Stu

Ms. Monkey

Sindile

 MORE TRANSFORMATIONS TO BE ADDED SOON!!!

Miracle

We rescued this sick tiny kitten from a young couple that found her on the street. They didn't know what to do and felt bad about taking her to a shelter because she would probably get put to sleep. Their only option was to network her online hoping someone would take her. She had so many infections going and her poor little eyes were a mess! The people named her "Zombie" because of the way she looked. Right away we changed her name to "Miracle" because it was indeed a miracle that she survived and eventually thrived!

Our rescue got word that there were abandoned dogs at a property in South Los Angeles. The owners had moved and left them there all alone to fend for themselves. When we had arrived on site, the first thing that we saw were piles of discarded items on the sidewalk not too far from the driveway. Behind the gates of the home were two hungry and dehydrated dogs resting in piles of trash. They were so scared that when they saw us they ran through an opening under the house right away to hide. A neighbor that they trusted lured them out twenty minutes later and helped us catch them. The pair was put in a crate and we drove off with them in pursuit of a better life. In the car, the poor dogs vomited pieces of stickers and wrappers - the only "food" that they could find to eat, even though none of it was eatable.

The sweet boy, Peanut, was noticeably having issues with his breathing. He would cough roughly and looked pretty miserable. His sister, Butter, was very active but also had a possible medical issue with her leg. She limped at times and was more than likely in discomfort. Turns out that Peanut had damage to his lung area that was consistent of being kicked in the chest and Butter had old breaks in her legs that healed wrong. Both dogs went through a hell of a time before ending up at our rescue.  

Amazing Transformations

Yoda was also rescued from the same dog hoarding situation as his friend, Finn. He came to our rescue with hurting ears, missing fur, and barely socialized. He was underweight, had ingrown nails, and was easily spooked. His anxiety would get the best of him and so when he'd be out in public a lot of people would have a hard time understanding his behavior. One second he'd be calm and the next he'd want to climb up a human body like it's a tree. He definitely preferred staying indoors and playing with his stuffed animal toys over anything else. It took him months to find a good fit of a home. All he needed was a patient family that would give him a chance, especially since he'd come such a long way in making progress. Our rescue made sure to take care of all his medical needs, but most importantly we were able to get him to trust people. He slowly developed positive relationships with everyone in his foster household, was able to get leash trained, housebroken, crate trained, car trained, and the opportunity to be socialized with different animals. He built confidence and turned out to be one of the sweetest dogs we had ever rescued. All he needed was for someone to take him out of the initial toxic environment that he was in, to show him an alternative life filled with love and care, and for a family to eventually come along and scoop him up.

​Sindile came to our rescue in critical condition. At four months of age, he was found crawling on a sidewalk in the South Central, Los Angeles area. Already injured from a possible dog attack, he was being abused/tortured by people in the neighborhood until a good samaritan scooped him up and contacted us for help. When we drove out to pick him up, we didn't know what to expect. It turned out that his back was injured and his back legs gave out, he had multiple puncture wounds through his neck, chest, and stomach areas, his eye was bulging out, he had burns, and tons of worms. We were able to get him emergency aid with the removal of his eye and care for all of his wounds. He was on strict crate rest so that his back could heal and we were hoping he'd gain strength in his hind legs to be able to walk again. Months passed and he made a remarkable recovery. What a journey it turned out to be! After he successfully recovered, he was adopted by the woman who had originally found him. The lesson was that no matter how hopeless a situation can seem, these animals count on us for help and to make decent decisions on their behalf. Not every injured animal deserves to be put to sleep on the spot. Sometimes we have to fight for them to live.

Snowy was an owner surrender with her mother, Princess, from a family that finally decided it would be in her best interest to live elsewhere. She had been through a lot and unfortunately lost her eye at around six weeks of age due to "unknown circumstances". The fact that Snowy had only one eye did not stop her from being just like all the other dogs. She had such a good spirit even though she showed signs of trauma and insecurity. Her so called disability did not stop her from enjoying life to the fullest (and in some ways she was more lively than the other dogs!)

​When it came down to finding her a good fit of a home, it was challenging. A lot of people turned away because of her eye. We wanted to do more for her in terms of possibly getting it stitched up and closed, but after multiple consultations were advised that it should not be done (she wouldn't be able to produce natural tears and there was risk of infection as well as other complications). The most important thing to us was that she wasn't in pain and that it wasn't bothering her, which it wasn't! Time passed and she continued to get overlooked until a family came across her availability and committed to making her a part of their pack! The amazing part was that they already had a male pup and he looked

exactly like her! Coincidence or maybe not? The most important thing is that it worked out in the end and now she is enjoying life in a place that absolutely adores her!

