Almost Home is grateful to the Girl Scout Troop #340 for the huge donation of newspapers, towels, blankets, dog and cat food, toys, beds, crates and clothing the collected in an amazing short amount of time. These items will be distributed among the foster dogs and cats who are in volunteers' homes, waiting for their "forever homes." Also, the animals in the Training Wheels outreach program will benefit from the girls' generous donations.
Three months earlier, the troop met at the Almost Home office in Bohemia to learn about animal rescue, care and training. Many of the girls shared experiences with their own pets and how the animals have enriched their lives. Almost Home looks forward to welcoming the Girl Scouts as future volunteers. In the meantime, you can meet them at our Chinese Auction, which takes place this Saturday, March 19th. The scouts will be helping us with the raffle, setting up the prizes and caring for the animals that will be at the adoption site adjacent to the parking lot at the Elks Lodge.
Almost Home Opens Its Doors in Bohemia
After several successful years of rescuing animals in need, we are proud to announce the opening of our first-ever physical location. Stop by to see our new facility, learn about our adoptable animals, drop off donations and more! Almost Home's office is conveniently located in Bohemia, NY just off of Vets Highway.
KELLY HAS BEEN ADOPTED!! THANK YOU TO HER NEW HOME.
Owner Dies, Kelly Grieves . . . All Alone!
For this gentle, stunning, 10-years young Golden Retriever/Lab mix girl, her owner was not an owner, she was her entire world; her best friend; her love and her life.
Quite sadly, as sometimes happens, our beloved companion animals outlive us. And, sometimes, not a soul in this world - not family nor friends - will rise to the occasion and assume responsibility for our four-legged partners.
That is what sweet Kelly is going through right now.
Kelly's person passed away unexpectedly, and no one wants her. No one. In fact, Kelly is still living in the home she shared for so many years with her person. People stop in to feed Kelly and let her out, but very soon the entire home will be vacated, leaving this wonderful angel only one option: a municipal town shelter where the chances of her
being re-adopted are slim to none.
Our culture doesn't hold elderly humans in very high esteem; the landscape is even tougher on companion animals.
Kelly is gentle, mellow, easy-going, trained, vaccinated and spayed - her mommy took such good care of her. She is used to giving and receiving love on a daily basis so her advocates fear she just may die of a broken heart.
Don't let that happen.
If you or someone you know has room in his or her heart and home for a sad, but hopeful girl like sweet Kelly, please step forward. Kelly just wouldn't survive very long in a cement kennel. Surely, she would rather follow her person to the Rainbow Bridge instead.
Don't let that happen.
A RECENT LETTER FROM BABY BOY TO HIS MISSED AND LOVED FOSTER MOM
10/4/10
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Dear Mom,
I really miss you and always will but I am settling in with my new family very nicely. Today was a very special day for us all. When I woke up, I went for a long uneventful walk, came home and had some breakfast, but not alot. Although I like my new mom and even kiss her, she just doesn't make Iam's like you did....Anyway, after about a half hour, she made me go for another walk ( I am telling you she is exhausting me, I can't believe she's got me out on that leash 3 and 4 times a day!). We were pretty far from home and I couldn't hold it another second so I pooped on someone's grass. You would have thought it was the 4th of July! She started jumping up and down, telling me I was such a good boy, she kissed me, petted me and then the best part was that she gave me not just one, but 2 treats! Right there out in the street! It was the best.
So my new dad takes me in the car every day, but I don't know why he won't let me go in the front seat or sit on the console. I keep trying and trying but he just keeps pushing me back and saying no. Darn!! So I just rest my head on his shoulder. We have sat by the ferries and the beach every day and watched the water, I kinda like it.
Now about that cat.....she scares me! When I get close to her, she makes god awful noises that make me back away. Maybe one day she will realize I want to be her friend and I won't hurt her. Hope it's before she croaks cause man - she's old.
So aside from that, I just love my new bed and the stuffed rabbit and squirrel. I carry them around the house in my mouth so no one else gets them.They're mine ya know...and that big fat Nyla Bone. I just started breaking it in last night.
My mom is going to the mall today and leaving me alone for the first time. She learned that I like tissues from the waste basket and I like to poke through the kitchen garbage so she is going to have to put alot of things up and close the doors before she goes. I hope I can show her she can leave me alone and feel good about it. Well, it's also beacuse last night, I climbed on the kitchen counter and ate my moms cottage cheese and pineapples. Boy oh boy, she was not happy. I am taller than her other dog. He couldn't reach.
