Celebrating an Amazing Adoption Year

ANGEL RIDGE ANIMAL RESCUE SPRING 2018 Celebrating an Amazing Adoption Year As we began 2017, some volunteers got together and turned one entire wall in our adoption center into a photo gallery of the dogs that were adopted during the year. As 2017 ended and the new year began, a total of 167 dogs earned the right to have their photo on this wall of fame. Year 2017 was also our most successful cat and kitten adoption year ever, with 105 cats and kittens going to forever homes. Included in this group were kitties Spreckles, Bean, Spring and Poppy who had been at Angel Ridge for a year or longer. The cats and kittens are housed in Bailey s Cat Haven on the property or are in foster homes. I asked the volunteers to think about some of the most memorable dogs and cats that were adopted in 2017. Their stories will amaze you, and surely tug at your heart strings. Paris and Rome: An Incredible Journey Paris and Rome, a bonded Boston Terrier and Pit Bull, were found standing watch over their deceased guardian several days after he had passed away. They were taken to their local shelter, a small high-kill facility. Their chances of being adopted together, if at all, were extremely slim. The Pittsburgh Aviation Animal Rescue Team (PAART) traveled to this Kentucky shelter in December to bring many dogs in need to rescues in our area. Paris and Rome, along with three other incredible dogs, came to Angel Ridge. We referred to them as the comical pair, because when anyone was in their company, they could not help but smile. We vowed to adopt Paris and Rome out together, and we did just that, and in time for Christmas. Their new mom, Loretta, told us: Both dogs are just wonderful with people, great companions for us and very gentle we love our little fur babies. Amazing Adoption Year continued on page 2

Angel Pet Gazette 2 Spring, 2018 Amazing Adoption Year continued from page 1 The Rescued Dogs from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma In October of 2017, Angel Ridge Animal Rescue joined forces with the Pittsburgh Aviation Animal Rescue Team (PAART) to provide shelter for nine dogs displaced by these hurricanes. From Texas, forty one dogs were brought to the Pittsburgh area by plane and ground vehicles. Dogs Wiley Coyote, Ben, Nemo, Cindy, Dexter and Hope came to our rescue. These were wonderful dogs and they were adopted quickly. On the heels of Hurricane Harvey came Hurricane Irma. PAART traveled to a shelter in a badly affected area in Florida and brought back dozens of displaced dogs. Our rescue accepted three of them: Jax, Brutus and Ty. Again, it did not take them long to find wonderful, new homes. PAART continues to travel to shelters in nearby states and bring dogs in need to our area. Angel Ridge Animal Rescue continues to accept dogs from these rescue missions. Cindy Hope Wylie Coyote Hope Nemo Wylie Coyote Chained and Forgotten in the Cold In November of last year, a humane officer from another county asked Angel Ridge Animal Rescue to consider taking a male Bernese Mountain cross that was horribly neglected and living on the end of a chain. An intensive grooming session took away the mud and burrs, as well as most of the fur on his tail. But the dog that entered the grooming shop that day looked nothing like the gorgeous pooch that walked proudly into our rescue. Devin needed a full range of veterinary care and the organization, Unchained America assisted us with his vet bill. Devin proved to be extremely smart, charming and a guy who loves everyone. Devin s days of suffering on the end of a chain were behind him. Devin Devin was adopted before Christmas, and his new human buddy, Ed, has promised us that Devin will have the best home possible. quite a Christmas gift for a dog that once had no hope at all. Amazing Adoption Year continued on Page 3

Angel Pet Gazette 3 Spring, 2018 Amazing Adoption Year continued from page 2 Poppy, Had to Learn to Trust Poppy came to us in December 2014 with her kittens. She was rescued by one of the volunteers. Her kittens were adopted but Poppy remained. She was adopted twice but was returned both times. Poppy was very shy and needed that special adopter. Poppy went into foster and gained more trust and finally found her forever home in 2017 with Nadine. She is thriving and oh so adored. Spreckles, Now Loved and Spoiled Spreckles came to us as a kitten with her mom and sisters in December 2014. She was found in an abandoned house and was quite unsocialized. Spreckles spent 3 years at Bailey's where volunteers interacted with her but could barely pet her. She then went into foster where she blossomed and enjoyed being petted and loved. Spreckles was adopted by a former Angel Ridge volunteer and is now in her forever home! It was a very happy day for all!! Paris & Rome Poppy Bean, It was Love at First Sight Bean came to us from an outdoor colony in early 2015 with 5 other cats. All were unsocialized and the experience was our introduction to helping "feral " cats. With love and patience, one by one they were adopted, but Bean remained. He was a quiet boy who loved to be petted but would not always make the first move. Last year we developed a poster on him and posted it at area coffee shops and businesses. I received a call from someone who saw the poster and very much wanted to meet him. She loves black cats and once she saw him he won her over. It was a very joyous day for all. Love and patience were the key ingredients. Spring, Independent and Spunky Spring and her brother, Brock came to us in April 2016. They were rescued from an outdoor colony and brought to us when no one else would take them. Both were untrusting and the volunteers spent a lot of time interacting and building that trust. Spring was in foster carefor awhile where she eventually loved being brushed and petted. However, when her progress stalled, she came back to Bailey's. Eventually Spring interacted more frequently with the volunteers. She was adored. After seeing her post, a potential adopter stopped by and gave her a forever home. He liked her independent spirit and spunkiness.

