Puppies born in a desert town - their mom almost got me!!! 😬
This rescue sent me on a long drive to the desert to save Disney and her puppies.
Classical music fans - I hope you will enjoy the "Four Seasons of Rescue" with music by Antonio Vivaldi.
The Four Seasons was composed exactly 300 years ago (1723)!! I love classical music and earlier this year I was at the Hollywood Bowl where I got to listen to this concert - a night at the Hollywood Bowl with classical music is my favorite way to spend an evening and relax.
Vivaldi started his concert with an infectiously happy theme of Spring, but our story doesn't begin in a happy place... Disney was abandoned and then gave birth to three little puppies under an olive tree. As temperatures were falling, their future was uncertain, so I decided to start this rescue video with the music representing AUTUMN.
Once I gathered my equipment, the music changed to WINTER... it's a bit darker and stressful. Disney was protecting her puppies, but she also needed my food so she could provide them with milk. The music worked really well with the emotions and intensity of this rescue! Disney almost got me, but I saw that bite coming a split second before the attempt was made... did you see it too?
Once we arrived back in Los Angeles, the music changed again - now it is SPRING when things took a beautiful turn, and everybody got a nice warm bath. The family can rest for the first time, knowing they are safe with us.
The last part of the video was filmed a few weeks later, so I skipped to SUMMER when it was time for FUN! Pluto, Dug, and Goofy have grown a little. They still need their mom, but they are starting to play and test their new teeth on my fingers. OUCH! 😅
I'm sure most of you know PLUTO and GOOFY, and if you're wondering who DUG is, you should definitely watch the movie "UP" by Disney/Pixar. ❤️
It has been a while since I edited a video, but Justin is still recovering from his terrible motorcycle accident, and Rachael just had a beautiful baby, so I hope you will enjoy my work even though I'm at bit rusty. I know it's a bit long, but I didn't want to chop the music in a way that would make Vivaldi sad. 😊
Thank you so much for supporting Hope For Paws and for understanding why we slowed down a bit with video productions. We're still filming our rescues, but it will take me a little longer to edit them as my priority is the work on the streets.
Please join our end-of-year fundraising campaign and help us save more lives this winter... it is cold outside, and we're trying to get to as many as we can:
The puppies are now 6 weeks old, and very soon, they will be ready for adoption, and so will their mom. To apply to adopt them, please contact our friends at Pal Rescue:
Homeless Pit Bull would LOVE to have a home for Christmas! 💝
Clara was abandoned after she was used for breeding. She was scared, sad, and very smart to find refuge under a house of a kind woman.
The woman believed Clara had puppies under her house, so she fed her while searching for help. She discovered #HopeForPaws and reached out.
For this rescue, I asked Katie McKittrick and Idan Reik to join me. I knew the property had many ways in and out, and we had to work together quickly to secure it. All of a sudden, the woman spotted Clara as she crawled under the house. Knowing she was somewhat contained, I decided to do another round of checking to make sure everything was secured perfectly. It took me a second to realize that Clara did more of the work for us on this rescue. ❤️
I was able to tell right away that she was not a nursing mom - she wasn't lactating anymore, and I figured that if there were puppies under the house, they would have been old enough to explore in search of food. Of course, I still crawled under the house and there were no puppies there.
We named her Clara after the little girl from The Nutcracker, and it was so beautiful to see her transform in just three days.
A couple of generous donors asked us to do a matching campaign for the holiday where they will match up to $30,000!!! These funds are needed for the medical care of so many animals we help.
For Christmas, I wanted to share a few other Christmas videos we posted. This one is one of my favorites… it was challenging, took a long time to accomplish, Loreta took multiple bites, but it just shows how we never ever give up!
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The next one is from last Christmas - a dog who was neglected and needed a Christmas Miracle:
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The next one is Norman's rescue who found his loving forever home just in time for Christmas! He is so lucky to be alive!!!
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This super cute video of a father and son is so special.
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For this rescue, we needed the help of the Long Beach Fire Department - it was EPIC!!!
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Last, but not least, we have Christmas kittens too:
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I hope you will enjoy all of them and that you will share your favorite with your family and friends.
Thank you so much for helping us save so many lives!
German Shepherd tries to revive her baby and wouldn't let us get close 💔🌺
The story of Kailani is heartbreaking… seeing her trying to revive her puppy was so sad.
Situations like this can be quite dangerous as a protective mother can behave aggressively, and then my team knows to call me to handle the situation. Working slowly, with a cheeseburger in my hand, I was able to slowly approach her, I used the trap as a barrier to protect myself, but I still didn't feel confident to just put a leash around her.
I almost never use a catch-pole, but for everybody's safety, I made an exception. It's important to understand that my gentle snare easily bends, and then I have no way to defend myself. Having a pole that protects me from a serious bite also gives me the confidence to approach faster and come into contact with the dog so she understands that I am there to help her.
A few people noticed a little whine as I was making sure there were no other puppies. The one thing you can't see in the video is that there were two dogs inside the house who were a little anxious about our presence. We always check thoroughly so no one is left behind.
The more interesting part of this video is the documentation of the next 24 hours and Kailani's behavior as she processed the death of her puppies.
In some extreme cases, distressed mothers would eat their newborns. This happened with Bethany, but I just never shared that story… at the time I thought it would scare people away from adopting her.
Bethany knew she was not in a proper condition to raise puppies and even with medical help, it took a long time.
As you can imagine, medical care for cases like this costs a lot of money, and I hope you will join our team today as a member.
Lion kings and queens born in a storm drain - Loreta left screaming! 😱🙀
The circle of life (on the streets) ended when #HopeForPaws arrived at the rescue location.
So many kittens are born in storm drains, and as winter creeps in, these locations are extremely dangerous for these babies who are unable to get out of them.
Luckily, people know to call Hope For Paws, and we find ourselves crawling into these places quite often. Capturing their feral mom proved to be quite challenging, and it took two months until our rescue partner was able to trap her, get her spayed, vaccinated, and released. As you will see towards the end of the video, there is a well-taken-care-of cat colony in the area.
We save many kittens from terrible situations, and we can only do it thanks to your support! Please join us today with a life-saving donation:
Dog left behind by a homeless person by the freeway - she didn't move! 😢
Brenda was so sad when her person disappeared. I will never know the circumstances for her owner's disappearance... maybe hospitalization, arrest, or even death.
One thing I know for sure is that she was loyal and loved. She is a very cool Newfoundland, probably mixed with a Bernese Mountain Dog. Like all Newfies, she loves water and enjoys nice bubble baths. ❤️
She loves to play with toys and with other dogs - it was so cool to watch her coming out of her shell.
If you are not a Hope For Paws supporter yet, I really hope you will join us today and help us save more lives. As a small thank you, I will send you our Lucky Leash. 🌺
Soda Pop (feisty) Family - watch these instincts!!! 🙀
Yikes! Even I was nervous watching Katie accomplish this rescue! 🙀
This kitten season doesn't seem to end - just more and more and more kittens!
This Soda Pop Family reminded me of two dogs I rescued a few years ago with my friend Vanessa Enriquez:
I am having a hard time getting Google to update our new mailing address, so if you happen to know ANYONE at Google, I would LOVE your assistance with it! 😊😊😊
Please update your records:
Hope For Paws 3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd #140 Studio City, CA 91604
We love receiving your cards, letters, and stories about the animals that impacted your life.
If you are not a Hope For Paws member, please join us today with a small donation. We will get your donation to work right away!
Thank you so much for sharing our story with your family and friends. If every person could convince just ONE friend or family member to join us, we could save twice as many animals this year.
We will do the crawling in sewers, we will take the bites and scratches, and all we ask for is funds for the medical care of these animals.
Today is National Cheeseburger Day! We have used cheeseburgers for many years now to gain the trust of thousands of homeless and abandoned dogs, and it helped save us from painful bites.
I would LOVE for everybody to contribute just one cheeseburger to our Cheeseburger Fund: https://www.HopeForPaws.org/donate - These cheeseburgers help us establish trust with these homeless animals because they realize right away that we come in peace.
We don't feed the dogs cheeseburgers here - their rescue day is a special day, sometimes it's a little scary, and these cheeseburgers help keep me and my team safe. Bronx reminds me of Buddha from this video with more than 12 MILLION views:
I hope you will enjoy both videos and help us buy the next cheeseburger this holiday ❤️
Older injured dog waited patiently for someone to call Hope For Paws
An older, injured dog waited patiently for someone to call Hope For Paws. Luckily for him, a Hope For Paws fan named Phillip spotted him in a gas station and texted me.
MarMar searched for a safe spot to hide, and even though it was very noisy there, he knew it would be hard for anyone to harm him there. I tried to clean the sound with the video editing software, but it didn't really work. It is a little annoying to watch, but it will give you the feeling of what life on the streets is like for these homeless/abandoned dogs.
This older guy was so ready to be rescued and start his new life! He allowed me to pick him up and get him the medical care he needed.
