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SAVE
$$$ on SPAYING/
NEUTERING Nevada
County pet owners can get a certificate to reduce the cost of
spaying and neutering their pets. Save $60 for a female
dog, $40 for a male dog, $30 for a female cat, and $15 for a
male cat. Certificates
are available at the Nevada County Animal Shelter and are good
at any vet. Please
be a responsible pet owner and save animals' lives by spaying or
neutering your pet. |
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Sammie's
Friends To Operate
Nevada County Animal Shelter

| As
of July 1, 2010, Sammie's Friends will be operating the
Nevada County Animal Shelter at 14647 McCourtney Road.
We have many eager volunteers helping us to get ready.
Animal Control took everything with them, so we've had to
set up a whole new office with furniture and computers and
phone systems. We are painting and making the building
look attractive. Please
come and see us!
Sammie's
Friends is looking for a utility van to transport the
animals. We are hoping that someone out there might
donate one and take a write-off as we are a 501(c)(3)
non-profit charitable corporation. Oh my goodness,
this would be such a blessing.
We
have also been offered $20,000 in funds by the Al Salter
Fund for the Benefit of Animals, administered by the Nevada
County Land Trust, if we can match it in contributions from
the community. Please help us do this. We could
do so many things to help the animals.
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Adopt
a new best friend through Sammie's Friends and Petfinder

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Sammie's
Friends on Facebook
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Generous Josh

