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!
This might be our most dangerous rescue yet: coyotes, graveyards, and terrifying heights!
This might be our most dangerous rescue yet: coyotes, graveyards, and terrifying heights!
We had quite the spooky rescue this summer when Cashmere found herself trapped in a graveyard patrolled by coyotes! Eldad and Loretta rushed to the scene but the graveyard was closed for the night by the time they arrived. In order to rescue Cashmere, the two had to squeeze under a rusty fence and drop down to the sewer where she was hiding. Initially, the team thought Cashmere couldn’t even see them, she was struggling to pick up pieces of hamburger they left her on the ground, but they took the opportunity to quickly get her into the gentle snare and make sure she couldn’t run away.
Now, Eldad and Loretta were up for their biggest rescue yet: saving themselves!
To get down they had dropped over a sheer concrete wall and had no way to get back up. Eldad managed to “monkey” his way over the wall using the fence above and a single nail that stuck out of the concrete. From there, Loretta handed him Cashmere and she was safely secured in the Hope For Paws vehicle. Loretta spent ages trying to get out, Eldad even dropped the rescue fence down to give her some extra leverage but nothing was working! Luckily, some kind strangers came along and helped them out (after being told why two people were breaking out of a graveyard).
With everyone safely in the car, the team took off to CARES where it was confirmed that Cashmere was in good health and could even see despite being over 15 years old. She received a nice warm bath and lots of treats before our friends at Lionel's Legacy took her in.
Cashmere had likely spent the last 15 years with a family who loved and cared for her, otherwise she wouldn’t have been so healthy when Hope For Paws found her. Sometimes, the unexpected happens and it’s important that what comes next for your pets is expected. We’ve partnered with Free Will, an organization that helps you make a will for free in less than 20 minutes, to make sure those who rely on you are looked after. Please take 20 minutes today and protect your pet for a lifetime!
It may seem difficult to imagine that anyone could love your pets as much as you do. But what will happen to your animals when you can no longer care for them?
It may seem difficult to imagine that anyone could love your pets as much as you do. But what will happen to your animals when you can no longer care for them?
Our world has changed a lot in the past few weeks and it's important to be prepared and protect the ones you love: family members - humans and animals. Doing the work we do and listening to the sad calls for help, we know it is critical to think about who you would want to care for your animals should you be unable to do so. We recently rescued a dog from a home, after the owner had passed away. The dog had been trapped in the house for days before we got the call... she was starving, dehydrated and also sad and scared. In this case, she was lucky that someone knew to call Hope For Paws and we found her a loving forever home. A few months ago, the same thing happened with a person who lived on a boat and passed away. Loreta and I worked with the police, got the cat off the boat, took him to the hospital and shortly after found him an amazing home.
These experiences led us to partner with FreeWill a few months ago, and this service will enable you to secure the future of your pets should something unexpected would happen to you. Click here to get started and create your own Free Will.
FreeWill provides you with an easy way to write a legally valid will online in just 20 minutes. I know this can be a scary thing to think about, but life is so fragile and dealing with it for 20 minutes right now will give you peace of mind. I completed my own will about a month ago, and it was really easy. The service is 100% FREE for everyone, so please share the link with family and friends. Currently, the service is available only to people in the U.S.A, but the legal team at FreeWill is working hard these days on expanding it to other countries. For now, even if you don't live in the U.S, you can still start a conversation with your family and friends so there is a plan in place.
The first step of action is to pick two friends or family members who would be willing and able to care for your pets as emergency caregivers should something happen to you. They should have keys to your home, care and feeding instructions, and the name and contact information for your veterinarian. Once you have decided on two caregivers, you will want to let your neighbors and relatives know your emergency plan. You could also carry a card with the contact information in your wallet and post the information inside your door so emergency responders would be aware that you have a plan for your pets in need of care.
Roadside rescues can be dangerous for dogs and people but luckily with a few gadgets we can make it a lot safer
Roadside rescues can be dangerous for dogs and people but luckily with a few gadgets we can make it a lot safer
A long time supporter, Mary Chatman, who previously called us in to help Yara and Fiona (who's videos you can watch here and here), tipped us off about another dog in trouble. She’d seen a homeless dog in the neighborhood several times and finally tracked them down, cowering under a car. She called Hope for Paws and the team rolled in to rescue Ziggy.
