HELLO FROM AFGHANISTAN

LT Kyle Pearce took this picture when he went to a school to deliver school supplies for the children. That's Amore doppio!

(Sent by LTC Todd Mercer)

HAPPY BARKH--DAY

AWL and all the "four legged fur coats" here in Campania want to celebrate a special person: Craig Kleber from Los Angeles.

Not only for his big heart and generous wallet, it is his birthday today! We have heard about Craig before, how he has rescued dogs, walked abandoned dogs on behalf of a lady who helps them in Los Angeles, he has even sponsored very sick dogs in LA.

Once, he even rescued a fish named Fred from being abandoned...all that shows what a pure-hearted animal friend he is. He has four-legged kids of his own together with his former wife, and they share custody. He has a heart of gold when it comes to animals, he is a big wonderful supporter to AWL.

Many times he has stepped in and made sure that AWL has been able to give a dog a treatment or surgery. For his birthday (today) he donated $1000 (one thousand dollars) to buy dog food for Adrianna Shelter here in Campania (it is being special ordered.)

He is loyal, thoughtful, special animal friend. We want to wish him a wonderful barking happy birthday today, and happiness and health always. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CRAIG!

DEREK GOT A HOME

Remember the rescue of two handsome Setters outside Martina and Pio's house, sick and laying in the rain. Well they got treatments and resting out at the AWL Hospice and Martina called me now and told me the fantastic news. Derek got a wonderful family (already been checked, house visits and contracts) That's Amore!

A HELLO FROM LADY AND BOSS

Remember when we wrote and told about the two Great Dane Lady and Boss and their puppies that we rescued. This was the picture taken in August 2010. They stayed at the Hospice and a wonderful family Emanuela adopted both--it was a dream come true.

Well, we got a postcard from them. They are doing great. After playing in the cold....

its time to warm up, honey. That's Amore!

ANOTHER LITTLE (BIG) LIFE IS SAVED

You remember Mama Rosie, the beautiful German Shepherd that had been abandoned by a family and lived on the streets for some time. She gave birth to another litter, this time 9 puppies. We found them and took care of them all, well that is to say Nicole and her husband Jason have.
They are wonderful to the family and let Mama Rosie sleep inside and never has she made any accidents. She is great with everything, I hope we can find a forever loving home for her soon.

I got a phone call from Nicole that one of the puppies didn't eat and he looked "sick". I told her I would call Dr. Damiani to see if he was available since it was lunch break. Another call from Nicole came minutes after the first time, now the puppy pooped blood, and only blood!

A quick drive in to Dr D's clinic and an ultrasound was made. It was as he suspected, Intussusception. Dr. Damiani preformed surgery on the puppy, and again he saved a little life (but big in Universe.)


An intussusception is a medical condition in which a part of the intestine has invaginated into another section of intestine. It is like when you pull off your gloves and the fingers goes into the hand-part. Without surgery, it will be fatal. Dr Damiani had to cut off 40 cm of the "bad" intestine.

He is simply a fantastic veterinarian. He took the little one (9weeks) with him home and had him sleeping next to him. At 02.00 the puppy was doing so well and being noisy he kept the whole family awake. So already the next day Nicole could go and bring him home. He was so sweet and alert that it always amazes me how quickly they recover.

He has to eat one mouth full every hour for 2-3 days, and then a special food. The poor thing will have diarrhea for a long time, but a medicine is being tried to see if that will help.

If this had been in Mother Nature, he would have died. On Mother Earth with the right veterinarian, I call it "amazing." That's Amore.

NEW HOMES-ADOPTIONS`HAPPY`HAPPY

AWL is not an adoption organization, but we take care of the dogs, make them healthy, vaccinate, microchip and if they need any treatment or surgery, we support that.

