Sacred Hearts Animal Rescue & Sanctuary

Our Adoptable Pet List

Click here to see our Happy Tails!

A PUP NAMED "DOG".

"Dog" on his way to Columbus for surgery

UPDATE ON BERNIE! 2-3-10 ~ Bernie's wonderful therapist says he is doing awesome, everything is going just as planned! He is a joy to take care of and a love all the way around... If all goes well he will be going to his foster home on the 9th of Feb... One step closer to his forever home.... Yay for Bernie! If you wish to donate please do so with our donate button. The only balance we have remaining is his medical boarding which will be around $330. We will pay this bill from our paypal account the day he is picked up.

Bernie's (aka "Dog") Story

My name is Dog. Yes, you heard it right... Dog..... My dad died suddenly right before Christmas and me and my Canine Brother stayed with my with my mom and her family. It was hard on us, no one was home with us during the day so we pottied in the house a little and sometimes we would chew when we got bored. The days were long, waiting on our mom to come home from work and we missed our dad's company during the day very much.

Our mom decided, since we peed in the house and it was smelly, that we could just stay out during the day while she was at work..... I was really having fun and it was much easier to "not" potty in the house at night when my mom came home. I would eat supper and rest peacefully because I had a whole day running with my friend and exploring all of the things in our neighborhood.

I love my human family, especially the kids and really don't understand why they didn't tell me that the shiny things on the black road were dangerous. I really didn't know, my dad had a shiny thing and it was always fun, going with him for rides were my favorite time..... I just didn't know that, as fun as they were, that they could hurt me so much. On the 21st of January one of the shiny things got me... I tried to get home but couldn't make it any farther than the field beside my human's house. They did look for me, but I couldn't get up to show them I was there.

For part of day, a whole night and another day I lay in the field, I was able to see my human's house but unable to get there and they couldn't see me because of the tall grass. My front leg wouldn't work any longer and my hips hurt very much. The shiny thing was going fast and hit me very hard.... I don't understand why my human family didn't protect me, did they not realize I didn't understand?

I was so glad when the lady with the blankets showed up and covered me up. I was so cold and I didn't say a word as she moved me onto another blanket and she and another lady took me to her shiny thing...... I loved rides.... it was my favorite thing, riding with my dad. This time was different, I hurt so bad and I couldn't stand up and look out the windows and I knew it wasn't happy...... the lady seemed very upset and I so hoped I hadn't done it, I didn't mean to get hurt.

I am now in a shiny silver cage at the new human's vet... They say they are going to try to save me and find me a new home where I have a fenced yard and will no longer be in danger of being hit by the shiny things. I hurt very much and I overheard them say that my pelvic is fractured on both sides and my front leg may need removed.... I don't understand and I just lay quietly and wait...... I still trust and I know they are helping me. They say the new human runs a rescue where many dogs needing help go. I hope they can help...... I am only a puppy of around one year and I love to run and play..... I do hope someday I can do that again.

The vet with the shiny cages say it may cost up to $2000 to fix me and a new vet with shiny cages will have to be found for me. I know it's a lot in human dollars, but in dog dollars it isn't much.... Please help me.......

Sincerely, Dog

Our first estimate on our little guy was $6000, we were thrilled to find Dr. Beckett who agreed to do the surgery at a much reduced rate! We have at this point raised near $2200 of the $2800 for "Dog's" surgery. As for our new boy "Dog", his name has been changed to Bernie, he is resting comfortably with pain meds and an epidural. His surgery took 4 1/2 hrs., but Dr. Beckett believes it was a success. We are now in prayer mode, praying the sciatic nerves show no damage when all is said and done. Dr. Beckett thinks we may not know for sure for a week or two. So here's to praying and having faith, we know that both work wonders, Barley proved that.

If you would like to Donate please use the donate button and specify "for Bernie". The only bill remaining is for his medical boarding which will be paid from this account. Thank you!

