Honey ... safe in rescue!

Honey on her way into the
cities from Bemidji

I received the greatest gift for Valentine's Day yesterday when Pet Haven let me know they would take Honey into their foster program and provide the medical care she needs. Jenny and I met the transport at 1 pm at Plymouth Heights Pet Hospital. Jenny lifted her out of the kennel. We weren't sure if she could even stand or put any weight on her legs. It was obvious she wasn't putting any weight on her front left leg. She was wobbly and kept collapsing but with support, was able to stand for a little while and go potty.  All she wanted though was to be loved and petted.

Honey gets checked out by the vet. A couple x-rays are taken and it is confirmed that her front left leg is completely broken, and we are not sure how much nerve damage there is. The vet worries about her lungs and respiratory system from the trauma of the accident so a chest x-ray is also done. If she has damage to her lungs it will determine the care she will need through the night. Fortunately Honey's lungs check out okay. An x-ray of her lower area shows that her pelvic bone was not broken ... a HUGE relief for all of us as that means her prognosis is much better. She has external injuries on her back leg from road rash and is on antibiotics for the infection. She must've been in an incredible amount of pain and yet, she doesn't even show it ... these precious animals simply amaze me at how resilient they are ....

Honey was given morphine for the pain yesterday and a comfy blanket was set up for her in a kennel so she could rest. She will be spending some time at the clinic and will go through more tests today. The vet didn't want to do too much yesterday as she has already been through so much. We will know soon whether Honey's leg will need to be amputated. Pet Haven also has a foster lined up for her and ready to take this sweet girl into her home and help her heal and recover.

Thank you Pet Haven for taking this sweet girl into your foster program. Thank you for giving her the gift of life. And thank you to the countless number of people who played a role in saving this girl's life ... from Natasha, the good Samaritan who pulled her from the middle of the road up at Leech Lake Reservation, to Rory (Leech Lake Rez Animal Control Officer) for reaching out to Leech Lake Legacy for help, to Animal Care Clinic in Bemidji for caring for her till we could find a place for her, to Nancy O for transporting her to Motley and Barb W for transporting her from Motley to the cities .... to Mary Ann (board member of Pet Haven) for being an incredible advocate for this girl and thinking creatively ... to the Pet Haven dog division leadership team for their willingness and flexibility to 'wing it' and to bend some of the rules ... to Karen Good of Red Lake Rosie's Rescue for reaching out to her network and being willing to provide temporary care for Honey, to Plymouth Heights Pet Hospital for taking her in so quickly and providing her with such great care, to Dinie (Pet Haven foster) for opening up your home and your heart to help this sweet girl heal and recover, to Lisa J for calling me and reaching out to help in any way possible ... and last but not least, a heart felt thanks to my partner in crime with Leech Lake Legacy, Jenny F, for all you do on a daily basis. It's hard for me to believe that since last May we have been able to help ~ 270 animals ... with Leech Lake Legacy we believe that by collaborating and working together we can do much more for these precious animals. It amazed me to witness yesterday how so many people came together to help Honey .... For everyone involved, thank you for caring and thank you for making a difference.

Honey

I couldn't sleep last night and I woke up this morning haunted with Honey's face. Honey is a 1 year old aussie mix who was found lying by the side of the road up at Leech Lake Reservation yesterday. Would today be the day we would have to authorize the euthanasia of this sweet pup because we had no place for her to go?

Our efforts to help the animals up at Leech Lake Reservation began last May, and what emerged was Leech Lake Legacy, a collaborative effort to help the dogs and cats at Leech Lake Reservation. Since last May we have been able to give 270 animals a second chance in large part due to our partnership with the Animal Humane Society (AHS) and MnPAW (Minnesota Partnership for Animal Welfare).  Several other shelters and rescues (Animal Allies, Tri-County Humane Society, Carver Scott Humane Society, Pet Haven, Act V Rescue & Rehabilitation) have played a large role in helping these precious animals. 

Yesterday my friend Jenny got the call from the Leech Lake Reservation Animal Control Officer (ACO) about Honey.  She authorized the okay for Honey to be taken to the vet, but all we could authorize was for her to be checked out by the vet, given pain meds and kept overnight as we would explore options for a shelter or rescue to take her. Our medical fund had been depleted. LLL has not done any fundraising in the past. A generous donor gave us $500 after he was touched by the work we are doing up at the Reservation. A few days ago we authorized for a young pup Puckett to be seen by the vet. He was coughing up blood and we feared parvo. The vet in Bemidji gave us substantial discounts -- tested him for parvo, put him on IV fluid and hospitalized him overnight. Puckett bounced back the next morning (but he remained at the vet for a few days). The vet tech fell in love with Puckett and offered to foster him for two weeks until we would be able to bring him into AHS.