Angel Pet Gazette 4 Spring, 2018 Please Help...Join Our Gathering of Guardian Angels You, dear Angel Ridge Animal Rescue supporters, are the Guardian Angels that help us to provide extraordinary veterinary care to our animals in the greatest need. We never walk away from a challenge. We continually take in older, sometimes ill or injured animals, and get them the veterinary help that they need. We help them to heal in body and in spirit. We find incredible homes for them. By becoming a Guardian Angel to these deserving souls, you help them to heal and have a chance of a new and better life. The donation for this program is $200 annually or $50 quarterly. You can do this by checking the Gathering of Guardian Angels box on the donation form on page 6. Please read, below, the stories of some of the animals that our Guardian Angels have helped recently. Darla, An Amazing Survivor Darla s life so far has been sheer hell. An animal abuser, perhaps a dog fighter, cut off her ears. She is a young dog, but it appears that she has had more than one litter of puppies. She came to us with open sores around her neck, possibly from a chain or an embedded collar. Darla had a hard, malignant tumor on her lower abdomen. She is also heartworm positive. Yet, she greets each new day with a boundless sense of joy. Darla has become one of the all-time favorite dogs of our volunteer group. She is also one of the most loving dogs that we have ever taken in to our rescue. She licks your hand as if to say, I am so grateful to you, you saved me. We blink back our tears and think, Sweet girl, you have such a long road ahead of you, but we will walk it together. Bebo, From Hopeless to a Home His name was Big Boy in the WV dog pound. Our volunteers changed his name to Bebo. Bebo came to us with Darla and Selena. The county in which this dog pound is located has such an incredible dog fighting problem, that the pound will not allow the public to adopt a pit bull. They are either turned over to a legitimate rescue or euthanized. The Paws Squad is a rescue group in this county that tries to get the dogs in the pound into rescue organizations. They had Bebo tested for heartworm disease and he was positive. They did fund raising and got Bebo his first heartworm shot before he left the pound. Bebo was tested again in February and he is still heartworm positive. Angel Ridge Animal Rescue will see that Bebo continues his heartworm treatment by our veterinarian. Shortly after Bebo arrived at our rescue, a mom and daughter from Imperial met Bebo and took him home to be a part of their family. They are planning daily walks, jogging, swimming and dog park outings. He has adjusted wonderfully to his new home. Selena, New Mom and New Life Selena came to us as a frightened dog, but day by day has begun to realize that she is now safe and loved. Selena is also heartworm positive, and she began her oral heartworm meds in January. She was scheduled for a heartworm injection in February. In late January, volunteers saw changes in Selena s body that indicated that she might be pregnant. Selena successfully delivered four puppies on January 30 th. Selena and her pups will be living in a foster home until the pups are weaned. Selena s heartworm treatment has been suspended until the spring. Gathering of Guardian Angels continued on page 5

Angel Pet Gazette 5 Spring, 2018 Gathering of Guardian Angels continued from page 4 Blind, Old and Freezing on the Streets An animal control officer from Washington County brought us an old and blind Miniature Pinscher that he found wandering the streets during the frigid weather just days after Christmas. Keller was old and blind, frightened, emaciated and dehydrated. Keller was very close to dying. Our veterinarian examined this poor dog. He was immediately put on multiple medications for infections and he was prescribed IV fluids. He was also put on a special diet for weight gain and liver issues. This protocol worked so well for him. Our volunteers witnessed Keller coming back to life again. A kind lady offered to foster Keller until he might be adopted. Within a few weeks, Keller was neutered and three teeth were removed and the rest were cleaned. Then, miracle of miracles Keller was adopted. This sweet dog now knows that no matter what cruelty he has experienced during his lifetime, he is now safe and loved. Dear contributors, through your generous donations, we are able to help animals in desperate need like Keller. Mickey, Not Giving Up Mickey is one of our oldest cats at 12 plus years. Previously he was diagnosed with calicivirus which impacted his eyes which we continue to treat. In 2017 he was having trouble eating and drooling. A Vet visit determined he needed an extensive dental. After recovering in a loving foster home, Mickey continues to have some residual issues which are being treated. He is a volunteer favorite and is such a sweet boy. Our New Angel in Heaven The same animal control officer that brought us Keller also brought us an older, emaciated Husky that was found alone in the cold in late December. Our volunteers named this sweet girl, Angel. With our attention and good food, Angel gained some weight and we put her on the website for adoption. We noticed that when she attempted to urinate, it was frequent but in small dribbles. Our veterinarian put her on a medication for a urinary tract infection. Angel s medication just did not seem to be working. Our veterinarian x-rayed her, and it showed a large bladder stone. Angel was prepped for surgery to remove the stone. However, our veterinarian discovered a new and bigger issue as she prepared to remove the bladder stone. Several mammarian tumors had developed on her abdomen. Angel would not be able to beat this aggressive form of cancer. We made the decision to free our dear Angel from her suffering and allow her to cross the Rainbow Bridge. We will meet again some day. Midnight, a/k/a Middie, Our Care Kept Him Going Midnight, a senior cat at 12 plus years, was FIV positive and lived a heathy life until last year. Middie gradually stopped eating and was throwing up more. We gave him fluids and supportive care, but to no avail. So we took him to the Vet where it was determined he was in liver failure. We had to let him go. It was a very sad day for the volunteers as well as his best friend, Goldie. As you have just read, Angel Ridge Animal Rescue is continually facing monumental veterinary expenses in the care of our elderly and sick animals. The heartworm treatment for Darla, Bebo and Selena will cost thousands of dollars. Please consider becoming an Angel in the Gathering of Guardian Angels. We cannot do this lifesaving work without your help. The contribution form can be found on the next page.

