Turtle Gardens Animal Rescue

Someone mailed me a copy of Dog World Magazine. Thank you so much who ever you are!

Inside was an article written by D. Caroline Coile PHD – The Case of the Dying Litter.

The case was so like Gressie’s that is was an eye opener. It is definitely an article worth reading and taking to my vet clinic. Gressie’s pups symptoms were classic. And now I know why and what to do. Basically there was little we can do once they show symptoms but the others can hopefully be saved. It sure risks a try anyhow. So knowing what I know now – Yeta’s pups are out of the danger period – they are 4 weeks old. They don’t come from the same area so not the same infected male breeding. Again – what a case for spay and neuter and why the MALES should be neutered!! And that explains why so few puppies from Moricetown – that male is killing the litters. Nature’s way of suppressing pet over-population – the cycle of life and death at close range.

So today was improving/enlarging Yeta’s puppy pen. She had an extra large wire crate for these past 4 weeks (already 4 weeks old on the 24th!!) today I surrounded the space with an x-pen, brought in a wicker basket (thank you Linda D.) with its cushion, put puppy wee pads all around, found the rubber mat for the food dishes and voila!! An enhanced larger environment for the two Holstein patches little fluffy girls. I have a bag of new small guy toys as soon as they venture from the basket! So without further ado – Introducing Oreo and Chess! (the game Checkers is red and black – chess is black and white! – I wanted Checkers but was outmaneuvered!)

And a Visitor from Surrey – who came all this way up north to see me!!! And Gus’ roots. So how very very cool is that!!! Two visitors who came to see where their dogs came from and the person who made it possible. They told me that Gus has changed their lives – he makes them smile every day. What a perfect match! I am so thrilled! I took pictures so here is Gus and his mom Carol and oh lord I forgot dad’s name (I am so sorry!!)

The Shelter Challenge has only 4 days left!! We are #3 in Canada so just out of the Grant $$$! it is only #1 and #2 who receive grants. We like so many small rescues really could make those dollars go far!! Please VOTE. 5 days left!!!!
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.

Sometimes plain old life gets in the way. The economic downturn has affected our home based business too. We have been running a pet cremation business for 13 years. It always slows down in summer but this year it slowed much earlier – there just isn’t the population anymore – families are leaving for work. We have been racking our brains for innovating ideas. Not the fundraising ideas for Turtle Gardens (TG needs funds too to keep afloat – we have mega vet bills) – we don’t take a wage for looking after TG but ideas for our family to pay bills and groceries. So……… we are transporting fruit and vegetables from down south and bringing it up here to sell at farmer’s markets – BC produce for northerners – what a concept! There is extra work involved and yes I am finding it hard to find time to sit at the computer. So please bear with me. TG (Topley Gardens) Family Enterprises is in its infancy but it looks promising for the animal caregivers. The dogs – they are thriving! Lots of dog food, lots of treats/ beds/playtime/vet care (thank you Burns Lake Vet Clinic – you are awesome!) We are looking for sources for produce. Anywhere in BC – have vehicle will travel! I am happy that we have found something that we can do that compliments Turtle Gardens – there is work for Dave but it is away from home – how would Turtle Gardens survive without Dave to do vet runs and TG Bus runs, etc? Sometimes you have to take a gamble that a new venture will provide what we need.

I received a phone call regarding little Gidget! Ian has taken Pongo for a sleepover and discovered that Pongo is a wanderer – a little hobo if you will. He has been checking here every day and saw Gidget. He was astounded at the amount of dogs on petfinder!! He scrolled and scrolled and looked – he never did reach the end! And of course noticed Gidget here – Right next door to Granisle. He was here early, went shopping in Houston and was back an hour later to take her home. She was bouncing, play bowing, spinning – I think she was excited to go!! Good luck little girl – Dave will miss your cuddling at night!