Puckett

Leech Lake Legacy has been extremely fortunate to have such a great partnership with AHS. They have taken in so many injured animals (including Gemini who arrived on transport this past weekend with a head injury and had surgery on Sunday). With the 107 dogs they recently took in from a hoarding case in Bemidji they are simply overwhelmed and unable to take Honey right now. In the animal rescue world, it's a balancing act ... your heart wants to save every animal but the reality of resources and constraints come into play ... last July we took in Cass from Leech Lake Reservation. He was a 7 year old dog who was surrendered by his owner and traveled 7 miles back to his home where he wasn't wanted, and brought back to the impound. We learned Cass had cancer. I pulled him from AHS and brought him to my home for 24 hours so that he could experience what being loved felt like, and after being blessed with his presence in my home, took him to my vet (Lake Harriet Vet) and held him while he crossed over rainbow bridge. My heart still aches for him but with an older dog with cancer, finding a rescue to take him wasn't possible.

And last night, Jenny and I struggled with the reality that we may have to give the okay for Honey to be euthanized. We have no money in the LLL medical fund. We haven't found a rescue or shelter able to commit to taking Honey. She's in pain from having been hit by a car and needs medical attention and most likely costly surgery.

This morning I woke up to an email from a fellow volunteer at Pet Haven. They have a possible foster, but no commitments at this point. Can I give them a couple more days? My gut screamed out at me ... I can't give up on Honey ... not yet. With no money in the LLL medical fund, Jenny and I make the decision to transport her to the cities today. Volunteer extraordinaire Nancy O is picking her up from the clinic at 8:30 and bringing her to Motley where another volunteer will pick her up and transport her into the cities. It's Valentines' Day ... I simply can't give the okay to euthanize Honey today, not when there's a door cracked open. So Honey is coming to the cities today. I will pay for her to get meds and be boarded at a hospital for a couple days. If by the end of Thursday, we haven't been able to find a rescue that can take her and provide her with the care and medical attention she needs, then I know that I may be at her side, like I was with Cass, as she crosses Rainbow Bridge.

For now, I just pray that I won't have to do that on Thursday.

Yesterday I also realized that we need to raise money for the LLL medical fund so that we can help the Pucketts and the Honeys (I'm hopeful that there will still be a happy ending to this story).

Please consider making a donation to Leech Lake Legacy's medical fund. You can write a check out to 'Leech Lake Legacy' and mail it to:

Leech Lake Legacy

P.O. Box 385454

Bloomington, MN 55438

I made the following video in memory of sweet Cass, who will forever live in my heart ...

A Lamp in the Darkness

A couple weeks ago the book I ordered through Amazon arrived in the mail, "A Lamp in the Darkness: Illuminating the Path Through Difficult Times" by Jack Kornfield. I ordered it not because I felt like I was going through difficult times but simply because I love Jack Kornfield's writings. Little did I know how timely it would be to have his book on my shelf in my writing room. When I wrote my last blog post reflecting back on the health challenges presented to me in 2011 (and to my dog Ahnung) I was in a space of simply noticing, and in many ways, a place of acceptance. There's a great quote from the book:

"If you can sit quietly after difficult news; if in financial downturns you remain perfectly calm; if you can see your neighbors travel to fantastic places without a twinge of jealousy; if you can happily eat whatever is put on your plate; if you can fall asleep after a day of running around without a drink or a pill; if you can always find contentment just where you are; you are probably a dog."