We get a lot of help from our wonderful volunteer Martina, who does a fantastic research work to find the right family for the dog. Sometimes it can take time since she is very (good) picky.
But she is darn good, and she has volunteers around the country who visits the "possible family"

Our Frank was found a home by Chiara and Fransesco and Melanie. He staid with us for a while (read earlier blog).

Miss Mapel was abandoned in Lago Patria. She staid with AWL for some time, and now she is with a wonderful family. Thank you Martina!

Sweet lovely Sofia was rescued by an American family and taken cared for a couple of weeks. A family up north love her and as you can see, she is a relaxed girl.

Thanks Martina.

Moosey staid in my house for some time but lives now up North with a couple that just adores her. She is a happy spoiled girl.

Thanks Martina.

Our Hope is now Benedetta's Hope in Milano.

Remember Hope that was found among the trash with high fever and a lot of sickness? (read earlier blog) AWL had her at the hospice and treated her, she gained weight beautiful, and more fur grew out. Benedetta is still treating her. Thank you sweet B for your donation. That's Amore.

Thank you Martina.

Pio drove 1100km with Hope, Ms Mapel and Sofia, thank you so much.

Abandoned German Shepard Rosie (earlier blog) one (9) puppies got to go to her new home today. Thank you Martina for finding the home, and Nicole for transporting him today.

Thank you AWL supporters for your donations, so we can keep the abandoned or stray dogs healthier and happier. That's Amore!

FOOD DONATION`~THANK YOU SO MUCH

17 March I recieved this e mail; "ciao MIa THANKYOU FOR YOUR VISIT MY DOGS BUT I WERE HOME BECAUSE FEVRER AND TODAY IM ANCORA A LETTO. GRAZIE PER TUTTO PERCHE' IO SO CHE IO SONO NEL TUO CUORE E TU ''GRANDE MIA'' SEI NEL NOSTRO CUORE KISSSSSSSSSSSSSSADRIANA "

(I sent her an e mail with all your names)

Grande thank you to all of you who helped donating bags of dog food (part I).

Tammy H (US) collected her whole car full with dog food bags, and drove together with me to Adrianne Shelter.

Ulla Linders (SE) Joyse Zick (US) Fransesco and Melania (IT) Angelina R (IT) Ilaria Coccia (IT)Wonderful people that left dog food at the vet clinic on Base (US), Isabel De Quiros (IT) Tracey Kleber (US) and Jonathan South, Stephen Dimmick and their girls Max and Lucy (US)

That's Amore, thank you all for making a difference.

THANK YOU WONDERFUL FAMILY HUNTER

Thank you Family Hunter for your generous donation to AWL's Rehab/Hospice.
A fantastic examination table. You are fabulous! That's Amore.

DEREK AND GREG LEFT IN THE RAIN

They were spotted laying in the pouring rain at the end of the road. Two handsome English setters, they looked like father and son. They were curled up together with eyes closed, tired and probably sick. Pio and Martina texted me: "what to do?"

I felt that they must be sick, not many strays lays so vulnerable in a middle of a street if they not are exhausted and beyond even caring if they will be attacked by others.

It was 15 minutes before Lega Pro Clinic would close, I called Dr. Gigi and told him what I knew. Could we bring them in the next morning, and if they were healthy and strong castrate them? If not healthy, could we treat them and they could then rest at the hospice?

Dr Gigi said they were kind of busy, if no problems to catch them, bring them in. I called Martina and told her if she could catch them I would link up with them at Lega the next day.
Pio and Martina took the car and when they drove up to them, the pair curled together even more, no doubt expecting the worst from these humans. But when they heard Martina and Pio's friendly voice and saw the open car trunk, they jumped right in. They slept in their garage the whole night, very deeply.

The next morning we went to Lega Pro Animale. Greg and Derek were so fantastic, so friendly and humble that all the visitors couldn't resist petting them. Max, my son, loved them and they didn't do anything at all.

The examination started and Greg (5-6 years) has arthritis and enlarged lymph nodes, which could be a sign of leishmania. A blood test was conducted, keep your paws crossed that it comes out ok. He went under the knife and is now castrated.