BERNIE'S ANGELS

Anna & Alan Shepard
Margaret Spittler
Brenda Elvidge
Linda Garrigan
Killeen Hinkle
Tina Mawhorr
Kathy Shaffer
Julia Levant
David Botos
Sarah Wiggins
Cyd Paugh
Campbell Welsh
Katrina McGinnis
starlit hughes
Jaime McGrath
Sherry McGrath
Susan Henry
Fontius Mendenhall
Eugene Lesko
Linda Young
Mary-Ann Ellison
Collie and Ibizan Rescue of Central NJ, Inc.
Dottyann Harding
CLAUDIA Rose
Michele Rodgers

I am sorry if I missed your name, we are sifting daily and we will be posting more names as they come in from the clinc... Thank you all so much for helping Bernie!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!.

Barley Celebrating the New Year

For everyone who doesn't know Barley's story, he has been at our rescue for over 8 mos..... When contacted by a reputable basset rescue, who said they could take him in and have him a home by Christmas, we very tearfully let him move on. We felt it was only fair to him and we always try to do what is best for the dogs/puppies here and he had been here so long without finding a home. This was one of those times that you feel rescue is unfair, you love the dog so much but know you "shouldn't" keep one for your own. Evidently Barley had different ideas.

Barley's transport went off as normal (except for the sad hearts he left here) and he made it to near Buffalo, New York, where he was to spend the night with a wonderful family (Margaret Spittler and Emmanuel) who opens their home often to rescue transports needing a safe sleep-over. Barley, evidently decided that he was not spending the night in New York and broke away by slipping out of his harness. Unfortunately for him he was hundreds of miles from anything he had ever known...... once he realized this the fear kept him running, staying in the woods in the very hilly terrain.

I and a friend, with her daughter (Sherry Smith & Milena), headed to New York as soon as it was realized that Barley wasn't going to come to anyone. He immediately began acting as though he had never seen a human! After 3 days of searching we headed temporarily back to Ohio, figuring as soon as Christmas was over I would go back and hopefully return with Barley, if only I could see him I knew he would come. It was heartwrencing returning without him, knowing he was alone in the snow and hills, but my friend needed to be with her dog so it cut our search short.

While I was in Ohio everyone was searching actively for Barley in New York, everyday he was sited and every night he was heard barking in the hills all night long. Everyone in the area was so kind and knew of Barley's plight, we had so many phone calls that it was amazing. Even with all the caring people trying to save him he still refused to come to a human and although he had to be hungry, he was refusing to step foot into a live trap that was filled with smelly, tasty goodies.

Christmas day a phone call came from a wildlife rehabber (Elise Able), who on her own time had been watching over Barley, tracking him in the snow and setting the traps.... she felt Barley was frequenting an area that would eventually get him killed by coyotes. December is coyote mating season and they are very aggressive at this time, she informed me, and they would kill over territory.... she felt I needed to come back immediately or risk Barley being found dead. Again I and another friend, Foni Mendenhall of Stepping Stones Rescue, headed back to New York Christmas afternoon. I prayed the whole way there that Barley would be a Christmas present and our trip would be short and sweet. We searched for several hours Christmas night to no avail, Barley was no longer staying in any certain area, he was just running.

The day after Christmas (1 week after he broke loose) we checked traps, no Barley, and then began the search in the snow/rain mix that was hitting the area. Alise and I searched the field where she last saw him and found many tracks but no Barley. She left me alone after finding some fresh tracks in the woods, knowing that Barley would run from her if she was seen by him first. After several hours I felt I needed to regroup (and cry) and began my walk back to Margaret and Emmanuel's home. Margaret met me in front of her house (she jokingly says she found me in the ditch in front of her house) with the news that Barley had been spotted at a home about a mile away..... he was sitting in their backyard barking his head off. We headed out immediately and sure enough Barley was there, still barking just as reported!!! As I went towards him he began to act as if he would run again and in desperation I dropped flat to the ground, crying his name into the snow (I was desperate by now) and he came!!!! First eating the small piece of SlimJim from my hand and then immediately rubbing his nose all over my face...... I wrapped my arms around him, still laying flat on my stomach, and sobbed so loudly into his fur I am surprised he didn't run away again! It had been 1 week and 2 hrs since Barley had started on his journey. He came through it all unscathed, a little thin and a little dehydrated.... but happy! Lucky for him he is a good eater and started out packing a little extra (-:

