A lovely day....and the Bakersfield 4

It was a Bill Withers Lovely Day today. I got the pleasure of driving out to spend the day with the Bakersfield kids, Cardi B, Rza and Sza and brother, Apollo tha' Dog! What a gift and how lucky I am they came into my life. These four little broken souls are putting that awful past behind them and learning to be dogs, to smell the green grass and feel the warm sunshine on their coats. Everywhere is blue blue sky and it's so healing. They are in a wonderful place. A place where only love is allowed and real good food thanks to Healthy Pet Tomlinson's and Pet Wants. I wonder if the people at these awesome pet stores know the joy and good healing they are giving these dogs. Thank you so much.

After I got the food unloaded, I got to sit for a moment and catch up with my good friend Angela. She is the proprietor of the rescue where they're boarded. Angela has dedicated her life to saving dogs nobody else would give a chance to. There are so many animals who have great lives today thanks to her. She doesn't have 'angel' in her name by accident. And Ruben. These four adore him. He was busy doing electrical and plumbing work around the sanctuary today and every time he walked by, they dropped what they were doing to say 'hey!' Dogs have a long memory and Ruben is their soulmate for life. 

I sat quietly with them. They're still not quite used to me, so being still and quiet and letting them get to know me is my job. We have all the time in the world. I brought some really really good expensive peanut butter treats and also some Valentine tiny Milk Bones that were the bomb. The girl's really chomped on those and then they were like, 'ok, we'll give those ritzy peanut butter ones a try.' For the life of me, I couldn't get Apollo to take a treat. You know how dogs take something you offer them and don't really want it? He would take one in his mouth to be polite. I could tell. And he'd keep dropping it in the dirt. Finally, the peanut butter ones were soft, so I squished one in my palm and offered it to him. He began to lick it and I could tell he really liked it. When it was gone, I squished another one and he went to licking that one, too until it was gone. And again. Then it hit me. And I was sad. Apollo had never been offered a treat in his life. He didn't know what they even were. All he'd knows was meanness and beatings. I gave him a big hug and told him he could have all the cookies he wanted. All of them could. Just hold off a little until spay and neuter, so the price won't go up for the extra pounds. To help them with moving past their trauma and the torture they endured, my order from Robert McDowell arrived just in time. Two bottles of Animal Botanical arrived just in time for me to bring with me. There's enough for them to each get one dropperful into their food at night. The stuff is amazing and I get it for every incoming dog with issues to overcome.

Here are the photos from the most glorious day. I can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Or better company. Again, I am super blessed. 

And please sign up for the new Reunion Rescue newsletter - organizing to #savelives just like the Bakersfield 4. 

 

 

Then I look at you
And the world's alright with me
Just one look at you
And I know it's gonna be
A lovely day 

 

 

 

 

Protest circus in Bastrop, Texas

 PROTEST Carson and Barnes Circus coming to Bastrop Tuesday April 19!!! "Carson and Barnes Circus in Bastrop County for one day only!! Join us at Mayfest Park (25 American Legion Dr.) on Tuesday, April 19th. Shows at 4:30pm & 7:30pm."

Facebook page to BAN CARSON AND BARNES CIRCUS:

https://www.facebook.com/Ban-The-Carson-and-Barnes-Circus-142879955803087/?fref=nf


"A 2015 USDA inspection report for the Carson & Barnes Circus facility in Hugo, Oklahoma questions veterinary oversight and reveals compromised welfare of three elephants, a llama, and a pygmy hippo. One elephant and the hippo are now dead.

Nina was photographed during the inspection chained in the barn (above – photo obtained from January 5, 2015 USDA Inspection Report). The circus called Nina a “beloved family member,” but the troubling report reveals a different story. The USDA inspector described Nina as “thin” since 2013 and “emaciated” since losing 500 pounds in the past 7-8 months, 8.7% of her body weight. Nina died four months later in May.

A pygmy hippo named Katie also died while in Carson & Barnes care. The 2015 report questioning veterinary oversight and documentation at the facility noted Katie had also been “losing weight and not doing well while traveling for exhibition” in May 2014, but found no records to show treatment was given. Katie was “found dead” 6 months later.