Yesterday was arrival day for Tao. He is a one year old shepherd/shar pei who was adopted from TG last year when he was a puppy. He and his brother a rottie/shepherd got into a scrap during the flooding this spring. Ever since then they cannot be in the same room. It is not just posturing – it is outright “to the death” fighting. One had to go. TG always takes their dogs back – the other came from a backyard breeder who shot his mother – what chance would he have going there IF he would take him back? So Turtle Gardens welcomes Tao!

Tao has adjusted well here. There are other young male dogs but there have been no posturing or bullying. Even little Kabooka (newest Moricetown arrival – thank you Lisa B for his name) who will be neutered tomorrow is no threat. All is peaceful at Turtle Gardens.

And now an update from our latest adoption – the little black puppy!
Hi Yvette and Dave

Just a little update on the black puppy from the litter of 5 males. He’s been home with us since Friday evening and is doing well. As you said, he does like to follow whoever is moving – hence his name is Shadow! He didn’t eat much until suppertime Saturday but by then was comfortable enough to have a good feed. He has learned a lot of things already – how to go up and down 10 or so wooden steps into our backyard, another shorter carpeted set to go downstairs inside the house, he knows his name, and we are practicing “come” and “go pee” and “leave it” (when he starts chewing the wooden legs of our chairs). He does seem to catch on pretty quickly. He whimpers when we disappear but we’ve all been coming and going so he’ll get the idea that we return. We are all learning together. The kids are really enjoying him.

Thanks and have a good day!

Edna Zimmer

The Shelter Challenge has only 5 days left!! We are #3 in Canada so just out of the Grant $$$! it is only #1 and #2 who receive grants. We like so many small rescues really could make those dollars go far!! Please VOTE. 5 days left!!!!
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.

Thunderstorms again shut my computer down. My apologies, so this morning I am up bright and early with the sun – yup it is sunny again! It is only +4 but the sky is blue, a few fluffy clouds, the grass is emerald green, the flowers are blooming and the dogs are busy playing outside. One of the reasons I stayed up was to clean up the mess – the newbies made – they are NOT housebroken…….yet. The phone call about them was for 2 sharpei mix pups and an older 3 year old. Well I assumed the older would be their mom so of course I said yes bring them in. They arrived yesterday – thank you Ralph for bringing them all this way – they come from Moricetown which is a half hour past Smithers. Well they aren’t sharpei and the older one is a male!! Once they acclimatised the little ones are in my lap – the little girl has the longest eyelashes – she is so pretty! The little boy is cute as a button – he sure looks like Gressie. They were scared – but is didn’t last long. They are now at my feet – so more puppies for me. They are about 3 month sold – the same age as my shlabs!! Turtle Gardens welcomes 3 nameless newbies.

The young male – he is scheduled for his neuter -Tuesday!

The two pups! The white is the female!

Later a visit from a Topley resident – this pup was being mistreated would I take her? Of course I said so this little girl came in. At first she was cautious especially when I reached down to touch her but she soon noticed good things happened around me. Now she is playing with the other pups and Charlee – Turtle Gardens welcomes a well balanced nameless 4 month old collie mix!

The happy neutered puppies are going to their new homes! First was a fluffy one wearing the RED collar – he is a Topley resident! The little black one’s family brought me Starbucks coffee – how cool is that!! And a bag of dogfood. The little blonde pup with the blue collar went to Smithers – the kids know the black pup’s family!!! Then Buca – the fluffy pup with the BLUE collar went for a playtime with his family – they are going on vacation next week so he will stay here. When they came back from Sunset Lake and their picnic they decided to take Buca home until Wednesday when they leave!! He is a very smart pup – walks on leash, sits and travels well – he is chasing a ball – he is a whole lot of fun for the entire family – so he is gone on a sleepover!! The last pup has an application from the Lower Mainland and is tentatively named Finnegan.

Grizz is also gone on a sleepover – a repeat adopter and a local. He also has an application in Kamloops so his future is assured. We will know where he is living in a couple of days. Some dogs have multiple opportunities for great homes. Grizz is one of them!