Even though this wasn’t as risky as one of their many highway rescues, Loretta and Eldad still came fully equipped to make sure everyone, Ziggy included, stayed safe. With so many crazy situations there isn’t always professional gear available so these rescues require the team to get creative! Eldad, Loretta, and Mary (who was able to help out) unloaded a plastic play fence from the Hope for Paws truck and encircled the parked car. With Ziggy protected from the dangerous street, Eldad steps in and helped Loretta loop one gentle leader, and then another around the dog’s neck, pulling him safely from under the car. Ziggy didn’t put up a fight, he was completely frozen and absolutely terrified. Eldad took the chance to check for any major injuries and realized how matted Ziggy was, it must have hurt to even move! It was definitely time to get him to CARES Animal Hospital.
After a brief struggle to get a frightened Ziggy into the car, the team arrived at the hospital and the dematting process began. Two vet technicians got their clippers and began to cut off over a kilogram of matted hair. Afterwards, Ziggy looked like a completely different dog and went to his foster home with our partners at LA Animal Rescue. Next time we saw him, Ziggy not only looked like a different dog but acted like one too. The terrified, matted dog we found under the car was now running and playing with his foster home friends and more happily jumping around to show off his healthy new coat!
Hudson and Lawrence spent months living on the streets 😱
By the time we found Hudson and Lawrence in the middle of a busy road, the two must have been on their own for months. Back to back in the middle of the street, the two relied only on each other, especially after Hudson lost one of his back legs. The two were frightened, especially of men, so Loreta had to take the lead on this rescue.
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With help from a kind neighbor, Eldad and Loreta discovered the perfect place to safely corral the two cautious dogs: a fenced front yard. Eldad went back to the car to get more supplies and keep from scaring the nervous pups, while Loreta began earning their trust with cheeseburgers funded by donations from our amazing supporters. It took ages for the two to follow the cheesy trail into the front yard but Eldad was ready and closed the gate behind them.
Being trapped didn’t make Hudson and Lawrence any less scared – in fact, it was quite the opposite! The two growled and snapped whenever the team got close and Hudson almost took a chunk out of Loreta’s hand instead of the cheeseburger! After sitting at a stand still, Lawrence was the first to accept help. Once he realized they weren’t in danger, he let Loreta loop a lucky leash around his neck and calmly got into a travel crate. Hudson was the complete opposite, but who can blame him with such a horrible injury? Eventually, the team managed to distract him long enough to get him into the carrier and then it was off to CARES!
At the animal hospital, Lawrence immediately softened up. Despite his mats and malnutrition, his tail was wagging as soon as he left the crate. He went around to make friends with all the staff and sat calmly for his first bath in ages. Again, Hudson was quite different. The injury that took his leg had already healed but there was bad tissue and bone fragments which must have been causing him a ton of pain and would need surgery to heal. To give him the best chance of recovery, it was time for a bath and a shave which, unlike Lawrence, Hudson did not enjoy. With a little sedation he was all cleaned up and went in for surgery the next day to remove the remaining portion of his leg and relieve all the pain it had been causing him.
Hudson still had a long road to recovery, he had to completely relearn how to walk and to trust humans. Our friends at Foxy and the Hounds came in to save the day! They found an amazing foster home for Hudson AND Lawrence so the two could stick together and Hudson would have his trusted friend to watch his back while he recovered. Soon enough, the two pups were the happy, inseparable pair they were always meant to be! Complete with double tail wags!
Hope For Paws got a text about an abandoned home in the Los Angeles area, and more importantly, an abandoned dog that had been left on the property.
