JULY 18, 2015 UPDATE: Happy news! Jessica Arnold, the woman who had been feeding Jimma and took her to the fire station, has become the former stray’s official dog mom. “Jimma will become a part of her family permanently,” the Indianapolis Fire Dept. wrote in a comment on its Facebook page today.
Jimma, a stray 1-year-old Pit Bull mix familiar to residents of an Indianapolis neighborhood, somehow got into a sticky situation today.
An unidentified woman who regularly feeds Jimma found her this afternoon with her head stuck in the rim of a tire that had been on a neighbor’s property. So the woman put Jimma in her car and drove her to the closest fire station.
“The dog who appeared to be stable was visibly shaken but not confrontational,” the Indianapolis Fire Dept. wrote on its Facebook page late this afternoon.
Using liquid soap and then oil, the firefighters spent 10 minutes trying to slide the rim off Jimma’s head, but the tire wouldn’t budge. They phoned another crew and requested extrication tools.
Removing the tire and rim would require large, loud tools, and the crews didn’t want to frighten or injure Jimma in the process.
They figured out a plan. The first step was to remove the tire.
“Several small tools normally used in vehicle extrication were used but ineffective due to the proximity of the dog’s head, noise, vibration and the rim material,” the fire department wrote.
As firefighters worked to remove the tire, others soothed Jimma by gently patting her and speaking to her calmly.
“Several times throughout the process, the dog turned skittish and firefighters had to allow the dog a minute to calm down before continuing,” the fire department wrote.
At last, over an hour later, the firefighters were able to cut through the rim using a tool normally used to cut brake pedals in cars. They then used spreaders to create a wider opening.
According to the Indianapolis Fire Dept., Jimma’s airway was never compromised and she appeared to be okay after her ordeal.
“A very happy Jimma was sent home with the resident,” the fire department wrote.
Here’s hoping the resident becomes Jimma’s permanent dog mom, or one of those hero firefighters adopts her, or Jimma’s story goes viral and she finds a forever home soon.
A young, very pregnant Pit Bull mix was dumped at a high-kill Los Angeles County shelter last month — something that happens way too often.
Fortunately, instead of being euthanized, the mother-to-be was taken in by The Ark Animal Rescue, a non-profit based in Oceanside, Calif., that saves the lives of pets from these types of shelters as well as from other desperate situations.
Last month the Pittie mix, now named Annie, gave birth to five healthy puppies in her foster home.
A few weeks later, The Ark Animal Rescue happened to take in four Poodle puppies whose mother had died.
“Our amazeballs foster decided to see if mama Annie would help out in a pinch!” the rescue wrote on its Facebook page Tuesday.
“Guess what…she took on the pups in a heartbeat. Dogs surprise us every day and this was a special moment. Funny to see a Pittie mix take on some orphaned, furry fuzzball Poodles.”
Here’s a photo of three of Annie’s biological puppies and one of the surrogates. “One of these babes is not like the other (yes, this is us…breaking out in song)!” The Ark Animal Rescue wrote in the caption.
All of the puppies and their mom will soon be available for adoption. For more information and an application, email shalee@thearkanimalrescue.org.
“It is a true testament to this loving and special breed,” The Ark Animal Rescue wrote on its Facebook page today.
“It could have gone cheesy or too sappy or too sad, so quickly,” Ben Moon told TODAY last week.
He was talking about the now-viral short film, “Denali,” a beautiful tribute to his dying Pit Bull/Husky mix. Although it is indeed sad (and even funny sometimes), it is never cheesy or sappy.
Moon, a photographer who lives in Portland, Ore., rescued Denali from an animal shelter in 1999.
“As soon as I passed him, he put his paw out, cocked his head and kind of looked at me,” Moon told TODAY. “He tore a lap around the room, and then laid on my feet, and rolled up on his back, and looked at me. It felt like he chose me.”
Five years later, Moon was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Nurses at the Bend, Ore., hospital where he was being treated allowed Denali to stay with Moon.
“When he was in the hospital bed with me, he’d just sort of step up there so gently, it was kind of mind-blowing,” Moon told TODAY. “He made sure he wasn’t touching anything that was in pain and not invading my space.”
One year later, Moon was cancer free. He spent the next few years traveling around the country with Denali, snapping photos of their adventures together.
Early last year, Denali was diagnosed with cancer. Four tumors were removed, but the 14-year-old dog’s health continued to decline.
“That’s when I promised him, ‘Just let me know when it’s your time to go, man; I’m not going to let you suffer,'” Moon told TODAY. “It felt like this grand reciprocation, because he had been with me while I had gone through cancer.”
Knowing Denali’s days were numbered, Moon decided to have his final visit to the beach filmed.
“Denali” was directed and written by Ben Knight of the production company Felt Soul Media, which, according to its website, strives to “cause the rare magical goose bump that occurs when pictures and sound are squished together just right.”
The film shows that last beach visit, as well as plenty of photos that show the incredible bond between Moon and his beloved dog. It is narrated from the point of view of Denali himself.
In April, “Denali” received the Best of Festival and People’s Choice awards at the 5Point Film Festival in Colorado. It was also an official selection at Telluride Mountainfilm. Posted on Vimeo two months ago, “Denali” has gotten millions of views.
“I was hoping it would resonate and connect with people, but when we passed a million views, it was mind-blowing,” Moon told Men’s Journal.
Denali crossed the Rainbow Bridge in early February 2014. Moon told TODAY he recognized the look in his dog’s eyes, and knew it was time to end his suffering.
“It’s impossible to put into words all that you were and will always be to me,” Moon wrote in a eulogy for Denali on Instagram. “I was always convinced you were more human than dog, and all of the countless lives you touched felt the same.
“Thank you for your unwavering belief in me. Happy trails, my friend!”