Yesterday I met with my internist. Yesterday I realized I was very human, as I certainly didn't respond peacefully and quietly after some difficult news. 2011 turned out ending with another twist with my health issues. For about a week at the end of December I had been experiencing abdominal pain. Yes, it hurt but it was a tolerable pain. I could tell something was going on but because I've had so many health issues and seen so many doctors in the past year, I thought maybe it would just go away. I had a couple days where I noticed something different about my urine .. It was pinkish and rusty (i've since learned that I had an episode of gross hematuria). Then on Friday, December 30th, signs became very clear that I was bleeding internally and I was rushed in for an upper GI. Later that day I was told I had stomach erosions and a biopsy was taken. The pathology report came back indicating that I did not have the H. Pylori bacteria which can be the cause of stomach erosions. Another cause is often drugs (frequently taking painkillers like tylenol, aspirin, ibuprofen). I mentioned to my GI doctor that for a few months I have been taking 325 mg of aspirin. Due to my heart condition of Left Ventricular Non Compaction my doctor has me on aspirin therapy to reduce my risk of strokes. My doctor did not believe the aspirin was the cause of my erosions and told me to keep taking the aspirin for my heart. I'm on medication for the stomach erosions (and it seems to be helping) and have another upper GI scheduled for 2/23. My doctor said he needs to go back in to see if the erosions have healed.

When I left Minnesota Gastroenterology I was told to follow-up with my internist. So yesterday was my appointment to do just that. Before I had the upper GI procedure they took my blood pressure ... it was 137/85. I looked at the nurse and said that's high for me. She said that's not unusual because patients get stressed. Well, in my gut I knew there was something off and that it wasn't stress. I've seen more doctors in the past 2 years and had more surgeries and procedures than some have had in a life time and my blood pressure (and pulse) have always been low ... typically 100/80. On a bad day it would get to 105/80. So I decided when I saw my internist for my follow-up I would mention the higher blood pressure and also what I had noticed in my urine a couple weeks ago. About a year ago, I had had a couple urinalysis reports come back showing I had blood (RBCs) and WBCs in my blood. A third test indicated it was back to normal so my internist at that time told me not to worry about it and to just get it re-checked in a year. In July, 2011 a had a full physical with my new internist. I failed to mention blood in my urine from previous tests not thinking it wasn't important. I learned yesterday that my urinalysis from July, 2011 indicated that I had blood (microscopic blood) in my urine again. I also had white blood cells which led him to believe that I may have an infection. After learning more about additional pieces of health information (which I inadvertently left out because I had so many other health issues ... mainly my heart issues!) he shared with me that intermittent bleeding in my urine (microscopic hematuria) needs to be checked out further with a urologist. He said it can be caused by kidney stones (although since i'm not in a lot of pain he doubts it's kidney stones) and can also be caused by tumors. "I'm not saying it's cancer, but we need to get it checked out," he said. Since it wasn't causing me any major problems I wanted to see if I could just take the wait and see approach. My doctor advised against that, "if it is cancer, if we catch it early we have much better chance of treating it." Next step is to set up an appt with a urologist and he would probably want to do both a scan of your kidneys and also a procedure called a cystoscopy ... unfortunately, he said, that's another not so fun procedure (as I told him how the upper GI was not an enjoyable procedure for me as I couldn't stop gagging!) I am scheduled for the kidney scan and appt with the urologist for 1/23.

Next item ... blood pressure. I mentioned how I noticed my blood pressure being higher than normal when I went in for the upper GI. My doctor checked my blood pressure twice. The first time it was 135/80 and the second time it was 137/85. He checked my records as said it was 101/80 in July, 2011. He said we technically don't start treating for high blood pressure until it goes over 140 so for now keep monitoring it. High blood pressure does run in my family. But I've always had normal or low blood pressure ... interesting that it's now high. It could be genetic or it could also be related to problems with my kidney. I wonder also, could it have anything to do with my heart disease?

I have always felt in my gut that whatever is going on in my body is something at a systemic level. In 2009 pre-cancer cells were found in my breast and it continues to multiply; in early 2010 I was  diagnosed with pancreatic insufficiency. In 2011 they removed a polyp from my colon and told me I had a 'colony of internal hemorrhoids' ... later in 2011 it was my heart ... 25% PVCs and a heart ablation procedure and a diagnosis of a rare heart condition, left ventricular non compaction. Then 2011 ends with stomach erosions and 2012 kicks off with high blood pressure and kidney problems.

I don't know why but I don't think I was emotionally prepared for my doctor to tell me yesterday that I have kidney problems. I wanted to cry when I left his office .... when will this end? What's next? Sometimes I feel like my body is gradually being taken over by some virus or bacteria or some alien being (oh, that could be from watching too much Star Trek!). The Buddhist way is to embrace uncertainty and to embrace the unknown ... I must confess that yesterday (and even this morning) I feel off center and am trying to find my way back to a place of true acceptance and peace with whatever life throws my way.

