When Salina Mccullough heard about Austin Pets Alive, she was compelled to uproot from her native London and travel around the world to Austin. Salina wanted to be a part of the largest no kill city in the United States. Talk about a leap of faith! She had heard about the work APA was doing to stop mass euthanasia of companion animals in city shelters. Austin Pets Alive! has created programs to save the key demographics of pets that hadn’t been
making it out of our municipal shelter alive. These key groups of
animals included puppies with parvovirus, unweaned kittens, cats with
ringworm, dogs and cats in need of additional behavioral support and/or
additional medical attention.
By developing comprehensive, innovative programs that targeted these key
groups of animals and pulling directly from euthanasia lists, Austin Pets Alive! has saved more than 25,000 dogs and cats since 2008.
That was six years ago. Salina's life was about to change and lead her down a path she'd never envisioned. Salina became a volunteer for Austin Pets Alive! immediately upon arriving in Austin. She trained under Roman Gottfried to become a certified holistic handler. She now lives with three rescued pups, Ruby-Sue, Barnie and Daisy-Mae. Ruby, a 10 pound Maltese/Terrier mix has symptoms of autism and has been Salina's greatest challenge. Barnie is apug-chihuahua who only used three of his legs when he was adopted by Salina. He was in great pain and had suffered multiple fractures.
Daisy-Mae was terrified and could not be touched when she was rescued. She bit Salina several times during the first six months, but Salina wouldn't give up. Finally, Daisy let out a huge sigh and sank into Salina's arms. She was breathing a sigh of relief as she had finally realized she was in a safe
place.
Salina started feeding raw about 18 months ago. She orders from BARF World, a company which ships fresh organic raw food all over the United States. She stumbled upon raw-feeding when unable to find a cure for Ruby's itchy skin. After much research, she decided to give raw a whirl. Previously, Salina had cooked their food, but discovered cooking kills the enzymes dogs and cats need to thrive and live healthy lives.
Ruby's skin cleared completely up after 6 months eating BARF diet. When Salina did a bit more research, she realized the flea and heart worm prevention medication was compromising their recovery and health. She completely stopped the prevention meds.
Salina says, "my
three are the epitome of health. BARF is delivered packed in dry ice
in frozen patties and that makes things easy for me, I simply get a
couple out at night and they are defrosted by the morning. They do
contain veggies but I like to add fresh veggies like broccoli, carrot,
kale to add some texture and variety.
The staff at BARF are wonderful,
they are thoughtful and genuinely love and care about dogs. When I
first signed up with them Autumn and I exchanged photos and stories of
our babies." Salina is at work building a website to help other pets in need with training and diet. Stay tuned in to Pit Bulls and Other Animals for updates and more pet stories.
Reunion Rescue has always fed our dogs and other animals a raw diet.
Feeding cats and dogs a raw diet has proved to be a formidable
flea-fighting foe. Our website's Health Page is chock full of information about raw feeding.
Last
summer, Texas pet owners faced an awful flea problem and Reunion Rescue
was hit hard. Each year, we treat our property here at Reunion Rescue
No-Kill Refuge with beneficial nematodes.
What are beneficial nematodes for fleas? How do they work?
From Fleabites.net...a nematode called Steinerma carpocapsae is a parasite of fleas. It is
known to effectively kill adult fleas as well as their larvae and pupa
in grass and soil. Pet owners with large backyards can spray treat their
gardens with a beneficial nematode solution to keep their pets safe
from flea menace in the summer months. Beneficial nematodes are
environmentally safe, so they do not damage crops and gardens. Studies
have shown that these ‘non-toxic pest control operators’ can eliminate
more than 90% of flea larvae within 24 hours of the first application.
We
didn't treat our property last summer and we learned a hard lesson.
With heavy rains this winter and spring, we knew this coming season was
going to be even worse, so we treated the property not only once, but
twice with beneficial nematodes.