After a bath and a visit to the hospital, he spent a few days with Katie where he started coming out of his shell - it is so beautiful to see dogs recover so well with the help of other dogs.
This story begins 23 years ago in Hollywood, California. I used to run a computer company, and one day I met Moriah Diamond, who used to design websites, and we became friends. Back in the year 2000, I wasn't involved in the animal rescue world - I was still trying to figure out my future here in the United States. Everything changed one day when Moriah found two orphan kittens, took them home, and called to ask for my help. We bottle-fed them and took care of them until they were ready for adoption. This seemingly minor event changed the course of my life! I started volunteering with rescue organizations, and eventually, it led to the creation of Hope For Paws! 🐶❤️😺
A few years later, Moriah moved to Maui, Hawaii where she met her husband Sam.
Fast forward to December 2021, Moriah shared with me that she has a dream of opening the first Cat Cafe in Maui and she asked for my advice on that. Moriah and Sam invited me over for dinner in a beautiful place near Iao-Valley.
I listened to their dream about opening Cat Cafe Maui, and my rescue brain was thinking right away - this is a fantastic opportunity to help the community there and help many of the island cats. I suggested right away - let's create Maui Cat Rescue, and the cats they rescue will be at the cat cafe.
For the next few days, we sat together and worked on a serious plan on how to develop something like this in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
After putting everything on paper, we quickly started looking for a good location. We spotted a couple of places that we quickly ruled out, and then we found the location at the Queen Ka'ahumanu Center in Kahului. We looked at every possible detail, I remember going to a senior living facility to borrow a wheelchair just to make sure that it would be able to pass through the doors so people with disabilities would be able to enjoy the company of these rescued cats.
Construction started quickly, and a few months after our initial meeting, Maui Cat Rescue was formed as a 501C-3 nonprofit cat rescue organization, and Cat Cafe Maui opened! 😻
This place is just magical and always full of rescued cats and people who help socialize them in preparation for their adoption.
There are three large TV screens that always show Hope For Paws rescue videos, and it's always so cute to see cats watching these rescues.
I am happy people watch our rescue videos there - raising awareness is so important!
This place brings so much joy to locals and tourists, and if you want to see many more updates, you can visit their Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/catcafemaui/
Sadly, last week, disaster struck Maui and the beautiful city of Lahaina. So many people lost their lives, their family members, their homes, their pets, and their jobs. 😔
Moriah asked me to come to Maui and help, but I knew I wouldn't be able to access the disaster area for many days. FEMA and the National Guard blocked the way to Lahaina as they are handled the rescue and recovery missions.
Instead of rushing over and feeling helpless, I asked her to hire someone local to assist her, and I promised that Hope For Paws would help with that cost. She hired a young woman who managed to escape with her cat, but she lost her home and her workplace to the fire. Moriah gave her a job and invited her to live with her and Sam in their guest bedroom - for me, this is how communities are at their best! 💞
Yesterday was the first day Moriah was able to reach some areas of Lahaina, where she met a local feeder who manages a few feral cat colonies. She took lots of food and water with her, she witnessed some horrible things and I prefer not sharing these images - it's just too sad.
Moriah is already there today with traps in an effort to capture people's pets, and with your support, we can provide her with all the supplies she will need to assist the homeless island cats and also the pets affected by the fire. This is not something that can be solved with two or three trips - there is a large area to cover there.
Please donate $10 and help us help Maui Cat Rescue do the work on the ground there.
While FEMA, the National Guard, and the local community in Maui are still assessing this devastating situation, I hope we can help in reducing the suffering of animals over there and help reunite families with their lots pets.
A lot of food is needed because so many birds rush to the feeding stations, and by the time it's quiet and cats feel safe to come out of their hiding spots, a lot of it is gone.
Thank you so much for all your gifts for these animals. 💝
Securing Your Legacy: Crafting a Will with Care and Including Your Beloved Pets.
This is the most important blog post for you and for your pets! Please watch the video below to really have a look at the problem and then read how Hope For Paws can help your pets. 😺❤️🐶
Our pets are more than just animals; they're cherished members of our families, providing unconditional love and companionship throughout their lives. As responsible pet owners, it's our duty to ensure their well-being, even when we're no longer around. One crucial way to secure their future is by writing a will and crafting a solid plan for their care.
(Interesting fact I just learned: on average, 160,000 people pass away every day worldwide!)
When it comes to securing your pets' future, a well-written will is your guiding light. It's more than just a legal document; it's a testament to the connection you share with your furry friends. Just like you would include your loved ones in your will, your pets deserve the same consideration.
Whether it's a trusted friend, family member, or even a rescue organization you trust, make sure the person or organization you choose understands the commitment and responsibility involved. Many people assume their family members will care for their pets, but sadly, our experience shows this is just not true.
The whole process will only take 15-20 minutes of your time, giving you the peace of mind you deserve, knowing your pets will be safe. I would love for you to start the process right now (just put 1 minute into it) and then they will send you a reminder to complete it (maybe over the weekend when you have a few free moments). Many people think a Will is for “older people,” but sadly, we all lost young family members or friends due to illness or accidents. 😔
The Will you create today has a special section for your pets, and here are a few things to consider:
1. Choosing a Guardian - Selecting a guardian for your pets is one of the most important decisions you'll make in your estate planning. This person should not only be willing to take on the responsibility but also have the means to provide for your pets' physical, emotional, and medical needs. Consider someone who knows your pets well, understands their personalities, and can offer a loving and stable environment. Remember, your pets are unique individuals with distinct personalities and needs. The guardian should be someone who shares your values, understands your pets' quirks, and is genuinely invested in their well-being.
2. Transparency and Communication - Once you've chosen a guardian, open communication is vital. Share all the essential information about your pets – their routines, medical history, dietary preferences, and any special habits. This knowledge will help smoothen the transition for your pets and enable their new caretaker to step into their role more seamlessly. Also, please leave instructions with your veterinarian to share all the medical information with that guardian (A note should be made on their computer system).
3. Allocating Resources - A financial plan for your pets is another crucial aspect of your will. Please designate funds in your will to cover their daily needs, medical expenses, grooming, and other requirements. This not only ensures their well-being but also showcases your commitment to their continued happiness.
4. Backup plan (This is very important) - As life evolves, so do circumstances. A guardian you picked today may not be able to assist in the future, so it's very important to have a secondary guardian who is just as committed.
I received emails from people telling me they don't have a family member or a friend who could take their pets, and Hope For Paws can assist in cases like this. If you don't have a guardian for your pets or if you would like for Hope For Paws to be your backup plan, please email me your phone number and I will find the time to call you to discuss this.
I had to snare this Shepherd / Labrador in the water so he wouldn't drown! 👻
This rescue took an unexpected turn! From a hot, dry, desert rescue to a cold, wet, water rescue!
I headed north to this rescue after receiving a call from Daniel Eppard about an abandoned dog in Central California. He spent a long time trying to gain his trust, but had no luck.
When I asked him about the exact location, he told me it was next to the National 9 Inn hotel right off the I-5 Freeway. I decided to call the hotel manager to get more details, and he was super helpful!
I waited for 6 hours for Ghost to appear, and when I finally saw him, I knew this was not going to be easy! I was so lucky to meet Jan (a guest at the hotel) and Samantha (who works at the hotel) - they both made this rescue possible with their amazing assistance. ❤️❤️
When I texted Loreta to tell her that I finally got him, it didn't even look like a rescue photo. 😄
Please join today as a member so we can save more lives, and I will send you our beloved Lucky Leash as a small thank-you gift.
Loreta and I just completed the rescue of a dog who was hit by a car, and as we were driving to the hospital, a text was sent to the Hope For Paws emergency line with Dino's picture and an address. Totally by chance, we were just seven minutes away from his location, so we quickly detoured. The injured dog in our car was hit a few days before his rescue, and I figured I could quickly outrun this little dinosaur 😄
I don't want to share too much because I want you to enjoy this video, but the cool thing is that Loreta and I got to revisit Dino a few days ago, and the difference in him is just incredible! He doesn't even look like the same dog.
Over the weekend, we celebrated Hope For Paws' 15th Anniversary (June 11th), and also by chance, it happened that my birthday is the following day after Hope For Paws (June 12th).
I want to thank you so much for giving me the gift of the opportunity to do this work every day of my life! Last night Loreta and I rescued another sad little dog off the streets who didn't want any human contact, but was too exhausted to fight us - I will post his video soon. ❤️
To celebrate, all donations this week will be matched, so this is a great opportunity to DOUBLE your gift! We are more than halfway there! ❤️
Meanwhile, I've added the other two videos I posted over the weekend below: Gremlin and Falkor!
Cocker Spaniel with an embedded BARBED WIRE survives in the desert for 7 months! 😨
Can you imagine carrying this painful thing on you without the ability to remove it? 😣
Falkor lived in the desert for at least seven months and took refuge on a property of a construction company. Lupe Alcala who owns a taco truck fed him but could never get close. She sent me some videos of him running into the night and told me it will be very difficult to get him.
