ivania. She just couldn't let her go, and I don't blame her. As for Cha Cha's puppies, at least the three that remained after four were adopted out by Dr. Ramos' staff and two died, check out these pics below:

One of Cha Cha's puppies, now named "Danger," in his new home Asbury Park, New Jersey. Danger was adopted out through Wag On Inn, our trusted foster-care-based rescue group in New Jersey.

Danger now has a partner-in-crime, Dakota.

So, despite our financial stress, things aren't so bad in ADLA rescue world. Please keep the donations coming if possible. We'll continue to do our best to keep these animals healthy and happy.

Muchas gracias,

Shanti

Two more rescues, no sponsors, $3000 in debt

What a morose title, eh??? Well, I'd be lying if I told you we have enough money to pay our ever-expanding vet bills for the Los Machos Beach Project and Amigos de los Animales...not even close. We're in the hole big time, by thousands of dollars. All together, Liz, Adri, and I would wipe our slate clean with 6 or 7k.

I know that the majority of the individuals who read this blog have continuously sacrificed chunks of his/her paychecks to support the Los Machos Beach Project. Therefore, I'm not just asking for your donations, as I often do. Can you help me brainstorm? We need a large sum of money to get us back on our feet again, I have to clear my bill at Dr. Ramos' before I leave, and, by the way, we have two new rescues to support. Let's talk about these special boys for a bit...then, we'll get back to raising money.

So Adri came to Los Machos Beach with me on Sunday. I was hoping to find Toby. He's gone, it seems. I did hear a rumor that another group may have rescued a few dogs out at LMB and have emailed them to see if some of the dogs I know to be missing were a part of their rescue list. No response. Anyway, we brought loads of salchichas and fed the masses. Here are some photos from our visit.

Homer, whose skin conditioning is worsening, was hanging out by the Avis parking lot like he used to months ago. He usually stays within the fenced-in yard of an apartment complex across the street from Avis. He needs out help in such a big way...it makes me feel helpless.

Members of the regular crew "of the forest" next to Los Machos Beach. From left: China (pronounced "chee-nah"), Lola, Negrita, and Willie. China and Negrita got some head-petting (still with a bit reservation) along with their salchichas, but Willy and Lola still remained at their comfortable distance from us.

Hammond, aka "Ham", is sort of a new kid on the block though I've seen him during my past few visits to LMB. Looks a lot like a purebred Weimaraner, eh? So sad. The first time I saw this beauty, he wouldn't come within 50 feet of me. On Sunday, he was much more brave.

Marley, my darling boy. He pranced up to us at the fish market, tail wagging as usual. Unfortunately, this time he had a noticeable limp. As I wrote in my second-to-last post, there are still a couple of super adoptable satos that would be "easy" rescues in terms of placing in shelters in the States due to how social they are...Marley is one of them. As for Spot/Pinto (white with reddish-brown spots), Juan, my fish-market friend, told me that Pinto had been missing for 5 days.

Two new puppies, dropped off a couple of weeks ago says Juan, who need a lot of socialization. Though adorable, they were not keen on human affection, from us at least. Can't really blame them considering the life they most likely live on the beach.

So while we are in debt, I tried my best to be strong and have my only mission that day at Los Machos Beach to be to find Toby and introduce Adri to Los Machos Beach. Adri has offered to visit Los Machos Beach, hopefully at least 1-2 times a month, when I leave. Here's an excerpt from her blog about her first visit to Los Machos Beach:

Shanti took me to Los Machos Beach in Ceiba on Sunday morning so I could see where all the beach kids are because she's leaving at the end of September. I will try to go there every couple of weeks so our rescue efforts can continue there too. I could never fill her shoes and I'm more than a little nervous about biting off more than I can chew - but where there's a will, there's a way.

PLEASE GOD!!, Let someone step up to the plate and help out at Los Machos Beach!!!!!

