Healing Hearts

Valentine’s Day is a time to spend with loved ones; a time to cherish those who mean the most to us; a time to reflect on last year’s blessings and look forward to all the memories yet to come. But for nine very special Take Me Home orphans, Valentine’s Day is also a time for healing; a time to seek refuge from neglect and suffering; a time to experience, perhaps for the first time in their lives, relief from pain and the warmth of human compassion.

Bella’s Orphaned Puppies Five miracles ended up on our doorstep this holiday season. We got a call from a family who bred their two Boxers. Bella, the female, had six puppies. The sixth puppy, a stillborn, caused a fatal infection and Bella tragically passed away. The five living pups (three boys and two girls) were without a mother and left with a family who did not know how to care for them. Take Me Home stepped in and agreed to help the puppies if the family would neuter their Boxer. They agreed and we took the puppies. The pups were bottle fed around the clock by Kitten Rescue experts and they are flourishing. They were underweight when we rescued them, but now all five puppies are growing and their hearts are healing! It is a lot of work and money to take on a litter of pups, but we were up for the challenge and look forward to finding each and every one of them loving, forever homes!

Russell’s heart is healing after being abandoned on the streets of Los Angeles at only ten weeks old. Picked up by the city shelter, Russell’s time was limited as he was one sick little puppy. Take Me Home picked him up from as soon as we could and immediately transferred him to one of our trusted vets, where he fought for his life for several weeks. Russell was suffering from Parvo, but with swift medical care and round the clock hospitalization, this tiny, malnourished, ten week old puppy showed us that he had a will to live. In addition to suffering from Parvo, Russell was infested with parasites; suffered from a painful eye condition which caused his eyelashes to grow inside of his eyelids and repeatedly scratch his eyes; as well as severe malnourishment which caused weakness in his front legs, making it painful for him to run and play. Russell was taken to an Ophthalmologist and got the eye surgery he so desperately needed; as well as being successfully treated for all of his other ailments. Russell’s heart is healing; safe and sound in a loving home, with his foster-to-adopt family, including three very special children who adore him.

Starbuck’s heart is healing after being left for dead in the middle of a busy street. This young, beautiful boy was struck by a car and then left to fend for himself; laying in the middle of traffic with a broken pelvis, writhing in pain and unable to get himself safely off the street. Fortunately Animal Control was alerted to his distress and he was taken to the county shelter where he waited in pain for his family to reclaim him, but no one ever came. Take Me Home picked him up from the shelter as soon as we could and immediately transported him to one of our trusted vets where he received extensive testing to determine the degree of his pelvic fracture, in addition to the damage to his rear leg which he was unable to use. Much like Russell, Starbuck was also severely underweight and infested with parasites. That is behind him now. Starbuck’s heart is healing and he is enjoying the use of his leg again, with a wonderful foster-to-adopt family who took him to physical therapy several days per week in order to save his damaged leg.

Bianca’s heart is healing after living a life of neglect and abandonment. It is difficult enough to see any animal with medical needs abandoned in the county shelter. But to see a sick, senior animal is particularly heart wrenching. Take Me Home found Bianca in the county shelter in terrible shape. She suffered from a bloated abdomen, a severe respiratory infection, and was covered in dirt, fleas, and open sores all over her legs and feet. We were heartbroken to discover that this wasn’t Bianca’s first visit to the county shelter; that in fact, she had been repeatedly abandoned by her neglectful family for the past five years. One would think that after suffering for so many years, Bianca would have no connection with human beings. Yet she is one of the sweetest, most loving dogs Take Me Home has ever rescued. After extensive testing, we have determined that the cause of Bianca’s bloated abdomen is Cushing’s Disease. Although this is a very costly disease to manage, Take Me Home is providing Bianca with the medication and ongoing testing that she needs in order to live out her life happily, and free of pain. Bianca’s heart is healing in her loving foster home where she enjoys warm nights in front of the fireplace and finds comfort in her canine foster siblings who she adores. She hopes to find her forever family soon!

Ponyboy aka Bruno’s heart is healing after surviving on the streets of Los Angeles for weeks, possibly months on his own. Animal Control was repeatedly called out to capture Ponyboy as he was seen scavenging for food and shelter and appeared to be starving. One would assume that a dog that has been forced to fend for himself for so long would be unapproachable, yet sadly, once Animal Control was able to locate him, this gentle giant welcomed the human companionship and has greeted everyone with sweet licks and a wagging tail ever since. Take Me Home picked up Ponyboy from the Downey shelter as soon as we could and immediately hospitalized him in order to save his life. Suffering from starvation for weeks, possibly months, Ponyboy’s body had become severely emaciated, dehydrated, and anemic. His back was covered in benign growths and he suffered from an enlarged prostate in addition to severe respiratory and skin infections. Despite the fragile condition he was in and the horrible neglect he had suffered, Ponyboy showed a will to live that was an inspiration to us all. Take Me Home provided him with the surgeries necessary to remove all of the growths from his back and to address his enlarged prostate. Ponyboy’s heart is healing with his foster family where he is quickly gaining weight, savoring the luxury of a warm home, and showing us his love for other dogs as he truly enjoys the companionship of his canine foster sisters. This special boy more than deserves a permanent family to call his own!

For Bella’s Orphaned Puppies, Russell, Starbuck, Bianca, and Ponyboy, the greatest gift they received this Valentine’s Day is the gift of life. But Take Me Home cannot provide that gift without your continued support. Because of your generous donations, these nine dogs that have known nothing but neglect and pain will now live their lives in comfort and peace. Because of you, they can now look forward to a new year full of hope. This Valentine’s Day, on behalf of Bella’s Orphaned Puppies, Russell, Starbuck, Bianca, Ponyboy, and all of the other lives your donations have saved, we extend our sincere gratitude. Your continued support allows Take Me Home to heal these broken hearts and answer their cry to...TAKE ME HOME.

To make a donation, please click below:
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Take Me Home Rescue
2633 Lincoln Blvd #207
Santa Monica , CA 90405
310-967-4637

For more information about Take Me Home rescue, A 501(c)(3) nonprofit:
www.takemehome.tv