I had to drive for 2 hours on a Sunday to get to the rescue location, and because it required a long drive, I decided just to set up a trap and get him this way. I spent 6 hours waiting for him, but he wouldn't come out of his hiding spot (it is already extremely hot out in the desert). As it got cooler, I came up with an idea and it worked! 💡
Lupe had no idea that he had barbed wire embedded in his coat, but I am so happy I decided to bring a large trap because he wouldn't have been able to walk into my smaller trap.
I tried removing the barbed wire in the desert and even took a risk by taking him out of the trap (something I would normally never do), but I wasn't able to remove it without the risk of injuring him. I decided that two more hours wouldn't make a big difference so I rushed back so I can do it safely with Loreta.
With proper tools, Loreta was able to shave his hair close to the skin and remove that terrible piece of metal.
Falkor felt immediate relief and allowed us to work and shave his matted coat.
A few days later he had surgery done to fix his cherry eye, he had a dental cleaning, and just look at him now:
Falkor is fostered by our friends at L.A. Animal Rescue, and he is now looking for his forever home!
We named him Falkor after The Luck Dragon from one of my favorite childhood movies - The Neverending Story (1984).
Today, June 11, 2023, Hope For Paws is celebrating 15 years!!! I am so amazed by the support we received over the years, and I really hope you will help me continue for many many many more years! I really appreciate the opportunity you have all given me to do this work for so many years.
If you haven't joined us yet, today is a GREAT DAY to do it because your donation today will be DOUBLED thanks to a generous donor who will be matching your donation.
Fireworks were thrown at us while trying to save a lonely kitten who was crying for help 😿
I don't understand why anyone would do something like this! 🤬
When we received a text about this kitten in the L.A. River, Loreta Frankonyte and I immediately rushed over to the location. We immediately heard the little kitten, and as we were evaluating the situation, a firework scared the kitten deeper into the pipe. We spent 8 hours in the river, waiting patiently for the kitten to walk into our trap, but even when he did, he somehow knew how to avoid the mechanism that would trap him.
Around 11 P.M, we left the location and planned on coming early the following day. Home Depot here opens at 5 A.M, and I was right there to buy a new piece of rescue equipment - a dryer vent cleaner!
This new piece of equipment is just brilliant for saving kittens from pipes, and I am so happy I thought about it! 😉👍
I don't want to share more because I want you to enjoy this video.
This weekend (Sunday), we will celebrate Hope For Paws' 15th anniversary!!! If you are already a Hope For Paws member - THANK YOU!!! We love having you as part of our team, and I hope every story like this is making you a prouder supporter. ❤️
If you are NOT a member yet, today is a GREAT DAY to join us because your donations this week will be MATCHED, so every dollar you donate will be DOUBLED!
Homeless German Shepherd mother screams for help 🥺
Today it's Mother's Day, and for me, it's the first one since my mom passed away.
My mom, Giselle, was born in Germany, so I named this German Shepherd mother after her in her honor. ❤️
Today we all celebrate moms - the ones who are with us and those who are not. The job of a mom is a tough one, just like it was for Giselle, who had given birth to 8 puppies out on the streets of Compton.
Giselle got to see five of her babies being taken away by people, and then she got to see one get hit by a car and die. The last two puppies, Ophelia and Philomena, never allowed Loreta Frankonyte or me to pet them... they cautiously approached to take food from us, and then they would retreat.
In cases like this, it is critical to get the most challenging dog first (the mom) and only then get the babies. As you can see in this video, we could have had the babies very quickly, but I couldn't risk spooking the mom and losing her forever.
On day 2 of this rescue, Loreta and I arrived in two separate cars; we brought ALL our equipment, spent a couple of hours setting up this rescue, and then it DID NOT go as expected!!! 😄
I don't want to share more because I want you to enjoy this video.
Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there ❤️❤️❤️
Their owner collapsed and left them alone in this world! 😢😢
After Hades' and Jupiter's owner collapsed and was hospitalized, they found themselves locked in the apartment for a whole week without food or water!
When we got the call on the HopeForPaws line, we were told that the owner's family was giving us just an hour to get them out, or else they are just letting them out to the street.
Loreta Frankonyte and I rushed over there immediately. We knew they were trapped in the past (so they wouldn't walk into a trap again), and because of the time crunch, we had to actively catch them and get out of there. The smell in the unit was awful; we all had to wear masks - it's just amazing they survived! By the end of the video, you'll see a beautiful transformation for both of them.
Most people, especially younger people, think there is no reason to write a Will and make a plan for their family members and their pets. Hades' and Jupiter's owner is only 40 years old, and he is never coming back 😰
To ensure that something like this doesn't EVER happen to your pets, Hope For Paws partnered with Free Will to help you write your own legally valid will, FOR FREE! You can read more about it here and complete the whole process in 15-20 minutes: https://www.hopeforpaws.org/blog/who-will-take-care-of-your-pets-when-you-cannot
Life is so fragile, and we are responsible for keeping our family members safe in case something unexpected happens.
Please let us know if you need help with that or if you have any questions by contacting us here: https://www.HopeForPaws.org/contact_us/category/general
If the email says "Hello Eldad", it will automatically go to my mailbox 😉
Homeless Labrador and her Shepherd friend stick together until the end 🥺
Roxy (the Labrador mix) and Chloe (the Shepherd mix) lived together by the railroad tracks for AT LEAST four years, terrified of humans, and survived only thanks to Carolina Morales, who fed them since 2019!!!
When Carolina noticed a visible decline in Chloe's health, she knew she had to do something. Luckily she found the Hope For Paws rescue videos on YouTube, so she emailed us about this challenging situation.
When dealing with two terrified dogs who depend on each other, I don't like using traps because if one dog sees the other dog trapped, I may lose one forever, and it's just not a chance I am willing to take. Yes, these rescues are stressful, but it beats dying alone on the streets - especially with Chloe's condition that deteriorated very quickly 😢
I can't imagine how much worse and more traumatic it would have been if we got the call just a week later.
Please be a HERO for homeless animals and help us save more of them.
Dog made us believe it was over and then bites Loreta multiple times!!!
Trojan was spotted by USC students Eden Weinblut and Lindsay Gibson, and they knew he needed help.
He was very hungry, but he was too scared to allow them to help him. Loreta Frankonyte and I headed out right away; we were told that Lindsay was keeping an eye on him, and Eden was also heading toward the rescue location.
This rescue was tricky - a lot of students around, a nervous dog, a huge campus, noisy construction, and in an effort to keep him around, Lindsay kept feeding him, so by the time we got there, he wasn't really hungry anymore. Loreta rushed to the campus cafeteria to get a fresh cheeseburger - I hoped he wouldn't be able to resist that.
The actual capture went smoothly, a simple textbook rescue 🤓👍
What we didn't know is that this Trojan horse was waiting for us to let our guard down so he could escape. In his first attempt to escape, he knocked Loreta to the ground, but she got back on her feet and managed to get a Lucky Leash around him (did you already get your own Lucky Leash?). Then he tried to trick us so we would let our guard down again, and when that didn't work, he tackled Loreta again and bit her multiple times - it cost her an arm and a leg (with puncture wounds).
Loreta (as you know) doesn't stop because of a bite and she managed to get him again. We had to change our tactics because this Trojan from USC knew he had to Fight on! Unfortunately, because he was fighting us, the snare and the leash got tangled and disrupted his ability to breathe. I almost made it to the building when he collapsed and Loreta quickly rearranged the leash around his neck so he wouldn't faint. Meanwhile, Eden and Lindsay ran all the way across the campus to the Hope For Paws rescue vehicle and got a large cage so we can secure him.
It was really cool to recruit two new rescuers on the spot and have them work so well with us!
If you can't volunteer with a rescue, please help us with a small donation 🙏
Trojan had such a sad look in his eyes, but I just didn't know what he was trying to tell me. He didn't have a collar; he didn't have a microchip, and every search online for someone who may be looking for him failed.
Loreta and I cleaned him up, but I didn't rush him to the hospital right away… he stayed with me for the rest of the day because I knew he needed some time to decompress. At CARES, he received medical treatment, and from there, he continued to his foster home with Foxy and the Hounds (their founder, Terri Fox, was the one who called me and told me about him).
It is very unusual for a rescued dog to be as sad as he was for two weeks, but then he got a lucky break! Lindsay Gibson (who joined us on this rescue) found out that he has an owner who is looking for him!
We then learned that kids played with fireworks in the neighborhood. Trojan (whose real name is Frost) got so scared, he jumped over the fence and ran for his life!!! He ran so far that he didn't know how to get back home, and amazingly, he didn't get hit by a car (if you know downtown L.A, you know traffic is always busy).
Trojan found a safe haven at the safe USC campus where kind students shared their lunches and dinners with him, and the vegetation provided cover during the cold nights.