Alas, my efforts to not rescue anyone except Toby did not go as planned. After not finding Toby, hearing about Spot's disappearance, and seeing Marley limp across the sandy road, we decided we couldn't leave without Marley. In a nutshell, I have been emotionally overwhelmed by the disappointment and feeling of loss whenever I return to that beach to see my favorite satos are gone, missing, possibly dead. I could not let Marley disappear as well...And by the way, Homer has got to be next.

In the same day, Adri, Sally from PARE Este, and I also had to go over to the Fajardo Dump, as the landfill is called, to find a Dalmatian Liz requested we pick up.The Fajardo Dump rescue mission was unsuccessful. A man working at the dump said that an animal control vehicle came and picked up some satos from there, including the female Dalmatian we were looking for. I believe Liz is still working on trying to rescue the Dalmatian from the Humacao shelter with the help of Dead Dog Beach's Sandra Cintron. Instead of rescuing the Dalmatian, however, we found a sweet Puerto-Rican-Terrier (not an actual breed, so you know, but what we call the undefinable mix-breed dogs that look terrier-esque) puppy who Adri named Moe at the Fajardo Dump. Check out his darling little face:


Adri picked Moe up, and that was that. He stayed in her arms throughout our car ride back to San Juan, while I stretched my non-driving arm into the back seat to give Marley as many reassuring head-pets as he needed.

So you could say it was a successful rescue day, but the practical side of me is screaming for help. With at least a $3000 bill at Dr. Ramos' from unpaid vet expenses of Los Machos satos such as Cha Cha and her pups, Annie, Nugget, Chip, Lulu, and Bongo not to mention other rescues I've been involved including the Arecibo rescues, what am I thinking to take in two more dogs!?!??!?!

So this is where you guys come in. I am not asking any of you to empty your bank accounts more than you already have, but I am asking for your help. If you haven't spread the word already, please do. If you feel compelled to do a little of your own fundraising for us, have a local animal shelter that might want to share some of its funding, and/or come up with any other ideas, BRING IT ON!!! I will be working on some funding possibilities as well, but will take all the help I can get. In the grand scheme of things, $3000 is not a lot of money...so it's doable. It would require 6 $500 donations or 12 $250 donations. Not too bad, right?

Marley at Adri's house

Marley and Moe have not been sponsored yet as well, and unfortunately Marley ended up being heartworm positive, which in itself will cost $250. When I can no longer rescue dogs in Puerto Rico myself, I will be dedicating my free time to the main topic of this post: funding (as well as a couple other things like outreach and trip planning).

So here is my desperate plea for your help. Do what you can, but know that I appreciate how much support this project has already received.

To end on a less pathetic and positive note, it looks like ADLA's Adri is willing to check up on our Los Machos Satos when she can, which will definitely help me sleep better at night when I leave for California, which by the way is officially happening on September 26. Colin and I have officially moved out of our apartment and into our friend Rachel's house with our animals. All of our stuff (beds, couches, etc.) are on their way to San Diego. It's really happening...crazy.

30 satos cause Arecibo school to shutdown

On Wednesday, 30 stray dogs decided to grace an Arecibo elementary school with their presence, causing the school grounds to be closed. There are rumored reports that one of the so-called "wild" dogs, supposedly a pit bull, lunged at a student only to be stopped by a group of school employees.

People at the school are complaining that it took much too long for the govement to seize the animals, but eventually all dogs were loaded into trusks, some unventilated, and off to, you'll never guess it, the Arecibo Municipal Shelter. And no, it isn't even open yet. So not only does Jose and the rest of the crew at the Arecibo shelter have enough animals to take care of that have been dumped over the past number of weeks, they now also have 30 more goverment-dumped animals to deal with without any finacial support from said government.

This again validates that Law 67 in Puerto Rico is an absolute joke. How can a law be effective if even the government of Puerto Rico has been proven to break this law continuously, like in this case not even providing basic necessities such as FOOD to this shelter?