For years, the upper level of our residence a.k.a. refuge was carpeted. For my birthday this year, I bit
the
bullet and ripped out the carpet and installed vinyl sheet flooring.
This can be treated with an I.G. regulator which kills fleas, both adult
and larvae, for 7 months. The I.G. regulator is mixed with a gallon of
water and can be sprayed on carpet, flooring, baseboards, furniture,
kennels and bedding.
1. If your dog seems to be more plagued by fleas than others, then her blood must be particularly attractive.
2.
If your dog is more reactive and itchy than others, then the additional
toxins injected by the fleas must be stressing her system more than
others.
3. Also, we know that itching and scratching is a bodily
response trying to either stimulate the blood to clear toxins from under
the skin or an attempt to break through the skin to release them to the
outside.
4. Therefore, if we can reduce the toxin levels from your
dogs blood and at the same time make the blood less palatable, we can
probably make a difference.
5. In herbal medicine the powerful blood
cleansers are also herbs which are strong and unpleasant in taste. So,
if we provide a course of such herbs, we are able to reduce the toxic
load in the blood and at the same time make the blood less attractive to
parasites. Cindy's homemade flea powder:
Edible diatomaceous earth added to the food daily will cause the body to repel fleas.
For the flea powder, I mix diatomaceous earth, yarrow powder, crushed eucalyptus leaves, and neem powder..all non toxic and rather nice smelling.
We also use Cedarcide
shampoo and spray to deter fleas. Cedarcide products are safe for pets
and children. We do not use the yard treatment where we've applied
nematodes.
You might think this is a bit overkill, but remember, this is war, war on fleas.
Please share your flea tips and healthy pet information on our Facebook page, Home Remedies to Heal Animals. We are always looking for healthy, holistic alternatives to enrich the lives of the wonderful animals we share our lives with.
I came from the hard streets of Houston, Texas. Reunion Rescue helped save my life along with Stella who was tortured and abandoned with me.
Stella and I were sent to Spindletop Refuge in 2012 when everyone thought this place was truly a sanctuary. Leah Purcell, the proprietor, was even called upon to testify in courts across the United States. She and Spindletop had everyone fooled.
Stella was killed at Spindletop and Reunion Rescue came for me. I have been here at Reunion Rescue No Kill Refuge ever since.
I am a really good girl. I love to eat and go on walks. I'm a little chunky monkey. It took me a little while to detoxify and decompress after being rescued from Spindletop, but I'm fine now.
Unfortunately, most people look at me like a pit bull even though on a closer inspection with a trained eye, my bulldog and boxer characteristics blossom forth. Because of the haters and the media most people do not want to adopt a dog like me.
That's ok, though. I am very much loved and always have a place of refuge at Reunion. Sometimes at the end of the day, we sit on the back porch and watch the sun go down. It is calm and happy here. Reunion has promised that I will never go to another place that kills animals or mistreats them.
It costs Reunion about $250 a month to care for each dog, so I'm reaching out to you for help. Please consider a small donation to help buy me a raw meal and some chew toys each day. I don't ask for much, but I do love a cookie, too.
You can help out by visiting Reunion Rescue's website and clicking the donation button. Please visit me on Facebook and like my page:
New Pit Bull Nation review...oh, yeah, by me...is that called conflict of interests? I don't think so if your heart's in the right place.
Pit Bull Nation is a new book by Cindy Marabito. Although pit bull is in the title, the book is not just about pit bulls, but a tell-all account of what goes on behind the scenes in some shelters.
Marabito begins the book with a Marley and Me story about a chow chow she found on the east side of Dallas, Texas. That’s where the similarity to a fuzzy warm story ends and the honest searing trip down a dark path begins.
Marabito takes the reader on an unforgettable ride behind the walls of so-called no-kill shelters run by modern day Hitler types and the end of the line for the nation’s unwanted dogs and cats. She shares her experiences with unscrupulous veterinary hospitals bordering on malpractice.
