Mum's Rescue Story ~ Dee Dee, November 2000

Dee Dee ~A Beautiful Story
What Rescue Is All About
By Cindy G. Mercer

For those of you that I have worked with, know that I don't usually post about all the dogs I rescue and place, but this one is very special. DeeDee was with another rescue group in foster care for 1-1/2 years, adopted once and returned. I basically rescue Pomeranians and toy breed dogs. I had been trying to help place some of the older "long time foster dogs" for other rescues. Dee Dee was a large Pom, that some though wasn't even a purebred. I found this wonderful family that had contacted so many different organizations, of which half did not even responded to them. I had this beautiful 2-1/2 year old 5-1/2 LB Chocolate Male Pomeranian, which I offered to them for adoption and the lady asked me if I would have trouble placing him~ of course NOT he is young beautiful, etc., and that they wanted to really help a rescue dog.

Well, I told them the story of dear sweet forgotten DeeDee and sent them a photo. Their little boy had seen a Pom at the vet and wanted one of his own so bad. I don't usually adopt Poms where there are small children, but this was a very kind and loving child. Within in 10 days I had Dee Dee flown Delta-Dash straight to New York, met the family at the airport and concluded the adoption. I could hardly hold back the tears when I saw that little boys eyes light up when they brought in the carrier with Dee Dee. He thought she was the most beautiful Pomeranian in the world. If I was offered a brand new Cadillac or to have Dee Dee in this home with this little boy and his family...I would without question have taken Dee Dee. I have submitted a photo of Dee Dee with this little boy, you can see the pride in his eyes and how much she loves him. So to any rescuer that feels they should give up trying to find a home, there is always a place if you search far and wide and try hard enough {and pray a lot}.

Thank you for reading Dee Dee's story.
Cindy G. Mercer
Founder-President Second Chance Pet Society, Inc
501(c)(3) Non Profit New York State
Paws~ Claws~ Wings & Hooves

Mum's Rescue Story ~ Snowy  June 2001
Submitted by Roni Edwards

Snowy was abandoned on a dirt road and later taken to the Montgomery Humane Society in Conroe, Texas (Houston). She is an old, blind and perhaps deaf female Yorky/Poo, weighing only 5 pounds. The Montgomery Humane Society is very rescue friendly, but is high kill due to the volume of stray dogs and a society of people in the community that are uncaring, even to their own pets. Lynn, the rescue director at this facility, couldn't bear to euthanize Snowy, and asked a woman named Liz if she would take her in temporarily in desperation. Liz and I are partners in many ways. She fosters and I network. Liz has many fosters at her home, primarily German Shepard's, so this wasn't the place for little Snowy. I proceeded to try and find just the right, caring home for this old little Yorky/Poo.

I took her to a veterinarian in Conroe and got her shots and general health check. Not only is she blind, but her eyes were recessed and terribly ulcerated. She had a hard, irregular mass (probably a mammary tumor), and her teeth were loose. However, she checked out heartworm negative and her lungs and heart seemed fine. I arranged to have Snowy groomed. The veterinarian’s staff transported Snowy for her groom. What a difference that made! Snowy was transformed from a rag to a beauty. A volunteer and friend of mine, Sharon, took Snowy home. She too fosters large dogs. To tell you the truth, none of us knew how to take care of this little tiny old dog, nor did we have the facilities to help her with all her medical needs.

I e-mailed the various e-mail lists and small dog rescue in Texas. No one wanted to take Snowy due to her special needs and high costs. I was finally referred to New York rescue, and Cindy Mercer and her partner Patti Vandia with Second Chance Pet Society, Inc. responded. They were familiar with old dogs with special needs, and medical issues, and its cost didn't present a problem to them. They told me that this is why they were doing rescue - just to help these little special dogs, and that Snowy would have a loving and wonderful home with them, even if it was only for one day. I couldn't guarantee how long she would live. Her age and medical condition was basically unknown. Sharon, who fostered her in the interim, said she would yelp from time to time and she never knew why. She didn't know if she was in pain. Snowy also didn't eat well. Perhaps it was from bad teeth.

The next step was to transport Snowy. I chose Continental because their flights are almost every hour from Houston and is non-stop into La Guardia. I was a bit concerned about Snowy in cargo, so I tried to talk them into letting this tiny 5 lb. dog go in-cabin with one of the flight attendants, but to no avail. They assured me she would be fine in cargo. That cargo is different than baggage, that the temperature would be the same as in-cabin and that nothing would be shifting around. Snowy arrived safely in La Guardia, and Patti who is her new mommy now, met her at the airport.

