We’re doing well!

KEEP VOTING!

This race is about endurance, and we’re in for a virtual “Ironman”.

http://www.refresheverything.com/letsadopt

I believe this little video will “speak” to each and everyone of those who watch it…

We are in a long distance run…

Come run with us…

Please vote for Let’s Adopt at the Pepsi Project… and SHARE…

Early July, I received a cry for help from rescuers of the Contra Costa County death camps.
Listings after listings of perfectly healthy, beautiful animals slated to go down any time.
Something had to be done – NOW.
But how? We have no fosters in the area.
Martinez is almost 700 miles away, my car was too small, renting an SUV or van + gas was too expensive. So, what could we do? As you know, Let’s Adopt! is a volunteer run organization. We don’t have a fleet of vans or SUVs at our disposal.
We don’t run shelters or a day care. We work with foster homes. Unfortunately we don’t have enough yet, but we’re growing and I am optimistic that this story will inspire some of you to sign up to become not just another foster, but a viable lifeline!

I contacted my friend Amy with the Pixie Project, and just asked her whether I could borrow the rescue’s  SUV for a long weekend.
It was a long shot and I held my breath, hoping, but really thinking she’d laugh me off telling, me “nice try, but I’m not giving you my car to drive it 1400 miles across state lines“.
Well, Amy did not only call me back right away, she contacted a fellow rescuer in town who immediately offered to take 5-7 dogs in addition to the ones Let’s Adopt! was about to rescue. It took some scheduling and wiggling the details, but in the end we sorted it all out.

leaving Portland for San Francisco

I started my trip from Portland to San Francisco on Saturday, July 10th at sunrise. A SUV packed with empty cages and kennels and a whole lot of hope and arrived in the Bay Area late afternoon, managed to reconnect with some old rescue friends from my time of living in SF. I learned the shelter wouldn’t be open until Tuesday, so I had time to connect and touch bases about the current status of animal rescue and welfare in the Bay Area.

…And it doesn’t look good at all. I spoke to one of the managers of the SF Animal Care & Control who described in despair how the city is shaving dollar after dollar off their budget, that could potentially safe lives. Yet the city uses funds to create silly projects like some “Good Samaritan fund” that rewards people who did the right or a good thing.
We’re now “bribing” people to do what’s right?
What a world.
This deserves its own blog. Stay tuned for an interview with a SF AC&C official.

Sunday: I receive the euthanasia list from the shelter.Pages after pages … Chihuahuas, Poodle Mix, Pit bulls, Pomeranian mix, King Charles Spaniel – another spaniel mix… the list was overwhelming to go through, but I had to. I needed to choose, who I could save. I had five to seven spots. That was it. Now many of you are already questioning the following: HOW DO YOU CHOOSE?
How does one choose?
I don’t know. At some point you have to put emotions past you and look at it from a rational point of view. As rational as one can be in a situation such as this. You look for temperament, adopt ability. I knew I couldn’t bring any Pits or Pit X, because I didn’t have a foster for one, and the other rescues can’t take them due to liability issues. Both rescues run day-cares and the prejudice against this breed is alive and well…..Something we will have to discuss another time.

With Pit bulls excluded, I made a list of 12 dogs and rearranged it from there. When I got to the shelter on Tuesday, there were already a lot of people in line. Some to adopt, others to claim their animals and then there were those that were waiting to surrender their pets. I was greeted by Annie, who held yet another more recent kill list in her hands. We compared notes and just rushed inside to look at as many dogs as we possibly could, knowing “they” are starting the killings in just a few moments. We had 5 dogs in no time, added another 2 – that was it!!
Or was it?

Annie + Lori doing the paperwork

While we checked out the first dogs with the help of Lori of Good Newz Pittie Pups Rescue,  Annie, presented me with 3 wire crates another person donated to the mission. I had dividers in them!!!By taking some of my larger kennels out and using those crates, I had more room. We pulled an older Aussie Shepherd, who we since named Jester.

More about this boy later. He is a special needs boy, who happened to bite me on the way back home,during one of the breaks. It’s not an aggression issue, he did that out of fear, stress, pain combined, when I tried to get him back into the car after a potty break.

Aaaanyway:

While I was outside arranging the crates and animals, I realized that I had more space. So I called Annie on her cell inside the shelter: “I’ve got room for two more, Annie….!!!”.

She zoomed into the euthanesia room, and snatched two dogs straight out from under the needles.

Safe! Pulled with minutes perhaps even seconds to spare!

safe! one has already been adopted!

safe! sweet, skinny little Pom mix

On the Road again....Portland here we come

After getting everyone settled in the car, sorted out the paperwork, we hugged and I went on my way back to Portland.
Because of time “lost” at the shelter and during some potty breaks with the dogs, I arrived back in Portland at 2:30 AM on Wednesday morning.
Theresa from DogStar waited for me, keeping herself entertained by doing some much needed bookkeeping. We unloaded the car, put everyone in a kennel, gave them some food/water and kisses, and went home. Mission accomplished – ten dogs save – alive!
Got home at about 3:30AM, Ouzo greeted me with kisses and hugs. I snuck upstairs, kissed Al “hello”. Ouzo squeezed in between us snuggling with me, licking my bite wounds…. I fell asleep thinking….What a trip!

