Turtle Gardens Animal Rescue

The TG Bus is home!! Dave and Bear are exhausted after this marathon transport but the dogs are with their families. Today is Pongo’s third attempt at neuter – a crypto-orchid of monumental proportions!! His errant testicle is very difficult to find and today Dr. Veale is sure to neuter our little boy! Dave was just leaving for Houston when a truck arrived – yes that early!! Shawna had 5 puppies that needed to go sooner rather than later – they were just too many, too busy, eating too much. Mom has her appointment for her spay so yes the pups can come in I said. But doggone it – 5 more puppies!! They are friendly, very social and well cared for. And they are all boys – not a bonus as a lot of people prefer females. They are different looking. Mom is a shih tzu but dad was much larger. At 12 weeks they are the same size as mom. Two are black and tan and very fluffy – they look like overgrown shih tzus. Two are yellow with beards and eyebrows – bigger versions of Fritzi. The oddball has a wavy back and a few straggly beard hairs on an all black body. All of them follow Dave and me around – they are super friendly. They have eaten, drank and followed us outside to do their business. I suppose they are cute. Turtle Gardens welcomes the 5 almost teenagers – are they what we call tweenies?

And now updates!!
From Parksville – Lady!

This is our new dog, Lady Maria. She’s a real sweetie, these pics are from her first day and you can see how great she is with Melanie already. Cindy.

Then Betty Barker from Vancouver:

Hi Yvette & Dave – sitting on my front porch & Betty is lying in yard with a bone – she is settling in fine – thanks so much! – when I figure how to get some computer photos & send I will – again thanks so much!! she is a wonderful, sweet little dog.

Thanks Yvette,

And Chewie is starting to adjust:
I made some brown rice in chicken broth for our dinner and offered her some. She ate it right up I will give her some time with the dry food, and mix it with the rice, to see if she warms up to it. We’re still brushing, and brushing, and brushing I think we’ve gotten 4 armfuls of hair off, with more to go. She may not need a shave if we keep brushing a few times a day.

She met some of our dog friends in the neighborhood today, and we have some friends coming over with their dogs on Friday to meet her. I’m going to sign up for obedience training this week as well, for bonding and safety around the neighborhood when we are out.

She’s a great dog and I’m so grateful you were able to save her! I’ll write again soon to let you know how she is doing.

Lisa

And my sweet little Fritzi!

Hi Yvette,

I’ve made the pictures of Fritzi a little smaller, they were perhaps too big to post? They are attached. I saw you posted his message today. Every time we go into the bedroom Frtizi looks at that dog in the mirror and dives under the bed and creeps out to see what that dog is doing. He wants to make friends, but hasn’t clued in yet. Hilarious to watch.

He is a little scaredy-dog, but thaws a little every hour, it seems. Left him in the car at a farm stand for a few minutes to see how he reacts, and he promptly jumped out through the crack in the window, at least I thought it was a crack, and came looking for me. He found me and calmed right down. I put him back and let him yelp for a while. When I am in the car he settles down and behaves beautifully.

There are more pictures on my blog: http://www.pixeldrum.com/drummer/

Yvette, this is the right dog for me. I am really thrilled. Thanks for all the good manners he’s already learned.

Marianne

Charlie is doing well – she has jumped back into the swing of life at TG.

I want to thank everyone who have been voting – We are up again – your tremendous support is overwhelming and appreciated – we are #3 in Canada and #2 in BC – How cool is that!!
Remember to VOTE everyday!! Please Vote everyday – Shelter Challenge ($20,000 Grant!!) Turtle Gardens Spay Neuter Society – Vancouver BC We are now #3 in Canada and #2 in BC!! Please vote!!!!!

©Turtle Gardens Animal Rescue Society. Have your pet spayed or neutered today.

Dave and Bear are on their way home again. It was a grueling marathon! He so missed the SAINTS hidey hole! With so many dogs there was no place to sleep – they couldn’t be left in the van alone. There were 5 that met their families the next day. So Dave and Bear roughed it that night too. Once all the dogs were placed with their families Dave got back on the ferry to back to the mainland and pick up Charlie from her sleepover. Charlie failed – she has separation anxiety and cried and cried when left alone. It didn’t take long for neighbours to complain. Charlie is a very good natured little one but she attached herself too quickly to Lisa – to the point that she would cry when left with her partner. So… a failed adoption – Charlie is not the perfect match. It was a hard decision as she was perfect in every other way – happy go lucky, friendly, quiet indoors, playful and dog social. Now we know that Charlie will need a home with someone home or another dog to hang out with. Charlie learned important life skills tho – she travels well, walks well on leash and is clean. Her family will find her.

