Lone Star Shih Tzu & Lhasa Apso Rescue and Adoption

Carme Burke - surgery fund update

Posted by teresa at 08:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Little Claude, who had major surgery a few months ago AND suffered a horrible stroke just a few weeks after, is looking GOOD.  He's gained weight and is just the sweetest little boy.

HERE is his story.

This is why we do what we do.  Please consider a donation to our General Vetting Fund so that we can continue to save these litte dogs.

GO HERE to donate to our general veterinary fund.  These funds are used for smaller, yet still expensive, surgeries, hospitalization, etc.

Posted by teresa at 12:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We're really busy getting ready for the Halloween holiday at Deogi, but I have to get busy on Carme's fundraising.  We estimated that the entire cost of Carme's treatment, including original x-rays at our vet and Dr. Beale's surgery estimate will total around $3,300.   HERE is the original post about her situation.

As of Wednesday night, less than a week from her scheduled surgery, we have raised $305.  YIKES!

Huge thanks to Sarah Cabello, Marilyn Radler, Doug Cameron, Vicki Wakefield, Darnell Hester, Joyce and Mike Tate in memory of beautiful Star, Jeff Helton in memory of Casey.

We have scheduled her surgery for Tuesday, Nov 3.  If we don't do it then, we'll have to hold off for two weeks while Dr. Beale, the orthopedic miracle worker, is out of town.  This is Dr. Beale with Carme during the consult.  He, like the entire staff at GCVS, totally fell in love with her.

Please help us help this beautiful little girl!  To donate via paypal, PLEASE CLICK HERE.   We can take credit cards USING THIS AUTHORIZATION FORM.  And, of course, if you want to send little Carme a check, GO HERE TO LET US KNOW and these pledges count immediately because we know you'll come through for this baby.

Go HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE CREDIT CARD AUTHORIZATION FORM for any of the dogs.  Fax it to me at 713-583-7816.  

Please visit our Facebook page and join the conversation about Carme.

If you can't decide which little dog to help, go HERE to donate to our general veterinary fund.  These funds are used for smaller, yet still expensive, surgeries, hospitalization, etc.

Posted by teresa at 09:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Good Grief!!  This email was sent to me because someone thought this hairless thing looks kinda lhasa-ish. 

He needs to get out of this animal control facility fast!  Can anyone in Houston foster this boy?

Email me please asap at teresa@shihtzu-rescue.com.

Posted by teresa at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I am just in disbelief right now.  After the year we've had with many very expensive surgeries - Mae Davis, Darden Turner, Chalupa Davis, Baylee Turner, etc, and the horrible state of the economy, here we go again.  We pulled little Carme with the intention of sending her to the Loree Levy-Schwartz and the American Shih Tzu Club Rescue, but unfortunately, this baby had a broken leg.  So, she stayed in Houston so we could fix her up!!

Little adorable Carme Burke.  Carme came to us from the Pasadena shelter.  She is a tiny little shih tzu mix - possibly yorkie or poodle in there somewhere.  Adorable personality.  She was limping when we got her and low and behold she has a broken leg!!

Our vet tried to set the leg, but evidently, the break is several weeks old and has fused in this position already.  So, guess what?  She needs to go see Dr. Beale to have this repaired.

We had the consult with him yesterday.  Dr. Beale manipulated her leg and she cried in pain.  Poor little sweetie - we must repair this for her.  He thinks because of her very young age, even though this is a complicated surgery, she should recover completely and have very little residual pain and/or limp.  He estimates a "repair" bill of at approximately $3,000 and we've already had x-rays done so thats another $300.  Under the current economic conditions, we just have to have the funds on hand before we do any medical procedures. 

Please help us help little Carme Burke.  To donate via paypal, PLEASE CLICK HERE.   We can take credit cards USING THIS AUTHORIZATION FORM.  And, of course, if you want to send little Carme a check, GO HERE TO LET US KNOW and these pledges count immediately because we know you'll come through for this baby.

Go HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE CREDIT CARD AUTHORIZATION FORM for any of the dogs.  Fax it to me at 713-583-7816.  

Please visit our Facebook page and join the conversation about Carme.

If you can't decide which little dog to help, go HERE to donate to our general veterinary fund.  These funds are used for smaller, yet still expensive, surgeries, hospitalization, etc.

Posted by teresa at 06:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Hi there. My name is Cameron. I was asked if I would like to tell you my story so here it goes…

My story starts not too long ago when I was dumped at a local animal shelter by my owner. I don’t think of that person as a mom or anything nice like that you see because she only kept me to breed so that she could have puppies to sell. What a selfish person she was to use me like that and unfortunately I was not the only one. My first owner was a puppy mill breeder. She dumped me at the shelter because I was sick and I looked horrible. I guess she figured she couldn’t make any money off of me if I was sick. I had a skin condition called Demodex. It is caused by mites and although most dogs have a certain degree of mites, my condition was so much worse because it took over my skin and ate at my paws where they were raw and so painful. I was itchy and so uncomfortable. I have heard that I could have gotten so bad from stress or neglect or abuse. I think I had all of that and so that is why I developed this nasty condition. On top of all of that, I was very scared and very shy. I never had any love as a pup and didn’t have much human contact. My life was to breed and that was it. It was pretty miserable and a very lonely sad life for me. And despite being very scared on the day I was dropped off at that big building with all the barking dogs, I was a little relieved that I was no longer at that filthy scary sad place that I used to call home. And despite being sick and looking so badly, I hoped and prayed that I would get a second chance… and I did… This is just the start of my story…

