The two little wobbles have passed away. They were just too brain damaged to survive. They hadn’t grown since arrival. Rest in peace little ones.

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

I got up this morning and went into the kitchen to make my first pot of coffee (I know it can be programmed but…..) It was too quiet. Where was our little tyrant demanding his breakfast? He always greets me barking as soon as he sees I am up in the morning but all was quiet. I searched his favorite beds and there he was sound asleep - forever. He was curled up wearing his little blue sweater under his fleece but it was a empty shell - his spirit was gone. We will miss our little character. He wasn’t here very long (he arrived in May) but he was a happy, demanding little soul. Rest in peace little one - I hope your breakfasts are all tasty ones.

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

Dear Yvette:
This is a very sad letter I have to write to you. Laddie passed away this morning. He had a very restless night and was panting very hard, I was getting ready to take him to the local vet as we had made our decision that he could not go on the way he was feeling, but in true collie fashion kept trying to come and check on me. I quickly checked on him and he was lying down, after a few minutes of drying my hair, I felt a sudden urge of panic and went to him, as I knelt down beside him and put my hand on the side of his head, and called his name, he exhaled his last breath. I believe, he too, had made his own decision, in not leaving the sanctuary of his bed and his home or me.
I cleaned my boy up, because I know he took pride in his appearance, got help to put him in the back of the jeep for his last ride. I took him to the crematorium, where he will have a private cremation, and I will pick him up tomorrow and bring him home where he belongs, with me.
He was truly one of the greatest dogs I have ever had the pleasure of sharing company with, from the beginning, I recognized him to be my heart dog. He deserved to enjoy more of the good life and pampering, he was my friend and my chum who will always live in my heart. We didn’t get to walk the strolling boulevard, or walk in the fields, but we got to the edge so he could see them, I would say to him ” see that’s where we will go when you’re walking better” he would just look at me in his wise way, and turn around because he wanted to go home.
You have given me one of the greatest gifts of my life in letting me have Laddie and I will always be grateful. He fought a brave battle in his old life and it took its toll in his new one. you gave him a chance, when no one else would. thank you. we are grateful.
Kate Dowling

Laddie
1997-2008

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

Jesse the rock dog has passed away. Jesse was adopted as a 2 year old in 1998. She played on the swings - she would hang over the seat and push herself with her back feet. She would play on the teeter totter banging the end as she jumped off. She chased rocks into the river and dove down to get them. The neighborhood kids loved her. Then their kids grew up, the family dynamics changed and as Jesse got older she was ignored - she wasn’t fun anymore. When she couldn’t hold her bladder for hours she was kicked outside. Her arthritis got worse with the cold and she had trouble getting up. They decided Jesse should be put out of her misery. So they brought her to Turtle Gardens and asked us to “do her in”. Why you ask. Because we take care of animals. They figured we would euthanize them too.

One look at Jesse and she came into our home and into our hearts. Our vets checked her out. She had hip dysplasia, an injury to her front leg, a collapsed trachea and a heart murmur. She was old before her time. We put her on salmon oil caps, joint support, immune boosters and metacam for her pain. Jesse relaxed, and slept pain free. She got up on the softest doggie bed - she loved her comfort! She could go up and down the stairs and lay in the sun on her own rug . I had hoped she would enjoy a few months of love and comfort. But it was not to be. Jesse could not get up on Sunday. She was comfortable, she ate and drank. I again hoped she could recover. But today she was still down. So we loaded her into our padded wire stretcher and because I had a doctor’s appointment Dave and I took her with us. Jesse was helped to her eternal peaceful rest outside the clinic under the trees. She was peaceful and ready to go. Goodbye sweet Jesse.

Jesse with Lily on her bed.

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

Rest in peace my little one! You were very loved.

Since opening our doors to strays in 1988 several very unique or temperamentally challenged dogs have found their sanctuary with us. We have since learned how to rehabilitate most dogs who come to us using behaviour modification, positive reinforcements, ttouch and our own unique foster group therapy. Our youngest non-adoptable is 10 years old! Sophie arrived here 18 years ago. She is still Auntie Sophie to all the puppies. She is slowing down and her face is very gray!

Sophie with the husky pups:

Sophie taken last week!