Peanut & Butter

Molly was surrendered to our rescue because her family could no longer keep a dog where they lived. This may have been the greatest thing that could have happened to her because it provided an opportunity for her to get out of a rough situation. Even though Molly had a home, she was kept outside and periodically for eight years wandered the streets. Every time she was in heat she would end up pregnant, delivering litter after litter. It got to a point where she was just too old for that. When she arrived at our rescue, the first priority was to get her spayed so that she could never have puppies again. We also took care of her matted fur, fleas, a skin allergy, and her teeth. It took her awhile to recover, but once she did she was a different dog. She gained confidence and her personality started to show. She would hop around the house like a rabbit out of excitement, enjoyed rolling around in the grass at the park, and learned to appreciate every bit of love and attention. We worked to introduce her to toys, treats, walking on a leash, and using the bathroom outdoors. It was time to find her a good fit of a home. There were multiple inquiries to adopt her and we ended up choosing a retired couple with 30+ years of dog experience. It couldn't have been a better match! She now lives an extremely spoiled life and we were happy to assist her in her journey.

Finn was rescued from a dog hoarding situation that had a negative impact on him both physically and psychologically. He came to our rescue significantly underweight with early stages of nail ingrowth and a double ear infection. The worst part was the fact that he had little to no socialization with strangers and generally speaking the outside world. This presented itself in the form of him being extremely skittish and terrified of anything outside of the home environment (unfamiliar loud noises, cars, groups of people, etc). He had never walked on a leash before, wasn't used to the park, wasn't house trained, didn't know what treats and toys were, and was skeptical of every person he laid eyes on. It took months of patience and training to get him in an adoptable state. Just when we thought he found a home through a trial adoption process; Finn was unfortunately returned because he wasn't a good fit. He presented escape-artist tendencies in his new environment which resulted in him running away from his new home. Due to the countless miles traveled across the city, he ended up wearing out and injuring all of his paws. This brought additional challenges in recovery and briefly stalled the process of finding him another home. Eventually his paw pads healed and he got adopted by a wonderful guy. His human dad says that Finn (now named Marley) is his best friend. This happy ending shows that rehabilitation is possible and that dogs are extremely resilient, forgiving, and willing/able to change. It's not by any means easy, but it can and does take place!

Moonlight

Mona

​Mona was found curled up in a ball on the pavement near an elementary school. It was triple digit heat that day and no one knows how long she was out for. Our rescue spotted her near a dead bird while walking the dogs. Her body was covered in larvae, she was pale, severely dehydrated, and hanging by a thread. She was rushed for emergency care with a 50% chance of survival. Her little body was as strong as can be, and fight she did! Mona survived and is thriving until she can be released back into the wild. Thanks for letting us help you Mona and we will never forget you!

Sunshine was brought into the shelter as a stray, supposedly found on the street with another look - alike dog, that may have very well been her son because it looked like she had puppies. The shelter labeled her as "feral" and was not even able to initially examine her upon intake because she was way too fearful and shut down. She basically sat in a corner, shaking uncontrollably out of fear, but showed no aggression. After being caged up for a month and finally becoming more trusting of humans (she stopped hiding and interacted more), Sunshine was adopted. Less than 24 hours later she was ultimately betrayed and returned because she supposedly "had severe separation anxiety which caused her to rip through the crate, scratch up the walls, dig, etc." This was a bunch of LIES which almost ended up costing her life. She went on death row for the second time and that's when we saved her.

​​It was all about socialization the minute she came to our rescue. Link to playtime/coming out of shell: https://youtu.be/6rdlkCHmDXM 

It took awhile for her to decompress but before we knew it, she adjusted and fit right in. Dog friendly, cat friendly, amazing hiking and running buddy, no mean bone in the body - Sunshine flourished. She finally found the perfect home with a loving and patient family (mom, dad, daughter, and two cats)! No more shelters for Sunshine! Hooray! ​

ChaiKing

Molly

Sunshine

Leo & Mareka

Lucie

Lascala

Faith was originally found by a monk at a temple before coming to our rescue. She was under a week old and had not received any nutrition for two days so her prognosis was poor. Orphaned kittens her age need to be bottlefed every two to three hours to have a fair chance of making it. We monitored her closely and had hope that she would pull through because she was fiercely taking the bottle. What could have been a sad ending turned into a story of recovery and survival. Faith opened her eyes and saw the world for the first time and next thing we knew was learning how to walk and eat on her own. She was socialized with dogs in our care and got adopted to a family with an older pup. Yay Faith!