Pit Bull Nation does not always prevail on the dark side. For each pull at the heartstrings, there is a tale of redemption and miracle. It’s no accident that Marabito rescues pit bulls and also not a coincidence her rescue is called Reunion Rescue.
This book shares her knowledge of diet and nutrition, homeopathy and holistic cures for almost every single disease or behavior a pet owner and most rescues encounter. Marabito shares her path of healing and how she learned it's secrets from pit bulls and a Siamese cat.
This book is a must read for any animal lover, but especially for the rescue worker who would like to find out how to feed dogs and cats for twenty five cents a day and treat any malady and most aggression with items from their local Whole Foods Market.
Pit Bull Nation is an honest look at the overwhelming epidemic facing the United States today. With every shelter filled with pit bulls and more waiting to enter them, Marabito shares a solution to the problem in her own voice, her own way.
It's been a long, long time since I was able to wake up in the morning with a song in my heart. I am very grateful for all the Reunion Rescue dogs living great lives and the ones who haven't found their homes yet, living a good life at Reunion Rescue No Kill Refuge, the only raw feeding holistic no kill pit bull shelter in the world.
It ain't perfect yet, but it's a hell of a lot better than it was. For years, we've boarded our Texas and California dogs while thinking we just were not set up to be a shelter. The Texas dogs were boarded at Spindletop which was raided last summer. We made four trips to Conroe to get some of our dogs back, but Stella was killed with 37 others in the Morgan Building. Many other dogs are still missing and presumed dead.
Just as the dust was settling over the Spindletop tragedy, we began making plans to bring our three remaining California dogs which were being boarded in Lodi. What's three more, right? Once you've set your mind to run a sanctuary, it's really not that hard.
BeBe at the lake
We are set up here on the river outside Austin, Texas to comfortably house these animals. Each of these dogs came from nasty beginnings.
Amber and Stella were butchered and noosed in a hot Houston vacant lot. Stella still had blood running down her head when she was found and we raised money to board them at Spindletop.
BeBe doing some Christmas shopping
BeBe burying her Kong
BeBe, formerly known as Batgirl, was beaten severely with a baseball bat and scheduled to die in Austin.
Merry Christmas from Nolan
Nolan was starved nearly to death outside Dallas and on his way to Spindletop when news of the raid and seizure hit. Luckily, his transporter turned the car around, but not before Leah Purcell pocketed over a thousand dollars which had been raised for his care. Heartworm positive and down to 70 pounds, this beautiful Great Dane/American Bulldog mix is thriving at Reunion on a raw diet and lots of sunshine and exercise. He's even well enough to finally be neutered for Christmas.
Peanut and Scott
Peanut was named 'Feo' and pulled illegally by Purcell from city of Alvin shelter last December. It's anyone's guess how much money she made off this dog. Since The American Pit Bull Examiner covered his story in the first place, Reunion felt a kinship with Peanut, so here he is. Peanut had a lot of fearful problems he's working on and goes to work with Scott these days. Along with his herbal remedy and raw diet, Peanut's 'job' has turned out to be the very best medicine.
Peanut and Scott..just a job
Angel overcame his abuse from Spindletop so quickly, he was able to join Murmur and Barbara in Minnesota where he's now called Hub and enjoying a Dickinson life in a small quaint town.
Our sweet brave William
William was one of the three left boarding in California. There was a lot of rumor and innuendo about William, but he is proving them all wrong. He came from the hellhole Stockton shelter after being burned, starved and drug behind a truck.
He was transported all the way to Texas with Guido and Kingston, a.k.a. King James/Spuds, and is thriving in a fab foster home. He is living the high life in a doggy day care Disneyland, eating a raw diet and happy for the first time in his whole life.
Guido Sarducci on the trail
Guido, from Wasco, and Kingston from Marin Humane, who is blind, arrived quite obese. They've been under-exercised and over-crated. Although Reunion is all about the crate as it provides a safe and confidence inspiring environment, mimicking the wild instinct, the crate is certainly not intended to be utilized 24/7. Kingston's muzzle was scarred and covered in dried bloodied marks which look as if he'd been stressed from over-crating.