Would I do it again? ABSOLUTELY – ANYTIME!

All started with a small idea and the desire to help. It takes a community to do this. I still need fosters – everywhere. When I sent out a call for local fosters, Donde Buckowski stepped up immediately, and offered her home to one of the rescues.

Safe! Sophia (foreground) is available for adoption with LA!USA

Little “Sophia” is a Chihuahua mix with cow markings. Great with dogs, loves kitties, full of energy. Sophia has already a solid interest – after only few days.

safe! ESPERRRANZA, available for adoption via Let's Adopt!USA

I have little “Esperrranza”, a Chi( MinPin?) mix, who was going down for behavioral. “TIMID” her card said. I found her shivering in the back of her kennel, low to the ground, the noise level in her unit was unbearable – impossible to talk. Can you imagine a little dog in there for 2-3 weeks? I would be TIMID too. As soon as she knew she was safe – she gave kisses and one could just see the big sigh of relief in her entire body language. “Esperrranza” is available for adoption as well. There is some interest for her, but we’re still accepting applications for both of these dogs.

The standard Let’s Adopt! Adoption requirements apply:

• Must have another animal dog

• will be part of the family, not live in the garage, basement, or ever be left on a tie out or unsupervised in the yard.

• We are supporters of a species appropriate diet and all Let’s Adopt! animals are being fed a raw diet. (see http://www.rawlearning.com for more info).

• Adopter has to sign up with Facebook and create a photo album to share with the Let’s Adopt! community that shows the animal’s progress. (Or adopter can send pictures to me and I’ll set up the album for them)

We do not apply an adoption fee. Adopting one of our animals is a privilege not mercy. One can’t put a price tag on any of our animals.

Even if you can’t adopt, but would like to support our mission and rescue operations such as this, please contributing to the Let’s Adopt! Simba Fund

Many thanks to the following rescuers and agencies for their support and collaboration.

Annie Wong – Big Dawgs Rescue

Lori Wilson – Good Newz Pittie Pups Rescue

Melody Chen – FB cross poster and rescuer for the Contra Costa County Shelters.

Amy Sacks – Pixie Project

Theresa Shire – DogStar

and of course thanks to Billie+ David for housing and feeding me “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAVID!”, as well as “Matela” for sharing HER sofa with a human.

BE The Change -

it is not THAT difficult if you just put your mind to it.

~Misha

Dear Friends,
last month I asked whether, we as a community could save 100 animals this summer.

What has happened since…

I’ve met Mary Ann, a wonderful lady from NC.She saved several cats from a property, who’s owner threatened repeatedly

Using cats for target practice for procreating? An oxymoronic situation considering who's doing the shootin'

to just use the cats  for target practice.
Mary Ann and her patient husband set up traps, and over the course of a week were able to catch all of them.

trapped kitty - ready to be spayed

All have been altered, vaccinated and an older kitty is being treated for a couple of fighting wounds.
Stay tuned for Mary Ann’s story…..

a new lease on life instead of a never ending cycle of kittens

Then there is Daniela, who literally took us up on our challenge the very next day. She lives in Atlanta, went to a high kill shelter in Rome, GA and saved a beautiful English shepherd mix from death row.

Daniela named him Borgo, after a district in Rome.

Borgo on Death Row at the Rome, GA animal pound

Within days Borgo came down with the kennel cough. Daniela spent hours taking him to the vet, treating him, comforting him.

After several baths, a trip to the groomer, lots of love, vaccinations and finally getting neutered – Borgo is ready to move to his new home, which is already waiting for him in Indiana.
Unfortunately, Daniela is a poor student, with a minimum wage job on the side and has exhausted her resources.

She needs help with transport and/or shipping Borgo to Indiana. Please contact Daniela if you can help. dragomirovad@yahoo.com

What about the challenge?

We are a community of over 2000 members in the US. I think we can do better. Daniela, a student, with a minimum wage job, living in a small apartment has proven that there’s always a way to save a life.

Borgo and his personal angel, Daniela

Every life is worth saving. No matter how old or broken an animal is. We owe it to them to make things right.
If we don’t intervene, who will?
What can WE – as a community, as individuals do this coming month?

Step ONE: sign up as a volunteer with us.
if you can’t volunteer please consider supporting us via the Simba Fund.
100 cents of each dollar go to the care of our animals, and funding of special rescue operations. Let’s Adopt! does not have any overhead, because we are ALL volunteers.
This sets us apart from any other big organization.

• Send me your stories and pictures of the animals you saved.
• Sign up to volunteer for us. We are looking for volunteers in ALL 50 States and also in Canada RIGHT NOW.