The report also describes Bandit, a llama, having such “excessively overgrown hooves” that his toes curved to the side; a condition the inspector noted “can lead to chronic problems in the feet and legs.”

The report questions certain unprescribed, unapproved treatment given 2 elderly elephants – Opal and Rosie – by a person neither accredited nor trained by vets to perform it.

Prior ADI investigations include undercover video of Carson & Barnes elephants being hit with bullhooks and shocked with stun guns. It also reveals Isa the elephant giving children rides days after she aggressively attacked her trainer and another elephant. See ADI’s Out of Control video here."

"We'll Never Forget the Cries of Becky the Elephant as Tim Frisco screamed "sink that f* hook in 'em"!"

Sign and share the PETITION demanding an end to circus abuse and suffering.
http://www.stopcircussuffering.com/news/usa/usda-inspection-report-reveals-animal-tragedy-at-carson-barnes-circus/

Reunion Rescue and Pit Bulls and Other Animals advocate 24/7 to save lives. Visit us online and learn how to feed, treat and train animals holistically.

We offer a free copy of Pit Bull Nation to every rescuer! We believe every dog can be saved!

Austin, TX: Chained dog in terrible situation and no one will help

A kind neighbor of this abused pet is begging authorities for help. The neighbor's dog is chained on a

heavy chain out of distance from water. He has been licking the puddled water on debris left in the yard in an effort to try and cure his thirst.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jot7t4mhywgdiil/20140225_093411.mp4 

Heavy tow chained abused dog in Austin, Texas

The neighbor never sees the animal being fed, much less petted, walked, cared for. She has called animal control over and over and finally "The Deputy that showed-up on 2/21/2014, for my third call to "311", was Sheriff Deputy Tony Alvarado. He gave me Case Number: 14-4382. He stated he would have the case assigned and also have Travis County Animal Control contacted."

 "I have reached out over-and-over to help this dog get the proper care or be put out of its' misery. No one will help. EVERYONE, including my closest friends turn the other cheek and tell me to stay out of it. I CANNOT CONSCIOUSLY IGNORE THIS. As of 2 weeks ago, the Owner of this neglected and sickly dog has decided to invest in landscape materials. NOT A FENCE THOUGH!!!

The dog has been relocated to the other end of the backyard and still tethered. I was waiting it out to see if this guy was actually investing into his beautiful yard to accommodate the needs of his family dog, but NO, NOTHING as of yet!

The gate I provided to him almost a year ago is now wedged in the privacy as if he is giving it back to me. I do not understand why this is allowed anywhere!!! What is it I need to do to get anyone's attention when animals are being mistreated??? I wish I had a hotline to the WhiteHouse to give a piece of my mind.

Better yet, live satellite feed until people come to their senses and pull their selfish heads out of their asses!!! At this point, I do NOT want "REPLIES", just "RESULTS"!!! I apologize in advance for any offensive yelling and/or statements..."

"Thank you for the information, your help and advise. I have attached what videos & pics I have. The two video links are from back in September I believe. Please let me know if you have any trouble viewing them. Calling Travis County to come out has not worked so far. It will also cause problems for me; as I am the neighbor.

 I am also afraid my calling the law a third time may put my dogs in danger by upsetting these people, but I cannot sit here and watch this poor dog suffer anymore. It is out there chewing on its' water bucket begging for at least water.

The address I listed in the Subject Line is where this dog is."

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7jdpo3dsmqam08q/2013-10-24%2019.41.20.mp4 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xeej3vxpdxjqrax/2013-10-24%2019.31.06.mp4 

This good person has watched this dog chained and miserable during heavy thunderstorms, extreme freezing, heat waves without any help.

Please call Austin Animal Center

(512) 978-0500

Reference CASE # 14-4382

Tethering is ILLEGAL in Travis County...please report!

Peninsula Humane Society to kill abused dog today!

The Peninsula Humane Society which operates in San Mateo, California is also the county dog pound. This means they are contracted with San Mateo County to impound abuse cases like this beautiful pittie pictured in the back of a pick up truck.