Then a visitor – from Kamloops but visiting her father in Vanderhoof – 2 hours away. Alida drove those extra hours here to show me JUNO!! And to bring a bag of toys! The resident dogs loved them!! Some didn’t last very long but others are still making the rounds – squeeking their little hearts out! They sure had fun with them though! Juno looks so very happy – he has confidence galore – he knew who his Mom is! He wasn’t nervous at all visiting here. He came to say hello wagging his tail. He gave me a kiss and then went back to sit by his Mom. He is a secure and happy guy!!

Thank you Ken (they adopted the black pup) for taking his picture and sending it to me!!

While I had so many visitors Maggie and Birch decided to have a fight!! It was noisy and looked horrific. I was outside the fence and shouting didn’t stop it!! So as fast as I could go – which isn’t fast I got back in and separated the two combatants. Birch was sent back outside, the rest into the house and Maggie went into the wire crate (the intro cage) by the door for a timeout! She started it – Birch fed up with her grouchiness – finished it. It was embarrassing to have my fur kids acting up! Isn’t it the way though – kids always pick the time when the most people are around to witness it? Maggie has another couple of small tears (her skin really is delicate) but she is ok. Birch is untouched. An hour later they are sleeping side by side – go figure.

And an update – the little nameless gold puppy has a name!

The nameless blonde is not nameless anymore. Her name is now Jazmyne. We thought we would spell it differently because well she is a little different. She is very full of life and enjoys beating up on Meiko our border collie X. After a long day of playing (and chasing the cat) she curls up with him it is rather cute.
thanks
from
Jo-Anne

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!!!!!

There were no shelters of any kind for 250 miles. Twenty years later there
is still only Turtle Gardens. We have adopted over 4000 dogs since

inception; an average of 227 to 250 dogs per year.

20978 Severson Road

P.O 230 Topley, BC

V0J 2Y0

250-696-3188

email turtlegardens@gmail.com
Manager Yvette Labatte

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

The problem with feral/semi-feral,outside dogs is that they are scroungers! They are used to snatching and running to eat. Gressie is no exemption – this morning while I was cutting up some meat for my beef and barley soup the early warning barking system went off. i turned from the stove to look out the window and poof – half of my cut up strips were gone! Now the missing meat was a loss but darn it she was now reinforced to always look at the stove top for food treats!! The food bin – by the way was filled to the brim with a premium good for all lifestages canadian chicken and rice dog food!!! She eats dog food the same way – she grabs a mouthful and dashes under the table to eat it. I wonder how long she lived on her own. I sure wish I could understand “dog”.

And now Faces of Turtle Gardens

At my feet:

Gressie and Charlee

Gressie playing with Finnegan

Ok one more of Gressie with Charlie and Poolio – comfort!!

And last – my Jillian!!

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!!!!!

Contact info:

There were no shelters of any kind for 250 miles. Twenty years later there
is still only Turtle Gardens. We have adopted over 4000 dogs since

inception; an average of 227 to 250 dogs per year.

20978 Severson Road

P.O 230 Topley, BC

V0J 2Y0

250-696-3188

email turtlegardens@gmail.com
Manager Yvette Labatte

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

Having old dogs means having death as a frequent visitor. Dave and I have a few senior dogs – Squire is 11, Miss Sasha is 18, Gopher is 16, Marty is 17, Redman is 16, Aardvark is 17, Colby is 15, JohnB (a sherriff dog) is 15, Patches is 13, Mia is 12, Penny was 13 year old. Penny was our first downs syndrome dog. She was built chunky with a big belly and a very big happy grin. She never learned but was such a good natured goof that it didn’t matter. Penny had a stroke a couple of days ago. I hoped that it was geriatric vestibular disease but nope – she had another stroke this morning and passed away before I could get Dave mobile to take her to the clinic. She was not who I expected to pass away. Come to think of it Lucy was a surprise too – she was healthy, had no arthritis and poof she is gone. Now Penny is gone too. Who is going to check out the path for the apple dumpling gang? Penny always checked out the tough patches – the little dogs always sent Penny ahead to scope the lay of the land before following her. They knew Penny could be relied on to “check it out” good or bad – Penny would happily go down the path. Many a time Dave had to pull her out of bogs/mud holes/snags when the terrierists told her to go first. Send Penny – was their motto – they never got their feet wet! I hope you find clear paths Penny and enjoy long hikes with your buddies who crossed the bridge ahead of you. Go softly into that good night girl – you were loved.

