Kleber Challenge Grant $5000

This was sent by Tracey Kleber,

Dear Friends,

I am writing to you to share something that is near and dear to my heart. And to ask for your help....
If you have spent any time with me over the last two years, you have probably heard me talk about my friend Mia and her organization, Animals Without Limits (AWL). In fact, you may have seen pictures of me with her and the animals in Italy.
The mission of their organization is to rescue animals who don't have a voice....from the streets, from shelters, from abusive conditions in parts of the world where they do not have animal welfare structures like we do here in the United States.

One of Mia's most proud accomplishments working through AWL is the creation of Casa dell'Amore, a hospice/rehab center for dogs in Campania, Italy. Mia brings old/sick dogs to the hospice....many of whom have spent 10+ years in cages in horrible government shelters....and gives them love, food, a warm bed and a chance to walk on the grass before it is time to go across the Rainbow Bridge. For some it is a year or two. For others a few weeks. But they pass over knowing that someone has loved them.

It breaks my heart to hear from Mia that she is in danger of losing the hospice because she can't raise money fast enough to pay the rent. And that is where I am asking for your help.

I and my ex-husband Craig have made a Challenge Grant to AWL of $5000. We will match each dollar raised up to that amount. With $10,000 the animals would know that they have a home for most of the next year.

Can you help me?

Donations of all sizes would be appreciated. And I ask this in lieu of birthday presents, Christmas presents....or even the next round of drinks when we are out.

Donations can be made via PayPal at www.animalswithoutlimits.com. They are a registered 501c3 organization in the US, so your donation will be tax deductible. Make sure to add "Kleber Challenge Grant" as the purpose of your gift so we can track it. Thank you so much in advance for your help and compassion.

Much love from me and the animals....

CONTINUING THE SPAY AND NEUTER PROJECT 2011

These two girls were transported from Adrianna's shelter to be spayed by Lega Pro Animal and sponored by AWL thanks to a wonderful Grant that allows us to pay for many spay and neuters in 2011. That's Liebe Amore!

FAREWELL, CLYDE. THANK YOU.

He adopted me in North Carolina in October 2005. Before that, he had lived in the forest for one year, the vets guessed from his condition. They thought he was about three years old. One day, I saw workers outside who were tearing down the woods and building roads; they were throwing rocks after him (I didn’t know him at that time), and I yelled to stop them. Olivia was 2 months old with a bad case of colic, Todd was in Iraq and my mother was visiting from Sweden. We "only" had 3 dogs back then--- Ranger, my Tjojs and Shiloh. Clyde must have thought that “hey that yelling lady might be a good human to stay with!” He came up and stayed on my front porch for several days. My mother told me I could not take him in as I had too much to handle already. I sent email pictures to Todd in Iraq, asking his opinion. He said “get him to the vet, and bring him in.” The die was cast.

Well, I sent my mother back to Sweden and brought Clyde into the family. I have never, ever regretted that decision.

He was always so patient, gentlemanly, kind and gentle. Except with cats, we learned to our chagrin at LegaProAnimale. His breath was horrible from his rotten teeth (from eating God-knows-what while in the woods), but his heart was so pure. And he was such a magnificent sight, when he would run (“prance” really) with his head held high, and his tail up. We never learned the story of how he came to be alone in the woods. We have always suspected he was cast off by a military family. Maybe it was time to move, and they didn't think they could take him with them. Maybe they had other excuses. All we do know is he was alone, in the woods, in not-great shape.

Over the years with us, he would seem to "perk up" if he saw a black family. Could that have been his original pack? The sounds of children playing, laughing and yelling would always get his attention, even as late as his last few days, and he would look in that direction excitedly. Did he miss, and still seek, a family with young children that cast him off? He clearly loved us, protected us, stayed by our side. But was there someone, a family, from his past that he still searched for? We can only guess. And suspect.

So he came to us six years ago, almost to the day. Six years isn't much for an adult human, but for a dog it is half a lifetime. Especially for a large breed like a Collie. Especially for one who spent a long time in the cold and wet, living on who-knows-what. The days of running and playing for him were now in the past. Walking him was like walking grandpa, a slow shuffle. His nights were spent pacing the floor, constantly checking, drinking and occasionally falling asleep from the fatigue. His travels from the sandhills of North Carolina, to four years with us in Southern Italy, and a few days in Germany, were nearing an end.

