Chester Success Story - Update

"Updated Success Story for Chester the Puggle".

Chester, the puggle surrendered in Camden City,NJ, with scarring on his back from a severe flea infestation, was adopted into his new home today in Pennsylvania.

It is always sad to give up an animal you have taken into your home to foster and nurture until they are ready to go to their forever homes. This picture was taken the day we drove Chester Bester to his new home.

A loving couple with no children or other animals (but tones of dog experience) and a big beautiful home with a fenced yard loved Chester the second they saw him!!! On his first day they have already spoiled him with tons of new toys, a new bed, collar and bowls.. He will really miss his wrestling buddy, Penny, but one of his humans is home ALL DAY and he will have a new buddy to wrestle with.

Another success story for an animal that someone didn't want. So far this year, NJAFA has placed over 12 ADULT dogs into loving homes and 20 PUPPIES!

Thanks to ALL that inquired about Chester.. we had over 200 inquiries about him but know we picked the absolute perfect home for this little guy. He is already allowed on the couch, in the bed, wherever his heart will take him with this loving couple.

Success Stories: 'Magnificent 7'

Update on Magnificent Seven Adoptable Animals

All the pups from the "Magnificent Seven" have been adopted into great families!

Success Stories: Dog with Hernia

NJ Aid for Animals goes to Camden City, NJ weekly to pickup dogs and cats from owners who have no transportation or funds to get their animals altered. This little dog when we picked her up to be spayed also had a hernia. Of course, we cannot return this dog with this kind of medical problem. Each spay/neuter costs $25.00 and we also pay for the shots which totals $42.00. We also try to Frontline the animals as they usually have fleas but because our funds are limited, we provide the most basic medical needs first. This hernia cost extra because of the surgery required.

Best news is that this little dog is happy and healthy with its owner.

Success Stories : Snickers

UPDATE 9/24/07 -

Snickers, a Cairn Terrier, was surrendered in Camden. He was filthy dirty, full of fleas, badly matted and fearful of men. Our friends at Animal Control Dog Training socialized and trained little Snickers and now he is in his forever home with Lucinda! What a happy ending for Snick A Doo Doo.

OUR NEWEST LITTLE BOY FOR ADOPTION

Don’t let this little guy’s funny teeth scare you off!!! He is a love bug. He rolls over on his tummy and loves to be petted. “Snickers” is a Shih Tzu mix. He had to be shaved down because he was so matted and full of fleas when he was surrendered in Camden City to our President, Kathy McGuire.

Poor little Snick-a-Doo-Doo……He also had a severe ear infection and flea bites all over his skin.

Snickers hair, although matted severely, was very long and once it grows back will have long beautiful hair … he is neutered, maybe 2 yrs old, all shots and sleeps next to the foster’s bed in his little crate all night without a problem. He also follows the foster around like a little SHADOW.

Snickers gets along fine with the other dog in the house (a Finnish Spitz) and doesn’t seem to mind the cats.

Snickers will do best with someone who is home or with someone he can ”travel” with so he isn’t left alone all the time unless there is another dog for him for company.

For adoption information contact: info@njafa.org

Success Stories - Dempsey

"DEMPSEY"
Animal Control officers called NJAFA to ask if we would take this poor dog in that had been taken off the street and obviously been involved in a dog fight and used for dog fighting. The shelter where it would have to go would euthanize it because it had been used for fighting plus its wounds were so severe it would have been cost prohibitive to save this poor creature.

NJAFA aided poor Dempsey immediately. We raised funds to have surgery done on him immediately. Dempsey had his ear taken off because it was half off anyway. His body as you can see was scarred and battered. He was filthy dirty and thin.

Dempsey was a little lover boy and grew on the hearts of all of us. Although Dempsey was a sweet little boy and very very affectionate he could not be adopted to a family with another dog. Dempsey went to a very nice sanctuary for pitbulls and is living out his life there.

They love him and he will always have a special spot in our hearts.

This is Dempsey after he was all healed up and on the day he left for his forever home. We will never see him again but all those involved with his miraculous recovery sent love his way.

Success Stories - Taz - Miracle in Camden

MIRACLE IN CAMDEN


Many times in the past as a volunteer with one of the animal humane enforcement officers in Camden, I have reached out to help local citizens who either cannot afford to take care of their animals or do not have a car with which to transport their animals for vet care. Such was the case on a hot night in late June when I received a call from a Camden animal control officer that a resident needed help transporting her dog to a vet.

