TIGROS FREEDOM AFTER TWO YEARS IN CONCENTRATIONCAMP

ITALIAN AWL BANK ACCOUNT

Finally AWL got an Italian bank account for Donations.

We are so happy since we have been working hard since February to open one. Who said anything was easy here?

All the papers were in order, finally they wanted to see me in person, after several months of sending correct documents. They were concerned I would launder money!!!

Well now its working

ANIMALS WITHOUT LIMITS/MARIA MATTSSON

IT15Y0316501600000110478130
SWIFT/BIC
IWBKITMM
Bank
IW BANK S.p.A.Via Cavriana, 2020134 Milan

Please send us some Amore!

DONATIONS THANK YOU

Without you we cannot exist. Your help to us, is helping those without a voice and many times not a choice. Still we are against long-term shelters, and the owners that keep many dogs in shelters --- often sick and in a horrible condition --- and won't adopt them away. We do not believe in putting dogs down for keeping statistics down. That is a lazy horrible "solution"

We are together side by side with Italian organizations that are doing great team job with adoptions. We make sure that they will get the medical help they need, and food. From AWL, we thank you for your help:

• Sweden, Himmelska Hundars (Heavenly Dogs resturant )
• My donated books sold at HH!
• Donated money in a jar at HH
• AWL shampoo sold at HH
• Solveig Q to one eyed dog at 400 dog shelter for medical treatment
• Från Dogma Karin och Mia http://www.dogma.nu/
• Milla with Pascha and Jimmi
• Thank you AWL Sweden for supporting us.
• A member of the Canadian military at the Naples NATO base donated dog food.
• Vania Lamanna (USA/Italy)for all the bags of dog food.
• Tamara H (USA/Italy)thank you for supporting us even if you are yourself dealing with all the strays here in Campania.
• Craig K from LA, (USA) you still got that big bear heart.
• Lisa H (USA/Italy) your donation is helping us with dog food and medical treatments, thank you.
• Tracey N, USA still every month your donation keeps coming, with everything that you are having around you, you still remember us.
• Ulla L, Maria.S and Bella A (Sweden) also always supporting us every month.
• Operational support, bags of dog food, shampoo, biscuits from Rita and Jake Schneider (USA/Italy)(and they are taking care of my Lea)
• Generous donation from David and Ylva Mercer (USA/Sweden) (not related but very good friends)
• Sarah (UK) donated to the shelter where Grace (Sky) was staying, five minutes later she brought Grace home. And dog food for the 400 dog shelter.
• Rachel (UK) with family, food to the 400 dog shelter.

Sometimes it gets frustrating, feeling like so few are helping, or concerned. But your donations and support always brightens our hearts, and helps desperately needy animals in Campania. You are Amore!

AWARD WINING COUPLE

On our recent trip to Sweden, we took with us a plaque for Bobby and Erika, to commemorate their super effort to save and adopt one of Campania's neglected.

Everyone who adopts a stray or shelter dog is a winner, to be sure. But we felt that Bobby and Erika went above and beyond the call in rescuing Giove.

The story could almost be a movie plot, but it is all true. Erika saw Giove's picture from our "terrible shelter" mission, a picture that Ylva took. Erika fell in love with Giove, somehow through the picture, he spoke to her. She convinced her partner, Bobby, to adopt Giove to live with them and their two other dogs. This pair sent donations and gifts for Giove, and when the time finally came for him to join them, they drove down from Sweden 23 hours to get him. After a few days getting to know him, they drove straight back, another 23 solid hours, and went to work the next day.

Giove is doing wonderfully, as you've seen in other blog posts, along with his two big siblings. He is so gentle and loving... and this a dog that many had said should be euthanized. They didn't know Giove, and they don't know the power of Amore.

Bobby and Erika, are Amore personified. And for that, we felt an award was more than justified.

WASH--WALK--RESCUE DAY

Last Saturday we went to Rosella's shelter for walking and washing dogs (and food donation). The sun was warm and we were a group of 10 that did fantastic work. It is great when the team is doing well together, helping and laughing too. Then one of the volunteers Megan came up to me and told me that there was a German Shepherd bleeding badly.