I know that I need to find a way back to my center. I ask for the courage and the strength to walk my life's journey and to welcome and embrace all that comes my way. I pray for the strength to simply Let Go and to trust that the path I am on is the path I am meant to be on ... and when I feel myself lost in the darkness of emotions that scare me that I just hold onto Ahnung, my north star, as she has always, and will continue to be the lamp that leads me through the darkness.

Gratitude ... and embracing uncertainty with curiosity

As 2011 comes to a close I find myself reflecting back on the year … healthwise, so much has happened.

January, 2011 – I bought and closed on my house here in Bloomington, MN. Together with my beloved pups (Ahnung, Missy and Mister) we began a new start.

March, 2011 – While going in for an MRI guided breast biopsy they discover electrical problems in my heart. The breast biopsy is postponed till I get clearance from a cardiologist. I soon learn my heart is beating from the ‘wrong’ place 25% of the time and am referred to the Heart Institute to meet with a cardiologist and electrophysiologist.

April, 2011 – I have clearance from my cardiologist and have my MRI guided breast biopsy done. Fortunately the lesions are benign. The electrical problems in my heart worsen and I am scheduled for a heart ablation. I also learn I have a rare heart condition called Left Ventricular Non-Compaction (LVNC) where I am at “high risk of developing cardiomyopathy and also at high risk of sudden cardiac death.”

May, 2011 – I undergo a heart ablation at the Heart Institute and my electrical problems in the right ventricle are resolved.

June, 2011 – Heart rhythm problems begin again and a heart holter indicates my heart is beating irregularly again 10% of the time. I am asked to return in 3 months for another holter monitor test.

Ahnung trying out a tank top
for her to wear post
lumpectomy

July, 2011 – I discover a lump in my dog (and soul mate) Ahnung’s 4^th left mammary gland. She undergoes a lumpectomy and is diagnosed with breast cancer. We see an oncologist who is hopeful that the cancer was removed and like myself, she is now on the close surveillance path as we monitor the return of tumors.

August, 2011 -  A new lump is discovered in my left breast. I undergo another lumpectomy (my third in two years). Pathology report indicates the cells in my breast are continuing to go awry … more atypical ductal hyperplasia, bordering on DCIS. I continue to opt for close surveillance.

October, 2011 – Heart holter test indicates the electrical problems in my heart are minimal (~ 1%). My cardiologist is cautiously optimistic that we have taken care of the electrical problems but says it’s unusual for them to return like they did in June and then go away with no explanation. He asks me to return in 6 months for another holter (to monitor the electrical problems in my heart) and an echocardiogram to monitor the structural functioning of my heart.

Legacy

It’s December now and I’m not officially due to see my cardiologist till April, 2012. I’m due in February for another breast MRI.  I have continued to monitor Ahnung’s mammary glands and so far am beyond grateful there have been no more growths. I pray she remains cancer free. Meanwhile I am grateful to be feeling good a majority of the time. I have decided to live my life as fully as I can. I have decided to not focus on my health and to do what makes me feel alive, which is animal rescue work. The truth is, we all don’t know how much longer we have on this precious planet. I am confronted with words one dreads coming from a doctor’s mouth .. that yes, I have a  serious heart condition where there is a thickening of the walls in my heart muscles. It will cause my heart to get weaker and eventually fail. So when I asked him after my heart ablation how long I had, he said “it could be a year, two years, maybe even 10!”  Well, as far as I’m concerned that’s a pretty wide range and to dwell on it will do me absolutely no good. In fact, I consider it a gift .... It’s amazing how one’s perspective can shift when you are faced with a serious health condition. I would be lying if I said I never thought about it especially when my heart starts doing cart wheels and I can tell there’s something just not right.  But most of the time, it passes.

So this year, when my health took a nose dive I did what most people would say is insane, I plunged even deeper into my volunteer world of animal rescue, and began fostering homeless dogs/puppies and in September, 2011 adopted one of my foster puppies, Legacy. This sweet little bundle of joy has been such a gift and one of the best medicines for both Ahnung and me. Ironically, I walk a parallel path with Ahnung as we are monitored closely …. Many would say that with all this uncertainty in our lives, and not so pleasant health diagnoses, that we should be waiting for the other shoe to drop. I don’t know … instead, I’d like to think that we were given a gift of facing the fragileness of our own mortality, and through that gift, were given the gift of choosing to live, and I mean, really, truly LIVE. As Julian Boyd (a basketball player with the same heart condition I have) said in an interview with New York Times ("Star's Heart Condition keeps L.I.U on Edge")  ... "“Every game, I play like it’s my last because I’ve been shown that it really could be,” he said. “If anything were to happen ever again, I want to be able to say the last game I played was with everything." So my motto, is to live each day as if it were my last!

