dog rescue
Killed Marine’s Dogs Make It Home
I have heard the stories of volunteers who give of their time, their vehicles (and airplanes), and travel expenses to transport dogs who, for all kinds of reasons, have been displaced.
One recent story especially touched me. This photo taken of homecoming of the marine’s dogs titled, ‘The Boys Are Home’, says it all.
Michele Witte, a retired police officer, has driven more than 100,000 miles over the course of nearly eight years as a volunteer in rescue transport – often accompanied by her husband, Jeff (retired as the police chief of Woodlawn) – but this trek had even greater purpose.
A young marine, walking down a California street in uniform, was killed by a hit and run driver. In that instant, his dogs who were awaiting his return in their Tulsa apartment, suddenly lost their best friend. And a very proud mother living in New Jersey, lost her son. Those two dogs are all she had left of him.
And thus was the reason for the Facebook post requesting drivers. Michele and Jeff took the dogs from Indianapolis to Columbus, one of 18 legs in Axel and Echo’s journey to their grandmother.
I asked Michele why this particular drive touched her.
“Since I am from the police background, the fact that he was a marine just going about his business and was mowed down and left there. It was so malicious. Because of someone’s stupidity, he is dead and his dogs are left to fend for themselves. I can’t imagine how I’d go on if my step kids were killed. His mother wanted those pieces of her son. It really got to me,” she told me, “When picked them up, Axel was a love bug and kissed all over Jeff when Jeff sat in the back with them. Jeff is really good with soothing anxious dogs. I’d hear Jeff say something and then be smothered in dog kisses. Echo was mellow the whole way and slept the whole way.”
I also asked her to explain her passion for this cause.
“I love dogs. I have always had at least one,” she said. “I went through a bad depression when I retired and the dog I had at the time saved me from myself. I knew if I did something stupid, that my dog would not understand. There is something about the unconditional love of dogs that touches me. This is about paying back what my dog did for me.
I used to think thought being a cop was my calling and I was wrong. This is my calling. I can’t help but love what they do for me. It is a natural high.”
Tara The Beagle Gets Prosthetic Legs And A New Life
There is something truly special about animal lovers. This sweet dog, Tara was found clinging to life on the grounds of a Romanian hospital. She had gangrene on all four legs and her front two legs were rotted to the bone. While veterinary surgeons were able to save those back two legs, the front two needed to be amputated.
That is where Kelly Hare came into the picture. Kelly runs a British nonprofit called Safe Rescue For Dogs, and no sooner did she hear about dear Tara’s plight did Kelly jump into motion, raising £3,000 to not only save the Beagle mix but to also make it possible for Tara to be fitted with two prosthetic legs.
These days Tara runs and plays just like her friends. And by the way, Kelly has grown so fond of Tara that it looks like they’ve found a forever home together. Life is good again.
A Touching Dog Rescue Story
In this world there are truly special people who go out of their way to see the potential in others, to rescue those who need saving, and to give love freely. This is the story of some special people and a dog that, until they came along, had no hope. Such a beautiful ending. A great dog rescue and dog adoption story.
Animals Lovers Unite For SPCA Fur Ball
Funny how fate works sometimes. It was a night like so many before it for Barbara Lichtenstein. At least that’s how it started off. She was in her car, having just turned onto the busy intersection at Springfield Pike heading toward choir practice when she saw him…a four-legged homeless dog who clearly hadn’t eaten a homemade meal in quite some time. He had bristly fur, rotted teeth, and lumps that Barbara later learned were cancerous.
Barbara, being the animal lover that she is, pulled over, put him in her car and went on to her practice – bringing him inside with her. That night, she learned, he was also a classical lover. As soon as they began to sing, all of his fear of the unknown magically disappeared. “To this day, when he gets fussy in the car, I turn on classical music,” she told me.
Several surgeries, good food, and a houseful of love have seen little Ajax blossom into an affectionate companion who seeks out his family just to know they are there. That family also includes Charlotte, a feminine (as Barbara describes her) and sweet little girl who was also found abandoned and who tolerates sharing favorite humans with Ajax.
Barbara Finds The SPCA
It was a number of years back. Barbara was studying architecture and decided not to continue. She has another, more important reason to work. “I’ve always been a dog lover. I grew up with dogs and I thought it was time to step up and do something for them,” she said.
She and her husband, Phil, gave the SPCA a donation when they were building the new shelter and that very quickly evolved into volunteer work. Three years ago she got involved with the organization’s big fundraiser – the Fur Ball. One year she chaired it and this is her second year serving as co-chair (with Holly Mott).
The Fur Ball
Held at the Cintas 
Center, April 28, the dinner/dance Fur Ball will be an evening of dinner, dancing to the music of Airwave, a silent auction, and a ‘Best in Show’ dog show with animals from the shelter. There will also be dogs and cats there available for adoption. For animal lovers, it is a fun event for a great cause.
The SPCA Cincinnati serves Hamilton County and the City of Cincinnati covering over 500 square miles and is the oldest humane society in Ohio. Last year, it handled around 18,000 animals. Good homes with concerned, qualified families were found for thousands of these animals.
Efforts are continually being made to improve its adoption rates. Barbara told me the adoption fee is just $20 and that includes spay and neuter. Proceeds from the Fur Ball will help the SPCA keeps those adoption fees down so that more people and more animals in need of love can find each other.
A few seats are still available for the Fur Ball. Cost is $150 per person. To register, please visit www.spcacincinnati.org.
