Newsletters for 2010
Penny was hit by a car (April 2010)
Sunday, 25th of April 2010
Jemima sent us this very sad letter on Tuesday, 6th of April 2010.
Dear Rita and Mayer
I just wanted to let you know that I think what you are doing is incredible. For all the awful people in the world, it gives me hope that there are people like yourselves.
The day before yesterday my Chihuahua Penny was hit by a car. I was in the shower when I heard my mum screaming. One of her friends had left the gate open and Penny never could resist a good escaping act. My mum rushed her to the vet while I got dressed. Once I was ready I rushed out to the car to call her to find out what vet she had gone to. I was devastated when mum told me that Penny hadn't made it. It was crushing and I just couldn't believe it had happened.
Neither could her life partner Jed get over the loss. He whimpered when he saw her and brought the ball to her. She had always been the most fierce at playing games with their hundreds of toys and Jed simply couldn't believe she was not going to fight for it. Mum and I had looked at your site about a year ago and when Penny died it came to me to look on it again. Reading about what you are doing to help these beautiful little creatures filled me with happiness for others like my Penny and Jed. Your site helped me deal with my grief and for that I wanted to thank you so much and wish you luck with all your little precious chi's.
Thank you,
Jemima
Thank you Jemima for telling us of your heartache and pain at the loss of your darling Penny. Thank you also for allowing us to publish your letter. Our deepest sympathy is expressed to you and your Mother from all at Chi Rescue.
Many times we stress to people adopting Chihuahuas from us, how important it is to keep them safe. They are like all dogs - they get excited when a door is left open. Perhaps they think it's time for a walk or they just want to chase something new. Unfortunately they do not have any road sense, no matter how "smart" we think our dogs are.
And now a big thank you: we wish to express our grateful thanks to all those wonderful people who have made donations to assist Chihuahua Rescue Victoria over the past few months.
Veterinary costs keep coming, especially with the little old dogs who have very little or no chance of being adopted. So they live with us and are given all the love and attention they so desperately need.
Donations can be made through Paypal (see the donation link at left); or ring for a Ritchies Store Community Benefits card and we will send you one; or contact us for bank details and pay directly into the Chihuahua bank account; and cheques are still acceptable!
Good-bye Peaches. We will always love you. (June 2010)
Wedesday, 23rd of June 2010
Good-bye Peaches. We will always love you. Wednesday, 23rd of June, 2010.
There comes a time in most of our lives when we have to make a terrible decision to end the life of a dearly loved little pet. How the memories come flooding back!
I recall the day I crawled under the old weatherboard house in Dandenong to catch two skinny half starved little Chihuahuas thirteen years ago. Peaches and Charlie were scared and hungry. Charlie was adopted by a lady and he lived a happy and well fed life until he passed naturally four years ago. Peaches was adopted out and then came back four years later and has lived the rest of her life with us at Chihuahua Rescue Victoria. Her pictures are on our front page gallery and she appears in other places on our site.
We have known for some time that Peaches would not live happily through another cold Melbourne winter. Her eyes have faded. Her hearing is gone. Her light footed "prance" has dulled to a reluctant slow walk. Gone is the feisty protection of her food bowl. Her coat has become permanently stained as a result of her incontinence - of which she is so ashamed, poor little girl. The disintegrating jaw structure - typical of the Chihuahua breed - has now completely dissolved and she can no longer "scoop" up her soft food. She is now nineteen years old.
Over the years Peaches has been one of our visitors to the Elderly People's home in Carrum and bought many a smile to some very sad faces. She has "mothered" some of the smaller dogs coming in to our care, and has just been one of those sensitive, loving gentle ladies.
It is with very sad hearts that we say good-bye to our darling little Peaches. You will always be in our hearts and fond memories.
Donations for dear Alice (August 2010)
Saturday, 15th of August 2010
Can you donate something towards a leg operation for our dear Alice?
Re-printed from Alice's Dog Roll blog page.
Alice was found wandering on the streets outside a school, where she had been hit by a car and injured. Notices were placed all over the place in an endeavour to find her owners. It is hard to say how long she had been wandering the streets, or where she may have come from. Alice had her leg put in plaster by a local vet in the area she was found in.
We know that she is a friendly little Pom cross Chi, probably 3 to 5 years of age, and despite the cast is perfectly happy to roll over for a tummy rub and displays complete trust.
We took Alice to the Beach Street Vet on Friday 13th to be checked out. They took x-rays of her leg, only to discover that the bone had not been set in place. Jann explained to us that it is very hard when a dog is injured in this sort of accident and they come to the Vets with grossly swollen body parts. When the leg is broken to the extent that Alice's leg is broken, all the muscle and tendons etc. are torn away from the bone and, without fairly major surgery (when the swelling goes down) the bone cannot be put back together correctly.
The x-rays indicate that this is what has happened. To leave Alice in this heavy plaster with her leg bones fractured is very unfair on Alice. She could spend months waiting for the bone to mend, only for us to find out weeks later that it had not knitted and never would! Meanwhile, who knows what sort of pain poor little Alice has been in, and is still putting up with!
The good news is that Euan Kirkpatrick, who owns Beach Street Vet Clinic, is an expert with bone surgery. Euan has agreed to operate on Alice on Monday, 16th August. He will remove the heavy plaster, open her leg and manipulate the bone into its correct place. Until he opens the leg we will not know if it can be fixed with a screw through the bone (very unlikely as the bones are so tiny) which may not be enough to "hold". The alternative (and most likely) method will be a plate and screws. Very expensive operation.
We were advised that the operation could cost about $1,000 or more. We looked at little Alice lying on the table, offering her tummy for tickles, tail wagging, eyes sparkling with fun. I looked at Mayer, and he looked at me, and we both turned to Jann and said, in unison "she is such a happy loving little dog". What do you do when you just simply do not have that sort of money to spend on one little dog? The alternative is to euthanise, which we just DO NOT DO!!
So on Monday we are off in an endeavour to raise some funds to assist with Alice's surgery costs.
16th August. Alice went in for surgery this morning. We got a phone call early this afternoon to advise that when Euan took the plaster off he discovered that Alice has a nasty infection. Because of this, the surgery has to be held off until Thursday. I just raced down to see Alice as she was waking up from the anaesthetic. The tired little darling tried to lift her head when she heard me say her name. Then they showed me her leg - ugh what a mess! Poor little girl.
4pm. Nicole (one of our wonderful Vet nurses from Beach Street Veterinary Clinic) has just bought Alice home to be kept quiet and calm until Thursday. She has a little enclosure where she is safe from bumps from the other dogs. Euan has cleaned the leg and it will remain "open" to help heal the infection.
If anyone can spare a few dollars to help, please contact us for Chi Rescue bank details, or use Paypal (link on web page - over to the left) with all donations marked "Alice". Acknowledgements will appear on Alice's Dog Roll blog page. Thank you.
Did you see us in the Sunday Age today? (August 2010)
Sunday, 15th of August 2010
Did you see us in the Sunday Age today? Sunday, 15th of August 2010: Better by design? Rita of Chihuahua Rescue Victoria talks about the Chihuahua craze and its effects.
Chihuahua Rescue Victoria is a non-profit organisation. The advertisement below supports us directly but was not created by us and is in no way endorsed by us. It is presented here by Google Ad Services.
