As many of you know, we transport most of our rescues to no-kill shelters or humane organizations in the United States. One of our core shelter partners is Hearts and Tails Animal Alliance (HTAA), located in the state of New Hampshire.
Each sato transported to HTAA has found a happy home either in New Hampshire or in a nearby state. This post is dedicated to a few rescues who have left the sun of Puerto Rico to live in a snowy wonderland. We wish we could read their mind and get their thoughts!
Sandy (rehomed as Cinnamon)
Sandy, now “Cinnamon”, at her new snow-home!
This sweet island girl was born in April of 2018, from mommy Blanca, who gave birth right before entering the shelter. She had 10 sato siblings, the last of which just left on their forever flight yesterday, March 15th/ (Blanca is still looking for her forever home. Adopt here!)
Cinnamon was transported to HTAA in February 2019. (We suspect that the New Hampshire cold didn’t phase her because of her big, warm, cinnamon-y heart!) When Holly Mobari saw this pretty girl’s photo, she knew this sato was THE ONE, and she and her son Jayden made their way over HTAA to meet her, asap!
Jayden knelt down and played with Cinnamon. Then looked up at his mom and as said with his eyes, “I’ve fallen in love with her.” It was plain to see that this was a match made in heaven!
Cinnamon is now at home in the loving arms of her momma and daddy, Holly and Joe; her siblings, Jayden, Jeremy and Allison; as well as her Guinea Pig brother, Cosmo! Congratulations to the Mobari family and happy life sweet Cinnamon! Love to the max!
Sofoclés (rehomed as Ozzy)
Sofoclés entered the shelter in October 2018. He was rescued by a college student named Javier. Sofoclés was wondering around his college campus and was so friendly, letting all the kids touch him. But everyone slowly moved on, leaving only Javier and Sofoclés. Unlike the other students, Javier could not just play with this joyful pup, and leave him there.
Instead, he took the 6-month old pup to the vet, where Sophocles got sterilized and vaccinated. Javier also tried his best to find the pup a home, but was running out of time and could not keep the dog. So, he contacted us, and we were more than happy to be a part of the chain that would result in a forever home for Sofo. And that is just what happened!
Sofoclés at the shelter during our shelter cleanup on Saturdays. (c) Dominik Fleischmann
Sofo traveled to HTAA in January 14, and was adopted one month later by Laura and James. The moment they saw him, they knew that this was the boy who would fill their hearts with joy for the rest of his days. Being an athletic couple, they quickly formed a bond with this agile pup. Though he arrived to New Hampshire right in the middle of snow season, the cold, white stuff was no obstacle for this sato, who navigated over the snow mounds with style and grace.
Congratulations Laura and James, and a HUGE Thank You to Javier, for dedicating time, financial resources, and love to Sofo and his rescue. <3
Betty was born March 2018, of mommy Cookie. All Betty’s little brothers and sisters, as well as the mom, were transported to HTAA. Betty’s transport date was in November of 2018.
She was always beautiful, but the cold has treated her well! She will be part of a full house. She’s got her momma, Wendy Fulton; her daddy, Andy; her 4 hoo-man siblings Bethany, Emily, Rebecca, & Gillian; her furpal doggy sister, Allegh; and furpal kitty siblings, Cobble, Stri, and Rangley. Not including the plethora of rabbits and chickens! OMG! But nothing a sato cannot handle. Congratulations to all, and happy life sweet Cazie!
Waggy (rehomed as Wilson)
Waggy (now Wilson) bundled up in New Hampshire
Waggy was rescued in February 2019 and quickly transported to HTAA that same month. While he did not get the full Piñones shelter experience,WE got the full Waggy experience! It was impossible not to love his refreshing take of life, his out-going personality, and his interest in others.
Waggy at Amigos de los Animales
It was no surprise he took the HTAA shelter by storm! All of the lovely ladies (female dogs) in the shelter were instantly smitten with him. He exuded confidence and kindness, and showed the fearful pups that being outside in the snow can be fun!
Wilson got his forever home when Jamie Fintonis walked through the door of HTAA. It was a apparent to all that Wilson had found his mom! Congratulations to Wilson and his new family — momma, Jamie; daddy, Peter, hoo-man siblings, Emily, Shaun, and Shelby, and fur-sister, Rosie!