Guido and Kingston were a very hard sell on the raw. Who knows what these two have been eating? We've tried just about everything from raw ground chicken blend to ground beef blend, chicken livers, yes...even kibble...but nada. I tried boiled chicken spiked with cottage cheese and even some cheddar flavored 'Easy Cheese' to no avail.
Kingston hoofing it the natural way
This morning we had a major breakthrough. Green tripe is the daily blue plate special for these two persnickety customers. First, I filled a couple of empty marrow bones with tripe and when that was snarfed down, filled a couple of big Kongs. It was a winner! Finally, getting some raw meat into these two boys. From experience, I know it's all gonna be easy pickings from here on in. Kingston's face is healing with new pink skin growth. Both these boys have relaxed and begun to settle in very nicely.
I've not had the time to sit down and write an update on these guys. Each day, I try to get each dog a nice nature hike. It's amazing to see these precious dogs doing what dogs are supposed to do. They are enjoying good healthy diets filled with ingredients their bodies were created to eat. They are exercising and learning to love the sounds of wild birds and lizards scurrying through the brush, the smells of browning leaves and sound of flowing fresh water creeks. They feel the freedom of warm sunshine on their happy faces and are slowly learning that tomorrow is another day and holds something new and fresh, an adventure. We are learning this together, that this sad old world can really be a happy place if we just put one foot in front of the other and believe.
On July 17, almost 300 dogs were impounded by the HSUS and Montgomery County Animal Control from Spindletop outside Willis. Many of us in rescue had thought the former 'refuge' was just that, a place of quiet rehabilitation in the lovely countryside outside Conroe, Texas.
What we discovered to be the real ugly truth was a huge hoarding operation in which dogs were stacked in crates filled with their own excrement and vomit. Photographs of filthy dishes and water bowls have been shared across Facebook and other social networks.
Reunion Rescue has been trying to raise funding to begin a real refuge, for some time. We have named it the Reunion Rescue No-Kill Refuge with its own Facebook page.
Most people do not realize how much rescue work entails and costs. We could probably have built our own refuge some time back had it not been for the boarding costs. Until the raid, Reunion Rescue was raising about $2500 a month to board at least 10 dogs. That is a lot of moolah to drum up each month and requires much writing, begging, can shaking at events and penny pinching.
We are down to four boarded dogs in California (Spuds, Diesel, William and Guido) one by one will be coming to our Austin, Texas sanctuary.
First, though, we must attend to the ones we redeemed from the raid. Stella is thought to be dead, one of the 38 who died in the Morgan Building at Spindletop and the terrible tragedy which activated the investigation.
The first dog we brought back in four trips to Conroe was Batgirl, now called BeBe. BeBe was not anything like the dog we initially boarded at Spindletop for rehabilitation. She had luckily been chipped and fixed before going to Spindletop, so she was relatively easy to have returned to Reunion's program. Sadly, her heartworm medications has been disposed of by Leah Purcell who reportedly does not believe in holistic cures.
Bebe
BeBe's treatment is the heartworm cure on our Nutrition Page along with a long term detox and herbal treatment for her issues which have been extremely escalated by solitary over-confinement in a filthy crate. Bottom line, this dog has been driven insane. We feel we can bring her back around, but this will take months if not years of work and supplements.
Amber was the little one who was rescued with Stella last summer in Houston. We created a Facebook page for them and raised enough to get them started in the boarding program at Spindletop. At least five homes were screened and would have been appropriate for either of these girls, but were turned away by Leah Purcell. Amber was very depressed when we got her back, but thanks to lots of fresh air, good raw diet, herbal and flower remedies, she is on the road to recovery, a squatty little doll.
Angel was the hardest one to retrieve. He didn't have the benefit of someone who'd actually handled him. The holding facility was reluctant to let him go in fear of the wrong person claiming him. We drove to Conroe and back twice to get Angel.