So, on a crystal clear, warm, early autumn afternoon in Germany; with not a cloud in the sky, the leaves starting to turn to orange and red, and the faint image of a half-moon visible over the treetops, we helped Clyde across the final barrier for him. His body and mind were failing, but not his heart and love for our family. It was heartbreaking to make the decision, and to let him go. I wanted to hold on to him forever. But he was in pain, and wanted so dearly to be set free. It was really the only thing I could do for him.

I don’t have to tell you I miss him, you know and understand. I wanted to share my pain and happy memories with my great animal friends. Clyde's in a better place, free again to run and "prance", play, bark at horses and maybe even chase a few cats.

I take solace in the belief that we’ll walk together again when I cross the Rainbow Bridge and see him waiting there, with Tjojs, Ranger and others.

Farewell, our "English Gentleman" Clyde. We miss you terribly.

LAST CHARITY BBQ AT HOTEL AGORA

AWL is up to our knees in debt! Please help keep our efforts from drowning and going down the drain!

Hotel Agora's last Friday BBQ of the year this Friday.

AWL Raffles with exciting, desirable prizes. As always, free hamburgers & Hot dogs, courtesy of Hotel Agora. Ice cold drinks, good friends, karaoke, music and fun.AWL Raffle organized by Lynn Woodall (thanks Lynn).Come out and enjoy the night, have some BBQ, and help our work for the animals of Campania.

That's Amore Charity.

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY

We have a big reason to party October 8th at Casa dell'Amore. One year ago we openned up our doors to Campania's first hospice for old strays. We also openned our arms for some helpless younger strays that were later going to great homes. We also openned our hearts for wounded and neglected strays, making sure they got their treatment, rehabitation and if needed surgery.
So with hospice and wonderful volunteers we have made a succes and would love to celebrate that together with you. Please, bring your friends and you will meet suprises, like-minded people and the donation box inside a warm Casa dell'Amore!

The team and I cannot wait to see you. Welcome!

OUR ANGEL ZAMIRA ROCKET GOT HEAVENLY WINGS

We were having a food donation drive and also to put frontline on 200 dogs (donations only to half of the dogs)) at Adrianna's 400 shelter --these are dogs that are both Governmental and Private dogs. Some of the volunteers got cracker boxes to go around and give the shelter dogs a treat. You felt hopeless but that feeling had to be pushed to the side. Pitty didn't help, documentation and more volunteers could make a difference.

I took a walk around starring into every cage. These dogs never come out, some stays had been there up to 16 years. How could I pick someone, it was confusion inside me --- which one when everyone was in desperate need of a home or medical treatment?

Suddenly, I stopped outside a cage with only one dog inside. She had the strangest body I had ever seen, she reminded me of ET. But those eyes just went through my soul.

Her! She's the one! Something yelled inside of me.

Some of the girls told me they had sat outside her cage crying. When I openned the cage and carried her out, they all cheered.

Everyone that met Zamira fell in love with her. Yes we named her that.

She had been locked in a cage since 2003 on a concrete floor and with a disease like the African children have... starving but with a swollen belly. She couldn't make use of nutrition since one of her inner organs didn't work very well.

When visitng Dr Damiani's office they all fell in love with her, and she hated the cage and made big noises. So they let her out roaming around in the clinic were she was actually very happy to be. Thank you Dr Damiani, Dr Fransesca, Dr Fransesco.

Drivers; Mia, Angie, Chiara.

Amore everyone but some extra special; Steven, Gina and AWL Team.

Special food delivery; Lynn with home cooked Turkey

At the hospice we found out she loved chasing balls, it looked so funny... she just took off and then she ate the ball(s). She actually had a high speed so we named her; Zamira Rocket!

Adrianna came after a couple of weeks and visited Zamira and smiled when she saw her, there in freedom wobbling in the grass, laying in a warm soft bed. Adrianna asked me how long I thougth Zamira had left in life, if it was one week or one month. She knew she didn't have a long time left, but with time and spirit, you can never predict.

It came actually faster than I wanted, but does it matter how long we wish for? We always want to extend time with the ones we love the most.

She became weaker. We drove her in to Dr Fransesco who wanted her on a diet of only Turkey for a short time and then make a biopsy on the inner organs to find a cause why she was not doing as well as before.

