A WONDERFUL SOUL LEFT US TODAY

Today at 12.53 we lost beautiful soul. Kiki Maus  RIP

I was never scared of adopting a senior dog, quite the opposite. I saw so much more coming out of it. The maturity, calmness and peacefulness of an older dog, I found so appealing.

Kiki was a hospice client. When she came to us, it was love at the first sight, we all loved that dog with the longest ears and legs. She was fast on those legs when she put her nose down to the ground and ran in circles in the garden. Kiki was 14 years old when she arrived, and had been on a short chain most of those years. She was an Italian Hound dog, with a long, slim nose and a long, seal-like neck. One day at the hospice a terrible accident had happened with her, and I couldn’t forgive myself. I rushed her to Dr. Damiani’s office where a long surgery had to be conducted immediately. I whispered in Kiki’s ear that when she survived, she would come home to me.

Four years of friendship and love she gave to me, this amazing girl. With the strongest heart and an attitude as being Margret Thatcher, she gracefully mingled around my other dogs. Kind and gentle to all, and all respected and seemed to love her dearly. Our Kiki Maus.

Some say it’s a short time to adopt a senior dog. For us the quality time was long, that is why it was easier to let her go.
Would I turn down a friendship because I know we wouldn’t see each other forever? Traveling and living 4 years here and some years there, would I turn down a new friendship since I know I won’t live there forever?
Memories and time are equal with the love that comes out of everyone’s heart. If you don’t dare to love and invest, so scared to lose and be sad, then you are afraid for your own love.

Kiki my wise woman, I thank you for these beautiful 4 years, you are my light and my wisdom. Go in peace and tell them across the Rainbow Bridge, that we are doing our best to be able to love as much as you do.

The power of unconditional love.

When my wonderful veterinarian Dr. Martina came, you hadn’t been up on your legs since last night. With your wise eyes you looked at us, wagged your tail and lifted your leg for a last belly rub. I cried and smiled at the same time, I hugged you, I kissed you and told you to run quickly over to the other side. Go now!

I could feel your joy, and excitement to be totally free. At 12.53 this afternoon, your heart stopped, but my heart will forever go on for you, my Kiki Maus. I love you so.

Shiloh spent the last weeks sleeping together with Kiki, seemingly guarding her and making sure she was okay through the nights. This afternoon Shiloh has been guarding her from the pack. She growls, she jumps out at the other dogs to stay away. She doesn’t want anything to happen to her friend. And, as she had done when our dear Labrador “Ranger” died tragically in 2007, she lovingly pushed the blanket around Kiki with her nose, as if tucking her in for her body’s long slumber.

That’s Amore!

Mia Mattsson Mercer

CEO/AWL

A WONDERFUL GESTURE FROM FRIENDS

Love, light and laughter were the big ingredient at the big Party held by wonderful friends Malte and Sabine von Vultejus.

A weekend up in North East Germany at the Country Hotel Loch Mill in the wine valley of Mayschoss the Ahr.  It’s a beautiful little town, with a lot of fantastic wine, and history.

Sabine and Malte were celebrating their 10^th anniversary and 50^th Birthdays in this romantic place.

I met Sabine and Malte during our Italian time; she was one of my first true friends. Her love for animals and spiritualism brought us together. With her, I always knew she was true, her honesty could sometimes be painfully true, but she always helped me grow as a person. Supporting and Loving. She told me some important words already back then; “You will always met the same person twice in life, make the best out of your meeting.” Even today, I hear those words inside my heart.

She and her great husband, Malte, decided to request their guest not give them any presents for their celebration, but instead they requested a donation to Animals Without Limits and another great animal assistance organization, Lega Pro Animale.

What a fantastic gesture!

We arrived Friday evening, and the BBQ was waiting at this fantastic hotel.   It was a great venue and location to renew old friendships, and make new ones.

The next morning after breakfast we all walked to the famous Ahr “inwinzer” Jean Stodden winery, for a tour and winetasting.

The main party, on Saturday evening was held on a terrace and all guests gathered for a welcome drink.  Sabine introduced AWL and even gave Lyme disease (Borrelia) a face in her introduction speech. I was so touched that of course when it was my turn to talk about AWL, everything I thought to say had disappeared. So, I spoke from my heart.

A gorgeous dinner room, romantic with silver chandler and round tables, colors in Burgundy and gold. A children’s table was set up in the same room, which only shows their love to bring everyone together, whatever the age.

Sabine and Malte, you are amazing friends and the biggest, purest hearts for all living creatures. Always with a smile, laughing when the children come shouting and chasing each other. Always a suggestion on what to do, never stress or irritation. To meet your family and friends made it a fantastic weekend and at Sunday morning’s breakfast, you announced that your thoughtful generosity in requesting donations instead of gifts, generated a total of 1500 euro for the two organizations!

My heart took some extra happy jumps, and for the AWL TEAM we all applaud you and Malte for the “grande Amore.”

That’s Amore

OUR LOVE AT THE HOSPICE

 This Senior Girl is a wonderful lady. SHe was abandon by her owners when she became "old" and left in  a shelter. On concrete she sat, day in and day out waiting for them to come back. But they never did. Love became sick and depressed. AWL saw the picture and "cry for help"

 We asked the shelter to adopt her to our Casa dell Amore.

