Holy Shih Tzu!

Shih Tzu Rescue is “All Hands on Deck” (2018 rescue)

It all began with a phone call asking if we could help with 10 Shih Tzu in the Tawas area. After gathering information, we arranged for an emergency rescue team to bring these little ones into our care.

What we didn’t know, brought us to tears. There were not 10 dogs, but rather 23 dogs, all suffering from years of neglect at he hands of a breeder. These poor dogs were from 8 months old, to about 8 years, and in various stages of unhealth. Several of the boys were either partially blind or completely blind. We had hip dysplasia, severe skin conditions, ear infections, rotting teeth and more. We removed an eye on one little guy that was near rupture.

The first day of rescue we brought in the 10 most critical dogs and arranged to get another 10 the next day (1 was given away before we got there the second day). These poor little dogs were trembling and fearful. As unhealthy of a world they were coming from…it was still their world and all they ever knew.

We assembled an amazing outreach team of volunteers and businesses that got busy saving lives. Jim Smock, Starkeeper Kennels, groomed and boarded until we could get all 19 off to foster homes. Ken, Holistic Pampered Pets, provided all the healthy food these little underweight dogs needed. Dr. Carl Lapplander, performed a wellness check on every dog giving us a beginning health status. We could not have performed this rescue without all of you and we thank you.

We were stunned and shed many tears over this pack. The knotted, mangled, matted hair was nearly impossible to work through. The sores on their skin were raw and painful. Their ears were inflamed and they were all pawing at their heads and shaking them. Once in the tub for their baths we saw how painfully thin most of them were. We saw the scared look in their eyes, as they tried to process what was happening to them.

When the call went out over Facebook, about the plight of these dogs, the response was overwhelming. We had animal lovers from all over the state reach out to us, from the Upper Peninsula, to Lansing, and everywhere in between.

“I was part of the rescue team both days. When I saw Gidget, I instantly fell in love with this tiny little matted ball of fur. I knew I had to foster her, and quickly knew I would add her to our animal loving family. My sweet Gigi, she is my angel”.

~ Rosana Wuebben

Our foster team that came together was amazing. Every single one of our dogs went to the absolute best home for them. Some went to homes with kids. Some went to live with other dogs. Some went to only dog households where they could get all the attention. Some went to farms. Some go to work with their foster families. The stars aligned, and it was perfect.

Once settled into their foster homes they began to decompress and let their little personalities shine. They began to trust and come out of their shells. They lived for so long as part of a large pack, several of them were a bit unsure how to interact with people but through the love and commitment of their foster families they quickly learned.

Many of our foster families fell in love and adopted their little foster dog. Fostering creates a special bond between animal and person, but when you are part of the rescue, and rehab, the bond is even stronger. We are so thankful to our fosters. They opened their homes to these frightened little dogs and taught them it was okay to trust again.

If you have ever considered fostering we encourage you to give it a try. It is both life changing and rewarding. You can complete an application here, submit, and we will be in contact.

“Skylar means the world to us. She is so sweet and overwhelmingly happy. We are very thankful to have her in our life”.

~ Kurt & Amy Krause

“We adopted Twyla (Pixie) the pregnant momma dog that came in with the 19 Shih Tzu. It is amazing how much laughter and love Twyla has brought into our lives! Some things fill our hearts without even trying”.

~ Chari Turner Hillier

“Byron is one of the young ones as he was only 8 months old when I decided to foster him and later adopt him. Byron is my baby! I couldn’t imagine not having him. He might not always love the outfits I put him in but he deals with it. He’s my shadow and I wouldn’t want it any other way”.

~ Danielle Elissa Weiler