Wowee it has been a while between updates! We have been so busy we haven't been able to do anything but rescue dogs and cats. So we apologise for not getting any new info on the site but I am sure you understand that the animals come first.
In the last month and a bit we have rescued 12 dogs! For a very small rescue group that is pretty good going. We have had oldies to babies arrive and all have been such fantastic dogs that love a good cuddle and a good play session.
We will upload some pictures very soon...
Our festival stall went very well. We were able to meet a lot of great people who showed interest in getting involved and helping promote Halfway Home. We also were able to recruit some new foster carers which is brilliant news for the animals.
Welcoming...
Buddy
Buddy is a 3 - 4 year old Pomeranian X Bear!! He is the most affectionate dog we've seen in a long time. He ADORES attention and will rub against you like a cat. He can't get enough pats and loves his walks. He is just such a gorgeous boy.
30th September 2009
It has been just hectic these past 16 days. Yes been counting! We saved 10 dogs in the last 16 days! That's the most dogs we have saved in one time. It might not seem like much to the bigger groups and shelters, but that's been done by a small (but growing) rescue group with very limited resources.
Not only did we save them, three ended up getting very sick and we had to save them again with very limited finances. We do whatever it takes to give the dogs and cats that come to us the best chance at a great new life.
We now have some real characters in foster care and look forward to finding them their new perfect families.
First off the rank is:
Marli
Marli is a Kelpie X and it full of fun and energy. She gets on great with other dogs and loves people. She will need good exercise and maybe a doggy pal to keep her entertained.
She is only about 2 years old and is extremely smart.
Next
Sasha
Sasha is a Staffy X and is very affectionate and loves cuddles. She hasn't had the best start to life and she can display some timidity but when she knows you're not going to hurt her she's fantastic. She is very responsive and learns quickly. She does have a strong prey drive so will need strong obedience training and a home with no small animals.
Next
Lola & Wrinkles (the book ends)
These two girls came together and are just hilarious. They have bonded together and love to play and play and play. They both need strong obedience but are quick to learn. The photos don't do them justice (new pics to come).
They love other dogs and affection from people.
Next
Dot & Abbey
Dot is a Border Collie X Coolie and is such a gentle lovely girl. She ever so softly stands up and hugs you and looks deep into your eyes craving comfort. She learns quickly and will need obedience training - she is slowly learning to walk on lead. Everything seems new to her. She arrived with her baby Abbey (approx 13 weeks old) and they have a very strong bond. We ideally would like to rehome them together but will separate if necessary.
Abbey is a Kelpie X and is a real character and like a typical puppy is full of energy and intrigue. She will be easy to train and loves tummy rubs. If she's running a muck you just have to pick her up or rub her tummy and she goes all relaxed and calm, the second you stop patting, she's off again! Very cute.
Next
Tina
Tina is a Staffy X and has a blueness to her coat. She has very striking looks and is full of beans. She is approx 3 months old but could be older. She became sick the day after she arrived and fought for her life. Obviously she came through it and is back to her puppy ways. She will need obedience training and firm ground rules. She loves to play with other dogs and seems fine with people.
Next
Bonnie
Bonnie is a Lab X and about 3 -4 months old. She is even more full of beans then Tina and is a typical cheeky pup. She will keep you entertained for hours. She is great with other dogs and people and will need obedience training.
Something happened to Bonnie's tail so it has grown into a curl, doesn't effect her, just makes her more special.
Next
Jake
Jake is a Chi X Corgi and is just brilliant! He is such an affectionate loving dog and will make the perfect new family member. He loves nothing more then to be close to you. He may need some independence training but when he realizes you come back, he settles. He is a little character and loves to "swim" around on the bed.
Rosie
Rosie is a Toy Pomeranian and came to us with Kennel cough but is recovering slowly. She is a little sore at the moment but shows signs of being a happy go lucky dog. She loves pats and cuddles and the company of other dogs.
14th Sept 2009
They have arrived! All 6 of them!!
What an amazingly hectic but rewarding few days. On Friday we were informed about six dogs that were about to die on deathrow.
Having no space we felt very helpless but we decided to send out an urgent email to our foster carers anyway to see if they could help in such a desperate time.
What happened next we couldn’t have planned. That email must have been sent all over Melbourne, it even reached Alice Springs! We received calls and emails with offers of assistance – we didn’t stop all day until we had found a place for each and everyone of those dogs facing the end of their life!
Everything was put in place for the arrival of these six lost dogs but how were we going to get them to us?!? After a lot of discussion and a logistical nightmare a foster carer and myself rented a Kia Carnival (brilliant car…lots of space!) and drove the 4 hours to where they waited. We stayed over night and planned out the last few steps. The next morning we jumped back in the car and headed off to save these dogs. After meeting some great compassionate people we finally got to meet the dogs in question. (Sheba the German Shepherd found a home already).