 This is what it's all about. Our Hospice is not a shelter with cages. It is a recovery home were all the clients have their own room, bed and menu. We got many loving volunteers and thanks to your donations we can continue helping those who are left behind.

Right now we are nearly out of medicines. These are the ones we need the most.

On our blog you can make a donation on PAYPAL.

That's Amore!

STELLA GRIEVING MR POE

At the hospice, long term friend Stella is also grieving Mr Edgar Poe.

You are missed by many....two legged and four legged.

That's amore!

THE MAN AND THE DOG WITH THE EVIL EYE BUT WITH GOLDEN HEARTS.

"Mr. Poe I never got to meet you in person, but I knew you well from all the stories and pictures Mia sent telling us all of your unique character. 

I felt you were a kindred spirit as I too am very grumpy and not always friendly. I loved you a lot and I did what I could to help you get better and find a forever home, which when you did I was overjoyed for you. Today, 6,000 miles away, when I read the news of your leaving us for your eternal life I cried because I lost a friend.

 I will miss you. But heaven will have its hands full with your charismatic little character. Things won't be the same here or there, you are that special. God bless you Poe

Thank you to all who helped him at AWL, the volunteers and the doctors, and your family in Sweden"

                                             Craig Kleber, Brentwood, LA, USA

 Mr Craig Kleber donated 2000 dollar in Mr Poes Memory to his Hospice Friends at Casa dell'Amore

MINI DIABLO HAS GONE TO HEAVEN

Heaven has now received a small little dog with a “grande” personality that charmed his way into many hearts. At the Hospice, he was our Mini-Diablo but sometimes with an Angel’s personality. He knew how to Rock’n’Roll we volunteers to serve and love him. I liked him a lot, because he showed you right away if he liked YOU or not. In the beginning with many volunteers he loved to scare them, and then, win them over to his side.

He was very sick but always amazed us by recovering fast. He was the first dog that could faint and scare us volunteers to drive him to the veterinarian. Then he woke up, looking at us wondering why we starred at him --- like we had seen a ghost.

Poe was something! He had his very own “Brentwood, Los Angeles, USA” sponsor, Craig Kleber that made sure that all his medical bills were taken care of.  He had his special VIP driver for his veterinarian check ups, and he adored his driver in life; Angelina.

His story started one rainy night some time ago.  From a car window our volunteer Martina yelled to her boyfriend to stop the car. She saw a little black shadow curled up trying to stay out of the cold rain.  She could sense through the window that something was not correct.  She ran out and picked him up.  She asked if he could be a hospice client?

Mr. Edgar Poe became quickly the rehab’s big martyr, to show some dogs that he hated them (always the bigger ones) and to some people he just got crazy.  In reality, Poe was a tiny, sickly, miniature Pinscher but had an ego of a Doberman.  He loved the volunteers, Martina, Pio, Sara, Sharon, Lori, Valeri, Sandra, Ivan, Abby, Chiara. But Angie was his most favorite!

A Swedish friend who earlier had adopted a handicapped dog from us asked to adopt him. We thought it was a lovely joke but after many conversations we understood that  she and her husband were serious.

Poe was very sick with a heart problem (we had a heart specialist examine him); he had leichmania; fluid in his lungs; and a small tumor in his anus.  Knowing all this, they still wanted to take him into their home and their hearts.  We were a little nervous about their two small, old, grumpy ladies (dogs) but they said they would work on it. I have known Maria for many years, she had a great reputation for working as a psychologist with dogs.  We decided to give Poe a chance to have a forever home, for as long as he had left.  This was the right family for him. 

I drove down to Campania, Italy and picked him, along with some other dogs who had homes in Germany and Sweden. He stayed with my family and me for two days, and then was off to Sweden on the final leg of his journey. He hated all my dogs and had to be kept separate. Ulla our Swedish volunteer (together with Vian) drove down 20 hours, stayed over night, then drove 20+ hours back up to Sweden.  Poe and the others were real troopers in the car.  Poe was quiet and lovely in the car, only barking if he made an accident in his travel cage.

Maria with family had loved Poe for a long time via pictures and stories. At 0400 in the morning they got him in their arms. He was great with the grumpy ladies, and as Poe always does…he showed whom he didn’t like right away.  It took him 10 days to settle in and after those days he was his old charmer. He guarded the kitchen when dinnertime came around.  He loved to drink coffee (true Italian) with his new mom.  He could dive into her big cup so Maria had always to make sure it was room temperature coffee so he wouldn’t burn his little tongue.  They fenced in their garden for him so he could walk in and out every day.  He had his forever home!

Unfortunately, just a couple of days ago he started to get very ill.  The veterinarian (on a home visit) said he wouldn’t have much time left.  Yesterday, Poe decided that he would pack his little heart full with Earthly memories and leave us all with broken hearts.  Never had the family imagined he would leave them this fast, already he was so entrenched in their hearts. 

Poe had no doubt that he was special and was so thankful to Martina and Pio who saw him that rainy, cold day and took action.   Likewise to Casa dell Amore, that brought him in and to all his fans and volunteers. But most important, he died in his own families’ arms, knowing that he was loved.

RIP, Mr. Poe.