Champ suffered a terrible injury and recovered beautifully! Viewer Discretion Advised.
Today’s rescue video is so important to me… it's a special story of recovery and hope.
My dad (who passed away last year) was injured in a terrible accident when he was 17 years old and spent a whole year in a hospital bed. The doctors told him he would never be able to walk again, but my dad told them, “I will soon dance!”
Through hard work with physical therapists (67 years ago!), he was able to walk, tie his shoes with just one hand (the other was not functional), have six children, and live a long and healthy life. 😊
Like my dad, Champ also suffered a terrible injury (it's possible his leg got stuck in a machine, an electrical gate, or maybe he was hit by one of the trains passing in this area).
Rich Lujan, who reached out to Hope For Paws, informed me that after reviewing the security camera footage, he saw Champ at the refinery at 10 PM, walking on all four legs. However, by the time he found him at 5 AM, Champ only had three legs. 😰
I rushed to the location immediately and approached slowly - an injured animal can be dangerous!
Champ, like the champ that he is, allowed me to comfort him, secure him, and get him to CARES.
Our ability to do rescues like this completely depends on your support. If you can, please join us with a $5 recurring donation that will send us on many more rescue missions.
Champ's behavior throughout his recovery was absolutely amazing and inspiring. According to Google, between 1-2 million people go through amputations every year around the world! It's a traumatic event, and I hope Champ will inspire through his story and show how recovery and happiness are possible.
Please share this video with family and friends - we all know a veteran who was injured, someone who was seriously injured in an accident, or someone who lost a limb due to sickness.
The amazing team at CARES - an emergency trauma doctor, a board-certified surgeon, a rehab doctor, and, of course, the supportive team of technicians, all worked around the clock to help him fully recover.
The story doesn't end here - Champ is now looking for a foster home or a loving forever home.
Our friends at Maison Sûre (who receive our rescue alerts and notified me about Champ early in the morning) will handle his adoption. To apply to adopt Champ, please visit: https://www.MaisonSureLA.org
👉 The family threw him out right before Christmas. 🥺
Kringle had no idea that just days before Christmas, his life was going to take a very bad turn!
Normally, I wouldn't want to share a story like this on Christmas Day, but his name is Kringle, AND this is actually an opportunity to save lives as families and friends gather on this holiday and can have some honest conversations that will protect your four-legged (sometimes three-legged) friends.
It's an important conversation because some people don't have family members or friends willing or able to take their pets if anything happens to them, so other plans should be made. If you need our assistance with that, please let us know, and I'll be happy to discuss it with you - this will be our gift to you, a gift that will give you peace of mind knowing your pets won't end up in a terrible situation like Kringle.
It's better to be prepared for this and have a solid plan, rather than have me get a call from a neighbor. Here is a link to create your own legally valid will/living trust for FREE:
If you would like for Hope For Paws to be your backup plan or your primary plan, please drop me a line, mention it's about a plan for your pet, and I'll personally get back to you:
This video really shows the dedication needed for these animals, and thankfully, our friends at L.A. Animal Rescue were so kind to foster him and complete his rehabilitation. If you would like to adopt Kringle, please contact them directly: https://www.LAAnimalRescue.org
Yesterday, I posted another Christmas rescue video. Elf was small but powerful and managed to survive on the streets. Luckily, a Hope For Paws donor spotted him, tried to assist, and when that didn't work, she called me for help.
After the rescue, I called Patricia and, for a moment, played the role of an elf during a slightly mischievous phone call. 😊
As you will see, when these animals are finally off the streets, some of them really struggle with the traumatic events of their lives and the sudden change to being with us. I am sure part of it is also complete exhaustion from the stressful life on the streets, but that's why we are here, and that's why all the animals we rescue go to foster homes for recovery and rehabilitation.
Sometimes we get a lucky break, and as you'll see in our latest video, little Aslan walked out right in front of my car and wouldn't let me pass until I picked him up. Some rescue stories sound unreal, so it's a good thing my camera was on to show how he really pulled me over. 😄
It's Boxing Day today, and it is all about giving back, showing gratitude, and helping those who rely on our kindness. Today, that spirit lives on when we choose compassion over excess. By donating to Hope For Paws, you are turning a day rooted in generosity into real action for animals who have nothing and no one. Your support helps us rescue, heal, and protect lives that would otherwise be forgotten, proving that the true gift of Boxing Day is mercy in motion.
I really hope to grow in 2026, and I hope you could help me recruit just one new supporter. If we multiply it by the thousands of supporters we have, we will be able to save twice as many animals.
I surprised this homeless Elf and the result was a Christmas Miracle. 🎄🎁
When Patricia called me, I could hear the distress in her voice. She and her husband tried offering the little homeless dog food and water, but he kept running away from them. They have been supporting Hope For Paws for two years, so they knew to call us for help, and I rushed to the location immediately.
Little Elf was standing on the road, so I first encouraged him to move to the sidewalk, and as a thank-you, I gave him a cheeseburger. He was a little nervous and wouldn't eat from my hand, so I had to use the Gentle Snare.
This magical tool is an extension of my arm. It gives the dogs the confidence to get close to me, without being too close. Their false sense of security gives me the split-second opportunity to capture them and change their lives.
The other day, on my way to another rescue, I was thinking about the days when a double cheeseburger cost $ 2.50, so for $5 I could buy two and complete a mission with them, but prices sure have changed, and now for $5 I can only get one. Unfortunately, the same is true for everything else - from veterinary care to dog food. These changes require us to find new supporters who join the Hope For Paws team so we can continue at full speed.
If you can, please join us today with a small Christmas donation, or ask your family members/friends to join us too. The more people on our team, the more lives we can save together.
We received a call about one kitten, but found so many more!
If you follow our YouTube channel, you probably noticed that we have been posting new rescue videos daily! There are so many animals that need our help, and as the nights are getting so cold, it's so much nicer for the moms, dads, and so many babies to be indoors with us. In this video, the moms disappeared, but without your support, their babies wouldn't have survived.
The Sesame Street kittens reminded me of another video with the same theme. On this rescue, we rescued a mom and her baby in Compton, California - right by the freeway.
Oreo and Cookie Monster were loved and fed by kind people in the community, but these dogs needed to have a home where they would be safe. I caught the puppy first, and the mom ran towards me at full speed - I was totally ready for her to attack me. Please watch this super special video - it was seen over 8 MILLION times already:
Make sure to watch until the end because there is a special guest star at the end of the video - someone you probably know very well. 😊
Not a Hope For Paws member yet? Join us today and secure your spot on Santa’s Nice List. 🥰
We couldn't do this work without your support, and even a $5 or $10 donation would be a great help because all these donations add up to create all these amazing miracles! If you would like to have our Lucky Leash, you can get yours here:
We will continue posting new videos daily on our channel and show you how your donation changes lives and gives not just hope, but actual help, medical care, food, a warm bed, and a loving forever home.
Thank you so much for making all these life-saving missions possible. 🐶🙏🐱💖
This week's rescue videos have so many babies that you helped us save! 💝
On Monday, it was a family we rescued right before the big storm that hit Los Angeles.
On Tuesday, we had two dogs (one is a puppy) who were crossing busy roads, and we were really lucky to find and save them.
On Wednesday, we had another family of kittens with their mom. This one shows how some rescues take many hours to accomplish, and we just have to wait and wait and wait until the opportunity presents itself.
On Thursday, it was a mom and a single baby who were waiting for someone to call Hope For Paws for help.
On Friday, it was a whole family that included four adults and four puppies who almost ended up at the shelter after their owner passed away.