Reunion Rescue received this urgent plea from the concern citizen who discovered this mistreated boy.

"This poor doggy is at the Peninsula Humane Society San Mateo, ID number A562798.

The PHS SPCA scheduled his euthanasia TOMORROW Saturday 8 February!"

"This poor doggy was tethered in a pick up truck for more than 24 hours with no water, no food and feces all around."

"I decided to call PHS SPCA, they came the same day & pounded him."

"I called them many times & I went there to have some updates but they told me that this is under an investigation, so no more info were given to me."

And 15 days later, I was told that the owner did not showed up and that the dog has bad behavior and is now schedule to be put down.

I feel so guilty and I do believe that this dog needs a second chance!"

"We have a dog trainer ready to evaluate the dog and train him if possible to be adoptable; we just need a RESCUE GROUP 501C3 willing to give him a chance so that we can evaluate him and be sure!"

This dog's ID number is A562798. Peninsula Humane Society doesn't publish their impounded pets on Pet Harbor so the public has no idea how many are being killed without the opportunity for proper assessment and rehabilitation.

Reunion Rescue only hears of these animals when a member of the public like this concerned citizen reaches out.

Please help us spread the word to help this dog. His Facebook post is on our Reunion Rescue Facebook page. Please share your comments and suggestions.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153826707360195&set=o.181447555206590&type=1&theater

There are only 6 available pit bull mixes at the lavish facility in which the director Ken White makes nearly a half million a year with huge perks like the lush Burlingame mansion he lives in.

This dog will die today if we as a community do not step up to save his life.

Peninsula Humane Society
650-340-7022
12 Airport Blvd.
San Mateo CA 94401
https://www.facebook.com/PHSSPCA

Former worker reports brutality at Spindletop Refuge

The Spindletop Morgan Building after death of 39 dogs

Each day, a former worker at Spindletop Refuge is coming forward with reports of horrible brutality and abuse at the Willis, Texas facility still open and boarding dogs.

In the agreement with Montgomery County, Leah Purcell was allowed to continue working with animals by running her boarding facility. How can anyone be allowed to even handle an animal after nearly three hundred dogs were removed and in deplorable conditions.

A former worker whose name is being withheld to protect their anonymity and to insure safety from retaliation has stepped forward to try and help those people who placed dogs for care and boarding at Spindletop.

Just a paid hourly employee at Spindletop, this person became overwhelmed by the conditions at Spindletop and did not know where to turn. "Whenever there were medical issues with the dogs, Louise would send April back there and supposedly check them out."

"I can tell you that April was their go-to guy. She has powerful information about the history of that place. All three of them were habitual liars.  I could never do anything to hurt a dog or animal of any kind and it broke my heart for the whole time I was working there. But I can say that I did help a lot of the dog's in certain ways that would not have come about without me constantly making recommendations for them."

The employee attempted to aid the investigation after the raid in hopes of helping to reunite some of the surviving near 300 which were sequestered at Montgomery County Fairgrounds. The employee attempted to contact investigators and never received a reply. Several of the dogs on Spindletop Missing and Dead Dogs Facebook page have been positively identified as dogs who perished in the Morgan Building due to horrific conditions and no cooling in the middle of a hot East Texas summer.

"I actually have some of my own concerns about how the investigation began. I was in the back of the property where about 200 out of the 300 were housed and we were about two hours into working the dogs. When all of a sudden a hand full of cops and h/s (Humane Society) came to collect all the workers.'

'While about twelve dogs were out in the outside runs with full sun exposed in mid-July. I had to argue with the the officers that these dogs could not be left in the hot sun for extended amounts of time. After putting my foot down and refusing to cooperate until the dog's were housed out of the sun did they let me put them back in their arranged crates."

Recently recovered texts from April Longhurst, the longtime right-hand attendant of Leah Purcell and Spindletop, have disclosed information about a 'farrier' who was taking truckloads of dogs and killing them.

"April held so many secret's of that place . I alway's felt that April knew deep dark secrets of Spindletop, due to the way she carried herself around the place and the way she talked to Leah's mother Louise when they argued.