Chester was a scared, skinny, Sato in 2009. Dressed in a new winter coat and harness, he and I went to the park daily. We met many dogs, but he was more interested in senior citizens. He greeted them gently and warmly.
Chester in 2009
Chester at the Park.
As the months passed and Chester gained confidence, it became obvious that he was destined to do more in his life. He was evaluated to become a therapy dog with the program Paws for People. His temperament and intelligence made it easy for him to pass the test to become a Therapy Dog. When I slip on his Therapy Vest, he knows he is going somewhere important.
Chester in his Therapy Dog Vest
As a part of the Paws for People Program, we have visited children who have cerebral palsy or kids who have reading problems. The Reading to Dogs part of the program recognizes that it is less intimidating to read aloud to a dog than to a person. Sometimes the little kids show him their books and ask him to read.
We also visit nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities. The patients reminisce about pets they had long ago. Chester is a good companion and an intuitive pup who has brought joy to many people.
One Saturday in July 2015, after the shelter clean up, I was driving home with Lucy, another volunteer, and we got a little lost in the area of Isla Verde. This is when I spotted a small black animal with a white tail down. I remember I was asking Lucy: “Do you think it is a dog or a cat?” We turned to the right and stopped the car to have a better look. We saw a small dirty dog, in an advanced stage of pregnancy and with a hairless tail who was walking along the road just long enough until the cars had passed, so she could then cross the street and check out if there was any food in the trash next to the Llorens Torres ‘caserio’ (the largest housing project in Puerto Rico with some sketchy areas). I remember thinking that she is quite smart crossing the street so carefully. I guess you have to be smart to survive on the streets when you are, you know, a dog.
We tried to approach her but she would quickly hide away. She had her spot in the abandoned house in front of the projects. The house had gates and was locked so we could not enter. A neighbor told us that the owner comes maybe once a week. We left some dry dog food next to the gate and I left my phone number. Nobody called. Lucy and I kept checking on the dog everyday, but she would not let us get close to her. We told Adri, ADLA Shelter Director and my personal hero, about this homeless pregnant dog and one afternoon the three of us, Adri, Lucy and I, equipped with special net (to throw over her) went to catch the dog.
But the dog did not want to leave. Adri, Lucy and I spent 2 hours trying to trap this very stubborn dog, who was growling, showing her teeth and ferociously barking at every attempt we made to approach her. This was a dog who was in an advanced stage of pregnancy, but that didn’t prevent her from running away and passing through the narrow spaces between the fence from one house to another so we could not get to her. The neighbor who was painting his house at the moment got involved in the chase and so did the children from the caserio. We almost gave up. It was SO hot out!!
Ela, the day of her rescue
I insisted on her rescue though…
Finally, Lucy skillfully threw the net over the dog. The dog was trapped! She was covered in white paint, from the paintbrush the neighbor decided to use to stop the dog from running away (which was well-intentioned, if a little messy). Adri decided to name the dog after me, Ela.
We took Ela for a vet examination and found out that on top of the malnutrition, broken and hairless tail, she had demodectic mange, sarcoptic mange, anaplasmosis, erlichiosis, and the worst: heart-worm disease. We also noticed her bite was a little crooked (probably caused by being kicked hard in the jaw). Because of her advanced pregnancy the doctor decided to wait with all the treatments until she finished nursing her babies-she gave birth a few days later.
Ela arrives at the Shelter
Once at the Shelter she was given a run, food and water. We left her alone to relax and adjust to her new space.
Post-pregnancy vet visit
At first she didn’t eat the dog food so I remember cooking rice with meat for her. Robinson, Adri’s husband, was the one who’d come every day to feed Ela and clean her space. He gained her trust. But not Adri, not Lucy and not me – we were afraid of Ela’s bite as she growled at us and would show her teeth.
On Friday, August 7, 2015, Ela gave birth to 5 pups. During nursing Ela’s skin problems worsened and she lost most of her hair. After 6 weeks with her pups, when they were big enough to be separated from their mom, we were able to start her on treatments for her multiple health problems.