Saturday (today), I just shared another video about an abandoned baby who was clearly owned in the past. The video shows the split second between DESPERATION and HOPE! 🥹
We will continue posting new rescue videos every single day, so you will see how your donations are being used to save many lives. 💝
I wish every one of our supporters could help us recruit just one friend to join us as a member. As you can see, the need is so great, and with more funds, we will be able to do a lot more. If we could double the number of supporters, we could easily double the number of animals we save! It's winter, and it's cold outside for these babies who were just born.
If you're not a member yet, please join us today. 🙏
Nine dogs left behind after their owner passed away.
Have you noticed that we are getting more and more calls about situations like this? 😥
A person passes away unexpectedly, no plan in place for his pets, and all of a sudden, nine lives (some were born just weeks earlier) find themselves facing a possible call for the animal shelter (which in Los Angeles is a terrible thing).
Luckily for this family of nine dogs, the woman who cared for this person knew to call Hope For Paws, and we were right there to help. Katie McKittrick and Kai Han headed over, secured all nine dogs, got them to the hospital, and now their future is secure. There is no epic rescue mission here, but it's just yet another reminder to have this honest conversation with ourselves and with our family members and make a plan in case something unexpected happens.
Imagine your pet, on the worst day of his or her life when they lost you, and now their fate is unknown. Being taken to a scary shelter or thrown out to the street - it's definitely not something you want to see from above without the ability to do anything about it.
It's almost the end of the year, time for our New Year's Resolutions, but the one you need to accomplish today (because you promised you'll do it last year) is to set up a plan to keep your beloved pets safe.
Some people don't do it because they worry about the cost of a lawyer, so we solved that problem and partnered with FreeWill so you can complete this whole task for FREE. You can start it now, and finish it over the weekend (it only takes 15-20 minutes). Please don't let another year go by without finishing this task.
Some people are avoiding dealing with it because they don't have a family member or a friend who they would trust with their pet, and we are willing to help with that too. If you need our assistance (even if it is just as a backup plan), please let us know and I will personally call you to discuss. Just start the email with “Hello Eldad” and the email will automatically go to my email box.
Meanwhile, we have to find homes for NINE new dogs, so we had to split them between two different rescue partners.
Our friends at LA Animal Rescue offered to foster Jacob, Bella and Edward and you can apply to adopt them here: https://www.LAAR.org
Our friends at PAL Rescue offered to foster Mimi and her new kids on the block: Danny, Donnie, Joey, and Jordan. To apply to adopt them, please visit: https://www.PALrescue.org
If you're not a Hope For Paws member yet, today is your day! Taking care of so many animals is expensive and your support will help us save even more!
Yesterday, as the sun was setting, I rescued a German Shepherd who was abandoned by his family. It is nonstop here…
Also this week we took in a dog who had a bear trap on her leg… just like Hermione. 😩
Her injury is so severe, and her leg is going to be amputated today because there is just no way to save it…
To our supporters, thank you so much for helping us prevent so much pain and suffering. If you can, please help us recruit one of your friends as a supporter. With twice as many supporters, we can save twice as many animals.
Another senior dog abandoned and left to fed for himself... 🐶💔
As I worked on this video yesterday, I got a call about a woman who passed away and left 10 cats behind without a solid plan. Well, she did have a plan to leave the cats to her friend, but when her friend passed away, she didn't update her will, and now the family doesn't know what to do.
I am working with a friend of mine to figure it out to make sure they are all safe (they are all being fed and taken care as the family is trying to figure out if she had an alternative wish they are not currently aware of).
In this case, the family is kind and doesn't want the cats to end up at the shelter, but this is not always the case, and many times, pets are just thrown out like yesterday's trash.
It's almost 2026, and if you don't have a plan for your pets, please take care of it this weekend. Hope For Paws partnered with FreeWill so people who watch our videos can create their own Wills / Living Trusts FOR FREE here: https://plannedgiving.HopeForPaws.org - It is critical to have a backup plan as well because situations do change (as in the case above).
Please tackle this New Year's Resolution EARLY to ensure the safety of your pets. If you need our assistance or would like Hope For Paws to be the backup plan (or the main plan) for your pets, please email us, and I'll be happy to give you a call and help you with that.
Fiyero from the video above was lucky that someone knew to call Hope For Paws for help, and Katie did a great job securing him. Our friends at L.A. Animal Rescue are now fostering him, so if you would like to give this happy boy a loving forever home just in time for the holidays, please contact them here: https://www.LAAnimalRescue.org
If you missed the video of Winnie and Marcel, please watch it too. 💗
Thank you so much for joining us with your generosity on #GivingTuesday and for helping us get the full match so we could save and change more lives.
Dog rescue takes a weird turn in the middle of the night 😨 #GivingTuesday 🐶
This rescue had a couple of twists, but by working together with volunteers and rescue partners, we figured it all out and ended with an amazing result. 😍🤩
Marcel lived alone on the streets of McFarland, his immune system too weak to fight off the mange that slowly took over every inch of his tiny body.
Our friend, Yesenia Hernandez, who had called us about other dogs in that area, reached out to #HopeForPaws and asked for help. Just as I got ready to head north, she told me that an Animal Control officer got him, but Marcel managed to get away! 😱
He went missing for a few days, completely spooked by the experience, and because of the far distance from Los Angeles, I asked Yesenia to keep a close eye out and let me know when he reappears.
A week later, he did! I rushed up north in hopes of securing him and not letting him go. I was told that if we approached him, he would run away, so Yesenia and I just followed him for hours and waited for him to walk into someone's yard so we could secure him. We also set up a trap, but he was too smart for it and didn't walk into it.
After many hours, he disappeared into the night, and we couldn't find him anymore. Completely defeated, I loaded my trap and prepared for the drive home. On my way back, I had to stop for gas, and that's where I found Winnie, a small female, sleeping by the pumps.
I approached slowly, offered some treats, but she was cautious. I went back to the rescue vehicle, got my gentle snare, and after a few minutes, I managed to secure her. She screamed and cried, but I was able to assure her that this is the best day of her life so far.
We headed back to Los Angeles together, and I notified the team at CARES that we were on our way.
A couple of days later, Marcel, the original dog I went for, reappeared, and animal control got him AGAIN! Marcel was taken to the shelter where he was held for seven days in what is called a "stray hold" (In case there was an owner looking for him). We pleaded with the shelter to let us take him and provide him medical care until his hold period ends (we knew no one was coming for him), but they refused.
A week later, Marcel became adoptable, so our friends at Maison Sure did all the paperwork, and Yesenia volunteered to give him a freedom ride to CARES, and here we started treatment.
The recovery of both of them is beautiful and I hope that on this #GivingTuesday you will support us and help us maximize the matching gift we really hope to get: https://www.hopeforpaws.org/campaigns/season-hope
We are 23% of the way there, but I really need every one of you who have read this far to help us with a small donation. As you can see, Hope For Paws supporters make so many miracles happen.
Winnie is now fostered by our friends at I Stand With My Pack and to apply to adopt this sweetie, please contact them directly: https://www.istandwithmypack.org
Marcel is fostered by our friends at Maison Sure and even though he is still going through the healing process, he is not contageous to humans or other dogs, so to adopt this happy little boy, please contact them directly here: https://www.maisonsurela.org
If you have ever wished someone would step in for an animal in danger, this is your moment to be that person. Even the smallest gift helps us save more lives together. 💝
It Took a Village to Save This L.A. River Dog and then we learned how he got there 😧
In the video, I forgot to mention that Lino was shot and had a pellet removed from his leg! This dog has been through A LOT, his life was in immediate danger as a big storm was approaching Los Angeles, but with help from a few amazing people who called Hope For Paws, organized volunteers to help me, and donors who make it all happen, we managed to turn his life story around!
Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season, and a generous donor offered to match up to $100,000 of your donations for medical care for the animals. Lino survived because someone donated last week. If you do the same, you’ll help me save the next one waiting tonight:
Lino's story teaches an important lesson. A Good Samaritan with real good intentions rescued him, took him to the vet, had a BB-gun pellet removed from his leg, she got him neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. She then found someone was wanted to adopt him, and just handed him over without any screening, no paperwork, and sure enough, when Lino somehow got away from them, they didn't even call her to let her know he was missing. In fact, they completely ghosted her once they had him in their possession and wouldn't provide any updates.
The microchip number led me to the clinic that treated him, the number for the Good Samaritan was off by a digit, but we managed to figure it out through some investigative work. The Good Samaritan was upset about the turn of events but was very grateful for our offer to help him find the perfect home.
Storm drain rescue with more animals than I expected! 🙀🙀🙀🙀🙀
A few days before Halloween, we experienced our first rainstorm here in Los Angeles, and it was a significant one! Andrea Martinez, who worked in this construction area, noticed three kittens and their mom in a storm drain, and knew they would be in serious trouble if the place floods.
I headed to the location with Katie McKittrick, and with Andrea's help, we successfully accomplished this rescue. It's a busy day here so I won't tell you the whole story and just ask that you watch and share so we can find this family loving forever homes for the holidays. Elvira, Hexa, Nyx, Voodoo, and Spook would really appreciate it your help with that!
If you are not a Hope For Paws supporter yet, please consider joining us with a $5 monthly donation. All these rescues are possible because many people contribute small donations that add up to create these beautiful miracles.
Thank you so much for celebrating this holiday with us! I will tell you that it is BEST to watch these two videos on a larger screen (on a computer or a TV) because there are a few little treats in these videos that just require extra pixels. 👻
He roamed for many miles through empty fields and drifted onto this haunted property. 👻
Two weeks before Halloween, Yesenia Hernandez reached out to Hope For Paws for help with a homeless dog - roaming the vast fields, south of Bakersfield. She told me the dog has some kind of weird skin disease, wouldn't come to people, and she knew that if animal control got him, it would be terrible for this dog because they wouldn't have the resources to care for him or rehabilitate him. I drove up north for 2 hours, met with Yesenia, and together we started searching for him.
After spotting him, I asked Yesenia to stay close to him while I moved the Hope For Paws rescue vehicle closer so I could have all my equipment within reach. For long-distance rescues, I always take as much equipment as possible, so I have multiple options to improvise and accomplish the mission in one trip.
The interesting thing about this little guy is that he kept a safe distance from me, but he didn't leave. Even as I added more components to this rescue attempt (a trap, fences, soccer nets), and he could have just left, he stayed close to me.
As I was trying different things, Yesenia waited patiently and watched from a distance. In cases like this, it's best to let the dog focus just on one person and not worry about other “threats”. You know Yesenia's name from this special video I posted a while ago:
Earlier this week, while I was talking to Yesenia, I learned that she was the one who also alerted us about Mickey, Minnie and Mortimer from this video:
After completing the rescue of today's star, I posted his picture on our Instagram account, and one name offered by a few people stood out: BEETLEJUICE! If you don't follow our work on Instagram, please click here - we post new videos daily: https://www.instagram.com/hopeforpawsrescue
When I got to the hospital, we were trying to figure out what was wrong with his skin. Wherever his skin was pink, his fur was long and white, and wherever the skin was darker, the hair was very short or nonexistent. The test results didn't indicate anything abnormal, which left us to realize that he is probably a Chinese Crested mix. This means that whoever adopts him will have the most unique-looking dog with the most special coat. 😊
Our friends at Maison Sûre offered to foster him, and he has made beautiful progress. He loves dogs, cats, and even though he is initially scared of people, once he warms up to you, he loves you! He spent 3 nights sleeping in my bed, and that did 90% of the work.😄 Please visit their website to fill out an adoption application for him.
Tomorrow I will post another Halloween video - especially for those of you who love cats and kittens. 💖
To help us continue saving lives, please join us today with a small monthly donation. These donations help us do this work every day and help so many animals. I just visited CARES and the hospital is completely full! Not even one cage or run is empty. Your donation would help us save many more souls from a terrible fate.
Their bond kept them alive… their rescue gave them hope. Meet our Thelma and Louise. ❤️❤️
These two German Shepherds are so amazing! They survived together for almost a year thanks to the kind people who fed and cared for them. Finally, someone saw them and realized they deserved more than that. My friend Sylva Kelegian reached out to her friends at German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County, and they said that if Hope For Paws could get them and provide them with medical care, they would foster them.
I headed out to Compton, searched for about an hour, and finally found them. I could immediately see how sweet Thelma and Louise are, and whoever adopts them would be so lucky to have such healthy, loving dogs. (Both are now spayed, vaccinated, and microchipped.)
I'm so happy they won't spend another winter outside. The nights are already getting colder, and they are much happier sleeping on the sofa. 😊😊
We would LOVE for you to join us with a small donation so we can continue doing this work. There are many more who need our help, and with your support, we can be there for them.
Please make sure to watch until the end so you'll see their great personalities, and you'll see our brand new filming room!
Last but not least, I really need your help with finding them a home. Please share this video on your social media networks so we can reach as many people as possible.
To apply to adopt them, please contact German Shepherd of Orange County here: https://www.gsroc.org
I have been consistently posting daily on Instagram, and I hope you will join us there too for daily updates, fun stories, and behind the scenes look at our work: https://www.instagram.com/hopeforpawsrescue/
Saving a Life in the Land of Mammoths and Sabretooth Tigers 🐾
This rescue took place right next to the La Brea Tar Pits - a place where Mammoths and Sabretooth Tigers lived 40,000 to 11,000 years ago.
The nights are getting cold, homeless kittens crawl into engines for warmth, and before they know it, they are on dangerous rides on the freeway! Luckily, little Mammoth survived the trip, but getting him out of the engine was tricky.
Our supporters helped us purchase these amazing new traps that trick almost all the cats and kittens out there because the traps make them all believe they can escape them.
After I got Mammoth to CARES and bathed him, he asked me if he could meet Paddington, the dog Loreta Frankoynte and I adopted. I told him I could arrange that, and Paddington was happy to come over and play in our new filming room. You can also see them on Paddington's page: https://www.instagram.com/xoxopaddington
To help us save more lives, please consider joining us with a small donation here:
Later this evening, my dear friend and Board of Directors member of Hope For Paws (and Oscar Winner), Jaime Ray Newman (in the red dress), will spin the Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. She will try to win some rescue money for Hope For Paws, and I can't wait to see how this turns out.
You probably know Jaime from the recent show The Hunting Wives that aired on Netflix a couple of months ago, and the competitors tonight are all from the show. The show will air tonight (October 17) on ABC 8/7c and will stream on Hulu.
I hope you will enjoy the show and keep your fingers crossed for us.
Dog was hit by a car in the desert and needed urgent medical care. Watch until the end. ❤️
It's absolutely crazy how many animals are dumped in the desert and are left to die! I don't understand how these people can sleep at night.
McDuffie was hit by a car, suffered a terrible injury, and was luckily spotted by an 86-year-old woman who invited him to her house and called Hope For Paws for help.
Katie McKittrick drove three hours to the desert to pick him up, introduced herself to this sweet boy, and then drove three hours back to CARES. It was pretty late, so I waited at the hospital along with the medical team so we could start treatment right away. You can see by the look of his eyes that he just wanted to be helped and loved. Our supporters rallied and helped us raise the funds for his surgery right away! 💝
If you are not a Hope For Paws member yet, please join us today with a small donation and help us pay for tomorrow's surgeries and complex dentals.
