Honey
This is Daisy, one of the sweetest dogs I have had a chance and been lucky enough to meet. When Daisy was first found she was emaciated and living in the desert. The wonderful people that brought her to us, found out she had been dumped out of a truck by somebody a month prior. We took her in and started to care for her a few days later when she went to the vet we found out some terrible news. Daisy had heartworm and possible kidney failure. We needed to then find her a foster home to fatten this little girl up, give her lots of love and see her through her treatments. A wonderful family took her in and in the 2 weeks she was with them, I know she received more love then she ever had. Within that 2 weeks before we could start treatment for the heartworm, her kidneys were starting to shut down. We had to make a terrible decision, but the right one for Daisy. With her new mom by her side along with others that loved her dearly she took her final journey. Daisy was a very special to a lot of people and we miss her very much. But it brings me comfort that before she past over to the rainbow bridge she was able to know what a real family was like and how it felt to be loved and cared for. Thank you to everybody who helped this little girl.

Ella Mi Bella
Ella mi Bella came into my life on May 23 and crossed to Rainbow Bridge on October 9. Sleep well my pecious girl, your suffering is over. You filled my heart with joy. You were very much loved and cherished. How fortunate I am to have had you in my life. Marsha Submitted by: Marsha Alexander I call Ella my miracle girl. Within three weeks of each other, I lost my two beloved rescue Neos. My first Neo, 11 year old Kalie Kalifa, was lost to cancer. She was my joy from the moment she came to me six years ago. My 5 year old, Hank, who was horrifically abused and rescued moments before being put down at the shelter for being so "vicious," was no longer able to get up due to a degenerating spinal cord. Although there are two rescue English Mastiffs and three rescue cats in my home, the ache in my heart at not having a Neo was unbearable. Cathy White, my 'brick," placed a memorial on the Neo site and I found myself clicking on Rescue. There was Ella Fitzgerald. She had been held with her daughter as evidence on an abuse case before coming into Rescue. Ella's daughter was adopted but there was difficulty in placing Ella because she is blind. In addition, Ella is almost totally deaf. I cried reading her story and thought about her constantly. I've been active in the dog world for many years: working my Newfoundlands in obedience, obtaining some titles and proudly helping some of them become Certified Therapy Dogs. I also wanted to get back into showing and had thoughts of getting a Neo pup. I have Kalie and Hank to thank for making me completely mesmerized with this magnificent breed. I searched within myself and knew Ella had to be mine, and the process started. Malnourished, blind and almost entirely deaf due to infections that were never taken care of and now are chronic. Teeth ground down to stumps, ligaments that were torn and ignored. Her hips are riddled with arthritis and her knees are in far worse condition. Entropion. cherry eye, pyoderma, pressure sores from lying in one position too long and numerous painful interdigital cysts between her toes. At some point long ago, she may have cut her paw, no one really knows, three surgical staples were left in her paw causing pain. Ella should be bitter but through all that she has endured, she has retained her sweet disposition, sense of humor, and a funny smile. Her tail will thump when she smells her food being prepared. Her head will lift when she catches my scent and her tail will wag madly. She loves to nuzzle her face into mine and lay her head in my lap. contentedly making cooing sounds. I know she's saying, "This must be what it means to be loved — I've waited 3 years for this." The long-term prognosis for Ella is not good (I hope she fools us all). but through the wonderful efforts of my vets and the wisdom of several Neo members, Ella, who fought so hard to live, is being given a chance and blossoming. Her doctors are amazed at how she continues to improve. With the proper eye medications (which are lifetime), the green gook that sealed her eyes shut is completely gone, her ears now have the smell of peaches, her scabbing skin and dull coat glisten a brilliant black. Her immune system is being built up with good food, vitamins and supplements. She is no longer on antibiotics and the medicated baths have helped to overcome her pyoderma. She wears a cushioned sock over her elbows to help ease her pressure sores. I watch in amazement as she maneuvers through my house. If she bumps into something, it never happens a second time — she makes a mental note. I watch how my male mastiff will lay next to her and the play pawing begins. Ella has not brought her past with her. Ella KNOWS she's loved and will have whatever quality life I can give. I call her Ella mi Bella and don't understand how someone, who MAY have loved her once, could have allowed this atrocity to occur. There are several people I need to acknowledge: Cathy White whose friendship and support has helped me through many of my ''weak" moments. Darlene Spencer for rescuing and bringing Ella to me, Nikki Stamper for her wisdom. Jenn Groves for helping expedite Ella's arrival and her ''what can I do to help" emails, and Shani Stewart-Robbins who's there for me to answer any of my questions. Thank you all for your guidance and support this couldn't have happened without your help.