If it wasn't for Lindsay, the reunion would have never happened, and this brings me to the important lesson of microchipping your pets, and always having a collar with a name tag on. 4th of July is just around the corner, and you never want to be a part of the statistic of people who lost their pets and never found them again.
Please, please, please make it a priority to visit your vet and get it done, and on the way home, get your furbaby a new collar with a new name tag 😊
Abused dog rescued the day she was scheduled to be euthanized.
Yesterday was another sad day for me… my little Chase passed away 😔
Chase was abused for three years, and then she was dumped at the South Central Shelter. She was scheduled to be euthanized because no one could handle her. Back then, most of our rescues came from shelters, and I always gravitated toward the medical or behavioral cases - I always wanted to help those who I knew no one would take home.
When I got to the shelter on a Saturday afternoon, I asked, “Is there anyone in the medical room I should meet?”. One of the Animal Control officers said, “Yes!!!” and the rest is history.
At the time, Hope For Paws was only an 18-month-old organization, and we participated in a competition by Chase Bank for a grand prize/donation of $25,000!!! Thousands of people from all over the world voted for Hope For Paws, and we won!!! This donation doubled our budget, and it was a huge step toward the growth of this little organization. As a token of appreciation to the bank for their generous donation, I named her Chase 😊
We didn't plan to adopt Chase. We already had 2 dogs, 4 cats + a bunch of fostered dogs, and the thought was that we would rehabilitate her and find her a home. Chase became a part of the family, and because of her past, we just couldn't imagine putting her through another change in her life. She was so happy with us, so she stayed for 8421 more days which is a little more than 13 years ❤️
She was a little dog with a HUGE personality, and she was saved and got to live an amazing life thanks to our supporters!
The smartest homeless dog evades us. Loreta used Spider-woman's superpower to save Superman! 🕸️🦸♂️
This rescue seems short, but Superman evaded our attempts for 2 hours which is very unusual for us! We had to be careful because we didn't want to risk losing him, so we didn't do anything aggressive. When an opportunity presented itself, we tried to corner him, but he managed to escape from us by flying away at top speed! We then knew we were going to name him Superman (as soon as we could get him).
Toward the end of the rescue, Loreta deployed her Spiderwoman superpower, and with her web, she got him!
We are in crisis mode here - Amazon Smile canceled their program, and we lost almost 43,000 of you who supported us through this amazing program that changed so many lives!!! 😿
I wanted to ask you to be a SUPERHERO/SUPERHEROINE for animals like SUPERMAN and join us with a $5 monthly donation. As you can imagine, losing 43,000supporters overnight has a huge impact on so many animals - it's thousands of dollars for surgeries dogs and cats we rescue desperately need.
A few days ago, Loreta and I were on a rescue of another superhero we named SHAZAM. He was hit by a car and couldn't move for 3 days until someone finally called Hope For Paws.
On our way to the hospital, we received a text about Dino, and looking at my GPS, I saw we were just 5 minutes away, so we quickly detoured. We were told no one could get him, but I figured we could outrun this sick little dog.
Dino may look like a puppy, but he is actually an adult who has been starving for a long time. As a result of starvation, his immune system collapsed, demodectic mange mites took over his body, and he lost most of his hair 😰
We rushed to CARES, where the medical team immediately started treatment on both Dino and Shazam!
The rescue videos of both dogs will be posted as soon as they completed their medical recovery, and this may take a while.
As a thank you for your support, I wanted to share another superhero video: SPIDERMAN!
Thank you so much for supporting us and for helping us make all these rescues possible 🙏
Dog lived in a junkyard his whole life 😰 finally gets a lucky break 🍀⚡
Everybody at the junkyard loved Flash, they loved seeing him, feeding him, and petting him, but no one loved him enough to take him home. Luckily, one employee got worried about him because of another major storm that was coming through and called #HopeForPaws for help. Loreta Frankonyte and I headed out right away, and we filmed this rescue for you ❤️
It was so amazing to see the change in him as soon as we cleaned him up and offered him to roll on the couch - he is really one lucky dog 🐶🍀😊
This week we rescued animals from all kinds of weird situations, the hospital is completely full, and it leaves very little time for creating videos and making Facebook posts, but we will catch up and share all the stories soon.
We would LOVE for you to help us make another dog or cat LUCKY to be rescued by us, so please join this St. Patrick's Day Fundraiser today.
Flash is now in his foster home with our friends at Foxy And The Hounds and he LOVES it there! He gets to feel safe, warm, and he gets to be a pet who plays with other dog and enjoys every day of his life!
The only thing he needs now is a loving forever home, so if you would like to adopt him, please contact them directly: https://www.FoxyAndTheHounds.org
Homeless dog didn't trust humans who tried to help her for months!!!
Ziva survived for many months thanks to workers who fed her, built her housing, and did everything in their power to help her. Luckily, one of them finally discovered the Hope For Paws rescue videos and called us for help.
Katie McKittrick and Alex Babcock headed out and transformed this dog in the most beautiful way... make sure to watch this one until the end 😊
Rescues like this require long drives, patience, and thanks to your support, we can provide so many animals with the medical care they need. If you are not a Hope For Paws member yet, please join us today and we will send you our Lucky Leash: https://www.HopeForPaws.org/Lucky_Leash ❤️
For Christmas, I wanted to share the story of Norman because it's a perfect example of how we will do whatever it takes to save a life. As soon as I received the call about a dog who was hit by a car on the I-710 Long Beach Freeway, I rushed over to the rescue location. It was a weekend, so traffic was somewhat lighter, but that made the situation even more dangerous because people were driving faster while he was lying motionless on the side of the highway!
It took me over an hour to reach the location where the dog was last seen, and after a quick glance, the dog seemed to be lifeless. Norman was lying in the left lane, and there was only a narrow shoulder, so I couldn’t pull over safely. I drove another mile until I reached the closest exit, at which point Loreta called to check in on me because she knows how dangerous these missions are. I told her that I thought Norman was dead, but I was not going to leave until I was absolutely certain there wasn’t a beating heart inside his body. I assured her I would find the closest police station to get help with stopping traffic on the freeway.
I rushed to the police station, and I was amazed that no one was there! The only thing in the lobby was a telephone with instructions to call the police. I tried the number, was left on hold for a couple of minutes, and decided to hang up and walk around to the back parking lot to see if I could find an officer. The police station and parking lot were empty, so I knew that I was on my own.
Minutes later, I was back driving on the left lane of the freeway, and as I got closer to the location of the dog, I slowed down because I needed the vehicles behind me to slow down as well. When I spotted the dog the second time, I pulled over as much as I could and used my car to block a portion of the left lane. As I walked toward Norman, I couldn’t believe it when he lifted his head! This could have turned out to be a complete nightmare - a scared dog could have run into oncoming traffic, been hit by a car again, or caused a major accident.
Every rescue like this could be my last, but this is my passion, and I will do anything for these animals. I managed to secure Norman, quickly evaluate his condition, and return safely to the car. At CARES, he was x-rayed, and it was determined he suffered from a fractured pelvis. My hope is that you will watch Norman’s rescue video and share it with family and friends this holiday season.
The name Norman was given to him in honor of an older gentleman who loved and supported Hope For Paws for a long time. Norman and I became friends, and earlier this year, he shared with me that he was dying.
Norman asked for my personal assistance with finding his beloved cat Nini a loving forever home. He didn't have family or friends, and he didn't want Nini to be thrown out to the streets or be left at the shelter to die.
A month before he passed away, he asked me to come over and take Nini because he was no longer able to care for her. I drove to his small apartment, and we spent some time together. Norman told me about all the things Nini loved, and after he said his goodbyes, Nini and I continued to the hospital and then to her foster home. Two weeks later, I went to visit my mom (which turned out to be my last visit with her), and while I was away, I kept sending Norman smoothies (he suffered from throat cancer which made it impossible for him to eat). A few days later, he passed away peacefully, knowing Hope For Paws made sure his cat was safe and loved.
Norman Jr. continued to his foster home with our friends at The Animal Rescue Mission. They are new partners of Hope For Paws, and I hope you will check out all the dogs they have for adoption here: https://www.theanimalrescuemission.org
Our medical partner CARES is expanding to help us save more animals.
Norman, just like all the animals we rescue, was taken to CARES (California Animal Rescue Emergency Services) for medical treatment. Over the past year, CARES hired a second full-time surgeon along with a second full-time medical team, so we now have a hospital available to us 24 hours a day and seven days a week. This is a big step forward for Hope For Paws that will help us to double the number of lives that we save each year!
Over 95% of the animals that we provide medical care for at CARES do not have a rescue video. Most animals come to us badly injured, requiring expensive surgeries or are in need of treatment for every possible disease out there. After the animals have been discharged from CARES, they all continue to foster homes for their physical and emotional recovery in preparation for adoption.