Barley is our forever pup now. He was overjoyed to pull in our driveway and he has slept in our bed every night since returning, curled up with his head on my shoulder, peaceful and warm..... and he is ours.... permanently. On occasion I see him looking into the woods with a very intent look on his little face and I just have to wonder exactly what he is remembering..... wish he could talk.


I want to thank everyone involved for their prayers (I know in the end prayers saved Barley) and thank you to all of the nice people that were watching over him. I thank my wonderful friends for riding along and I mostly want to thank Margaret and Emmaneul for opening their home during Christmas to so many strangers..... That is the true spirit of Christmas that not one person involved will soon forget, including Little Barley........

KHIA

Khia's Story

1-25-10-UPDATE~ Khia is a sweet girl and is doing well, although she is heartworm positive, her future is very bright. She will soon be treated, once negative she will be spayed and then the search for her forever home will take place... Thank you everyone for covering the vetting expenses her foster incurred, it is very much appreciated. 1-4-09~Khia is in desperate need of donations to get her to safety... her story is long and tangled but to make a long story short, she has defied death 3 times in the last 3 months and we desperately need help paying the vet bills she has accumulated since her foster took her in... Her savior was a volunteer temperament tester who saw through the "breed" that has no chance at the kill shelter and fought for her until a rescue was found. We are that rescue and we need you! Thank you in advance.

Our Featured Pet...

Ellie

Pretty Ellie was dumped at a high kill rural shelter and left to die. She was a matted and stinky and very very depressed girl! She has been cleaned, bathed and brushed and is a beautiful girl. Ellie is housebroke and faithful, following you from place to place just enjoying being with her person. She is good with everyone and everything.... adults, kids, cats and dogs.... she is the perfect companion. I cannot believe someone could have thrown this sweetie away. Please consider giving Ellie a home.

NEWS

January 2010 - We are now on facebook!



Jan10 - We want to thank all of the families who have adopted from us the last couple months, we could not keep going without you! We would love to start a foster program, if you would be interested in fostering please let us know, it would help immensely and it could be the difference in life or death to a rescue dog. We are having to say no to wonderful dogs who are on Euth lists......... Please be patient with us in answering emails, we are extremely full and have very little extra time. Please understand, we CANNOT answer every little question that is emailed to us, ... we do not have time to converse back and forth although we will try our hardest to answer any questions that aren't answered in profiles. We cannot send more pics, there are pics posted on profiles and those have to be sufficient. ************ We very much appreciate all the kind emails and the donations that have come to us lately, we very much understand that times are hard and it is a much bigger thing to donate money and supplies in such a bad economy, we so much appreciate every penny.... most donations at this time are being used to purchase dog food or vaccines. Thank you again. **********