Derek is about 8 months old and his blood platelets were very low. It could be due to erlichia, the tick born disease. Antibiotics for one month and a blood test done on him too. Because he is sick, he couldn't be castrated so we will wait for that. We are not in a hurry since both will be picked up Saturday and brought back to the Hospice were they can get back their strength and health. They were both dirty and skinny.

These two are so fantastic, so calm and beautiful and they are up for adoption to a "together forever home"

That will be Grande Amore.

GOOD BYE TRILLY

Trilly, sweet Trilly was one of the Mount Vesuvius girls that was brought down by volunteers so AWL could have her and her friends sterilized. They stayed at the hospice and received vaccinations too. The restaurant owner missed his girl and drove down to pick her up.
We know that one girl will be proper fed. That's Amore!

THE END AND A NEW CHAPTER OF FRANKS LIFE

Last night, it was time for me to say good-bye to Frank, our Trooper, Gladiator, Hero and Teacher. To so many of us he has taught the meaning of life, the purpose of life and to not end something that may look bad on the outside but is not finished on the inside. He even fooled me.

When I got an e mail asking if Frank could stay in the hospice because the rescue volunteers had nowhere to put him, I replied that Frank could stay. They said just 2 weeks and if nobody adopted him, he would be put in a shelter.

When Frank came, my heart bled. I knew this would not be easy, he was in such bad shape. I asked if I could bring him to my veterinarian Dr Damiani and his team. Dr Damiani was also in pain for this dog and said he would do his best. And so he did.

They did a 4 hour surgery and his whole body was so infected, his front leg was so infected they had to amputate it. He was back to the hospice and I had to go in every second day to have his bandage changed. He was in so much pain, but he stuck with life, and slowly got better.

One day he could nearly not stand on his (3) legs his back legs gave out under him. I noticed it was his back spine. I understood he hadn't pee'd or pooped in many hours, I could feel the pressure in his abdomen.
Martina, Chiara M. and I carried him down in a towel into my SUV and I drove him to Dr Damiani's clinic.

Tammy and Deb were there with some other dogs and helped me with the stretcher since I knew we were in a hurry to empty the bladder. During my time in Sarajevo, I had seen animals die when their bladder couldn't empty --- something I don't ever want to see again. And Frank was our client, we fight for our clients and have no time for coffee, we do that afterward when the animal is healed or in good secure hands.

Frank was in a lot of pain, and Tammy suggested an x-ray to see if the spine was hurt, the vet assistant was asked to put a catheter in and empty him.

Afterwards, the x-ray showed he was constipated and that made it difficult for him to squeeze it out. I was told it could be that he didn't move, and I knew it also had to do with changing food. One day hospice food, another day clinic food. After all, how many of we humans that goes under a big surgery has to take these red pills so we can go to the bathroom easier. Same goes for animals!

After that Friday and he was happy to come back to the hospice, he walked up the stairs, he went out into the yard. His spirit was high again.

So yesterday evening me and Chiara B. had arranged that she should come and bring Frank home, to his forever home with her. When she heard about Frank's she said, "If he survives, I will adopt him"

It was so bittersweet. I kissed Frank and thanked him for teaching us:
strength, love through pain, joy of life, and to never give up. And the most important thing "no bitterness." My heart fills with admiration to Frank (and all the other clients.) I know why many people don't want to see or get to know them: their power and strength is bigger than ours and it only shows how much we still have to learn.

Late last night, I got an email from Chiara B:

Mia,
"Being home with Frank is wonderful.! I believe that he already understands that this is his home. He is very intelligent. Look at all the movements he made. He comes down to the garden twice to pee, ate, drink and went to the bed I had prepared. Every now and then he comes up to me and my husband to be petted. It 's great ....... we are very happy to have him with us. He must have a life like a king. You and Chiara have cried because he is gone .... I cry because he is now with me and that makes me happy ... I have no words, just a big thank you and all the special people like you who have made all this possible. Frank is also the king of our home, come visit us whenever you want, we will show you the wonderful soul that has come of your client from casa dell'amore.