Shoot me an email with your information:

• Name
• Location
• Volunteer Interest

Let’s make this summer one to remember…

Let's Adopt! Summer Of Luuuuv 2010

The summer we saved 100 animals - TOGETHER!

BE The Change
~Misha

It’s our worst possible nightmare. What would happen to our pets if we suddenly died? What will happen to them if we die before they do?
Some of us are lucky enough to have families that will take care of them, but what about those who don’t?

Two events have made me reflect on this issue in recent days:

1. The sudden death of two our members. They were both young. They both died unexpected deaths.
2. The fact that we are having adoption requests from senior citizens that already have a number of animals in their homes. In most cases the issue seems to have been discussed with their sons and daughters but there is always a lingering doubt… will they really take care of their animals?

I look around the websites of many animal organizations. They are all geared towards receiving donations. In most cases the whole fund raising process is done in a completely shameless way that makes one wonder. But then, I have not found anybody offering a solution to the question.

There are a number of legal provisions you can take, and this include the setting up of a Special Trust to provide for your animal. This works in countries like the US where the SPCA could (provided that a large provision is made) in theory, take care of your animals. These provisions are enforceable.

Under the California Probate Code, a trust for the care of an animal is a valid trust that can be enforced in court. An action to enforce a pet trust can be brought by “any person interested in the welfare of the animal.” This includes animal-care organizations such as the SPCA and similar non-profits that have as their principal activity the care of animals. In addition, the settlor (person creating the trust) may designate certain persons who will have the right to bring a court action to enforce the trust. If no one has been designated in the trust instrument, the court can even appoint a person to enforce the trust. Generally, regular accountings are required, and copies must be given to any nonprofit charitable organization (such as the SPCA) that has as its principal activity the care of animals and that has requested these accountings in writing. These and other protections were put in place by the State Legislature to protect against fraud and abuse with funds that were intended to provide for much-loved companion animals. For example, a remainder beneficiary (a person who is designated to receive funds remaining upon the animal’s death), an enforcer named in the trust, and animal-care organizations all have the right to check on the animal, inspect the animal’s living situation, and review the financial records of the trust.

Well… I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t leave any of my animals to the care of an institution that endorses the Killing of unwanted pets and owner surrenders. It’s the ultimate oxymoron akin of entrusting a scammer with running a financial institution (oops!.. isn’t this what happens anyway?). I also would never dream of letting any of my animals end up in a shelter struggling for food and fighting against disease.

Let’s Adopt! is a horizontal organization run exclusively by volunteers. Some would like to leave this matter to professionals but I, and I am sure, many of you, would rather entrust the life of our best friends to the incredible members of this community.

Ok, so here is what we are going to do, once again, a proof of Let’s Adopt! commitment to animal rescue.  Any of our members who wishes to do so can, from today, make a provision on his will entrusting us with the rehoming of his beloved animals in case of his death.

This offer brings with it a series of challenges, but most importantly, it should make us all realize the importance of putting all our efforts in building a large international network of foster homes as they will be needed if this program is to succeed. This also means we need to enlarge the reach of our organization, in short, we need to grow.

We don’t want you to leave any real estate to us, we don’t request from you to contribute to our Fund in any way, we don’t seek the establishment of any Trust of any kind. We will do this for you, for your animals because, quite simply, it is the right thing to do.

How to do this? Very simple.. put on writing and instruct your closest family members and, quite possibly, your lawyer, to contact us in case of death.

We have only one condition to be eligible to this program. You must put it on writing and it can only be implemented after the event of death or before if you are dealing with a terminal illness.

Please… don’t die, ever!… but if you must, please ensure your pets are well taken care of and end up in a loving family, not in a shelter or worst.

Today’s blog is actually inspired and for the greater part written by one of my dear teachers.

Please read it with an open mind, read it again with your mind inspired, and then read it again, with your heart ready to spring into action.

Cruelty is an infectious disease and one must strictly guard oneself against it. Some students seem to have this peculiar infection and they somehow gradually dominate the others. Probably they feel it is very manly, for their elders are often cruel in their words, in their attitudes, in their gestures, in their pride. This cruelty exists in the world. The responsibility of the student and please remember with what significance we are using that word – is to avoid any form of cruelty.

Once many years ago I was invited to talk at a school in California and as I entered the school a boy of ten or so was passing me with a large bird, caught in a trap, whose legs were broken.

I stopped and looked at the boy without saying a word. His face expressed fear and when I finished the talk and came out the boy – a stranger – came up to me with tears in his eyes and said, ”Sir, it will never happen again.” He was afraid that I would tell the headmaster and there would be a scene about it and as I didn’t say a word to either the boy or the headmaster about the cruel incident, his awareness of the terrible thing he had done made him realize the enormity of the act.

It is important to be aware of one’s own activities and if there is affection then cruelty has no place in our life at any time. In western countries you see the birds carefully nurtured and later in the season shot for sport and then eaten. The cruelty of hunting, killing small animals, has become part of our civilization, like war, like torture, and the acts of terrorists and kidnappers.