Arriving in Camden, the temperature was a scorching 96 degrees. No breezes cooled the hot cement that doubled as “backyards” nor were there any grass or trees to offer respite in Camden that night. I entered the tiny house with no air conditioning late in the evening and saw a thin German Shepherd lying with its head on its master’s lap. I immediately sent my husband to the CVS to purchase a thermometer to take the dog’s temperature. While it was hovering around l03, which is a little above normal, we all decided the best place for Tazzie, the shepherd, was to come home with me so I could transport him to my vet first thing in the morning.

Once at my home, Tazzie slept in a soft bed with a gentle breeze in a backyard full of trees in a safe, quiet environment, away from the chaos and cacophony of Camden.

The next morning at 7:00 am, when I went to check on Taz, he was dead. Dead in the literal sense that he was almost not breathing, he was in shock, he had no capillary response, his eyes were fixed and dilated, he was totally limp. Taz was lying in and covered with blood and diarrhea..

Still in my nightclothes, I scooped him up and put him in the back of my SUV. Minutes away from my local vet I reached the office just as they were opening.

We carried Taz into the hospital on a stretcher. When asked “how far do you want to go to save this dog”, I didn’t hesitate. I advised my vet to “do whatever has to be done to save this dog.”

Tazzie was plunged into a bath of cool water and an iv drip was started. Taz’s temperature was a staggering ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT DEGREES!!! Taz should have been and by all rights was dead.

Urgently, the doctor and the vet tech pumped Taz with antibiotics and fluids. Ice packs were placed around his body while I used a hose to keep cool water flowing on him and rinse away the blood and feces covering his limp body. I was told Taz would probably not make it and to be prepared to make the decision to put him down.

Miraculously, Taz survived that day and into the night. The next day Tazzie was trying to hold up his head. Each day that went by, his will to survive was stronger and stronger. He spent four days in intensive care and was released to me because it was a holiday weekend and I lived very close to the vet in case Taz would go back into a coma again.

Tazzie had survived the mean streets of Camden, a temperature of l08 degrees and four days in intensive care. Almost two weeks after Tazzie’s near death experience, he was surrendered to me so that I could provide him with a safe environment and a loving family.

As summer continued her sojourn and Taz regained his strength, he started to gain weight and began to play and discover his new surroundings. One day Taz decided to venture a paw, with trepidation, into our pool. One paw, two paws and off Tazzie went the rest of the summer swimming in our pool, with or without us, it didn’t matter. We had to buy him a life vest so that he would be safe while he swam all the time.

We knew the family Taz would be adopted to had to love the water and that is the family we found. Although I received literally dozens of requests to adopt Taz, only one stood out among them all. One family I knew almost immediately would be the family I would select to provide the love and a second chance at a happy life for Taz. The fact that they had emailed or called me every day for two weeks to see if they had been selected certainly made me feel that I had made the right decision.

Almost two months to the day on Labor Day weekend, I delivered Tazzie to his new home. He could not be more loved, adored or spoiled. Taz swims with his new brother and sister, Nicky and Samantha and they even brush their teeth together!!!

Taz’s story is a miracle and demonstrates what all of us can do when we are willing to go the “extra mile”, put ourselves out for an animal and never give up even in the most extraordinary circumstances. Tazzie, didn’t.

Success Stories - CHi

CHI
Many times in Camden, a resident will approach me to ask for help with their animal. The family at this house told me about their little Chihuahua that had a hernia and it was very very large. Of course, NJAFA took this poor little baby to the hospital immediately.

She had two inguinal hernias and an umbilical hernia. All three were the size of an orange hanging off her little body. The horn of her uterus and part of her intestine was in one of the hernias.

This little girl is thriving now and the family is now happy. NJAFA was there for another little animal in Camden that probably would not have survived had it not had surgery.

Success Stories - Miss Kitty

"MISS KITTY" - will bring a tear to your eye

Miss Kitty was also surrendered by her owner in Camden City, NJ because he had too many cats. She, too, would have had to go to local shelter. She is spayed/all shots/tested and is very friendly and loveable. She throws herself down and lies on her back so you can rub her full tummy!

Miss Kitty doesn't have tear ducts so she will require some daily tear drops of just plain/inexpensive artificial tears at CVS.

She will bring a tear to your eye when you see how sweet she is and how she likes to play. She goes CRAZY for the laser toy and her feather toy. She would give you hours of fun playing with her!

She can be seen at Petco in Cherry Hill.