My wish for 2012 is that I will continue to fill my heart with gratitude and that I will embrace any and all uncertainty that comes my way with childlike curiosity and wonder.  And may I continue to fill my heart with the innocence and playfulness I am blessed to witness every day in a house full of puppies … both those who have permanent residence here (Ahnung, Missy, Mister, Legacy) and those who land temporarily (Yukon, Willy, Rez, Lenny, ZuZu and others) until they find their own forever homes.

And I close my 2011 blog with one of my favorite poems by Mary Oliver .... because when it's over, I don't want to end up simply having visited this world ... I want to say that I have lived my life with passion, purpose, and playfulness.

 ************************************************

When Death Comes

By Mary Oliver

When death comes

like the hungry bear in autumn;

when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse

to buy me, and snaps his purse shut;

when death comes

like the measle pox;

when death comes

like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,

I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering:

what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?

And therefore I look upon everything

as a brotherhood and a sisterhood,

and I look upon time as no more than an idea,

and I consider eternity as another possibility,

and I think of each life as a flower, as common

as a field daisy, and as singular,

and each name a comfortable music in the mouth

tending as all music does, toward silence,

and each body a lion of courage, and something

precious to the earth.

When it’s over, I want to say: all my life

I was a bride married to amazement.

I was a bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

When it’s over, I don’t want to wonder

if I have made of my life something particular, and real.

I don’t want to find myself sighing and frightened

or full of argument.

I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.

And Legacy reminds both Ahnung and myself of the importance of play ... I just love how he has brought out the puppy in Ahnung!! :)

Prayers for Jovie and Buddy

Jovie in ICU being treated
for parvo. 

I'm at a loss for words. Tonight, one puppy, Jovie, fights for her life. The other puppy, Buddy, is getting better but not out of the woods.

On Monday, the rescue I volunteer and foster with, Act V Rescue & Rehabilitation, took in two very sick parvo puppies into their foster program. Not many rescues or shelters would do that. They did that with another gorgeous black puppy several months ago. For that sweet girl, she turned the corner pretty quickly and was adopted out within a month. I was hoping the same would be true for Jovie and Buddy. Unfortunately, Jovie and Buddy were taken to ICU after Dr. Vicki of Act V Rescue checked them out at intake. Jovie was extremely dehydrated and both had significant intestinal disease. They had a plasma transfusion this morning and later this afternoon a fellow rescue dog, Ricky, a parvo survivor, donated blood for Jovie and Buddy. Thank you Ricky! The hope is that the antibodies in his blood will help the pups. They were given the serum treatment tonight.

Buddy in ICU. He is doing
better today.

I went to see the pups tonight. They were in isolation and because of the risk of spreading parvo, or having them catch anything, I could only watch them through the glass, unable to hold or touch them, at least not physically.  I watched the tech in scrubs cleaning out their kennels; i watched her give them love, take their temperature, pet them .... so I could take some photos of Buddy, she let Buddy out of his kennel. He went up to her and rubbed his body against her. Jovie, on the other hand, is extremely sick and was completely listless and lethargic .. she no longer has any white blood cells; Buddy has minimal white blood cells. Losing white blood cells is apparently not a good sign. I looked at Jovie in her kennel and it broke my heart. There's this incredible sense of helplessness yet at the same time my heart is full of gratitude for what Dr. Vicki and Act V Rescue have and continue to do. Dr. Vicki is doing everything she possibly can to save Jovie and Buddy's lives. I also know that there's a good possibility that Jovie (and even Buddy) may not make it. We hold out a LOT of hope for Buddy as he appears to be getting stronger. For Jovie, there's a flicker of hope in my heart for that sweet girl. We aren't giving up yet ... I ask for your prayers for Jovie and Buddy. Please send them loving, healing thoughts.

Dear Jovie and Buddy, know that you are not alone ... know that you are loved and that you are surrounded by light, love and healing energy and prayers. We will continue to hold you in our hearts.

Please also consider making a donation to help Act V Rescue in covering the high costs of treating parvo puppies. Any amount you are able to donate would be greatly appreciated. You can make a donation online.

Ricky, a parvo survivor donates blood
for Jovie and Buddy.
Thank you Ricky!