Ms. Monkey was found to be running the street (her home just two doors down from a very busy main intersection in a poor part of town). The mailman confirmed she had been loose for over a month. Her owner was located and Monkey was returned with a request to keep her safe/put her indoors as she got too close to getting hit by cars. Her owner said she would put her inside the house and five minutes later drove off, leaving the gate to the property open, with Monkey once again on the street unattended. Long story short the husband later confirmed she was originally a gift to the kids from a friend and they honestly did not want her. They surrendered her that same day - skinny, insecure, in heat (possibly pregnant), covered in fleas with an awful flea allergy, and with a long history of neglect. She spent six months at our rescue adjusting and getting the feel for what it is like to sleep indoors, get fed regularly, and most of all loved endlessly.  Her skin condition was treated and she looked and probably felt like a new pup. She also befriended every single dog that she came across and played an important role in helping socialize other dogs at the rescue that were shy.  It was thanks to her that some of the special needs dogs with trauma histories had the opportunity to come out of their shell and shine.  She finally found the right fit of a home that welcomed her with open arms, but it was tough losing her since she was an amazing influence. It is heart warming knowing that she is able to spread her gift of love elsewhere.

​One morning, we received an emergency call about kittens in need of rescue.  A woman had brought in her car to a shop for an oil change and the mechanics heard crying when they opened the hood. They discovered two kittens clinging near the engine and radiator area. Not knowing what to do, they pulled them out and placed them in a box. Sending them to an already full animal shelter wasn't an option since underage orphan kittens usually get euthanized if there is not enough staff/volunteers/fosters to bottle feed them. Many do not realize that when they are that young, they must be bottle fed every 2-3 hours and frequently monitored. It's a great amount of work and the outcome isn't always positive. These kittens were covered in oil, flea ridden, had their umbilical cords still attached (estimated to be around two days of age when found), dehydrated, slightly burned, and hanging by a thread. We knew that they deserved a chance at life, especially since they were already survivors in a way. When the woman drove to the shop, she took the freeway, and there is the possibility that there were more of them and that their siblings fell to their death. The good news is that survivors Leo and Mareka thrived under the love and care they received. They both got adopted to wonderful homes months later when they were ready and are very lucky to be alive! 

Glenda and Oak were trapped inside of an empty pool for over 24 hours before our rescue was contacted for aid. They must have somehow fallen in and were unable to climb back out. Their nails were bleeding from scratching at the walls of the pool. By the time we reached them they were slightly injured, dehydrated, and young enough to still need their mother so we couldn't just set them free. Instead we were able to successfully transport them to a wildlife professional who rehabilitated them until they were ready to be released into the wild.  

Glenda & Oak

​It was around midnight when a call was received regarding a crying kitten on a street. It had heavily rained that entire day and the streets were still all wet. The woman that made the call did not know where the sound was coming from but it was persistent and distressing. We drove out to the location and walked the block to try and pinpoint where it was coming from. Half an hour later, the sound was located! There was a tiny kitten stuck in between a car tire and hood - drenched, dirty, and scared. We reached underneath to pull the kitten out and further made several patient attempts to do everything right because it was dark, we did not know if there were any injuries, and we did not want to cause any additional harm in the process. Rescues like this can be dangerous for several reasons: 1) not knowing what the situation may be in terms of how the animal will respond to being rescued 2) crawling under a car in the middle of the night isn't the greatest idea 3) a lot of neighborhoods that these animals are saved from are dangerous. This was the case as the intersection she was on is known for drive by gang related shootings, stabbings, and other crime!  Thank goodness the mission was successful and little Lucie was pulled to safety. It wasn't until we got home that we really noticed how dirty she was and how many fleas she had (around 50). After a nice bath, rest, and a lovely meal, Lucie felt right at home. A few weeks later she got adopted to the best home ever. What a gorgeous and lucky girl!

