Tails of Joy Brings SO MUCH Joy!

Happy first half of summer everybody! We hope you have been enjoying the season so far, and that you and your pets are staying cool, hydrated, and out of hot cars. We’ve been busy saving lives all over the country; north, south, east, and west. And in Britain too. We hope these happy stories of hope, joy, and life saving surprises inspire you… to donate!

Tri-County Pitbull Rescue

Gloucester, Virginia

In our almost twenty years of helping the little guys save lives nationwide, we’ve found that the south has the fewest and most lax humane animal welfare laws, yet the small rescue groups never stop fighting. We got this email in June:

“EMERGENCY! Tri-County Pitbull Rescue pulls pitties from death row, rehabilitates them & finds them homes – but they have 80 dogs at any given time.  She had a great food source that just stopped without notice.  She now has 80 hungry dogs. Read her plea:

Hi, I am the owner of Tri-County Pitbull Rescue. We house over 80 pitbulls all from Death Row shelters. We recently lost our food source. We are in GREAT need of donations right now. I’m located in Virginia. Anything is greatly appreciated. Some of our funds this year went for medical emergencies and dogs with cancer. We are also in the process of trying to get our new kennels (really need!) built.

Thank you with all my heart.

Sincerely Sonja Tri-County pitbull rescue. Inc.”

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We checked out their kennel-building “Go Fund Me”, which hadn’t made much progress in a year. We really wanted to help with that before another winter came, and we knew we had to help feed those dogs. Feeding 80 dogs and building new kennels would take more than a “Little Guy Grant“, so we made a “Big Little Guy Grant” to make sure the doggie bellies were full and ready for belly rubs. And the kennel building picked right up and started again the very next day.

Tarboro, North Carolina

Continuing in the south…

“Peggy Harrell is a handicapped 75 year old woman who can’t use her arm or leg. Despite this, she has rescued every dog in the shelters where she lives in North Carolina for many years. She rescued 272 dogs in 2018 alone! She pays for their vetting, boarding, and often heart worm treatment ($609 a dog) so they can be adopted, and goes into enormous debt to do this. Her bill at the Tarboro N.C. Animal Clinic is huge, and they are not letting her bring in any more dogs. She will not let a dog die. She lives on a fixed income and gives everything she has to them.  She is really hurting now and slowing down. We will not have her much longer and then I don’t know what will happen to the thousands of dogs she saves. My heart aches for these southwestern dogs. Overbred, poor protection laws, mostly heart worm positive. It is so sad.”

“Elayne, we are overcome with emotion and great joy for Peggy Harrell and her dogs. She was a wreck when she heard – after I forwarded her your email this morning. This just doesn’t happen for people like Peggy – not in all her years in rescue. A few dogs that were set to be killed at the shelter this morning were pulled back and will be saved now thanks to Tails of Joy. I’ve been in tears most of the morning – because I carry the plight of these southern dogs with me every day – and we rarely get a break – and none ever like this.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy world and looking out across the country to see these suffering dogs living in a difficult unyielding part of the country for animals. No financial support other than grassroots. Few people who care. Governors who fail to support laws against dog-fighting. Some states where it is still not illegal for a hunter to shoot his dog after hunting season. This is what you are helping them escape. We’re grateful beyond all belief. So many less will suffer thanks to Tails of Joy. This is success in life Elayne – to save God’s creatures and understand they are here for a reason and we have an obligation to protect them.” 

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So, what can you do, especially if you live in the south? Email and call your local representatives to get more animal welfare laws on the books. Hold your local law enforcement to account to make sure they are enforced. Engage local radio, tv and newspapers in the fight for animal protection. Without spending a penny you can help prevent cruelty and save lives.

Beauty’s Haven Farm and Equine Rescue

Central Florida

We are always happy to donate to this life saving organization for horses, mules, donkeys, etc. Feeding and tending to the large animals takes a lot of money. But recently, they came across a little crippled calf and decided to help her find a way to walk. They named her Hope, and if they had faith in her, so did we. Thanks to smarts, patience and love, Hope is well on her way to walking the walk. We were very happy to help her get there.

The Travelin’ Rat

Like Tails of Joy, “The Travelin’ Rat” helps many rescue groups all across the country, many of whom are rat based. TOJ has been at rescue events sharing booths with rat rescues, spending whole afternoons enjoying their company. They are great pets! Lots of fun and very affectionate.

It’s like having your own cartoon character on your shoulder. We were happy to donate to “The Travelin’ Rat”, and participate in their auction as well.

Rescue Dogs Rescue Soldiers

Cherry Valley, NY

“We train rescue dogs as service dogs for soldiers injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. We name the dogs in honor of fallen soldiers and carefully pair the dogs with veterans to allow a better life for both soldier and dog. We work with teens in a juvenile detention facility to train the dogs.

See why we do what we do to help rescue dogs, veterans, and troubled teens.”

And see why Tails of Joy was happy to help them do it.

Moorlands K9 Rescue

Shropshire, UK

This small, all breed rescue based in Shropshire, works tirelessly to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home dogs in their care. They are foster based, and run by a woman so dedicated, she puts her own phone number on every dog she posts on social media. I have watched them post dog after dog on twitter. They truly are tireless, and we were delighted to help them save even more lives.

Heartstrings Dog Rescue

In Wisconsin, pulling dogs from Texas kill shelters.