Josh Larsen
is one of our generous young donors. For his 12th birthday,
he asked his friends to forgo presents and instead bring money to
donate to Sammie's Friends to help the animals. Josh is
donating $100 to Sammie's Friends to help the needy animals.
We are grateful to Josh and appreciate his generosity. Josh
is an excellent role model for other young people. Thank
you, Josh!
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Dixie's
Dispatches
by
Dixie Redfearn,
Shelter
Volunteer and Former Union Columnist
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August
20, 2010 -
One great thing about regular volunteer work at Sammie’s Friends is the fact that every day is different. Dogs come and go, kittens come and go, and occasionally we get something more exotic. The latest exotic was a gigantic
rooster, who is now presumably happily crowing in a foster home.
A
“sometimes” resident here is a dog being fostered named Brutie Boy. His foster mom brings him to Sammie’s Friends wearing a blanket that announces that he is available for adoption. Brutie Boy comes from nearby Dobbins. Many in the area who rescue dogs know about “Dobbins Dogs.” They are allowed to breed constantly and then are tied to a chain in the yard until a brave volunteer rescues some of them. Brutie Boy was part of the last rescue – dubbed the “Dobbins 52.” Brutie Boy is probably about 4, and is very shy. He would make a great companion and stay by your side. It would be great if this abused-but-rehabilitated dog could go
to a forever home. How could the situation in Dobbins happen, you may wonder. Yuba and Butte counties don’t have any restrictions on how many dogs one person can own.
Do you know Nevada County’s “rules” on that? You can keep up to 6 dogs on your property. Any more than that and you need a private kennel license. Cats are a different story. The number you can have depends on the zoning where you live and how much property you have.
One of our most recent resident guests is a large Shepherd/Lab mix. Kenai is a beautiful big dog, with an exquisite face. He looks frightened and is shy, but would probably come around with some care and attention. We’re working on that.
Another newer dog here is Durkin. He’s an Akita/Boxer mix with a lovely brindle coat. He is a nice medium, easy-to-handle size.
Our dogs recently got new beds!! Thanks to a generous
donor, they are now lounging on taut fabric beds on plastic frames, so they’re above the floor. We still need more, if anyone is willing to buy some or make a donation.
When you visit Sammie’s Friends, you are now greeted by the sight of flowering impatiens in boxes right in front! It’s a nice welcome.
August 12, 2010
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The stories are unbelievably sad. As you look at the paperwork that accompanies the animals it often tells a depressing story: houses lost, relationships shattered, events that mean turning in a beloved dog or cat. But there is another aspect to animal turn-ins that is baffling – pet owners who simply don’t want to keep their pet.
“I’m getting a divorce from my dog,” one owner said flippantly, as she turned in a dog she raised as a puppy that she cared for over a decade. “Bad manners” was given as the reason for another turn-in. “He gets out of the yard,” another owner said, unwilling to fix her fence.
When I get too sad – or mad – my antidote is to walk in the back at
Sammie's Friends Animal Shelter and visit with the animals themselves. Almost all of the dogs will go to the front of the kennel for a
pat or a scratch, tails wagging, happy to see you. After all they have been through, they appear trusting, ready to take a chance on another human.
Then I visit the cat room, and give
pats to the cats and kittens housed there. They are all so sweet and I wish them quick adoptions with forever families.
After spending time at
Sammie's Friends Animal Shelter, some things become obvious. One fact is there are too many Pit Bulls here. Each one is here for a different reason, but the fact remains that not many people want to adopt Pit Bulls. Some Pits are lovely and well-mannered, like Peanut and Alice, who have been here quite awhile. Because the breed has a bad rap, they continue to be passed up.
The other fact is that adult cats are difficult to find homes for. It seems everyone wants a cute kitten, but fewer people want an adult cat. So they spend week after week in a cage, waiting. I have my favorites among these sweeties, although I hope that next time I come they will be gone.
I hope someone adopts Glen, a pretty short-haired orange and white striped cat. And all-white Snowflake is looking great after her surgery to remove a tumor. Angel is a gorgeous all-black long-haired cat who loves to burrow in her patchwork blanket.
The last cat I adopted – and still have – was an adult. After seeing what I see here at Sammie’s Friends, I will never adopt a kitten again. They are cute, but I know it is much more gratifying to adopt an older cat.
We are at capacity at Sammie’s Friends and need to get some of these animals adopted. Cats are on sale – two for $50 – and seniors who adopt a senior animal get a hefty discount. Please tell your friends to come see all the beautiful dogs and cats we have here!
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Funds
Needed - Please Help Riley's Family
Riley
was a beautiful draft horse born to a Premarin
mare. She was a scraggly filly when she came to Grass
Valley as a baby. She was raised with gentle kindness and
became an outstanding horse. This
precious horse had an abscess that became infected. The
veterinarians from both Loomis and Davis were stumped by what
caused her condition. It was so severe, and had gone into
the joint and bone, and Riley was in a lot of pain.
Ultimately, she was euthanized.
Her
owners are devastated and so very upset. She was their
pride and joy, and they took such good care of her. The
owners are left with a $10,000 bill to pay. Sammie's
Friends has helped some, but that is an awfully big bill.
If anyone would like to donate to help Riley, please send a
check to Sammie's Friends, 128 High Street, Grass Valley, CA
95945, or donate through Paypal. Our
thoughts are with Riley and her human and horse family. So
very sad. |
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The
Sad Saga of 10 Starving Horses
Sammie's
Friends, working with Animal Control and Rocking Horse Ranch, was able
to help in the rescue of 10 starving horses. Eight of them were
Gypsy Vanners and two of them were Percherons. These horses had
not had enough to eat and were literally starving to death. Their
hooves were in desperate need of trimming. They had lice and they
had worms.
Rocking
Horse Ranch took them in until they could be stabilized. Sammie's
Friends paid for vet care and a farrier, and Animal Control saw to it
that the horses were seized and now placed in proper homes. This
was a good example of several organizations working together to help the
animals to a good conclusion.
The
sad part to the story is that one of the horses, McKie, was too far gone
and had to be euthanized. We all had a broken heart over that.
Click
here for pictures and more information about the starving horses.
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Animals Who
Need Our Help
This
poor little dog, Rocky, had a tumor on his body so big he could hardly
move. His owner should have sought help before it got this
bad. The tumor has been removed by Dr. Avery, and Rocky is doing
much better. Sammie's Friends is happy to have helped Rocky to a
better life.
This
precious little kitty had her leg cut off by a fan belt. The owner
of the car didn't even know it until his car stalled. He then
heard the poor little kitten crying and saw the cut-off leg. He
was so horrified he could hardly deal with the situation. He
called Animal Control and Officer Daley came to the rescue and got the
little baby out. This apparently was not easy. The fan belt
was so sharp it cut the leg clean off and it wasn't even bleeding.
Dr. Avery at For the Love of Pets did a little further surgery for a
proper amputation. This little girl is doing very well.
Thank you to everyone who saved her. We do not know who the owner
is. Sammie's Friends was very happy to help this precious little
kitten. She is unbelievably cute.
This
poor kitty, Patch, got his eye injured, and then it got so infected that
he had to have his eye removed. What a shame. Patch is doing
well now, and after adaptation is doing fine with one eye.
This
poor little pittie, Etine, got a broken leg and was suffering
greatly. She also had a concussion. Dr. Tim performed his
magic and Etine-Aednat is recovering and soon will be good as new.
Please people, keep your animals safe.
Honey
Bear is a dog who was picked up by Grass Valley Animal Control, who had such a
mangled tail that it had to be amputated. She had been hit by a car, but
no one ever claimed her. Sammie's Friends is glad that we could help
her, as she was in a lot of pain and could never have used her tail
again. These animals just cannot take care of themselves. The GV
Animal Control folks found her a nice home after she recovered. We hope
Honey Bear is having a great life. She deserves it.