I was picked up from the shelter from a rescue group called Lone Star Shih Tzu & Lhasa Apso Rescue or LSSTLAR for short. They took me in despite my pitiful state and they really showed me for the first time in my short life what love could feel like. I never knew what a wonderful feeling that was until that day. Regardless though, I was still very scared not knowing what was going to happen to me and not being able to trust anyone because of how I was treated my whole life. I stayed at a place called Deogi Dog Daycare, Spa & Resort which was run by Teresa which is the person that rescued me from the shelter. After being there for a while I was taken in by one of the volunteers with LSSTLAR. Her name is Sherry. She used to come by Deogi and help take care of all doggies including me. One day when she was giving me a bath she noticed my feet were raw. The vet gave me some more medication and Sherry decided to take me home with her so that she could take care of me. I thought of Sherry as my mom. She took me in and took such good care of me. She made sure I took my medication, and she fed me and bathed me and loved on me. She tried to show me that I didn’t have to be so scared and that she was there to help me get better and find a new home. I loved Sherry very much but I can’t say I was the best behaved doggie. One time I was in the backyard and without her even knowing it I got out of the yard. I was just curious that’s all. Before I knew it I was lost! Sherry was in such a panic and she drove everywhere looking for me. It wasn’t until 2 days later that she found me. I felt so bad for being such a bad boy but Sherrie didn’t get mad at me. Instead she gave me a big hug and was just so happy to see me again. I never tried that again.

<img I lived with Sherry for just 2 months and in that time I learned a lot. She would always tell me that I have the most wonderful smile and that I was so very special. I was very happy to be with her. In March a lady named Jean contacted Sherry because she wanted to meet me. She and her husband Larry were looking for a sibling for their shih tzu Sammy. I got to meet Jean and Larry and although I was terribly shy, they seemed very nice and I liked them immediately. I think they took a liking to me too and they decided to take me home and make me part of their family! I was so happy and so afraid at the same time. I was happy to have found my forever home but scared that I wouldn’t be what they expected. How wrong I was!

I am now an official member of the family! I have a big brother named Sammy. I love him so much! It’s so much fun to have someone to play with and to keep me company. I am no longer alone. Mom says I’m Sammy’s little shadow. I won’t argue with that. I think I am too but I don’t think Sammy minds it. When I became part of the family I was still scared of mom and dad just because I was not sure how to act around them. I so badly wanted to be a good boy and to impress them. I think bonding with Sammy helped me get closer to my mom and dad. It wasn’t long before that scaredy cat, shy doggie disappeared and this new happier, goofy doggie emerged. I do have a problem with being stubborn but I’m working on it. Mom and Dad still love me anyways. I have such a wonderful life right now. So much better than I could have ever hoped for or prayed for back when I was at that scary shelter. I sleep in a warm bed with my mom, dad and Sammy. I get belly rubs and lots of love first thing in the morning. I get to play with some really cool toys and I now have a big brother to play with. I have become a little clown, or so I have been told. Mom and dad say that I always make them smile and so that makes me smile too. I love that I can make them so happy.

So that is my story. I went from a sick puppymill dog to King of the World… well King of my world anyways. Life is good.

Posted by teresa at 10:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

You all are very well aware that we are very overloaded with cute little dogs here, right?  At least 5-6 dogs come up available in shelters or owners in a weeks time.  Sometimes more.  And when there are puppymill busts - ok, we won't go there.

So since mid September, we've been getting emails and calls left and right.  Our Houston city shelter, BARC, has recently started really, really trying to get as many dogs as possible out.  So, when they start calling, it's hard not to respond.

But, we were getting very, very overwhelmed.  Too many good dogs out there.  We were being asked to take in 19 dogs.  Nineteen dogs! 

So, I got a wild idea and telephoned one of my rescue idols, Loree Levy-Schwartz, the head of the American Shih Tzu Club Rescue.  I asked if she could help!  To my amazement, she said YES!

So, we started rounding up all of the dogs and early Saturday morning, our uber transport volunteer, Sherry and her brother Randy, loaded 18 of them into a van and headed west.

Pictures and story are detailed on our facebook page:  http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=108501&id=57385249104&l=4502e1c8bc.

This is a public album so you don't have to be a facebook member to view.

Enjoy!

Posted by teresa at 06:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I am so unbelievably excited right now!  One of my rescue idols, Loree Levy-Schwartz, who not only runs her husband's veterinary clinic, the Boulevard Pet Hospital in San Jose, California, but also is the head of the American Shih Tzu Club Rescue organization AND has just established a charity to help with abandoned dogs, the Schwartz Family Foundation, is going to yet again step in and help us by taking in a bunch of abandoned little shih tzu.

Practically everywhere in the country, dogs are being abandoned left and right.  We are so overwhelmed, we were looking at literally closing intake because we are so full.  Calls and emails coming in daily, sometimes 3-4 each day - dogs in shelters, dogs whose owners can no long afford them and even breeders getting rid of their "stock" that isn't selling.  But, our little ole rescue just could not handle the numbers coming in.  Not after the 34 breeder dogs in January and another 30+ in smaller batches throughout the spring.

Thankfully, Loree and the American Shih Tzu Club Rescue has stepped in and in about a week, 15, yes count them 15, little dogs will be heading west for a new life!!

Thank you Loree.

Here are some of the candidates.

We really need more foster homes in Texas, Arizona and Louisiana so we don't have to send these adorable cuties away!!  How cute is this one?

If you can foster a dog, please contact us.  We are always needing foster homes.

Posted by teresa at 03:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)