More animals than ever before will need Hope For Paws help in the New Year
We’re seeing an increase in the number of neglected and homeless animals on the streets. At the same time, shelters are overcrowded because of an increase in the number of abandoned animals. It's important to understand that animals suffering from medical problems within the shelter system are at the highest risk of being killed. We are committed to helping these animals get out of the shelter and giving them a second chance that begins with the best medical care.
It is unacceptable to me, as I know it is unacceptable to you, that a dog or a cat be killed because of a broken leg.
If you haven't done so already, please take a minute to join us as a member.
My holiday wish is that every Hope For Paws supporter will help us recruit one friend to join us as a member so we can double our impact.
This rescue reminds me of PD's rescue where I was able to get assistance from the LAPD. I know they are swamped with work, and I am always trying to get assistance to do these rescues safely.
Another rescue I accomplished with the police:
And of course, I also rescue cats on the freeway:
Like you, I value animals in my life, and I know that together we can make a real difference for so many animals in need.
Your gift goes straight to work helping us save animals
Last week I received an unusual call about a dog on a property that has been neglected for a very long time. In general, cases like this must be handled by Animal Control because, in the state of California, animals are considered “property”, and we, as a rescue organization, do not have the legal authority to come and take someone's dog - that would get us in trouble for stealing someone's property.
Of course, we could have contacted Animal Control, but we feared that they would come, take her to the shelter, and she would be labeled as an “Evidence Dog” in a cruelty case. In our experience, this process can take months, and with Christmas just a few days away, Loreta Frankonyte and I needed to figure out a way around all that 😎😎
Please watch until the end because her complete transformation in just 3 days will amaze you!
Here are a few pictures to show the incredible transformation that happened in her life thanks to your incredible support!
This is the image that was texted to the Hope For Paws emergency line.
Loreta Frankonyte and Katie McKittrick handled the grooming while I filmed the process for you, and also figured out how to do Facebook LIVE with our supporters on our Facebook Page, and then we did an Instagram LIVE with our supporters on our Instagram page - if you're not following us yet, it's definitely time… it's almost 2023 ❤️😊
Pretty amazing - almost the whole coat in one piece. The coat smelled awful, feces couldn't reach the ground so it got stuck to the coat, and so did urine… just NOT OK!
It is so weird to me that she was obviously well-fed, but that's all her owners did for her… I just don't understand it.
Noelle was amazed by the turn of events in the past two hours!
Ready for the first bath of her life!!!
After a bath, Noelle felt so much better, and three days later, she was a completely different dog yet again!!!
I really hope you will share her story so we can find her a loving forever home! Our friends at Foxy and the Hounds are fostering her, so if you would like to adopt her, please contact them directly: www.FoxyAndTheHounds.org
This story reminds me of Abby's rescue that we did not too far from where we found Noelle - it was another Christmas Miracle 🎅
If you love our work, and if you would love for us to continue saving lives and share these amazing stories with you, please join us today as a Hope For Paws member 🙏
An abandoned dog was so sad and confused - he didn't know how to handle this situation 😰
Gizmo had no idea what to do - he felt betrayed and lost after he was abandoned in an industrial area. Luckily, Rafael Ramirez knew to call Hope For Paws for help, so Katie McKittrick and Alex Babcock headed out right away.
There is a growing number of animals that are abandoned on the streets and in city/county shelters, and it's just terrible. We are trying our best to get as many as possible, but it all depends on our ability to pay our huge vet bills.
Yesterday I was reading through Facebook comments where people are sharing how they are struggling financially to care for their own pets. This of course, makes me nervous because I know it means bad news for homeless animals, as we can't operate at full speed without your support.
The only thing that gives me HOPE is the large number of people who love Hope For Paws! If every person would support us with $5 or $10 a month, we should be OK. It is so cold outside, temperature last night dropped to 37°F (3°C) and we really want to save as many animals as possible.
If you join us today as a member, I will send you our famous Lucky Leash! 🌺🌺🌺
#GivingTuesday weird and funny rescue 🤪🤷♂️🥰 + SPECIAL OFFER
It's #GivingTuesday and today we can change many lives together with a special MATCHING CAMPAIGN I created here: https://tiltify.com/hope-for-paws/giving-tuesday-matching-campaign - every dollar you donate, will be doubled up to $25,000$50,000 by two amazing supporters ❤️
With the rising cost of veterinary care and the growing number of animals that need our help, our work is twice as hard and we really need your support today - please click DONATE here and help us reach the goal: https://tiltify.com/hope-for-paws/giving-tuesday-matching-campaign
IMPORTANT CHALLENGE for SUPER FANS with some FREE TIME - Today, YOU can take it to the NEXT LEVEL, get rewarded and receive a Hope For Paws BLANKET or a TOWEL, or a LUCKY LEASH, or ALL THREE!!! You will also gain a very important LIFE SKILL - a professional skill!
This challenge will require TIME and EFFORT, so if you're up for it, please read below the video, and if not, please skip to the beautiful picture of beautiful Bella and read more about her 🥰
It is important to me that you understand that setting up this project will probably take 20-30 minutes!!! The idea here is for you to set up a fundraising campaign, ask your family and friends to support Hope For Paws, and the more funds you raise for the animals, the better your gift will be 🎁🎁🎁
When you click on this link: https://tiltify.com/hope-for-paws/giving-tuesday-matching-campaign - you will see TWO OPTIONS: 1. DONATE 2. START FUNDRAISING Please choose the option to START FUNDRAISING, then click on CREATE AN ACCOUNT to create your own Tiltify fundraiser for Hope For Paws. You will have to use your REAL EMAIL ADDRESS because you will have to verify your account at the end in order to publish your campaign.
After creating the account, you will need to pick a USER NAME, write a short bio, and load a picture that your family and friends will recognize - maybe it's a picture of your smile, or maybe it's a picture of your pet pig 😊🐷
Next, you'll give your campaign a name, and write a few words about Hope For Paws. Making it personal will increase your chances of succeeding ❤️
➡️➡️➡️ If I didn't lose you yet, it's AMAZING!!! 😅👍
On the next page, you will have 3 options: Live Stream, YouTube, or Image. The easiest thing is to click on YouTube and post your favorite Hope For Paws video. You can see ALL of them here: https://www.youtube.com/@hopeforpaws/videos (or you can just click on "Use cause YouTube video").
On the next page, you will be asked to SET UP A GOAL for your fundraiser.
🎁 You can select any amount, but here the "FUNDRAISER PERKS" come into play!!! 🎁 If you raise $100, I will send you a Lucky Leash. If you raise $250, I will send you a Hope For Paws towel. If you raise $500, I will send you a Hope For Paws blanket. If you raise $1,000, I will send you a package with ALL 3 items!!!
You CAN'T change the goal once you started a campaign, so think about all the people you could call or email, think about all your contacts on social media who you could ask to participate in this life-saving campaign so you'll be successful in getting the perk you want. If you have 50 Facebook friends and you can convince each one to donate just $10 each, you'll reach the $500 mark and you will get our Hope For Paws blanket - it's really an amazingly soft and warm blanket!!!
➡️➡️➡️Are you still with me??? Perfect!!! 😂😂😂
Next step, you will need to verify your email (DON'T close the Tiltify window), just check the email in a different tab or window, and click to verify.
Back to Tiltify, you will now have to click PUBLISH CAMPAIGN and NOW, the real work begins!!!
You will have a link to the campaign (Make sure it says "PUBLISHED"), and then you can share it via Email, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Don't worry, the process for your family and friends is EASY - just a name, a credit card, and a donation amount. You will see your bar fill up as you're heading toward your desired PERK! Right now, NO ONE has our TOWELS or BLANKETS... you will be one of the first people in the world to have it ❤️❤️❤️
If at any point you closed a window by accident, just go to the main page again, use your username and password, and you'll be able to see your dashboard.
If you're stuck at any point, you can email me via this form and I'll be on the lookout for any questions as I just went through the process myself (twice!): https://www.hopeforpaws.org/contact_us/category/donations If you will find that you're REALLY GOOD at this, there are amazing employment opportunities for you out there!!! I wish I had a full-time fundraiser - it would have freed me to do so many more rescues!!! My whole life revolves around saving animals. This work uses 90% of the time I am awake (and I don't sleep much). Rescuing, veterinary appointments, working on videos, emails, phone calls, fundraising, and many more tasks to make sure this machine continues to work 24/7/365.
Thank you so much for reading all this, and if you will actually do it, this would be AMAZING!!! I really hope to give away 1000 blankets, 1000 towels, and 1000 Lucky Leashes 🐶❤️😺
Good luck!!!
Annabelle Martinez contacted me about this beautiful Bella who was abandoned just 200 yards from where I rescued Miley many years ago - I knew that spot as if I was there yesterday!
There is almost no way you don't know Miley's story, but here is the video for you:
Annabelle told me Bella was so scared and wouldn't let anyone near her. I rushed over and this turned out to be one of the cutest rescues EVER! 🥰
After this rescue, I realized I was missing two sets of plastic fencing, so I posted them on our Hope For Paws Amazon Wishlist, and our amazing supporters made sure this problem will never happen again.