Dogs tortured to death for consumption in Korea

In our intimate personal relationships there is also a great deal of cruelty, anger, hurting each other. The world has become a dangerous place in which to live and in our schools any form of coercion, threat, anger must be totally and completely avoided for all these harden the heart and mind, and affection cannot co-exist with cruelty.

You understand, as a student, how important it is to realize that any form of cruelty not only hardens your heart but perverts your thinking, distorts your actions. The mind, like the heart, is a delicate instrument, sensitive and very capable, and when cruelty and oppression touch it then there is a hardening of the self. Affection, love, has no centre as the self.

Now having read this and having understood so far what is said, what will you do about it? You have studied what has been said, you are learning the content of these words; what then is your action? Your response is not merely to study and learn but also to act. Most of us know and are aware of all the implications of cruelty and of what it actually does both outwardly and inwardly, and leave it at that without doing anything about it – thinking one thing and doing just the opposite. This not only breeds a great deal of conflict but also hypocrisy.

Most students do not like to be hypocrites; they like to look at facts but they do not always act. So the responsibility of the student is to see the facts about cruelty and without any persuasion or cajoling understand what is implied and do something about it. The doing is perhaps a greater responsibility. People generally live with ideas and beliefs totally unrelated to their daily life and so this naturally becomes hypocrisy.

So don’t be a hypocrite – which doesn’t mean you must be rude, aggressive or overly critical. When there is affection there is inevitably courtesy without hypocrisy.

What is the responsibility of the teacher who has studied, learned, and acts toward the student? Cruelty has many forms. A look, a gesture, a sharp remark, and above all comparison. Our whole educational system is based on comparison. A is better than B and so B must conform to or imitate A. This in essence is cruelty, and ultimately its expression is examinations; so what is the responsibility of the educator who sees the truth of this?

How will he teach any subject without reward and punishment, knowing that there must be some kind of report indicating the capacity of the student? Can the teacher do this? Is it compatible with affection? If the central reality of affection is there, has comparison any place at all? Can the teacher eliminate in himself the pain of comparison?

Our whole civilization is based on hierarchical comparison both outwardly and inwardly which denies the sense of deep affection. Can we eliminate from our minds the better, the more, the stupid, the clever, this whole comparative thinking? If the teacher has understood the pain of comparison what is his responsibility in his teaching and in his action? A person who has really grasped the significance of the pain of comparison is acting from intelligence.

[Jiddu Krishnamurti - Letters to Schools Volume One 15th February, 1980]

Teachers & Students alike….

BE The Change

Make that one phone call to report animal cruelty, help a neighbor out, who struggles with feeding their animals in this economy, make contributions to those organizations that work so hard on bringing change. Become part of the solution by volunteering your time, knowledge and resources.

Let’s Adopt! USA needs YOU – yes YOU …help us in our quest to save animals, but also to spread the word, educate the members of your community about no-kill.

Become a leader in your own community.

Visit our Facebook Group and sign up as a volunteer in the discussion area.

Let’s make some noise for the voiceless out there.

Let’s stop the brutal killings, sanctified by your city leaders, funded by your tax dollars,

Let’s put tougher laws on animal cruelty, hoarders, breeders.

Let’s DO SOMETHING.

The apathy of many people is mind-boggling to me. We have grown numb to the pictures of death row animals, mutilated, abused, sick, dying…

here today ….gone tomorrow….. until the next load arrives.

Help Us, Help THEM!

BE The Change!

Misha

CAGE 18 — FEMALE MIX, 6 MOS.

That’s about all she was to anyone… except someone gave her the name Petra. Her photo was taken to put on the internet with the others.

Petra at the shelter

She appeared on my Facebook page last Friday evening. She and the others in the post were from a shelter in the Dallas area. Their time was nearing an end; they were the “urgents.” As are so many by the time they hit Facebook.

Always my first thought is that I want to take them all. But how would that be possible? I already have several.

So what can I do to help them?

I hit the SHARE button at the bottom of the post and add their info to my network of friends. It’s the least I can do… and maybe someone will adopt one.

Within a few minutes, someone messages me. She has seen Petra’s photo and wants to adopt her. How can she do it? Is it even possible? She lives in San Antonio — five hours from Dallas.

My first response is YES! Because I KNOW this can be done.

On her fifth try, Karrie reaches someone at the shelter who verifies that Petra is still there. She takes Karrie’s info and puts a hold on Petra. Over the next few hours, a rescue group steps up and arranges to pull the little dog on Sunday. A foster comes forward who will foster her overnight Sunday night. And at noon on Monday, transport starts for Petra’s trip from Dallas to San Antonio.

Facebook rescue in action

At 3 pm Monday, Petra — renamed Vimba which means “Hope” in Shona — arrives at her new home.

The power of sharing via social media saved this pup’s life… a happenstance connection on Facebook.

But there are more in need in all areas.