Since the raid and seizure, Spindletop Missing and Dead Dogs Facebook page has been searching for answers so that those who entrusted dogs at Spindletop could find closure. Many of these people attempted to communicate with Spindletop attorney Zandra Anderson, but have come away hurt and with their questions unanswered. 

This good person has offered to help those who still have unanswered questions about their dogs. Some of the dogs whose pictures have been recognized on Facebook are 'Nero, Delilah, Dewy, Lucky, Ava, George, Buster, Bridgett, Fawn, Grace, Tyson, Rayford, Holly, Dude, Glorianna, Momma, Kenny, Scarlett, Stricker...' all who are believed to have perished in the Morgan Building.

It's become doubtful that the individuals who harbored these secrets while cruelly teasing the only people who cared about these dogs will ever be punished. So much evil surrounds this entire case that it becomes difficult to list all the criminal activity. Pit bulls and other animals will continue to follow the goings on at 11797 Calvary Road and hope for the day that justice will be done for the hundreds and hundreds who suffered and died there.

Liars, lawyers, death, abuse: the dog killers of Spindletop

Abuse at Spindletop

It's been nearly a year and a half since nearly 300 dogs were confiscated from the horror hotel known as 'Spindletop Refuge.' Not one of the 'players' have been punished for their gruesome behavior, however, one person has stepped forward to try and help the many who entrusted animals to the torture den masquerading as a shelter.

Anyone who hasn't heard of Leah Purcell and the operation known as Spindletop Refuge can still read about the operation on the web under a new moniker Texas Canine-Equine Solutions. The site promotes "connecting people with their animal loved ones for 27 years," but that promise didn't come true for Reunion Rescue's Stella.

Although told that Stella had 'been adopted to a wonderful woman in Dallas,' Reunion Rescue asked repeatedly for contact information for the 'wonderful woman in Dallas.' Each day, Leah Purcell had a new reason for being unable to furnish the information. Her computer was broken, misplaced the application and a million other excuses, all of them lies. Although Reunion Rescue has an especially strict foster to adopt program, Purcell found a way to navigate as only a slick criminal and con-artist can do.

The failing Reunion Rescue had as did hundreds, if not thousands, of others was to believe the garbage printed about the place.....all lies. For years, Leah Purcell fooled a lot of us. She fooled Best Friends, Montgomery County Shelter, courts of law where Purcell was called to testify as an expert witness. For years, Leah Purcell and Spindletop were considered the end-all be-all of animal rescue and rehabilitation. My crime was in wanting to believe she cared as much about the dogs as I did. I believe others fell under the same spell of this witch as I did, hoping there was a fairy tale future for the many innocent dogs we placed in her care.

With a slick South Texas law school lawyer, Zandra Anderson, who bills herself as 'Texas Dog Lawyer' to run interference, Leah Purcell never did a day of time for her criminal activity. Anderson has led trusting parties to believe she had knowledge of their dogs.

Zandra Anderson's voluminous lists of falsified claims in an effort to have me fired from the Examiner:

http://freepdfhosting.com/95ca1a0cbe.pdf


http://freepdfhosting.com/6766727fe4.pdf 

"Since Zandra was the only positive hope we had been given, we were terribly afraid to offend her, for fear that she would retaliate by having -------- killed.  Yes, after what Leah had done with Zandra's knowledge, we had no confidence that Zandra would act with good conscience toward us or toward any of the dogs.  Our preference would have been to tread very softly until we could return again to Conroe and to the Spindletop facility at Willis to have another and closer look to search for our Scarlett.

Of course, we subsequently made two such additional trips, without success.  And finally Zandra refused to correspond with us any further."

Many others have stepped forward on the Facebook page Spindletop Missing and Dead Dogs with their own recollections in trying to find out what happened to pets boarded at Spindletop. Many had been told, as Reunion Rescue had, that their dogs 'had been adopted by a wonderful family right down the road.' As more and more people began to share their stories, one got the feeling Wendy Torrance had when she first got her hands on Jack Nicholson's work-in-progress and realized she was dealing with a homicidal maniac. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," written over and over hundreds of times in his manuscript. In our case, the story 'your dog was adopted by a lovely couple down the road' was the story so many of us were fed. 