Lyle is a
kitty who had a very severe break in his leg. His owners did not have
sufficient funds to have his leg repaired, and thought they would have to have
him euthanized. Nope! Lyle is way too precious to die. For
the Love of Pets got his leg all fixed up. The owner and Sammie's
Friends put their resources together and got the bill paid. Two
additional things came about as a result of this: Lyle and his sister got
neutered/spayed, and Lyle now gets to be an indoor kitty. That's where
he belongs. WooHoo!
Shaggs is
a precious pitbull mix who came to For the Love of Pets so loaded with
heartworms that his belly was bloated, he was retaining fluid and having
seizures, and he had about
had it. It wasn't too sure he was going to make it, but thanks to Dr.
Avery and Sammie's Friends, Shaggs is now doing really well and looks
great.
PLEASE
OH PLEASE OH PLEASE PEOPLE, PUT YOUR DOGS ON HEARTWORM PREVENTION.
HEARTWORMS ARE A VERY SERIOUS THING AND WILL KILL YOUR DOG WITHOUT
TREATMENT. NO KIDDING!
This
beautiful pup, Stumpy (aka Alex), started out in life in kind of a tough
situation. He came to the shelter as a wee pup. He had a stump for
one of his legs. We don't know if he was born that way, or got his leg
cut off in something. The little guy went to stay with our special Dawn
and Don Allmandinger while he got big enough to be neutered. He had a
great time running with the big dogs.
He
returned to the shelter at 9 weeks to be neutered. The "not very
competent" vet at the shelter at the time decided to further amputate his
leg, which was not necessary, according to the opinions of several
veterinarians. The
job was botched and poor Stumpy had to have three more surgeries. He had
to have the scapula removed. He was in so much pain, even with pain
pills. Fortunately,
Stumpy was adopted by some wonderful people who held him all night long trying
to comfort him. After a few days his pain subsided. A wonderful
vet volunteered to provide the surgeries for Stumpy free of charge.
Sammie's Friends paid for the anesthesia and the operating room and the
support that was needed in terms of staff and materials and medication. I
am very happy to say that today poor little Stumpy's suffering is over.
He is now feeling well and having a great life.
A botched
neuter by the same vet who so injured Stumpy (see above). This was so
unnecessary. I am happy to report that this vet's services are no longer
used at the Nevada County Animal Shelter.
Emitt is a
10-year-old chihuahua who was having some pain in his neck and needed some
x-rays and pain management to help him feel better.
Pumpkin
was a shelter kitty who needed some blood work and a urinalysis.
Sammie's Friends was able to help her.
Boomer is
a precious Pitbull/Rhodesian Ridgeback mix. He had a life of abuse and
instability. He killed a cat, and so was left at the shelter. The
staff at the shelter had decided to euthanize him. He's a good dog, just
shouldn't be around cats, so Suesan Larsen and Cheryl Wicks of Sammie's
Friends drove him to a rescue in Los Angeles, where he will be worked with and
eventually adopted. We are glad we could save his life, even if we did
have to drive 15 long hours to do it. Boomer was definitely worth it.
Thor is a
little, very old dog whose owner died, and the people who took him in couldn't
keep him as they were being evicted. Sammie's Friends found a rescue to
take him in and get his teeth fixed. He hadn't had dental care since
'97. Poor dog. Thor has now been adopted and is living the good
life. Yeah!
Sweetie
is a purebred pitbull who came to the shelter. Poor Sweetie had
heartworm, mange, and finally a vaginal tumor. Can you imagine the bum
luck of this poor dog? First her mange was treated, and then her
heartworm was treated, and then she had two different surgeries to remove the
vaginal tumor. All
this has taken a toll on Sweetie and has lessened the self-confidence she once
had. But we know she can get it back. This dog was rescued and
treated cooperatively between Sammie's Friends and Scooter's Pals. Thank
you, Susan.
Philo is a cat who has a
low red blood cell count and a high white count. Philo has very bad
teeth, and so we're kind of caught in a vicious circle. The teeth may be
causing the blood problem, but it is difficult to fix the teeth problem until
the blood problem is better. Philo has been on antibiotics, and
hopefully things will improve so Philo can get his teeth fixed and get
adopted.
Gabe is a hound who has a
funny gait, and the veterinarian is trying to figure out what if anything
should be done for Gabe at this time. We are having two other vets
review the film and see what conclusion we can come to.
Sally also has a funny
gait, and was examined by a veterinarian. There is nothing further that
needs to be done for Sally at this time. She could go on a bit of a
diet.
Winston
is an Airedale who had a tumor in his rectum so large that he could hardly
defecate, and so his body constantly produced diarrhea. He has now had
his golf-ball-size tumor removed, and is feeling much better. His owner
had no money and health problems of her own. Poor Winston had been
suffering for the better part of a year. Thank you, Dr. Strolle, for
performing this difficult surgery. We're glad Sammie's Friends could
help Winston.
|
 |
Meet
Easter Lilly. This poor little pregnant chihuahua came from
the Merced Animal Shelter. She is about 5 years old and has
had many litters of puppies and not a very good life. |
| She
was attacked by another dog and had to have her eye removed and
stitches on the left side of her head and mouth. After she
has her pups and they are weaned, she will be spayed and then put
up for adoption. She only weighs about seven pounds. |
 |
|