A very stressed German Shepard was chewing up his tail, his scream was heart breaking. I told Rosella she needed to take him to the vet, or he would bleed to death otherwise. I got him out of the cage and as soon as he felt something around his neck he screamed and jumped like a wild one, then attacked his tail (what was left of it) I took his face in my hands and spoke to him, he calmed down and his beautiful eyes searched after help. It was difficult to get him out he was panicking in between, and I guess it looked worse to me with all the blood. Rosella couldn't deal with the blood, the new volunteer couldn't do it either, it became like a circus. I told everyone to calm down, that their energies would affect him more. I got him in the mini-van and our volunteer Mark sat with him since he went into panic attacks.

Not long after they left for the vet, they came back with him! The vet told them we should wash the tail and give him antibiotics.

I got so mad and everybody heard me cursing in Italian. We couldn't touch his tail, he screamed and then putting him into a cage on wet concrete, he would just keep bleeding and get infections if he didn't bleed to death first!
I was so mad, what an incompetent veterinarian who doesn't give his client treatment! I took the German Shepherd into my SUV and with Olivia drove him to the vet team LegaPro. Dr Gigi got informed and he agreed together with Lorenzo that what was left of the tail needed amputation. They said they would keep him for 10 days! You see that is what I call service!

I call him Jessie. Jessie is so sweet and will die a slow painful death if we return him to the cage, that I call the death cage. He is young, sweet and needs so much confirmation that he is a handsome guy who never will be hit or tied up. A forever home? A foster home? Hope?

Thank you AWL team for all the great work you did, Vania and her friend Megan with Husband Jason, and Megan's mother and brother, too (a wonderful warm hearted fun family). Reece (who made me think of chocolate the whole time) Darren our trooper trimmer, and Mark always with us, Lindy our great walker. Without you AWL is nothing. THANK YOU This is Amore

DUMPED FROM A CAR

This little guy was dumped from a car, left in the rain and the car took off. Tammy rescued him and tells me he is the sweetest little thing, gets a long with all dogs and loves to curl up in her lap.

Please give him a loving forever home, he deserves that.

JULIAN RESCUED A SECOND TIME

Last night was a scary evening. Julian's foster mom, Rita, called me and said Julian was not doing so well could I come over? On top of everything my phone dies, and I panic! What was wrong?
I ran to my car drove, like a maniac over to see Jake and Rita, holding a very confused, stressed Julian. He had had a seizure, a big one!

I called our vet, who said that we could/should give him Valium. Rita drove to the pharmacy while Jake and I tried to calm Julian down.

My heart broke to see him blind, confused and stressed walking into things and screaming. We couldn't hold him, he was like a slippery snake. We locked him into a cage/crate but he was stressed.

Rita came back and we gave Julian the Valium, and waited....nothing positive happened.
Julian started to cry and howl....before for the past week we had heard nothing from him. I told Rita if in a couple of hours he didn't calm down, to give him more.

He didn't calm down, and more didn't help. Rita and Jake drove him into the Animal ER, where he was taken good care of with an IV if he would get another seizure.

Last night was a nearly sleepless night. I was so worried. I woke up at 0400 hearing myself saying goodbye to Julian. I was scared! I didn't want him to suffer, and I didn't want to put him to sleep because it had been uncomfortable and scary to watch him last night.

Think "Blind", think "blind" I told myself.

Olivia my daughter who didn't know anything about this since she had been with friends the whole evening asked me why I was sad. I never try to pretend, I want her to see that a mom can be sad too. I told her I was sad because a dog was sad. She sat quietly during some seconds and then said to me "Do you want Sister Erica to make him feel better up here?" and she puts her little hand at her own head.

I smile at her, my angel face and nods yes, yes I would very much like that.

Later in the morning I get a message from Rita, Julian is eating and doing fine, he can come home. The vet told them that Julian is a true survivor!

Foster parents Jake and Rita Schneider. Without you Julian would probably not be alive. You saved him and kept doing everything to make this little guy survive. Thank you, this is so much Amore.