THUMBELINA - Please read her story....UPDATED

12-22-09-Little Bitty Thumbelina passed away peacefully in her sleep last night, curled up in a bed with 2 of her buddies here.....her family, who opened their home to special needs doggies, was already making plans to come pick her up this very day. We will never understand all of the why's, so many unanswered questions. Little Thumbelina surely deserved to be treated like a princess, not thrown away as she was. We only hope that her time here in our rescue was a happy one for her and that she is now at peace..... We were blessed to have shared her last couple months here on earth, we will never forget her cute silliness and her absolute love of food! (= Thank you everyone who inquired about, prayed for, donated to and cared about her.....Rest In Peace Baby Girl...... 11-11-09- Thumbelina has been with us for a little over a month now, we are not sure of the little girl's breed or her past, she is such a tiny tiny girl (maybe 2 lbs) with such a sweet and gentle demeanor. We think that she is at a minimum 13 years old and not sure but she could be even older. She was found in the middle of 4 lane highway and ended up in a kill shelter..... She can't hear very well out of one ear and she has one eye that most likely needs surgically removed. She also needs dental work before infection sets in within her mouth and we are desperately going to need donations to help her. We have putting all vetting off so she could recover from the respiratory virus that comes from the shelter, she is now doing very well in that area. Thumbelina appears to either have nerve damage from a previous ear infection or possibly stroke damage (I think that it was a previous untreated ear infection) and she always carries her head at a tilt..... unfortunately that is the same side her eye and ear is damaged on so we do wonder if all of the damage was from the same thing. Thumbelina is so cute and so sweet that you just want to hug her for hours! Thumbelina loves to follow you wherever you go, loves her supper, loves to cuddle and can melt you with her little head tilt and gentle face.... her wagging tail makes us believe that she is a candidate for help and shouldn't be given up on due to her age. We are seeking donations for her and we would be very happy to find a home for her! We do believe she deserves that and would love to find a selfless family that would give her the vetting she needs and a quiet retirement without all of the commotion that we have here. Please consider either adopting Thumbelina or helping with her vetting.... Thank you so much for reading her story!

WHO WE ARE

Sacred Hearts Animal Rescue is a small, home based, non-profit rescue. We are here because we love the dogs and we have seen many, many sweet, gentle, adoptable dogs in our county dog pound die unnecessarily, either of illness or from euthanization because they were just so full they just couldn't hold anymore. My husband and I volunteered at the local dog pound until I was haunted so horribly by all the innocent, pleading eyes that I knew I had to do something. I am an experienced rescuer, I have been fostering, nursing, vetting and adopting out animals for the majority of my 20 adult years. As a child I rescued, anything from orphaned or abused puppies, kittens or rabbits. My heart goes out to those Sacred Hearts of Innocence who have no choice but to live in a mans world and by mans rules.... no matter how unfair. Our rescues here are loved as our own while they wait on their forever homes, and we are also a Sanctuary, so if due to health issues or other issues an animal cannot be placed, they are free to live their life out with us, peacefully. We are truly a RESCUE, we aren't breed specific, rather we are need specific, and nomally we do not take owner turn ins.....on the occasion that we do take a litter of puppies from an owner, we require the owner to allow us to take your mommy and daddy to our vet and have them spayed/neutered. NEVER give your pet away unless it is to a reputable rescue! We, as a general rule, rescue the ones whose time is almost up or are too ill to be adopted out, we nurse them and love them and prepare them for their forever homes. We evaluate their needs, likes and dislikes and this all comes into play when you fill out your application for adoption. Our goal is for your home to be the FOREVER home, not just another stop on the already rough journey that these innocents have been on. THANK YOU FOR ADOPTING A HOMELESS PET.

PLEASE SIGN OUR GUESTBOOK

WE DO NOT SUPPORT BREED SPECIFIC LEGISLATION ~ BSL ~ PLEASE EDUCATE YOURSELF AND STAND AGAINST THOSE WHO ARE TRYING TO ERADICATE A WONDERFUL, LOYAL AND LOVING BREED OF DOG DUE TO THE INGNORANCE AND ABUSE OF SOME OWNERS. PLEASE STAND UNTIL THE TRUE CRIMINAL IS PUNISHED, NOT THE INNOCENT DOG DOING HIS OWNERS WILL.

Our dogs love to sleep on Kuranda Dog beds, but we don't have enough for everyone. If you would like to donate a bed at a special wholesale price for a another dog to sleep in comfort, please donate a Kuranda dog bed.

