Greetings from Greece...

Kalispera!

That is the "good morning" greeting from Greece, where I now live in my new forever home! You see my new parents are missionaries in this strange country! My name is "Boaz" alias Albert, alias Thor! I am a chubby little maltese who has been on a whirlwind life change since my new parents visited me at my foster home in Austin in Feb of this year. They didn't take me home immediately (though I sure wanted to go w/them), but my new dad came back to collect me later and flew with me to Greece, where I now live. It has been a very exciting life change for a little guy like me.
The really amazing thing is that I am the center of the universe here! My new parents are absolutely crazy about me and I am a people magnet wherever we show up. They take me everywhere! Believe me there is always something new to explore in Greece!
My new family has had maltese for almost 37 years---my mom is even a registered breeder in Austria where she used to live! It didn't take her long to realize something about me that was my little secret----I am almost totally deaf and have probably been that way since birth! That is why I really didn't bark in foster care! My new family says that I am the perfect dog for them since I am deaf---- I pay no attention to all the barking dogs in this chaotic city when we are out walking! God knew exactly what we both needed! My new family is working with touch while they teach me hand signals. I pretend that I don't understand them when I want to go after the cat----which THEY call "my sister". YUK.
I want to thank all of the people who made it possible for me to begin this new life-adventure---those that gave me up, those that took me in and cared for me while I was homeless---especially Sandy--my foster mom, and for those who helped me find my new family. I pray that all of the little dogs in foster care will some day be as happy as I am!
Oh yea, if you are in my neighborhood drop by for a little visit! I will take you for a walk by the sea!

slurpy slurppy kisses,
Boaz (doll baby)

Qui me amat, amet et canem meum. (Who loves me will love my dog also.)

- St. Bernard

Charity needs your help!!

Charity is a 5 lb., 11-year-old Maltese that was dropped in the night box at the local shelter with a note from her previous owners requesting euthanasia. Lil’ Paws intervened and took her into our organization where her first stop before going to her new foster home was to Animal Trustees of Austin. After her assessment by Dr. K. Lewis, she was prepped and in emergency surgery within 30 minutes. Charity was diagnosed with Pyometra, which is a serious uterine infection that is potentially fatal and can occur in unspayed animals.

Not only was Charity diagnosed with Pymotera but also a heart murmur (grade 5). She is now taking medication for this condition as well.

Charity would not walk when her foster mom first took her home after surgery but now…she is walking around and feeling much better! Charity is a very sweet little girl that still has a lot of life left in her. She LOVES to talk to her foster mom and tell her what she wants…she is a little Diva!

Lil’ Paws is in need of monetary donations to help pay for Charity medical bills. We are a non-profit organization where all donations are tax-deductible. All donations are very much appreciated.

We accept donations via PayPal, a secure method of donating by debit or credit card, or by check to PO Box 40273 Austin, Texas, 78704.

Sincerely,
Lil’ Paws Maltese Rescue

Lambie, now Teddy, finds his forever home with foster mom, Phyllis!

For the foster parents in our group, when the time comes for a foster dog to be adopted into a new home, it can be bittersweet. It’s hard not to fall in love with these very special little dogs, and they stay in our hearts long after they have left our homes. Sometimes, it is just too much to think about saying goodbye, and a foster parent will decide to keep their foster dog. And that is just what happened to Lambie. This is what his foster mom had to say about him, after she decided he wasn't going anywhere:

So there it is :) He is our little man, the man of the house with a bunch of females. How will he stand it? LOL! Lambie just doesn't fit him anymore. He's not the dog I first took in. He is a vibrant, energetic, bossy, loving, wonderful, caring, funny, assertive, protective and family oriented little man. We are good for him, but he is also very good for us. When he came back from the overnight visit, even Dharma was delighted. Now the three of them play. TOO CUTE for words. In the evenings, instead of just lounging, Halo and the pack run and romp like crazy. She looks up at me panting like crazy, with a goofy grin on her face. Makes my heart squeeze. He still sometimes gets a little serious and will get very close to me and peer into my eyes. Usually when I'm on the couch and he has perched on top of the couch. I think he is saying don't even THINK of sending me anywhere else… I pick YOU!
The Wolf pack,
Phyllis, Halo, Dharma and Teddy

Raleigh now Rowdie

Raleigh came into our group in March of this year. He spent the first two years of his life living a miserable existence in a puppy mill. As if that weren't bad enough, he survived a terrible housefire while in foster care. Thanks to the quick actions of a kind and brave fireman, he was rescued for the second time in his life. The fireman heard Raleigh barking, saw him emerge from the smoke, grabbed him up, and tossed him to another fireman at the bottom of the stairs, where he was taken to the safety of a neighbor's house. His white fur was totally gray from the smoke and singed in places, but he recovered. Not long after that, Raleigh was adopted into a wonderful new home. His name is Rowdie now, and he is one happy and loved little dog!

