` Pet Angels for Life Volunteers (PALs)

HAPPY! - portrait of Dick & Cheryl's baby by artist Angi Laframboise

Pet Angels for Life Volunteers (PALs)

Pomeranians & Others

Our Available Angels List


NEED A CAT LOVER VOLUNTEER IN THE BELLEVILLE AREA TO HELP WITH RESCUING CATS/KITTENS LIVING UNDER A TRAILER. THE OWNER IS ALLERGIC TO CATS AND THINKS THERE ARE AT LEAST 11 CATS/KITTENS LIVING THERE. PLEASE CALL 734-645-7705 IF YOU CAN HELP. OTHER RESCUES WELCOME AND NEEDED TOO!! IT IS NOT KNOWN YET IF ANY OF THE CATS ARE SOMEWHAT SOCIALIZED OR NOT.
URGENT NEED & LOW ADOPTION FEES ON MIDDLE AGED ADULTS!!
WE HAVE MANY SMALL BREED (mainly SHIH TZU'S, POODLES, PUGS) ADULT DOGS, MOSTLY AGED 5 TO 8, IN NEED OF HOMES. These dogs are pretty socialized and most are used to being in indoor/outdoor kennel runs with doggie doors so they do have some idea to "GO OUTSIDE" but need to be leash trained and housebroken and shown what a "NORMAL" dog's life is like in a home. Most of them are liking being around people and craving attention and lap time.
These dogs are coming from 3 small breeding facilities that are closing down (YEAHHHHHHH!!) and we have agreed to accept them and find them homes in order to speed up the closing process. ALL WILL BE SPAYED AND NEUTERED AS PART OF THE ADOPTION PROCESS.
If you CAN GIVE ONE OF THESE DOGS A GREAT HOME, please CALL 734-645-7705 ANYTIME. Adoption fees will vary with the dog and the age but will range between $95 and $150 if adopted on spay/neuter contracts or $225 to $295 depending on vet costs if already spayed/neutered. Puppy prices are listed individually in the listings and range from $225 to $395 depending on the dog and these fees are used to pay the vet bills and food bills for the adult dogs that cost more to vet and stay with us longer while trying to find homes. We apologize for the higher puppy prices but this also enables us to help all ages and conditions of dogs in need. We still strive to keep our puppy prices well below breeder or pet store prices and at least your dollars go to a great cause when you get a puppy from us. We can also give you the story and pictures of the other dog(s) you help by adopting your puppy if you would like!
PAL's FEATURE PET
ADOPT AN ANGEL - Mini App
GUIDE OF OTHER LINKS


You can also make donations for the furkids and their food and vet bills. You can contribute via credit card or PayPal account into our rescue PayPal account by hitting the "GUIDE TO OTHER LINKS" above and then the "PALS WISHLIST AND DONATIONs" item; or call 734-645-7705 for information on sending checks/money orders to 3434 Adams Shore Drive, Waterford, MI 48329. We are also getting ready to run an online fundraiser auction if people have items they would like to donate for us to auction, just call 734-645-7705.

We are not taking in dogs or cats at this time. If you need to give up a dog or cat, we will still attempt to help you locate a place for them to go if we can and if you can keep them temporarily while we search for a spot, but we do not have any open foster space at this time.
If you have space in your home to foster a furkid, please email. We especially need homes for our senior dogs to just live out their lives in comfort. Most of these are toy dogs who just need a patient quiet home and a lap. Some are still shy from their puppymill days and just want to be close but not be handled much yet, while others are craving a lap. Not all of our dogs are shown on our site, so please email for more information if you are interested. Some of these dogs may leave for the Rainbow Bridge soon or they may go on for several more years - we never know, but we do our best to let each live in pampered comfort for as long as they can, so that at least the end of their lives can be wonderful, even though their beginnings were not in most cases. If you have a lot of love to give a senior dog, please contact us. We will assist with vet costs for these dogs in the right homes.

*********Please be advised that Nicole Welborn-Karlsen is NOT affiliated with our rescue and has no association with us. DO NOT release dogs to her thinking they are part of our rescue. *********
12-7-09: We love getting updates on our past adoptees in their new homes and Christmas cards for our volunteers and furkids. Christmas wishes and picture updates of our adoptees can be emailed to us at petangels@gmail.com or can be mailed to us at:
Pet Angels for Life Volunteers 3434 Adams Shore Drive Waterford, MI 48329
We love seeing all the happy faces and it makes us remember why we do what we do and go through the horrific things we see to rescue these angels!! Thanks to all who send us updates!!!! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all who have added one or more of our furkids to your family!! Thanks again!! If you can donate anything for the furkids still waiting for that happy home, please do!! Just let us know and we can pick up donations, or monetary donations can be mailed to the above address or sent to our rescue PayPal account at petangels@gmail.com
7-14-09: Little Krissy just couldn't survive without her friend DD and she passed away in her sleep this morning. She was the last of the puppymill girls from that same group and she just didn't want to live it seemed after DD passed on. We will miss her dearly and hate that her life on earth was never a great one, but take comfort in the fact that she is now running and seeing at the Rainbow Bridge with her special friend DD.
6-10-09: We are sad to update this section with the loss of Happy(our rescue's mascot) who went on to the Rainbow Bridge May 30th to wait for his next reunion with Dick and Cheryl. He has left a HUGE hole in their lives and their hearts and we ask for everyone's prayers to help heal that hole. Happy will be sadly missed but that little guy was truly one of the most pampered and "HAPPY" dogs in the years he blessed their lives and they blessed his.
We also lost one of our puppymill survivors, DeeDee this past week too. DD had terminal cancer from all her years of breeding and we knew it was a matter of time but we were determined to make sure she enjoyed what time she could and we were prepared to not let her suffer. DD of course had her own little independent side, and she was running all over and grinning at us just before leaving us, so she spared us the pain of having to make that final decision too. She loved to run in the yard and loved the outdoors, so we're sorry that she went at the beginning of the summer, but we are also grateful that she felt good up to the end and went suddenly so there was no suffering for her. We will always remember her special grin and her little impish character. She will be missed dearly by us and by Krissy, her little puppymill friend who is almost blind, and who DD comforted and led around.
5-20-08: Happy just celebrated his 5th anniversary of his adoption with a party with his friends!! Congratulations Happy!!! We couldn't make your party but we'll be there to visit again soon. Happy is doing well but has more difficulty on the warm humid days so we hope he just takes it easy this summer. 1-16-08: Today was a sad day in our rescue as we lost another of our older pomeranians. This time it was Sable, one of the sweetest dogs we ever met and we will miss her and her kisses dearly, but we know she now has no pain and is running freely at the Rainbow Bridge. Sable had recently came back to us from her home where her companion couldn't take care of her any more due to illness, and we think Sable was still looking for her friend Joyce, and decided to wait for her at the Rainbow Bridge instead! Thank you for touching the lives that you did Sable! 12-10-07: We love getting updates on our past adoptees in their new homes and Christmas cards for our volunteers and furkids. Christmas wishes and picture updates of our adoptees can be emailed to us at petangels@gmail.com or can be mailed to us at:
Pet Angels for Life Volunteers 3434 Adams Shore Drive Waterford, MI 48329
We love seeing all the happy faces and it makes us remember why we do what we do!! Thanks to all who send us updates!!!! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all who have added one or more of our furkids to your family!! Thanks again!!

12-6-07: Update on Happy - our adoptee with Dick and Cheryl. We're happy to report that "Happy" is holding his own. This tough little guy is hanging in there!!! Keep praying for Happy and Dick and Cheryl and their family.

8-15-07: On a sad note, one of our founders, Terri, lost her beloved pom girl Crystal today. She was 13 yrs old and had lived with Terri since she was born. She will be sadly missed but we know that she is running and happy at the Rainbow bridge!! Thanks Crystal for showing the ropes to so many of those rescue poms! Please pray for Terri as she grieves the loss of her girl and pray that the other furkids will help fill the void.