As soon Eldad walked onto the property he spotted Kitty hiding out in the backyard. Kitty was extremely skittish and refused to come close to Eldad but, with a busy road and intense heat, she needed to get out of there. At first, Eldad tried to earn her trust with some food that nearby construction workers had left for her but Kitty took off running and almost went into the street! Luckily, the little escape artist snuck around the neighboring lot and back into the safety of her yard. Eldad knew he couldn’t risk something like that again. Running into the street is dangerous for any dog, but with one as tiny as Kitty, the risks are astronomical! Eldad unloaded his rescue fences and sectioned off the driveway, corralling Kitty into a smaller area of the yard. Slowly, he moved the fences in so the space was smaller and smaller but Kitty started to panic. She got so scared she started jumping around and shaking all over. Eldad had to catch her soon or she might hurt herself. In this extreme situation, Eldad decided it was best to use the net caught Kitty right away. Kitty was still very unhappy and even more unhappy when Eldad tried to put a leash on her. It wasn’t until she was free to roam in the safety of the Hope for Paws truck that Kitty started to calm down.
From there, Kitty began her not so long journey to a new home. She stopped by CARE to be spayed, microchipped, and vaccinated then went to Tobie’s Small Dog Rescue to find her forever home. Kitty found her home (and some new friends) before we could even get this video out and the shaking escape artist turned into the little bundle of love and kisses she had always been!
This pitbull was full of love and just waiting for someone to share it with.
Summer heat is no joke here in California. It’s important to keep your animals out of the heat and well hydrated, but what about animals without humans to look after them?
Oxana was lucky that a kind samaritan spotted her back in June and had kept a close eye on her, giving her food and water when he could, but when the July heat hit he knew that Oxana was in serious danger so he called Hope For Paws. JoAnna and Katie arrived on scene, armed with hamburgers and gentle snares to get Oxana out of the heat. Only a few days before, she had let her long-time human friend pet her for the first time so the Hope For Paws team had no idea how she would react to complete strangers.
At first, JoAnne tried to lure Oxana into a leash but the pitbull was terrified and backed away with her tail between her legs. The team decided to switch to a gentle snare and, using that, quickly caught Oxana mid-munching. Oxana was still scared, but within a couple minutes she crawled into JoAnne’s lap full of kisses and demanding attention.
When the team left for the CARES Animal Hospital everyone had a huge smile on their face, Oxana included. At the hospital Oxana tried to befriend anyone who walked by and settled like an angle for her bath and clean up. Our partners at The Little Red Dog took her in right away and showed this little meatball all the love she deserved.
Miley had given up on herself but we wouldn’t give up on her...
After months of spotting a dog in the nearby junkyard, locals noticed that her health started to deteriorate rapidly so they made a call for help.
By the time Eldad arrived, the dog was hard to distinguish from the junk around her. Clearly suffering from mange, she was covered in more patches of blotchy red skin and open sores than fur. It was a horrific site and we can’t imagine the amount of pain and suffering she’d faced over the last year.
When Eldad approached her makeshift home of stained blankets and ripped mattresses, Miley barely moved. Usually, stray dogs -- especially sick or injured ones -- are cautious of strangers and bark or growl when first approached but Miley didn’t have any fight left. She had given up.
The biggest struggle in getting Miley to safety was her own exhaustion.
She was too tired to get up but once coaxed onto her feet, she stumbled to her new resting place in the passenger seat of Eldad’s car. After a worryingly quiet ride, Miley arrived safely at the animal hospital and she stood calmly as staff checked her over. Mange wasn’t the only affliction Miley was facing, she had been living in the junkyard for a long time and suffered from parasites, bacterial infection and malnutrition on top of her painful skin condition. Luckily, Miley’s quiet attitude helped her through the numerous medicated baths and wound cleanings required to bring her back to health.
Miley’s body wasn’t the only thing that needed time to heal, her spirit had been broken. It took her days to start interacting with Hope for Paws staff, but it was when she met an unlikely friend that we saw the dog she once was and certainly would be again. You’ll have to watch the video to see this amazing transformation.
Yara has a big bark (luckily we don’t know about her bite)
Pain makes people, and dogs, do crazy things. Yara certainly was not friendly or cooperative during her rescue but with a little bit of love and care she was completely transformed!
Early in the morning, Hope for Paws received a call about an injured pitbull puppy on an offramp of the 110 freeway. Yara turned out not to be a puppy but she was badly injured and terrified that humans would just bring her more pain. This was a tricky operation -- a hurt and frightened dog can easily hurt themselves and their potential rescuers -- not to mention Eldad was on the rescue all alone!