Brutus
I found this big beautiful English Mastiff March 1, 2004. He had been abandoned, left on the streets to fend for himself. He was emaciated and injured. He had been dragging his right hind leg and had bloody sores on his foot. He choose my neighbors front yard as his resting place. In his weakened state, he didn't move around much. It was there that we fed and watered him. For two weeks, he laid on her front lawn and in the tall grass, on the side of her house. I continued to talk to him, getting closer and closer each time, earning his trust. When I finally touched him, as I gently rubbed along his back, he quickly turned around to let me know his back was injured He was very cautious of strangers so it wasn't easy to get him into a safe environment. He continued to gain strength and was moving around more. As I slipped a leash around his neck, coaxing him w/ dog bones and sweet words, I managed to get him onto our property where he was safe. Within the first week, he continued to improve, showing signs of appreciation by wagging his tail, smiling, and giving small kisses on the end of my nose. That affection continued to grow, and we quickly fell in love with this gentle giant. I searched for his owner, hoping he had run away or was lost. I placed flyers and advertisements in the paper, to no avail. I can not imagine how this beautiful creature came to be abandoned. It pains me to know someone neglected him so badly all of his life. I searched for a loving home for Brutus, as we could not keep him. I was committed to keeping him for a co-worker until some time in July, but he continued to show signs of serious back/hip problems. As much as I loved him and wanted to keep him, we could not commit to his medical needs. I was desperate to find help for this loveable dog. Through Petfinders, I found Laurie. A very wonderful Mastiff rescue volunteer who put a lot of effort into finding this rescue organization (Canine Rescue Coalition) who agreed to help Brutus. Laurie took Brutus and got him to the vet the next day. He was assessed with a number of serious conditions such as blown knees, a back problem, and prostrate problems. He was scheduled to be neutered and x-rayed Tuesday of this week, but didn't make it. He worsened over the weekend, crying in pain, Laurie carried him to the vet's office. He needed back surgery but would not be able to recover with blown knees. The decision was agonizing, but with no other options, and Laurie by his side, Brutus was put to rest. The comforting thing here, he knew love the last couple of months of his life. First with us, then with Laurie and her family. He can now run and play free from pain and discomfort. His eyes are bright and sparkling. This beautiful dog has a special place in our hearts. I love this dog and miss him dearly. I am honored to have taken care of him for two months. It was an experience I will never forget. Thank you so very much for coming to his aid. Your intentions fill my heart with gratitude. Thank you Laurie for loving and caring for him and being with him to the end. God Bless you all

De Gaulle
I received an email three weeks ago that there was a male Dogue de Bordeaux in the Baldwin Park shelter. When I arrived I found a very skinny, very weak dog. He had to be lifted into my car. I got him home and fed him. He laid on the dog bed I gave him and slept. The next day, I took him to the vet. He was diagnosed with demodex, a yeast, as well as a bacterial skin infection. He also had signs of failing kidneys. The vet gave me lots of medications and said “let’s watch him for a week or two and see if he will improve,” but was not very confident that he would do well. I brought him home and started his meds. He was showing more interest in food and started to perk up. He was even playing with me. He liked to sleep on the bed, the couch, or if there was no where else, the dog bed. He got along with all my dogs and appeared to be house trained. He was a snuggle bunny at all times. De Gaulle was being treated with Ivermectin, for the demodex and was on a small dose. We were going into our third week with him. I was at work and when my daughter came home from school she found De Gaulle out in the backyard just laying there. She and our neighbor rushed him to the emergency veterinary hospital. They weren’t sure what was wrong, but they kept him overnight on fluids. The following day we took him to our veterinarian, Dr. Ena Valikov, of Bellflower Veterinary Hospital. She concluded that he was basically in a coma from the ivermectin. Ivermectin is a potent medication used to treat parasites, and the dosage needs to be very accurate. You need as much as possible, with a fine line of being too much. For the next three days he was kept on IV fluids to flush the ivermectin of out his system. He was starting to respond, when his kidneys began to fail rapidly. We tried to increase the IV fluids to help the kidneys, and waited another day to see if his kidneys would improve, they did not. Even if his kidneys started to get better, we had to face the problem of not being able to treat his demodex, because he couldn’t tolerate the ivermectin. We made the horrible decision to let him go. I sat with him for about two hours while the doctor finished her day, then she and her staff came in and sat with me and De Gaulle. It was peaceful for him in the end. He had people who cared about him. The very sad thing about this story is, if his owners would have taken him to the vet to begin with, it maybe would have cost them $100 and he could have been a happy, healthy dogue, but they just let him get sicker and sicker. When is was apparent he was beyond help, they just dumped him in the shelter. In the end he had no one but strangers to be with him as he passed.

Mona Lisa
Mona Lisa was a very sad, very sick little pup when we were called by the shelter after her owners brought her limp, nearly lifeless body in saying they didn’t want her anymore. The shelter workers were horrified and immediately began treating this little puppy. They hydrated her, gave her food and warmed her up. She perked up a little, but it was touch and go the entire night. We were there first thing in the morning and took her immediately to the vet. We were worried, but had hopes that all she needed was fluids, food and treatment for parasites. What we came to find out was that she had multiple problems, and each being bad, but not hopeless. She had a heart murmur and probable diabetes, but we felt that this pup had been through so much already she deserved a chance at life. She had already had her ears and tail horribly cropped and healed at 8 weeks, so we can only imagine how old she was when these “procedures” were performed. Unfortunately for Mona Lisa by being brought into the shelter and being exposed to kennel cough, which turned into pneumonia she never had a chance. The pneumonia overwhelmed her poor body and she was having trouble breathing, so we weren’t able to treat her for her diabetes which would require large amounts of intravenous fluids, and that in turn would overwhelm her already enlarged heart. It was a very, very sad day when we had to make the decision to end the poor puppy’s suffering and hold her and kiss her and tell her we were so sorry we couldn’t have gotten to her sooner, before she was taken to the shelter and exposed to the kennel cough. Had she been turned over to us directly, we could started the treatment for her diabetes and tried to make sure she had some quality to her short life. These are the things that make rescue so hard, and make you question if you can keep going. We miss you Mona Lisa, and we will never forget you.