Dave and Bear slept somewhere on the road in the canyon. Last I heard they were in Hope at 9 pm!! I am waiting to hear where they are now and when they will be home again. The new guys are doing well! They have integrated completely with the few guys left here.

And now updates!!!
Hi Yvette,
Fritzi here. Gosh that was a long trip. Where am I? What am I supposed to think at 11:30 at night when I was taken out of my nice van and put into a strange car? I found a cookie on the seat, and I nibbled on it, but was too tired, confused and scared to do much else than tuck myself quietly into a corner, and, do you believe it, slept. My new mommy didn’t let me sulk for too long after we arrived at her (strange) place at 12:45 am. It was pitch dark with strange noises, was that water? We walked around in the grass until I finally clued in that I was to pee and poop before we could go inside. I felt safest to just Velcro myself to the new mommy at her heels, and when she sat down for a bit and gave me the monkey to play with, I felt a lot better.
Can you believe it? She let me sleep on her bed. I was worried that I would sleep in that crate I saw, but could snuggle against her on the bed. It got to be 2:30 am until she finally turned off the light. We both slept until 11:00 am. Got up, went outside, had some food and water, went for a little walk. But I’ve decided to take it slow. There is so much I’ve never smelled, seen or heard before. it’s little scary, but my mommy says, it’s not scary, it’s a new adventure.
Did you know she has another dog here? I saw it, it’s in the bedroom and stays there.
That’s it, I am taking a nap now. I’ll write again soon.
Fritzi

Hi Yvette,

As promised we are sending you some pics of Bella. As you can see she seems happy and has settled in here very happily. We are also sending a very short video of her playing her favourite game, chase the laser dot. We hope you enjoy these as much as we enjoy Bella. We still feel like we won the Dog Lottery when we got her!

Talk to you soon.

Fran, Kevin,& Bella
Bella with her boyfriend

Big smile!

Ready for a nap

hunting squirrels

After a hard playtime

in front of HER couch

Hi Yvette,

I wanted to write and give you an update on Chewie. We picked her up yesterday afternoon. She had a good car ride home, and seemed really excited by the new smells when she got out at our house. Our babysitter Jen was here minding Edison. She came out and brushed Chewie with me for 1/2 hour in the backyard, and then David and I gave her a bath. We got SO MUCH HAIR off of her, and there is still so much more coming off! Chewie was very good for the brushing and the bath. She seemed very happy to be getting so much attention!

Edison really likes her a lot. Last night he waved hello at her all through dinner. He’s been very good about letting her have her space, and has been very gentle when petting her. This morning he brought all of his favorite toys one by one to show her. It was pretty darn cute.

Chewie seems quite happy when she’s outside in the backyard or out walking, but she’s still a bit anxious when she’s in the house. I’m not sure if that’s because she’s never been an indoor dog. She’s also a bit anxious with Edison, even though he has been quite gentle with her. He is still a toddler and moves about the house with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. I think it will take time for her to get used to his exuberance. She follows me around while we are inside most of the time. Last night she slept in our doorway (she didn’t like Gibson’s old bed). I think it will be good when the Kuranda bed arrives, so she will know it’s her place to sleep.

I’m a little bit concerned because she doesn’t really want to eat or drink very much. I’ve tried two different flavors of the Natural Balance (Venison and Sweet Potato, and Lamb and Rice) and she really doesn’t seem interested. I’ve used some beef liver treats in her bowl to lure her into eating a bit of the dry food, and she will eat those and a bit of the kibble, but not very much. I don’t want to give her too many of the liver treats because they are quite rich and I don’t want her to get sick. Edison dropped turkey bacon and cereal on the floor this morning and she wasn’t interested at all. She has had a bit to drink a few times today, and has gone to the bathroom. David and my mom both think she’s just anxious and getting used to us and she’ll eat more in time, but I thought I would check in with you to see if there is something else we should try feeding her.

I’m going to take her to the vet tomorrow. Dave said we should have another deworming, and I’m going to get her a giardia shot since we’ll be walking out in the woods. We’ll get her dog tags then, some flea treatment, and maybe a microchip. We may shave her down for the summer to get rid of the rest of the matts as well. It’s supposed to be really hot this summer, and she might be happier with a shorter coat.

