True survivors meet: Ode & Leo

ODE & LEOI know that longtime readers of the Red Lake Rosie's Rescue blog (and now Facebook), will remember the gut-wrenching stories of two abused pups. They came in at different times, but they are linked as survivors of cruel ear amputations.

ODE ON ARRIVALOde's ears were burned off down the the skull.

JUSTIN/LEO ON ARRIVALLeo's ears were crudely cut off.

Naturally, both dogs were in great pain and were terribly afraid when they came to Karen. The photos showed the awful dead look in their eyes and their cringing body language.

Nancy O had to go right into the kennel with Leo (then known as Justin) to try to comfort him.

Both dogs got the immediate medical attention they needed and immediate tender loving care, then were quickly placed in foster homes in the Twin Cities. Now they have been adopted into families that love them.

LEOWhen recently the two dogs got to meet, though they were nervous, it was a special moment for everyone who has come to care about them both.

ODEMOMS OF THE DOGS SAY:
As always, thanks to Karen, Denise & all RLRR volunteers for their dedication and tireless efforts in saving RL critters in need and getting them to us appreciative city dwellers You rock!

Pam & Colleen

KAREN SAYS:
Thank you to the supporters, volunteers, rescues, and people who adopt the animals and give them a great home! We could not do it without each of you.

NANCY SAYS:
Karen, thank you for sending me this photo of two of my heroes, Ode and Justin. I have not met Ode yet but this is on my bucket list. I will never ever forget her tough beginnings and how hard you worked to save her, remembering how intense that first night was. And Justin was as remarkable. I am so pleased for these two.....thank you!
Nancy

Search the blog to read several posts about these extra-special dogs.

Your support of Red Lake Rosie's Rescue gave these tortured pups their happy lives.

Ode had a great summer!

We're always glad to have an update on Ode who came to Red Lake Rosie's Rescue as a small pup with his ears burned off (see original post or search blog to see all the Ode posts). He recovered quickly and found a forever home with his foster mom who sent this update:

Hi, Karen -
I've attached 3 pix of Ode: 1) frolicking on the shore of Lake Superior over Labor Day weekend, 2) inside an airy sculpture at the very cool Franconia sculpture park (near Lindstrom/Shafer), and 3) awaiting treats with one of her beaus, Phoenix. [full disclosure: I adopted the very self-possessed Phoenix 6 mos after my dear Roki died in the summer of '05.

BTW, if you know of anyone who has trouble with a puller (like Ode!), pls feel free to share this link: http://www.dog-harness-solutions.com. It's an Australian company run by two women who are SUPER customer-service-oriented, and their slip harness feels like the magic solution I've been seeking for nearly 3 years! Ode got THREE walks yesterday (2 more than usual lately), and we're headed out soon. The way the thing wraps around the dog's chest/front legs takes a bit of practice, but it's that configuration that provides dogs like Ode the sense of balance and stabilization they might not feel naturally when going out into the noisy, smell-filled, distracting outdoors! It's so gratifying to take RELAXING (for both of us) walks for a change. I'm soooo grateful!

I'm sorry I didn't make it up there over the summer, as planned, but I think of you often and hope that someday I'll make it up there.

Best wishes for a lovely Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas season!!

;-) pam, Ode & Ladybug (the kat =^..^=)

Ode sends congratulations to Karen!

Ode (oh-day) is a very special dog from Red Lake Rosie's Rescue. She was found on the reservation as a puppy with her ears burned off in a cruel prank. The culprits were sought, but not found. Karen saved her life.

Ode moved to foster care with Pet Haven. Eventually, as the wounds healed and pain receded, her puppy personality returned and she was soon ready for a happy new home. Search the blog for "ode" to learn more about her story.

Her foster mom discovered that no ears made it much easier for Ode to wear hats, but now Ode just wants to be a regular dog. Pet Haven made the following video about Ode:



I just received a note and new photo from Ode's mom who wanted to congratulate Karen for her Eleven Who Care honor:

hi, denise . . . i'm so glad colleen forwarded me your notice about karen's great KARE-11 segment, which i in turn forwarded to a bunch of people.

i'll send karen a note congratulating her on her award. am hoping this is the summer i make it up there to meet her in person!

;-) pam, Ode (pic of her & friend Domi attached) & Ladybug (the kat)

Ode today

For those who aren't longtime readers of this blog, Ode was a badly abused puppy with his ears burned off when he arrived at Red Lake Rosie's Rescue. Pet Haven fostered him and found him a home.