Top row: Bonnie – Tina – Abby
Bottom: Marli – Dot (and Abby)
Tasha’s pic is yet to come
They are fantastic and all characters. They traveled so well in the car and just sleep the whole way home. One photo is yet to be posted.
If a very small (but growing) rescue group can scrap together the money and resources to save 6 lives in one day (well technically two days) and are also expecting 3 other dogs this week and paying a few very expensive vet bills, then WHY do the larger shelters, who have so MUCH media coverage and public support, are always screaming “POOR”?!?! and that they haven’t got the resources?!! We believe that those are just EXCUSES and its about time legislation and shelter guidelines changed to promote more positive solutions rather then the old adage “We can’t save them all”…well you know what…at least we’re trying!
If you are one or know someone who wants to bequest or donate their fortunes or last $5 to those shelters – please realize that your money is more likely going to pay for more “Green Dreams” for the surplus of animals that arrive at their doors. If you want to help save lives – research first and find a group or shelter that works to save lives not kill them.
Look into the eyes of those dogs above and tell me….Don’t they deserve to live? If you would like to help us please send an email to info@halfwayhome.org.au.
12th Sept 2009
Tessa found her new home!
Tessa is such a beautiful gentle girl so we had to make sure she went to the most suit home where she was going to be loved and nutured. She received the most applications any of our dogs have received so far so it was a hard job going through them all and choosing only one. But ofcourse we had to and we found her the perfect new home. Her new Mum is home a lot and loves to get her out to walk her and shower her with the right balance of love and enrichment and training. We are extremely happy for Tessa.
Thank you to all who applied for her. We are sorry we weren’t able to make Tessa part of your family but keep an eye on our site for new arrivals…there’s a lot coming. Thank you again.
12th Sept 2009
Tessa found her new home!
Tessa is such a beautiful gentle girl so we had to make sure she went to the most suit home where she was going to be loved and nutured. She received the most applications any of our dogs have received so far so it was a hard job going through them all and choosing only one. But ofcourse we had to and we found her the perfect new home. Her new Mum is home a lot and loves to get her out to walk her and shower her with the right balance of love and enrichment and training. We are extremely happy for Tessa.
Thank you to all who applied for her. We are sorry we weren’t able to make Tessa part of your family but keep an eye on our site for new arrivals…there’s a lot coming. Thank you again.
10th Sept 2009
WE DID IT!!!!
Thanks to our network of volunteers and their forwards of an email and so on…we have found places for our two new girls ‘Wrinkles’ and ‘Lola’. They should be arriving on Wednesday next week – our only hurdle is finding transport. If anyone has a contact in Mildura please let us know as we need the girls transported down to either Melbourneor Bendigoor equivalent. Any help is very much appreciated.
We are extremely thankful to all those who called to help and absolutely excited to meet our new arrivals next week. Keep an eye on the site to see how they are coming along.
'Lola' 'Wrinkles'
7th Sept 2009
LESS THEN 3 DAYS TO LIVE - URGENT HOMES OR FOSTER HOMES NEEDED
Please see our home page if you think you can help please call us on
0438 842 265.
Any assistance is very much appreciated.
4th Sept 2009
Latest Arrival
Tessa arrived yesterday and has captured our hearts. She truly is such a gentle, quiet and friendly girl. She is quite small and loves her cuddles. She is an active breed but she seems to prefer to get cosy and relax next to you. She is a little unsure when you approach her but she quickly realizes she is safe and her tail starts wagging a hundred miles per hour.
She will make the perfect new family member.
UPDATES
We have been extremely busy with coordinating incoming dogs and cats, sorting out the logisitics of where they'll be fostered, trying to recruit more foster carers, taking dogs to vet visits and back again (we had 8 dogs go to the vet last week!), going on home visits up to an hour or more driving distance! It is all being done by a very small but dedicated rescue group. It never stops and I mean never but we do it because it needs to be done and it is extremely rewarding.
Below are some updates of the animals in care:
Louie
Our little Pom Louie has been doing so well in foster care (thank you Diana). He loves his foster mum and furry sister Esi and has settled in extremely well. He unfortunately is having a little trouble with his eye (the only one he has) and we hope we don't see him having to have that one removed also. Though we also know blind dogs cope extremly well with a little training and patience.
He is a brilliant affectionate loving little dog and we hope to find him the perfect new home very soon.
