Sadie with Illinois Doberman Rescue is Senior of the Week

Sadie is this week's Special Needs Dobermans Senior Doberman Project Senior of the week. This 7 year old docked tail, natural eared girl was picked up as a stray and then surrendered to IDR when her owner was located an found unable to care for her. She's in the care of Illinois Doberman Rescue plus.

Special Needs Dobermans senior of the week: Spike

Spike is Special Needs Dobermans' Senior of the Week. I saw his picture on Facebook and...look at that face!

Doberman Rescue Alliance Wisconsin fundraiser for Lily's surgery

I posted about Lily with Doberman Rescue Alliance Wisconsin back in July. They were fundraising then to get her some expensive diagnostics, to figure out what was wrong with her back and why she couldn't walk. They didn't raise enough for an MRI but did get a CT scan. Here's Lily's page on the DRAWi site, detailing some of what she's gone through.

Well, Lily has been diagnosed with disc herniation with spinal instability, and surgery can allow her to walk again. Currently, DRAW, inc has a sponsorship page set up for Lily where you can make a one time donation, and are also having a t-shirt sale (21 days left!) wherein all proceeds will go to Lily's surgery.

Lily has been receiving regular therapy, and you can see her motorin' with some wheels in this Youtube video (I love watching her little tail nub go!):

Lily with Doberman Rescue Alliance Wisconsin needs sponsors!

Lily is a cropped and docked, black and rust Doberman with Doberman Rescue Alliance Wisconsin, inc. 

She was super skinny and in poor health when they took her in, but even now that she's safe and sound in a foster home, she can't walk! She can stand with assistance now, and has improved marginally, but they aren't really sure of the underlying cause, and feel an MRI for diagnostic purposes is the way to go.

(picture from DRAW web page)

Humpty Dumpty, with Illinois Doberman Rescue

Perhaps this is a "too soon" kind of joke, but Humpty Dumpty is a 4 1/2 year old cropped and docked black male Doberman with Illinois Doberman Rescue. He was hospitalized for a full month when they first got him, poor guy!

(image from IDR+ web site)

Peach is the Senior of the Week

Illinois Doberman Rescue picked this Peach in Georgia. She was on a euthanasia list because she was too old, but this 10 year old (estimate) girl still has life and love in her! Special Needs Dobermans has selected her as their senior of the week.

(photo from IDR page)

Life has been full of changes for Peach lately. First of all, she ended up in the shelter (owner surrender? Stray?). Then, she had a road trip from Georgia to Illinois (this isn't how the song goes at all). She was apparently a dream in the car, and is now settling in.

Peach is up for adoption, but you can also donate to her care through either the Special Needs Dobermans site (there's a PayPal link at the bottom of the page, where it says Sponsor this Senior!) or through the Illinois Doberman Rescue site (where they have a variety of things listed, from heartworm meds to boarding to food).

(picture from IDR page)

Peach is listed as "no cats", and they aren't sure yet how she is with kids. She was good in the car, and is interested in toys, especially an antler that she's been given.

I'm glad IDR pulled this girl, so she can live the rest of her days with people, and not in the shelter environment. If you can help Peach out, or know somebody who would love to have a Senior in their lives, follow the links for more info. You can also email OrphanDobe AT Ameritech DOT net

Ways to Have a Heart!

One of my goals when I took the Pet Blogger Challenge was to talk more about rescue and dogs in need; I think so far I've been doing pretty well with that!

Valentine's Day is kind of one of "those" holidays. If people are single, they may or may not feel rotten about it. If people aren't single, they might feel that they don't need Hallmark to tell them when to express their love. The commercialization of every last Day that we capitalize the D on is getting a little out of hand, and other than a certain nostalgia for conversation hearts, I can't really claim to love any one specific thing about Valentine's Day. (Now Easter...I freaking love Cadbury eggs...)

So, on Valentine's Day, why not love dogs? Maybe especially dogs who are currently "single".

(Blaise, formerly known as Manny, from the DAN Facebook group page)

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you a Merry Christmas from the Elka Almanac

Would you consider sponsoring a senior Doberman?

Smiling Blue Skies Walk to End Canine Cancer ~ Toronto

On September 29, in Toronto, there is a sponsored walk for donations to end canine cancer!

Not being in Canada, I won't be walking, but a member of Doberman Talk is, with her handsome red boy Chase.

(photo credit: Kerry, Chase's "mom")

There are a lot of statistics out there, cited and otherwise, about how many dogs are affected by varying types of canine cancer every year. There is a "Rainbow Bridge" section on the Doberman Talk message board, and cancer is what many of those fine and loving dogs succumbed to. It's also what the Doberman Lexie unfortunately developed, very suddenly, and what K of Romping and Rolling in the Rockies had.  These dogs were not my dog, but their loss was felt. Their time with us is so short; things like cancer only make it shorter. 

The proceeds from the Smiling Blue Skies Walk to End Canine Cancer will go to research at OVC Guelph (Ontario Veterinary College at Guelph), which from accounts I've heard, has an excellent facility for owners whose dogs have cancer.

Kerry, whose donation page is here, has spent time walking around with Chase, raising awareness. Her goal is $300; she's currently at $175. Chase "carries all of [the] paperwork and guards the donations [they] collect on [their] walks.....He loves his job because it consists of petting and cookies." Sounds like a great job to me!

So, if you're in the area and have September 29 free, maybe you'd like to walk to end Canine Cancer! If not, perhaps you want to donate to the noble cause? Can you imagine a day when cancer, all cancer, is finally beaten? It's a far horizon, I know, but what a bright future that would be!