Dear Karen,

Looks like another season's gone by and I missed the chance to make it up your way to meet you and see your RLRR "digs". As for not sending adorable e-fotos of Ode and her new friends -- well, no excuse there! Thought i'd start the e-foto-sending with my most recent one -- a pic of Ode + Shamus, who's owned by the proprietors of Once Upon a Crime Bookstore here in Minneapolis. Pat & Gary are very nice folks I met while walking one of my "daycare doggies" (my fledgling dog-walking biz is gaining in numbers -- I'm up to 9 now!).

ODE & SHAMUSShamus, just Ode's age & size (2ish, around 50 lbs), is one of those dogs who kept getting returned to a shelter in KY and had lost his adoptability standing there, so a MN shelter stepped up to keep him alive, and Pat & Gary found & adopted him. Makes me feel proud/happy to live in a state known for saving animals deemed unworthy by other states -- and RLRR is at the top of my admired-rescue-agencies list!

The first evening I had Shamus here, he ripped down the already-rickety outer screen door of my porch (due to separation/abandonment issues) when I went inside for a minute, but I've become smarter and now just prop open the outer front door so both he & Ode can come & go as they please. It's good for Ode, too, to learn to share her mama & her space!

xxoo, pam c, Ode & ladybug

Ode featured in Lyndale Neighborhood News

AS PUBLISHED IN THE LYNDALE NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Written by Randy Ferguson

In a city considered relatively “small” it’s amazing how we can live near someone and never really know much about them; possibly never talking to them. It’s not that we aren’t capable of such interaction or that we wouldn’t find things in common. It just appears that in our lives, which always seem so busy, we don’t take the time to make the initial connection.

Pets however, seem to be a particularly good icebreaker. In many ways they create an instant bond and source of conversation and sometimes can even bring total strangers together as is the case with Pat and Pam.

It was the summer of 2008 when longtime Lyndale resident Pat found herself in a quandary. Finishing her PhD in psychology required working long 10 hour days at her internship without nearly enough time to care for her Terrier mix Annie. She needed a dog-walker. A posting to the Lyndale E-Group brought her just the relief she needed.

As it turns out the E-Group goes beyond the boundary of the Lyndale Neighborhood. In this case Pam, a resident of Kingfield and a pet lover herself, responded to Pat’s request. Her doggy daycare services were put into action and Pam was soon on a twice-weekly walking schedule with Annie.

ODEIt wasn’t long before Pam adopted a pooch named Ode (o-DAY) and needed to figure out how to take care of both dogs. Not knowing how the two might interact they slowly introduced the long legged, 50 lb., energetic pup to demure Annie at a third her size. While no one would mistake the two for best buddies they certainly have fun when they are together.

Pam does say that it was sometimes a challenge to have both on leashes with their different walking styles and wonders what neighbors thought of what probably looked like a “mad scarf dance.” Over time, Pat and Pam would get together on walks or play in the yard with their dogs and a friendship developed in the process. As well, Pam met quite a few new people as she traversed the two neighborhoods. One of those encounters led to adopting a stray cat found in a back woodpile.

Pat has since received her PhD and now holds a schedule that allows her to spend the time she needs to with Annie. She knows that she wouldn’t have been able to make it without Pam’s help and considers her a true friend. She never had to worry about Annie’s wellbeing in the loving and trustworthy care of Pam.

It’s hard to say how the good deeds we do will affect our lives. Pat and Pam may have passed by each other for years without ever talking. But the karmic, serendipitous events that occurred have made this city just a little bit smaller.

Annie (named after the Orphan) was found by Pat in 2007 after a devastating loss the week before of her previous dog. Although she was grungy, stinky, and in need of vet care, Pat remembers the likeness of Annie to her former dog with her brown button eyes and charcoal coloring. When no one claimed her, Annie became a permanent resident of the Lyndale Neighborhood.

Ode (o-DAY an Ojibwe word for heart) was also a rescue. Pam discovered her through the websites of pethavenmn.org and redlakerosie.org. She was just a pup but had suffered severe abuse and had stubs for ears due to intentional burning. You can see more of her story at www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Chs4COl8zw.

Ode today

Ode was rescued as a small puppy from Red Lake after her ears had been burned off by some cruel boys. She was adopted over a year ago.