Angel responded quickly to a detox and herbal pick-me-up. If someone were to tick off the boxes in what they wanted in a dog, Angel would be that dog. He lives in the now and is very dog friendly. Since Leah turned down almost a dozen inquiries for his adoption, it was surprising to discover he was not only not a pit bull, but also very adoptable. This little Rhodesian Ridgeback mix is already in his new home with a longtime Reunion Rescue adopter. His new name is Hub.
Nolan
Nolan was nearly starved to death outside Dallas when we wrote him an article and tried to get him to safety. A kind hearted rescuer was able to talk his abusers into relinquishing him to her while the money was raised to get him into Spindletop. Nolan was boarded at her vet who discovered heartworm infestation and severe emaciation and dehydration.
When news of the raid hit, Nolan was being transported to Spindletop. Luckily, his transporter heard the news and turned the car around. Even though he never set paw on Spindletop soil, Leah managed to bilk $450 from one kindhearted donator.
Peanut
Nolan, a big Great Dane and American Bulldog mix, was brought to foster care in Austin, but Nolan quit eating and was taken to the vet. X-rays, bloodwork, a sonogram, biopsy and over a thousand dollars later, Nolan is here at the sanctuary and eating well. He is putting on weight, enjoying the sunshine and the herbal heartworm cure. Since his health is so challenged, neuter and conventional heartworm treatment are out of the question.
Feo, which is a dumb name for a beautiful dog, was located at the city of Alvin Animal Control. He was pulled fraudulently by Leah Purcell under the Reunion Rescue 501(c)(3) entity. He was redeemed and boarded for a few weeks until we could get set up and bring him here. After being neutered, he arrived safe and sound. His new name is Peanut.
We have applied for several grants to help us build kennels and underwrite the costs of running a holistic no kill sanctuary, but so far have been dependent upon the goodness of private donations. The immediate costs to set up and meet the current needs of these dogs has depleted the budget and we need help.
We have set up a system in which the dog friendly dogs can spend time on the porch with ball breaks in the yard.
A chip in has been set up to try and raise money to underwrite food and health care as well as dog supplies and tarps to cover the day areas.
Walking the pitties today was more than enormous! We got Tex and Guido and Peanut and Amber walked while BeBe and Vinny got yard time. Wilco went to the lake for a little r and r with Scott. Boy, looking at these pictures, I love what I do. No amount of stress and negativity can get near what these wonderful dogs do for my soul.
I am grateful to have these babies in my life and the wonderful volunteers who come to walk the dogs.
We love you here at Reunion Rescue.
Thank you for helping us get geared up for our big event in September. By then, I just bet some of these beautiful dogs are adopted into their own raw feeding holistic leash and crate trained homes. I sure hope their new families will want to strut their mutts with us at Mueller Park in Austin or even in San Francisco at Treasure Island.
All the details are on the Reunion Rescue website.
If you love dogs like we do here at Reunion, take a look at some of the Facebook pages created for these beautiful dogs in our care.
When the whole world seems sad and crazy, it helps me to hold on to one good thought. This week, I'm thinking about Benny coming to Texas. Benny has been with Reunion Rescue for three weeks. He has had quite a struggle, but luckily, he found Patti and Raven. Patti has been fostering Benny and continuing his curriculum with homeopathic treatment and raw diet.
Benny in Bakersfield, CA
It's really difficult to convince people to try raw and homeopathy when we've been so brainwashed by the pet industry to vaccinate, feed kibble processed food and kill every single disease symptom with toxic pharmaceutical medications.
My good friend Kasie who founded SF Raw Feeders and a longtime advocate for raw diet and holistic care read me the label on a bottle of cleaning fluid once. I remember Kasie reading the warnings to me and asking why anyone would want this product around their family and animals considering the list of dangers.