JULIAN UPDATE

I was nervous picking Jullian up today at the vet clinic where he had stayed for 3 days of observation and tests. You could read in earlier blog that Jullian was found laying at a very busy street, covered with ticks and blind.
A blood test was done and it showed perfect result. He has a brain damage but what kind we don't know since we need a referral to Rome for a CAT scan.
He is blind, but we are going to have him examined by a eye specialist to learn more about his eyes, for example is something pressuring the optic nerve? If the eyes are physically ok, that would point to a neurological cause for the problem.

Dr Damiani and Dr Loungo both agreed that this is a charming, lovely dog --- wagging his tail, eating a lot and not once had he made an accident in is cage--or barking!
We need to continue the research before we can adopt him away. Is it a tumor? Liquid? Will he suffer? Or did he have distemper as a very young dog?

He is a young guy, 3-5 years old, so lovely. I brought him to an AWL foster home and we have opened a special fond for Jullian and his upcoming visits at specialists. He cannot see you but he follows your voice and wags his tail. He is a trooper Amore!

PLEASE HELP WITH FOOD DONATION

After a month of hard research where I have visited many horrible shelters, some with up to 500 dogs in them, we now have our next focus/project. It is a nightmare: many are old, many are sick and many are begging to get out. Several of these shelters, or portions of them at least, are housing animals on behalf of the government, but the agency won’t pay the money for food and medicine for the dogs. According to the operators, they (government agency) claim they don’t have any money. The dogs are suffering yet according to the law they are not allowed to be euthanized.

AWL really needs your help now! We have decided to help one shelter this summer. This one in particular will not have any food for their 400 dogs. They are in debt at the dog-food dealer, who won’t extend any more food on credit to them. Without your help, these dogs will starve!
Click here to watch the video from February

Please arrange a food collection at your work, school or social group here in Campania. One person can send out this email and add his/her room and contact information. Let us know who is collecting and where, and we will arranged pick up from you next Friday, with delivery directly to the shelter You can also make a donation and we will buy the food. (http://www.animalswithoutlimits.com/ )

You can read more about it at http://animalswithoutlimits.blogspot.com/2010/05/cry-for-help-visiting-new-to-us-shelter.html
I thank Admiral David and Ylva Mercer (not related to me) for their generous donation, and Vania Lamanna at Support Site who is undertaking a big food drive through her network of friends and associates.

Thank you for helping us helping those who don’t have a voice.

JULLIAN FOUND WEAK

Alina is a Russian girl with a big animal heart. She found this little beautiful guy totally exhausted on the road. He can barely see, he can barely hear and you have to feed him. It seems he may have gotten sunstroke. It took Alina 40 minutes to bring him into her Parco area, a “trip” that normally would take just 5 minutes to walk. She asked the vets on base what to do and they gave her our email address. God Bless you for that!

I drove over --and of course fell in love with this guy right away--his tail wagged when he felt us coming towards him, probably the vibration from our footsteps. Alina had already been giving him Advantix and I de-wormed him. Alina and her husband Jay already have a beautiful big poodle male and they don't want to jeopardize his health by introducing this little one into their home until he has a clean bill of health (very well thought). I examined "Julian" and no ticks, no ear mites, nothing but dirt that later his new foster-mom washed.

Tomorrow I am bringing him in for a very thorough examination, so keep your paws crossed for Julian. That's Amore.

Sorry for this gap but my computer broke down. Good news...a new computer.

INAUGURAL ANIMAL FRIENDS AWARD

The work of any charitable organization requires the efforts, big and small, of a number of people to be successful. Over time, some of those helpers stand out for contributing to the progress and success of an effort.

The Board of Directors of Animals Without Limits wanted a way to recognize those people who go "above and beyond" in their service, not only to Animals Without Limits, but to the causes that AWL is working on.

The Board determined that our "go-to" veterinarian was such an individual, and recognized him this past Saturday with a plaque commemorating his efforts, and his status as the inaugural recipient of the Animal Friend award.

Dr. Damiani Napoli Campania, has not only given Animals Without Limits discounts on his services, which allows AWL to help more animals with its limited funds. He has also taken a keen interest in AWL's clients, something that goes beyond mere veterinary care.

Dr. Carlo Damiani has been an insightful provider of advice to the AWL staff; has performed complicated surgical procedures on AWL clients free of charge; and has provided valuable medicine for treatment of strays and rescue dogs.