PET HAVEN DOG BLOG UPDATE FROM ODE'S DOGMA:
At just under 2 years old, Ode (full name: Ode-Almondine-Bambi-Funny Girl-Yawnee) possesses the energy, stamina and full rights of puppyhood. When she isn't shaking down her works-from-home DogMa for walks, yard play, her post-breakfast rawhide chew or any edible she can finagle, she's chasing down the cat (more a partner in hijinx than victim nowadays), snoozing on her cushy chair (directly behind DogMa's computer chair), or screeching at her yard's front fenceline -- an antic intended to attract canine passersby but rarely successful in that mission.

A dependable and spirited copilot/sidekick, Ode's happy to join DogMa on car errands as well as hikes to various nearby stops, where she abides being tied up for a short while if it means a biscuit and loving greetings upon DogMa's return.

Last summer, Ode proudly displayed her beginning, but impressive, swimming chops in both Lake Calhoun (on Uncle Dan's boat) and Twin Lakes (while visiting Auntie Char's northern Minnesota cabin).

Ode and DogMa had fun meeting not one but two other Red Lake pooches at dogparks over the holidays -- one, a cute little guy named Rupert who seemed to think Ode was his mom. Ode's also kept busy this winter chasing around with her buddy Gar(th), another fine alum of the Pet Haven system, on the shoveled pathways in her yard. She looks forward to airport-dogpark outings with fave beau Phoenix and occasional visits from her Wisconsin cousin Hubba. (She misses her cousin Jasper and hopes he's enjoying his new Oregon digs.) Also high on Ode's to-do list are trips across town to visit 88-year-old Dori, whose very special (and hilarious) relationship with her Granddogdaughter is a joy to behold.

Among Ode's resolutions for the new year are:
--> Calming down (read: pulling less) on walks with DogMa
--> Resisting the urge to "jump hello" when encountering friendly (known and unknown) persons
--> Toning down the fenceline screeching in the name of civility and improved neighbor relations
--> Always remembering that DogMa is alpha
--> Continuing her advocacy of animal rights & protections while on walks and eventually via some volunteer activities -- perhaps with seniors or kids, both of whom the girl LOVES!

NOTE TO RLRR:
Every day, I'm thankful to all of you who stepped up and enabled me to adopt this pooch! And every day, I'm proud to be DogMa to a Pet Haven/Red Lake Rosie's Rescue pooch -- who, btw, just got me out for a nearly three-mile walk on a frigid January day. I don't call her Ode-Snowday for nuttin!

blessings & best wishes,
P, Ode & Ladybug (the Gang o' Three)

Ode is adopted!

We'll never forget Ode, the puppy whose ears were intentionally set on fire. Click on her name, Ode, to follow back to all the previous links on the Red Lake Rosie's blog. Her ears are gone, but she has recovered fully otherwise and has been adopted by her Pet Haven foster family. Read about it on Marilou's blog. Here is an excerpt:Today I had the honor of finalizing Ode's adoption. Ode (pronounced 'Oday' and means heart in Ojibway) came into Pet Haven's foster program in July, 2008. At 12 weeks of age, she was rescued by Karen Good of Red Lake Rosie's Rescue. Ode was found wandering on a baseball field in Redby, Minnesota with her ears severely burned - a victim of horrific abuse. In the 6-7 months she has been in our program she has been loved by her foster family and fellow Pet Haven volunteers and all lucky enough to meet her. About a month ago she went to live with Pam and her two cats -- they were fostering Ode with the intent to adopt. Over a cup of tea, delicious homemade ginger cookies, and Pam with one hand petting a content, relaxed Ode on her favorite chair, the adoption paperwork was completed. Somehow Ode must've known what was going on. She seemed happy, content, and at ease....

Well, Ode Almondine Funny girl Bambi Christian, we love you and we are so happy for you!
Marilou

Ode learns some manners

Note from M. at Pet Haven where Ode is in foster care:
Just thought I'd share with you some photos of Ode from our recent training session with Maureen (of Canine Coach).
I absolutely love this sweet girl!! :)

Now it would be hard to deny that this is one funny-looking dog, but she sure is a happy girl now!

Ode's outreach

Pet Haven received the following note from from Jessie (of Stray Dog Arts) and commented to me, "You will be happy to see that Ode continues to touch the hearts of many... in this case, someone in California!"

I was perusing a list of BARK Magazine advertisers soliciting donations for our eBay Auction. I simply happened to click on your site and was lost in the YouTube video and story of Ode. Sitting in my office with tears in my eyes, I cannot believe her story.