Grrrrrrr,
Shanti

It's time to spill the news

My early morning trip to Los Machos Beach on Monday was sort of a bust. Well, the only reason I sound so defeated is that I did not find Toby. Such a bummer, I know. On top of that, I forgot my camera. I am currently in Washington D.C. until August 11, but will go back out to Los Machos Beach after I return to Puerto Rico. What was great about the experience, however, was that while I saw many of the regulars, so many faces were missing from Los Machos...I know that often is not a good thing, but in this case it truly was.

BASS

This morning I had a moment out there and realized that you and I have managed to rescue 30 satos from Los Machos Beach since the end of January 2008. Every now and then, I have to remind myself that is a huge accomplishment instead of, at times, thinking more of these animals should already be in loving forever homes by now.

DAKOTA

Now if we add the number of animals rescued from other areas of Puerto Rico, you and I have been key players in the rescue of around 50 satos and gatos on this island since the launching of this blog. And at this point, we all know how much energy, money, and emotions go into each one of these rescues. So let's take a moment...It's time to pat ourselves on the back now, seriously.

CISCO

This blog has been running for a bit more than six months now, and I never could've imagined the response it has received. I get emails from England, Thailand, Canada, even New Zealand asking questions about the animal welfare issues on the island of Puerto Rico and the famous Los Machos Satos. Most of all, many of you that have found this blog have become more than Los Machos Satos fans...you've become friends, a support group, a family of sorts to me.

ROCCO

Now you're asking yourself, why is Shanti getting so sappy in this post? It's true...I have a reason that I've been waiting to broadcast for a few months now. Awhile back, Colin decided that the Coast Guard was no longer his career of choice. At the end of September, his duties as an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard will be fulfilled, and we will no longer have financial means to stay in Puerto Rico.

CHALUPA

We will be returning to San Diego, California, where my former full-time position as an environmental biologist for a consulting firm is still waiting for me and where Colin will begin to pursue his graduate degree in something along the lines of sustainable urban planning. Our official exit date from Puerto Rico is still uncertain, but most likely will fall around the end of September.

ANNIE

I've been waiting to post this news for some time in hopes that I would have an idea of what will become of the Los Machos Beach Project and this blog. Alas, it has been much harder than I had hoped to find someone to pick up where I left off in terms of rescuing in Ceiba. What is comforting is that so many more people know of the animals living at Los Machos Beach now, and I can only hope that this beach will receive the same attention as Dead Dog Beach in terms of spay/neuter programs and rescue efforts. Still, I'm heart-broken to leave those dogs there, tearing up right now in fact, and feel extremely guilty when I think about it too much. However, Los Machos Beach will never be sato-free until this island admits to its animal welfare issues, faces them head-on instead of masking them. We could continue to rescue for years, and this viscous cycle of abandoment and abuse would not stop...Not without a complete make-over of this island's priorities, policies, and their enforcement.

BOCA

But I'm not gone yet! I still want to grab a few more satos from Los Machos Beach before our car is shipped, including Toby who has an adopter waiting patiently for me to find him. I'm sure if we had sponsors for a few other Los Machos Satos (hint, hint) that my fellow Amigos could take care of their placement and shipment if I leave the island before they are ready to go. Please email me if you are interested in sponsoring a Los Machos Sato. I promise to take more pictures next time I visit Cieba so you have a better idea of who needs to be rescued!

Here's who I have in mind right now:

Pinto, aka Spot..Let's get him off the beach, shall we?

So, there it is. The big news. I am 100% still going to be an active member of Amigos de los Animales and writer of this blog. Unfortunately, I will no longer be able to contribute in the ways I enjoy most. Sigh.

One more month of saving satos,

Shanti

PHOTOS: All photos, minus the last one, are of some of the satos rescued since the lauching of the Los Machos Satos blog. They all are in loving homes because of you. Good job, guys.

Rocco and Jenna

Former Los Machos sato Rocco and Jenna, one of the five fantastic members of his forever family:


I absolutely love these photos...priceless. What a lucky sato!

Shipment success!!!