We just had a big walk at the park and she’s sleeping next to me while I write to you. She was quite playful on the walk, and was beside herself when she saw the squirrels in the park! She really is a sweetheart. David wants to call her Baroness Chewie, but we haven’t decided yet.

Let me know if you think there’s anything else I should do to try to get her eating. I’ll check in with the vet too, and see if there’s anything he can think of. I’ve never known any golden retriever mix that didn’t want to eat!

Lisa

I want to thank everyone who have been voting – We are up again – your tremendous support is overwhelming and appreciated – we are #3 in Canada and #2 in BC – How cool is that!!
Remember to VOTE everyday!! Please Vote everyday – Shelter Challenge ($20,000 Grant!!) Turtle Gardens Spay Neuter Society – Vancouver BC We are now #3 in Canada and #2 in BC!! Please vote!!!!!

©Turtle Gardens Animal Rescue Society. Have your pet spayed or neutered today.

The first update from this adoption trip is Gunnar – new home –new name!!

Hi Yvette,

I just wanted to let you know Gunnar made it wayyyy out to Beaverton, Oregon just fine today! We met Ken and Alex at a self-service dog wash in Seattle as there was an accident during the trip. Bless their hearts for being so wonderful and willing to help us, and you for coordinating. We arrived home about 9 pm tonight and he went right out in our back yard and rolled around in the grass for quite a while. My husband was very impressed with his mellow personality, he will be an awesome fit for our family. (I’m so happy we got him over another family I have included a picture of Enzo with my daughter we took shortly after we arrived, doesn’t he look like he is smiling??

Take Care,

Emily Chase and Family

There are several local adoptions these past few days!! First is Cody our loveable hound who is gone to Terrace. He has a female lab/rottie sister and a little maltese brother. He will also have two human kids as well to play with and swim and go hiking/camping/fishing. What a life for you Cody!

Then our little Roxy has been chosen. She will go to Smithers tomorrow – she was just spayed Thursday and like most bullies is very sensitive to surgeries. She lounged for two days on Dave’s bed, had pain medication and special food. She is back to normal today – she is up and chowing down at the food bin on her own.

Yesterday a visitor came looking for a “buddy” to travel around with doing his work. Our vets had mentioned Roxy to him but she already has a home. There is very little left here for choice but he soon noticed Frankie – who lay quietly by the fence soaking up all the attention he could. He did everything but turn himself inside out – it was his turn! So Craig and his daughter agreed – Frankie went home for a sleepover! No fowl in his future – Craig lives in town!

Then a phone at 5pm from Linda – she had seen two German shepherds in crisis who need sanctuary NOW rather than sooner. Could I take them? We have room I said – we have very few dogs in (the moms and pups don’t count – they are all consumed with babies for another month) She said she would go and pick them up and come right out – an hour back to Hazelton (she was in Smithers at the Tim Horton’s) round them up then come out to TG (another 2 hours) It was 9pm before she arrived (night is very late up here – 11 pm!!) Both dogs were in the back seat. The first one is a tan boy with black markings, he was friendly tho scared. I put my noose leash on him and took off the choker and rope – his neck was already scarred from the chain!! He is only a teenager – I think he may be related to Freeman. I persuaded him to follow me to the house and into a wire crate for sniffing introductions. Then I went back for the 2nd boy. He is timid – more fearful and smaller than his brother. He is black and tan and finer boned. He soon joined his brother in the wire crate – again Thank you Linda for the so very useful extra large crates – they fold up until needed how cool is that!

Linda had a gift for me – a gift from the organic specialty coffee and tea store in Hazelton. Very very good coffee and teas too. And for Dave special dark chocolate in a bar and powdered too. He LOVES dark chocolate. Thank you so very much. I have a cuppa first thing – - I LOVE my coffee!!

The boys were brought into the house after the initial sniffing and checking out through the wire. They had never been inside a building before – they were understandably nervous. But when they saw that big bin full of food……..well lets say they were overjoyed. They ate and ate and ate and ate some more. They drank and drank and drank to their heart’s content. They slept beside the bin so they could wake up and eat some more. I was so surprised that they didn’t get sick but they did not. This morning they followed the troops outside to learn basic skills. Their road to rehab as family pets has begun!

Their names are Grizz and Shadow. That will be 2 named Grizz here so I am thinking – new life – new names – what do you think?

And another update from our last transport – Bella Noelle!!