Her health went down so fast that they wanted to do a surgery and they called me for permission. Whatever was the best for Zamira without her suffering was our goal, together with Dr Damiani and team.

Dr Damiani called me and had no good news, her pancreases (Picture above) was nearly gone, her liver was severely damaged (Below) and her tongue was badly necrotic ( dead ) on the tip of her tongue. (above picture of pancreases). There was no point in continuing the biopsy.

My decision, which many supported, let Zamira-Rocket get to her final destination: freedom.

With an injection she went over to meet her other friends, some from the hospice and some new, but finally they could all together run after balls in the cool green grass across Rainbow Bridge, on strong firm legs, with lungs and organs that worked effortlessly as they should.

Adrianna said goodbye to her, with the rest of the AWL team, she was never alone. Our little ET girl full of love. We miss you so much already.

Thank you all for doing what we all want to do, giving them belly rubs, sunshine, soft beds, great food, medicine and humane euthanization. That's Liebe Amore

THANK YOUS FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT

As an all-volunteer, non-profit organization, we rely on the generosity of our friends and benefactors. Each month we cross our fingers and pray that our donations will meet our needs (rent, medicine, food, repairs, etc).
So, it is only right that we thank those who make what we do possible.
The painting team from the Navy Hospital at the Support Site (NSA Naples). For a whole Saturday they were painting at the Hospice. Their efforts result in a wonderfully clean and updated appearance in the upstairs bedrooms and the fence around the property.

Thank you everyone for your good bye's for me when it was my time to leave Italy. It is nice to know I had many wonderful friends.

Donations from lovely people, thank you, Tracey Kleber, Los Angeles USA; Steven Lovejoy, USA; Chioma Aduku-Griffin, USA; Kristina Louise Tipton, USA. China Platou, SE; Deborah Moors, USA; Natatia dePaoli, Italy; Angela Collins USA, Tracey L Nettles USA, Tanya Bonard Killborn USA. Heavenly Cake Marilyn, USA.

For Finely's (2nd) Birthday the Family Molly Kelleher Honing chose to donate in his honor donated also friends Amy Markowitz and photographer Renee Williams USA

Frederica Sandri's wish was on her wedding day to donate to AWL instead of buying gifts. Thank you so much for that generous thought and the much needed donations. Aguri sweet Fredeica, you are Amore.

Todd for 200 l propane so we can have some couple of warm months in the hospice.

And as always, beautiful AWL Hospice team Martina and Pio, Chiara and Antonio, Patty, Angy, Grazia and "Turkey-boiling" Lynn for Zamira's diet.

All you are true Amore, thank you for making a difference. Neues Liebe!

ADOPTIONS TO GERMANY?

Some update information from AWL Germany.

Some research have been made about adopting dogs here in Stuttgart area, and I found an information sheet writing to Americans, that here are many animal shelters around but it is difficult for Americans to adopt.

Of course that made me even more curious.

Visiting the American vet clinic yesterday, they confirmed the information I had gotten. Here is the same problem as in Napoli. Service families PCSing and abandoning their dogs. Actually some people adopted dogs for free, and then sold them to other people.

We discussed in general terms previously that AWL would help in adopting dogs up to Stuttgart, since we were informed that Americans wanted to adopt dogs since they didn’t want to spend hundreds of euros on pure breeds.

However, given what we have found out since arriving in Stuttgart, AWL has decided to not be part of any adoptions in Germany. We are trying to help a bad situation in Napoli, not t move the problems. We know that there are sincere people who want to adopt but they can get together with a German friend to visit the many shelters (7) around here and adopt directly. (Many come from horrible shelters in Romania)

The dogs here are just as worthy of a good forever home as those in Napoli.

AWL is not going to be a part of contributing to a growing problem here in Germany, one that is much the same as in Campania area.

MY WEEKLY COLUMN IN MAGAZINE

My weekly column in the Magazine Nara is about our adopted rescue dogs getting old and senile weakness. How scary it is when the outside is working but the soul is gone, how I remember my Grandma. She became senile and it was scary to see grandma walking around but when you tried to talk to her, she was not there.

Hope you enjoy the reading! You can google translate.