The board certainly hopes that by his example, Dr. Carlo Damiani will inspire others to go above and beyond in the fight to help those without a voice. But for now, Dr. Damiani is the recipient of the inaugural award.

Congratulations, Dr. Carlo Damiani... and congratulations to all those who your care and concern has helped.

That's Amore
More pictures later and more AWL Awards

GIOVES FAMILY IN SWEDEN

While in Sweden we met our good friends Erika and Bobby thanks to the survivor Giove that they adopted from AWL in Italy (concentration camp) He was so thrilled and wonderful we couldn't stop kissing him (and him us) What an Amore enjoyment!

Erika (designer and medium) is a wonderful calm person and my Max just adores her, so much that he climbed up in her arms and later fell asleep. Not many have that effect on him. He is a little guy who can read people very well.

Giove checking things out.

His big brother Akiles just loved to cool his legs off.

Olivia walking with Athena, and both loves the Swedish nature. This was an Amore day! Thank you friends for everything that you do.

That's Amore!

HAPPY SWEDISH AMORE

We are in a place where AWL's mind can relax by watching and meeting happy dogs. This is Valentino and Mia, of course, an Italian adonis.

Angelo kissing his "dad" Benny Rosenquist, That's Amore!

Olivia was also happy to meet her Godfather Benny Rosenqvist again and she got one of his books signed, "Ljusfolket", and two dolls. She was in "heaven."

Max was thrilled to get a VOLVO toy car from Benny, and we all enjoyed Friday evening together with Benny (and I am holding his book :-)

Passing a cafe' I saw this gorgeous dog having a coffee outside in the sunshine with her mom. I could tell Peggy is a very happy, content dog. What a difference from where we live.

This is full Amore Sunshine.

THIS IS AMORE

But first, let me ask you, How would a best dog mom be?

Mario the happy stray that is working by escorting at the gas station along the highway and escorting the coffee lady back home after work. He is still happy and still working full time. Olivia and I, we stop for a cup of coffee once a week and we we bring a bag of dog food and some cans of yummy wet dog food. He is our super hero!

Grace! When I visited the shelter with 500 dogs and was on my way to leave, this beauty and an very old Lea who had been sterilized and were being brought out to freedom in a "not so nice area" I burst into tears because Lea is so old and medically not doing so well; and Grace just aborted. My concern was would they survive? So Lea is now in a foster home, Rita has been taking good care of her. And a wonderful lady, Sarah, contacted me telling me all about Grace's breed. She wanted to adopt Grace.

Sarah had rescued another dog Leroy that had been chained and was a walking skeleton, she needed a home for him before Grace could come home to her and her husband, and their first rescue dog "Diesel".

Well, Leroy was brought to a family that wanted a dog, just like Leroy so Sarah joined me to the shelter where Grace was waiting.

Look at this beautiful couple! Sarah so fell in love with Grace that she couldn't leave her. Sarah had at first paid/sponsored Grace for a month in the shelter since she was not sure if Leroy would stay in the new family, but after 20 minutes Sarah said, "What the heck!" And home Grace went with Sarah!

Grace is doing wonderfully in her new home and I am so very happy....That's Amore!

A DARK PLACE TO LIVE

I got a phone call from an Animal friend Anna who told me about a man that kept his dogs locked inside in an empty house. Could AWL help?

We went there today and my gut feeling said that this wouldn't be pleasant, and that was much more than correct. We arrived and the pictures are not even close to the reality, and you cannot smell the horrible smell. I gagged several times and I was the only one that walked into the house, the rest stood outside.

Ten lovely dirty dogs are locked in, some were really friendly some were scared and barked the whole time. Do I have to mention how dirty they were? Ticks were crawling up on my pants.

The rooms were filthy and they ate on the floor among the poop and pee. During the winter they do not come out at all.

On top of everything, the Governmental dogcatchers/veterinarian clinic have approved that he is keeping his dogs here. Not even those that are supposed to protect the animals are really protecting them.

This old man is paying half his pension a month --- 250 euro --- to keep his dogs in his house. He tells us he walks for an hour a day to get there.

He wants help to clean up the place! Do we have any Warriors out there that are not chicken to help this "Project Smelly?" For the dogs sake, please help!