One day I was giving Ela a bath in the solution of sulfur and lime (for the sarcoptic mange) and one of the volunteers said “she looks kinda like a chupacabra ... it’s true, she didn’t look good at that time. I also have distinct memories when I took her to the vet for the vaccinations and skin treatments. She mentioned twice that I could put the dog down…I coudn’t believe it! It made me so angry. If I pick up a dog from the street and bring her to the doctor, it is because obviously she needs medical help; it is not to euthanize her, it is to cure her! How dared she even mention it?
As a Shelter dog, Ela was initially timid with people; she just plain did not trust them and did NOT want them approaching her. But, she LOVED dogs, the bigger, the better. She was the only small dog out with the big ones, and she was the most intimidating, ferociously guarding the Shelter and her dog friends.
Adri would say: “Ela insists she is a big dog… Imagine, someone will fall in love with Ela one day and let her sleep on their bed...”
I was very skeptical of this…
Ela’s pups
Ela gave birth to 5 pups: Charlie, Nala, Bongo, Kimba and Keisi. After 6 weeks of being breast-fed by their mom, they were moved to a separate space, a little baby cradle Adri placed next to her kitchen. They all had some skin problems and some worms, which is quite common for pups and Adri was taking care of them with all the resources she had.
One Saturday morning my friend Amanda decided to join us for the clean up. It was her first time. I remember I used to tell Amanda about Adri, how she is my hero, how charismatic she is and how she has this unexplainable amount of energy to put towards saving dogs and the trust that all will turn out well at the end, and that God will take care of us.
But the day Amanda came, Adri was not like herself. She was cranky, low energy and disheartened. I’ve learnt later why she was so depressed: earlier that day she found Nala, one of Ela’s 5 pups, dead. She buried Nala somewhere in the backyard of her mom’s house (the house she turned into the shelter).
Did Nala have to die? Ever since I met Adri she was struggling to keep the shelter running with extremely limited financial resources, all donations from friends and supporters she was able to make and keep over the years. But these were simply insufficient compared to the need, to the never-ending number of homeless dogs you encounter on the streets. And it is very difficult to plan when you have to rely on donations, on the good will of people. At the time I started volunteering at the shelter, there were 116 dogs housed there. Adri is an angel in human skin, always sensitive to animal suffering, she wanted to save them all.
On the balance, at the vet office
Charlie being examined
The day Nala died, I took the remaining 4 pups to the vet. The doctor was kind enough to save my costs by only examining one pup and treating the rest for the same condition. He did the exam and blood tests on Charlie, the smallest one. Kimba, Bongo and Keisi received the same medicine. Everybody started getting better.
A few weeks later, sometime in September 2015, Adri was fighting the highly infectious parvovirus manifestation at the shelter. Adult dogs, vaccinated against parvo, usually can survive the infection. But puppies, whose immune systems are not yet developed, are an easy kill for the virus. To treat the sick pups and to not transfer the virus, every person at the shelter had to follow rigorous procedure: wear gloves, gowns and disinfect everything each time, including the shoes. It is a deadly virus and very easy to transmit. Ela’s pups were not affected thus far and I asked Adri if I could take them home to make sure they did not catch parvo. And that’s how I brought Ela’s 4 pups to our penthouse in old San Juan. I must say they were quite a bit of work but at the same time a real bunch of joy! Here is one of the videos I took:
Ela’s pups stayed with me til the virus at the shelter was stopped and it was safe to bring them back.
Me, Leo, Kimba & Bongo
It is easy for me to get attached to a dog. Or to 4 dogs. I think it was mutual. I wish I could have kept them all…After a few weeks I brought them back to the shelter with a heavy heart. Afterwards, each time I would go to the shelter they would go crazy seeing me; and I wanted to spend all my time with them.
Keisi and her new parents in NY
Soon Charlie was adopted by a family of teachers who came to volunteer at the shelter. Later I took Kimba and Bongo again to my home for a visit, and here they stayed till now… Keisi, the biggest of the four, flew to the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons, in NY and in August 2017 was adopted by a young couple. Keisi was always very special to me. I hope one day I will hear from her parents.
Ela’s Adoption!
After few months at the shelter Ela gained weight and her coat grew back dark chocolate brown and shiny.