Our friends at Much Lovefostered Bella and just reported that she was adopted! Don't you worry, they still have many other amazing dogs for adoption here: https://www.MuchLove.org ❤️❤️❤️
Hope you’ve been well. I have been away in Lithuania for a few months spending some much-needed quality time with my dad and mom (she lives in Spain so she came for a short visit also). I just got back to LA, and have insane jetlag, so what do I do at 3 AM while being wide awake next to my precious poodle Paddington? I decided to write about my all-time top ten favorite rescue stories that I love for so many different reasons and hope you’ll watch them again through my heart and eyes:
1. FIONA. Like many of you, this was the first Hope For Paws video I ever saw. I cried like a baby, I was so touched by these two amazing human beings Eldad and Audrey. I watched that video over and over and cried each time for little Fiona. Never did I think that one day I will be part of this incredible organization. I thought that can only happen in a dream. Fast forward 10 years later, I am with Hope For Paws, Eldad is my better half and Audrey has become my best friend and my soul sister. Fiona sadly has passed away three years ago on my birthday, but she had the most incredible home with my dear friends Michele and Chris Gentry. Fiona also got to welcome to her perfect family my two other favorite rescued babies Alice and Abby. Rest In Peace sweet Fifi, your beautiful rescue story changed the lives of thousands of animals and touched the hearts of millions of people around the globe. You will forever be my superhero doggie and you will always be the Hope For Paws Angel. ❤️I love you ❤️
2. ALICE aka SUFI 💖. Alice was my Fiona. It was the first time I ever saw a dog in such horrific condition but with such a strong spirit and will to fight and live. When I met her on the rescue, my heart broke into a million pieces. How can anyone do to her what they did and leave her like this??? All I wanted to do was take her home and give her all the love in the world and keep her safe. I’ll never forget that moment when we had to leave her at the hospital, and as I was walking away she screamed for me, it was so heart-wrenching that I couldn’t yet take her home as she needed to be hospitalized for many serious health issues. We had such a strong connection and she knew that I would be there for her. Several days later I took her home and fostered her for several weeks until she was ready to join her new sisters Fiona and Bella and her incredible new parents Michele and Chris Gentry.
Alice recently passed away, but she got to live a dream life. I will never forget you my sweet girl, you changed me, you changed all of us for the better. You are the perfect example of living in the moment and loving unconditionally. Tears are falling down my face as I share these incredible stories with you. In her video, you’ll see my babies Bonnie and Coco who also passed away in the last 2-3 years. So special to be able to have these rescue stories that will live forever with our beloved pets.
3. WASHINGTON. 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 I had to do. This was my first serious bite, he wouldn’t let go of my hand (and neither would I) and the pain was excruciating! But a few moments later, he 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. 😂
4. ABBY 🌺. Abby didn’t feel a kind human touch for almost two years, if ever, now that I think about it. Someone captured her previously and kept her in a cage for 2 months. She managed to escape, but she no longer trusted humans. When Eldad, JoAnn, and I arrived on the rescue scene, we were told this will be very challenging and will take a long time. Abby was so matted that she didn’t even look like a dog. She had dreads all the way to the ground, you couldn’t see her face or her paws, and she was so overgrown that she didn’t even have flees as they couldn’t get to the skin through that insane matting. I was so eager to rescue her and shave her. What a relief that would be for her little body. This time to avoid a bite I followed Eldad’s instructions (sort of) to gain her trust patiently, feed her, and hopefully, she would come to me on her terms. Well, I was so scared to lose her, that I just grabbed her when the moment felt right. I guess I didn’t follow his guidance fully, but I followed my heart.
I know that when I listen to my gut feeling, things go the right way for me. I ended up fostering Abby with Eldad and Bonnie. But guess who opened their hearts and home to her? Fiona, Alice, Michele and Chris Gentry. ❤️❤️❤️
5. JESSIE! Oh my that was the most stressful rescue ever!!! Jessie fell 45 feet deep into a tiny water well pipe in South Carolina. He was stuck there for four days before we were called for help. At this point, a kitten with no food, no water, and freezing cold normally wouldn’t survive, but that’s the miracle of Jessie. Being so far away Eldad and I had insane anxiety levels. We had no idea if we would make it in time. We took the red-eye flight in hopes that Jessie would still be alive (very unlikely at this point). We had our incredible Hope For Paws followers suggest lots of rescue techniques as this was a first one for us. I guess when you have such a strong and huge group of people routing for Jessie, that powerful energy of love is what kept little Jessie alive.
Our dear friend Kimberly was waiting for us on the ground and she recruited an amazing plumber to assist us. This is not Kimberly's first rodeo with Hope For Paws - she also assisted Eldad with Shaggy, and assisted us with Hermione.
Eldad became an even bigger hero to me that day. He did something that was truly impossible that’s why this entire rescue mission was just one big miracle! I won’t give too much away because I want you to see and feel what we felt, but my dad who is our biggest believer told us not to go. He said it would be impossible to get Jessie out of the ground. Well, to Eldad impossible is what makes him who he is! 💞
6. NAPOLEON. What in the world is a little kitten doing in a fast lane of a crazy busy LA freeway??? Did someone throw him out the window and left him to die? Many times as we see such horrors being caused by people, we also saw how the entire Los Angeles main freeway came to a complete stop in order to help us achieve this very dangerous and life-threatening rescue. My parents were very upset with me. If you closely watch what happens just after we get the kitten rescued, you’ll see a car driving at insane speed on that fast lane. Yup, we dodged death this time and are so glad that no accident happened. Some people were angry at us and we understand that. We tried to have the police help us with this rescue, but we had no luck getting help and this kitten could have been killed any moment now. Imagine driving to a rescue and not knowing if he will be alive or if you’ll find a dead baby. The stress levels are insane and you just want to help!!!
I would never encourage anyone to do this without the proper help of the police, but the kind people of LA truly helped us by stopping and waited for us to get the little kitten safely. After this rescue we had the police help us several times and we are so grateful to them for keeping all of us safe on the roads.
7. GERSHWIN. This was one of my very first (5 years ago) and more challenging rescues. Gershwin is a 110-pound dog who was abandoned in a desert on a very hot day. He kept running away from us, but he got tired, fell asleep, and then I sneaked up on him not knowing what this giant dog would do to me. For some laughs, watch his rescue story. All I can say is that being dragged on sewer water-soaked grass by this bear-sized dog is no fun for me but fun to watch for you. 😂
It is one of the best rescue stories we have. ❤️
8. MADDY: This is special to me because it shows how an angry, broken dog still has a chance to become a family dog through proper training and patience. Many times dogs like her are euthanized for no fault of their own. Maddy could have absolutely injured or killed us, but Eldad and I are always very calm on rescues, and with Eldad’s huge experience and resilience we were able to save this beautiful shepherd. Her transformation is incredible and we hope that many people will see how a broken dog just like a human can act out from fear, mistrust, abuse, and pain. We wouldn’t give up on a human being so we shouldn’t give up on a dog either. They all have a past and a story to tell.
9. MASIK. We always say do not chase a dog, don’t run after a dog and here we are going against our own advice! This was some crazy running marathon and I didn’t even believe I could snare him while running so fast! When I am on rescues with Eldad, I get so much confidence knowing that he is right here just in case I need him. So he said to run and I ran. 😂
It’s a must-watch rescue story!!! I don’t know if this can be repeated again or if I was just really lucky running on autopilot and adrenaline.
10. THE CANDY FAMILY. When I say to always trust your gut feeling, there is a reason why. We just finished a rescue, and I saw another dog at the nearby park. For some reason, I felt that she is hiding something so I followed her. Well, my instincts were right! She had puppies!!! Flee-ridden babies that were at risk of anemia and/or death. The person who was feeding her didn’t want us to take them. He believed that they would be better off living at this park and he would continue feeding them. After a few minutes of conversation in Spanish, he understood that not only do they need immediate medical help, but also deserve a better life than living on the streets with dangers lurking everywhere.
Educating people in a kind and patient way is what we need in order to make them understand what these animals need and how they should live. I will forever be grateful to him for feeding the mom so she could feed her babies, but now their new life was about to begin. At the hospital, Eldad and I got to work on the puppies. We have never seen so many fleas!!! There were thousands and they were eating the puppies alive. This definitely is that feel-good rescue that I wanted to finish my top ten with. You’ll love it!!!
Exactly a year after their rescue, we were invited to a birthday party and a special reunion of this whole family.
As you can see, your donations have saved countless lives, but so many more are in need of our help. Only with your support can we continue saving these poor animals as the vet care costs have significantly increased this year. We will never stop doing our part, but we really need your continued support. It truly takes a huge and compassionate village to save each and every animal and so many more that you don’t see because they don’t have a video. Please donate to save another precious life in need.