Some rushed photos of some of the lucky animals that are currently on their way to New Jersey:

Kira, a rescue of ADLA's Stewart

Lulu

Bongo, whose big ole ears were retracted due to nervousness in this photo

Chip, who is fat and furry now

The itty-bitty kitty of Liz's 5 fostered kitties sent today, doing some yoga in the back of the kennel

A total of nine rescued animals will be sleeping at St. Hubert's tonight. It's a good day. On that note...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, COLIN!!!!! (who is currently doing his Coast Guard thing out on the ocean, so celebrating will commence when he returns tomorrow)

(pssst....it's Liz's birthday tomorrow also!)

Zoey AND Sebastian: Off to Chicago!

Yesterday, my nearest and dearest Kate, along with her cousin Paul, took Zoey and Sebastian on a plane ride to Chicago. Both sweet critters traveled as a carry-on. They were both as quiet as can be and had not one accident...what perfect babies.

My darling foster children, keeping each other company in their carrier, on the way to the airport

Kate is confident that she will be able to find homes for both Zoey and Sebastian through her extensive connections in the animal world of the suburbs of Chicago. Lucky for her, they are unbearably cute and shouldn't be hard to adopt out.

Since Zoey and Sebastian left yesterday, our apartment is eerily calm. Boca spent all of last night searching for her "kitty." (While Sebastian was here, I would say, "Where's your kitty, Boca?" She would find Sebastian and look up at me as if to say, "Here he is!") I feel bad for Boca, but I have to admit it is nice to have our apartment back to it's regular population size. Scout, our cat, has come down from on top of the fridge and has willingly reclaimed his territory and his position as overseer of apartment activity.

Scout, reigning from his throne with his fellow watchers

Tomorrow, we have another shipment of animals, 11 total. The shipment will be for Chip, Lulu, Bongo, Kira (a rescue of ADLA's Stewart), and 5 kittens that Liz has been fostering for quite some time. The weather is right on the edge of being too hot, so let's keep our fingers crossed for a successful shipment. Thanks to Denise Karamitsos, who volunteered to pick up our satos and gatos tomorrow night, and Jackie Fahey, director of St. Hubert's, we were able to arrange this prospective shipment without an arranged flight with a flyer. Instead, our furry friends will be flying via Priority Parcel Service of American Airlines.

Once we get these animals to St. Hubert's, we will finally have room for Toby and possibly other Los Machos satos as well.

Time to send some satos!!!

It's sato-sending time!!! We are working on getting another trip together right now to send the following dogs from Los Machos beach:

Lulu and Bongo, the day they were rescued. Bongo's ears remain equally as phenomenal.

Chip on the day of his rescue as well, the same day as Lulu and Bongo...This dog is a huggable mess of love.I will miss him dearly.

In other traveling news, little Miss Zoey is being scooped up by my best friend from college, Kate. Kate is visiting me in Puerto Rico with her cousin, Paul. I admit to having a bit of a pep talk with the puplet before Kate arrived and told her to lay on the uber-cuteness in order to reel Kate into taking her to Chicago. Kate works at a specialty animal clinic in the suburbs of Chicago and is convinced she will be able to find Zoey a home in no time, as well as give her any further medical attention she may need. It's a win-win situation really.

So how can you help? Well if anyone feels like being directly responsible for getting one of these priceless pups that much closer to their forever home, sponsoring the shipping cost of any of the above satos is the way to go!! Let me know if you are interested!

As for my Toby-pick-up mission...we have nowhere to put him!!!! Don't worry, I'm working on it. However, I can't rescue him until we get some of our already rescued pooches off the island. Soon, buddy, soon...I promise. I may still be heading out to LMB this week. I'll keep you updated.

Thanks so much!
Shanti

Back to life and catching up

Zoey, hanging out on one of her many puppy-training pads. She's totally newspaper/puppy pad trained...very impressive...and easy for me to clean up!