On Friday, I rescued a senior poodle mix, and he needs a major dental - the bone in his jaw can't even hold his teeth. 😓
We do many rescues in the desert, and one of my favorites is this family with a mom and her puppies that Loreta and I rescued with a clever little trick:
The great news is that our friends at Maison Sûre found McDuffie a great foster with one of the veterinary technicians at CARES, and they fell in love and adopted him! McDuffie now gets to run and play as if his leg was never broken!
Please watch the video until the end - the footage filmed by his adoptive dad is beautiful! ❤️
Thank you so much for supporting our efforts! Tomorrow I will post a new video here: https://www.HopeForPaws.org
Homeless standard poodle + Hope For Paws' 17th Anniversary
Homeless standard poodle was hoping that someone would call us.
When Elizabeth Barajas texted me on the Hope For Paws emergency line, she shared with me that she feeds feral cats in an industrial area in Los Angeles.
One day, on her daily feeding routine, a matted dog showed up in search of food. The dog found the cat food, and she enjoyed the free meal.
Elizabeth offered her some food from the other side of the fence, but the dog wouldn't approach her, so she texted me. I was out of town the day I got the message, but I was scheduled to arrive that night and promised to be out there first thing in the morning.
I spent the whole next day waiting and searching, but she never showed up. I updated Elizabeth and told her, “I hope Animal Control didn't get him” (she thought it was a male), but she said, “No way they could have caught him”.
Seeing a video clip of her running, I decided to bring backup, so the next morning, Idan Riek and Katie McKittrick joined me. We split into two teams in search of the dog, and after a long search, I finally spotted her sleeping on someone's property!
I don't want to share the whole story in writing… it is best to watch it (until the end so you can see the complete transformation). 😊
Today is a special day because today we're celebrating the 17th anniversary of Hope For Paws!!! It is special because most organizations don't last this long (Median lifespan for pet rescues: 5–7 years) - most close due to burnout, lack of funds, or high emotional toll.
The only reason we are still here and going strong is YOU! Supporters like you make sure that all the animals we rescue receive the medical care they need, and that's why we don't burn out. We witness the most heartbreaking situations, but we can often fix almost everything. We are facing challenging obstacles, but we have the tools and skills to accomplish rescues that no one else can. It's also important to understand that most of the animals we help don't have a video or an exciting rescue story - they come from shelters with broken bones, giant tumors, and they all go to CARES for medical treatment. The team includes a board-certified surgeon, a trauma specialist, and a dedicated dream team of technicians who are working 24/7/365 to ensure the best care.
Because of you, hope is not just a word—it’s a lifeline, and every life we save is truly your legacy.
If you are not a member yet, please join us today with a small donation and it will be matched!
Look at Empress sleeping in my bed - finally clean, eating healthy food, resting comfortably without a worry in the world. 💖
Tomorrow I'll be celebrating my 50th birthday, and it would mean the world to me if you could convince one of your friends to join us so we can save more lives.
Thank you so much for sharing our stories and for standing with us for all these years.
I will forever have scars on my hand to remind me of this very special boy. In true poodle nature, he was a fighter. He was badly injured and didn’t trust anyone. Eldad warned me not to grab him, but we had so many things going against us on this rescue that if we lost him in that desert area full of coyotes, he wouldn’t have made it another night. His injury also needed immediate care or he would have gotten sepsis. We were running out of time, so I did what I felt in my heart that I needed to do.
This was my first serious bite; he wouldn’t let go of my hand (and I didn't let go either). The pain was excruciating! It felt like my nails were ripped out, but a few moments later, Washington realized that we were there to help, and he wagged his tail!!!
Of course, we took him to the hospital first, and then it was my turn to be rescued (Urgent Care 🤦).
Washington had surgery and healed perfectly without having to lose his badly injured paw. He is such a happy boy now!!! All is forgiven and as I always say, it was worth it and I’d do it all over again even if they bite me. Trust me, the bites didn’t end there, but this rescue taught me that I don’t let go even if I am in pain, and that gave me a huge confidence boost for many rescues to come. I still don’t let go. 😂
Today I want to share three of my favorite bunny rescues just for fun!!!
If you missed the update on our office from yesterday, here is a link for you - we FINALLY got the permit to rebuild our roof!!! https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIpLQpKzPH8/
Abandoned dog bites Loreta even though she offered her cheeseburger. 😄
Poor Loreta takes another bite and yet continues coming to work. 😄
We got very lucky on this rescue because this dog didn't trust anyone except for Gustavo, who fed her daily. Luckily, he agreed to become a Hope For Paws volunteer that day, and he helped us accomplish the mission.
I blocked the stairs to prevent Sassy from making a crazy attempt to escape, and Loreta moved forward to secure her with her Lucky Leash.
If your dog doesn't have a Lucky Leash yet, today is a great day to get him or her one:
Sassy continued to her foster home with our friends at L.A. Animal Rescue, and she is now ready for adoption. To apply to adopt her, please visit: https://www.LAAnimalRescue.org
Last week, our Paddington invited Sassy to see tulips in full bloom, so please make sure to watch the video until the end. Afterwards, they spent some time together and shared stories about their lives before they were rescued.
Paddington watched the editing process on the screen, and he was barking orders through the screen. 😄
Some of you may have missed what happened to our office. A reckless driver crashed into our office, and in her path, she also hit a fire hydrant. All the water from the fire hydrant landed on our roof until it eventually collapsed.
The situation here is quite difficult and pretty depressing. We still haven't gotten approval to rebuild the roof - it's challenging with permits, especially after the disaster we had with the fires here in Los Angeles just two weeks before the destruction of our office.
For now, we took all the walls and the ceiling down. We had to remove all the cabinets because they suffered from severe water damage, we sent all the destroyed electronics for recycling, and sent everything that survived to storage until construction is completed. We continue drying everything (which is challenging since we don't have a roof - in the picture below, you can see sunlight passing through). 😓
Luckily, most of our work is on the streets and then continues in the different hospitals we work with, so thanks to your support, more animals are being rescued.
I really appreciate your support, and if you haven't done so yet, I hope you will join us with a small recurring donation.
Their mom went to search for food and never returned. 😿😿😿
Kitten season is here early because we don't have a winter this year. Homeless cats have to cross dangerous roads in search of food, and many don't make it back to their babies…
Office update: as many of you know, our office was destroyed last month and we lost everything - computers, cameras, rescue equipment - a total disaster.
We still don't have a roof, and it's just a nightmare to look up and see the sky, especially knowing rain might be coming this weekend. We also have a wall that partially collapsed, so it's a structural issue that will take time to fix. Between engineers, plans, permits, and finding workers after the fires we had here, things are quite challenging here in California.
We're still working to recover a lot of the data (videos we filmed and never got to edit). A few people asked if we don't have everything backed up to a cloud, and the answer is that these videos require a lot of space, and it would cost too much money to store all these terabytes in the cloud and there is no justification for that - this was a freak accident, and hopefully it will never happen again.
Meanwhile, we continue working because there are many sad cases out there, and thanks to your support, we are their only hope.
If you can, please join us today with a $5 recurring donation.
Just two days before the Hope For Paws office was destroyed, we received a text about a German Shepherd stuck in the L.A. River for many days. The closest entry point to this segment of the L.A. River was many miles away, but as soon as Cesar spotted him and threw food down, Cobra stayed at the same location.
Loreta Frankonyte told our little Paddington (who doesn't like to stay alone) that this was important and that she had to go with me. Being a rescued dog himself, he understands that, and today, he asks that you watch his Valentine's Day video: https://www.instagram.com/xoxopaddington 💞
Just two days before the rescue, I bought a hand winch, and it was just perfect for this rescue because lifting him without it would have been a nightmare! 🥵
After going down to the river, I had to walk towards the dog and hope he wouldn't bolt and run for miles.
I don't want to give the story away... it's best to just watch.
