PLEASE, PLEASE CROSS POST THIS FAR AND WIDE.


THEY ARE NOT LABS, BUT HOPE, STRENGTH AND COURAGE STILL NEED HELP. PLEASE SEE BELOW ON HOW YOU CAN HELP THESE BEAUTIFUL FUR BABIES.

Susan Turturice
OTRA Co-Owner/Transport Coordinator
313-806-2033

Hi everyone, I wanted to put together and email to ask for your help again. I want to introduce to you 3 new residents (English Setters) of Livingston County Humane Society in Chillicothe, Missouri. I have named them Hope, Strength and Courage simply because that is the epitomy of what these babies are and how they have survived the hell that has been their lives up until November 16th, 2006 when their lives changed for the better. The shelter had received calls about 3 dogs who had been dumped and were very thin, we had made several trips out to where the reports came from but were not able to ever spot the dogs so we asked the callers to get them and bring them in if they saw them again. The following morning Thursday November 16th there were 3 dogs huddled together in our holding cage outside the shelter fence. When the dogs were taken out one by one, no one could believe their eyes. There were 3 dogs, horribly emaciated, skin raw from mange and injured. Lesley the shelter manager called me and told me about them, she had considered taking them to the local vet we use, knowing that he would put them down because of the extent of their health issues. I told her I thought we should give them a chance so she called our other vet and his wife (they are very against euthanisia unless there is no other option) and he said to send them over and he would evaluate them. So off one went so that we could get them started on treatment for mange. Then, she noticed that the little boy had a horrible injury to one of his hind legs, so off he went. I met them over at the vet and saw the sweetest little dog ever. He was patiently sitting on the exam table allowing whomever to do whatever was needed to him. The vet's daughter was cleaning his ears which he actually seemed to appreciate, he has so much black gunk in his ears I don't know how he could hear. Anyway, after examination, the vet determined that a very extensive and costly surgery will be needed to repair his leg, it is an older break and it is on the growth plate. We headed on back to the shelter where I met the other 2 and immediately I knew their names...Hope, Strength and Courage. This is a family who has stuck together in the face of death, abuse and neglect. Their little souls never gave up and now they need our help. Hope is the worst one in terms of the raw skin from mange, she is just one big open sore yet she will still wag her tail and return the love she is given. Strength has lived through hell literally. Her hind leg is missing and it doesn't look like it was done professionally. It looks like it has been hacked off, her tail is missing too. I don't know if someone did this to her or if she was caught in something, but either way, I can't believe she survived, she is covered with mange as well and her little nubby tail wags when you love on her. Courage is the little male. He has a severely broken hind leg that will require extensive surgery, his mange isn't as bad, but bad nonetheless. All are very emaciated and have lots of hair loss. They all have severe eye infections as well. The vet estimates them at about 8 months old. In the next week or 2 we will also be HW testing them. The shelter manager initially said that she would have them tested the other day and if they were positive, then she would put them down, I again told her NO... These guys have come to far and they deserve a chance. I told her that I knew that everyone would come through to donate so we could afford what they need. They have not been tested yet, but will be over the next week or 2. They will have to be stronger before receiving treatment anyway. WE DESPERATELY NEED TO SOLICIT DONATIONS TO COVER THE EXTENSIVE MEDICAL CARE THEY ARE RECEIVING AND WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE IN THE COMING WEEKS. WE NEED TO RAISE ATLEAST $3000.

Please help if you can, even if you can only send $5, it will all add up and get them the help they need. After all that they have survived, WE can't let them down. They need to know that not all people are bad. If you can donate, please let me know. You can send it via paypal using lchs@cmuonline.net as the receivers email addy or you can mail directly to:
LCHS
1400 S Mitchell Rd
Chillicothe, MO 64601

Or send directly to the treating vet
Animal Kingdom Veterinary Hospital
818 Kerfoot
Trenton, MO 64683
Please be sure to stick a little note in indicating who the money is for.
Thank you guys so much from me, Hope, Strength and Courage. I will keep anyone posted on their recovery who is intersted, just let me know. Please pass this along and crosspost to anyone who might be able to help.

Warmest Regards,
Carolyn, Hope, Strength and Courage.

My family will pitch in and we send a money order out on Friday. I also have talked to some people at school and they will contribute as well. I read this during study hall and began to cry. We cannot let these guys down, asfter all that they have been through.

Tim C.

Bless your heart Tim. We will not let these beautiful fur babies down. Carolyn is setting up a blog in myspace as I write this so everyone can see their progress and send them well wishes.