Easter Lilly
after her surgery
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This
little sweetie is being fostered by Dawn Allmandinger, dog rescuer
extraordinaire. Her eye surgery is being paid for by a Good
Samaritan in Merced. Thank you. She will be needing
some work done on her teeth. If anyone would like to donate
towards this, please send donations to Sammie's Friends, 128 High
Street, Grass Valley, CA 95945, or go to PayPal
and make a donation. Write on the check that it is for
Easter Lilly. |
Lily
the Bassett Hound came to the vet on a Saturday very sick. She
hadn't eaten in several days, and was drooling and had pus coming out
her vagina. The family thought it was from her anus, but it was
not. Lily had pyometra, which is an infection in the uterus that
results from hormonal changes. Following
estrus (heat), progesterone levels remain elevated for 8-10 weeks and
thicken the lining of the uterus in preparation for pregnancy. If
pregnancy does not occur for several estrus cycles, the lining continues
to increase in thickness until cysts form within it. The
thickened, cystic lining secretes fluids that create an ideal
environment for bacteria to grow. The infection was so bad in poor
Lily that she probably would have died within two days. Please
spay your animals and avoid this painful and expensive surgery.
Sammie's Friends is glad we could alleviate the suffering for poor Lily.
Droopy
was an oh-so-nice and oh-so-beautiful 5-year-old French Mastiff.
By the time Sammie's Friends was called, poor
Droopy had wasted away to nothing but skin and bones. He had not
been eating well for nearly a month.
He
was given fluids and some tests were run. Droopy had cancerous
tumors and his liver and kidneys were in failure.
Nothing could be done for Droopy. So, sadly, he was euthanized.
Please get help for your pets early on
when they are sick.

This
cute little kitty was found lying in a kennel in the bushes at Grass
Valley Vet. She wasn't even noticed until one of the employees
was out walking a dog and heard her. She was dehydrated and not
doing so well. Thanks to GV Vet and Sammie's Friends, this
little cutie is doing great. Her good fortune is that one of the
GV Vet employees took her home. Yeah kitty! Please don't
dump your pets out like this. It's very frightening for the poor
animal.
Digger
was found by the Grass Valley Police in front of Muttley's at 5:30
am with a shattered shoulder and broken front leg. Digger
is a 1-year-old Queensland Heeler and a very nice dog. Thankfully
he had a tag on so the owner could be
located.
Don't let your pets out unsupervised. If you
hit a pet, don't just drive off. Poor Digger suffered quite a
bit. He was in four
veterinary hospitals since this all happened over a weekend.
Finally his leg
was repaired, and soon Digger will be up
and moving again.
Joy
is a 4-month-old bouncing bundle of joy. She is a Queensland
Heeler mix. Joy was very excited to meet her new
kitty friend when she was adopted. Unfortunately, Kitty was
not so excited about meeting Joy. She scratched poor
little Joy right in the eye, causing a trauma-induced glaucoma.
Medication
would not keep the pressure down in
sweet little Joy's eye so the eye had to be removed. Joy is
recovering and seems to be just fine with only one eye.
Please be
careful when introducing dogs and cats, and even more so with
bouncing puppies.