The timing of this rescue was perfect because heavy rains started in Los Angeles last week, and the river is now full of water! This place gets flooded really fast!
Cobra did have an old collar that used to have an Apple AirTag on it, but the AirTag was long gone, and because he doesn't have a microchip, I had no way to track his owners (I looked at all the websites available for finding lost pets, and couldn't find him anywhere).
Please share this video, so maybe we can help him find his way back home. 🥹
Meanwhile, our friends at LA Animal Rescue offered to foster him until we figure it out, but you are more than welcome to fill out an adoption application for him. Chances are, the owner will never appear... I've been doing this for a long time now, and it's so rare that they do show up: https://www.LAAnimalRescue.org
He is a really happy dog, playful, cool with other dogs - just a perfect German Shepherd!
It's Valentine's Day, and I hope you will show Hope For Paws some love with a small donation.
A GPS tracker on an injured dog led us to a den full of puppies! 🛰️🐕
What do you think, should I hire Rebecca??? The credit for the clever idea that saved this whole family belongs to Rebecca Walker. She is a school teacher, but when she spotted Sherlock and Olivia searching for food, she felt that Olivia was hiding babies somewhere.
Rebecca couldn't touch Olivia, who was pretty shy, but Sherlock was friendly and enjoyed human contact. Rebecca had an idea, and she placed an Apple Airtag on him, but because this was in a rural area, there were not enough signals to mark his location. She then ordered a GPS tracker, and that did the trick! She found the location, and even though Hope For Paws is located 4 hours south of that location, she reached out to us for help.
I needed a name for the computer in order for pain meds to be prescribed. I figured since smart detective work was needed here, he should have this name. 😊
I arrived at the rescue location the night before the actual rescue because he needed pain medication for his injured leg. Rebecca didn't think it would be a good idea for me to approach the den (it was completely dark there in the middle of nowhere), and she was concerned the family would move the puppies to a new location. I agreed, handed her the medication, and drove away. Rebecca gave Sherlock the medication so he could sleep pain-free that night.
The following day, Katie, Kai, Rebecca, and I met at the rescue location to save the whole family. True Disney fans would know how the name Olivia came up, and the babies... well, they were all born in an agricultural area, so we named the SEVEN FEMALES: Strawbery 🍓, Lemon 🍋, Kiwi 🥝, Mango 🥭, Peaches 🍑, Cherry 🍒, and Clementine 🍊. The ONLY BOY was named Banana 🍌. 😄
Rescues like this are possible only thanks to our supporters, who enable us to drive these long distances with all the needed equipment and get all of them the best medical care. Sherlock had orthopedic surgery for his dislocated hip, and he feels great! Olivia was spayed, and the puppies will all be fixed as soon as they are old enough.
If you are not a Hope For Paws member yet, please join us today with a small donation so that together, we can save many more lives. 💗💗💗💗💗
For some reason, our TikTok account is not working yet (the APP thinks our account was created in Canada, so it still has that ban). While I hope it will be fixed soon, here is a link to our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeforpawsrescue/reels/
To apply to adopt Sherlock, Olivia, or one of the puppies, please contact our friends at L.A. Animal Rescue: https://www.LAAnimalRescue.org
Thank you so much for helping us save these special dogs.
Oh, before I forget - I can't hire Rebecca because I already asked, but her biggest passion is teaching kids. 😊👍
This was one of the most challenging rescues of my life!!! 😰
After a full day of work here in Los Angeles, I received a call about a critical emergency - all the way on the border between California and Oregon!
You can skip reading the blog, and I will just ask that you join us today with a special end-of-year donation so we can continue saving lives. Your donation today will be DOUBLED and could be TRIPLED!
Cory Mitcham texted me this picture to the Hope For Paws emergency line:
She told me about a puppy who fell down a water well in Macdoel, California (population: 143 people). I was in my car (after completing another rescue) and was on my way to CARES, so I asked her to please get me the contact information for the people on the ground there who could tell me more about this situation.
I quickly learned from David Scott and Jovahny Vazquez that the puppy had fallen into the water well three days ago and that all rescue attempts had failed! The local Fire Department also joined the effort but said they had no way to save the puppy's life.
Cory, who has been following my work for 20 years now, remembered seeing the rescue video of Jessie, and she figured that I should be able to save him.
Jovahny, who was there for three days, kept throwing food down and with his sister tried every trick they could think of. Over the phone, he told me that he estimates the well to be about 100-110 feet deep!!! I was really worried about the 110 ft. option because my sewer camera can only go down 100 ft.
He then told me that local farmers decided to kill the puppy that evening and end his misery. I told him: DO NOTlet them shoot or drown the puppy and that I am on my way (it's a 650-mile drive or 1,000 kilometers after I've been working for 12 hours that day already).
Jovahny, who lost all hope at this point, tried to discourage me from coming all this way; he didn't want me to waste my time. I told him I was the only hope for this puppy and shared Jessie's video with him just to increase his confidence in my abilities. The one thing I asked him to do was to meet me at the location and assist me.
The drive was so long!!! By midnight, I reached Sacramento, and I had to pull over and sleep for one hour just so that I could drive the next five hours safely. By 6:30 A.M., I reached the rescue location—a remote location in farmland—no address, just a pin on the map.
Unlike Jessie's rescue - this one was much tougher! The well was deeper, and I had this bulky water pump going all the way down! I called the puppy, but I didn't hear a sound… this was not a good start.
It is important to know that in the past year, we had two more calls about kittens in wells - one in Ohio that ended with the kitten freezing to death a couple of hours before I got there, and another one I did with Loreta where the kitten drowned just 20 minutes before we got to the location (in Northern California). 😢😢
I lowered my sewer camera and was relieved to see that the well was “only” 60ft deep and that the puppy was alive!!! I had no idea if all his bones were broken, but I knew I had to move fast because it was extremely cold down there and every breath may be his last.
Jovahny joined me, and we worked together to try to save the puppy!!! The puppy was not very responsive, it was extremely cold down there, and, I struggled to get the loop around his neck.
After 3.5 LONG hours, I finally managed to get the loop around the puppy's neck!!! (I was really hoping to get it around his torso, but that was not possible). I warned Jovahny that it was possible the puppy would die during this attempt from strangulation but explained that we had no other choice.
I pulled him as quickly as possible… It took 1 minute and 5 seconds to pull Jessie (the kitten), as he got stuck along the way, but I managed to bring the puppy up in 32 seconds!!!
We immediately removed the loop from around his neck - PHEW!!!!!!!!!!! 😅👍
I decided to name the puppy from the well - Wellington.
I immediately gave him some sugar water with a syringe, and even though I was equipped with an IV to give him fluids, I determined it wasn't urgently necessary and elected to follow Jovahny to Klamath Falls in Oregon, where his sister, Jocelyn Vazquez alerted the team at Pet Medical Centerto expected our arrival. They quickly gave him fluids, pain killers, X-rayed him, and discovered that NOTHING was broken; he suffered from minor head trauma and some soft tissue pain, but within an hour, we were both in a motel for a much-needed NAP!
I can't stress this enough - this baby would have been dead without our supporters!!! 💝💝💝
Driving 1,300 miles/2,000km (round trip) is like driving from Tijuana, Mexico, across the United States, all the way to Vancouver, Canada!!! It is exhausting, dangerous, and expensive, and I can do it only when we have funds for missions like this.
If you are not a Hope For Paws member yet - please join us today! A small donation from many new members will help us save these precious lives. If you donate today, your donation will be DOUBLE, and it could be TRIPLED!
The happy news is that Jovahny's mom and dad decided to adopt Wellington, and I went to visit them over the weekend. This kid is now 7 months old, weighs 65 pounds, and is still growing!!!