Hi Yvette,

We just wanted to update you on Bella. She sure has changed life around here. She isn’t the active dog we thought we were getting. At home she is a balcony potato! (She doesn’t want to sleep or be on her own couch!). She loves to laze the day away on the cool concrete balcony. She gets up when we call her or when she hears familiar sounds in the park next door. She is very obedient in the house which we Love. Her favourite game is chase the lase laser dot. Outside offleash she is a spaz. She only listens half the time. She still doesn’t want to learn to come when we call all the time. We think it is selective hearing. She has a boyfriend that adores her and they play together all the time. He is an american dingo. (yes he is neutered). Despite her stubborness to listen around squirrels and low flying birds, we can’t help but to love her. We have referred a few people to you that are looking for new four legged family members. We will send some pictures soon.

Cheers!

Frances, Kevin, & Bella Ham

I want to thank everyone who have been voting – We are up again – your tremendous support is overwhelming and appreciated – we are #3 in Canada and #2 in BC – How cool is that!!
Remember to VOTE everyday!! Please Vote everyday – Shelter Challenge ($20,000 Grant!!) Turtle Gardens Spay Neuter Society – Vancouver BC We are now #3 in Canada and #2 in BC!! Please vote!!!!!

©Turtle Gardens Animal Rescue Society. Have your pet spayed or neutered today.

Dave and Bear left last night in the new improved TG Bus!! The dogs were all loaded with plenty of room left over – how cool is that!! They got as far as past Quesnel, pulled over for a few hours snooze and were past 100 Mile House by 8am. They arrived after noon in Burnaby at Jake and Daisey’s parking lot!! Thank you Jerry for the opportunity to set up in your space – you rock! It is SAINTS Open House this weekend – so no room at the inn and we really needed to send these dogs to their families – some have been waiting a very long time.

First to load was Gunnar!!! He is going to Beaverton Oregon! He will be going to work and also training as an Assisted Therapy dog – good luck Gunnar!

Then it is Lola who is going to Seattle!! She will have a lab sister and yuppie puppie home. Be good Lola – you are a very fun girl.

Next is Beautiful gentle Chewie who is going to her family near the UBC endowment lands – she has a very special boy as her buddy.

Betty Barker has her dad who will take her everywhere he goes! Just what she needs – a constant companion to follow and love – in Vancouver. Be good Betty – you are a lucky girl.

Victor – my chocolate bullie is going to foster with Connie for Bully Buddies! He will be given the best chance ever for a perfect home. He is such a nice dog and true survivor.

Then it is small dogs – not one puppy this time – they are all speutered – teenagers at least.

First is my Fritzi – what a cuddle bug! I will truly miss this little guy! He is going to the Comox Valley – Kye Bay.

Lady has a home in Parksville with an 8 year old little girl who can’t wait to meet her. I will miss you too Lady – she is also a cuddlebug sleeping partner!

Jack has his family in Ucluelet – I think I have a TG Alumni in every community on Vancouver island!! He is a happy, good natured little fellow. Enjoy your yuppie puppie life little one!

Levi has a mom in Vancouver. He will be going to work with her and have a busy life walking the trails. He is a quiet, calm little guy – who so enjoys snuggles.

Charlie is my perennial border collie looking puppy!! She is a fully grown adult who loves to cuddle, but also likes going for walks and playtime. She is calm in the house with quite good manners – what a treasure she is! She is going to Richmond and will eb having playdates with Ruedi!

And last Bearta and Yeti – they are going to hang out with Bev and Hoki of Second Chances where they will find perfect loving families. Bearta is well on her way to becoming a real live dog doing dog stuff like going for rides in the vehicle, following while doing chores and running through the grass – all 5.4 pounds of her! Yeti is a sweet little boy who is asking for the door, and learning that people have good stuff to eat and patting is nice. Good luck little ones – you are going to the best place ever!

Updates will follow as they come in!! – And new arrivals etc and Local adoptions/sleepovers.

I want to thank everyone who have been voting – We are up again – your tremendous support is overwhelming and appreciated – we are #3 in Canada and #2 in BC – How cool is that!!
Remember to VOTE everyday!! Please Vote everyday – Shelter Challenge ($20,000 Grant!!) Turtle Gardens Spay Neuter Society – Vancouver BC We are now #3 in Canada and #2 in BC!! Please vote!!!!!

©Turtle Gardens Animal Rescue Society. Have your pet spayed or neutered today.