With the roar of the highway above and a stranger approaching her make-shift den, Yara was so distressed she couldn’t take a break from barking to eat the fried chicken being thrown to her. Eldad could tell Yara was seriously injured with one of her front legs almost completely crushed and her ribs easily countable. Eldad didn’t know how long she had been out here but at this point every minute mattered, making the patience required to get the fearful Yara to safety even harder to manage.
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This was a dangerous operation for everyone involved but thanks to the help of the Hope for Paws community and our partners at Little Red Dog Rescue, Yara’s story has a happy ending. Find out how we got there by watching this daring rescue!
Senior dog lived under a shipping container for 9 YEARS!
Dogs deserve a home and love no matter their age...
In mid-March, Persephone had already set out to help homeless animals but she didn’t realize what a huge impact she would have on the life of an old pitbull named Josephine. While helping with a trap-neuter-return program, Persephone stumbled across Josephine asleep under a shipping container and knew exactly who to call.
Eldad and Loreta arrived on scene for the rescue and learned from nearby construction workers that Josephine (or Pheenie for short) had lived in the junkyard since her owner was deported nine years ago. That near-decade had not been kind to Pheenie, she lost an eye and suffered from major dental rot, a fractured spinal cord, a urinary tract infection, and mammary tumors. Her long life had been a hard one but that was about to change.
Pheenie was hesitant to leave her home but once she did she was patient with rescuers and veterinary staff so they could give her the care she’d missed for so long. After her check up and numerous diagnosis it was clear that Pheenie didn’t have long left but L.A. Animal Rescue swooped in to make sure she spent her remaining days in luxury.
No animal should have to suffer like Pheenie and no human should have to worry about what will happen to their loved ones (animal or otherwise) when they’re gone. That’s why Hope for Paws has partnered with FreeWill to help you plan for the unexpected. This service will enable you to secure the future of your pets should something unexpected would happen to you. Click here to get started and create your own Free Will. If you have any questions about using FreeWill or adding a plan for your pets in your estate, please feel free to contact us. I know this can be a scary thing to think about, but life is so fragile and dealing with it for 20 minutes right now will give you peace of mind.
As fireworks exploded up and down my street I cringed as I thought about the newly hatched ducklings huddled together in the damp, murky storm drain below the street.
This is a guest post from Lee and Allison Mayorga who contacted Hope For Paws last July 4th 🎆
Mama duck and her ducklings had been enjoying the sprinklers in my front garden when I noticed that there were no longer 9 ducklings, but only four. I looked around and heard peeping coming from the street. They had fallen about 10 feet below into the storm drain. I immediately called every resource I could think of: fire department, police department, animal control - no one answered. I finally convinced two guys attending a party across the street to remove the manhole cover and climb down the ladder in an attempt to retrieve the ducklings. The rescue attempt was aborted after about 45 minutes when I realized that this well-intentioned duo had absolutely no skills in animal rescue and were attempting to grab the ducklings individually.
But my daughter, Allison, and I could not get the ducklings out of our minds. It was then I remembered a duo of Superheroes that had the brains, experience, equipment, and heart to help. I wondered if there might be a chance that Eldad and Loreta from Hope for Paws were available at 7:30 pm on the 4th of July to help. It’s worth a text, I thought, although I also believed I had a better chance of winning the lottery.
Imagine my surprise when I received a text 5 minutes later asking for a video of the location. I sent the video and a couple of texts later, they said they were on their way! I was in complete and utter shock! My daughter wondered if Eldad and Loreta themselves would actually come. I told her I didn’t know, and that they might send one of their teams.
I had second thoughts when I looked outside and saw that by this time it was totally dark, fireworks were going full blast, and utter chaos was taking place in our neighborhood. I was also afraid the ducklings would go farther into the 3ft circumference drains and be impossible to catch. I texted that maybe we should wait for the morning. The reply came in from rescuers with a true heart for animals. “No, we can’t wait. They need to be safe.”
An hour later the iconic silver SUV pulled up in my driveway and…Eldad and Loreta got out of the vehicle. I screamed as if it was Cinderella at my house! By the way, Loreta is even more stunning in person if that is possible. What a natural beauty she is! Eldad is not bad either lol, tall and handsome. Quite a pair! They were shocked by the thunderous fireworks being deployed in the neighborhood and very worried about the effect the noise would have on the ducklings. They immediately got to work and fed an underground cable attached to a rescue camera with a feeder wire down the hole. We were able to see the ducklings huddled together in the murky water.