Do these pets a favor and share messages about animals in need. You never know when your message might save a life! And it costs you nothing… just a few minutes of your time.

Here are just a few of the faces saved in the past few weeks through sharing.

A new lease on life thanks to a click of a mouse

Contributed by Holly Ellis

Join us on Facebook:

Let’s Adopt! USA

We are in urgent need of flight volunteers to the US, Canada (Montreal, Toronto), Germany and Holland.
Please get in touch with

Viktor: v.larkhill@googlemail.com

or contact me via

misha@myletsadopt.com

Thank You!

BE The Change

~Misha

Here’s an article by Viktor about how it works and why we are relocating animals to other countries.

Let’s Adopt! is Looking For Flight Volunteers for Angels Without Wings

Since its conception almost 2 years ago Let’s Adopt! has always been a pioneer in animal welfare related issues. We have introduced, singlehandedly, the concept of foster homes in Turkey. We have, for the first time in homing animals, put down rules other than the stupid documentations they ask for in shelters, gas bill, electricity bill, residence papers… We have, more than any bureaucratic nonsense of filling forms and providing that you live where you say you live, made sure that our dogs and cats actually LIVED INSIDE HOMES, not gardens and factory properties. We have insisted that the family should have another companion animal to adopt one from us. This is to make sure that they are aware of the responsibilities and requirements of an animal. Also, a great way to see how they care about their existing animals. We never agree to adoption of pure breeds simply on the basis of their blood. We make sure that the family adopts a stray first to be able to own a Golden Retriever or a Rottweiler.

And most of the time we have succeeded. The failures always happened when, out of the goodness of our hearts and naivete that we still
carry inside us for the goodness of people, we made exceptions.

No more exceptions, ever! Our rules are chiseled in stone and won’t be broken.

But, then there is something that really breaks our backs: The crisis and the way it effects thousand of families in this country and around the world. This is one of the reasons why there are so many abandoned animals, not only here but all around the world. Yet, people in Europe and North America still have the necessary funds to take care of their animals where the animals are seen as a part of the family and not accessories that look good near the fire place.

Why do I ramble on? Because that is what I do to ask for your help again, as you need to know why we do the things we do and need the
things we need?

We have declared that due to the non-existence of adoptions in the current climate we have a massive backlog of animals who need homes.

Not only that, we are experiencing an influx of animals which we had homed and now are being returned to us after months of being home dogs. Imagine the total destruction of the animals, imagine the damage the family makes their kids go through, imagine the state we are in…

Give Our Dogs Wiiiiings

Friends, though not every day of the week, we receive emails from our members in Europe and North America where people tell us that they are moved by the stories and struggles of our animals, asking us whether it would be possible to adopt them outside the country. After careful consideration, Skype conferences and many emails, we come to a decision.

It is all okay until when we need to fly our babies out, after their legal requirements are fully met;  chips, bloodwork when necessary,
vaccinations, fulfillment of a certain age etc.

This is when we need you. Many of you are professionals, many of you take trips outside the  country for business and for leisure, many of you study in foreign countries or visit friends and family who live abroad. Be our flight volunteers!!! Fly with one of our animals,
provided that there is the perfect family waiting for them on the other end and take part in the joy of knowing you have placed a life
in need in the safest of hands.

Get in touch with me a couple of weeks before you are due to fly and hopefully we will have  a dog or a cat for you as your flight
companion.

Go on, give us wings…

Viktor Larkhill
v.larkhill@googlemail.com

Dear Friends,
UPDATE: Hope & Pipas Have Been ADOPTED To GERMANY!!

These pups were dumped outside the most notorious kill ‘shelter’ in Istanbul, while Let’s Adopt! staged a protest about the horrific conditions and unjustified killings at the death camp.The injuries they sustained indicated that both of them were thrown out of a car.

Pipas had a broken jaw and the skin on her lower jaw had been ripped apart.

Pipas

Hope was found with a broken leg and hip

Hope

It took us two months of operation, treatment and intensive care to get them out of danger.

Today the two puppies are saved, but they are looking for homes.

(: Hope & Pipas today

Animal lovers picked them up and handed them over to Viktor, asking Let’s Adopt! for help. Once again – we cared for these pups, paid for their vetting and gave them a safe place to heal.

Here we are months later, and these cuties still don’t have a home.

Not one offer.
At this point we are accepting applications from other countries.

Preferably EU countries w/out lengthy quarantine laws, the US & Canada.
Let’s Adopt! application standards apply.
Please contact viktor@myletsadopt.com for more information.

Let’s Adopt! is an animal rescue organization, the largest in Turkey.We educate leading by example.
This is your change to do something unique, and to change the life of an animal (and yours), forever.
Hope and Pipas are looking for foster or final homes. We cannot keep them at the vet forever.
Hope and Pipas, you helped us save their lives. Help them now providing or finding a forever home for them.

Take action today. Adopt or foster one of this two babies.