UPDATE 7/20/07

Miss Kitty has been adopted by a very wonderful family who is giving her all the attention she deserves. They have no other animals or children and Miss Kitty will be spoiled rotten. She is already rolling over to have her belly rubbed and the new owners are loving her.....AND the owner takes the same medicine that Miss Kitty does so no problem with giving meds every day!!!

UPDATE 8/3/07

This is from Miss Kitty’s new owner:

NJAFA got Miss Kitty from a mentally challenged individual in Camden City named Bart. He is a loving and gentle person who is a true animal lover and had taken Miss Kitty into his home to get her off the streets but could not keep her any longer.

I am grateful to you and Bart for taking care of her and you can tell she was taken care of she is soooo loving. I am a dog person and always have been until I met miss kitty (we did change her name to Cooper, she is named after cooper river it's a special place we like to walk and picnic) She responds to cooper now, When we saw miss kitty and said come see her I was reluctant b/c I can't bear to see any animal in a cage my heart truly breaks anyway I went over to her and she licked me!! I never met an affectionate cat until her and then I asked her special need From that day on we went to see her everyday and I missed her so much when we would leave and felt she belonged with us, we are so lucky and happy to have her. Though I have always been a dog person b/c I thought they were so much more affectionate, she is the most affectionate animal I ever had!! I love her so much and I think we are very lucky to have her she is so good (except for attacking the feet!) She brings us laughs and love everyday what else could I ask for! She plays with her laser light every night and now after she catches her bird toys she walks around with them in her mouth like look at me!! She is eating well her dry and wet food.

Success Stories - Precious

UPDATED 8/2007 - Adopted

Precious – Adorable Black Chow

What can we say about this little girl? Her owner was selling puppies on the streets of Camden and she was the only one left, so we told the owner we would take the puppy but we would PAY FOR the mother to be spayed and get all her shots.

Precious’ mother was spayed last Thursday courtesy of NJAFA after having had four litters of puppies. She is an adorable little dog and the father is a full bred black chow whom we have not been able to locate. We were able to find the owner of Precious’ sibling and we will be having that puppy altered as well.

Precious is currently living with a foster who has small children, a baby, a large German Shepherd and two other small dogs. She is paper trained, crate trained and friendly with cats….she doesn’t mouth like most puppies .. 4.9 pounds and 9 weeks old…she loves to be held and will be about 40 pounds full grown

Success Stories - Heidi

HEIDI


She was surrendered to Kathy McGuire in Camden City where she had been living outside for the last year....she has found a home with some very wonderful people in Northern New Jersey.

Thanks to our friends at Pretty Up Your Pup in Williamstown, NJ who sponsored Heidi for her fabulous haircut!! They sure work miracles there as is obvious!!!

NEW PHOTOS OF HEIDI 8/8/07

Success Stories - Duece

DUECE
Every Dog Has its Day" This Day was Deuce's.
Deuce's owner, after calling several other rescues in the area for help and not even getting a return phone call, finally reached Kathy McGuire, our President. Deuce's owner explained he had already spent $450!!! on this poor dog and was told the dog would probably die if it were not taken to an all night emergency care facility. The owner had no more money left for his dog. He begged us to help him. How could we turn down Deuce's little face?

Deuce was taken immediately to our wonderful vet who admitted Duece into intensive care. Deuce had Parvo a very contagious (and deadly) disease that is very common in Camden City. What the other vet had failed to ascertain as well is that Deuce also had intestinal torsion. Again, a fatal situation.

Little Deuce was probably not going to make it. The dog was already in a compromised situation with his immune system and still had to go under anesthesia to be operated on for the torsion.

It was touch and go for the four days Deuce spent in intensive care.

Every day our vet said it probably was a lost cause but we told him to do whatever it took to save this little guy.

Today, three weeks later, Deuce is home with his owner in Camden being a good boy.....except he really got spoiled on that boiled chicken and rice!!

The owner although not able to pay us back for this very expensive stay in hospital is helping NJAFA pass out flyers in Camden to let people know about spaying and neutering their animals.

Success Stories- Cha Cha

CHA CHA
Update: BREED: American Pit Bull Terrier
SEX: Female AGE: 9 years
WEIGHT: 65#

This devoted dog was taken to a shelter after her owner was hospitalized in the terminal stages of AIDS. Without the intervention of Kathy McGuire, a DCO who is devoted to pit bulls, she would most certainly have been euthanized because of her age. Because it is the older dogs who especially touch our hearts, we at Out of the Pits are hoping that someone will offer Cha Cha a chance to live out her years in peace and happiness. More information will be posted here as we get to know this lovely dog. So far she's great with other dogs and ADORES people

Camden, New Jersey

December, 2006 NJAFA received a call from NJ Animal Rights that a dog had been left by its owner in an apartment in Camden, NJ. NJARA had pleaded with a couple of other rescue groups that do work in Camden, but they would not help. Because NJARA is headquartered in North Jersey, NJAFA was asked to intervene because of their work in Camden.

