New York All Breed Rescue and Referral

In Loving Memory of Phoebe...You Are My Heart.

[Little Phebe forever changed my life it is in honor of her that I do rescue.]

Phoebe was a breeder dog in a puppy mill located in the Selden area of Long Island, NY. She was kept for years before the S.P.C.A. rescued her, along with other dogs, in a cage so small (only 2.5 square feet!) she could neither stand upright on her back legs or turn around. Two to three other dogs were jammed in the cage with her at times where they were forced to stand, painfully, on chicken wire flooring.

From six months old until the time she was rescued Phoebe was kept constantly pregnant and raising puppies. She was emaciated (I could stick my fingers in-between her ribs), and had urine and feces rain down on her and her puppies from cages stacked on top of each other. She was kept in a filthy, damp basement with 200 other dogs in cages who were fed slop kept in a big barrel (when they got fed, that is). The SPCA office said it was once of the worst cases she had ever seen.

She never saw the sunlight, never saw the outdoors, never felt grass under her paws and never learned to play. She was afraid of the rain, the wind, people..just about everything. When I'd go to pick her up she would go limp, roll her eyes back in her head and become catatonic. The vet said she had never seen a more depressed and withdrawn dog.

After being rescued, she had to be taught how to play, learn it was ok to bark and just be a dog. I would play certain games with her to exercise her legs in order to build up the muscles because after living in a cage all her life she had muscle atrophy and could hardly walk.

Phoebe lost an eye in this concentration camp and her other eye had a detached retina. She was abused and traumatized and they all left their scars. In addition to the psychological problems she had major medical ones as well. She had heart disease, recurring staph infections, inflammatory bowel disease, glaucoma, cataracts, skin problems, most of her teeth had crumpled and fallen out from malnutrition and calcium depletion from constant nursing. She had two surgeries to remove canine teeth and when taken out they had no roots on them. She lumbered like a raccoon instead of walking like a normal dog. He feet were splayed, her legs bowed and when walking they gave out at times. She was so filthy when I got her that it took multiple baths to clean her and her color went from gray to buff, white and silver. Her ears were black inside and she smelled terrible. I couldn't go near the back end of her as she growled and snapped at me in fear, all from being forcibly mated and held down. She lived less than half a normal lifetime because of the suffering she endured.

Once rescued and out of harms way her life was still not easy and Phoebe received ongoing medical attention with thousands of dollars of veterinary care and treatment because of the many years of abuse, neglect and basic lack of care she lived through. She is a true testament of what unconditional love, strength, faith, forgiveness and the will to live is all about.

The beauty of it all, even though she was only with me 3 years, is that she grew into the most gentle, sweet, loving spirit. She gained weight, was no longer withdrawn, and loved children (especially my neice, they were best buddies) and her most favorite thing to do was play. She would get all excited and bark up a storm when I came home, so happy to see me. She was a wonderful companion and great company and I feel extremely fortunate to have had her and known her. She was a star in the neighborhood and greatly loved by all who knew her. She was truly a special soul who taught me so much.

Even though she is gone now and I will always miss her I feel at peace knowing that when she left this earth she was happy and knew love. She was an amazing animal and very special not only to me but to all who knew and loved her. Thank you, Little Phoebe, you are my heart. I miss you every day...