6-20-07: PLEASE HELP IN SEARCHING FOR "BLUE" - A Siberian Husky who escaped from his home in the Brighton, MI area. See his listing for more info. Call 313-550-6095 if you have any information on this dog!!
6-20-07: Thanks to Ashley and "mom" for all the great blankets, pillows, and other items for our furkids. They're all enjoying their new beds!! 6-20-07: Thanks to Mandi for getting the puppies from northern MI into foster and adoptive homes!! All are doing well now.
5-14-07: PLEASE KEEP HAPPY & HIS FAMILY IN YOUR PRAYERS - Dick and Cheryl who adopted our pom boy Happy (the boy shown in our logo above) have been wonderful supporters of dog rescue for years, and they and Happy have always been willing to walk & take donations in for any doggie cause to help the other dogs in need. Now Happy and his family NEED all of our prayers. We just got an email stating that: ...we had to take Happy to Urgent Care this weekend because of persistent coughing and gagging. The x-rays showed a very enlarged heart and fluid on his lungs. Probably diagnosis is congestive heart failure. With Lasix and a cough suppresant, he's been comfortable but quite lethargic.We are waiting to see the cardiologist; we'll keep you updated. Cheryl, Dick and Happy 2-2-07: We have now switched to our petangels@gmail.com email address, so please send all emails to us there.
Our website is updated frequently and we try to keep the status of our animals current -LAST UPDATE 3-14-10. If you have questions and your email isn't answered after a couple days, please call 734-645-7705 and leave a message with your name, phone number, and the name of the dog you're interested in. We will do our best to return all calls. Thanks.
*********We NEED FOSTER HOMES for MEDIUM AND LARGE DOGS!! And small, not housebroken yet, and senior and shy dogs too! *********
If you can help, please email with the word FOSTER in the subject line to petangels@gmail.com
We generally do all communication via email until your mini app is processed and approved, and then one of our volunteers will contact you to set up a home visit/meeting of the dog(s). Unfortunately we don't have time to answer most of the phone calls during "normal" hours, because we're busy working with the dogs or trying to make money for them, whereas we can answer emails anytime. THANKS for your understanding!
If the animal is listed as adoptable, it IS still in our network. Anyone adopted is removed the day of the adoption. IF THE DATE ON THE LISTING IS OLD, that simply means the dog has been looking for a home for quite some time.
Some of our applications are handled by the foster moms or volunteers, so please send emails to the email address shown under the dog's picture if looking at a specific dog. If sending other types of emails, please send them to petangels@gmail.com
There are always additional dogs in our network of foster homes that aren't quite ready for adoption yet and aren't posted, so if you are looking for a specific breed or type of dog, please feel free to go ahead and fill out our mini application and tell us what you're looking for, and we'll see if we have a match that's coming up for adoption. All pups and dogs are held for a minimum of two week quarantine time prior to being able to be adopted, so we often have other pups & dogs in the network besides those that are shown. We do not pick up animals from shelters and take them the same week to an adoption event showing, like a few rescues do.
4-6-06: Special thanks to Dawn, Jessica, Jody, and Jill for opening their homes and hearts for our furbabies, and for adopting our special little girl Becky! Becky is doing great and is proof that even the most terrified, unsocialized dog CAN be trained as an adult dog and can become a wonderful companion! Sure it's great if all is done right when they're a puppy but even older dogs can adapt with love, patience, and kindness!! 4-6-06: Special thanks to Joy and Dorothy for all of their help caring for the dogs while we are moving!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 4-5-06: Special thanks to Rachel for handling the emails and adoptions and special training questions and needs during all of our confusion as well. 1-12-06: Thanks to our previous adopters for the Christmas cards and a special thanks to Fonzie, Whoopie, & Bethany's family for the special card, letter, and donation!! It let some of our rescue doggies have a special Christmas present too! If your card was "returned to sender" please resend it as there was a post office mix-up and much of our mail was returned, but it is now being properly forwarded to a temporary address. We are in the process of relocating and will post a new address once we do! 7-2-05: Thanks to Ginger & Ernie for adopting our special girl Kia (now Darla) and for making the long trip to meet us, and for donating us some more supplies. Here's Darla (aka: Kia) with her new brother Ernie:
HAPPY GIRL!!
THANKS to the following people for their donations of items for our dogs.
Mary Jane
Thanks again to our Ambassador pommie, HAPPY, and his humans, DICK AND CHERYL, for the additional donation items they have collected for us.
All help is appreciated as we take in all ages and conditions of dogs, including puppymill dogs with extensive vet needs and we vet them and rehabilitate them and this all takes time and money.
All donations or items are used for the dogs, as all of our people volunteer their services and time and often their own money to help foster and care for the dogs that we take in.
***WE DO NOT HAVE A SHELTER AND ARE A FOSTER HOME NETWORK***
Most of the dogs are located around the Plymouth, Ann Arbor, Dexter areas in MI. Some are in the Toledo and Findlay areas in OH. To meet one of our dogs, you must first fill out our mini application and be pre-approved to adopt from us. Then we will schedule a home visit and meeting of the dog(s) with you. We do not generally show our dogs at the pet stores due to the stress level on the dogs and we do not feel that the dogs show best in that environment. We also are not looking for the impulse adopter, but prefer to take a little more time and make sure we have the right match of personalities for both our dogs and the families.
If you want to APPLY TO ADOPT any of the dogs listed, please click the "ADOPT AN ANGEL" link below, and it will take you to our MINI APPLICATION. Then COPY and PASTE the app into an EMAIL and FILL IT OUT. (We are working on an online app that should be available soon too as well as a new website!)
ADOPT AN ANGEL
Due to the past few months with several visits not resulting in adoptions, we regret having to do so, but we are changing our policy on HOME VISITS TO MEET THE DOGS and "TRIAL ADOPTIONS". We will still do both, however we will require the potential adopter to return the dog to us at their expense and pay a transportation fee for the delivery of the dog if we delivered it and they choose not to keep it. This is necessary due to rising transportation costs that are taking money from the care of the dogs. Transportation costs will be figured from the location of the foster home the dog is in.
WHO WE ARE:
Pet Angels is a group of volunteers who love dogs and spend our spare time and personal dollars helping dogs in need. Some help by fostering, some by posting dogs in need and homeless dogs for other shelters, some by looking for "match" dogs for people looking for a specific description dog, and some help by picking up shelter dogs and transporting them to new homes. None get reimbursed for their services, but the happy wag of a tail is reward enough when a dog finally makes it from that scared little orphaned dog into a happy home of it's own. We take great care to try to match the appropriate dog with the appropriate family, so if you are looking for an "instant" dog today, you might want to look elsewhere. Our process does include the EMAIL APPLICATION (under the Adopt an Angel link below), checking of REFERENCES, a HOME CHECK(sometimes combined with the meeting of the dog), and an ADOPTION CONTRACT with an adoption fee to help reimburse vet expenses. We try to minimize our phone time so we can spend the time and money on the dogs, so most of our contact is via email until you are approved to adopt from us. Then final details will be arranged via phone. Thanks for your understanding and for looking for a rescue dog!!
We're working on our home page (& on a new website) - if you find a link that doesn't work, please email us & please excuse the construction while we get it right!!

FEATURE PET OF THE WEEK

All of our dogs are important to us and equally deserving, however some dogs show better from pictures and some show better with their loving personalities that you can't see on the internet! We reserve this section for our friends needing homes that are very special dogs but aren't getting attention for one reason or another, or their pictures don't do them justice. Our feature pet at this time is MAMA!
Please also look at Cody and Brownie. One of these will be our next feature dog once we're sure Mama has a spot!! MEET MAMA!!

MAMA - JUST WAITING FOR A FAMILY OF HER OWN!

Guide to our Website


How to Foster for PAL's

WE ARE IN NEED OF FOSTER HOMES & Adoptive Homes!! IF YOU CAN ADOPT A DOG, PLEASE EMAIL the info requested in their listing, along with your names, address, & phone number. MOST ADOPTION FEES ARE $195 to $325, but are dependent on vet costs. Occasionally we also increase the adoption fee for some pups to help pay for their parent's surgeries, so all can be adopted!! Adoption fees are dependent on vet costs, so please verify the adoption fee for an individual dog if it is not stated in their listing. Puppy adoptions must provide proof of spay/neuter by 6 months of age.
We NEED FOSTER homes for some great adult medium & large dogs - PLEASE HELP if you can!!
IF YOU CAN FOSTER: PLEASE EMAIL with the word "FOSTER" as the first word in your subject line. Also please include your address & phone number & what size/type dog you can foster, and whether you are willing to take a dog or pup that isn't housebroken yet, and if you can take multiple dogs/pups!! Please include a description of current pets & kids in the household to help us determine who could be successfully fostered with you.
We ask our foster homes to provide the love, work on any training issues if there are any, and to provide the daily needs such as food, treats, etc. just as if it were your own dog. We cover the vet expenses (unless the foster volunteers them) or reimburse them out of the adoption fee. We do ask that vet visits be pre-approved so we aren't racking up bills we can't pay at vets all over the place.
THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How to Sponsor a dog for PAL's

If you can't adopt or foster a particular dog, but you want to help it get a home, you can also "sponsor" this dog. There are two ways to sponsor - one is to make a donation toward it's adoption fee so that someone is more likely to adopt it. The other is to donate a "weekly" or "monthly" amount toward the animal's care for food, etc. In either case, we will add you to our Sponsor's list, acknowledge you in the dog's listing, and once we get our newsletter in full swing, you will be added to our mailing list as a PAL's supporter. Monetary donations can be made via the PayPal donation button in the donation section of this page, or you can email us for details on where to send a donation if you prefer to send it directly to our vet. Other donations we can pick up if you're in our areas!