Seconds later, both Eldad and Loreta were down the hole and in the tunnels with nets. As you can see from the video, the rescue was not easy. They had to crawl through the 3-foot tunnels after some surprisingly fast ducklings! Despite this, I knew that Eldad and Loreta had the smarts and experience to make it happen. At one point, my daughter Allison heard Loreta’s terrified voice saying she needed to get out of here. I felt so badly about the ordeal she was going through. But I also knew that the genuine love she has for all living things would result in success. Sure enough, about 15 minutes later Eldad, followed by a filthy Loreta, emerged from the hole with a net full of healthy and adorable ducklings.
This is what true rescuers do. Loreta was breathless, wet, and covered in muck, but she had a victorious smile. She told us it was the scariest thing she had ever done. This amazing team worked so well together with Eldad calling the shots in a calm, encouraging voice, and Loreta fighting her fears and displaying her skills. Eldad’s mind is always working, and when he employed the duck call sound from his iPhone during such a desperate time, I was amazed at his ingenuity.
After the incredible rescue, I enjoyed rinsing off the five ducklings, feeding them, and getting them tucked in for the night. Allison and I planned to search for Mama duck and possibly reunite the family the next morning. At 6 am, a search of the area informed us that, sadly, Mama duck had left the area with her remaining four ducklings. I texted Eldad and Loreta and we agreed to meet and deliver the ducklings to the Wetlands and Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Huntington Beach where Eldad and Loreta had previously delivered some orphaned opossum babies.
The next day at the center we got a VIP tour of the facility from the manager, Debbie, and saw the clean, spacious areas allocated for Mallard ducks and ducklings. We felt good about the care they would receive before they were released.
So many animal rescue organizations exist; it is difficult to determine which are truly dedicated, hardworking, legitimate rescues. I am happy to say Hope For Paws is the real deal. They deserve all of our support.
A helpless kitten was stuck in the middle of the highway
Every second would make a difference and first that meant finding a place to park the car.
Eldad and Loretta were on their way back from rescuing Josephine and her puppies when they received a text from Sheila, an eagle-eyed supporter who spotted a kitten in the middle of the freeway! With Sheila’s help they were able to locate the kitten and confirm he was still alive but struggling.
Eldad and Loretta were already on their second loop past the kitten when Eldad pulled over and “parked” on the median of an offramp.
The Hope for Paws team cranked open the windows so Josephine and her puppies would be comfortable for the few minutes they were gone, grabbed their nets and walked back to the highway.
Parking the car was just the first dangerous step in this rescue. Once they walked back towards the kitten on the mainroad, five lanes of traffic and cars going upwards of 65 miles per hour stood between them and the kitten. Waving their nets as a warning, Eldad and Loretta did the only thing they could think of and stepped into traffic.
For a minute the highway came to a stop, no one honked, there were no near misses, from their animal nets and Hope for Paws shirts, drivers knew that something important was happening. Eldad and Loretta made it across the highway, snatched up the kitten and ran back to the safety of their car.
Once inside the vehicle, Eldad called Shiela to tell her the fantastic news and Loretta checked on the kitten, now named Napoleon. At the vet hospital it was confirmed that Napoleon was suffering from an eye infection and fleas, and so began the delicate process of treating the barely one pound kitten. Though he whined and complained, Napoleon handled his medical treatment like a champ and once he was healthy got right back to playing and making friends like a kitten should.
Napoleon did not end up in this situation by himself. At his age he would have barely been away from his mother, never mind in the middle of a highway. Someone decided Napoleon was not worthy of love and not only abandoned him but most likely intended to kill him. If you or anyone you know is considering giving up a pet please contact your local animal rescue for help. Abandonment is not the only option. Please make sure your pet can live a full life even if you are no longer in it.
A woman's kindness has allowed this colony of cats to survive for the last two years
For years, Jodi has built homes for feral cats in her area.