Reunion Rescue's Stella who was killed at Spindletop

Zandra Anderson has issued multiple falsified documents to the Examiner in an effort to stop me from telling people what happened at Spindletop. I published these complaints in an effort to inform the public so other innocent dogs do not suffer at whatever Spindletop is being called now, Texas Equine Canine Solutions where a recent tour of the grounds revealed dogs in crates on dirt floors to one unsuspecting potential customer. 

A former worker has contacted me about Stella. It seems Zandra was actually telling the truth about one small thing. Stella was not killed in the Morgan Building. Instead, "I know for a fact that Stella WAS NOT in the Morgan Building the day the ac quit working, because she was housed in the very back of the property in the largest building which I worked every day."

"I am sorry to be the one to have to tell you this , but Stella did pass away about a month before the raid took place .. I began to notice Stella loosing weight at a very high rate and was reporting to Louise Purcell daily that she needed to have proper medical attention . She never was looked at by a professional, and passed away about three week's after first sign's of her issues."

Visored Anderson stoutly negotiates with officials during the raid

According to Zandra Anderson's sworn and published 'statement, 'FALSE. Marabito alleges that Zandra Anderson 'stood on the grounds where our dogs like Reunion Rescue's Stella were buried." Not only is this false, Marabito has been told that this dog was not involved in any such incident, and this dog did not belong to Reunion Rescue as suggested.'

This statement among some 40 to 50 other false claims by Anderson in trying to clear her client of animal abuse and killing by having me fired from the Examiner. In her claims, Zandra Anderson accuses me of being 'dangerous,' 'vulgar,' 'obscene,' besides accusing me of making up the Spindletop story as 'you know or have reason to know is false, misleading or fraudulent.' My question is this. What could be more fraudulent or obscene than killing and hurting innocent animals one has been paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to protect and lying about it? Even going so far as to lead caring people on by dangling notions of their abused and killed dogs before them like a deranged kook might tease a starving dog with a morsel of food.

Spindletop Missing and Dead Dogs Facebook page is filled with stories about animals taken to Spindletop and entrusted to these monsters. If these had been children instead of dogs cast off by society, would Montgomery County allow Leah Purcell to continue her business on Calvary Road? Rumors have recently surfaced about Purcell moving to 'Marble Falls with her boyfriend' to start up a new facility.

Craig Malisow's excellent piece "No Sanctuary at Spindletop," frightening tales of animal abuse, burning dogs alive and beating animals with hammers by sex offenders ends with a dark promise by Purcell. "Purcell, he said, chalked it up to a simple "misunderstanding." He said Purcell told him something even stranger: I'll get my dogs back."

The former worker who has stepped forward recalls, "One day out of the blue about a month before the raid a guy showed up on the property driving a very large U-haul truck . He was a very odd individual and when I first met him I asked so will you be working the dogs with us? And he replied that he could not divulge the reason for his being there." 

"I noticed that the back of the truck he drove was lock with a padlock. I wanted to see what was in the back. Him, April, and the Purcells were up to something very secretive and only moved and did whatever it was they were doing at nighttime." 

Suspicion of a 'strange man from Louisiana' hauling off 'truckloads of dogs to be shot' have been voiced by more than one party. Was this 'U-haul' man the same character? There are so many questions left unanswered. Where are the dogs in the Spindletop Missing and Dead Dogs photo album? The ones not accounted for by Montgomery County and the Humane Society? 

Why is the IRS so lenient about the hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of dollars paid to James Brewer by myself and other animal rescuers who sent dogs to be boarded at Spindletop? Was that money taxed? Zandra Anderson runs her own 'charity' promising to 

Anderson in her many untruthful claims, states, "the refuge took in dogs that were owned, then the owner relinquished any ownership rights in the placement." Does this statement account for the many suspected of being loaded up on a strange man's U-haul with a padlock at night, never to be seen again? 