ARTHRITIS AND HEALTH ISSUES

WE ARE SO EXCITED WITH THIS PRODUCT!!
For over 3 years now, we have been testing an all NATURAL, new product with our dogs that have arthritis and other autoimmune diseases, and are convinced now that we should share it with other pet owners. it works far better than anything else we've found, including the various glucosamine supplements, Rimadyl, and Deramaxx - PLUS it is not a drug and can't harm the organs. Unless your pet is allergic to eggs it can have it - and most dogs LOVE it!!
One of our severe cases is Corky, a 14 yr old, 20 pound girl who can't even get up on her own without it, and can't do stairs at all, and limped in pain when she walked in the yard without it. WITH IT, she can now get up and down like the youngsters, climbs both up and down stairs, AND even RUNS AND PLAYS with a 3 yr old. She doesn't keep up with him when he's running hi-speed laps, but we're just excited that she can run at all, after not being able to for almost 3 years! It's like she has a new lease on life!
Some of the other things it has helped in our rescue dogs besides arthritis and joint inflammation, are: dry and flaky skin problems, allergies, parvo survivors with weakened immune systems, dogs on chemo, infections, and a severe case of coccidia that after treated left the dog unable to absorb nutrients from it's food or water due to the damage in the intestines. We are presently using it on a little girl with an aggressive tumor to see if we can slow down the progress by helping her immune system to attack the tumor. She is very advanced and it may be too late for her, but we're giving it a try as she's not in pain yet and still has a good life so far. We have also just started a trial on a diabetic cat.
It's sort of a difficult product to describe, but basically hens are injected with all the human diseases, they respond by producing the antibodies, co-factors, and other components that the immune system needs, and puts them into the egg yolk for their chicks. Then these eggs are processed and the egg yolk is dried out into a powder which is the product called "I26" (see link below). It has best been described as a "smorgasboard for the immune system", and each individual's immune system goes out and grabs what it needs to balance itself - either UP or DOWN! Therefore, it is able to help the autoimmune diseases where the immune system is overactive too (and causes joint inflammation, etc.) It has also been known to help regulate other functions of the body, including blood pressure, blood sugar, infections, skin diseases, etc. See the website below for additional details. This is NOT a drug and has not been verified by the FDA, nor can it claim to cure any diseases....see details on the product website.
It's actually a product that was developed over the last 20 years for humans, and one of our humans started taking it and couldn't believe the difference it made in her own well being, energy level, joint pain, etc. There's tons of scientific studies backing it up, complete with clinical trials - if you want to research all the details. There's NOTHING comparable to it on the market. It's only being sold through private distributorships throughout the world, and is not available in stores so far.
It comes in several types, but for the dogs and cats, we use the pure egg powder one which comes in a 30 scoop can. This works great for the dogs as you can just put a little on top of their dry kibble and shake the bowl around and their dry is then coated with egg flavor and the dogs absolutely LOVE it!! The company that markets it, also have two new products out that they developed specifically for the dogs and cats, after seeing the success on the animals. These are bottles of 60 chewable treats and those each contain about 1/4 of a scoop, along with vitamins, minerals, and glucosamine added for the dogs, plus taurine for the kitties. We are just now testing those out, but some of our severe cases need a whole scoop or two a day, and would need several treats, so we're still using the powder on them. We will update this site with the results of our studies on the powder vs the treat supplements as our animals try both out.
You can order this product from the website address shown below. It also carries a 90 day money back guarantee if it doesn't work for your pet for any reason (although I doubt you'll find that - we haven't had one fail yet!), and they have an "autoship" option, where you will get a discount on the product, in exchange for signing up to have it automatically shipped to you each month. You can also cancel that at any time with 7 days notice before ship date.
If you have questions on dosage, etc., please feel free to email us at petangels@gmail.com about your pet's condition and weight, and we will advise you or get the answer from the lead doctor and scientist who developed this product, if we don't know it. There are several distributors where it can be purchased, but we have now become one also, and are using the proceeds from the sales of this product to benefit our rescue animals, so we're hoping you'll order it from us at the following site:
www.mylegacyforlife.net/tdtruelife

VACCINE INFORMATION AND LOW COST CLINICS

There are a lot of conflicting reports out there on vaccines for our canine companions. We have done a lot of research on this subject in trying to do what is "right" for our dogs and puppies, and we are presenting the findings here. We will add links to the other articles shortly. In the meantime, you can email if you want more information. Vaccines have been linked with cancer and autoimmune diseases (arthritis) in dogs. Some studies indicate that the immunity from the vaccines may be anywhere from 3 to 7 years and in some cases may be lifetime immunity. Re-vaccinating annually on many of the vaccines either does nothing to add to the dog's immunity and in some cases can be harmful to your companion. You can also do a titer test to find out what your dog's immunity is, instead of just vaccinating. This doesn't save money generally though, and some vets are not experienced at this. Just beware of vets that want to give booster vaccines annually!!! Also, it is very hard on a dog and NOT RECOMMENDED TO DO MULTIPLE VACCINES AT THE SAME TIME, however, I still hear of many vets that do so. A puppy is brought in and it may get 3-4 shots in one day! The vaccines should be spaced out. Vet schools also do not recommend giving vaccines at the same time as anesthesia - such as when a dog is spayed/neutered and gets all it's shots too. Yet some clinics do this as well.
Vaccinating a puppy less than two weeks after it is weaned is also not recommended as the mother's immunity can cancel out the vaccine effect.
It is also now accepted by the vet schools that dogs 7 years of age and older should not even have additional shots. Of course the rabies shot is still required by law for our senior dogs.
Many vets now want to vaccinate for a whole host of "new" diseases as well. Leptospirosis is one of these. The problem is that there are various manufacturer shots out there, and some of them only cover two strains of Lepto, and they are NOT the strain that is common in our area. If you are going to have your pet vaccinated against Lepto, please make sure that your vet is using a vaccine that includes 4 strains of Lepto, otherwise don't waste your money!! Lepto is carried by rats and mice in our area and is also transmitted from dog to dog via urine, so it is a vaccine that should be considered, at least in MI.
Coronavirus is another common one that vets want to vaccinate against. However, from our research so far, we are finding no justification for this vaccine in adult dogs. This is a disease that is only fatal in young puppies and there are even very few cases of that! The jury is still out on this one from the evidence we've seen so far. In fact, there is a lawsuit being filed by a vet against the manufacturers of this vaccine which states that it is a useless vaccine.
Distemper & Parvo series (DHPP or DA2PP). This shot has always been recommended as an annually required vaccine, however now all of the major vet schools are agreeing that this vaccine is only required every 3 years at most, some say that it's immunity is good up to 7 years.
Bordetella (kennel cough). This nasal vaccine is often required if your pet is going to be boarded or sometimes by groomers. If you do not need it for one of these, it is not generally recommended. In many cases it is not effective, and in fact often gives the dog a case of kennel cough or slight respiratory problems after being given.
RABIES: This was previously required by the state every year, however this has changed and it is now required every THREE years. However, there are still vets out there giving it annually and collecting their money. This vaccine has been linked to cancer in dogs and should NOT be over used. The first rabies vaccine is required at 4 mo of age and is not recommended or recognized by the state of MI if given prior to 4 months! This first rabies vaccine is considered a ONE YEAR vaccine and will need to be boosted 12 mo later. All rabies vaccines after that are considered THREE year vaccines and should NOT be given more often. In reality it is the same vaccine and the same amount, just listed differently on the certificate and often charged more for a "3 year" shot by some vets!
Vaccine Clinics
One low cost vaccine clinic takes place at the Super Petz store at 34420 Ford Road in Westland, MI. This clinic provides lower cost services without the "office call" and "exam fee" charges incurred to walk in the door at most vet offices. The clinic takes place most Saturdays (call to verify before driving down as they sometimes take off one Saturday a month!) from 5 to 7 pm and is open to all. There is a charge for skin and ear problem examinations of $18. For just shots, no exam fee is incurred. Heartworm tests are also available here for $18 and the heartworm meds can be purchased there as well. Rabies vaccines are $14 there.
Some of the Petsmart and Pet Supplies Plus stores also host periodic vaccine clinics on weekends that are reduced cost. Check with your local store to see if they participate
There are also free vaccine clinics each spring/summer hosted by the MI humane society that take place in the Detroit area parks. These are past for this year but keep it in mind for next year. We will add more info here and a link. Their clinics are generally in May and early to mid June. These are for both dogs and cats. All pets must be on a leash or in a carrier.
If you are so inclined, you can also purchase the vaccines and give them yourself (except rabies which must be given by a licensed vet in the state of MI). They are simple to give (just under the skin in most cases) and can be ordered for $2-5 per shot plus s/h or purchased at some feed stores and Tractor Supply stores.
We will be adding a section on wormers next, as this is another area where people are taken advantage of by many vets, and this can be done simply and inexpensively once you understand what is required. With the increased use of dog parks, it is important that every dog owner understands the various types of worms and what is required to protect their dogs.
The other section we will be adding is on ear cleaning and ear infections. One of our previous adopters, who is elderly and on a fixed income, just informed me that her little guy had got an ear infection and she took him to the vet and the bill was $120 the first time, almost as much money on the follow-up visit, and they were wanting her to come in for a third follow-up visit. This is ridiculous for the simple treatment they were giving the dog. So we will be giving some advice from our experience on this subject in the near future too.