Please keep in mind that we are also looking for flight volunteers from Turkey to Germany, France the US or Canada. There is no cost or paperwork involved for you. Everything is handled by Let’s Adopt! Representatives.

Please share/RT this note with your network, friends,

We need homes for our animals currently in our care, so we can rescue others.

Be The Change….

~misha

Hello Friends!
I kindly ask you to please support the rescue and medical treatment of Genny, who is currently battling Canine Distemper. A potentially fatal disease.

Thanks to the animal welfare volunteer network Let’s Adopt! Turkey, she’s physically safe and with a volunteer foster home right now.

Please us help Genny! We’re all she has.

We’ve just learned, that WordPress is not supporting the updates for the ChipIn widget. Which means, you can still click through the chip in above to contribute to “Simba’s Fund”.
However to see updates and current status of the contributions, you have to click through to the “bethechange” page on ChipIn, which you can reach here:
ChipIn Simba’s Fund
We will track all contributions, as well as funds going towards Genny’s care.
Any funds left will be used for future rescues and their medical needs, as Let’s Adopt! specializes in the rescue and treatment of abused, injured or special needs animals.

Genny’s condition has improved a bit and she has been upgraded from “critical” to “stable”.

We even received a new video of Genny ‘playing’.

To learn more about this extraordinary group of international volunteers: Let’s Adopt!

For more info about the Simba Fund and how it came about.
Click Here

Thank You!

The next few days are still critical for Genny’s survival. Please keep her in your thoughts, and continue to support our important work.
We’ll keep you updated.
A big “Thank You” to all of you out there who have already contributed to Genny’s vet care before the Chip In was set up.
We are very grateful for your support.

For Genny…

Genny is fighting this killer disease with all she got

Thank You!!
Be The Change….Indeed! ♥

Misha Dee

Let’s Adopt! USA

one of Bali's magnificent beaches

Who wouldn’t like to be whisked away to Bali just in time for Valentine’s Day and right in the middle of our winter?

It is indeed a beautiful island, but its dogs and cats are suffering greatly.

A kind tourist offers water to a thirsty Bali dog on one of the island's beaches.

The Indonesian island of Bali is just over 2,000 square miles in size. The island has a population of about 4 million people and approximately 600,000 dogs, down from an estimated one million ten years ago thanks to a population management program.

Today we have an interview with Paula Hodgson, co-founder of the Bali Street Dog Fund (BSDF), which raises funds for the Bali Animal Welfare Association (BAWA). Paula has some great information to share with us and some insight on TNR amongst the street dog population on Bali. She also has all the details on how you could take a volunteer vacation to help Bali’s street dogs.

BAWA is a not-for-profit charity registered in Indonesia. The organization’s aim is to relieve the suffering, control the population, and improve the health of Bali‘s street dogs through medical care, spay/neutering, street-feeding, puppy adoption, and education of school children.

BAWA currently has an experienced team of 7 Indonesian vets, who have been supported in the past by vets from Veterinarians Beyond Borders and by vets and vet nurses from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. BAWA’s vets are supported every day by a local dedicated team of nurses and helpers.

The BAWA street teams work outside in the central gathering place called the "banjar" in each village they visit.

BAWA’s street teams led by Indonesian veterinarians travel daily into villages and set up mobile operating stations to conduct up to 40 sterilizations per day. Some of the dogs they sterilize are brought in by their owners, but most are street dogs who are caught in nets and immobilized immediately before a vet sedates them for surgery. The mobile team remains in a village until 60-70% of its dogs have been sterilized. While the dogs are still sedated after their surgery, the vets place a small mark on one of their ears to enable easy identification.

BAWA’s clinic just outside Ubud offers free sterilization of pets belonging to any Indonesian family who can not afford to pay.

The organization operates under a no-kill philosophy and only euthanizes animals (by injection) when the organization’s veterinarians believe that the animal is suffering entirely too much and has no chance of making a recovery.

BAWA and its American founder Janice Girardi were featured in the September/October 2009 issue of The Bark magazine. Stay tuned for a future interview with Janice!

What’s a Bali dog anyway?

Bali dogs are unique. A 2004 genetics study by the University of California, Davis revealed that they were probably established in Bali 12,000 years ago when it became isolated from Java. They are the most genetically diverse dogs in the world. Their closest relatives are the Chow Chow, Australian Dingo, and the Akita. Until recently there has been no influence by European breeds.

BAWA is funded 100% through donations.

Paula is going to tell us how they accomplish this feat.

Paula holding a sick and injured Bali puppy.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself and your furry family.

I am an ex-pat New Zealander who has lived in Australia for 20 years, and I work as a medical secretary.  I have always been an avid animal lover and was heavily involved with anti-vivisection groups whilst in New Zealand. I had six cats and one dog growing up. I knew from the time I was very small that I was destined to be involved in animal welfare.