Sorry it's been awhile. California took the life out of me, and I needed a bit of time to catch up since returning this Tuesday. Zoey is back in the Santulli household, and boy is she a different dog. Don't get me wrong...She's still totally pathetic and has some issues to overcome, but her legs look normal again, her cough has pretty much disappeared, and she's a wiggly, no-cares-in-the-world puppy. As it should be. We visited Dr. Ramos yesterday, who said that Zoey looked great. She even got her first booster shot. Today, Colin and I get to give her her first bath! Sebastian, the Arecibo kitten we rescued a few weeks ago, is still reeking havoc in our apartment. He also saw Dr. Ramos yesterday and received his second booster and rabies vaccine and tested negative for FIV/Feline Leukemia. He should be ready to go on our next flight to St. Hubert's (at which point our dog, Boca, will whine in withdrawal of her kitty for days, and our cat, Scout, will party like it's 1999 in honor of regaining his throne).

Zoey, chewing on her favorite treat, compliments of Cody. She'll even keep one in her mouth while she goes to the bathroom.

Iris has not had her surgery to amputate her leg yet. Dr. Ramos would like to see a little bit more meat on her bones before he performs her surgery. She definitely looks like she's fattening up, and she is on painkillers to help her get through the day with such horrific wounds. Bambi is ready to go "home." "Home" for now will be at Liz's apartment, though right now Liz is tied up with a handful of kittens and a recently rescued puppy from the Arecibo shelter.


For those of you who do not know yet, Liz and Efren trucked out to Arecibo (while I was in CA) and attempted to pick up the remaining 14 or so puppies. Alas, most of the puppies we saw while vaccinating the entire facility had died. Six puppies were saved, however one died in Liz and Efren's car on the drive back to San Juan. A majority of the pups are being boarded with Gloria at Save a Sato. Liz is hanging on to one lucky pup, who she calls "Freckles Beckles," who will soon be traveling stateside to her new forever home with our beloved volunteer, donor, and friend Chrissy Beckles. Chrissy has already lovingly named her soon-to-be new family member Boom Boom (pictured on the right with one of Liz's foster kittens; photo from LIz). How sweet!

In Los Machos news (I know, it's been awhile!!), I have some sad and happy news about the Cha Cha clan. Awhile back, two of Cha Cha's pups fell ill and did not make it. However, three of her lucky pups found homes among friends of Dr. Ramos and his staff (they have all grown very attached to Cha Cha and her puppies). The remaining puplets are doing well and are ready to be sent to the States.

Blondie is doing fantastic! She's still a lovebug, which will never change. She just had another special chemotherapy treatment, to be thorough, and Dr. Ramos has officially deemed her in the clear of her tumors. Karla and I are working on finding her a home still...and if any of you are interested, the time is now!!! Let's get this girl out of her cage, shall we?!?!?

Chip looks like a totally different dog now, will a almost full coat of fur and a perma-grin on his face. He's my current personal favorite, and sometimes I fantasize about keeping him for myself. He's just that sweet. However, in a week or so, we are hoping to send him on his way to St. Hubert's or one of our other trusted shelters where he will find his forever family. I am going to miss that boy.

Lulu and Bongo are also ready to go. Lulu, in fact, who overcame Parvo beautifully, has become a bully. She has a bit of sibling rivalry with Bongo, and I would like to split them up ASAP. Poor Bongo just takes it like a good boy. Since Dr. Ramos' is fully booked right now, they remain in the same kennel. I am hoping to send one of the two to a shelter in the States within the next week.

I will be going to Los Machos on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week to FINALLY pick up Toby, given that Dr. Ramos can make some room for him. Toby does have an adopter who has been waiting patiently for our busyness to die down. We currently have a boatload of animals to care for and not enough money or room to do so. Therefore, our abilities to continue our flow of Los Machos rescues has retarded a bit. I think of those dogs everyday, which is enough to bring a tear to my eye relatively often. However, there have been dogs in need elsewhere, as there always are. I am looking forward to going back to my rescue stomping grounds. I'll let you know how it goes.

Dakota, a reborn Red Sox fan

Thanks for reading, as usual,
Shanti