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In Memoriam
PanchoHere's a lovely note that we received about Pancho from his dad.  |
FernandoFernando was a very special rescue for ASR President Edilia Vazquez. She spied him in a near-death scenario as he was attempting to cross an expressway. Fortunately, Edi had some yummy sausages with her, for just such an occasion, and she was able to get this gentle lab mix into her car and off to the vet.  |
Blind in one eye, from a beating, Fernando also had a bullet lodged in his shoulder. But none of that affected his temperament: he didn't have a mean bone in his body. |
He went to Buddy Dog Humane Society in Sudbury, MA where he was adopted by an extraordinary family with parents and two human brothers. Fernando was in heaven. |
But in August 2009, he sustained a spinal injury when he lost his footing during a particularly expressive leap. He was in considerable pain the last few months of his life, but his family was always with him. |
Everyone at ASR loved Fernando. He was a great role model in showing that cruel experiences don't have to make some one or some thing cruel. We are very grateful to his family for giving him the life he deserved--even though it was a short one. |
Reflections on the Passing of Chopin: Forever in our HeartsSeptember 13, 2009  |
He woke me, early, for his morning walk. Except, this time, we needed no harness, no leash. He even gave up his collar which, in the past, always seemed to make him uneasy when we removed it, as I am sure it reminded him of the days when he did not belong. |
We walked for miles through town, on this peaceful Sunday morning, to the crossroads of the Sudbury Reservoir, where the road separated two levels of water, encompassing a mini-waterfall and whirlpool. |
Months ago, we had made a bucket list of sorts, which included a run on the beach at sunset. Unfortunately, a no-dogs-allowed sign, and his life-long aversion to water (undoubtedly from his days seeking shelter from the hard rains of the streets of San Juan, where he had roamed as a homeless dog), seemed to divert us from this simple pleasure. |
Not so this morning. I lifted myself over the guardrail and set myself down on the rocks with my feet over the water's edge. I reflected on our unfettered love and my sense of loss. And then he appeared. No longer my sleek chocolate lab-doberman, but rather a slender solitary water bird. He landed upon a lone rock in the reservoir about two hundred yards away. |
We sat in silence and pondered what had come, and gone, and returned. He reminded me that a life well-lived defines and provides meaning to all creatures and beings. |
We recalled the list and, as he spread his wings to dry, the overcast sky began to thin some, and veins of blue broke through the early morning mist. We looked at each other for some time, and then, he rose from the rock, he danced upon the water, and he flew as strong, as proud, and as happy as he had ever been. For now, the fear of water was gone; the bucket list complete. |
And as he flew away and faded from my sight, I realized that I had my own bucket list and that I had achieved, its most important item, which, until now, had evaded me through my self-absorption: To love without limitation, to give of yourself, selflessly, to know when to let go of the ephemeral, and to cherish the memories of a life seemingly too short, yet so full, is the greatest gift we can give to another being, and to oneself. |
Makeovers
Kani Andrea
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Duke
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Makai/Jack
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Mick
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Jonah
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Jonah and Mick
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Ray and Ranen
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Malena
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Nita
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Kani Andrea was named after the Kennedy TNR effort on January 22. When Aidita and Maru rescued her, she was the only one alive within her litter mates. She was so small, weak, vulnerable and all bitten up by ants. Because of her Valentine’s sponsors, she has gotten the extra care she needed. Kani Andrea is strong and a fighter, she must be needed somewhere to perform her duties as a guardian angel.
Going by a new name, Lyla, she has done a complete turn around. She is such a happy puppy in her new forever home. The days of struggling are far behind her and her future promises to be bright.
It took a village...but we did it! From starving on the beach in Puerto Rico, to a Manhattan pied a terre, Duke has learned just how kind so many people can be! It was a lovely lesson, given his earlier experience. This beautiful purebred boxer was dumped to fend for himself. We will never understand how anyone could do that. But, luckily, an ASR friend, Courtney found him and started feeding him.
Courtney took him off the beach and into her home. You could tell that Duke wanted to feel safe, because he kept trying to climb in the lap of Courtney's husband....trouble was, he's a little big for a lap dog. ASR began to reach out to boxer rescue groups to find help for this lovely creature. It was clear that Max was a special soul. Everyone got lucky, when Northeastern Boxer Rescue very kindly agreed to take him in and find him a home....Next thing we knew, Duke was getting a ticket on an American Airlines flight to Boston.