Breaking News: dog's owner died, and he was thrown down to the LA river 💔
One day, May Johnson glanced out her office window one day and saw a dog down in the L.A. River! She called Dennis Lake to figure out a plan to get help; May called the Fire Department, and Dennis called Animal Control, but they didn't get the help they hoped for. They saw the dog going into the tunnel (I didn't know that when I went on this rescue), Dennis waited for a long time to see if he comes out, but he didn't.
Dennis went back to his office and looked at some satellite images to figure out how to get to the dog, and then Animal Control called back and said they will be back the next day.
The following morning, Animal Control still didn't show up, and Eowyn Mishawn found Hope For Paws on YouTube and she texted me the first clip you'll see on this video:
Most people tend to think that if they die unexpectedly, their family or friends will take care of their pets, but our experience shows it's just NOT TRUE! Please, please, please don't leave this to a chance! #HopeForPaws teamed up with #FreeWill to enable everybody to write their own Will for FREE here: https://www.FreeWill.com/HopeForPaws ❤️
Imagine your dog or cat in a terrible situation like Nico's situation and there is nothing you can do about it because you're already gone!
I know that for the past couple of years I keep asking people to do this because this is happening again and again. The whole process will take just 20 minutes, you can click here, start now, and complete it later this week when you have some free time.
Nico had a microchip, so we were able to figure out who his owner was, and we learned that he passed away. We were able to connect with this man's two daughters who didn't care about their father's dog (they claimed they didn't even know to tell us his name).
Thousands of people already created their Will, and I really hope you will do it too. It is the holiday, so many families are together, so it's a great time to have a conversation about it, make a plan, and then have a legally valid will in writing.
I would recommend creating a backup plan as well because people's situations do change, and I am definitely open to having Hope For Paws as a last resort - just email me, and we can definitely talk about it. I just helped a really nice man who just passed away... I will talk about him in a video that is coming up soon.
If you would like to discuss this with me, please click on "Contact us" here: https://www.HopeForPaws.org If you will start the email with "Hello Eldad" it will automatically come into my mailbox 😊
This story has a happy ending, and we need to ensure that something terrible like this doesn't happen to your pets. There is another blog on this subject: Who will take care of your pets when you cannot?
CAVE rescue with lots of puppies, and a bonus dog who read my mind!!!
This rescue video is quite long, so I won't write too many words 😊
The coolest thing about this rescue is that with 9 dogs, it required a major collaboration!
Hope For Paws (Katie, Alex, and myself) accomplished the actual rescue (3-hour long drive in every direction, crawling, cleaning, handling everything medical) https://www.HopeForPaws.org
PAL Rescue (Freddy Kelly) called us about this family and fostered the mom and puppies until they were weaned. Once the puppies didn't need their mom anymore and were spayed/neutered, they continued fostering 4 of the babies: Fang, Macloud, Norton, and Wolfie. To apply to adopt them, please visit: https://www.PALRescue.org
Foxy And The Hounds (Terri Fox) offered to foster mama Starshine and babies: Bimba, Janezy, and Ronnie. To apply to adopt them, please visit: https://www.FoxyAndTheHounds.org
The Animal Rescue Mission (Shira Astrof) took on the mission of rehabilitating Shay and did an incredible job! To apply to adopt her (the dog, not Shira), please visit: https://www.TheAnimalRescueMission.org
Hope For Paws Supporters (you, yes YOU) who watch our videos, donate when possible, add us to Amazon Smile, and help us pay for the medical care of all these animals - we really appreciate your support!
I thought her jaw was broken, but it turned to be something else! 😮
I have no idea what Destiny's destiny would have been if Nataly didn't know our Hope For Paws videos and didn't know to call me for help… chances are it wouldn't have been anything good for a terrified dog like her.
It is so cool to me that I was able to recruit Nataly and her mom to quickly become Hope For Paws volunteers, and together we completed this mission successfully.
The name Destiny was given to her by one of our supporters and if you would like to suggest a name for one of our upcoming rescues, you can do it here:
I know I have been asking a lot about this recently, but in order for us to continue at the speed we're going and at the same time deal with a significant increase in veterinary cost, I really need to try and get as many people as possible to ask Amazon to support Hope For Paws. It will take just two clicks, and it will cost you absolutely nothing.
When you ask Amazon to support us, every time you make a purchase, Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase to us.
This means that when you buy something for $100 on Amazon, Hope For Paws gets a 50-cent donation. This is not a lot of money of course, but this is exactly why we need A LOT of people to join for it to have an impact that will help us pay for surgeries. CARES is completely full with our animals, and we just sent over 2 dogs who were hit by cars and another dog with major trauma to her head.
I calculated that in average, every supporter like this adds about $6 a year, so every 1000 people will help us pay for about 2 major surgeries.
Another way to support us is to become a member and if you'll do it today, we will send you a Lucky Leash as a small thank you.
Destiny required a long rehabilitation process with our friends at Foxy And The Hounds. The rescue took place back in July, and only now we were able to film her happy.
This journey is not over yet for Destiny because now we need to find her a loving forever home. If you would like to meet her, please contact her foster mama, Terri Fox here: https://www.FoxyAndTheHounds.org
You can also fill an application, and Terri will call you back:
NEVER grab a homeless dog by the leg - it's dangerous!
Hope For Paws received an urgent text from our friends at L.A. Animal Rescue about an abandoned Pit Bull who took refuge in a junkyard.
Grabbing an unknown homeless dog by the leg and it doesn't matter if it's a Pit Bull, a Labrador, or a Chihuahua is just a bad idea, but I am obviously experienced and I knew she was not going to bite me 😊
Karina suffers from heartworm which is a fatal disease in pets if left untreated. It is caused by foot-long worms (heartworms) that live in the heart, lungs, and associated blood vessels of affected pets, causing severe lung disease, heart failure, and damage to other organs in the body. It is absolutely curable, but it takes a few months to get to full recovery. If you would like to see what it actually looks like,please click here.
Having heartworm doesn't mean she can't get adopted - she is a total sweetie, great with dogs and cats, and we will continue paying for her treatment until she is 100% healthy.
The rescue of Karina and her meeting with Peeka and Boo reminded me of a very special short film by Pixar called KitBull - it is a MUST SEE, a super special video, and it's only a few minutes long.
The past couple of months have been quite challenging with fundraising and it causes me a lot of stress. CARES is completely full and we just can't slow down… it's cold outside, it's been raining for two days, and the animals need our help.
If you are not a Hope For Paws member yet, please consider becoming a member today.
Hermione, who also suffered from heartworm is the next one to enter the exclusive 10,000,000 views club (there are only 32 members and with your help, she can be number 33).
Thank you so much for watching our videos, for donating, and for helping us make all these rescues happen ❤️❤️❤️
We have many more exciting videos coming up, so please subscribe to our channel - it helps us financially too as YouTube gives us a few dollars for every couple of thousands of views.
Today I have two rescues - one of a Canadian citizen, and one of an Egyptian citizen - both involving injuries due to the negligence of people who are fishing and leaving their fishing lines and hooks behind.
The first rescue of the Egyptian Goose required a kayak, a net, help from a Good Samaritan who joined Loreta Frankonyte and me, and A LOT of determination to accomplish this mission as the sun was beating us (especially Loreta). Rod has experience in helping injured birds and we worked really well together.
For the second rescue of a Canada Goose, I was accompanied by Judith Sanchez who assisted me in this cool rescue. I have never done anything like this before, and I was a little nervous as I was told I could break a few fingers this way 😳
Judith continues to update me as this Goose she named Goosita keeps coming to visit her and showing her healing process - she is completely healthy and not limping anymore!
Thank you so much for helping us save so many animals!
This week I will post 3 new dog rescue videos with 11 dogs!!!
This rescue is really cool! A call on the Hope For Paws emergency line came in from Yesenia and Walter and they told me the craziest story. Walter's sister was been driving her car to work, and all of a sudden she realized she has kittens inside her engine!! She pulled over immediately, and two terrified kittens ran out of her engine!! One kitten ran down an alley, and one kitten ran down a storm drain. She followed the kitten who ran down the alley, called Yesenia and Walter, and together they rescued Peeka. Rescuing Boo was a much greater challenge! They tried every trick in the book for 14 HOURS until they finally called #HopeForPaws for help.
It is SCARY how EASY it is for you to help us save lives!!! If you have an Amazon account, you can simply ask Amazon to support Hope For Paws at NO COST TO YOU.
Just one click here: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/26-2869386 and another one to approve, and you are all set! Amazon will donate 0.5% of every purchase you make, it will cost you nothing, and it will help us save lives 🐶 ❤️ 😺
A man drives for miles with a kitten inside his engine 🙀🙀🙀
When my friend Rene Ruston from START Rescue texted me on the Hope For Paws line, she told me that a man drove his car for many miles without realizing he had a kitten in his engine. Luckily, one of her volunteers heard the meows of the terrified kitten and the rest of the story is in this video:
The coolest moment when looking at the footage after the rescue was seeing Gilbert, one of the KIA mechanics who helped me save her so touched by the look of the little baby safe with us.