My furry family consisted of 4 gorgeous cats. Pumpkin, my eldest, was two weeks old when I found her in a drain. I hand raised her on a bottle until she was six weeks old.  She was born to feral parents, and even though she was domesticated she never lost that feral streak which I found to be an endearing part of her personality. Six weeks after I got Pumpkin, I took in a white cat with blue eyes who was profoundly deaf. Chantelle and Pumpkin became inseparable, but sadly Chantelle died at 12 months of age due to a bee sting. Nine months after losing her, I found myself saying “yes” to two beautiful 6-week-old kittens who had been dumped in a rubbish bin.  My family of one suddenly became a fantastic trio of tortoiseshells: Pumpkin, Apples, and Dusty. Dusty passed away aged 13 in 2006, and Pumpkin passed away aged 16 in 2008. Apples is now 16 and a diabetic. I cherish each day she is with me.

the divine Miss Apples enjoying some time outside

2. Why Bali? How often do you go to Bali?

Why Bali is a question I am often asked, and I say, “Why not?” I became involved in this cause when my closest friend Natasha came back from Bali and asked me to help the dogs in Bali. She became distressed each time she went there, and on a visit in 1999, she found a vet who was trying to help the street dogs. She came home determined to try and do something, and in September 1999, Natasha and I founded the Bali Street Dog Fund (Australia).

I try and go to Bali at least once a year, but due to unforeseen circumstances with my health and my cat Apples’ health, I have not been to Bali for 2.5 years. Even so, I am in daily contact with BAWA (Bali Animal Welfare Association) via email.

3. Tell us some of the things you do in Australia to help raise awareness and money for BAWA? What works?

Raising awareness for a charity can be difficult at times, but you must take every opportunity that arises to let people know about your work. A good website is the first step followed by brochures and business cards, word of mouth, and merchandise. Creating a database of supporters is essential, and putting out a newsletter once or twice a year is a good way to raise more awareness and to bring in donations.

BSDF holds a “Bali Nights” fundraising auction every year to raise money for the BAWA spay/neuter van and the animal welfare education program in the schools. Having great merchandise works wonders. I hand make greeting cards (everyday and Christmas) depicting gorgeous puppies and adult dogs from Bali, and those cards are one of our best sellers. Everyone who receives one of those cards gets our contact information and website on the back of the card, so that helps to bring in additional donations. A full range of merchandise is displayed on our website so that people can purchase it all year round and not just at our fundraiser.

4. Are there any Bali dogs in Australia? Do any of the dogs ever get adopted by families outside Bali?

There is one Bali dog living in Australia. Her name is Nessa, and you can see her story on our website.

It is extremely expensive to bring a Bali dog back to Australia due to the amount of quarantine required. Dogs from Bali have to go to Singapore for nine months before they are allowed into Australia. When Nessa came to Australia 5 years ago, the cost was $10,000. I imagine it would be much more now.

Sometimes dogs go to the USA, Holland, or Belgium after being adopted by families there, but currently NO dogs are allowed out of Bali due to the presence of rabies. Janice and everyone at BAWA are working to eradicate rabies from the island and to vaccinate and protect the island’s dogs during this time.

5. Are there any particular BAWA accomplishments that you would like to share with us?

BAWA has achieved a lot in the three years they have been operating. In 2008, they put Bali‘s only 24-hour animal ambulance on the road which was desperately needed, and it is kept busy every day. Ideally, another ambulance to cover other parts of the island is required. Unfortunately, BAWA does not have the funding available to make this happen, and BSDF only manages to raise enough money each year to fund the spay/neuter and education programs. At present, the 24-hour ambulance and the 24-hour vet clinic are both funded entirely by Janice Girardi, the organization’s founder. BAWA also launched the “Bali Idol” competition which is a puppy adoption competition within the schools. The success of this program has been phenomenal.

Village children are often very curious when the BAWA team arrives to spay and neuter dogs. They are supervised, of course, but the staff do allow the children to come close to the dogs. This is a great learning opportunity for the children, many of whom have never even touched a dog.

The biggest and latest accomplishment is hosting a Rabies Seminar just two weeks ago. Janice has worked tirelessly since rabies was first found in Bali in November 2008 and since the government started massacring the dogs in a misinformed attempt to eradicate rabies. Bali’s governor ordered that the island be eradicated of all street dogs and called on villagers to exterminate strays themselves. Dogs were poisoned and shot much to the horror of many tourists and even island residents, some of whose pets were also killed.

Janice and her amazing staff have never given up with their campaign to get the government to vaccinate not eradicate. The seminar was attended by experts from the World Health Organization, prominent veterinarians, and members of the Balinese Government, and it was made clear that culling will not work. Now it’s up to the Indonesian government to listen to all the expert recommendations and move forward in managing the situation.