Hugs,
Susan

Here are the pics of these precious babies that need our help.. Tim...I love you....you are one of the kindess people I have the privilidge of being able to call friend...thank You

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g95/hadsgirl/Courage2.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g95/hadsgirl/courage.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g95/hadsgirl/strength2.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g95/hadsgirl/Strength.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g95/hadsgirl/DSCF0896.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g95/hadsgirl/DSCF0895.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g95/hadsgirl/DSCF0892.jpg

I just sent a donation Via Pay Pal. Carolyn, I just sent you and email too.


Kim

I just sent a donation Via Pay Pal. Carolyn, I just sent you and email too.

Kim

Oh Kim, bless your heart and thank you so much. Puppy hugs & kisses from Hope, Strength and Courage.

We've collected over $1,000 in donations so far for these beautiful babies. They are going to get the treatment along with all the love and attention they rightfully deserve.

Have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving everyone.

Susan & Carolyn

The donations have been pouring in for these beautiful babies. I just want to say thank you to everyone who donated to their care. Carolyn has set up a blog for these babies. She will be updating it periodically to let everyone how they're doing. Here's the link: http://www.xanga.com/LCHSPETS.

Puppy Hugs & Kisses from Hope, Strength and Courage!!!

Susan

Update: Hope, Strength & Courage

Hi All, Carolyn here, I spent some time today with Hope, Strength and Courage, and they asked me to give you guys an update. First of all they wanted to say they think it's real cool that they have a website...they say they never had a website before. And they also wrote this letter for me to post for all to see....

To all of our guardian angels out there:

The nice people here at the shelter have been taking really good care of us. We have a whole room all to ourselves and we have what they call blankies and everything. It's warm and soft here and they keep bringing us big bowls of good stuff to eat. They come in and touch us all the time and it doesn't even hurt. We never knew that human touch could be so gentle and feel so good.

Hi everyone, this is Hope. that's what they call me now...I really like it, they say I am beautiful and they treat me so well, I am so tired, it has been a long journey and it feels so good to be able to rest now. My brother is a nut they say...he keeps running around and draggin those blankie things all over our room. My whole body hurts, but they are giving me something they call medicine and they say my itching will stop and the sores will go away soon. I really like it here, people bring us all kinds of good things to eat and we always have fresh water.... Ugh...here come Courage, he wants to write now.

Hi, Courage here, I love love love this place, we get lots to eat and they always give me things to drag and shake. That lady they call Carolyn she says I'm a goober...whatever that is... I was twisting around at her so much and kept falling over on my back so she would rub my tummy...she give good tummy rubs. She says I'm a twisty britches.... I think she's funny. I went to the doctor and he says he is going to do all he can to fix my leg, I'm so glad, cause it really hurts and I can't step down on it. People here are so nice, that Lesley lady is very protective, she wants to make sure we get well so we can go to someplace called home. I like the sound of that. Well, Strength says she wants to type now, so I guess I have to let her, beside, I've got blankie dragging to do...

Hi, this is Strength. I wanted to say thank you to all of the humans who are helping us. We have been through so much and it's nice to let someone else take care of us now. I know I look sad with all I have been through but I want everyone to know that I feel so safe and loved now. That lady Carolyn says it looks like I have played mom and taken care of Hope and Courage and she's right. It feels so good to know that we don't have to worry anymore and we don't have to be scared or hungry and alone anymore. I love these people so much, I can't contain myself. When they come in to see us, I have to stand up and since my tail is missing, I have to wag my whole back end. Anyway........

Carolyn and Miss Lesley told us all about how people from all over, even other countries have sent us their love, prayers and money so that we can get well and go to this place called home. We also want to send out a special thank you to Aunt Carolyn's bestest friend Susan for working so hard to get our story out. We want to send all of you a big wet smooch and many many wags. We have spent our whole lives being kicked around and unwanted and now we know that we are loved and we send our love back to all of you.



Big Sloppy Pup Kisses,

Hope, Strength & Courage



Well, Carolyn again, that is what they sent for me to post. And from my view point, they are doing great. They are loving the attention and are eating like little piggies. They are all on antibiotics and Ivemec for mange. They are eating well and receiving STAT supplements courtesy of My Very Dear Friend Susan. They will be going to Dr. Fischbach on Friday to have more tests done and get another check up. We need to get them stronger and healthier and then Courage will have his surgery to repair his leg. I will do my best to update often and continue to update with pics. I took these this afternoon.

Oh and with what we have recieved through paypal and the commitments we have received of checks being sent we think we have reached our goal. I will get that update done in the next day or 2 since I am the cook this Thanksgiving...hehehe watch for smoke....