This video is dedicated toHarold E. Hafliger II, who loved Hope For Paws and recently passed away. His caretaker, Amanda Dunlap, shared with me that they would always watch Hope For Paws rescue videos together. ❤️
Harold recently passed away and left a generous donation to Hope For Paws in his will, and we are honored to carry out his legacy.
Amazingly, Harold is from Klamath Falls - the same town where Wellington found his loving forever home! If Harold was still alive, he would have lived just 12 minutes away from Wellington. I am so sad he missed him by a couple of months, but I know he enjoys watching him from above. 🤗
Please don't forget to make a plan for your pets this year. We partnered with FreeWill so you can create your own Will / Living-Trust for FREE and ensure your pets will always be protected.
His family just started an Instagram page for him and if you'll follow him, you'll keep seeing him as he grows: https://www.instagram.com/wellingtonthegreat_
Thank you so much for being a part of our team and for enabling me to go on these missions.
Rocket was homeless and needed medical care. She is such a sensitive girl, and when kids started playing with fireworks, she got really scared and hid under a car.
Her recovery took a while, but thanks to our supporters, she is now doing incredibly well!
Guest starring in this video is our Champ. His rescue video is NOT for everybody - his injury is severe, and for most people, it is hard to watch. (Please do not watch this one with your kids).
We named her Rocket after receiving a crypto donation, and it reminded me of Moon and her puppies from this video:
If you would like to donate crypto to Hope For Paws, please click here:
Your donation will also be DOUBLED if you send us an end-of-year donation via check to:
🐶 Hope For Paws 😺 3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd #140 Studio City, CA 91604
Tomorrow morning, I will post an EPIC rescue video - the grand finale for 2024!!!
Thank you so much for supporting Hope For Paws and for making all these rescues possible - it is just amazing what you have helped us accomplish! ❤️❤️❤️
It's amazing how often we're called to save abandoned dogs. Luckily for Rowlf, Mary Chatman spotted him, texted the Hope For Paws rescue line, and Katie immediately rushed to the rescue location.
Mary Chatman has been our eyes and ears in the South Central area for over a decade! She called us about so many animals - some of them are the most famous Hope For Paws dogs ever!
Back in 2012, Hope For Paws really struggled to stay alive. I posted Fiona's video in 2011, but it didn't do very well. In 2012, I decided to re-edit her rescue video, I posted it again, and sure enough, that version went viral and everything changed! We were able to reach many new supporters, and this one dog changed the lives of tens of thousands of animals over the years.
Yara was another special dog we rescued thanks to Mary. Her rescue video begins with a phone call between Mary and I - it was a dangerous rescue right by the freeway and could have gone wrong in so many ways. 😰
To complete this mission successfully, I had to call Loreta and ask her to join me - it was just impossible to do this one alone.
Earlier this year, Mary called us about two dogs living under a trailer. The timing of this rescue was so amazing because just a few hours later, one of them had given birth to five little puppies:
Right before the 4th of July, she called us about Patriot:
The most recent one was the rescue of Maggie Mae where you actually get to see Mary do the rescue herself:
I hope all these videos are a good reminder to the importance of having Hope For Paws on the ground every day!
Thank you so much for helping us save so many lives. 💝
It is your generosity that helps us save homeless animals and get them to surgery as quickly as possible. Adam and Chester were both victims of hit-and-run accidents (different locations).
Adam waited for three days for someone to call for help. Just 15 minutes away from that location, Chester was actually seen getting hit by a car by my friend Mary, and she sprung into action.
Their recovery is so beautiful to watch, and I hope you will consider a special holiday gift so we can save more animals in need before the holidays.
If you missed Grace's, Tuna's, Biscuit's and Kenneth's rescue videos from earlier this week, here they are for you:
Thank you so much for helping us save these animals, provide them with medical care, and place them in foster homes until their final destination in a loving forever home.
Have a happy holiday season! We will be there the whole time - the animals need us 365 days a year.
Homeless people shared their food with homeless dogs ❤️🤗
Samson and Delilah (3-legged dog) lived on the streets and needed our help. Luckily, Maria knew to text Hope For Paws, so I rushed over. It was so special to see Samson loving the woman who fed him.
As I was getting ready to place my Lucky Leash around him, Maria told me she had found a three-legged dog a few days earlier and asked if I could take her too.
These two dogs thrive in their foster home and it is just so amazing to see them playing together! Please watch the video until the end.
Thanksgiving is almost here, and I just wanted you to know I am thankful for your support and for enabling us to save so many animals.
We have a matching campaign for the holiday and I hope you can join our team 🙏
A homeless dog was hit by a car and collapsed at a nearby park
Magnolia was hit by a car and managed to get to a nearby park, where she collapsed. Luckily for her, Mindy Allen spotted her and reached out to me. The picture she sent was concerning, and I was really concerned about the severity of her injury.
I rushed her to CARES, where medical treatment began right away. Nothing was broken, but she was in pain. Treatment included painkillers, laser therapy, massages, and acupuncture. I had to leave town as all of this was happening, and I was just amazed by the incredible recovery I got to see just 5 days later!
Abandoned Pit Bull hid under a car for a whole day and wouldn't move 🥺
I was worried that Paris may be injured because of her behavior... I approached slowly, she retreated, and then... well, you'll have to watch and see what happened.
(I will tell you that the video ends with the French National Anthem AND a French Kiss, so you know it will be happy). 💙🤍❤️💋
I'm sure you noticed that we have been posting many more videos lately, and it's all thanks to you!!! Every life saved is because of you, and I can't thank you enough for standing by us and believing in our mission. Together, we are changing the world, one rescue at a time. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Our address has changed recently, so if you would like to send a card, a toy, or a check donation, here is the new address:
Hope For Paws 3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd #140 Studio City, CA 91604
Also, did you know that OCTOBER is known as CARtober? So many people have an old vehicle in their driveway or on their property, vehicles that you'll never use or will probably never get around to fixing. Did you know you can donate your car and help us save more lives? We partnered with an organization named CARS and they will pick up any kind of vehicle, working or not, will give you a tax deduction for your donation, and will send Hope For Paws the check. Pickup from your place is done in all 50 states: https://www.hopeforpaws.org/donate-your-vehicle❤️
Our friends at L.A. Animal Rescue, who connected me with Krissie and Ashley, offered to foster Paris, and they will handle her adoption. To apply to adopt her, please visit: https://www.LAAnimalRescue.org
Please share this video with your family and friends.
Thank you so much!
Eldad
p.s. Paris got to meet Champ (both rescued during the Olympic Games). Champ's rescue video resulted in us losing many followers who couldn't handle seeing his terrible injury. This video is tough to watch and is NOT for kids!!! Please do not invite them to watch it. Here is the link:https://www.hopeforpaws.org/blog/Champs_rescue_video - if you decide to watch, please subscribe to our channel and help us grow. Champ is still looking for a loving forever home, so I really need to get more eyes on him. Thank you!!! ❤️
Abandoned desert dog had to fight for her life every day! 🌵🐶🐍
G.I. Jane survived only thanks to the kindness of nurse Erica Tagalicud and the veteran G.I. Joes, who left food for her.
It's a busy day here, so the whole story is in this video, but the most important thing right now is to find G.I. Jane a foster home or a loving forever home.
She LOVES dogs and is still a little nervous about people, but we're making progress every day, but of course, being in a home environment will speed things up.
Our mailing address changed recently, so if you would like to send a donation via check, here it is for you:
Hope For Paws 💌 Laurel Canyon Blvd #140 Studio City, CA 91604
Our friends at Maison Sûre are fostering Milton and they will handle his adoption. To apply to adopt him, please visit: https://www.MaisonSureLA.org
They are also fostering Mickey and Minnie who are looking for their forever home:
Last but not least, they are looking for a loving forever home for Champ (This video is not easy to watch! Definitely NOT for children as it shows a horrible injury).
