August Clinic: Unexpected Theme

The August Clinic had an unexpected theme to it -- Vehicle Repairs. 

We had hundreds of pounds of food, clinic supplies, and 17 volunteers that needed transportation from the Minneapolis/St.Paul area to Redby for the clinic. Days before the clinic, 6 vehicles needed repairs just to make the 5-hour journey. Thankfully, 4 of them were repaired in time and everything, and everyone, arrived safely.

Just when we thought vehicle problems were behind us, the MNSNAP truck blew a warehouse fuse. The surgery vehicle is a lot like an RV, and needs electricity to operate. It continued to have problems so they moved the truck outdoors so they could run the generator. Then the generator didn't work.

AARON  SAWDEY IN FOREGROUND

We were very fortunate to have Aaron Sawdey volunteering at the clinic. Aaron is a longtime volunteer with Red Lake Rosie's Rescue and Leech Lake Legacy, a foster with Pet Haven MN, and an excellent amateur photographer. We were surprised, and grateful, to learn that Aaron is also an electrical engineer. He determined problems and created solutions that literally kept our clinic running. Without his expertise we would not have been able to accomplish all that we did. THANK YOU, Aaron!

DR. PATTI NOVAK

 Despite the delays, our clinic was a success. MNSNAP completed 85 spay/neuter surgeries. Dr. Patti Novak volunteered her time as our clinic vet, vaccinating 86 dogs and cats, and treating 19 animals for medical concerns, including a rat. We accepted 20 surrendered dogs and cats.

GROOMER SAM AND HER MOM

Typical of a summer clinic, there were several parent-child volunteers. The professional groomer Sam, is only 21, and was joined by her mother. Kipling, 15, and Colin, 16, became her apprentices for 2 days and together they groomed a record high of 26 dogs! There were several extreme make overs, and one dog even got a mohawk.

EXTREME MAKEOVER: MOHAWK!

When Aaron wasn't fixing the truck, or helping animals in need, he was taking photos. There are nearly 100 photos in the "August Clinic" and "Grooming" photo albums on our Facebook page. (Use this link to check them out at https://www.facebook.com/pg/Red-Lake-Rosies-Rescue-141557242578137/photos/?ref=page_internal . If you haven't already "Liked" our page, please do that too :-)

PUPPY CHECKS ON SICK CAT

We are so grateful for all the people that volunteered their time and talents with us- Aaron, Jen, Jess, Blaine, Claudia, Barb and her sons John and Ethan, Kim and her daughter Aurelia, Dr. Patti and daughter Kipling, Heather and daughter Emma, Beth and daughter Sam, and local teens Destiny, Latrell, Jenna, and Dezi. We can't forget Diane, with 4 Perfect Pets in Oakdale, MN, for the animal food donations.

A huge, heartfelt thank you to Second Chance Animal Rescue for sponsoring the clinic!

Until our next clinic in October…

Amy (with son Colin)

So Precious

 

Precious is a beautiful black and white female cat with lovely long fur, an amazing tail, and half of a magnificent handlebar moustache!

She came to Red Lake Rosie's Rescue as a surrender, because she had a growth on her side and her owners could not afford to take her to the vet. We were told she had had the growth for a long time and it was draining at the time of her arrival at the shelter.

We took her to the vet and had the growth removed. It was sent out for biopsy and we sadly found out she has an aggressive cancer :-(

But Precious's luck was not all bad. When our loyal shelter volunteers, Mike and Shannon arrived for a visit, they fell in love with her. They offered her hospice care at their home in the metro area for as long as she lives :-) Precious shares their home with three other Red Lake cats!

The first update we received follows:

"Precious is doing better than we expected! We put her in the spare bedroom, which has a cat door, so she could get adjusted to our environment on her own terms. She used the litter box and then out the door she went and has been busy exploring the house.  

"As you can see from the pictures, she has discovered our bedroom. She slept on my chest with her head buried in next to me most of the night. 

"There have been no issues with the other cats toward her. Precious does growl a little under her breath when they walk by, but I think she just needs some more time to trust them."

\We just received another update and photos:

"Here are a few recent pictures of Precious. There is still some hissing with the other cats, but for the most part everyone is adjusting. She spent a few days hiding under the bed and would only come to me. Now she explores everything.

"One night I found her sleeping in my kitchen sink and on numerous occasions she was drinking out of the toilet with the dog! 

"She loves to be brushed. Each morning she hangs out on my lap while I enjoy my first cup of coffee for the day. My husband says that she is definitely my cat. 

"She is very vocal, especially when she thinks it’s time to eat :-) 

"We had her to the vet for a checkup and were told that none of her lymph nodes were swollen, so that is a good sign at least for now. She may live another 6 months or another five years, but that’s ok with us :-)"

We're so happy for Precious and thankful to Shannon and Mike!

Update on dear old Ladybug

Ladybug has a ten-year history with Red Lake Rosie's Rescue. We met her first at a clinic in 2007 when she came in for spay surgery. She was only about four years old, but already looked sad and tired.

LADYBUG 2007

In 2012, she was surrendered to RLRR in shocking condition -- starving and almost hairless from mange.

LADYBUG IN 2012

With Karen's loving care, she was a different dog in just three months -- one of our most remarkable transformations.

AFTER 3 MONTHS AT RLRR

She became the alpha female at RLRR along with her alpha male partner Wolfman.

ALPHA QUEEN AT RLRR

By the spring of 2016, Ladybug was 13 and it was becoming too difficult for her to live outdoors at the shelter. We asked Grey Face Rescue & Retirement if they had a place for her and they agreed to take her in.

LADYBUG'S FINAL WEEK AT RLRR 2016

Due to her age, she was placed in a hospice foster home to live out her days. She has loved every minute of it for over a year now and we were so pleased to get this note:

LADYBUG TODAY: HAPPY IN HOSPICE

UPDATE FROM FOSTER FAMILY:

"Hi- my name is Ali and for the last year Ms. Ladybug has been living with my family in Avon, MN through Grey Face Hospice. 

"When we first got her, she was a little timid and scared. I know she was used to sleeping outside in the huts, but our dog Shadow sleeps inside. When we were able to persuade her to come inside, the first place she went was Shadow's raised dog bed. She was in heaven! We had to get her her own bed as she never wanted to let Shadow have a turn! 

"She got her day at the puppy salon and, when she came back home, she just pranced and bunny hopped around. It was like she was a young puppy again.  

 

"I started walking her around our yard and she gradually worked up to walking our walking trail, which is about 1-mile round trip. She looked forward to going each day. She also liked to do the bunny hop run to keep up with Shadow. She always wants to be by him and see what he is doing. She will even nip at him to lets him know she is the boss. Very entertaining!! 

"Recently, her back legs have been getting weaker and she is having a hard time walking very far. We use a lift to help her walk or just carry her. If she manages to get too far in the yard, she gets a ride back in the wagon! 

"Her favorite thing to do is lay in the grass and watch the world go by! She has such a cute little face we can't imagine her not being part of our family. 

"Ladybug is 14 years old now. She is basically blind in her one eye, her hearing is almost gone. too, and she does sleep a better part of day, but she still has a sharp mind. And, she is always ready for hugs and kisses, which she gets lots of!! 

" I just wanted you to know that she is loved!"

Ali and family (www.greyfacerescue.org)