Much Love and Warmest Regards,

Carolyn

Hi everyone, it's Hope, Strength and Courage again. We wanted to send out another update to all of our guardian angels. The nice lady Brenda, from the shelter, took us to see Dr. Fischbach today. He spent all day with us... we were treated like kings and queens. First he took care of me Strength, He put me up on this table, it was kinda cold on my hiney, then he started listening and looking and he even did some poking....ugh.. Anyway, he was so gentle and after each thing he did, he patted me on my head and told me I was a good girl. It's so nice to hear things like that. He drew some blood, it kinda hurt, but I could just tell he was there to help me, so I didn't even cry. He cleaned my ears all out and gave me medicine for them, he says I have mites and a yeast infection in there...not sure what that means but they said he would get me fixed up. He checked my hiney and said I didn't' have any worms, that's good, cause I don't like worms. He also did a skin scraping and he says I have Demodex like Hope, but that's okay because Miss Lesley already started us all on medicine for that. He also did this heartworm test and he said I was positive, I thought that was good, you know positive, but then I found out it isn't. He says that we need to wait a couple of weeks to treat me for it because I'm not strong enough yet...huh go figure...even my name is Strength, but I know he knows best. He put me on Doxycycline, he says it will help me when it comes time to get my heartworm treatment. My liver enzymes and my protein were high but he says that is a result of the heartworms. He even did a lymes/erlichia test and it was negative. He also did an ultrasound to see if I was going to have babies again, it tickled alot... but good news..no babies. He took a look at my right eye too, it's very cloudy and it bothers me some. He says I have an ulcer there and that there is some corneal damage so he gave me medicine to help the irritation and help me make tears to make it feel better, I can only see a little with my eye but I can sure see enough to know that we have lots of people who love us now. We got to play and snuggle with Brenda and Carolyn. They are so nice, they just keep petting us and talking nice to us...and that Carolyn, what a hoot, she keep kissing all of us, she's a funny one.. Strength weighed in today at 41 pounds, she has probably gained 8-10 pounds since her arrival.

I went next, this is Hope. Doc says my demodex is already started to look a little bit better. He did all that listening and looking and some poking on me too. He was very nice to me and petted me a bunch, I like that in a doctor..... He checked my hiney too and no worms for me either....yeah!!!! I have mites and a yeast infection in my ears but he gave us medicine for that. My lymes/erlichia was negative too and even my heartworm test was negative. They say I am very tiny and underweight. I weighed in today at 28.1 pounds and I have probably gained 8-10 pounds already. I was very quiet. I didn't cry at all. They put this thing called a leash on me today, I'm not sure about that crazy thing...they say all the dogs are wearing them, but hmmmm.....I don't know yet. I had a really good day though, I got to lounge outside in the sun and snuggle with my brother.

I went last, Courage here. That doctor guy and his wife are so nice...they kept petting me and telling me I was a good boy. He looked, listened and felt all over me. He check me for worms and Nope...I don't have any....yeah!!! I have ear mites, but that doesn't seem like a big deal, he gave me these drops for my ears, that feels funny. He said my blood work was all good to and my heartworm test was negative, I guess that's a really really good thing. They weighed me today too and I weigh 36.9 pounds which is up about 8-9 pounds from when we found our way to all these nice people. He says I have demodex too and I am already on medicine that Miss Lesley has been giving me. He took a picture with this thing of my leg, it really hurts, I don't even like to put it down, then he showed us all the picture....looked funny to me, but he told Brenda and Carolyn all about it. My leg is broken at the growth plate and the bone is turned, but he says he can fix me right up. He says he's going to put pins in my leg, I don't know if I want pins in my leg, but he is kind and I know he will help me get through it. He says there is only a very slim chance that I will lose my leg, I like that idea. He says I'm not strong enough yet but that He wants us all to come back and visit next Friday, then if I am strong enough he is going to fix my leg for me. I really liked him.

Well guys, thats about it except that Dr. Fischbach did start them all on Metronidazole to treat Coccidia and Giardia, he is going to reevaluate everyone next Friday and see where we stand. He hopes to be able to do what he figures will be atleast a 3 hour surgery on Courage then to repair his little leg. The trio had an excellent day and were nothing but perfect angels all day long. It really does seem that they know we are just there to help them so they go along with whatever we need them to do. Courage and Strength are doing well walking on the leash, Hope isn't sure yet, but she is already starting to learn. I am putting new pics up for all to see. Thank you again...all of you for donating and spreading the word. Between the latest paypal donations and the checks who were committed to, some of which arrived today we are where we need to be. These dogs will have every advantage thanks to all of you compassionate people who cared enough to open our email and send your positive thoughts, prayers and donations our way to save them. Oh and we think there is a very good possibility that Strength is actually the mother. We estimate her at about 1.5 -2 years old and Hope and Courage at 9-10 months so it looks like it was a baby having babies.... They are the sweetest dogs ever...