Wooza
Our old boy Wooza is a little in the wars at the moment. He came into care with some medical issues and being 10 years old isn't really helpful for him as it seems things aren't getting much better for him. He is off to the vet tonight to find out why his body seems to be punishing him. We were told by his past owner that he was diagnosed with an allergy of some type but not much more then that so it seems the medication he was on has caused him a lot more issues on top of what he already had. So we will be taking him for a check up tonight. His foster carer (thank you Serena) has been giving him lots of comfort and care.
Harrison
Harrison has been to the vet and had his treatment (the "snip"). We discovered that one of his testicles hadn't descended and was lost inside which took the vet extra time to find...Once the operation was a success he was sent home but it seems his operation site has become swollen and inflamed causing him some discomfort. His foster carers (thank you Fiona and Joshua) had to take him to the vet on Tuesday night to have the area drained. Then again yesterday to have it drained two more times - Harrison is such a good boy as he just let them fossick around down there and didn't even bat an eyelid - He is now having to be kept contained and quite while the swelling goes down and starts to heal properly. Poor boy.
Lucas (Diggery)
Lucas has been to the vet also and had his operation. He also had to have his hind dew claws removed (Ouch!) and so the vet taped his back feet with bandages and lovely lime green covers! Once home he pulled them off and now has one on and one off! But luckily at this moment he still has all his stitches in. Lucas is coming along so so well. He loves people and attention. He is so responsive and smart and learns so quickly. He's not sure what little dogs are all about but hasn't been able to say a good hello due to having Kennel Cough which is now gone - so we'll get to see what he's like soon....
Matty
Matty is learning to be a normal happy dog in care (thank you Ann). He is still scared of particular dogs (large mainly) but is getting to meet lots of dogs his own size which he seems to like. He adores small female dogs. He also adores cuddles and attention. He has also recently been to the vet and had his work done. He is recovering very well and hasn't noticed anything missing....yet!
Piper
Piper went to the vet the other day to have her "girl bits" checked as she had been bitten by something which left some small holes that become infected and inflammed due to her licking the area. She was put on anitibiotics to control it. Two days later she was back at the vet to have her vet work done which went well. Her foster carer (Thanks Anna) was given instructions to bath the bitten area with saltwater and apply some ointment. She let me know it was clearing up really well but Piper seems to have developed a taste for stitches and has been pulling at them - so tonight will see her wearing a very fashionable Elizabethan collar! Not fun. Piper has a home visit on Saturday so fingers crossed it goes well.
Sophie
Sophie has been very popular and received many applications. She is a little bundle of energy and fun who loves cuddles and attention. She is keeping her foster home (thank you Hannah and crew) on their toes. She likes to be with them so when she's not she lets them know she's not happy! Having a puppy in their house has reminded them how much work it is...lucky for Sophie she should have a new home very soon.
Billy
Billy has decided to grow and up become an electrician! Well, not a very good one...he has decided that his foster carers (thank you Colleen, Pete and family) needed some re-decorating so he removed (well ate) the garden lighting. He also decided that Colleen was fit enough and chewed her tredmill's cord. The backyard has also been renovated to accommodate a pool...or three - he hasn't decided where it will go so he's dug a few holes just incase! Billy is LOVING it there. He is a puppy and he definitely needs obedience training. He also needs heaps of stimulation and exercise. The only reasons he sounds "inventive" is because he also has recently been to the vet and they have said he needs to stay quite and still for 14 DAYS?!?!?! Not sure thats possible - so he has become bored and has done anything to keep him entertained. Besides those few indescretions, he is a very smart fun loving dog.
8th December 2009
Yay for Buddy
Buddy our little Mr Cuddles has found his new perfect home. He went to meet his new family the other day and hit it off with flying colours. He sniff around and told the current dog not to jump on him, then peed on everything in the backyard he could find. Ate some of the other dogs dinner then checked out his new mum's bedroom - checked the bed for comfort then decided he was happy and we left! Not sure if it was us deciding or him. Either way we're very happy to annouce he has his new comfortable loving home.
5th December 2009
Congratulations Bomby!!!
Bomby our 8 year old Jack Russell X has been in care for many months waiting and waiting for his perfect home to come and finally after a long search that day finally came!!!Bomby has gone through a lot since arriving - he was diagnosed with cancer of the hip and had to have his back leg removed to save his life. He has since recovered and adapted extremely well - as if it never existed - and is back to his old ways. He had enchanted his foster carer and now his new family who have told me he is doing extremely well and enjoyed a great big walk then lots of cuddles on the couch.
We are so happy that Bomby has finally found his new home and new life. He is a special boy and deserves nothing but love and understanding for the rest of this days.
27th November 2009
What can YOU do to help stop the cycle of abuse?
It is a never ending story of dogs and cats needing homes and it will continue as long as:
Puppy mills and backyard breeders are in operation and continue to churn out puppies for pet shops and abuse the parent dogs until they are no longer useful.