But it was after many more moons when Ela learned to trust, I believe, for the first time in her life. She became such a sweet girl, loved to be picked up and hugged. She responded to her name and loved to kiss (aka lick) – we never thought we would see this day: that she would trust a human again. She was ready to be adopted!
In September 2017, right after Hurricane Maria which devastated the island, Ela’s future adopter got in touch with us. The wonderful Martha Bozeman already had three doggy kids and was looking for a fourth. Ela turned out to be the one!
After much finagling considering the hardships Puerto Rico was going through, lack of flights and resources, we were able to fly Ela with a volunteer, to Martha in Orlando, Florida. At the time of her adoption Ela was around 3.5 yrs old.
Martha said, on Oct 29th 2017: “Ela the dog arrived in Orlando last night….I think she will be happy here. I know we are happy to have her.
On the picture below you can see Martha, Rich with their dogs. From right to left: Molly, Olivia, Lily and Ela. Lily, the 17-year-old chihuahua has been with Martha for 15 happy years but recently she has passed away. RIP, Lily.
Ela with her forever family
Martha on Ela: ““She finally is the big dog she always thought she was”
“Very gentle dog……. really the best personality overall of any of mine as I said. I am hoping her calmness rubs off on two of my other ones on our walks as they always have to put on a show if we pass other dogs.…She could teach all three of them better manners. She is so good and sweet to everyone”
Ela sleeping in bed…
And Adri’s Prediction came true: ELA WAS SLEEPING IN BED WITH HER HUMANS! Ela likes to sleep under the blanket between her parents and two of the other three dogs (she’s the biggest of them all), and most mornings she enjoys a belly rub before getting out of bed.
You should have seen my face when I saw the picture of Ela sleeping on the bed under a white blanket…😲 Unbelievable!
Martha: “She continues to do well in adapting to life with us. She initially had a good bit of difficulty walking with the other dogs, but I finally figured out that all she wanted to do was turn in circles periodically on the leash. I think it is a safety thing. She has to turn around and see what is behind her. So I just let her turn in circles periodically, and she seems happy. She continues to sleep with us every night and is such a cuddly dog.”
Ela and her sister Molly. Two tired Easter bunnies…
“My husband Rich and I knew she was warming up to us when we could feel her wet nose on the back of our calves as we were fixing her dog bowl for breakfast and dinner. Her nickname is Moose because she’s as big as a moose compared to the other three dogs and she’s sweet as chocolate mousse.”
“Ela was very quiet for a couple of months and has now starting imitating her sister Olivia who opens up a can of whoop ass on any dog that walks by. So I was hoping Olivia would learn from her, but she has learned from Olivia, and I can’t help but laugh. She is truly part of the pack now.”
That is really funny because her children, Kimba and Bongo, do the same when I walk them!
We always thought Ela was a chihuahua mix, probably because of her ears, but according to her DNA results, Ela is 62.5 % Min-pin, 12.5% Chow Chow, 25% Mixed breed.
Martha: “and 100% Love Muffin!”
Chupacabra? Or Love Muffin, Moose, Chocolate Mousse, Mellow Mushroom ? As Martha likes to call her…
I’m so happy it was Martha who adopted Ela. I have never met her in person, but I know she is a very compassionate human being. It is so good to know this small, once homeless dog, the mother of my 2 dogs, is truly loved and cherished by her humans.
Ela in Florida, “surveying her kingdom”
To all our supporters for making these beautiful stories a reality! Every dog deserves a safe place to rest its head and we couldn’t be prouder to do our part to achieve this.
he dog. The dog was trapped! She was covered in white paint, from the paintbrush the neighbor decided to use to stop the dog from running away (which was well-intentioned, if a little messy). Adri decided to name the dog after me, Ela.
d out that on top of the malnutrition, broken and hairless tail, she had demodectic mange, sarcoptic mange, anaplasmosis, erlichiosis, and the worst: heart-worm disease. We also noticed her bite was a little crooked (probably caused by being kicked hard in the jaw). Because of her advanced pregnancy the doctor decided to wait with all the treatments until she finished nursing her babies-she gave birth a few days later.
After few months at the shelter Ela gained weight and her coat grew back dark chocolate brown and shiny.