And the revolving door opens for another lost soul looking for her new family. Gidget is a 3 year old maltese/poodle – a 12 pound white curly lap dog whose beloved owner had a stroke. He will be going into care so Gidget has been welcomed into Turtle Gardens. It is a bit of shock to her but she is adjusting surprisingly well. She likes to be high so is sitting on my desk or chair near the window. She is a sweet girl and will be a delightful companion.

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 pups did really well with their neuters – BUT they sure hated being locked up!! I got a phone call at noon to please come and pick them up – they wanted to go home! As soon as Dave stoppled the TG Bus and opened the door a stream of pups rushed out down the driveway up the steps and into the door! – Good puppies! They ran to the water dish, had a good long drink then a bite to eat and a nap clustered around my feet at my desk. So…. new puppy parents please be forewarned – theses are very people social puppies, always underfoot and full of mischief. On the plus side they are housebroken – or at least know where the doggie door is to go outside – no more messes indoors. They are also 19 pounds – so gained a pound in a week. Our vets thought they were very nice pups, healthy but they sure don’t like confinement. I wish all puppies were as as much fun as these guys!!

One little pup went home early this morning – the fluffy black and tan with the red collar – not Buca!! His family was so excited to bring them home they couldn’t wait – Christmas in July! He was happy to go home too. Good luck little one and be good!

Updates – first Riika aka Generic our striking karelian bear dog mix!!

Hi Yvette and all the wonderful TG folks!

We just thought you’d like to hear about our wonderful Riika (Generic, Genny)…now that it is almost four months since we adopted her.

Look at her! She is beautiful, isn’t she? And what a delight she has been. Yes, naughty sometimes…but so full of energy and life that we cannot always keep up with her! Everywhere we go people just stop and admire her. She is the most popular girl at doggie day care (where she goes to burn off energy sometimes).

She goes to doggie obedience classes, and will be taking some agility lessons soon.

We are so sorry we cannot come to the reunion because we have a wedding to attend. But maybe you can show her picture around to folks and tell them that we are so, so happy to have her and so glad Turtle Gardens found her for us.

We talk about you all often – and think of you every time we snuggle and love our darling little Ri-Ri. Write back if you have time, we would love to know how you are doing.

Melanie and Jim Ito

And a TG Alumni would like our advice:
Dear Yvette,

We recently went on a small 5 day vacation and left Beckett with a doggy
daycare that he usually goes to a couple times a month. He has never had
any sort of seperation anxiety before -unless left for more than 5 hours,
which we never do.

The first two days back he was alright, but for the past week or so he’s
had rather bad seperation anxiety (or that’s what I think it is). He
freaks out when he thinks we’re leaving the house. We’ve tried to
desenstize him to the things that usually happen when we leave, but since
we both leave at the same time (I’m only gone for three hours), its always
the same.

We’ve tried extra long walks (he gets at least 2 1/2 hours a day and for
the last while its been close to 4). He gets to play with other dogs at
least once every second day at the offleash beach. He’s eating less and
less, trembling, panting really loudly. He hasn’t destroyed anything,
doesn’t bark (that we know of), but I was wondering if you had any ideas
that could maybe help us out. We’ve scheduled an appointment for Saturday
with the vet, who met him for a few minutes and thought it was seperation
anxiety.

We’re definitely willing to try to sort this thing out, but I thought
you’d be a great wealth of information.

Also: right when I get home he’s fine and as he usually is -sleepy,
cuddly, very quiet. After a week and some its kind of messing up my
schedule as well, and I know he’s unhappy, and he’s starting to annoy us
as well.

Not quite sure what do to. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Emily
You can definitely put it up. Any help/ideas would be appreciated.
Best,
Emily + Beckett

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.