DANGERS TO YOUR PET

This section will be expanded soon, but we just learned about one that we want to share as it just took the life of two puppies. This is a toxin many people are probably not aware of.
Tissue paper, colored red, such as you get in some gift boxes at Christmas time, etc. is EXTREMELY TOXIC. After simply chewing on a little corner of a piece of this paper, both pups went from healthy 8 wk old pups to the Rainbow Bridge in a matter of about two hours!! This is the same red dye that is used in many dog foods and dog treats and this too can affect some dogs that have sensitive systems. Red dye is also responsible for ear problems in many dogs.

PAL's Wish List for Donations

We have the same wish list as many of our shelter and rescue friends - all those things the dogs and puppies require while they wait for their new homes!! They include but are not limited to:
    Towels - Used or New
    Baby Comforters, throws, flannel sheets, fleece - for oldster beds!
    Paper Towels - for the OOPS!!
    Spray or concentrated cleaners (with bleach & antibacterial types)
    Old newspapers - for any puppies who can't do towels yet!!!
    Dog crates - plastic taxi type or wire - any condition
    Dog Houses - for our friends when they're outdoors!
    Dog toys - all kinds - especially hard bones & dental treats!
    Dog food - Purina ONE Chicken & Rice, Purina ONE Growth & Development for the puppies, & canned Pedigree traditional ground chicken for the oldsters! These are our standard types but we also accept other donations and mix them in!!
    MONEY DONATIONS FOR OUR VET BILLS!!!! See below.

    We have a PayPal account set up that is used strictly for the dog's needs. If you can donate even a dollar or two - we would be grateful - it all adds up. To donate via credit card or deduction from your bank account, please use the button below and follow the directions. Please note that we are NOT tax deductible (501c3) at this time (couldn't afford the fee yet to become one!!) but are definitely non-profit!!. Checks can also be mailed directly to the vet's office, please email for information.
    Thank You very much for helping us, so that we can continue to help unfortunate animals and place them in loving homes for the rest of their lives.

    PAL's Fundraising Events and Special Requests for Extra Special Dogs

    Please Help Cinnamon
    12-28-04: Cinnamon was adopted and is now doing well in a loving home! We have about $330 to go to pay off her vet bills which topped $1500!! Her story is below. PLEASE take care of your dog's teeth!!!!!!! If you can help with Cinnamon's bills, please go to the Donate button at the bottom of this section & THANKS!!! 8-12-04: Cinnamon just had the second part of her surgery at a cost of $615!!!! And the first part was $497 - EEKS!!! At least she's done now and will soon be out of pain. She had so much infection in her body she still has to be on antibiotics for another 2 weeks but she's doing better. 7-15-04: PAL's will be having some fundraising events posted here soon, but currently we are in need of assistance on vet bills for Cinnamon. We will be posting more on her story shortly, in the hopes that it will educate owners of all dogs, but especially of toy breeds, so her situation doesn't happen to another out there. No dog deserves this kind of pain!! Toy breeds in particular are very prone to dental disease and a little prevention is a lot less expensive, not to mention the pain this girl has endured, in the long run. This poor girl is only 5 years old. She was purchased as a puppy and lived with the same family her whole life - until about a month ago!! She suddenly started "snapping" at the kids & her owner took her to a high kill animal control & told them they could no longer keep her due to her snapping. The shelter called us because they knew we take in poms with aggression issues & work with them, & we went to evaluate Cinnamon. She seemed like she wanted to be friendly but if you got close to her head with your hand she would growl & try to snap. We suspected an injury/dental issue because the owner said she "had been a good dog" until recently. But we were appalled when we were able to check out this girl a bit closer. Her teeth were ATROCIOUS & her back top molar was so bad it wiggled around & had created an abscess which filled with infection and punctured through her cheek under her eye a few days later. Cinnamon was put on antibiotics immediately and was finally able to have her dental surgery on 6-11-04. What we didn't know & neither did the vet until she was under anesthesia (because she was in such pain that no one had been able to exam her very closely), was that in addition to the problems with the top teeth, her lower jaw bone was actually FRACTURED due to the neglect of this dog's dental needs!! We have seen this in puppymill breeder dogs, but this is our first from an Owner Turned In pet!! Cinnamon had to have her jaw bone wired together, and it will be checked again in 2 weeks, and then again in 6 weeks, when hopefully it will be healed & the wire can be removed. She will have to undergo anesthesia again to have that done. She still has to be spayed too, because her mouth was so bad there was too much risk of infection & there wasn't time to keep her under anesthesia longer to do further surgery. Cinnamon was seen by 3 area vets prior to the surgery. We received estimates of $800, $400-$450, and $325-$418 to do her dental work (without knowing the jaw was broken). As you can see, most of the vets in our area don't give us any discounts either!! Well, the $800 estimate finally agreed he could go to "maybe $600-650 on the low end IF things weren't complicated - since we planned to adopt the dog later". We feared they could be and that his price was out of line with area vets, and we elected not to go with him - GOOD THING!! This also brings up another issue that we are making plans to try to help with in the future, but will take some time to achieve. It is possible that if the owner had taken the dog to the vet, they would have then chosen to take the dog to a shelter, simply because the VET COSTS WERE NOT AFFORDABLE! With the current economy, more and more animals are losing their lifelong homes, simply because the owners can no longer afford to care for them. Our area vet costs are higher than many places in the country and some want so much "diagnostic" work that it costs a fortune, often only to show there is still no problem, or it is "inconclusive". We are all for wellness care, but there is also a point of ridiculous that is costing animals their homes, because the owners can't tell what they really need & what they don't. Some of our area's high costs are due to the "quality" of the care, some are not. But, especially with toy breeds, you also have to be very careful WHICH vet you take them to for dental issues. I have had 5 different adopters in the past 2 years, come to me looking to adopt a toy dog, because their dog DIED during a dental at area vets. I have also had 2 others who's dogs suffer from seizures permanently after their surgeries due to anesthesia effects. Not all vets use the same anesthetic, pain meds, and monitoring to protect small dogs who are very susceptible to the effects of anesthesia. We will be posting more on this subject & on veterinary needs & recommendations in general in the future. But to protect your pet, please do your research first & make sure the vet you choose is experienced in the procedure required for your breed and size dog. Ask other owners of similar type dogs in your area for references or recommendations of good vets in the area. Each breed of dog has specific needs and while some vets may be great with some breeds, they may not be the best choice for another breed. So far Cinnamon's vet bills for antibiotics and surgery are $559.00. It is estimated that she will incur another $240 to $300 before she is completely vetted.

    Our URGENT Friends

    PLEASE LOOK AT THE URGENT DOGS IN OUR LISTINGS - SOME OF THEM ARE IN KILL SHELTERS AND THEY HAVE ONLY DAYS TO LIVE IF A HOME IS NOT FOUND (SOME ONLY 1 DAY LEFT!!). Others are urgent because they aren't working in their current home for some reason and the owner's will be turning them into a shelter if a home can't be located quickly. The write-up for each dog will give the specifics of it's situation.
    TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR THE DOGS MARKED URGENT!! Most of these dogs are in select southern high kill shelters that we work with to help relocate special dogs that can't find homes in their local areas. Unfortunately, due to space, we can't bring these dogs into our care while they wait for homes, so we try to do the next best thing by courtesy posting them in our area, and processing the applicants, and then assisting in transporting the dogs to their northern homes, for those that are lucky enough to get a home in time. If you are interested in one of the "URGENT" dogs, please EMAIL immediately for an application and include any questions you have about the dog. We will then alert the shelter that we may have an interested party in the dog, and those applications are expedited. A volunteer driver network is usually able to get the dogs from their shelters to our area, although if we can't get enough volunteers, we sometimes ask that the adopter assist in the transport route. These dogs are completely vetted prior to transport, including spaying/neutering.
    Those that say "HELP" have a few days left!!
    You must EMAIL IMMEDIATELY (and please include contact phone numbers to reach you if we have questions) to save one of these dogs as we have to notify the shelters and they have to arrange vetting, transport, etc. IF YOU EMAIL & DON'T GET IMMEDIATE RESPONSE, DON'T WORRY, We check all emails several times per day & notify the shelter's of the dogs we think we may have a home or foster for, and put the wheels in motion to save the dog & get it vetted, THEN we go back & process the applicants, so that we don't lose the dog while we're answering emails!! PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS FOR THOSE WE NEED TO CALL. If a particular dog has many inquiries, we will add it to our rescue & then sort out the applicants to find it the right home, so don't be alarmed if you don't get an immediate call or email - WE WILL GET BACK TO YOU!