We'll probably never know the answer to these questions as only 'April and the Purcells' were involved in the dirty dealings. Until we have answers, the Facebook page Spindletop Missing and Dead Dogs will go on searching. Stella's photograph will remain forever on Reunion Rescue's website as a tribute and a memory. Zandra Anderson's falsified statement to the Examiner that Stella is claimed to be in Austin and 'begging for donations on a dog she contends is dead.' The great crime for any human is to hurt the animals that were placed in their care.

Zandra Anderson knows a thing or two about fundraising as she raises donations without benefit of a non profit for an outfit called 'Texas Dog Commission,' which promises to 'defeat bsl in Texas.' The emblem above Anderson's Paypal donation button reads 'the advocate for dogs & their owners.' How much of a donation would it take for us to find out where all the missing dogs went on those late night U-haul rides?

One thing is for sure. I, for one, will continue to write about and search for answers surrounding the abused and killed animals at Spindletop. Those who had a hand in hurting Stella and the other many animals at Spindletop might be going on with their lives, but I am going to be watching and waiting, even if it takes forever. That is a promise.

Three dumped dogs in Georgia being saved by evicted animal lovers

Helping animals is a daily mission. This story came across our Facebook page and that face reminded me of so many I've been blessed to know. 

This one looks so much like Wylie in California who very long ago was 'Sluggo,' a dog we had to take from an abusive situation. 

Wylie is now and has been for many years the 'son' of a vegan couple in Vallejo, Todd and Darren. Wylie was very blessed to have been saved by Todd and Darren and is now a cherished senior citizen and beloved member of the family as every companion animal should be.

Please read and share these 'dumped' dogs and their story.

"Liberty County, GA~~ The ladies who have been trying to take care of these DUMPED dogs have both lost their jobs and are being evicted. They have to clear the premises in 2 weeks; therefore, we are I desperate need of foster spaces and funds for these 3 dogs. 

The 2 red dogs are mother and daughter and were found living in a drainage pipe... As you can see, their bodies are wrecked with demodectic mange and their eyes are infected. Momma dog is approximately 3 years old, very sweet and smiles with big wrinkles when she approaches or is approached. She is very friendly and gets along with other dogs. She is approximately 45 pounds, medium sized and though she is also suffering from Demodex, it is not an extreme case. We expect her to be heart worm positive. Her daughter also gets along with other dogs but is shy around humans. She does allow for petting and she would easily come out of her shyness in a positive environment; however, her Demodex is extreme and it will take some time to clear up. She is only about a year old; therefore, we are praying that she is heart worm negative or very light positive. 

The third dog, Wilbur, just recently showed up on the property and even though the ladies can hardly afford to take care of themselves, they have started taking care of him, too. We believe him to be mixed with Yellow Lab and possibly Bulldog. He is extremely friendly with other dogs and humans alike and we even know him to be fine around cats, as there are several outside cats on the property next door. He appears to be a young adult but we also expect him to be heart worm positive. He is emaciated and full of ticks and scabs - these do not appear to be from dog fights. He is starved not only for food, but also for attention. It's easy to see that he loves feeling a kind hand on his head and back. He is curious and alert, loves water, too."

Donations can be made below and let's try to help Wilbur, and the Momma and daughter find happy homes just like Wylie so many many years ago.

http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/urgent-vet-care-needed-/77194

Original Facebook post:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=686518218028856&set=a.686517524695592.1073741831.100000120510995&type=1&theater

Surprise! Surprise! Surprise! Gomer has a home...

Hub's new life

Well, Hub gets a great home. Hub used to be Angel from Spindletop. In a joint effort, Angel was saved from Garland Shelter and boarded at Spindletop Refuge which had us all fooled. I had Angel placed several times, but for one reason or another, Leah would throw up a road block on every one. When dealing with as slick a con-artist as Leah Purcell is and was, it's common to fall prey to their line of bullshit. I fell for it hook, line and sinker for one year and three months.

I'd finally taken a stand on Angel and told Leah he was going to Barbara, the wonderful woman who adopted Murmur sight unseen nearly four years ago from Kern County in Bakersfield. Barbara and Murmur had relocated to Minnesota and she'd been following Angel's story.