Pet shops are allowed to sell undesexed dogs and cats to impulse buyers - and allow retail staff to give puppies and kittens away like merchandise with no background or property checks or information about raising their new pet.
The public stay in the dark about the above issues
If everyone stood up and said "Enough is Enough" - then maybe we might see the government finally step up and shut down puppy mills - that would cut the supply to pet shops and force them to stop selling cats and dogs on impulse.
Problem solved! Nearly! Wish is was that easy.
Our hope is that one day Halfway Home Animal Rescue and other groups like us will no longer need to exist because the above has occurred and the pound system will have finally turned the corner and adopted the No Kill equation resulting in the saving of more the 250,000 animals a year instead of the opposite that exists currently.
If you care about animals and their welfare - make a stand to do something about it.
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Question Pet shops about where they source their puppies and kittens - don't just believe it when they say a breeder - that could be a Puppy mill breeder or a backyard breeder
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Write to your local member
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Write to the Prime Minister and his Cabinet of Ministers
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Don't buy products from Petshops that sell animals
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Get involved with a rescue group - become a foster carer or volunteer
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Research then tell everyone you know - word of mouth can be very effective
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Sign petitions or write letters of objection (see below)
URGENT: Help Stop Gippsland Puppy Farm Expanding!
Your help is urgently needed to help stop the expansion of a puppy farm in Heyfield, Victoria. Gary Jones has applied for a Planning Permit to increase the capacity of his existing puppy farm from 100 to 300 dogs. The description he gives in his application paints a grim picture for the dogs. He claims the expansion will create jobs within the community - but at what cost to the animals trapped in small enclosures pumping out puppies? Through years of investigating puppy farmsALVhas documented how dogs are used as breeding machines, producing puppies in back to back cycles before being killed when they are no longer economically profitable.
Please email you objection against this proposed puppy farm to the Wellington Shire Council NOW! Deadline for objections is this Friday, but they will still be accepted after that date. Click hereto read ALVcampaign manager, Debra Tranter"s objection. Please feel free to use parts of this letter to support your own objection to this proposal. Send your email to: enquiries@wellington.vic.gov.au
Be creative and get the word out there. More needs to be done for the animals of this world. Be it companion, farm and the likes.
22nd November 2009
DO OR DIE
What would you do if you received an email saying that if you wanted to save five dogs you had to collect them within 48 hrs or they were going to be killed and it would take a 12 hour round trip to do it? Hmmm, well obviously we did what we would do for any animal in urgent need...we hired a car big enough and started driving at 1am on Saturday morning (21st Nov) and hardly stopped until we got there.
Destination reached. Precious cargo ready to go. Walking to the exit...You hear the question "Can you fit another one?"
How do you say no? What makes it harder is you now have to choose between three dogs vying to live. The dilemma: who do you choose? The two younger ones that have plenty of life in them and will find homes easily or the old girl who looks like she has had a hard life and is just laying on her mat curled up with no idea she's not going to make it out of there? Looking into her eyes and seeing such lose and sadness made it easier to decide. She had to come. She didn’t deserve to die in this place. Neither did the other two (or the other 20 or so dogs that were either there or on their way there). The other two we were told would now be going to another group as we had made the choice, so that was the best outcome, or we would have had to take them too and figure it out somehow.
Once back in the car and heading for home we look back and see all six souls now safe and ready for a new life. Some are sleeping already, some are trying to look out the window from their crates and one is curled up on her bed with her sad eyes tucked into her side, like nothing has happened. Little does she know she just won the lottery. To live her golden years out in a loving caring home. That's what makes rescue work so rewarding.
Please welcome:
Diggery
He is a Rotty X Kelpie about 9 months old and is such a friendly playful boy. He loves his walks and can't get enough cuddles. Like the typical Rotty, he's a big sook! He is still learning about world and can be timid of mean voices and sudden movements. (photo to come)
Matty
He is a Maltese X and about 4 - 5 years old.
He arrived so neglected that his coat was so matted (hence his name) that it had knotted so tightly over his back and under this stomach he could hardly move. His nails had all curled around and stabbed into his pads. He has since had a lovely trim and is much happier.
He loves tummy rubs and playing with small dogs. He is a bit scared of bigger dogs and can be a bit timid of new people. He needs some independence training as he frets a bit when left alone, but will subside once he's safe and settled into a new home.
Sophie
She is a Red Heeler X Staffy and is about 5 months old. Talk about cute and entertaining. She loves cuddles and being with you but also loves walks and playing in the yard. She is very unsure of new things and will drop down with sudden loud noises. She needs lots of socialization to new people and experiences. Once she knows she's going to get a pat she's very friendly and submissive.