    ADOPTION FEES for the URGENT dogs generally range between $125 of which $75 is refundable on proof of spay/neuter if not already done, and $250 (it depends on vet costs for the individual dog) for a fully vetted dog. Some are less from specific shelters.

    PAL's Adoptee Updates

    We have several postings from previous adopters that we will be placing here soon. Thanks for the updates & if you adopted through us and haven't sent in an update - Please Do! The things we see and hear daily are sometimes pretty rough & it makes us remember why we do this when we see the happy little faces of those we have helped find their happy homes!!

    THANK YOU FROM PAL's

    Thanks to those who have sent in help for Cinnamon's bills. We are still a long way in the hole, but it's helping!! And at least Cinnamon is feeling better now!!
    THANKS to Dick & Cheryl R. & their prince Happy for posing for our new logo. And thanks to the artist Angi Laframboise, who created the logo for us and has donated it's use to the PAL's dogs!! And thanks for the portrait hanging on our wall too!!!!
    THANKS TO ALL WHO HELPED & SUPPORTED US DURING THE LAST FEW DIFFICULT MONTHS! You have shined through and shown how caring some of our friends in the rescue world really are - BOTH FOR PEOPLE AND THE DOGS!! Unfortunately, we've also learned some hard lessons about a couple of others, but like every facet of life, there are the good and the not-so-good & the truth does eventually prevail!!

    HELPFUL ADVICE FOR THE ADOPTER
    MORE ARTICLES & ADVICE TO COME IN THIS SECTION - BUT ONE WE HAD TO POST NOW!!


    We have had some distrubing emails regarding some rescue's practices in some MI rescues. To those of you looking to adopt a pet from a rescue or an individual:

    IF YOU'VE HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE WITH A PARTICULAR RESCUE, PLEASE DO NOT JUDGE ALL RESCUES BY THAT ONE & RESORT TO A PET SHOP OR BREEDER TO GET YOUR DOG. MOST RESCUES ARE REPUTABLE AND HONEST, JUST DO YOUR RESEARCH & HELP THE DOGS!!
    TO THE RESCUE BEING DESCRIBED HERE - YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE & YOU ARE DOING A MAJOR DISSERVICE TO THE RESCUE ANIMALS & THOSE WHO HELP THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RESCUE IS NOT ABOUT TAKING ALL THE PUPPIES & PREGNANT DOGS YOU CAN & ADOPTING THEM ALL OUT AT $450 or $550 A PUPPY OR TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER WHILE NEVER HELPING ANY OF THE OLDER DOGS!! Worse yet, we were just directed to one "rescue" which has $800 puppies on their site!!! True rescues help a reasonable mixture of young, adult, and senior dogs with occasional puppies. It is common practice to raise puppy adoption fees to help offset the generally higher vet costs of the senior dogs, but not to ridiculous levels like $800!

    QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK when checking out a rescue are:
    1) How many dogs do they adopt out in a month? If it's too many, they are most likely not looking out for the best interest of the dogs & are placing them too fast.
    2) What is their ratio of puppies, adults, and seniors? Some "rescues" are only interested in taking puppies they can "sell" to make a profit, but don't help the adults or seniors.
    3) What is the average length of time a foster dog is in their rescue prior to being adopted? Again, short stays indicate they're "brokering" the dogs. Rescue dogs should not be shuttled from place to place quickly before their personalities are learned. This often makes a negative situation for both the dog & the new adopter. One of the rescues we are getting complaints on is picking up dogs from animal control on Tuesdays & has them at the pet store "adoptathon" on Wed & Sat!! It is reported that there is NO vetting occurring in between but we have not verified this yet. However, we have several reports from potential adopters that went to see animals, that they are asking $300 for each puppy and are very uncooperative in answering questions!
    4) Are the dogs spayed/neutered prior to adoption or as part of their adoption process? A TRUE rescue does NOT adopt out unaltered animals unless an animal can't be altered yet for some reason, and arrangements are made with the adopter and a contract is signed!!
    5) Does the rescue participate in "parking lot adoptions", for example showing their dogs at local pet stores, etc. This is a debatable point, but our opinion is that taking these rescue dogs to stores each weekend to be "viewed" is very stressful and not always healthy for the dogs and often you do not see the real personality of the dog at these locations. If they are allowed to be adopted directly from there, then the homes are not being properly screened and the best interest of the dog or the adopter is NOT always being looked out for. However some rescues show their dogs and take applications, and then follow up with checking out the potential homes. This is fine, but we don't generally show our dogs at these locations due to the stress on the dogs.

    THANKS TO THOSE WHO HAVE RESPONDED FOR THE PAL'S DOGS

    7-2-05: Thanks to those who are donating items for us to Ebay and raise funds for our dogs! These items help us to provide the daily expenses and in some cases even vet bills for our babies!! Also a MAJOR THANKS to those who contribute or send extra with their fee, in order to help vet more dogs! Without all of you, our volunteers would not be able to afford to save as many dogs as we do!! And of course, THANKS to those who foster and adopt these precious angels!!!!!!!

    PAL's Major Accomplishments

    11-05-06: Our latest accomplishment was probably the biggest one we have ever undertaken and it involved a terrible hoarding situation with over 100 dogs on the property, many very sick, none vetted, and adult dogs dying in their pens, dogs being mauled to death by others, and tons of sick puppies. The USDA and local animal control and vets were involved and helped tremendously. We have not seen justice done yet to the lady who caused the suffering of these animals, but we know that in time, justice always prevails and someday she will be judged for what she did to these innocent animals. Some lost their lives, some had to be euthanized to end their suffering, which we also took care of. These faces will be added on our Rainbow Bridge page when we can get through it for the tears. For now, we are concentrating on those we were able to save. We took on responsibility to vet all of these animals and find spots for them until they can find their forever homes, and have incurred thousands of dollars in vet bills because of it, but each and every dog saved is loved and healthy now or getting close to it, and will never again have to suffer like they were there. We still are in dire need of funds and foster and adoptive homes. We normally do not kennel dogs but due to this situation, we have had to kennel some of the larger breed dogs and we REALLY want to get them out of the kennel and into homes. If you can help, please call us at 734-645-7705. We have many purebreds and mixes both. As they are completely healthy, they are added to the website for adoption. 7-2-05: Our latest accomplishment was to catch a little girl Bichon (with the help of an adopter!!), scared, and in awful condition, so that she can now experience the love and care she deserves!! She will be up for rehoming soon if no owner is located. 6-15-05: Over the last few months we have assisted another rescue in finding foster homes and adoptive homes for many chihuahuas coming from a commercial breeder (puppymiller) who is slowly getting out of the business - THANK GOD!! They started with hundreds of chi's and are slowly reducing their numbers. Unfortunately, when they get ready to "get rid of" a group of dogs, if the one rescue they will directly work with cannot immediately take the dogs, they kill them brutally by breaking their necks and throwing them over a fence into an alley!! So needless to say, we all do our best to jump through hoops when these awful people decide to "get rid of" more of the dogs. It is also an "all or nothing" deal, where we are expected to take whatever they can't sell that is sick or disabled, or get nothing, so we take all that are available, and do our best to accomodate them. Some come out with bad tumors, broken jaws, etc. but most are very loving little dogs given time and TLC. We do have a fairly constant supply of chihuahua's coming in, so if you're looking for one, please consider one of our adult mill rescue dogs. They are so appreciative of love and gentle touch, that they make great little companions.
    8-25-04: We are restructuring our rescue and are automating some of the record keeping tasks so we will have more time for our canine friends and adopters! Thanks to all of our foster mom's for doing what you do and loving these furkids. We are also working on a grant proposal that we hope to unveil in the future months that will benefit many animals and pet owners in our area.

    ANOTHER GROUP OF POMERANIANS GOT THEIR FREEDOM!

    9-30-03: An unexpected opportunity came up & we were able to get 19 pomeranians & 4 chihuahua's freedom from the world of breeding this past weekend!! 14 will be going to other rescues and the remainder will stay with us. They will all need vet work (dentals & spay/neuter), and a few have more serious problems (broken jaw, broken leg, etc & will be vetted first), but most appear to have pretty good temperments and should be ready to go into homes to be loved very soon!! Most are females, ages 5-9. More info will follow later - right now have to go get them all settled in, some to the vet!! If you wish to donate to the vet fund for these dogs, please do so in our donation section. Also note we are NOT tax deductible at this time.

    IF YOU MUST TURN IN YOUR PET

    IN HONOR OF OUR SENIOR FOXY - A PLEA TO ALL PET OWNERS & EXTENDED FAMILY & FRIENDS OF PET OWNERS...