Nothing
happened to this kitty and no money was spent by Sammie's
Friends. I
just wanted some good news in here. This kitty is getting
a nice brushing from
one of the shelter volunteers. Thank you, Katherine.
Sky
showed up with his eye in very poor shape with anterior
uveitis. Anterior
uveitis is inflammation that affects the front or anterior
part of the eye called the uvea, which
is the dark tissue of the eye that contains blood
vessels. The iris - the tissue that makes up the pupil -
is typically involved. The posterior part of the eye may or
may not be affected.
The
causes of anterior uveitis include:
- Immune-mediated conditions, in which the body attacks its
own tissues
- Infections from viruses, parasites, fungi, bacteria,
rickettsia
- Tumors or cancers
- Trauma or injury to the eye
- Metabolic
disease elsewhere in the body that is affecting the eye
- Idiopathic,
which means the cause is unknown
- Lens-induced,
which is caused by the escape of lens protein into the eye
fluid and is most frequently associated with cataracts
At
first it looked like Sky would have to go to an
ophthalmologist, but it looks like things are clearing up
nicely. In the process we learned that
he is heartworm positive. Please keep your dog on
heartworm prevention.

Jazz
and Fat Boy were dumped by someone and ended up in
somebody's yard looking pretty bad. No domestic dog
can make it on their own. Sammie's
Friends helped to get them well and spayed and neutered.
They are both heartworm positive. Ugh! Fat Boy
is coming along nicely. Jazz
has something wrong with her which is indeterminate at this
point. She is very thin and her blood work is not
good.

Jazz |

Fat
Boy |
Sweet
Pea got away from her owner and was injured. She returned with a
degloving injury. A degloving injury is a type of avulsion in
which an extensive section of skin is completely torn off the
underlying tissue, severing its blood supply. It is named by
analogy to the process of removing a glove.
Sweet
Pea and her owner had lost their home and needed help. Sammie's
Friends was there to help. Sweet Pea is being cared for and is
recovering from her injury.
Caspar
is a young kitty who swallowed a dime and an SOS pad and some sponge,
and had to have a little surgery. No kidding! Caspar must
think he's a dog. Dogs chew things up, cats don't (except Caspar,
that is). He is a great kitty and loves everyone. Sammie's
Friends hopes he curbs his strange eating habits and lives to be a
very old kitty.

Tootsie
Roll is a very old doggie who came to the shelter when her owner
died. She needed a little tune-up. Her teeth were in
very bad repair. Sammie's Friends paid to get her fixed
up. She has been staying at the vet office and now in a foster
home, and soon will go to Santa Cruz to live out her days.
We're glad we could help old Tootsie Roll in her later years to have
a good life.
Bruce
was vomiting and was found to have a distended stomach. He was
given sub-q fluids, and ultrasound and barium. No foreign body
was found. It had possibly passed to the colon and eventually
out of the body. Bruce is doing fine now.
This precious little puppy, Sierra, only about 9 weeks
old, had a door closed on her leg and her leg was broken. This
little creature is about the cutest thing Sammie's Friends has ever
seen. How could we not help this darling little girl? She
had on a little silver collar with big rhinestones, and makes the
cutest little noises.
Dr. Strolle at Best Friends fixed her leg
in spite of the storm and the electricity going off as the surgery was
just about completed. Sierra will recuperate with her family for
about a month, and then she will be good as new. It was a
blessing to get to know someone this precious.
This
poor kitty, Camo, was brought to the vet not eating or drinking, and
her owners thought she had gotten into some poison. She was
hiding in the closet.
It
turns out she had a broken jaw. No wonder she couldn't eat or
drink and was hiding! The good doctors at Grass Valley Vet fixed
her jaw, and Camo is on the mend.