Angel Pet Gazette 6 Spring, 2018 Veterinary Care for Darla, Bebo & Selena Calendar of Events Petco, Bethel Park Cat adoptions the 1 st Saturday of the month, 12-2 Petco, Washington Dog adoptions the 1 st Saturday of the month, 12-3 Cat adoptions the 3 rd Saturday of the month, 12-2 Participating in a vendor show, June 2 nd and October 6th Cokeburg Moose, Cokeburg, PA Participating in Hearts and Paws Pet Fair, June 23 rd, South Park, 9:30-3:30 Copy Paper Postage Stamps ROAR, 5k and 10k race, August 19 th, Montour Trail, Hendersonville Trailhead, 9am start 5K and 10K races benefiting Angel Ridge Animal Rescue Saturday, August 19th Montour Trail, Hendersonville 19 Trailhead Epson 200 & 273 Ink Cartridge /registration

Angel Pet Gazette 7 Spring, 2018 How Saving One Life Became Five By Mary Towner Early last spring, a worker at a local Primanti s restaurant asked Angel Ridge if we could rescue a homeless cat who had been hanging around their dumpster. Six volunteers and almost 20 rescue trips later, we had saved not one but five kitty lives! It wasn t an easy rescue; the original stray cat eluded cage and trap. Finally, success but in the trap... a different cat! There was more than one! More fruitless attempts to get the original kitty followed. On a rainy, cold night, one enterprising volunteer finally had success using tasty rotisserie chicken from a local supermarket as bait. Now we had saved two cats. In the process, the rescuing volunteers had seen a sickly black cat in the general area. While looking for the black cat, who did they spot Prim, available for adoption but three small kittens. Were they related to the two saved cats? We ll never know, but we did know that they were vulnerable to snakes and coyotes, so back to rescuing once again! After repeated attempts, two of the kittens were trapped. Finally, with the help of some tasty sausage, we saved the last kitten. Alas, the black cat was never spotted again, but we ll always be grateful to her for leading us to the kittens. And the happy endings? All five kitties went into foster with one of our volunteers. New Angel Ridge rescues always get warm baths, nail trims, flea and tick treatments if needed, a vet checkup, and lots of love. The three kittens (Ann, Lynn and Ernie) have found their forever homes; Bree (the original cat) will be going to hers this month; and Prim (the first trapped cat) is happily waiting for her forever home. About Angel Ridge Animal Rescue Angel Ridge Animal Rescue is a 501(c)(3) charity for animals that is operated at Angel Ridge Farm, a 51-acre facility located in Washington County, PA. Angel Ridge provides a permanent home and cares for animals that are not adoptable due to their age, handicap, breed, or temperament. We also provide temporary homes (with the ultimate goal of securing permanent homes) for: animals that are adoptable but who cannot get a place in a traditional shelter or who have medical problems that preclude them from living in a shelter; animals that will not adapt well to a traditional shelter or have been in a shelter for an extended period of time; and animals living in a shelter who have become aggressive due to their environment and are re-trainable but in danger of being euthanized in the shelter scenario. Angel Ridge Animal Rescue is also a shelter and sanctuary for cats and horses. We have a limited amount of space to shelter these animals, but we provide outreach in other ways. On a monthly basis, Angel Ridge Animal Rescue provides food to feed local stray and shelter cats, and we financially assist rescuers who care for abused horses. Angel Ridge is always looking for volunteers for a variety of jobs at the shelter. Please contact us at 724-229-7053 or e-mail us at aranres@yahoo.com to join in all the tail wagging fun of volunteering!

Angel Pet Gazette 8 Spring, 2018 ANGEL RIDGE ANIMAL RESCUE P.O. Box 94 Meadowlands, PA 15347 Visiting Hours are weekdays from 9:00 to 1:00 And weekends from 12:00 to 3:00 Other times by appointment 724-229-7053 www.angelridgeanimalrescue.org CURRENT RESIDENT OR: NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE Washington, PA PERMIT NO. 2