Hub came to Reunion Rescue No-Kill Refuge to decompress with the other Spindletop refugees after the seizure in which 300 pit bulls and other dogs were confiscated. The Labor Day Labor-of-love transport was arranged to bring Hub and two other Texas dogs to their new homes. 23 legs were lovingly driven with precious cargo. Each portion of the journey was updated with funny stories and pictures from each of the volunteer drivers.

Barbara, Hub and Murmur have settled into a very Norman Rockwell existence in the tiny little town in which they live. Almost daily, I get a sweet note from Barbara about living life with Hub and Murmur.

Miss Murmur

"The three of us had a beautiful late afternoon outside together yesterday. Freshly mowed lawn to the side of the bank building and the air smelled like beautiful sweet grass. There was a cool breeze and the two of them sat by my side just watching the tiny bit of activity taking place.

A momentary bit of barking at a huge white feral cat that lives in the big abandoned grain silo in town. It's so large I can see it clearly at a long city block away. Hub leaves the birds alone now. He realizes our territory is theirs too."

This past week, Barbara's sister Kathy came for a visit. "Murmur and Hub were so beautiful with her yesterday. I was thrilled for both of my babies. She said it was so obvious they feel happy, safe and loved. And they have a complete family - animal and human."

"I told her how I had been very patient and just let Hub adjust to being around his own person for the first time. I told her the bond between Murmur and Hub was immediate, but it was going to take him a while to understand and feel safe around people - that I knew it would be confusing. So I've let him go at his own pace and not pressed. She said I wasn't like the dog whisperer - but I reminded her of the horse whisperers who wait with patience for the horses to want to follow and be with them. I loved that."

Murmur and Hub

"I told her that I'm glad you had faith in me with two very special dogs - as if they're not all special;-)"

I've been rescuing dogs and other animals for a good long time. I've always believed there is a person for each dog and their union is perfect. Barbara, Hub and Murmur are all examples of this perfect concept at work.

Reunion does a lot of good work with herbal and homeopathic support, detox and diet, but even though the body heals as does the spirit, nothing completes the circle like the right home. I've been very lucky in my rescue career to have witnessed more than a couple such as Hub and Murmur find their way home.

Learning from BeBe

BeBe...what does my future hold?

Most every day now I get up to the rowly sounding grumblings of BeBe when her herbs wear off around 6 a.m. Remembering the good old days when I slept in till 7 or 7:30, I roll out of bed to let BeBe out and make up her herbal meatball.

BeBe is the dog who started the whole Spindletop saga with me and Reunion Rescue. BeBe used to be Batgirl from Town Lake here in Austin before it become the Austin Animal Center. The only place I could find on short notice to board and rehab her was Spindletop Refuge. It was too good to be true. Way too too good to be true.

"Spindletop Refuge's mission has been since 1985 to provide a safe haven for abandoned, neglected, or abused American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Rottweilers as well as a number of mixed breed dogs. Spindletop Refuge is a no kill facility for adoptable dogs and promotes spaying and neutering of all pets. We do not operate with spay/neuter contracts all dogs are spayed and neutered prior to adoption. Spindletop Refuge gives the highest quality of care to all of our orphans and has strict adoption protocols. Spindletop Refuge also promotes breed education, owner responsibility, dog safety, and proper training for all dogs, as well as population control by spaying and neutering. Spindletop Refuge works with national breed organizations as the contact for the National American Pit Bull Association. Spindletop Refuge also promotes the fight against Breed Specific Legistlation and has been fighting the war against breed mis-identification and BSL since 1985."

Over the next year and a half, I became close with Leah Purcell, the proprietress of Spindletop Refuge and Rescue. I believed in Leah and her operation wholeheartedly. In fact, I placed several other dogs in her care and recommended her facility to others across the United States.

Two of the dogs placed into Leah's care were Amber and Stella who'd been found by a BARC volunteer abandoned and noosed to a chain link fence in a vacant lot during the hottest part of the summer. Stella's ears had been cruelly butchered off and she had blood running down the sides of her face and neck. One would think that sort of torture would be the worst of it, but worse was yet to come. Stella was killed in the Morgan Building with 37 other dogs victims of heatstroke.