Rescue usually takes a longer time than most people realize. You see the photos of dogs saved just before the bell, but getting them healthy enough to find homes for, and finding those homes, can take months or even years. And all that time, the rescue group is paying for all of it; vet care, food, toys, supplies, sometimes boarding, sometimes training. This is Tater and Tot, a brother and sister team found running on the highway in Texas. We helped pay for vets and boarding in TX, then they were transported to Wisconsin to our friend Jackie’s rescue, where we continue to pay for vet care, heartworm treatment, training, food and more. Whenever we see a dog giving up, so depressed he won’t come out of the corner, we have to help, and Tater is doing so much better now. So the next time you wonder why a rescue group charges you a few hundred dollars for adoption, know that it doesn’t even make a dent in what it took to get your dog ready for you.

ADOPT TATER AND TOT!

We’d love to keep them together. If you want two healthy, happy dogs to complete your family, please email us. If you will allow a home check by a local rescue in your city, we will fly them to you free of charge. THANKS!

Crossing Guardians Rescue

Aid for US – Mexico Border Strays

“Dear Tails of Joy, This boy here has been on the streets for too long. Weary and sick, he took temporary refuge in front of a business. A young lady who works there likes animals, and hoped he could stay there for a little while. Unfortunately, the business owner hates animals, and by the end of the day, the store owner literally kicked the poor dog away. He went missing. We looked for this senior for days. He was spotted today and we got him.”

And Tails of Joy made sure he had everything he needed to get healthy.

K9 Global Rescue

This is what they do. We help them do it. We helped finance their most recent trip to Korea to rescue these dogs from the meat market trade. What amazes me is how they all seem to be smiling. They must know…

Pound Hounds ResQ

Based in NYC saving animals that are slated for euthanasia in NYC, NJ, PA. 

All day long on twitter, Pound Hounds posts dogs who are about to die, and people make small pledges to help save them, hoping it all adds up to enough. Then we saw them tweet this:

California, Saving dogs from high kill shelters.

“Hi everyone and Happy Memorial Day weekend. We are trying to save these seven wonderful but scared dogs from the Riverside County shelter system. To help save them we need funds to cover their medical and other costs. They are all red listed and could be euthanized this week.”

Tails of Joy made a life saving “Little Guy Grant“. We got this email back:

“Hi Elayne and Tails of Joy, Oh my gosh, we did not expect this. Thank you SO MUCH for this generous donation. We were actually able to save ten dogs! Here are some of the dogs we saved.  All were urgent and red-listed and at high risk of being killed. Thank you as always. Cheryl.”

Desert Dog Project

Arizona, California

Yet another plea to help save a group of dogs who were out of time, from a notoriously high-kill shelter in California. We helped save them all.

AND… 

In a second donation to Desert Dogs, we helped pay some of the medical for  Shepherd/Shepherd mixes they rescued from a hoarding situation in Barstow. They rescued a huge amount of dogs, who all needed vetting, and we made a grant to help pay for shots, spay/neuter, and microchips.

Woody’s Place Senior German Shepherd Sanctuary

Pennsylvania

“Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog.” – Sidney Jeanne Seward

“Woody’s Place Senior German Shepherd Sanctuary, Inc. is a small non- profit organization located in Greentown, Pa. We rely solely on volunteers who share a common goal of providing a safe and loving forever home to abandoned senior German Shepherds throughout their golden years.”

“We are that place in the country where old dogs come to retire.”

Mutt Match LA

Southern California

This is such a great rescue group, with the fewest “returned” dogs, because they really do make the perfect matches dog after dog after dog. They had some large expenses lately, and we were only too happy to again help them do their great work.                                                                                                      

Joey’s Legacy Boxer Rescue

U.K.

These are some of the hardest working rescuers on twitter. We are more than happy to help them with a grant towards achieving their dream of building their very own kennel.

Holley’s Hopping Habitat

Haughton, Louisiana

We love these guys, and we received this email not long ago:

“Our rescue is scurrying to get funds to help a sick bunny at the shelter. He came in with a severely infected eye, and with absolutely no funds coming in from donors at the moment, we are very stressed that we will not be able to get him in to see our veterinarian. It almost looks as though he will need surgery to remove the eye altogether due to the infection having been untreated for too long. 

Since our organization received a grant from Tails of Joy in November, do we qualify for any other grants from Tails of Joy? I have sent emails to some of our donors, but they have not been successful.”

Of course we helped the little bunny. And more. Yay!

For the little bunny…

Booko

This one took a village -California.

He was out of time, and had too many medical issues after a hardscrabble life. The shelter was about to put him down. Sometimes you see a picture and you know this is not a dog you’re going to leave to die alone in a shelter. You can see he has never had a break in his entire life, yet he gently takes treats from your hand, he’s sweet and polite, and expects nothing. He touched the hearts of just about every rescuer in California, and enough pledges came in for his medical care so he could be freed. We helped free him.

BETTER ALREADY

Blanche

We send our deepest condolences to Iliza Schlesinger and her husband Noah on the loss of their dear furgirl Blanche. Blanche was so much a part of Iliza’s act, known to Iliza’s fans around the world, and they surely feel her loss as well. She will be missed by so many, but brought so much joy. She was a wonderful girl and she will be missed forever. Run free Blanche!!!

WE ALWAYS WELCOME YOUR TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS!

We’ll see you in the fall. In the meantime, enjoy the “Dog Days” yet to come. (And all the other animal days too!) Tails of Joy is a nationwide (and beyond) 501c3 non-profit. We rescue every kind of animal: from companion animals to farm animals to all wild animals and sea life. We carefully vet worthy charities and get the most bang for your donation buck. We have a gold rating from Guidestar for transparency.

We couldn’t do it without our monthly donors, and our once in a while donors. We love you and THANK YOU so much! Remember to shop us for the most fun and original stuff you can find.

Elayne