Here's a letter we recently received from Rowdie:

My owner, Jan, has been very negligent. When she adopted me I distinctly heard her promise to send you a picture of me for Happy Tails, and I know that she never lived up to that promise. However, today I took over the computer and here is a picture of me in my stylishly short, summer haircut.

I love living in Houston! At first I was very shy and didn’t know how to act because everything was so new, but one thing I found that I liked right away was going for a walk, even though I did not know how to walk properly and, at first, didn’t act at all like a dog. The sky was too big, and I was too busy looking around to pay attention to all the doggie cafes and bars along the way, but now that I’ve matured I visit each and every watering spot on my daily walks.

A few days after I moved into Jan’s house she took me out in the yard and I think that I finally realized that I was no longer going to be confined to a dog carrier 24 hours a day. Once that thought set in I took off running in these huge circles around Jan, talking all the while, telling her how wonderful it felt to have the freedom to run. I still do that at least once a day because I know it makes her happy. It makes me happy, too.

I am pretty well potty trained (except when I get mad at Jan for going off and leaving me). I’m healthy, eat like a little glutton, get groomed monthly and have tons, and tons of toys (but Jan’s socks are still my favorites). I also have a cat. At first I didn’t know what this strange thing was so I stayed away from it, in case it was dangerous, but now I know it’s just Ariel, another member of the household, and we get along fine. Sometimes we even touch noses but I never chase her, which seems to make her (and Jan) happy.

We are sorry that we did not get up to the reunion. Maybe we’ll be able to make it next year. And I am really happy to see that all of my brothers and sisters from Oklahoma have been adopted. I think about them often.

Both Jan and I want to thank you, and all your friends and volunteers, for everything that you’ve done to give me a new life. I am so happy to be living with Jan and Jan tells me all the time how much joy I bring into her life.

Isn’t life grand?

Love,
Rowdie/Raleigh

LPMR First Annual Reunion

Our first reunion was a big success! It was great seeing so many of our little furry friends looking healthy, happy, and loved! Thank you to everyone that came out. We missed those of you that couldn't make it and hope to see you next year.

Happily Ever After - Coco (aka Coconut and formerly Eliot)!

Coco, when he was found and shortly after he was shaved and cleaned up.
3 1/2 lbs. of matted hair and filth were removed from this little 5 lb. dog!








Coco now, looking happy and healthy!












A note from Coco's new mom:
After seeing the horrible pictures of Coco when he was found wandering the streets, I realized that he had most likely never been groomed, played with, taught where to potty or even been properly fed since he was born. Our vet estimates that he is around 1 1/2 to 2 years old and the amount of long hair he had on his face shows he was never groomed in that amount of time.

To realize that in the month he's been with us and the two or three weeks he spent being fostered was the first time he'd ever walked on a leash or been taught any of these things makes me realize just what a special little dog he is.

In just one month he is more confident and relaxed around people of all ages. He is calm and affectionate with children. He rarely barks. He loves to go for walks and is doing so well with his potty habits. He has been on a couple of road trips and had a great time. He sure loves his food! He is still thin and he doesn't really play much, but I believe he will do everything in time.

We're so happy to have Coco in our family!
The Cannons
To see more of Coconut, check out his MySpace page http://www.myspace.com/coconutcannon

My Wonderful New Life After Being In A Puppymill...

"Before"
"Now"
Tucker formerly known as Cupid is a Puppymill Survivor! This is a message from his family the Surles.

When Tucker first came to us he seemed scared and lost. Even though he is 7 years old, he was just like a puppy experiencing things for the first time. Grass was new; being petted was new, going for walks on a leash was new. We spent the first couple of weeks approaching him cautiously. Actually going through a little catch me dance to get the leash on and go outside to the bathroom. But what a quick learner!! He now gives signals to me when he wants to go out, and he will walk alongside me without being on a leash. We have a pet door that he goes in and out at will, but for some reason he wants to be escorted outside to take care of business. I guess he knows he's assured of getting a treat that way!

Every day I see a new positive behavior. This morning he actually played with me running through the house chasing me, then letting me chase him. Teaching him how to play has probably been the hardest thing for us it involves such trust on his part. He is so relaxed now when I hold him in my lap while I read or watch TV. He is such a good companion for me, and I can't imagine life without Tucker! We feel so blessed to have him in our lives.

The Surles