    FOXY!

    UPDATE 7-25-03: Foxy died this morning & has now joined her previous owner at the Rainbow Bridge.

    I was going to remove her from this listing but then decided to leave her picture here, with a PLEA for all pet owners and extended families of pet owners, in HOPES THAT IT MIGHT SAVE EVEN ONE LITTLE DOG LIKE FOXY. In her honor, we ask:

    IF YOU HAVE A SENIOR DOG, or IF A FAMILY MEMBER PASSES AWAY and leaves behind a companion animal - PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE - give this animal the dignity of living it's last days in a loving environment - NOT in a big scary shelter where it may very likely get sick(er).

    If you absolutely can't keep it, make a SERIOUS EFFORT to find a REPUTABLE rescue that will take it. The good rescues are always full, but if you give it a few days & contact several - usually someone out there will work with you to find it a spot - especially seniors - there are a lot of us with soft spots there because those dogs don't do well in shelters. These animals have given their lives & love to their humans & are used to being family pets - THEY DESERVE A LOT MORE THAN TO BE DUMPED IN A SHELTER AT THE END!! AND THE PERSON THAT LOVED THEM WOULD WANT BETTER FOR THEM AS WELL!! I am NOT a fan of euthanasia at all - BUT if Foxy had been taken (after her owner passed away) by a caring family member or friend to a reputable vet & had been humanely put to sleep - her last days would have been a lot better than what this poor girl went through. SHE WAS A SWEET DOG WHO SOMEONE OBVIOUSLY HAD LOVED AND CARED FOR AND SHE DESERVED MUCH BETTER!! AND I KNOW SHE HAD BEEN LOVED AND CHERISHED AND HER OWNER WOULD HAVE WANTED THE BEST FOR HER! IF YOU MUST DUMP THE PET IN A SHELTER - at LEAST leave the name of the vet who has cared for this animal, so we can get it's records. It could mean the difference between the animal living or dying. If we had had Foxy's history on her heart & if she was cared for before (which she looked like she was), the vets would have known what level to start her meds at - but we couldn't get the info & had to start from scratch. Unfortunately she couldn't fight long enough for us to establish the right dosages. Shelters do their best to keep the animals healthy, but the REALITY IS THIS: Animals are continually brought in that were not vaccinated, are not healthy, and are contagious. Sometimes there are initial medical issues which we will address ASAP. Foxy had a very enlarged heart, she had a collapsing trachea (common to the breed), she was overweight which made both worse, and made it difficult for her to breathe. Then she went to a big county shelter, where she was terrified & miserable. Then she caught a very nasty upper respiratory infection. We pulled her out the day we heard about her, she had already been there about 4 days. We immediately vetted her & she was on meds - but her body and heart just couldn't fight it all & she succombed. PLEASE PLEASE DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO A PET YOU KNOW. OUR ORIGINAL POSTING: If anyone recognizes this little girl and can give us further info on who her previous vet was - it would be greatly appreciated. She was turned in to the Ingham County Shelter in Mason MI, and we were told her owner had passed on. She is reported to be 14 yrs old and has some health issues with an enlarged heart & any previous vet info would be beneficial. She is being cared for by our vet but some history would help speed up the proper med levels & she needs the help. She's not feeling well & we want to make her better. Also if anyone would like to sponsor her care, please contact us as well. We think her prognosis will be good if we can get her meds regulated quickly.

    News

    News: 12-07: We will be putting together our website showing our adopted furkids soon. If you have adopted a pet from us, please email & send us an update & send pictures so we can include your companion in our "Happy Angels" section. 12-07: Thanks to Dick & Cheryl & Happy for their Gift Card for our rescue furkids. So glad to hear Happy is still doing well!!!! Hope you all have a great holiday season & a wonderful New Year!!!!
    1-24-04: Thanks to Dick & Cheryl & Happy for their generous donation & continual support!! We are sorry we weren't able to attend Happy's one year anniversary party but we really appreciate him being an ambassador for our dogs. We will be putting a special update with pics of Happy "then and now" in the near future. Happy's family and a local artist have also donated a graphic of him which will become our logo and will be added to our site as well. Happy is one of our special cases - he was "too big" to some for a pom, "too old" for others, had a cataract in one eye, and looked terrible when we got him from the shelter - all flea ridden, hair missing, filthy, oil embedded in him, etc. but Dick & Cheryl fell in love with this little guy & gave him a chance and a loving family & he couldn't be more spoiled (good job guys!!) and he is in gorgeous condition & he has become the neighborhood mascot & a spokesman for dogs in need! (with a little help from the humans of course!!). More on this story soon!! We are in the planning stages of "bigger and better things" for our dogs in need and their new families. But first we have to get all the vet bills paid off from our puppymill dogs. We would appreciate any and all donations of items to be sold on Ebay for the dogs, items to be used for the dogs, or monies to the vets for the dogs. If you can donate for the dogs, please email us for details!! We can arrange pick up for items donated!! Note however that we are NOT 501c3 nor tax deductible at this time. THANKS!!

    THANKS to those who responded!

    Thanks to all those who have offered to foster and adopt the southern shelter dogs. Because of you, we have now been able to save several lives! We are continuing to post as we are asked, and you have continued to respond!!
    Old News:

    UPDATE 9-16-03 on injured pom mix

    9-16-03: Unfortunately, we're having problems getting that last bit of skin to grow! But other than that, she's doing well!! 7-1-03: She's WALKING with her right rear leg down almost continually!!!! She has beaten all the predictions so far!! What a fighter. The skin is down to about 1 1/2 X 1" left to grow in. 6-24-03: She's starting to put some weight on her rear right leg!!!! The area without skin is down to about 2" square now!! We're getting there. 6-15-03: We're down to just needing one burn pad to cover her wound!! Yeah!!!! It's much smaller now & is growing back quite well. 6-10-03: Our vet bills continue to rise for her and every bit helps! The skin is now growing back slowly but surely. She has continued to carry her right rear leg quite a bit and to our surprise, we found out when our MI vet X-rayed her, that the pelvic joint & hip WERE fractured during the attack. Somehow our OH vet managed to miss this, despite several return visits regarding the leg??? It is now partially fused & would be very expensive to try to fix ($3000-4000 with an orthopedic specialist) and our vet says that often, the dog won't go back to using the leg anyhow even if it IS repaired. It does not seem to be causing pain for her, so we are opting not to pursue surgery at this time & will have it X-rayed again in about 6 weeks. She does sometimes put the leg down & will let you move it freely, just can't put a lot of weight on it & it must be more comfortable to her with it up. Some bowel problem is ongoing due to a depression in her bowel, but it seems to have improved a little on a special diet.

    April 7, 2003

    We have taken in a 12 lb. little girl Sweetie (pom/mini eskie mix?)who was attacked & almost killed by a large dog! She shows signs of having had a rough life already and now this!! She lost all of the skin on her back from the neck to the rear & partway down her rear legs. In case that wasn't bad enough, her right rear leg was almost torn off and she had 17 large, deep puncture wounds along her back, and her rectum was damaged some! We KNOW this girl is special, as she managed to not end up paralyzed from all the puncture wounds - somehow they all missed her spine, and the bowel function remained intact - BOTH MIRACLES for the amount of damage done! So we KNOW that somebody upstairs is watching out for her! And through all of this VERY PAINFUL treatment - not once has she tried to bite or snap - she just looks at you with this pleading look that can break the hardest heart. We did not post pictures of the injuries here because they are very graphic and offensive to some. Our vet can verify the injuries. We operate strictly from our $175 - $250 (general range) reimbursed care and vetting fees and personal money from each of our foster family's, but lately several other dogs have needed expensive surgeries and now this - but we couldn't ignore her. We do not have our official 501c3 Non Profit status yet, but are in the process of getting it. However, we definitely DO operate at a DEFINITE NON-PROFIT!!! We try not to raise our fees as some do, and try to use the standard fee as a maximum no matter what breed of dog, or age, or vet cost, etc. We do this in an effort to make the dogs affordable to the average loving family. We don't normally request donations on this site, but we are asking for some help with her vet & bandage costs. She is requiring very expensive burn pads to be applied 3 times per day & it takes 5 to cover all her areas. The cost of those alone has already exceeded $2000, and that's not even counting the gauze, wraps, tape, ointment, antibiotic flush solution, etc., and she still has a long way to go. Her vet care, from vets in OH & now MI, has already topped $800 as well, and that was with a lot of donated time - THANKS to the vets! We have set up a PayPal account for her if you can donate even a dollar or two - we would be grateful - it all adds up. Thank You very much for helping us, so that we can continue to help unfortunate animals and place them in loving homes for the rest of their lives.