NBR very graciously found a foster home for Duke in New Hampshire with two of the most compassionate people on the planet! They gave this guy lots of love--changed his name to Don Juan because he oozed charm--and soon discovered some secrets of his past. For starters, he had been living with a badly broken jaw. We can't imagine how painful that must have been. DJ also had venereal disease. But even with these health issues, his foster parents wanted to help build his confidence and get used to the good life. They took him on a boat ride on a beautiful lake.
During DJ's health treatment, a couple who were originally from Puerto Rico found his photo and story online and wanted to meet him. They drove all the way from PA to NH. It was a love match....but these nice people had to wait several weeks because of his medical issues. Finally the day came for DJ to go to his forever home--a condo near Times Square where he spends his weekdays and a lovely home in rural PA for weekends. DJ was a little spooked by the elevators, but now he's a pro at using them. He has a new name too....it's Duke. He has some great outfits including this stylish sweater. We are so grateful to everyone who helped make this makeover possible--especially Northeastern Boxer Rescue for taking a chance on a dog from Puerto Rico and his foster parents, who spent eight months nursing him through so many unexpected health issues. We can't thank you enough.
In April 2008, a kind-hearted soul spotted Makai begging for food. This poor animal was suffering from horrific mange and was totally hairless. His skin resembled elephant hide: covered with scabs and bleeding from open sores. He smelled pretty bad too. But despite all this, he was incredibly friendly. His tail never stopped wagging as he lay patiently in wait of a handout. This highly disturbing photo shows just how bad it was.
There was no way this amiable fellow could be left to suffer. Soon enough, he was on his way to San Juan and Edi’s nurturing home. Edi started him on antibiotics and weekly dips to treat his mange. As his hair came in, Makai proved to have lovely reddish brown coloring. He quickly learned to walk on a leash and was kind and gentle to the other cats and dogs at Edi’s house. This photo was taken at Edi’s house when Makai was well along in the healing process.
He seemed to know how lucky he was and he appreciated every second of his new life. He thought things were pretty good—and they were—but the best was yet to come. He arrived at Buddy Dog in Sudbury, Mass. and was adopted by a wonderful woman who treats him like the treasure he is. Renamed Jack, he has a huge armchair for naps, a coat for winter, and plenty of love.
Here's little Mick on the beach at Yabucoa where had been abandoned.
Here's little Jonah on the beach in Yabucoa where he had been abandoned.
Here are brothers Jonah and Mick at Cape Ann Animal Aid all healthy and ready for their new forever homes. They were abandoned on a beach that is known as a notorious dumping ground for Satos. But, their future is bright.
These two pups were just days old when they were found on Dead Dog Beach, a notorious dumping ground for dogs on the East Coast of Puerto Rico. Dead Dog Beach was the subject of a story in People magazine that you can find in our section on Media Coverage.
The pups were tiny, hungry, and scared. But dedicated rescuers bottlefed them during the first critical weeks.
And here's Ranen at about one week old. It's hard to imagine an animal this young and defenseless left to take care of itself.
A safe home, lots of food, and love around-the-clock can work miracles. Look at the siblings now! The two were flown to Boston and picked up by our friends from Cape Ann Animal Aid. They were adopted very quickly and are now in their forever homes where memories of their early days on the beach are receding fast.
ASR President, Edi Vazquez, found this purebred boxer wandering her neighborhood. Malena was in terrible shape--she was skin and bones and covered in ticks. The "before" photo is Malena at the vet's office. The vet wasn't sure she would make it.
But Edi was on a mission, as she so often is, and nursed this gentle dog back to health. Over many months of foster care, Malena grew stronger and her funny personality started to bloom.
Nita was rescued from a construction site where she was dodging trucks and trying to find food. She was very timid at first and not at all happy about getting her first round of vaccinations
After being flown to Boston and taken in by the Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem, Nita ended up in her dream family. Even though she was pretty shy in the shelter, she was instantly drawn to her new dad. Now she has loving parents and a canine brother.