THAT's AMORE.

This is what Frank left "a cirkel of (shit) love" We love you Frank!

Thank you to all the wonderful people who have seen me fighting for his life and understood my pressure, my frustration and pain. I knew the whole time what I was doing, but sometimes I was frustrated as a mother would be when her child is suffering and in pain. But your support has been fantastic.

My BIG thank you to Chiara M. who contacted me and asked; the ones that rescued him Fransesco and Melanie; Dr. Damiani and his great team (Dr Longo and Roberta); and for other friends' worries and concerns: Tatiana and husband Michael. Nicolle who helped me at the clinic, and also husband Jason.

And my heart goes out to Chiara B. for her love and devotion for Frank, even in the dark her eyes were sparkling.

Thank you all for your true, honest and pure love for an animal in need and pain. That's Amore.

FRANK THE BRAVE TROOPER

"I fooled you all!"
Our brave fantastic Frank that you have been able to follow on this blog (if you are new please stop and go back to earlier blogs about him) made us so happy today.

Today have been a day of joy. Frank have been laying out in the sun, pee and poo in the grass. He walked down from second floor, and he walked out to my SUV, and I could myself load him. We were exhausted laying next to each other back in the SUV after that exercise.

Dr Damiani examined Frank who still got an infection, but he is much better.

AWL want to thank you all and also wish Frank good luck in life a new chapter starts, a forever home with Chiara B tomorrow.

Thank you Dr Damiani and Dr Longo, Chiara M and Chiara B, Fransesco, Melanie, Patty and Pio. I am happy that you found trust in Hospice Casa dell'Amore and Animals Without Limits

That's Amore!

MORNING NEWSPAPER HOKKAIDO

No words are needed.

SPAY AND NEUTER PROGRAM 2011

This cat was having so many kittens, now caught and sterilized. Thank you Angelina!

Terrible picture, but it is a female puppy in a shelter. Rossella shelter.

Whisky....finally! Thank you Martina and Pio.

ANOTHER BUSY DAY TOGETHER WITH AWL

Nicolle and Jason who foster all the 9 puppies linked up with me at Dr Damiani's clinic for a health check.

All 4 boys and 5 girls were very healthy.

Dr. Longo and Ass. Roberta listen to their hearts, checked mouth and walk. The fur balls are only 5-6 weeks so we are waiting with the vaccinations.

Then Kiki Joy got her bandage taken off, and now she "only" has an infected ear. She is such a good girl, 15 years old.

Zara was arguing with other dogs on the other side of the fence, and her foot got caught. She pulled so hard that her toes needed to have plenty of stitches. My oh my!

Our sweet heart Spencer (girl) got her stitches removed after the sterilization. Now she is ready for a loving forever home. She is like a cat. When you lift her up she loves to stand on your shoulders. And in bed she curls up like a cat. The children adores her, and so do I.

And the last client of the day. Shiloh had gotten a "secret object" in her paw it was swollen and painful, but she was a trooper.

I can tell you that AWL is not still for one minute, always on missions. That's Amore!

FRANK WE ARE WITH YOU ALL THE WAY

Frank did not do very well yesterday so I drove him in to see Dr Longo at Dr Damiani clinic. He was in pain and discomfort and still is his body having some infection from the past.
He got sedated and his scar could be washed really well.
Nicolle and her husband Jason were kind to stop by and help. Since I had two other clients waiting in my car.

And also needed a help wrapping Frank up. I was glad when Dr Longo agreed with me that Frank should stay over night.

It is a painful road, but many of us are not used to see behind the veterinarian walls. But this is the reality. Thank you for all your support, and still we need more donations for Frank so we can give him the very best treatment that he deserves. That's Amore!