How You Can Help

At this time we are requesting all donations to be towards our vet bill, please make checks payable to Brown County Vet Services and send them to our P.O. Box listed at the bottom of the page.... Thank you so much for your support!

There are many ways in which you can help the many shelter babies here at Sacred Hearts Animal Rescue. We are always in need of food (we feed pedigree dog food and purina puppy chow), kennels, dog houses, towels, bleach and TOYS, we never have enough toys! Our rescues love nylabone toys. We appreciate any and all donations and so do the many displaced shelter babies that reside here. If you are interested in donating anything, big or small, please contact us. If you would like to sponsor a shelter baby, please click the donate button below and be sure to specify who you would like to sponsor when you donate. Thank you so much for supporting our rescue and all of the homeless babies that reside with us.

SPECIAL THANKS

We want to thank several special Angels for their continuing support of our rescue....... Dr Jenny Cowdrey for her continual support of our rescue, we absolutely couldn't keep going without such a wonderful veterinarian and staff!........... Brenda & Ed for your continuous donations to and prayers for our rescue. The treats, toys and nylabones are always enjoyed and you have helped save so many dogs with the vaccines, meds and food that your donations have provided and for being a Foster Mom for our Missy.......... Cyd Paugh for her continual support with regular donations, kennels, crates, beds and treats (and for her 2 adoptions!), you have helped make the rescues here comfortable and happy and have enabled us to rescue more with the kennel/crate space!........Patty Reynolds for the donations she has been sending to help the puppies............ Anja & Alan Shepherd for their wonderful donations of money, treats, blankets, toys (and their 2 adoptions) and Anja for her awesome, selfless contribution of running in the Flying Pig Marathon for our rescue! THANK YOU ANJA! Mostly thank you to all of the wonderful ADOPTERS! Without your kind hearts and willingness to open your homes to our rescues we would have no reason to exist and so many babies would die unnecessarily, we are forever grateful to each and every one of you.

WHY WE REQUIRE AN ADOPTION FEE

In order to continue rescuing and to feed and house the dogs/puppies that we save we have to charge an adoption fee. We are not gaining profit from this fee in any way. We are feeding, vetting, medicating and caring for many dogs that are homeless and none of this is free to us, it is all out of our pockets. Except, of course, on the occasion that someone does donate food/bedding/money etc, which we are always so very thankful for. Please try to understand that in order to keep rescuing, and hopefully if you are on our site you do care about homeless animals, we absolutely have to charge an adoption fee, so please don't question this. When you donate an adoption fee you are actually helping save another dog or house and feed one that still isn't fortunate enough to have already found their forever home, you are not "buying" the dog or puppy that you are taking home with you.

OUT OF STATE ADOPTIONS

We do allow out of state adoptions into stable, loving and permanent adoptive homes. You will be checked thoroughly and we will work with a rescue local to you to do a homecheck. We also will fly a puppy or dog to their destination at your expense, this ranges from $300 to $600. We will not fly any of our rescues to a state that requires connecting flights, if it is not straight we will not allow it. We will also work with rescue transports anytime that they are available. We do prefer that the family and all pets travel to us to meet their new family member before taking going home with them. We do thank all of the wonderful families that have traveled so many miles to pick up their new family members!

BREED GUARANTEES

We, at Sacred Hearts Animal Rescue, cannot guarantee the breed of the dog/puppy you are applying to adopt. We go by what the shelter has it listed as, as well as what we see when they arrive here or what the previous owners have informed us or the shelter of as far as breed is concerned. We cannot guarantee size, temperament, weight at adulthood or any other features that nature controls. WE WILL NEVER misrepresent a breed to find an adopter, it is not that important to have an adoption. It is only important that everyone, especially the rescued dog/puppy, to have a happy, loving forever home and that everyone is pleased in the end. We rarely have purebred puppies and even more rarely do we know who both parents are or who the many fathers of any given litter of puppies could be. Please don't expect 100% accuracy in this area, ever. If you absolutely have to have a purebred, you should look into the many purebred rescues and hopefully you will be able to find the exact dog/puppy you are looking for. Once again, we cannot guarantee the breeds or breed mixes of any of our rescues.