But she is still unique and special. This is her story:

Dogs have been known to have some very unique characteristics. Sophie is one of these strange little dogs with different personalities. She came to my safe haven from the Hazelton SPCA. She has a fine foxy face, large upright ears and the strangest orange - yellow eyes. A call to the Smithers Biologist confirmed that our coyotes can be crossbred with dogs to produce a hybrid. There is a distinct possibility that Sophie is one of these hybrids. She yips, yodels, and yowls. No barks. Mice and rats are no longer safe as she is a superb hunter. There are no squirrels or feral cats in the immediate vicinity. Yet she does not bother the chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys or my exotic birds; though she does steal eggs every chance, she gets.
She is very fastidious! You never see her with dirty feet or coat. She cleans herself like a cat, and like a cat, she seems to require a higher protein food. She is devoted to one person friendly with those she knows and is aloof with strangers. She does not roam.
The strangest aspect of her behavior is her affinity to puppies. She is Auntie Sophie to every litter of puppies that come here. The mothers all accept her; without exception. As the pups reach their fourth week, she starts to visit them. She cleans them and plays with them while the mother rests nearby. Soon she will call them with a special whine and the pups come out of the nest to be with her. She will take them for short walks and show them where to do their business away from the home site. (We have found that “her” puppies are very easy to house train.)
She will also “mother” motherless litters even to lying with them for protection. She calls them out to play or, if I ask her nicely, to show them to prospective pet homes.
She has taken toys from a box for my grand-kids and brought teddy bears and squeaky toys to her puppies.
Sophie is a unique animal who is happy because she has a job to keep her occupied. Without the puppies, she could have been a serious problem. Understanding the temperament and capabilities of the hybrid ensures that she has a place in the scheme of life. She is not an ordinary dog and can never be treated as one.

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

Dave and his Apple Dumpling Gang mourn the loss of little Sumosusie today. Our little mechanical dog suffered a massive stroke and was helped to peaceful eternal rest by our very compassionate Dr Kye and held in Bear’s arms with Dave beside her.  Her earthly journey is over.

It was her funny walk that earned her the name Sumo. The girls at the Vet clinic added Susie and our little one had a name. She was well over 20 years old, she had a heart murmur, severe arthritis, cataracts, and was mostly deaf. She loved to eat and was very clean. Because she was cold she wore little sweaters - her favorite was a black fleece. Sumosusie has lots of character for such a small dog - she weighed 6 pounds.  Run free little one - no more mechanical dog walk for  you!

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

Hello Yvette,
I hope you and the dogs had a very merry christmas, and santa paws brought
lots of presents. Santa paws spoiled Frayja this year, because she was being
such a good puppy and so brave too, getting over her virus.
We went for a christmas walk today with my nephews that are up for christmas,
and of course Cracker came.
When we were just about in the door Frayja spotted a dog across the road,
and being a puppy, immediatly started to run to greet it.
Sadly, my baby did not see the car comming….and got hit, very hard.
Tears immetiadtly started to stream from my eyes, as I screamed and dashed
to my little girls aid. When I reached her she looked pretty bad, she was pewking up
blood, and couldn’t move very much despite her efforts to reasure me she was o.k., being
the good girl she was.
 
On the way to the vets, after giving an emergency call to our very good vet, Cally, Frayja
wasn’t looking good. I pet her, kissed her, even though it wasn’t a pleasant thing to do, cuz of
her condition. She lifted her head to my face to give me a kiss, I taught her to kiss my lips with only
her lips, no licks. Though I still loved her slobbery kisses to. Taking very spaced out, last breathes….
…my puppy died…..on christmas day. I really loved Frayja, we had such a close bond, as I spent every
waking moment with her, because I home school for the time being. She even came babysitting with me
to play with the lady’s dogs. I just thought that I should let you know, because of course i’m sure
you like to be informed of the dogs well being. Thank-you for everything. Merry Christmas.

Marrisa Ford.

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

It is with deep sadness that I tell you about the passing of Serene.
Serene is the starving mother of 11 pups recently rescued after days and days
without food or water. She died today, quite suddenly.  She showed no
symptoms of distress, she simply lay down and died in the yard.  She was
surrounded by her puppies and our love.  I know many of the blog readers
were following her story with hope of her finding the good life, she has
found it now with a higher power.  It is remarkable how she managed to hold
on to her family through such adversity, she gave it everything she had,
literally.  The puppies WILL find the good life that we all wanted for
Serene.  Rest in peace, your pups are in my care now and I will see them
through.

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