My
name is Max. I was so matted up, I couldn't even go to the
bathroom through my hair. What a disaster! The nice folks at
River Dogs shaved me down, and now I am much happier. I have to
wear a sweater through the rest of the winter, cuz I have no hair and
I'm gonna freeze without a sweater. Thanks, Sammie's Friends, for
helping me out.
Pig
is a little Yorkie who came to me with a broken jaw. Her family
had not cared for her well. They let her out to go to the bathroom
and when she returned the next morning, she had a severely broken
jaw. Thanks to Dr. Nolet at Pine Creek, who worked late into the
night, little Pig got her jaw fixed and was spayed. Hopefully she
will be better cared for in the future. Glad we could help Pig.
These two animals represent the sad part of what we
do. This poor sheltie was picked up by Animal Control and
brought to the shelter in such bad condition that her organs were
failing her. Sammie's Friends paid for her to receive medical
care, but ultimately it was determined that she would not be able to
be saved and so, sadly, she was euthanized. Had she had even
reasonable care from her owner, she would not have gotten into this
deplorable condition. She was only four years old.
This poor kitty was picked up by Animal Control after
being hit by a car. Sammie's Friends paid for her to receive
medical care. At first it was thought that she might recover use
of her hindquarters. Traditional veterinary medicine was used, as
well as acupuncture. She was unable to go to the bathroom on her
own or to use her back end, and after trying for several days, she was
also sadly euthanized. I wish someone had cared for their kitty
better.
These two animals deserved better than this.
Sadly, these two were euthanized without even a name to claim as their
own. These cases make Sammie very sad.
Maxie
is a 10-year-old pitbull mix who had an enormous tumor on her
chest. The tumor was about the size of a canteloupe. It was
so large the dog could no longer walk properly. Poor Maxie.
The tumor should have been removed at least three years ago, but better
late than never. It turned out to be a glob of fat. Maxie
will be fine.
Porch had one of the
worst abscesses I have ever seen. It was big and huge and hard and
the poor kitty could hardly swallow. He also had some
infection. Porch had surgery and is good to go.
Tippy
is an 11-year-old sheltie mix, weighing about 60 pounds. Tippy
had a large growth under her right front leg. It needed to be
removed. Tippy is doing much better now.
Lady
is a dog who was found by a man while she was running back and forth in
the road, nearly getting hit about five times. Her ears were so
badly infected that Dr. Avery couldn't even get a look in them with his
otoscope. First he had to give her medication to try to take the
inflammation down a little, and then wait about a week to anesthetize
her and clean out her ears.
Lady
is currently having her ears regularly medicated. We hope she will
be O.K. She had no identification on her. Come on, people,
put an ID on your dog so it can be returned should it become lost.
Poor
Bruiser was on the lam with his lady friend and got pretty badly
beaten up by another dog. He looked like he'd been in a barroom
brawl. It turns out that his wounds were fairly superficial, and
he is going to be all right. We think his lady friend was in
heat and another fella thought she was pretty cute. Did you know
most dog fights take place between unaltered animals? Another
reason to spay and neuter.
My
name is Chopper. I'm a 2-year-old purebred Pitbull. I'm a
good boy. I have lived with other dogs, large and small, and got
along with them. I lived with two children, ages 4 and 9, and
cuddled with them and loved them.
My
guardian is devastated, as am I, that I had to come and stay at the
shelter. Times are tough, and due to a move, there was no place
for me. I want to cry whenever I think about my family. I'm
trying to "suck it up" and be happy in spite of my bad luck.
To
make matters worse, I'm deaf. Ugh! I do pretty well with
hand signals. I get a little testy when other animals try to eat
my food, so it's best to feed me separately. How hard could it be
to feed me separately? Not very.
I've
now been neutered, got my shots, and been treated for heartworms.
Sammie's Friends and Scooter's Pals split the bill for me. I'm
good to go now. Please come get me. I am at the Grass Valley
Animal Shelter, 530-477-4630. You can also call Cheryl Wicks at
Sammie's Friends if you have questions (530-272-8833). She's my
agent and my pal.
Mama
Kitty, Mollie, came to the shelter with three kittens. They all
went to a foster home. At 8 weeks the kittens were big enough to
be spayed/neutered and returned to the shelter. MaMa was sick and
couldn't be spayed until she was better. Dr. Dekker at Grass
Valley Vet removed one foot of her intestines as they were leaking, and
the waste of course was toxic and poisoning her. She would have
been dead in about another day without help from Sammie's Friends.
The
condition that the kitty had is called intussusception.
Intussusception is the sliding or telescoping of the intestine within
itself. It occurs primarily in the small intestine but may
occasionally occur in the large intestine. When the intestine
slides within itself, the blood supply to that section is greatly
reduced, and the tissue begins to swell and then die. The entire
process can occur rapidly, which makes early detection and treatment
essential.
Mama
Kitty, Mollie, lost a lot of weight and was so skinny. She is
currently in a foster home fattening up. She is doing great and
will soon be back at the Nevada County Animal Shelter and up for
adoption. Everyone who meets her says she is a very sweet
kitty and will make a wonderful pet for someone.