Theia, a 1-year-old Pit Bull mix, showed up one day last month at a Washington farm. She was emaciated, battered and covered in dirt, yet still wagging her tail. If dogs could talk, the farmers might not believe the story she told them.
The stray, who was known by almost everyone around Moses Lake, had been hit by a car four days earlier. In a misguided mercy killing, someone hit Theia in the head multiple times with a hammer, then buried her in a shallow grave.
When Sara Mellado of Moses Lake read about Theia’s ordeal on Facebook, she decided to become her foster mom.
Theia was taken to Washington State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital and treated for a dislocated jaw, nasal bone fractures and leg injuries.
The veterinarians believe Theia’s nasal fractures, which make it difficult for her to breathe, were a result of hammer blows to her head.
“I’m assuming that the person who did this meant to put her out of her misery, but I’m still horrified by the carelessness of the act,” Mellado told WSU News.
Theia’s dislocated jaw is healing nicely, but to help her breathing, she will need to have a stent surgically implanted in her nose.
To help defray the cost of the surgery, WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s Good Samaritan Fund is contributing $700. More than $1,100 has been raised as of Tuesday morning via the Help Theia gofundme.com page. Mellado notes that the surgery and treatment may cost more than $9,000.
Despite Theia’s injuries, ever since she arrived at WSU, her tail has not stopped wagging. She enjoys giving smooches to everyone she meets.
“Considering everything that she’s been through, she’s incredibly gentle and loving,” Mellado told WSU News. “She’s a true miracle dog and she deserves a good life.”
Although she was shot three times by a 17-year-old thug and then tied to railroad tracks, a sweet Pit Bull mix named Cabela defied the odds and is getting better and better each day.
Cabela was released yesterday from Tampa Bay Veterinary Emergency Service (TBVES), where she’d been staying since the night of March 4, when hero Tampa police officers Nick Wilson and Sr. Sgt. Rich Mills untied her from the tracks as a train was approaching.
“She has left the building to go into super secret, never to be revealed, protective custody. Hiding: to heal, socialize and begin her transition to a new life,” TBVES wrote in an update on its Facebook page yesterday.
Cabela Wouldn’t Kill, So Thugs Tried to Kill Her
Cabela had been bought for dog-fighting purposes. But since she was too sweet tempered to viciously kill other dogs, a group of losers decided to viciously kill her.
On March 4, after Cabela had proven to be a lover, not a fighter, Bobby Hollinger, 17, threw her into the woods and fired a few shots at her. But Cabela ran back to his house and sat, bleeding, on the porch. So Hollinger and three other monsters walked the injured dog to the railroad tracks and tied her down with a belt. Natwan Callaway, also 17, shot Cabela three times in the neck and right shoulder.
Thanks to a surveillance video, investigators were able to identify the criminals. Callaway and Hollinger were arrested on animal cruelty charges March 11. The next day, Darnell N. Devlin and Kenny Bell — who said they were Cabela’s owners — were charged with possession of a fighting dog after evidence of a fighting operation was found in their home, including two dogs with bite injuries.
Callaway and Hollinger will be tried as adults. They are scheduled for a court appearance on April 8.
As for Devlin and Bell, Hillsborough Circuit Judge John Conrad denied bond for both of them. In Florida, a felony dog-fighting conviction can result in up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
“Darnell and Kenny, Cabela sends her best wishes for each of you into the future and is thankful that your accomplices were such bad shots and bumbling criminals.” TBVES wrote on its Facebook page yesterday.
“Enjoy your time in a cage where you will still be treated better than you ever treated her and the other dogs. She is sure the other inmates will be impressed with your high level of sophistication and the cruelty of your actions! Have a great life, she certainly is on to better things!”
Amen.
Cabela’s Amazing Recovery
When Cabela was admitted to TBVES, the staff did not predict a great outcome for her, due to her severe injuries. (By the way, Cabela got her new name from vet technician Teena Hicks, who’s a fan of country singer Luke Bryan. The sporting-goods retailer Cabela’s is sponsoring Bryan’s tour.)
Veterinarian Dr. Jamie Davidson initially thought Cabela’s shattered right front leg would need to be amputated, but fortunately it was saved.
“Cabela came through surgery with flying colors and four legs,” TBVES wrote on its Facebook page March 5. “The surgeon decided to pin it instead of amputation. It will be 6 to 8 weeks before we know whether she will regain full use and motion.”
When Cabela’s original owners saw media coverage of her rescue, they contacted Tampa police. They claimed at the time that she had either escaped or been stolen from their yard four months ago. It seemed strange that, after reuniting with their dog last week, they decided not to bring her home. Apparently their decision was not all that strange: They had actually sold Cabela, according to the Tampa Bay Times, but not to Devlin or Bell, the owners said.
TBVES rescue coordinator Steven Pahl told the Tampa Bay Times the hospital has received adoption inquiries from all 50 states and several other countries.
When Cabela is ready for a loving forever home, TBVES and the Humane Society of Tampa Bay will start the adoption process, Pahl said.
This video taken Thursday shows the amazing progress this sweet girl has made, just one week after her surgery. Look at that tail wag!
Donations Pour in From Around the World — and a Certain Namesake
TBVES is covering the cost of Cabela’s veterinary care, but is accepting donations via its website.
“All donations above what is necessary to cover the cost of Cabela’s care will be used for other animals rescued by Tampa Bay Veterinary Emergency Service (last year over 500 injured, ill or orphaned dogs and cats were cared for at our hospital) or will help care for injured or ill pets whose owners are financially limited,” the website states.
When Cabela’s heard about its namesake, the company sent the dog a care package “in a box as big as Cabela’s kennel,” TBVES wrote on its Facebook page. It included a bed, toys, treats and a metal food bowl with the name, “Cabela’s.”
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