Today, one day later after she arrived, Snowy had an appointment with the veterinarian. He suggested that Snowy stay with him for a couple days. He is going to do a CBC blood screening and chest x-ray. If she is able, he will operate and remove her mammary tumor, spay her, and do a dental. As far as her eyes go, he feels that a special eye ointment will help and not make her eyes worse, so they are going to try that.

Cindy and Patti both feel that it was fate that directed this sweet ole soul to their safe haven. That there had to be a special reason why the shelter did not euthanize her and a reason that I happened to e-mail Marsha with Maltese and Small Dog rescue, who then referred me to their organization all the way in New York. Snowy will spend her remaining years with Patti and will be well taken care of and loved forever. I just wish (and tears come to my eyes when I think of this) --- that it just could of been sooner. I just can't bear to think what her past life was like. Who on earth would abandon a 5 lb. old dog, blind and possibly deaf, on a dirt road --- with a tumor and bad teeth --- shaggy and unkempt?

A special thanks to all the rescue people who united to help find Snowy her "forever" home.

Radio duo focuses on pet problems
BY AMY FAITH LIONHEART

(Original publication: April 24, 2003) From The Journal News

Paula Young and Dr. Marcus Suppo aren't your typical radio commentators. You won't hear about what's going on in the Middle East, Washington D.C. or even the Queen City. There is no political discourse, celebrity gossip or sports trivia. Don't bother calling unless, of course, you have a question about a pet or wild animal. Every Thursday they get to discuss their views on nature and science on "Ask the Vet," a one-of-a-kind weekly show about animals on New Rochelle's WVOX 1460 AM and WRTN 93.5 FM.

Young, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, has been working with animals since she was a kid. Growing up in South America, she always had a special place in her heart for animals. "A lot of the time we would be in jungle areas and I became accustomed to spending the day in areas where there were a lot of monkeys, turtles, lizards, snakes and birds."

A graduate of the City College of New York, Young spent much of her early career as an aspiring actress and model, then working for Mayor Rudy Giuliani in the public affairs department. "I would leave meetings and go rescue crows that had fallen into buckets," said Young. "I did everything I could to help animals, including volunteering at every Humane Society in the area."

Her journey began about six years ago, when Young and her son moved from New York City to Harrison. "I bought a home with about an acre of land with lots of trees and a stream in the back and I transformed it into a Club Med for animals." She began to take in every sick animal that she could, and nurse them back to health.

Then, just over four years ago, while sitting outside Café Mozart in Mamaroneck with her dog (a Pomeranian) and a friend, Young saw "this extremely handsome guy walking past."

Innocently flirting, Young said "I bet you can't identify him." The man (Suppo) identified the dog right away. "What a dummy I was, because that's when he told me that he was a veterinarian," Young said with gleam.

The two became really good friends and, since Suppo had just opened his practice, Young decided to help him (she painted a Saint Bernard on the entrance to the clinic). In return, he helped her with the wildlife. It was then that Suppo and Young decided to start a radio show about pets.

Sponsored by Sally Sherman Foods, the quirky show has been on the air for over a year. Suppo and Young pick a different topic to discuss each week. Guests have included Ed Martin, director of the Hartsdale Pet Cemetery and Crematory.

Suppo, owner of the Mamaroneck Animal Hospital on Boston Post Road, didn't set out to be a vet. "I had designed myself to be a lawyer." With a bachelor's degree in political science, from Washington College on the eastern shore of Maryland, Suppo was set to begin law school at Johns Hopkins University when he decided to apply to veterinary school.

Suppo, a Staten Island native, was no stranger to animals. "I grew up with nine dogs and several horses, goats, sheep, outdoor cats and rabbits."

A graduate of Ross University on the island of St. Kitts in the British West Indies, Suppo did his clinicals at the University of Missouri and quickly decided to open his own practice. Since then, Suppo has become an advocate for animals, helping owners to see the big picture about their pets.

Specializing in medicine and surgery, Suppo works with about 25 -30 animals a day on everything from wellness issues to boarding and vaccines. He remains on call 24 hours a day. "I wake up every morning happy to put in 10, 15 or 20 hours and do what I do. It's a part of my life."

Being a vet, Suppo said, "You see a lot of things day in and day out." Examples include a Yellow Lab that ate a video cassette and men who come in crying about their animals.

"I've had people tell me that they didn't cry for their mother, like they did for their pet. There is a real bond formed between animals and humans."

Suppo added that it is important to know that pets require a lot of time and care.

"If you treat a dog like a person they are going to treat you like you are a dog. They are perpetual children: they don't ever grow up, having a pet is a lifelong commitment," he said.