Bambina
had a fractured femur from an accident and desperately needed help right
away. Dr. Van Geem at Mother Lode fixed her up, and even decorated
her leg for Halloween! Pretty cool, eh?
 This
poor little black kitty came to the veterinarian with a broken jaw and
broken tail. He had been hit by a motorcycle and is around 8 to 10
weeks old. He had his jaw fixed and his tail amputated, and in no
time was up and around and has now been adopted. Without Sammie's
Friends he would have been euthanized. We are grateful to the
person who found him along the roadside and brought him to the vet.
Rafiki
is a Nevada County Animal Control kitty. Rafiki is a very young
manx kitty who was found in poor condition with maggots on his rear
end. He was cleaned up, and it was discovered that he was having a
hard time pooping on his own. (This is not that unusual for a manx.)
He is now on a special diet, Metamucil and antibiotics that hopefully
will resolve this problem. Rafiki has learned to rub up against
the wall with his bottom to stimulate himself so that he poops.
Pretty smart for a nine-week-old kitten. Hopefully, this can get
resolved so that Rafiki can be adopted.

Nutter
Butter is a chihuahua who was hit by a car, because her owner did not have
her on a leash. She was the second chihuahua in the same day hit by
a car. Nutter Butter had a broken hip and a hernia, and needs to be
spayed. Dr. Van Geem at Mother Lode performed his magic on her, and
she is now recovering nicely. Sammie's Friends is definitely
interested in donations to help pay for this
surgery.
ChiChi
is a Nevada County Animal Control doggie. He is a little chihuahua
who had really bad teeth and needed to have them cared for in order to
be adopted. ChiChi is now in his new home and doing fine. Donations are welcome to help pay for this bill.
UPDATE
ON THE THREE HORSES RESCUED BY SAMMIE'S FRIENDS
Earlier
this year, Sammie's
Friends rescued three horses who were nearly starved to death. All
were in terrible condition. One of them, Arial, has been
adopted. The other two horses are also doing very well, and will be
available for adoption.
Mariah is now completely at normal weight. She is in good shape, has
seen a vet and had a dental. She is extremely beautiful.
Mariah is undergoing some training and will make a great horse for
someone. Mariah is a mustang rounded up by the BLM when she was one
year old. She is now nine. She received sporadic training and
was rideable by an experienced horse person. We are now filling in
the holes in her training, and believe her skill will soon match her
beauty.
If
you're interested in Mariah, please call Sammie's Friends at 530-272-8833.
Queenie is now a completely normal weight and very
beautiful. She was so close to starving to death when we rescued
her in February that she could hardly get into the trailer. She
struts her stuff now. Queenie is an older horse and would be best
as a pasture pal for someone. She has been seen by a vet and has
had a dental. She is in good shape.
If you are interested in adopting Queenie, please call
Sammie's Friends at 530-272-8833.
Kayla had close to 200 foxtails embedded in her body
from going to the river. She had them between her toes, in her
armpits, ears, eyes, vagina, and anywhere else a foxtail could burrow
in. A foxtail is like a barbed wire; once it has burrowed into the
skin, it cannot easily be removed. In Kayla's case, she had to be
anesthetized so that the veterinarian could remove them.
Fortunately, Sammie's Friends was there to help, as the
owner did not have funds to help the dog and was desperate. The dog
was in an immense amount of pain. Although foxtail removal wouldn't
normally be that expensive, once an anesthetic is required, the cost goes
up by hundreds of dollars. Please help Kayla by
making a donation.
This
poor kitty, appropriately named Foxy, was found and brought to the
shelter. He had over 225 foxtails embedded in his body. As
well, he was pooping and puking worms from both ends. It took the
veterinarian and staff an entire afternoon to help this poor
kitty. Is this the most disgusting, sad story you could ever
imagine? Fortunately, one of the kind shelter volunteers has taken
him home while he recovers.
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