She gives them a dry place to sleep with warm blankets and the guarantee of food and water. She’s also been helping with a spay and neuter program to make sure there isn’t another generation that needs her help. Even with all of this experience, Jodi’s biggest test was a single female cat that she’d attempted to catch for two years and Hope for Paws wants to make sure that her new litter finds a safe home indoors.
Jodi tracked the mom and her kittens to a storm drain by the time Eldad and Loretta arrived but when the group approached the mother cat ran off, leaving her kittens in a dead end tunnel. Armed with a crowbar, the Hope for Paws team lifted the manhole cover and made it into the storm drain. It took everyone involved to block off the remaining tunnels so no kittens would be left behind. Once the gloves were on and the nets in place, Eldad and Loretta could start picking up the kittens and moving them to the safety of a padded travel crate. But, the job wasn’t done and now the team had to pass time waiting for the mom to return which might have led to some harmless pranks and even more harmless kitten snuggles.
Six kids were playing in their neighborhood when they found a small bundle of fur.
At first, they worried they might have come across a dead animal but when the little dog skittered away they knew he could be saved and exactly who they needed to call.
Already being fans of Hope for Paws, the kids immediately texted Eldad and Loreta for help. They had already tried their local shelters and no one was willing to take the dog in so the kids brought water and waited by Nobu’s side until Hope for Paws arrived.
Though frightened, Nobu didn’t put up much of a fight when Loreta and Eldad approached. He was startled by the Lucky Leash, clearly having been without human contact for a long time, but he quickly calmed down and even let Loreta hold him all the way to the hospital. Once he’d been checked in, staff got to work picking hundreds of ticks off Nobu’s fur, shaving away his mats, and giving him a much needed bath. Even after all his time away from people Nobu knew he was being helped and stayed calm throughout the difficult process.
Just two days after his rescue Nobu was a different dog: making friends, running laps, and rolling over for belly rubs at every opportunity. All it took was a little bit of patience and love for Nobu’s entire life to change.
Injured dog laid on the freeway for 24 hours and just waited to die
I will never know how, but PD ended up on the 110 Freeway and she was hit by a car. A woman spotted her, called Animal Control and was assured they would come out.
24 hours later, she drove on the freeway again, and the dog was still there!!!!! She called her niece, Maria Garcia, and she knew to text Hope For Paws right away for immediate help!
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I received the approximate location (110 FWY northbound), and rushed to the location. On the way to the scene, I wondered if it’s possible for the dog to still be alive, but I had to confirm for myself. I drove south on the freeway, then exited, and got on the freeway again to go north). This is a tricky situation… driving at the speed of the rest of the cars on the freeway, looking for a tiny object, and in a split second determining if the dog is dead or alive.
It was a nerve-wracking moment, but I spotted the dog and she seemed to be alive! I knew I couldn’t do this one alone…it was too dangerous, and I had to consider my life and the lives of everybody else on the freeway. There was nowhere for me to pull over and do this safely - this required the help of the Los Angeles Police Department.
I exited right away and searched for the closest Police Department, and I found the Southeast Division in South Central. I walked into the station, an officer spotted me right away and her eyes immediately went down to my cargo pants where I had my camera. I realized what was going on, and assured her right away that it was just a camera and slowly pulled it out of my pocket. Phew 😊
She asked what she can do for me, and I explained the situation to her. She asked me to wait a second, and then Officer Gray came out to talk to me. I have never been in this type of situation before, but I explained to him exactly what kind of help I was asking for - I needed him to STOP THE FREEWAY FOR ME so I can save a dog who I honestly believe is still alive. I had no idea how this conversation would go - the LAPD must be one of the busiest departments in this country, but he said he will be happy to help me with that.
I explained the tricky location, so we agreed to meet at the entrance to the 105 FWY (in Watts) and we will continue from there together. I was in position, Officer Gray and Officer Nichols arrived, and we got on the freeway. It was just amazing for me to have the police car clearing the way for me to get in the car-pool lane, and then we got on the HUGE bridge connecting the 105 FWY to the 110 FWY! You could see the whole City of Angels from the top of the bridge. As soon as we went down the bridge, the sirens turned on and the officers started the traffic break maneuver to slow down traffic and enable me to find the dog. For this video I added a bird's eye view so it will be easier to understand the situation.