If anyone has ever seen a dog suffering from heatstroke, it's not a quiet matter. The thought of 38 screeching dogs is hard to imagine. I wake up at the crack of dawn to one yowly girl, so almost 40 screaming animals is almost too much to conceive. 

In a roundabout way, what I'm trying to get at is this. Every time I start to resent waking up to BeBe's noisy alarm and her setting the others off like a crazy zoo, I have to remind myself to be grateful she is alive. 

I come downstairs and let her go outside. I stop by and pet Amber who is still alive and here with me. When I look into her eyes, I always think of Stella. I missed the opportunity to pet her and get to know her. There is a sadness in Amber. Dogs know. She knows her friend is dead. My job now is to care for her and make certain her life is happy, to put the spark back into her eyes. 

Amber has a star on her head, some scarring from some unknown horror in her past. BeBe has fence fighting marks along her own muzzle and head. Nolan is still trying to gain weight from being almost starved to death and Peanut who somebody had named 'ugly' in Spanish is still trying to learn not to be afraid. 

What happened to these dogs? Their awful stories did not start at Spindletop. Whatever happened to them and the others who wound up at Spindletop is a mystery, but something we must all be held accountable for. What is going on in our country that there are so many abused animals? When did it become allright for millions of animals to be killed in shelters because there are too many of them? We did that. We are the reason there are too many animals, so many that we cannot prosecute animal abuse properly and so many that mass death becomes the norm...becomes acceptable.

What needs to be done so that animals like BeBe, Amber, Stella, Nolan and Peanut do not wind up at places like Spindletop? What can I do to help change the tide? 

I have made BeBe a promise. She is so messed up, much worse than the dog I entrusted to Spindletop. Being crated 24/7 does that to an animal. She has been driven insane. I am watching her and waiting for the answer to help her. I know it will come. We are on a journey together, BeBe and myself. I'll be honest, I lose my temper with her. She can be trying at times. When I do, I apologize. I actually say, "I'm sorry, BeBe. I'm just a person. I am not a dog trainer." She'll look up at me like she's saying, "I understand. You're only human."

We have a relationship, BeBe and me. We are two and we are strong. I am really blessed to have her in my life. She is also a very silly girl. Sometimes, I call her by her other nickname, Bambi, like an exotic dancer. Today, when we were playing ball, and there is a very specific way to play ball with BeBe-Bambi. You throw the tennis ball and she prances after it, bouncing her butt across the yard joyfully and very un-gracefully. 

When she retrieves the ball, game's on. I am then to try and get the ball from her. Everything you ever learned about training and proper game play with pit bulls is out the window with BeBe. The main exercise she gets is working to move her body just out of reach so you can't grab her. In fact, we both get a workout with this routine. 

When she's ready, she allows me to grab her by the haunches which takes both hands. I hang onto her with my right arm and manipulate her head with my right hand while trying to unhook the ball from her  clamped down jaw. She's nailed that ball with her canine so that it's near impossible to dislodge. More exercise for me. 

We do this over and over again. It's certainly not training in any form or fashion, but it works for us. For those playtimes in the yard, BeBe and I are happy together. There is no past, no trauma. There is no Spindletop for either of us, no guilt. There is no death row for her or a person hitting her on the head with a baseball bat. 

There is just BeBe and me and I have to believe this is no coincidence. She is here to learn something from me and I am to learn something from her. What that is has no time limit or definition. I'm hoping we are going to learn how to get through life, the hurdles, the hardships, the heartbreaks and also the happy times. 

I have wanted for so long to have my own refuge and was unable to. I couldn't seem to talk my husband into allowing us to build one here and certainly couldn't seem to raise the necessary money to build it. 

The raid at Spindletop changed that. Even without funding, I had to find a place to put these dogs. For now, we are very impromptu with regulated crating and lots of yard and ball time. It took a horrible tragedy to make it happen. I'm very sad, but must look forward and be strong for the dogs. BeBe will not let me shirk even a little bit. She expects a lot from me and that is just what I need. I am learning from BeBe.