THREE DIFFERENT LIVES ~ ALL LOVED

Three different dogs, three different stories ~all loved

Clyde is a Collie that adopted us in America 2005 I knew about one Collie living in the woods there near our house. Sometimes I saw his tail disappear into the underbrush, but I never saw the whole him. At that time we had three other adopted dogs and had no plans for adopting another one. But, they began cutting down the woods and more workers and traffic started to arrive. One morning I heard some men shouting. When I looked out the window, I saw them throwing rocks at this handsome Collie. I ran out and yelled at the men to stop, the Collie ran away. The next day I saw him looking in through my window, and for three days he sat outside waiting for me to come out. He looked horrible after a long time in the woods. Well as you can see, he moved in with us and moved with us to Italy. I call him my English Gentleman. When opening the door the three brats ran in and you had to hold yourself in the doorway not to be knocked over. Clyde stood outside with his head tilted "May I come in?" Strangely he never walked on carpets, always around. He was always great with other dogs, and children, but cats he loved to chase. We never got to know his age but we guess at least over 10 years. A couple of days ago he collapsed down the stairs and didn't get up, after that he wasn't himself. It is painful to watch, your friend becoming someone else, when I look at him I see Clyde but when I walk with him I feel like walking someone else's dog. I remember the same feeling when my grandmother was diagnosed senile, I saw her but her soul was gone. Clyde has had a wonderful life but it is very soon time to let him go. Across the Rainbow Bridge, he will be without pain and able to run (and chase cats) again.

AWL volunteer Martina woke up in the middle of the night by a scream from a dog. She looked out and found this little fellow, which had been thrown in over the fence into her yard. Freddy is a lovely little dog, and would love to be adopted. This story is just beginning, but hopefully there will soon be someone who write the following chapters.

Hope was found on the street, looking like this with ronga and probably other diseases. She is in a shelter and is in big need of medicine and treatments. More information later. This one doesn't have the makings of a happy story. But there is someone out there, we "hope," that will turn a tragedy into a love story with a lot of care, love and patience.

HEAVEN GOT AN ANGEL ANGELO

For many  years they had lived together on the streets, watched-over by  a bag man that was taking care of them. Together with 3 other dogs they ate and lived on the streets.

But one day via FB came a request for help; the caretaker had died and now some people wanted to poison the dogs or throw them in the shelter. The only solution would be to throw them in shelter if no one would adopt them. After 17 years for Angelo and 14 years for Tigro, would their freedom be taken from them;  sent to prison, a cold wet concrete floor? No caretaking, not any healthy food just to sit on a small square and wait for death to release them. AWL answered and told the rescue team we could take Angelo and Tigro to our newly opened hospice. Angelo was like a big teddy bear and he was blind. Tigro, a small female --- his wife --- was his eyes. She escorted him around the house by putting her nose on his back legs, nudging him which way he had to go. When he knew his way around she “divorced” him and moved together with Dicky, a younger more handsome male.  Angelo was happy, peace and quiet he could do what he loved the most: Eat and sleep. Walking around in his green garden with we volunteers loving up on him. Ah, he was in Sanctuary, a good five star stray hotel for elderly strays being served and their dog bed fluffed up.

But all good things must come to an end.  Dicky got sick and had to be euthanized several weeks ago.  And now Angelo was in decline, too.  The years on the street, lack of good food, and just old age had taken its toll.  He couldn’t get up, and when he was helped up, he was unsteady on his feet.  He was in pain. It was time to cross over the Rainbow Bridge.

So on Saturday, several of we volunteers took him to Dr. Damiani for the last time.  In a caring environment, with people who loved him around him, Angelo slipped the grasp of the pain he had endured too long, crossed the Rainbow Bridge, and with his new wings, is now running and playing, sniffing and seeing again, playing in the cool, green grass.

Good bye, sweet Angelo.  The Casa dell’ Amore is not the same without you.  We will miss you and love you always.

A GOOD BYE FROM MY FRIENDS TO ME

TO ALL YOU LOVELY PEOPLE

Thank you Heather Gafney-Hsu and Gina Rauchenstein for the donations for Zamira's care.

Also Steven Lovejoy, for the food donation and money donation for Zamira's medical bills.