I spotted the little dog, stopped my car, and I was so nervous… the dog could have bolted in any direction, she could have bitten me, but I was prepared to NOT LET GO! I approached the dog slowly with a blanket, wrapped her, and she just looked into my eyes. She didn’t fight… she just allowed me to pick her up - she knew she needed help.
I thanked the officers and got back in my car so traffic can continue to flow. In honor of the two LAPD officers, I named the little girl PD.
PD was so happy to be rescued, and as we were driving to the hospital, she gave me little kisses as a thank you… it was just so sweet of her 💕
It’s important to mention that this rescue took place a day after Valentine’s Day of 2020… just days before this whole world changed forever! It’s almost weird to see everybody without a mask 😷
I rushed PD to CARES for medical attention. It was the weekend, but Doctor Lisa Youn offered to come in on her day off to make sure she was OK and evaluate if she needed emergency care.
PD was so cool, she allowed us to shave her and get all the fleas off her body. When we got to her hind leg, she started crying and we knew something was broken there. She was sedated, X-rayed and bathed, but I didn’t get to see that because I had to go on another rescue (I apologize for not having a bath scene - I know you love those).
Medically, this was a challenging one to fix - her tibia was broken, she had a large laceration and no skin to close it, she had metatarsal fractures, she suffered from proximal intertarsal joint instability and she had torn ligaments! Amputation is the easy solution to such a challenging problem, but we don’t shy away from big problems because we have Smart Approach Vet - Doctor Antonio Pedraza on our side with the rest of the CARES team and of course, we are fortunate to have you by our side with donations that make it all possible!
Dr. Pedraza put together a whole explanation that will walk you through this whole complicated process that took 3 surgeries that eventually helped us save her leg so she could run on all 4 for the rest of her life! It’s really amazing to see what was accomplished here.
On the day of the rescue, our friends at L.A. Animal Rescue offered to foster PD, and Tania Arana became her foster mom for the next few months. She had to do many trips back to the hospital for bandage changes - even during the lockdown.
PD has already been adopted, but there are many other loving animals who are still looking for a home. Please visit our Adoptable Animals page where you can adopt a dog, a cat, a bunny, a pig or even goat.
This has been a rough year for people all over the world and I am so grateful for having your support through it. I can’t imagine my life not being able to help these animals.
Last thing, but very important - a gift for you and your pets! Over the past year, I know that 948 of you have completed writing your wills. It makes me happy that so many of you now have plans for your pets and I hope many of you will take 20 minutes to accomplish this important task - it’s completely FREE: https://www.freewill.com/HopeForPaws
Hermione stepped on a cruel coyote trap and suffered for days.
After learning about an abandoned dog who had been living on her own for a long time with her foot stuck in a coyote trap, we immediately flew to South Carolina to complete this rescue. This ended up being one of the most incredible rescues I have EVER accomplished and we were so happy to save her life after so many local organizations struggled to complete the rescue mission.
When we arrived, we immediately starting searching for the dog with help from the police but didn't have any luck finding Hermione, so the next day we asked to work alone and our luck was turned around. As you'll see, Hermione was terrified of humans, so we sent Loreta out with a cheeseburger to see if this would do the trick. With food, we could gain Hermione’s trust by proving to her that we just want to help.
The trap was obviously causing a lot of pain for the poor pup. Unfortunately, these cruel traps are still legal for use in all but nine states, and clearly, their use can go very wrong.
Hermione's rescue was a challenge, but we could not leave her as the trap was causing too much pain. We recruited volunteers to help with the soccer net, as Hermione kept getting spooked and retreating from the cheeseburger. I want to thank our friends: Manuela Schafer for letting us know about Hermione, and to Kimberly Cockrell for organizing the troops on the ground and joining us on this rescue. Also, don't miss the beautiful pictures Loreta has posted of Hermione on her Facebook page.
Hermione's new loving family posts occasional updates about her new life and dog adventures on Facebook. Thank you to everyone who helped for this miracle to happen! This was one of our most important rescues ever because we're helping to raise awareness for two important animal causes: rescue and animal cruelty. Thank you so much for your generous donations that made it all possible.