Many years ago, START Rescue called me about a homeless dog named Rosie. The video I filmed that day is still one of my favorites of all time… I just knew in my gut that there was so much more to her story:
Abandoned dog in a firefighters' training facility is covered with soot and ash
A few days ago I received a text from a retired firefighter named Rudy who is also a Hope For Paws supporter 👨🚒❤️🐶
He told me about a dog who took refuge in a training facility for firefighters, and he asked for my help.
I rushed over immediately, and even though I told Rudy he didn't have to wait for me (it was a 45-minute long drive for me to get there), he stayed with the dog until my arrival.
The little dog was nervous, wouldn't come close to me, and every time I moved, she retreated to the burnt couch where she spent her nights, and when I got too close, she crawled under the cars that were parked so close to each other and made it difficult for me to move quickly.
I knew I would have to gain her trust and have her come to me and with help from a cheeseburger, I was able to accomplish a pretty smooth rescue 😊
Her transformation is so satisfying to watch - from a scared dog to a happy dog, and from a super dirty dog, to a super clean dog 🥰
Waka is fostered by our friends at Wags and Walks and if you would like to adopt this super special happy girl, please contact them directly here: https://www.WagsAndWalks.org - they always have so many other cute dogs for adoption, so please check them out.
You can also fill out an adoption application for Waka here.
I decided to name her Waka after a dog that belongs to an 8-year-old girl named Íris from Portugal who named her cat “Jessie” after our famous Jessie from the video below 😻
I wanted to thank you all again for the letters, emails, cards, and sweet messages on Facebook and Instagram after my mom's passing a few days ago. I thought I'll be able to deal with it (or not deal with it) by drowning myself in work, but that's not working so I will have to take a few days off to digest this event.
I will continue posting more videos - we filmed so many and I'll work on a new one today.
Petey - injured street cat surrenders to being loved.
Hello again,
Petey lived on the streets and just by looking at him, you can tell he had a pretty rough life. To make things a little worse, he was injured and needed medical care.
The rescue itself was very quick, but that's not the most beautiful part of this video - it's the transformation that was just so beautiful to watch - you'll get goosebumps by the end of the video 🥰
I want to share a quick update because many of you asked: I went to the cardiologist, did a whole battery of tests and I am currently wearing a heart monitor (24/7) for a whole week. It will record everything that is going on inside, and next week I'll have to do an MRI and another ultrasound to rule out serious problems. I really appreciate all the sweet emails and letters sent to me - Thank you ❤️❤️❤️
I know this is all caused by stress as a result of the work here. Just so it's clear - the rescues are not stressful at all (this is the part I enjoy the most), but it's having to raise enough funds to pay for all these animals. It's important to understand that we have 3 doctors, working full time with an additional staff of 25 technicians and they spend 100% of their time taking care of animals that Hope For Paws is financially responsible for - this is all they do. Of course, we also work with specialty hospitals (cardiology, ophthalmology, and complex orthopedic surgeries).
We help so many more animals than you get to see, but I am just too busy to post about every surgical case we get from the shelter. As you can imagine, every surgery costs thousands of dollars! Yesterday we got a dog with a broken pelvis, today a dog with a broken leg, and more are coming.
One great way to help take the stress away from me at NO COST TO YOU is to ask Amazon to support Hope For Paws ❤️🐶🙏😺🙏❤️
Thank you for assigning Hope For Paws to receive funds from Amazon Smile 🙏
Amazon has a program called Amazon Smile where every time you shop on Amazon, Hope For Paws receives a small donation from your purchase. It is 100% free for you, and these small gifts add up to make a huge difference every month. I would love for you to ask Amazon to give the donation to Hope For Paws just by clicking here: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/26-2869386
With the rising cost of veterinary care, we can't leave any funds on the table... it either goes to Amazon (I think they have enough money), or it goes to rescuing animals 😊👍
Please take 5 seconds to do this for the animals and for me.
Mercy (the mom) was there until the last moment of her life and she kept her family together even after her death until someone finally called Hope For Paws ❤️
These stories are sad, but it's important to me that we share some of the uncomfortable things we see because this is what we're dealing with on a daily basis, and I want more people to know that action is needed immediately in situations like this.
Kitten season is here and it is raining kittens. In the past 24 hours, we rescued 11 kittens, and many more are coming!
Every kitten season, rescues all over the world receive many calls for help as thousands and thousands of kittens are born in all kinds of weird places. A family of kittens Katie McKittrick rescued two days ago were born inside of an abandoned car. The temperature was 90 degrees outside which means that in the car it was at least 20 degrees hotter, the 3-day-old kittens were panting, so she had to get them out of there, and the attempt to capture the mom is still ongoing, but this mama is too smart for her own good 😰
Amazingly, as she was looking for the mom, she found another litter of 2-day-old kittens born inside of a different car!!! These stories almost sound unbelievable, but we have it on camera 😎👍
In the video below, JoAnn Wiltz got a call about a young cat who had given birth for the first time, and she wasn't sure how to handle that situation. The newborn kittens were scattered on the property, and without help, this story wouldn't have ended well.
The one thing that EVERY rescue out there needs is more foster families who are willing to take care of these babies until they are ready for adoption. Fostering kittens is so amazing, rewarding, and it's a lot of fun. I have been doing it myself from a very young age and I think it is so important from an educational standpoint - connecting young children to nature in the best way possible.
This coming weekend, there are going to be many adoption events all over and I would LOVE IT if you would visit them and offer to volunteer. Some kittens will come with their mom which is easier to handle, and some will require bottle feeding.
So many of you have asked how else could you help us save more lives and volunteer outside of California.
So many of you have asked how else could you help us save more lives and volunteer outside of California.
We are so grateful for your support and for wanting to do more for the animals we rescue. If you love dogs, cats, bunnies or any other type of animal, we'd love to have your join our family. There are so many ways you can help and the ideas below are a great way to get started and volunteer with Hope For Paws.
First, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram - this will help us reach many more people all over the world.
Your comments, questions and encouraging words of support not only help to motivate our team, but when you share our videos online, this is one of the most impactful ways you can help us reach more people and save lives.
Please don't forget to help us by subscribing to our YouTube channel. When you are watching our videos, we receive ad revenue, and the funds go directly to pay for life saving surgeries. If you have not subscribed, please click here.
Do you know about Amazon Smile?
Every time you shop on Amazon, Hope For Paws can receive a small donation from your purchase through Amazon Smile. It is 100% free for you, and these small gifts add up to make a huge difference. Please click here to select Hope For Paws as your charity of choice and please don't forget to shop at Smile.Amazon.com
Help us name the next animal we rescue
We are always looking for unique names for our the animals we rescue. Please send us your favorite names here and you might get lucky and see your favorite names in one of our future videos.
We'd love to have you send us unique and special names for our animals. A special donor named this adorable Mom #Moon. Moon's puppies, Andromeda, Nebula, Supernova, Comet, Lynx, and her only son Crypto are all so cute and you'll love the photos at the end of the video.
Write your own Will for FREE
Every month, we are asked to help find loving forever homes to pets after their owners passed away unexpectedly and no instructions were left for their care. This is a gift from Hope For Paws to your pet - a way to ensure that your fur baby will never end up in a terrible situation or stuck in an animal shelter. You can read more about planned giving on our blog or skip straight ahead to creating your own legally valid will via our partner FreeWill.
By joining our family as a monthly donor, you'll help support the incredible rescues that we're able to accomplish every day. Our average monthly donation is $14 and every gift adds up to help pay for medical care before each animal finds a loving home. We would LOVE for you to be a part of these rescues and an important part of every one of our videos!
Later on this year, we will open an online store where you can get your own Lucky Leash of Hope and towels and blankets with the Hope For Paws logo. Millions of people have seen these on our rescue videos, and having additional funds will enable us to save even more lives. Please add your name to the waiting list, and you'll be notified when they become available!
Download the Hope For Paws Mobile App
Please don't forget to download the Hope For Paws APP in the Apple App store or Google Play. Turning on your notifications will enable me and Eldad to text you when a new video is posted.
A terrible accident turns this rescue into a nightmare.
When we received a call about a family of kittens living in a buried pipe in the middle of a large construction project in Los Angeles, we had no idea this would become one of our most stressful rescues ever.
On this rescue, Loreta took multiple bites, and after that, a terrible accident turned this rescue into my worst nightmare!! Please don't worry and please don't skip this one - we figured it all out.
We're so lucky to have the cameras and equipment required to complete these types of complex rescues. Without your support, we would not have been able to safely complete these types of rescues. Thank you for watching our videos this year, commenting and sharing our rescues with friends and family. We love our work and can't wait to continue saving lives in 2022. Happy New Year!