So thank you for raising me to be the best "Baby Boy" I could possibly be, especially because of my experiences after I was born. Everything is going to be just great, they love me a whole lot already and I think I am going to love them right back.
Love Always,
Your Baby Boy
CHEWY'S STORY CONTINUED ....
Despite her good fortune of possibly remaining mobile in the future, Chewy still needed serious medical attention. She would need to see a specialist in order to give her a chance to recover and walk again. Her X-rays below show the spine was broken.
The financial expense surrounding Chewy’s recovery would be tremendous and too costly for Almost Home Animal Rescue & Adoption. It was then that Almost Home decided to reach out to The ONYX AND BREEZY FOUNDATION (O&B) based out of Tuxedo Park, New York.
While we contacted O&B, Chewy remained at the Babylon Animal Hospital and received great care and attention. We received an immediate response from O&B and from the Trustee herself, Wanda Shefts. With our fingers crossed tightly, we gathered up all of the necessary information and forwarded it on to Wanda. We prayed before we went to sleep, and upon waking Friday morning, heard the incredible news. Wanda informed us that O&B had decided that they would pay for Chewy to go to a specialist and undergo the necessary surgery she desperately needed.
Chewy was transferred that morning to New York Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center (NYSC) in Farmingdale. Her surgery was performed only hours later due to Chewy’s urgency. The surgery was successful and Chewy is now in recovery. Her surgeon, Dr. Arnold S. Lesser VMD, was able to pin the spine back together using the pelvic wings as support and with some wiring to get it just right. Although the surgery was not an easy one, Chewy’s prognosis is very good. She will remain at NYSC for the next several days.
We have ONYX AND BREEZY to thank for saving Chewy’s life. With their immediate acceptance and sincere care for Chewy 's future, she has been given a second chance at life and is beginning her journey to recovery with a promise for better days ahead.
We want to give special thanks to Wanda Shefts and her husband for their dedication to this wonderful foundation. We are beyond grateful and words!
8/31/10 update:
Chewy is doing great today and will be transported home tomorrow. She is going to be on oral antibiotics and pain meds. She can lift her front end with out any problems and is eating and drinking on her own. Dr. Lessor has made her a custom brace/ body cast that will allow her back to be completely stable so that the follow up care for the owners is easier and much more comfortable for Chewy. She will remain in this cast for 6-8 weeks. After that she will undergo some form of physical therapy :) YAY FOR CHEWY!!
9/7/10 update:
Chewy is doing better then ever!! She has such strong will power to want to walk even though she should really be resting. Both her back legs have movement and she lit up when she was leaving NYVS. Chewy seemed to know that her next adventure in the car was to finally go home to see her family.
Once Chewy arrived at her home, she perked right up, her ears went forward, and you could tell she knew exactly where she was. Her family welcomed her home with much love. They were so happy their prayers came true! Onyx and Breezy including Wanda Shefts answered their prayers by funding the operation. Chewy's family is so grateful for everyone's help. Chewy is one very happy and lucky dog! Stay tuned: Chewy's next follow up visit is sometime this week! We will be sure to update you after her exam.
CONRAD: One Truly Lucky Dog!
Take a look at our boy Conrad, aka 'RAD.' He went from almost going blind in a garage, was attacked twice while on a leash, to the ultimate permanent vacation! Below is a photo that was taken early July 2010.
Jim's email to us was amazing. Read it for yourself : )
"Just an update on Conrad (AKA. "RAD"). He is doing well and loves Mocha, his girl. They get along great and are both happy dogs. Conrad is now doing "Golden Outreach" which is a pet therapy program with the SPCA of Westchester. Last month he was interviewed and approved for the program. He is assigned to the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Montrose, New York. I have gone there now a few times with him and he is a big hit. The residents get to pet him and interact with him and he seems to like it too. We have gone up on the motorcycle and he goes into the facility with his goggles and motorcycle harness on and everyone goes crazy for him.
Hope all is well on Long Island. Keep up the good work & thanks for RAD."
—Jim Burns
Read the article here at this link:
http://www.babylonbeacon.com/news/2010-07-29/Columnists/Pets_Pets_Pets.html
