RIP WONDERFUL FRANKA

It was on a warm day at the end of April this year.  AWL, together with wonderful people collected 1000kg dog food for the shelter Caserta that we like to help.  They work hard to find homes for many dogs, including working together with a German Organization for adoptions.  For that reason, we help them where and when we can.  Caserta Shelter has 350 dogs and 20 something cats.  The organization has it very tough, with no help they had to “get by” with everything—food, money, and volunteers.  And new dogs were brought to their shelter daily.

We had many new volunteers from AWL with us that day.  Ilena, one of our main persons walked together with Martina, our volunteer.  Martina loves English Setters! It is a very common breed in Southern Italy and used for hunting or bragging about towards other people.  When they cannot use them anymore, they drive with them out into the countryside, and throw them out on a field.  Many are starving to death, others killed in traffic.  Ilena whispered in Martina’s ear and pointed at a cage with 5-6 other dogs.  There, curled up in a corner, easily missed because she was lying deathly still, lay a black and white Setter.

Franka, a 12-14 years old Senior, had been in this shelter for many years and before that she was in another shelter.  No one knew much about her.  She had leichmania, so no one wanted to adopt her.  She was ugly they thought, blind in one eye, useless and old. Martina shouted my name.  I turned around and I read in Martina’s eyes that something was very important.  She pointed at Franka.  I looked over at the black and white Senior Setter, and my heart ached.  Martina’s eyes looked like a little girls eyes, sparkling with curiosity and love.  I nodded towards her with a smile. That was that.

We brought Franka to our Hospice and the volunteers loved her right away, especially children loved her.  An amazing journey for her, from 10 years in a cage were hope had left her soul, to the next day in the Hospice with green grass, people who loved her and medicine.  Her tail went on like crazy.  Her pride came back like a glowing aura.

Blood tests showed not just Leichmania, but they also showed kidney failure and high blood pressure.  She had to be put on a special diet, and boy was it was expensive!

One of our volunteers – Sandra -- introduced her friend from Texas, Michelle who had fallen in love with Franka.  Michelle and her husband Gunter became Franka’s Guardian Angels, sponsored her and sent money and love to her account frequently. Thanks to Michelle’s gracious heart Franka could get the best possible treatment and care.  Michelle was very engaged with Franka’s life at the Hospice.  It felt great.

The last few days Franka started to show significant changes in her energy.  In the mornings she was herself, happy, eating and wagging her tail.  By the evenings her energy fell lower.  Yesterday morning I got an emergency note on my phone:  Franka was absolutely not doing well; she had to go into our veterinarian Dr. Vittorio immediately. 

Her kidneys collapsed.  There was only one thing to do and quick.  Martina held her paw and kissed her nose several times from all of us, then escorted Franka to the Rainbow Bridge.  Franka’s companion from the shelter to the Hospice completed the journey with her across the Bridge.

My heart and thankfulness goes out to everyone who was involved in Franka’s life since we found her in Caserta Shelter.  To those who are helping to keep the hospice in operation.   To those that support us as we strive to change the lives of the dogs that sit in cages, sick, and tired.  Together, we demonstrate that there is hope for we humans, because there are people who want to make a difference.

That’s Amore

SPONSOR A HOSPICE DOG

Dear Animal Friends,

We have many who follow our various blogs and websites.  I know you all care deeply for the animals that we help.  I sense that many of you would love to adopt or foster one or more of these animals, but cannot.

Now, there is an opportunity where you can sponsor a specific dog.  Your sponsorship will ensure that "your" dog has what he or she needs going forward, the money you provide will ONLY go to the dog(s) you sponsor.  This is a simple and effective way to help a dog who has touched your heart.

You specify which dog(s) you want to sponsor.

You set the amount you can provide each month (per dog).

Upon the initiation of your sponsorship, you will get a certificate attesting to your kindness, animal friendliness and sponsorship of the dog(s) by name(s).

Each month, you will recieve a picture (digital) and an update about "your" dog(s).

You can even send care packages to your specific dog, with treats or things you believe your sponsoree needs or would like.  Of course, whatever you send will only go to the dog(s) you designate.

Write to volunteer ULLA LINDERS info@animalswithoutlimits.se and tell her which dog and the amount you would like to sponsor. She will answer you back with all the information, right away

That's Amore! 

FRANKA

14 years old, more or less, Franka was left in a horrible shelter many years ago, then went to another shelter with 300 dogs in a fenced-in area. They were up to 4-5 dogs in every cage, day in and day out. Ten years in two different cages.

AWL was delivering food to the shelter in May 2013, and the organization knew of one of our volunteer’s love for English Setters. She pointed at Franka, who was laying down not looking around, not being up barking like all the other dogs. She was sick, internal damage to her inner organs and leichmania. She was also blind on one eye, and her kidneys are weak after working so hard. She also suffers with high blood pressure.

She goes on special food (2KD Wet food). We brought her with us to the hospice.

Many dogs are invisible, she had been that way for a long time. One person changed her life, backed up by the whole team. A sponsor helped with getting her back to health.