WHY ADOPT INSTEAD OF BUYING A NEW PUPPY????

I DREAMT OF YOU

I dreamt of you last night,
Safe and warm for once in my life
You were cuddling me and holding me tight
This dream of you made me want for my life to fight
I awoke this morning and you weren't here
But I can still feel you and I know you must be near

I dreamt of you again last night
For you I fetched a ball and lost at a tug of war fight
So happy I was to be free and full of health
To feel your love, yes I knew this was the true meaning of wealth
Yet I awoke again this morning and you still weren't here
But just like yesterday I know you must be near

I dreamt of you again last night
This night was harder though, I am so afraid I'm losing the fight
My small body is wasting and I am so sick
I'm afraid I won't make it unless you come rescue me quick
I can still feel you, I know you must be near
I cry for you now so maybe you will hear

I did not sleep at all last night
I have no energy left for the fight
My littermates are dying in this place called the pound
And I know tomorrow the warden Is forced to make his round
The old and feeble and sick shall go
I will be chosen, for this I already know
I cry for you softly, I thought you were near
But now I truly doubt if you even care to hear

My night was long, I am suffering so
When the warden carries me out, I am ready to go
He gently tells me I am sorry for your fate
You are a beautiful puppy, and for this I hate
I must end your suffering, for this is the rule
The one you dreamt of must have been a fool

Today you will start your day as you always do
Never caring how many times that I dreamt of you
Never knowing what a wonderful companion I could have been
If only the purebred puppy in the newspaper did not win
You thought of rescuing, but you bought instead
For this decision I now am dead

Written by Mary Bevens~Sacred Hearts Animal Rescue & Sanctuary
In memory of all the wonderful shelter dogs/puppies that die daily in the US due to irresponsible breeding.

ADOPTING A FRIEND

For the safety and happiness of our rescues, we do require an application be filled out and a contract to be signed. We only want one thing for each rescue that resides here and that is a WONDERFUL FOREVER home....and we feel we have the responsiblity to find that for them, with no exceptions. If you are sincerely interested in adopting one of our shelter babies, please copy & paste the adoption application below into an email, fill it out and email it back to us. We will review your application and contact you as soon as we possibly can. Please understand that we are a home-based rescue, and for the safety of our family we will not provide our address to anyone who is not an approved adopter with a completed application on file. Thank you for your interest in our rescues.

Our application is meant to be a tool to help us determine the suitability of a dog for a particular family. Some may not be suitable for small children, whereas some may need to be placed in a home with children because of their deep love for them. Some may need to be placed where there are other family dogs because they do best with canine friends. I thank you for inquiring on our rescues, they are all special and need special homes where they can enjoy the rest of their life with love and companionship. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CONSIDERING A SHELTER BABY!

INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED OR ANSWERED..

SACRED HEARTS ANIMAL RESCUE & SANCTUARY ADOPTION APPLICATION

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT IF YOU ADOPT A PUPPY TOO YOUNG TO BE SPAYED/NEUTERED, YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO HAVE THIS SURGERY PERFORMED BY THE AGE OF 6 MONTHS. ALL PUPPIES/DOGS OVER 12 WKS. WILL BE SPAYED/NEUTERED BEFORE GOING TO THEIR FOREVER HOMES.

Thank you again for considering a Shelter Baby

937-779-2042

Sacred Hearts Animal Rescue
Winchester, OH 45697

TO REACH US BY MAIL:
Sacred Hearts Animal Rescue
P.O. Box 3
Decatur, OH 45115
Email: forsacredhearts@gmail.com
Click here for a list of pets at this shelter

---

[Home] [Information] [Shelters] [Search]