Every day is a learning experience for me. Not only with animals like Benny who is teaching me a whole new way of looking at life, but how to live life more healthfully and happily. I think of that old Adele Davis saying, 'you are what you eat.' That is so true. When I eat lots of brown rice and greens, I feel so clean and remember my meals throughout the day. It's also true you are what you think. When I think good happy thoughts, even with all of the bad animal stories I see and hear each day, I am stronger and able to help more animals. I am able to fulfill my purpose here on earth and get so much work done. I am able to serve the greater good and live the good life.
Benny is a good part of that newfound way of living for me. Here is a dog, really more than a dog, a being, who was so mistreated and hurt. When I saw that little photograph of him at Turlock Animal Control, I was blown away. I couldn't believe a dog could wind up in that condition and still be alive. The people who began to network the photo actually listed him as a shar pei puppy. You could not even tell he was an adult.
I am so looking forward to watching Benny evolve and change to be the dog he was born to be. He is on his way now to Texas. Patti is driving him all the way here. He was supposed to have a ride from Arizona, but the person was afraid for her own dog who has a suppressed immune system. Imagine that. Probably a dog who eats kibble and takes all of the shots and medications to ward off non-existent diseases and the result is a dog who is challenged and unhealthy. Yet another lesson from Benny. Benny is going to help the world be a better place. In fact, he already has begun. He is bringing the message right now, but stopped off long enough to smell the roses in Bakersfield.
Mabel, lil' Lancaster Shar Pei, has a date to meet a potential foster to adopter. The lady sounds just about perfect. She sounded like a human! A rarity in my world. She had feelings and punctuation, manners, blood flowing through her veins and none of this control kinda junk people think they need with sweet dogs like Mabel.
Mabel came from down in Lancaster with a super dooper case of mange. It wasn't as bad as Mr. Sweets' or Benny's demodex, but bad enough for people to ask a bunch of dumb questions. I just refer those types to Google and tell them to type in 'demodex' and 'holistic' so they can at least learn a little something about health and curing the 'whole body'.
Life's too short and I'm too old to train any more people. When they start asking questions about pit bulls and offering opinions, I just have to refer them to PBRC or one of the other many new pit bull sites. I'd rather just go walk the dog and never seem to have enough time for that these days.
I spent all morning getting ready for my book signing at BookWoman. I reached out to a bunch of local shelters and animal groups to invite their representatives to the event in hopes that we can work together. The idea would be to set up workshops and readings at their facilities to try and up the adoptions with surefire objectives that have been working with Reunion adoptions for the past 12 plus years, in essence, Pit Bull Nation.
The reception was surprisingly warm and I do believe some of the people invited might actually attend. This is hopeful as I am committed to spreading the word and helping as many animals as possible. I know I can't do it alone, but hope that some of the ideas in the book will help others save lives. It's sure time for it.
Petey Pie's fosters called and had a few little questions. It's so nice to consider that people care so very much. This little boy was just about to give up back in Bakersfield and now he's sitting on top of the world! He gets to go to the park every day, eat raw, go to Starbuck's and the bank...everything in his little life is a total joy for him. It's my desire to help others find that happiness. It's such an easy thing to do.
In order to do that, though, I must remember what Benny has to say. I must let go of the negative and not try to hold on to things. Let the good and the bad just keep on flowing, like the man said. When I stop at the end of the day and let it rest a minute, my little bitty nugget of peace and understanding is just enough to spread like a cocoon around me from my toes to my elbows to my ears and the tip top of my noggin.
When I'm quiet for a moment and can survey the day, all the faces come to me. I'm looking at sweet Mabel and thinking of Benny. Girl's a snoring on the couch and Tex is licking himself where I cannot seem to lick the hotspots even with all the raw the homeo. I'm thinking of Mr. Sweets and Guido, poor old scared Guido. I'm thinking of Hazel and her trip being delayed to the bay. It's ok. She'll get here when she's supposed. All things happen as they should.
Tonight, everything is in its place and I am at peace with the universe.
Salina is at work building a website to help other pets in need with training and diet. Stay tuned in to Pit Bulls and Other Animals for updates and more pet stories.