Thank you Michelle Delgado-Gunter Texas USA

CHER

She lived 13 years in a cage together with Sunny, among 400 other dogs in a shelter where they never came out. During her 13 years she never saw or felt any green grass. No one knows how many months old she was when she came in, or maybe she is born there. Either way, the vast majority of her life was spent in prison, convicted only of being alive and unwanted. We do not support shelters, we try to give the seniors --- the ones no one wants to adopt --- a good ending. Cher is a sweet, happy little fox, so playful and happy.

Thank you Ulrika Johansson, Sweden 

NONNA MARIA

Early in May 2013, there was a skin and bone hunting dog walking over the farmers’ fields, hungry and tired. She was a hunting dog/breeder and then when older, had been thrown out on the fields to die. Nonna Maria was more of a skeleton when searching after people to help. One girl took her in and hid her so her other family members wouldn’t hear or see Nonna Maria. The rescue lady wasn’t allowed to have more animals at home. She posted the pictures on Facebook, and we surged out to help her right away. Nonna Maria is a noble, loving, wonderful soul, so polite and wise. She recently had surgeries on one of her ears, with otohematoma due to bad otitis. She also had a tumor on her back removed. Now she is healthy and beautiful.

She is approximately 13-14 years old.

Thank you Pia WallinSweden

STELLA THE HANDBAG

She is a Senior Girl that has been at the hospice since we opened three years ago. Before that, she was living together with several street dogs and a bag lady, roaming around on tight leashes. One day Stella got lose and ran away and our loyal volunteer Angy rescued her. Stella has tried to live with two different families but was always longing to be back at the Hospice. She loves her work: to greet volunteers, visitors and four legged clients. She is sterilized and will always stay at the Hospice, our “Lucky Charm” Mascot.

LOVE

This is LOVE, who came to Hospice Casa dell"Amore in July. She was someone's pet for about 10 human years. For 10 long years, she loved them unconditionally and was so very loyal. Then one day, her family drove me to a horrible place, with a lot of strangers, diseases and the constant noise of hundreds of other dogs. They left without saying anything, the last thing she saw were their backs. She was 3 years in a horrible shelter until we saw her posting. She had problems with her back legs but now with her dog bed she is doing fine. Unfortunately, Love got a bad itch, an allergic reaction towards food due to inner stress. She has bad dermatitis.

We guess she is 13-14 years old.

ENGLISH SETTER BELLA

She is a wonderful, gentle lady. She’s very calm and sweet. She had had one family that abandoned her, then another owner that left her and his other three big girls in a shelter/kennel. Bella is very calm for being an English Setter, and is well behaved. She is around 8-10 years and we would love for her to have a family that would love her and pamper her. She is so easy and healthy, very low maintenance but very HIGH amore

.

MAMMA ROSIE

She was a happy stray in Lago Patria, roaming around and staying out of trouble. But she was birthing several litters of puppies every year, helped by being hard to catch. In 2009, we received her and 8 of her puppies. We found homes for six puppies but the foster family adopted away Mom and two puppies without AWL’s approval of the new owner. We broke our relationship with the person. One month ago, we received an email from another rescue organization asking to work together to find 4 girls new homes. When we saw the pictures, our hearts froze. It was Mamma Rosie and her twins, who are now adults (and another female dog). Before leaving the country, the owner (who we hadn’t approved) had put them in a shelter/kennel, and promised to make arrangements to transport them to the USA. Of course, he has dropped off the map, and there are no plans for their care. For three months they were inside a small pen, not getting out. AWL decided to bring them to our Hospice, since we felt horrible for these souls, despite the problem being made by others’ failures and lies.

Mamma Rosie is a Senior dog 8-10 years old; she is so calm and wonderful and well behaved. We are looking for a forever home for her. She and her two daughters need leichmania tests, blood tests, de-worming and Frontline … and loads of chewy bones.

Thank you Camilla Lagerman, Sweden.

SUNNY

Sat together with Cher for 13 years in the same cage, without going outside. Hee knew only cold and wet concrete, and the constant noise of hundreds of other miserable dogs.

SWEET LOVELY LADY is new to our Hospice. She is wagging her tail like a propeller. She was born in a horrible shelter with 400 dogs in cages, cold concrete floors. Never got to go outside, no green grass.

For five years!!!

She got a heart problem and also ascites(the big belly) that makes it difficult for her to go. She got terrible wounds on her backleg after laying on cold/damp hard floor.

Thanks to your support she know is in our Hospice, warm lovely dog bed and plenty of people that love her. She is adorable.

Due to all her medicines she got really bad diarrhea.

Please become a sponsor for Lady, she need so many medicine (the list will be sent to us) she need special food due to her illness and she is wonderful she knows how to go on puppy pads. But we need plenty.

Lady and we need your help She deserves to feel special.

PS. Thank you  Mitra Talarman Rome Italy for your lovely donation/sponsor for Lady.

PS Malin and Juan in Sweden thank you for your sponsor this month.