Working Together ...

Edwina, scared and timid, arrives
on transport and is greeted by
AHS staff, Melissa, with love,
patience and reassurance.

I continue to hold in my heart a dream and a vision that for those of us passionate about animal rescue and welfare, that we can work together in a positive, collaborative and respectful manner … that we can suspend judgment of others, seeking first to understand than to be understood; that when challenged with viewpoints, values and perspectives different from our own that we rise above walls of divisiveness that can rise fast and furiously, and make a conscious choice to reach out in kindness, compassion and understanding; that we reach, yes, for the stars, for the highest possible layer of what brings all of us together, focusing on the good and on the potential of what can emerge from collaborating, and the sharing of resources and ideas; that we set aside our own egos, our own agendas and we work together for a higher common good; that we all collectively take ownership of causes near and dear to our heart, and eliminate any Us versus Them thinking; that we honor, respect and value the diversity we all bring which in the end strengthens us as a community.

Over the years as I have immersed myself deeper into the world of animal rescue and animal welfare, I have learned how little I know; how there is no black and white – just a lot of grey; how it’s far more important for me to ask questions in my quest to deepen my understanding than to spout off what I believe are my truths and answers to problems; and how important it is for us to work together.

I have chosen my cause to focus on right now to be animal welfare ... regardless of what your cause or passion is there will be someone or some group that will have a different view point, different approach and a different set of values. We must reach beyond our differences and find common ground, and in the process we must reach out our hands, open our hearts, and learn to listen, truly listen, without judgment. We must, in my humble opinion, be more like the beloved animals we work tirelessly to rescue and re-home. Ironically, in our efforts to help these beautiful beings, in the end, we are the ones receiving even greater gifts.

"I do not go to a meeting merely to give my own ideas. If that were all, I might write my fellow members a letter. But neither do I go simply to learn other people's ideas. If that were all, I might ask each to write me a letter. I go to a meeting in order that all together we may create a group idea, an idea which will be better than all of our ideas added together. For this group idea will not be produced by any process of addition, but by the interpenetration of us all." - Mary Parker Follett.

"Years ago I recognized my kinship with all living things, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on the earth. I said then and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it; while there is a criminal element, I am of it; while there is a soul in prison, I am not free." ~ Eugene V. Debs

Leech Lake Legacy is just one example of a collaborative effort of individuals, rescues, shelters, and businesses coming together to help the animals of Leech Lake Reservation.

Leech Lake Legacy

Legacy in his pirate outfit for Halloween

I continue to celebrate a lot of firsts with my sweet Legacy. He is now 4 months old. When he first arrived he was a mere 4.5 lbs. A few days ago at the vet he weighed in at 21.4 lbs! He touched my heart when he first arrived, and he continues to wiggle deeper into my heart as I witness how he brings out the puppy in Ahnung, how he has been an incredible foster brother (we are now fostering a 10 week old puppy, Zuzu, who was a rescue from Red Lake Reservation, and is up for adoption through Act V Rescue), and how incredibly wise and smart he is for a 4 month old puppy. There was this knowing I felt in my gut when I first met Ahnung. Even though I hadn't planned on adding a third dog to my family, it happened and it was the best decision I ever made. Not long ago, I went through a similar process where my head kept telling me adopting Legacy and having 4 dogs was too much, yet something in my gut and heart kept telling me that Legacy was meant to be a part of my life, and that he was going to play a critical role in my volunteer work in the animal rescue/welfare world. I am now able to see how he is going to follow in Ahnung's footsteps ... these two rez dogs are bonded and are an incredible role models for dogs/puppies needing rescue, re-homing and ambassadors for the importance of spaying/neutering.

I don't think it was a 'coincidence' that Legacy was the puppy (out of the 13 that temporarily found their way to my home at the end of August) who ended being a permanent member of my family. The collaborative effort to help the animals up at Leech Lake Reservation began in early May, and the effort at that time was named Leech Lake Legacy. Suffice to say, that my sweet Legacy is destined to be the spokesdog for the efforts to help his friends up at the Reservation. As of 11/20 we have been able to give 165 dogs/cats a second chance .... I created a video to celebrate this incredible collaborative effort ...

To learn more about our efforts, check out the Leech Lake Legacy blog at http://leechlakelegacy.blogspot.com/. 

Legacy's first snow ...
loving it!!!

Legacy 'working' with our foster pup Zuzu --
teaching her how to play! He loves his job :)