Thank you Heavenly Cakes for designing and donating two fantastic AWL cakes. One went to the wonderful ladies at the Thrift Store and the other to the heartwarming Vet clinic on base (Navy Support Site), for their support to AWL in different ways over the past several years. Marilyn you are so talented and have the biggest heart ever. She also donated the "Business 50 dollar a month donation" both for August and September.
You can see her fantastic work on her website: www.heavenlycakessite.webs.com

Our lovely Chi Chi with her fantastic web site for your pet; http://www.chichipeture.com/
Donated the "Business 50 dollar donation a month donation"

Ricci Jewerly Collection, for their "50% sold donation for AWL"

Craig Kleber for his rent donation for the hospice the month of September. You are a saint.

Our loyal sponsor Tracey Kleber from LA, thank you for not giving up on us.

Laura Vazques, Isabel De Quiroz, Malin Wahlin, Tracey L. Nettles, Angela Collins, for supporting our work with AWL.

And always, Dr Damiani for helping us out as much as you do. Your passion, talent and hard work, and especially your understanding, makes us able to rescue more animals.

UPDATE AWL ITALY

”The rumors of our death have been greatly exaggerated...”

Lately, there have been a number of people talking and thinking that AWL is coming to an end in Campania.  I suppose this is a logical assumption, since it is true that I’m moving to Germany.  These rumors and assumptions, are false.

I want to make one thing crystal clear: Animals Without Limits will continue on in Campania.  The hospice we’ve worked so hard and long to establish... will continue.  I will continue to oversee our operations in Campania, and will be down in Campania as often as I can. 

The need and thus the work here will continue, and AWL will continue to help address that need. These rumors are slightly hurtful to me, but more so for the animals.  How many haven’t been helped already because people thought AWL was no longer operating to follow through with whatever was required?  We who care about these animals can’t allow that to happen.  Here is enough problems to solve for all of us, and we won’t get there by holding back information, or worse spreading false information.  Again, it is about the animals, not AWL or me.  We must stay focused and dedicated to the purpose of all our work, all these years.

In the midst of everything going on, I completely missed that the hospice has now been operating a whole year.  My husband had to remind me this was our one-year anniversary of Casa dell’ Amore.  When we opened, there were some voices saying it wouldn’t last.  Perhaps some hoped it wouldn’t.  This first year is just the beginning, we will continue as long as there is a need ( and we don’t see the need going away any time soon.)

Despite this year of operation, there continues to be confusion about what our hospice is. Let’s start to explain our ’Casa dell’Amore.” It is not a shelter, it is a Sanctuary for older strays that cannot for some reasons take care of themselves on the street anymore, or they are sick and need treatments. We also rescue shelter animals that have been locked in the concentration camps on concrete floors without even a little outside exercise for many years. The last days, or months or year is supposed to be quiet, green grass, healthy food and love. On our second floor we have recovery/rehab where animals that have been injured and need extra care are kept so  we can care for them and when recovered our Italian working colleagues do the adoption. In one year over 30 successful adoptions and zero have come back.

We do not and will not accept healthy dogs, we are a rehab/hospice.

I am moving from Italy to Germany but will still be the President of Animals Without Limits, International. The last decisions will be mine, I will continue to ensure that the vet clinics we use get my approval before any clients are accepted. I will continue to distribute the spay/neuter vouchers as required. No dogs can stay in Casa del’’Amore without my approval. 

We have Chi Chi who is working as our Fundraising and Grant Coordinator and also the local Volunteer Coordinator. For more information; assistant_director@animalswithoutlimits.com

We also look forward to opening AWL-Germany in 2012!

I and my family are moving our own 19 dogs up to Germany that have stayed in our house. We are not taking any hospice animals.

Any questions please contact info@animalswithoutlimtis.com

I will drive down frequently  to work with the shelters and at the hospice, and to rescue animals. I hope to work together with you for many more years. Together we can grow stronger and more lives can be rescued.

That’s Amore!

Mia

SPAY AND NEUTER PROJECT 2011

 Thank you everyone for making a difference. Chiara, Lynn and Jason & Alison and AWL sponsoring the spay and neuter program 2011. This is protection Amore!

Animals Without Limits is lucky to have Craig Kleber of Los Angeles as a big sponsor here in Italy. WE are so grateful to have him as big-hearted animal friend.
Thanks to Craig, the Hospice Casa dell' Amore could pay the rent so no homeless dogs this month. That's savior Amore.

If only you could see us wag our tails, one and all. As you can see on the picture, everyone wants a piece of you.