Kathy McGuire, President of NJAFA, obtained the proper surrender information from the owner and forwarded it to animal control to have the dog removed from the property.

Cha Cha, had been left for several days without her owner. She was in good shape but scared and lonely. Her owner would not be coming back ever.Cha Cha went into heat the second day she was taken in. She also had a severely infected paw from trauma to it that had not been treated.. The paw was oozing and very swollen

The kind owners of Halo House in Franklinville NJ gave Cha Cha a home at their kennel while we searched for a rescue and/or a home for her to go to.

Cha Cha was spayed, had several tumors taken off her neck and chest and four mammary tumors taken off (all begnin). One nipple had a large tumor on the end and because of the weight was very severe and hanging down almost to the ground

All during the time Cha was at the kennel NJAFA went to visit her and play with her. On Christmas Eve, we took her presents and played with her, on New year’s Eve day, we also visited her and made sure she knew someone cared about her. NJAFA also took Cha to all her vet appointments, check ups and to our home for “day trips” and transported her to NY for final leg to a pit bull rescue in Northern NY

We were lucky the rescue group took Cha as she would never have had a chance at the local County shelter where they are very high kill and are already over burdened with pitbulls. Additionally, she had so many medical issues money would not have been available.


Kathy McGuire spoke to the owner who is terminally ill with AIDS. Cha was treated very badly before her new owner of the last ten years rescued her. She used to go to work with him and they were together 24/7. He was a wonderful person to take in Cha Cha and give her a good home. He said he misses her very much.

Cha spent her last night in NJ at the McGuires sleeping with Kathy McGuire. Cha Cha was let out for the evening to potty which she did immediately, and came back in and went to sleep promptly through the night with no disturbances and no crying. Cha Cha slept next to Kathy the entire night with no fussing, crying or problem. She felt a human body sleeping next to her for first time in weeks.

CHA CHA SNORES!!!!!

Success Stories - Teddy

Poor Teddy. Chained to a tree by a man who went on vacation and forgot about him. A neighbor called NJAFA to tell us no one was feeding the dog and it had a horrible smell coming from him. We rushed to the house where we saw Teddy who looked like a small bear matted and covered with fleas and an embedded collar. The "smell" was from an infection on his neck.
Teddy turned out to be a very handsome boy indeed. He stayed with NJAFA for about two months until we could place him for adoption with a no kill rescue in PA.

For more info on this sweetheart, check out the main NJAFA page for Teddy.

Success Stories - Norton

NORTON aka "Snort"

While driving through Camden it is very common to see little puppies foraging for food and water. They really belong to no one and have somehow managed to eek out a life on these unforgiving streets. NJAFA while on a trip to Camden to pick up animals for altering, saw this little guy loping along the street searching in garbage cans.

We scooped him up and took him to wait at the shelter for seven days. No one of course claimed him but because he was so gangly and goofy we named him "Norton" like the character in the old "Honeymooners" series.

"Snortie" got adopted to a very loving family in Jersey City. This is a picture of one of their children. Who says pitties are dangerous? Couldn't prove it by this picture!

Success Stories - Mickey

TAKE THIS LITTLE LEPRECHAUN HOME LITTLE MICKEY FOUND IN CAMDEN ON ST. PATTY’S DAY

NJAFA received a call from a very kind woman in Camden that was feeding this little guy. He was very very sick and she could not care for this little kitten. We picked up two others at the same time and nursed them back to health. Mickey was matted, had a bad upper respiratory virus and his eyes were so infected they were glued shut.

Look at little “Mick” now. He is all better and well adjusted with his foster family. In fact, his “sister” this big German Shepherd bathes Mickey regularly and Mickey loves it. Mickey also lives with four other dogs!! And three children!!! He loves all the attention and activity.

Mickey has long silky black hair that he loves to have brushed. He is neutered and has all his shots and been tested.

Success Stories - Baby Scarlette

Many times while in Camden on one mission or project, we become distracted or get involved in something else. Such was the case one cold day in winter while down there picking up a cat, a woman called us over to ask if we wanted a puppy. The pup had a broken leg and later we found out she also had ringworm. Scarlette is alive and well and already with a loving home up north.