His recovery is just amazing, so if you don't want to see the medical stuff, just skip to the end (the 8-minute mark) to see him happy and playful.
Thank you so much for your support and for helping us save all these lives. 💝
Dog with an embedded collar lived under a car with another dog and a cat. 😰
Someone put a string around Mickey's neck when he was a puppy, and as he grew, the string got embedded deeper and deeper in his flesh. 😰
I was told that Mickey had a friend with him (Minnie), but when I arrived at the rescue location in Central California, I was approached my Mortimer, a cat who lived under a car with them. Luckily, I always carry an extra trap for cats - just in case I come across a cat in need, and Mortimer definitely seemed sick to me. (I suspected FIV, and sadly, I was correct).
Mickey was really nervous, so I knew I must capture him first. He was very scared of people, and it took a while until I was able to get him exactly where I wanted him. (You will have to watch the video to see how that worked).
Next up it was Minnie who was also nervous, but she really liked my cheeseburger. After I secured her, she freaked out! Minnie probably never had a leash around her, so she panicked!
While dealing with Minnie, Mortimer grabbed my cheeseburger, and that was not good because now he had no reason to walk into my trap. I used a very unusual method to get him, and I am very lucky I didn't get injured!
After the rescue, I had a long drive to CARES. The doctor had already left for the day after a long day of surgeries, but she came back for Mickey.
Rescues like this require long drives, time, patience, improvisation, and a lot of money for medical care. When you donate to Hope For Paws, you have a part in every one of these rescues!!! We want to do more, but we need to grow our team of supporters. Please join us today with a small donation.
Our friends at Maison Sûre offered to foster Mickey and Minnie until we can find them a loving forever home! To apply to adopt this beautiful couple, please visit: https://www.MaisonSureLA.org
Our friends at Sante D'Or offered to foster Mortimer in a home with another cat with FIV. It is important to note that cats with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) can live a long and healthy life, often comparable to that of an uninfected cat. Many FIV-positive cats live for many years, sometimes even their full natural lifespan, especially if they receive good care, including regular veterinary check-ups, a balanced diet, and being kept indoors to minimize the risk of infections. With proper management, the quality of life for an FIV-positive cat can remain high for many years.
If you would like to adopt Mortimer, please visit them at: https://www.SanteDOr.org
Thank you so much for watching our video until the end - The footage there is so special; a true love story. 💘💘
If you missed our other Disney family rescue, please watch it here:
Thank you so much for supporting our rescue efforts and sending us daily rescue missions.
Homeless dog got hit by a car and couldn't move for three days!!! 😰
The full story of Shazam is inside this video, but today, we have to talk about a bigger problem!
The problem is that it's harder for people to share our video, and as a result, not enough people know about us, and this delays our arrival to rescues like this that should be handled MUCH FASTER! I don't really know what the solution is, and I would love to have your input. How do I change that so animals won't have to suffer for so long???
Meanwhile, not reaching as many people as we used to also affects our ability to raise funds for these animals, so if you can, please join the Hope For Paws team as a member and help us save more lives.
After Loreta Frankonyte and I got Shazam, he continued for a long recovery period, and he is now ready for adoption. Our friends at LA Animal Rescue have been working with him, and he will need someone who will help him overcome his initial shyness. To apply to adopt him, please contact them directly: https://www.LAAnimalRescue.org or if you know someone who would love to adopt him, please send this video to them.
Last thing - August is MAKE A WILL (Living Trust) MONTH, and this is critical for the safety of your pets. Life is so fragile, and one of our missions is to help as many people as possible to have a written plan - a legally valid document that will protect your dogs and cats.
Hope For Paws paid the license for you to create this document for FREE, so please take a few minutes to learn more about it here:
Kittens with unusual deformities are safe thanks to a Good Samaritan. ❤️
A Good Samaritan opened his door and allowed a cat to walk in, and give birth in his apartment. Mambo delivered 6 beautiful babies - Samba, Rumba, Bachata, Jive, Paso Doble, and Tango.
Two of the kittens have a deformity, but that doesn't stop them from being so cute! They will need surgery when they grow up a little bit, so if you would like to help us with that, please make a small donation here:
I saw this footage yesterday for the first time and asked about Greg and if there is any way we can assist him, as his living condition is NOT OK! I was told he refused to go to the hospital until this family was safe, and the next day, he was hospitalized. I am unsure if he will return to this apartment, but I am waiting to hear back.
If anyone would like to assist in cleaning/painting his place (assuming he would be willing to accept help), please let me know. He lives about 45 minutes south of Los Angeles (Wilmington). Here is the link to reach out to us - it would be so cool to really do something to improve his life:
Tofu didn't want our cheeseburger, and almost bit our volunteer! 😬
Tofu was abandoned after being mistreated for a long time. She didn't trust humans; she didn't believe our bacon cheeseburger trick - she just wanted to get away.
Luckily for her, we were prepared for this scenario, so Malanie Hjerrild, Katie McKittrick, and I managed to secure her together. I really wanted to win Tofu's trust at the rescue location, but she wasn't willing to surrender, so I decided not to risk it and dealt with her back at CARES (which took less than a minute). It's a beautiful transformation so please watch until the end.
Tofu is now in a foster home with our friends at I Stand With My Pack, so if you would like to adopt her, please contact them directly: https://www.IStandWithMyPack.org 🥰
They have many other cute dogs for adoption, so check them out.
The WORST INJURY I have ever seen - GRAPHIC CONTENT! +18
DO NOT CLICK if you're not prepared to see a terrible injury!
I have been around for a while; I have seen many injuries, but this one gets the gold medal for being the worst! 🥇😰
This post is going to be unlike anything I have ever shared, and it is probably too much for many people, so it's totally OK to click out or click here to send us a small donation to help us cover Champ's medical care.
Hope For Paws has been working with Maison Sûre, and we're sharing the emergency alert mailbox. Sabine Roseman was the first to spot this email and called me early in the morning. I told her I'd be in the car in 2 minutes and head out. The rescue location was quite unusual - an oil refinery, a secure location, and I'm not sure how the dog got there.
I have never seen an injury like this. I wasn't sure how the dog would react or how much pain he would be in, so I moved very slowly to assure him that I was there to help him.
I placed the Lucky Leash around him so I would have some control in case he got scared and wanted to run away.
I was amazed by how calm he was and how he surrendered to accepting help. Right away, I knew I would name him CHAMP! 🏆
Rich Lujan, the kind man who emailed Hope For Paws offered to assist me, and together we picked Champ up and placed him on the soft Hope For Paws blanket.
Working together, we lifted him to the Hope For Paws rescue vehicle so I could get him to CARES ASAP.
As soon as I arrived at the hospital, the whole medical team was waiting for me outside with a gurney.
The one thing we had to do before starting treatment was to weigh him so the correct dosage of medication could be prescribed. I then witnessed one of the most incredible things I have ever seen - Champ wagged his tail!!! He was happy to be at CARES with so many loving hands on him right away. ❤️
After the weigh-in, Champ was immediately sedated and intubated so treatment could begin.
He was very dirty, so we placed him on the wet table and had to wash his whole body quickly - this would help prevent further infection.
Dr. Elena Morino, our ER trauma doctor, worked with the team to stop the bleeding as they cleaned the wound.
I have no idea how an injury like this one occurred—he didn't have any symptoms of a dog who was hit by a car, and my guess is that his leg got caught in a machine or maybe an electrical gate. Security footage from an oil refinery showed Champ walking on all four legs the night before at 10 PM, but when he was found at 5 AM the next day, one leg was missing! There are also railroad tracks there, so no one knows - the missing leg couldn't be found.