As a volunteer for a Golden Retriever Rescue and having been involved with this organization for the past 7 years I've seen what people can do to animals - I've also seen how trusting and loving those animals can become.

So, rather than ask you for something I went to the Etsy site and ordered greeting cards - Ode you touched yet another...

Jan
GRCGLA Rescue
State/province: CA
Website: http://grcglarescue.org

Ode is a BIG pup now!

Follow links on Ode back to learn his story on this blog and check out the update at Pethaven's dog blog.

A youtube tribute to Ode from Pet Haven

Follow the links on his name, Ode, to learn more about this dog.

Portrait of Ode

Ode has become quite the little celebrity! He was rescued by Nokomis after both of his ears were burned away in an unbearably cruel prank. She brought him to Red Lake Rosie's Rescue for immediate care and then Pet Haven stepped right in to foster him. He has been healing well and making friends ever since. Recently he was selected to have his portrait painted by an Jessie Marianiello of Stray Dog Arts. Below is the portrait and comments from the artist.

Ode--she is a brave spirit. So brave, in fact, that she changes every single person who comes in contact with her. Myself included. She is, after all, the one responsible for altering the mission of Stray Dog Arts.

Painting dogs has led me home (home, that is, to my truest self), but Ode is the one who opened up the heart of this home in a way that I was unable to imagine before her.

Ode, pronounced "O-Day," is Ojibwa for "heart"--and full of heart, she is! At 14 weeks old she was wandering with both of her ears burned off, scared, and in pain.

Since that day, Ode has made an incredible recovery--not only physically, but emotionally as well. She is currently being fostered by in incredible family along with another puppy, Eve (who, I'm happy to say, we're adopting!).

Ode has opened up doors and windows and friendships and opportunities that have altered everything for me. This little pup who was horrifically abused and then abandoned has opened up my eyes to a whole new way of being.

If there are angels on earth, then Ode is surely one of the most high spirited among them. Sweet Ode, what an incredible teacher she is.

This particular painting will be donated to a silent auction for Pet Haven's Fall Benefit. It is also the first painting in the series of many that will promote animal rescue efforts.This is just the beginning....

* * *Dear Ode,

Thank you for breaking me open.

Thank you for sparking an entire world of possibility.

Thank you for leading me to our new puppy, Eve.

Thank you for showing me that everything is possible.

Thank you for connecting me with Marilou and Pet Haven rescue.

Thank you for your rambunctious, bubble-loving energy.

Thank you for showing me that there is always hope.

Thank you for teaching me the importance of letting go.

Thank you for being a living example of bravery.

Thank you for changing the world, just by being you.

Thank you for teaching me how all of us can make the world better by simply being our truest self.

Thank you for helping me get over my self-doubt and fear over whether or not I will be successful.

Thank you for showing me another way of seeing.

Thank you for leading me to endeavors that support me--inside and out.

Thank you for being an inspiration.

Thank you for playing ball with me and jumping on me and showing me how you can run.

Thank you for helping me be a better person.

Thank you for bringing me to this place of open-hearted love.

Thank you for showing me that anything is possible when you BELIEVE.
Thank you for changing my life.

Ode, I love you.

your friend forever,

Jessie

Update on Ode!

Sweet little Ode (pronounced O-day) always emphasizes the positive in life. Although her ears were burned away, she can now wear hats beautifully!

Dear Friends in Rescue: Hi and hope you are well.

I wanted to have you check, it's a MUST SEE

http://www.pethavendogs.blogspot.com/

Ode, the little pup with the burned ears from Red Lake, is generating great interest in the metro.

A huge doggie fashion show featuring Ode is planned to raise $25000 to help abused animals!!!

She has many pics on the blog showing her progress and recovery- a very heartwarming story!! Makes you get the warm fuzzies inside to know that we all are a part of that healing circle!!

Thank you to all who help the Red Lake animals!

Karen

Abused puppy, Ode

Dear Friends:
We always like to give you the outcome of a bad situation, and in this case we are very optimistic.

This puppy was rescued 2 days ago from an abuse situation at Red Lake. As you can see, the puppy's ears have been badly burned. Ode (pronounced Oh-day), the puppy is doing very well today; this photo was taken this morning. She is already crate trained, eating very well, has been treated for fleas and is on pain meds and antibiotics. She is an absolute doll.

She is going to a Pet Haven foster home on July 19 and will get a good home.

Thank you all so much for helping her and others like her here at Red Lake.

Peace-
Karen Good and Red Lake Rosie's Rescue