Moonlight (previously named Cal) was rescued from the streets of South Los Angeles with serious health issues. He was about nine weeks old and battling a severe upper respiratory infection, tapeworm, fleas, ear mites, and untreated ringworm that had significantly spread to different parts of his tiny body. The ringworm had to be treated aggressively with oral liquid medication and sulfur baths every few days. Unfortunately most of his early kitten life was spent in isolation (ringworm is very contagious to other animals and even humans so he was handled with caution and not allowed to socialize). He was on about six different daily medications, but we had hope that he would make it. It took about six months for Moonlight to fully recover and once he did he turned out to be a firecracker of a cat. His favorite thing to do was run around the house and be rambunctious. He loved to wrestle with small dogs and was absolutely fearless. When it was time to find Moonlight a home we ended up choosing a family in Washington who drove thousands of miles for him. What a lucky cat!

Finn

Snowy

Yoda

​Our rescue does not take on birds often, but decided to this time around because it was a very urgent case. ChaiKing was found under a tree at a park severely injured. He had gotten attacked by a predator and was hanging by a thread. It was a miracle that this pigeon survived as they are very likely to die from stress itself. He ended up having so much damage to his wing that flying was completely out of the picture. He remained at our rescue for months and when we finished rehabilitating him, he got transferred to a bird rescue where he was adopted as a pet! These birds are super smart and often don't get enough credit. It was a great experience and we were lucky to be part of his journey!

​Little Stu was found around midnight moving inconsistently across a major intersection. It is very common for opossums to wander around at night, but there was definitely something wrong in the way he was moving. It turned out that he was severely injured at four months of age by what vets thought was a raccoon attack. His entire arm was chewed off, with only the shoulder bone protruding. He was taken to the hospital for surgery and a licensed wildlife rehabilitator stepped up to take over his care. He is one of the luckiest little creatures to have survived such an injury because left in that condition longer, infection would have killed him.  It was an interesting experience to be a part of his rescue story because it's not every day that we come across an opossum in need of help. Go Stu!!!

Faith

Krayon

 We were contacted about a pound-bound dog in need of immediate help in the city of Colton (San Bernandino County). It was about 104 degrees and she made her way into a yard, matted from head to toe and covered in over 200 ticks and fleas. The person who found her could not bring her into the house because of her neglected shape. She ended up having to spend the night in a shed after being soaked with a hose before we even got the news.  Our rescue drove out right away and picked her up and had made efforts to locate a possible owner with no luck. We think she may have been used in a backyard breeding situation (she was full of milk when found with no puppies) and then either escaped or was discarded. It is possible that she was stolen, but again no one had claimed her.

​After being rehabilitated and getting into better shape physically and mentally, the dog whom we later named "Lascala" became available for adoption. She ended up finding the dream home when an amazing older couple read her story and decided to add her to the family. She is spoiled, enjoys play dates with the neighborhood dogs, and gets to live the life that she probably never dreamed she would have! 

 We came across a social media posting about a dog that was found after wandering out on a highway from the desert in the middle of the night. The people that grabbed the ten month old shepherd mix puppy, whom we later named Krayon, could not keep him nor could they tend to his injuries. When our rescue picked him up, we saw how horrifying his wounds were and proceeded to get him medical attention right away. While under anesthesia, our vet examined Krayon and found that his injuries were consistent with someone tying a rubber band around his testicles in a possible attempt to remove them. We couldn't fathom what kind of person would do that - put a dog through torture and perform a medical procedure without proper sedation, pain medication, and expertise! Not only was Krayon in unimaginable pain and discomfort from his raw area hanging out, but he was also slowly dying because of sepsis, an infection that spread, and also the fact that he was skin and bone from starvation. We figured he was likely dumped in the desert to fend for himself on purpose so that he would in fact die. However, he turned out to be one tough puppy that fought to survive, and survive he did! A major factor that played a role in him making it in the desert was that he hung out near the aqueduct and therefore had access to water at least. With summer temperatures way over 100 degrees,  packs of coyotes roaming around searching for an easy kill, and the extent of his injuries - a couple more days out there would have proven to be fatal.

​After receiving emergency surgery to fix his private area, setting aside a good amount of time to recover physically, and adjusting to being loved and cared for, Krayon began his search for a forever home. Socialization and training were key pieces in boosting his confidence level and making him more adoptable since he did not have any of that previously. Frequent park trips, exposure, and love were perfect. 

(Link to dog park video: https://www.magisto.com/video/NkVNKlwNEDNtUhVpYw?l=vsm&o=i&c=c ) . 

Krayon ended up being matched with an amazing family - a retired law enforcement human dad, compassionate human mom, and their older college kids. Nowadays he lives spoiled with the dog beach as his second home. No longer having to suffer, no longer a victim of animal cruelty.