This injury makes me think of many soldiers who were injured in battles and people who were critically injured in car/work accidents. The road to recovery is very challenging for these people - I know it because this hit close to home, especially for our Katie McKittrick, who has a personal experience with this after her brother lost his leg in a car accident. I was a little nervous about her joining in on the medical aspect of this, and I suggested she should stay away, but she handled it really well even though I know it wasn't simple for her to re-live this experience again.
If you know someone who was injured like this, please hug them - they have been through a tough challenge in life. ❤️
Dr. Mishka Williams was there next to do the surgery and remove the remaining piece of his leg so he could begin the process of healing.
Please keep Champ in your thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery. This guy has been through quite a lot, and with your support, his life is going to be amazing!
If you can, please join us with a small donation. It is quite amazing to me that the average donation to Hope For Paws is $12, and that with so many people participating, we can do so much!
Of course, we would love to do even more, so please join our team today, or invite a friend or a family member to join us too so together we can change the world of so many of these animals.
If you would like to foster Champ or another Hope For Paws dog, please fill out our foster application (This is, of course, for people in the Los Angeles area). Our friends at Maison Sûre will reach out and help facilitate that. 🥰
You may live far away from us, but please visit one of the adoption events this weekend and ask how you can become a foster parent - it really helps organizations all over the world save more lives.
I am hoping that Champ will very soon be able to sit on the couch and cheer the teams in the Paralympic games!
Please drive safely and patiently this weekend. ❤️
Imagine being a homeless dog… you are in a constant struggle to find a safe spot to sleep, in constant look for food and water, you are always in a state of fear from cars, fireworks, or coyotes who are searching for their next meal - it's really a nightmare.
I wanted to share some videos where I used their exhaustion to my advantage and surprised these dogs in their sleep! This method can be very dangerous - especially with larger dogs who may overreact.
The little dog in today's new video was quite nervous, so I had to be quiet and complete the mission without waking him up.
The next one didn't want anything to do with me, so I had to send Loreta forward for this dangerous mission:
On this one, I was joined by Hope For Paws' Board of Director and a good friend of mine, Jaime Ray Newman:
This senior dog lived by the freeway for 7 months and he was mostly deaf, so that was pretty easy:
Surprising a sleeping German Shepherd can be very dangerous:
Surprising a sleeping Pit Bull can also be very dangerous:
Some senior dogs have no fight left in them, and they are happy to be saved:
But some seniors will fight (and bite):
This senior tried to bite but failed:
This puppy slept by the railroad tracks, and I managed to surprise him too:
All these dogs, EXCEPT for the first one, have already found their loving forever homes! If you would like to adopt Patriot, please contact our friends at Maison Sûre.
Your gift helps dogs like Dahlia receive a second chance 💝
A one-hundred-pound nervous dog that can't see you may overcompensate and react in a dangerous way.
Dahlia was so nervous, so I worried about that (especially because I was alone there), and I was also worried about the possibility of her running into traffic or disappearing in the orchards.
I had to work quickly and quietly so she wouldn't get scared and leave the area. I used soccer nets, my plastic fences, and the Hope For Paws rescue vehicle to build a large trap for her. The plan worked ALMOST perfectly! 😄
I didn't bring the metal trap into the enclosure because I feared that the noise would scare her, so that turned out to be a problem. I don't want to give the whole story away - it's best to watch the video and see what happened. The ending was MUCH BETTER than I expected going into this rescue! ❤️
It is only thanks to our supporters that we can complete rescues like this. I don't think there is anything in this world you can buy for $5 that will give you more joy than knowing you were a part of something like this - look how happy she is by the end of this video. 🥰🥰🥰
If you can, please join the Hope For Paws team with a life-saving donation.
We recently partnered with Maison Sûre (Safe House in French), and they are amazing! They notified me about Dahlia, and in the past few weeks, we have saved the lives of a few animals who wouldn't have survived without our collaboration.
As soon as Dahlia was medically cleared at CARES, they found her an amazing foster home where she made many new friends. Her eyes healed so beautifully, and she is now READY for her loving forever home. Will you please share her story with your friends?
Yesterday, I got to see our rescued poodle enjoying classical music - it went from being mesmerized by the beautiful intense music, and continued to falling asleep and it all happened within 1 minute and 24 seconds here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9P0T82pFRD/
Paddington would also love for your dogs and cats to have an amazing audiovisual experience, so today, I'm sharing a video for them.
and here is one for the cats. 😻
Please leave these videos on for your dogs and cats while you're at work - it will help them relax, and it will help us save lives as we will get more watch-time on our channel.
Happy 4th of July! Smoochy and Squishmallow are both safe this holiday! 😻😻
So many cats end up on the streets, cats who want to be loved but are dumped like yesterday's trash. Of course, new ones are then born on the streets, and many don't survive. 😿
We're working to prevent a lot of pain and suffering, and with your help, we'll be able to do much more. Please join us with a $5 monthly donation here:
This video is different from our usual rescue content, but it's an important one as the 4th of July approaches. 🧨
We are still a week away from the holiday, but all around the city people are playing with fireworks (even in the middle of the day), causing panic and distress to dogs, cats, and wild animals. 😓
Music can have a profoundly calming effect on dogs and cats. The sudden loud noises and bright flashes of fireworks can cause anxiety and fear in pets, leading to behaviors such as hiding, trembling, panting, or excessive barking. Playing soothing music with a slow tempo and gentle melodies can help mask the sound of fireworks, providing a sense of normalcy and security. Research has shown that relaxing music can lower heart rates and reduce stress-related behaviors in animals. By creating a peaceful auditory environment, music can significantly alleviate the distress pets feel during fireworks, helping them remain calm and relaxed.
Please leave the TV on with this video every day when you leave for work. It will play for 10 hours and will help your pets relax and maybe even enjoy the show.
Recently, I was asked to watch a cat while a friend of mine and her husband had to leave town for a couple of days. In an attempt to entertain CleaCatra, I shared some nature shows with her on my iPad, and she really enjoyed them. You can see her here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8xAZk3pche/
Letting this video play for 10 hours will increase the watch time on our channel, help us grow, and introduce us to new audiences. With the new hospital, we are able to do so much more, but it's all very expensive! This is a great way to help us save more lives, it will also help your pets, and it's FREE! 😊👍
To double the impact, you can also open this video in a separate tab on your computer and let it run all day, knowing you're actively helping us! You should skip over every once in a while to enjoy some of the beautiful footage we put together in this video—there are no loops of footage—every second there is unique!
It's scary that people around us are capable of this!
This is so upsetting... I don't understand how someone can just abandon a blind dog on the street to fend for himself and just drive away!!! 😡🤬
As I prepared to clean him up, my brain couldn't even think of a good name for him, so I posted his picture on Instagram. I saw hundreds of great name suggestions that I added to my list, but one name kept repeating itself many times—Gandalf!
Loreta brought over to CARES a nice dinner she cooked for Paddington, and after he ate, I spent the next couple of hours grooming, bathing, and comforting him.
He is blind, mostly deaf, and has a few tumors, broken teeth, and bladder stones. Thanks to you, he is receiving the best medical treatment at CARES, and we will just have to see how he is doing. I always struggle with sharing these horrible stories because I don't want to scare people away with sad stories. A few weeks ago, Loreta and I rescued another abandoned senior dog, Bosley.
Sadly, he passed away a week after his rescue. 😞
I am still debating if I should post his sad video - I know you're coming here for HOPE, but the reality is rough, and this is the sadness we have to deal with over here.
I want you to know that your donations are greatly appreciated because they help prevent so much pain and suffering. We really couldn't have done this without you!
I will keep you posted on Gandalf, and I hope we can find a special family to foster him. I'm working on expanding our ability to accept fosters, so if you're interested, please let me know.