6. What’s the biggest challenge you face in trying to raise funds for BAWA?

The biggest challenge is trying to get goods donated for our annual fundraising auction. All involved in the fund spend hours contacting companies asking for donations. It is always sad to be told, “No, your charity does not fall into the worthy cause category,” but we never give up. We just cross that organization off the list, and send out a letter to someone else. A lot of people will not donate to “overseas” charities, especially for animals. In the 10 years that the Fund has been going, we have come up against a lot of opposition as to why we help the dogs and not the people. As I always point out, there are plenty of charities for children in Bali but not for the animals. They have as much right to life as a human.

Paula holds a Bali puppy with terrible skin problems. Unfortunately, such skin problems are common among the puppies on Bali.

7. Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to help animals overseas?

My advice is to follow your heart. Don’t be put off by what people think or say. Animals are just as deserving as we are. I would definitely look into the charity you are thinking of helping to make sure they are above board, i.e. a registered charity that has been established for a while.

Last year, I was contacted by a Bali Street Dog Fund supporter who wanted to help a charity in Jamaica. She was uncertain of the charity’s authenticity, so I did some research on the Internet for her. In the end, they were a genuine charity, but it does pay to check organizations out.

If people want to volunteer for an overseas charity, again research the charity and establish a good email rapport with the organization before booking your ticket!

8. Anything else you would like to share with us?

BAWA desperately needs donations to continue its amazing work. That’s why I do what I do! We keep our operational costs as low as humanly possibly by capitalizing on the efforts of a small army of human volunteers.

You can make donations directly on BAWA’s website via the PayPal link, and for everyone in America, you can also donate by mailing a check to: BAWA; C/O Janice Girardi; 12407 Torrey Pines Drive; Auburn, CA 95602.

BAWA needs to keep its current ambulance on the road and fund another. BSDF would like to raise more funds to extend the spay/neuter and education programs across the island so that we can make a lasting impact on the status of animals on the island.

Another ambulance and spay/neuter van would be a dream come true so that BAWA teams could travel to other areas of Bali where the dogs currently receive no help. The western and northern parts of the island are quite remote, and BAWA has not been able to begin work there yet. Bali is over 2,000 square miles in size, so it’s almost impossible to reach out to the entire island with only one ambulance and one spay/neuter van.

The BAWA Animal Ambulance responds to calls from around the island 24 hours a day to assist dogs and cats in need.

Bali is pretty far away for most of us, but there are still ways we can help the island’s street dogs.

You can sign this petition requesting the Indonesian Government to create an effective law against cruelty to dogs. Every day in Bali. dogs are poisoned or stolen, often for meat. Others are starved, beaten, or neglected.

There are currently no laws whatsoever to protect the animals of Bali. BAWA works proactively to educate children in the correct treatment of companion animals and provides free medical care to street dogs and dogs owned by Balinese people, including sterilization, ambulance services, and a rescue program.

Without effective animal welfare laws, BAWA is handicapped.

Would you be interested in helping BAWA in Bali?

Volunteer vets and vet nurses as well as non-veterinary volunteers are needed to help at the clinic. Flight volunteers are also needed sometimes to carry supplies to Bali with their excess luggage allowances. (Customs letters and all paperwork are supplied though such documentation is rarely requested by the Balinese officials upon arrival.)

If you are planning a holiday to Bali and would like to offer a couple of days or even a week of your holiday to help at the clinic, please contact BAWA by emailing bawabali@aol.com . Please note that to volunteer at BAWA, you must be able to pay your own airfare and support yourself whilst in Bali. It is also essential you have your rabies shots and an up-to-date tetanus vaccination.

I enjoyed spending time in the vet clinic - especially in the bottom level which has an adoption center with lots of indoor and outdoor room for the puppies to play.

I volunteered with the Bali Street Dog Fund during the time I lived in Australia and have been lucky enough to carry medical supplies to Bali and to spend time with the BAWA street teams. These amazing people net and spay/neuter the street dogs every day. I can assure you that any time you spend volunteering with them will only serve to enrich your holiday. It’s the sort of experience you’ll never forget.

Also, for those of you who are wondering about the cats on Bali, BAWA does help them as well. The vet clinic outside Ubud desexes and adopts out cats and kittens in addition to dogs and puppies. The majority of the group’s work is with dogs, but cats are never turned away!

Don’t forget that Let’s Adopt! is always in need of flight volunteers to transport animals from Turkey to their forever families in places like Canada, Germany, and the United States. Turkey makes for an amazing vacation, so if you ever decide to go, please get in touch with Let’s Adopt! founder Viktor Larkhill (viktor@myletsadopt.com) to offer your time as a flight volunteer. This good deed will cost you nothing at all!

Also…

Genny, one of the dogs Let’s Adopt! has rescued in Turkey, has come down with distemper over the weekend and is in need of our support. Please read about her here, and email Viktor (viktor@myletsadopt.com) if you are able to help with Genny’s medical costs and those of the dogs she has been in contact with the past two weeks.

Have you ever volunteered overseas with animals? Please tell us about your experiences and your organizations. Let’s Adopt! members can be found all over the globe, and many of us travel a great deal. It’s always wonderful to have meaningful experiences and meet other animal lovers while on the road!