    Other News:

    Sadly, one of the Dayton dogs was euthanized!! She was given every chance by the rescue who took her, but the decision was finally made, that it was in her best interest to be humanely put to sleep. There were just too many years of fear in her short life, and she couldn't seem to get past it. So now she is at the Rainbow Bridge waiting for the mate she never had here on earth. Lizzy we miss you!! Another Dayton dog gets to go to his new home!! Teddy is our latest adoptee from the Dayton Project. Congratulations to him & his new family! For those who don't know, the "Dayton Project" involved finding rescues and homes for over 70 cats and 45 mix breed dogs from a "30 year rescuer" who was more of a collector & was being evicted in two weeks!! While the dogs and cats all needed grooming, vaccinations, etc. at least they were well fed in most cases and all had shelter provided by this woman. We didn't get much help with transports, so we ended up transporting most ourselves and put a lot of miles on the trucks, but it was short notice! We want to give a MAJOR Thank You to those rescues who helped search for available fostering and those who took in these poor animals and are still caring for them so they'll get a chance at a real life!! Special thanks to Dona & Vicki at the Little Feet and Feline Rescue in KY, Pati in Alabama, Debi at Second Chance, and Sara & Sharon from Alliance, OH . Also special thanks to Pam in Cincinnati who got it all started and coordinated so much, and to Carla & her crew for helping coax out the basement dogs, Nina for transport help, and all the volunteers out there who offered to foster some of the animals! If anyone would like to donate funds for the long-term care of these animals, please contact us & the funds will be distributed among the rescues.

    PAL's Rainbow Bridge

    08-15-07: We have still not been able to bring ourselves to update this section, but now we must, with today's loss. Today we lost our girl of 13 yrs - Crystal. She was a very special girl our founder had since she was born. She had personality plus & was always quick to show the "newcomers" how to behave and who was to eat first!! Crystal was a lap baby who expected and demanded attention, but gave back her loyalty and love tenfold. She left us early this morning and said goodbye to Terri on her way to Rainbow Bridge, while Terri was sleeping - she was one of the few that could always demand Terri wake up no matter how little sleep she'd had - even as she passed on to the Bridge, she managed to wake her up to say goodbye!!
    Crystal we miss you!! 10-17-94 to 8-15-07
    05-10-06: We have not been able to update this section for the tears. Due to a hoarding situation we encountered, we saw some horrific sights too graphic to put on our website and we had to help several dogs leave this world because of the suffering they endured and injuries and illness they couldn't recover from. Some were even mauled to death by others in the pens. We will add the pictures of those we have as we are able. Many were puppies. The first two we're listing and two of the hardest were Mollie & Mattie - young pups who never had a chance to live. Mattie went from a decent looking pom pup but sickly, to no hair due to scabies (sarcoptic mange) in a matter of days, and was then mauled to death by another dog in the home before we could get him a place to go. Molly died of severe worm infestation and pneumonia - we had started her on antibiotics but she didn't make it.
    Mattie we miss you! 5-05 to 10-05
    Molly we miss you!!! 8-13-05 to 10-05
    02-15-06: We got the sad news that our little adoptee, Sammy, went on to the Rainbow Bridge today. His smiling little face wasn't at the door to meet mom when she got home from work, and she knew something was very wrong as he ALWAYS happily greeted her when she arrived. It turned out that his little heart gave out. We don't know Sammy's exact age, but we know his life was shorter than it should have been, due to an enlarged heart and trachea problems. While he didn't get to enjoy their home for too long, after his years in a puppymill, at least we know that his end months were wonderful for him, and he was the highlight of their home. Sammy was one of those pommies who was always happy no matter what and loved to dance and smile at you! He will be sadly missed, but all who met him will remember his wonderful spirit. Sammy was proof that even a dog who has spent his life in awful conditions, can be a very loyal and loving member of the family!! Many thanks to Mike and Debby for giving this boy a wonderful home until his time came. Our prayers are with you in your loss!
    Sammy we miss you! Left this world on 2-15-06.
    09-05: We have lost two of our senior girls in the last two months. Both were puppymill survivors who weren't released until their later years, but both showed us tons of love and loyalty while they retired with us. Sheba and Honey Bun we miss you both!!!!! Thank you for showing us how loyal puppymill girls can be! It took Honey Bun a long time to trust anyone, but she finally learned and just loved to run up to you for some petting. These were very special girls. Sheba hopped on her 3 legs and enjoyed going so fast you couldn't catch her, or hiding in the corn fields!!
    Honey Bun we miss you! Left this world in 08-05
    Sheba we miss you and your entertaining ways. Left this world in 09-05
    07-14-05: Pete was taken from us suddenly today and went to the Rainbow Bridge. We only had him for a few short days after our adopters Dick & Cheryl pulled him out of the Ingham county shelter on 7-9-05. But when we lost him the pain was the same as if we'd lost one of our lifetime companions!! There are some dogs that have this effect and I don't know why. Pete was 9 yrs old and had found himself in a shelter. Once he was out, he was the happiest boy we'd seen in a while. We went to visit our ambassador pom Happy, and Happy was kind enough to share his backyard for a bit with Pete and Millie - the new arrivals. Our boy Shawn and a couple of pups also went along. We had a great time and Pete was prancing, beautiful, happy, and acting like he was 4 or 5! Unfortunately, the vet thinks the day might have been a bit much for him, as he started feeling bad a few days later, and finally succombed. He had fluid in his chest and lesions on his lungs, so it was no doubt a matter of time for this sweet boy anyhow - but at least he got to touch our lives for a short time. We will never forget you Pete!!! You were a breath of fresh air!! We wish we could have enjoyed your company longer, but we also know you've now met up with your special someone from earlier in your life and crossed the Rainbow Bridge together!!

    Pete we miss you! 5-4-96 to 7-14-05
    07-11-05: Our little angel Lucy was taken home today to the Rainbow Bridge. We only had her for a few short weeks. Her mommy came in pregnant and had her pups and all seemed fine - at first. But then the pups started having trouble and it turned out they had gotten toxic milk from mama and had a few other complications too. Little Lucy put up a valiant fight and survived the longest, even though she was the smallest of the litter. She put up with our syringes, and tubes, and IV's and still wagged her little tail and gave us kisses besides. But in the end her little body could take no more and she passed on in her sleep. Little Lucy was particularly hard to lose because of how much time we spent with her and nursing her hourly, and loving her, and praying for her. Apparently it was not God's will to leave her on this earth very long, but he let us enjoy her sweet face for a few weeks, and we will never forget her!! Her little brother was the only survivor of the litter, but he encompasses the love and sweetness of them all! We wish we could have enjoyed your company longer, but we also know you're making some person up in heaven very happy now!!

    Lucy we were glad to love you even for a short time!! 5-12-05 to 7-11-05
    05-26-05: Angie was taken from us suddenly today and went to the Rainbow Bridge. We only had her a few short months but she was a joy the whole time and was a source of enteretainment with her little "worried" look and her antics. We will miss her dearly but were happy to provide her with at least a few months of pampering that she should have had all her life. Thankfully, she went peacefully in her sleep. We think it was a heart attack. She will be missed, but her timing was incredible as she made room for another little girl in need. True to her character - she always wanted to please. We will remember you Angie!!
    Angie we miss you!

    One of our special Angels had to be sent to Rainbow Bridge last week


    (posted 4-4-03).
    This time it was our special boy Scorpie! He was in misery and his prognosis wasn't good. He'd already been through a lot in his lifetime, and we couldn't force him to go through more for our own selfish wants. Part of being a responsible pet caretaker (& rescuer) - and probably the hardest part of all - is to say goodbye to them when it is in their best interest. Knowing that doesn't make it any easier and we still cried at the vet's office, and again as we write this, and the hole in our heart is huge right now, but it was the right decision for Scorpie, and he will now be where he has no more pain or neglect. Sometimes all we can do for them is love them & hug & kiss them for a short time, and let them know they are loved!! Scorpie we love you and miss you!!!!!!! Note: There will be more on Scorpie's story later & if you have a vet that prescribes the medication DiTrim for one of your pets - beware & research it - we wish the vet in Big Rapids had warned us of the effects it would have on Scorpie ahead of time. It put him in agony and we probably would not have put him through that had we known.
    Scorpie we miss you!

    We Lost Another of our Pom Angels Today - 3-18-04


    This time it was our beloved little Karlee! She leaves behind her sister Tracy who is also in our rescue. Tracy will probably just live out her life with us as she's been through enough and doesn't adjust well to change. Karlee was only known for a short time by one of our foster families and they are devastated by her passing on, so that tells you just how special she was!! She touched the lives of all who knew her and everyone loved her instantly! Please pray for the holes in our hearts to heal from this latest loss. There have been too many - too close together!!
    Karlee we know you're running and playing in heaven now and have reunited with your original mom, but we will miss your smile and antics!!!

    SAD NEWS FOR JACKSON...