It is with great pleasure that I announce the arrival of the New TG Bus!! All of us at Turtle Gardens thank the Friends of Turtle Gardens especially Jim Cave who found the van, bid on it and facilitated a personal loan to ensure we were able to take possession. We thank our friends, supporters and The Friends of Turtle Gardens who have made our workhorse transport a reality!
Cynda
Jude
Jim Ca
Sharon H
Paula C
Vivien P
Lynda M
Jim Co
Nancy H
Theresa K
Jenny P
Jude’s dad
Pat M
Cheryl K
Marianne H
Steve L
Teri T
Kathy H
Your generosity has made it possible for TG to be independent and self reliant. There is more than enough room for the dogs to travel in comfort – it is air controlled too! There is more than enough room and the van is heavy enough to transport dog food on the trips back. It is roomy enough to transport donated supplies and furniture. Our transports are much more efficient and a big bonus – it is very comfortable for Dave to drive!!! Dave really loves it. A heartfelt THANK YOU!

I want to thank everyone who have been voting – We are up again – your tremendous support is overwhelming and appreciated – we are #3 in Canada and #2 in BC – How cool is that!!

Remember to VOTE everyday!! Please Vote everyday – Shelter Challenge ($20,000 Grant!!) Turtle Gardens Spay Neuter Society – Vancouver BC We are now #3 in Canada and #2 in BC!! Please vote!!!!!

©Turtle Gardens Animal Rescue Society. Have your pet spayed or neutered today.

Another speuter day and 3 more go in for their pre-adoption cursory medical evaluation. This time is all smallish dogs

First off – Yeti – the malteser – his partner decided to forgo her spay and have babies instead – the day before now that is coincidence/fate/karma? Yeti is 12.2 pounds – just a little guy. He is going to Bev of Second Chances this weekend. Good luck little one – you will soon be a pampered yuppie puppie!

Then it was Roxy our beautiful special bullie girl. Roxy weighs 39 pounds!! She is sleeping off her ordeal on Dave’s bed covered with a warm fleece. She is a sensitive suckee little girl. She will be going to her home in Smithers tomorrow – where she will be an ambassadog for her breed and become a certified therapy dog! How cool is that!

Roxy with Fritzi and Sweetpea

Last was my sweet Jillian – all 6.6 pounds of her. She slept in my vest for an hour telling me her adventure and is now sleeping in a crate covered in a fleece next to me where she can see me. She is ensured a long and healthy life now that she is spayed.

The new arrival had a hard luck story. He had just been adopted 5 weeks before. He was exercised daily for 3 to 5 kilometer runs – his new mom is a long distance runner. He had a companion to hang out with while his people worked to bring home the kibble. He was left for a couple of hours in his fenced yard. He had company and had just had a long run mostly uphill. Within an hour she received a phone call from her neighbor – Frankie had gotten into the chicken coop. When she arrived to survey the damage – 5 baby turkeys had been killed. Frankie had to go. After several phone calls he had no options. Then her vet suggested she call Turtle Gardens. We had taken Sassy for the same reason – she is basically a good dog with a lack of supervision and free range chickens – a recipe for disaster. Frankie had basic obedience training, was a young dog, was neutered was people and dog friendly. He had possibilities. He just needed a home with no fowls – that could be found. So I said yes Frankie could come in. Karla drove 4 hours (one way) to bring him to his safe haven. Turtle Gardens welcomes blue eyed Frankie!

He has adapted well to the general population. He is a sweet boy – he is housebroken – a bonus!! And very quiet – he slept under the kitchen table all night long. He will find his family where he will be a treasure beyond measure.

And an update from the Queen Charlottes – Massett and Harvey:

Harvey is great, very entertaining, and becoming more secure as the days go by.
I took some pictures of him running on the beach but have yet to download them from my camera. Here’s a photo we took and put on our rackcard to advertise our cabin rental business as pet friendly. He’s a happy happy dog. But then you already knew that.

I want to thank everyone who have been voting – We are up again – your tremendous support is overwhelming and appreciated – we are #3 in Canada and #2 in BC – How cool is that!!

Remember to VOTE everyday!! Please Vote everyday – Shelter Challenge ($20,000 Grant!!) Turtle Gardens Spay Neuter Society – Vancouver BC We are now #3 in Canada and #2 in BC!! Please vote!!!!!

©Turtle Gardens Animal Rescue Society. Have your pet spayed or neutered today.