Curled up in the van waiting for their appointments
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v705/miskeira/curledup.jpg

Lounging in the sun out front on break....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v705/miskeira/lounging.jpg

Strength getting poised for a belly rubbin
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v705/miskeira/Bellyrubbin.jpg

Courage just after a belly rub with Hope practicing her leash walk
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v705/miskeira/couragebellyrub.jpg

Strength and Hope rolling around playing
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v705/miskeira/rollingaround.jpg

All three enjoying the sunshine
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v705/miskeira/sunshine.jpg

Such sweet babies
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v705/miskeira/sweetbabies.jpg

Hope sitting on Courage, perhaps I should have named him Couch instead
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v705/miskeira/HopesittingonCourage.jpg

Hope and Courage take a little siesta while awaiting their turn with Doc.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v705/miskeira/littlesiesta.jpg

Picture of Courages' broken leg, poor guy, it turns way out when he puts and weight on it at all
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v705/miskeira/Couragebrokenleg.jpg

And my favorite pic of the day is.........
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v705/miskeira/favoritepicture.jpg

From Left to right, Joan Fischbach with Strength, Dr. Dan Fischbach with Courage and Brenda Davenport Senior Shelter Staff and now Hope Strength and Courage Chauffeur extrordinare.

Warmest Regards,

Carolyn, Hope, Strength & Courage

Hello again all you Guardian Angels out there. I wanted to send out an email to give a brief update on Hope Strength & Courage. First of all I want to say thank you to everyone who emailed, donated, called etc. We have now reached and actually exceeded our goal financially for these precious babies. Between the paypal donations and the checks that rolled in yesterday and the ones we know are on their way, we have exceeded our goal. Hope, Strength & Courage will be well taken care of and will receive nothing but the best, because of the extra funds, we were even able to order Karanda beds for them yesterday. The rest of the money will be held specifically for their medical care and special dietary requirements they have right now. I have a complete rundown of their day with the vet yesterday listed on their site www.xanga.com/LCHSPETS Turns out that Strength is Heartworm Positive so we are thankful for the extra funds we now have for her. After these 3 furrbutts are healthy and recovered, if there are any additional funds left over, we will use those for other HW+ kids and special needs vetting that needs to be done on others. I will also post that as well, so that everyone can see at that point that in honor of Hope, Strength, Courage and all their guardian angels that yet another has been helped.

So, to anyone who has read their story out there that has been moved to help, please donate to your local humane society or shelter in honor of these 3 courageous dogs from Chillicothe Missouri...

I would also like to say that words cannot express the gratitude that we all feel towards each and everyone of you for stepping up to help these babies. We could not have done it without all of you and we are forever grateful. I wish you all the very best and hope you have a safe and happy holiday season.

Now remember, please go to www.xanga.com/LCHSPETS to keep up on their story, I have added lots of pics and will continue until they are healed and in safe, loving home/homes... Please scroll to the bottom of the most recent post and leave us a comment. Our ultimate happy ending to his tragic story would be for the 3 of them to be adopted together. After all, they fought the devil together and won because they were together, it would be the sweetest gift if they could share their happiest time together as well, so if anyone is interested or knows someone who might be, please send them our way. They won't be ready for a home for quite some time, but would love to hear from interested parties.

Please forward this and crosspost to share the wonderful news about our goal and to let everyone know that they are doing well and are going to pull through this.

Warmest Regards,
Carolyn, Hope, Strength & Courage

To Susan, My dear friend. I wanted to say Thank You for all you do for us. You are my friend and confidant and my proverbial partner in crime. I can't thank you enough for all you do and for your never ending support, whether it be good or bad, talking to me for 2 hours while on a long transport or listening to my late night bi*tch sessions...you are there. I am honored to be able to call you friend.

Much Love,
Me

To Susan, My dear friend. I wanted to say Thank You for all you do for us. You are my friend and confidant and my proverbial partner in crime. I can't thank you enough for all you do and for your never ending support, whether it be good or bad, talking to me for 2 hours while on a long transport or listening to my late night bi*tch sessions...you are there. I am honored to be able to call you friend.

Much Love,
Me

Aww Carolyn, you are a dear friend. It seems we've know each other forever although it's only been less than a year. I'm blessed and honored to call you friend. Together, we can do anything!

Love ya!
Sue

They are looking so much better already. :clap: I am so happy they are getting a second chance. :clap: :clap:

I'm so glad all is going well so far. I can't wait to here how the surgery goes.

How are these beautiful babies doing?

Serena

I just checked their webpage and saw that they are doing great!!!

Serena