    JACKSON!
    UPDATE 3-7-04: Jackson went to the Rainbow Bridge today. :-( Where he now knows no pain, his world isn't scaring him, and he can't hurt any others. We will post a story on Jackson for educational purposes, on our new website that is in progress. Jackson had a condition called CENTRAL VESTIBULAR NYSTAGMUS - a condition where his eyes moved constantly & his world had to be a scary place. There is no cure for it, and not really many treatment options either. It caused him to behave oddly, to "attack" things that posed no threat to him. In 7 months, we were not able to find him a home with no other pets or small children that could care for him, or wanted him, and that was his only hope of having a decent life. We left his plea up for quite a while, and took care of him in between, but no homes became available, and when we were forced to relocate with our dogs, it left no options for Jackson, other than euthanasia. WE WILL MISS YOU & YOUR ENTERTAINING WAYS WITH THE TOYS JACKSON!!
    On 11-10-03, we lost another of our senior pom angels to the rainbow bridge. This time it was little Binky. She was a puppymill survivor who came to us with a hernia the size of a baseball, and Binky only weighed 4.5 lbs!!! The thing was so big the poor little girl couldn't even walk. they said she had had it for NINE YEARS & that it was "just aesthetic and that it would do more damage to try to repair it". Our vet laughed at that & scheduled her immediately for surgery. After it was repaired, little Binky was the happiest camper around - she pranced & bounced when she walked, and would jump up with those little front feet for you to hold her. She LOVED to be held. BINKY WE LOVED YOU & WE MISS YOU!
    On 10-8-03, we lost yet another of our pom angels to the Rainbow Bridge. This time it was little Sparky. Sparky had a rough life and had been attacked in 1999 by a large dog & lost an eye. Then in 2002 he developed a neurological problem & had difficulty walking, but he tried anyway. In the few months that he was with us, he went from a scared, biting little boy to a cuddler who loved to be held & would wobble his way to the front of the pack to get picked up & to go in and out with you. He always had a smile on his face & that smile now looks down on us from the Rainbow Bridge!! SPARKY - we miss you so bad!! You were our precious boy!! But I know you can run in heaven without any trouble like you had here on earth with those little back legs!!
    On 6-23-03, we lost one of our senior pom angels to the rainbow bridge. Squeaker will be sorely missed. She was a puppymill survivor who gave most of her life having babies. She was only able to have a real life for 8 months, but she was pampered and enjoyed them thoroughly while she retired with us!! We are comforted by knowing that she now has no pain & can run & play while she waits for us!! SQUEAKER WE MISS YOU!
    We do this in honor of the dogs like Coco Puff (an 11 mo old girl) and Sebastian (who didn't make it to the vet in time) from the Dayton collector that went on to the Rainbow Bridge to wait for their someone special!!

    Who We Are

    WE DO NOT HAVE A SHELTER - ANIMALS ARE LOCATED IN FOSTER HOMES & ARE SHOWN BY APPOINTMENT ONLY (AFTER AN APPLICATION IS APPROVED). WE BRING THE DOG TO YOU - TO SEE IT IN IT'S NEW ENVIRONMENT, THIS SAVES OUR OTHER FOSTER DOGS FROM ANY ADDITIONAL STRESS! THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING. We are a network of foster homes in Michigan and OH who banded together to start Pet Angels after fostering for another "rescue" which turned out to be not so good for some of the animals who lived in fear, got bit, and did not get the vet care they needed! We are not 501c3 yet, but are definitely non - profit and are in the process of doing the paperwork to achieve the tax status as well - we temporarily stopped when we didn't have the funding needed to finish filing our application for the status. If we ever catch up on vet bills, we'll resume saving funds for the application.
    We are all major dog lovers and believe that every animal should have full quality vet care and attention and a safe place to live in a home environment, whether it is our own dog or a "foster" dog. We also believe that every potential adopter should be given ALL information about our pets, so you can make an informed decision whether that pet is the right match for you or not. If a dog/cat has "issues" we will tell you that prior to adoption. While we believe that "They're all angels when trained right" - some haven't been trained at all when we get them. Surprises only result in disappointment in the new home and stress for the animals and their humans.
    We also keep our "hard case" animals and work with them on training issues until we feel they are adjusted well enough to be adopted or we can find that special foster home for them. Some retire with us to live out their lives in pampered peace in our "sanctuary and geriatric group". And then there's our "Psychotic Group" who we won't adopt out!! We will also take back any animal that doesn't work out for any reason and at any time.
    While we specialize in Pomeranians and Pom mixes, we also take in other breeds as needed. We generally don't take in cats due to the number of dogs coming in and out, but will try to assist in finding places for cats when necessary. We believe mixed breeds deserve a chance too and do not limit our rescue strictly to "purebreds", nor do we have age limits for our rescues. Some of our best dogs are our more mature friends! We will adopt out of state but will not fly our animals, so ground transportation must be arranged. If you have an animal needing a home that is already spayed/neutered & UTD on shots, we will also post it's picture as a courtesy to assist you in finding it a home.
    We also work with other shelters in OH, KY, and IN to help them place their animals as well. So if you're looking for a certain type of dog, please fill out our mini app and we'll see if we can help you locate a good match and save a life!!

    ADOPTING ONE OF OUR ANGELS

    The first step to adopting one of our PAL's is to fill out our "Mini Application" below (please copy it and paste it into an email to fill it out)and email it back to us at petangels@gmail.com or print it out & send it via regular mail. After your application is reviewed & REFERENCES are checked, we will contact you, via email unless specified otherwise in your app, to let you know if we feel you are approved and are the right match for the pet you have chosen. If approved, a HOME CHECK will be done to verify all will go well for the new pet. If everything looks good, you will MEET the chosen pet(s) and see if it is a match. Often we combine the home check with the meeting of the dog, to see everyone's reactions. An ADOPTION CONTRACT will be required at the time of placement along with an adoption fee for the animal. Our "standard" adoption fee is $175.00 to $250.00 which typically reimburses our vet care if the animal just needs vaccinations, heartworm check, spay/neuter, etc. Some animals may have different adoption fees dependent on the animal's age, dental needs, vet costs, needs, etc. Occasionally we raise the fees on puppies to help cover the higher costs on some of our older and sicker dogs so that we can save them too. We will not fly our animals for their own comfort, but will do our best to arrange ground transportation for long distance adoptions. All of our pets are spayed/neutered and up to date on vaccinations, before being adopted.

    STEP # 1: MINI APPLICATION TO ADOPT

    We are trying to expedite our adoption application process currently, due to the number of dogs in need. To be considered for approval to adopt from us, please email back the following information. We look forward to receiving your email. Thanks.

    Dog(s) Interested in:
    If not a specific dog, please list breed,size, age, etc desired:
    Is housebroken an absolute requirement or are you willing to train?:
    Reason looking for a new companion:

    Number of adults in home:
    Name of adults in home & Last name(s):
    Ages of adults living in the home :
    Names & ages of children in the home:
    Names & ages of frequently visiting children to the home:
    Address :
    City, State, Zip:
    Your Phone number(s):

    Rent/Own:
    If renting, please give landlord's name & number:
    Current pets (breed, age, and gender) :

    Recent pets (if no current) & why are they no longer with you:

    Vet reference with phone number:

    Neighbor reference with phone number :

    Have you been approved by another rescue for adoption? If so, which one?

    Which do you have? Fenced yard/no fence/electronic fenced yard/dog park/leash walk :

    Hours the dog would be left alone & where it would be left :

    Would the dog have a crate/kennel/cage?:
    Do you have a swimming pool?

    Thanks for taking time to fill out our application!
    Please email it to petangels@gmail.com

    MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR US TO VISIT YOUR HOME


    Because we are a foster network, our animals are in various private homes - some in Michigan and some in OH. When we approve your application, a visit can be arranged via the closest location to your home. Typically we prefer to bring the animal to the new home ourselves, in order to see how everyone gets along. We also discourage visits to the foster homes, because some of the animals there are not very socialized yet, and it creates a lot of stress for them with visitors coming by. Plus we don't like to intrude on the privacy of our foster families who are gracious enough to foster these babies. We are planning to have a main facility in the future, where those animals can be separated until they are ready to accept visitors, but it is a ways off yet due to finances.
    Please communicate via email - we do this to keep our phone bills down as we rely on a cell phone most of the time! We want our funds to go to the animals not the phone companies!! Once you are approved and we are ready to set up a visit, we will contact you via phone, or we may contact you sooner if we have questions. If you have a dog in southern Michigan in need of rescue placement or pull please contact Rachel at Cherlindrea34@hotmail.com. For dogs in other areas please contact Terri at petangels@gmail.com

    Pet Angels for Life Volunteers (PALs)

    Southern MI with fosters in Michigan and Ohio.
    Phone/voicemail: EMAIL will be faster response!!!!

    Email: petangels@gmail.com
    Click here for a list of pets at this shelter


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