CavyMom
Well-known member
Since I've been MIA from this forum for quite a while and the newer members won't remember me, I figured I better re-introduce myself. My name is Lydia, and I'm blessed to share my home with quite a few furry family members. I use to show Italian Greyhounds, but have since turned more into an animal advocate and rescuer. I still show a little, but only a few times a year now. I'm owned by 2 wonderful Cavaliers, Amber and Starlight. Amber was my first, and is my heart dog, and the one responsible for me falling in love with this charming breed, I knew her before she became my dog, and when the breeder that use to own her decided it was time for Amber to retire, I immediatly offered my home! It's been the best decision I've ever made! Then came little Starlight, she was a gift from a good friend of mine I've gone to many dog shows with, I wanted another cavalier to keep Amber company, she never really played or associated with my other dogs, but would get so excited if she saw another Cavalier! So Star entered my life at only 9 weeks old, the best behaved little puppy I've ever had, and Amber is totally in love with her!
Then there's the rest of my pack, some you may remember, some have been added to my pack more recently.
There's my super star IG, Ms Hannah, my first IG (just turned 7 years old in April), who has done everything from Agility to Rally to Lure Coursing, on top of her confirmation titles in 3 registeries, she's the one that got me hooked on showing and sports, and also the one responsible for me starting up my rescue program with a focus on puppy mill and special needs dogs, especially Italian Greyhounds and Afghan Hounds. She was a mill dog herself, her family I managed to rescue from that terrible place, and sadly lost most of them, but the experience changed me forever and motivated me to start seeking out other mill dogs that needed help!
Then there's the Diva, Momma's perfect little angel, the apple of my eye, and the most spoiled rotten IG in the entire world, Miss Aiyana. She was born in my arms May 1st, 2 years ago now, and is as perfect as the moment she was born, in my eyes anyway! Such a little princess, won't leave my bedroom in the morning until she's dressed (can't expect the princess to go out naked, now can we? LOL), she's the daughter of the best show dog I've ever owned, Piper, who now resides in Canada where he has 5 acres to explore and run in, city life just wasn't for him! She is very much like her father in many ways, but she has limited hearing, and has had many health problems from the time she was about 9 months. It's a miracle she survived, and is now doing very well. She's also more of a city girl, born in the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas, she's all Vegas Girl! She's solid white, the girl I had always dreamed about in so many ways, I just adore this prissy little princess!
Then there's my big girls - Lola entered my life when I first started showing, I'd always loved Afghan Hounds, but never dreamed of owning one until I met Lola. Lola's owner at the time, a very devoted Afghan breeder, introduced me to Lola, and I was in love. In October 2008 when it was clear that Lola just didn't like to show and would be happier sleeping on someone's bed instead of being a showdog, her owner called me and wanted to know if I'd be interested in making Lola my own - Of course I couldn't resist, and Lola entered my world, forever hooking me on Afghan Hounds. Such regal, beautiful dogs!
Then there's my loyal companion, Ms Jamie, the Afghan nobody thought would survive! After I had Lola, I started working with Afghan Rescue, doing what ever I could to help Afghans in need. Then came the call about an old Afghan nobody wanted, when I arove and saw this matted, skinny Afghan with HUGE infected mammory glands that dangled so bad it looked like she was nursing (she wasn't, she hadn't had puppies in years) my heart just sank. I took her home, shaved her down, and got her to the vet to start getting her many health problems taken care of. After months of patient care, tears, and lots of TLC, not only has Jamie survived, but is now thriving in her new life. She's nearly blind from scars on her eyes as a result of the neglect she suffered, but that doesn't slow this dear old girl down, she's been with me for 9 months now, and has made an amazing recovery, there's no sign of that timid, sick dog that nobody thought would make it, who was so fearful of other dogs she'd go into a panic if another dog outside my home approached her, she's now a happy, confident girl who loves her momma, and really reminds me every day of why I got into rescue, this girl is so special, and to think even most of my rescue buddies advised me to put her down, I'm so glad I didn't listen and gave her a chance!
Last but not least is my most recent addition, little Anabelle, the 6 lb toy poodle. Before and after pictures would shock you, Anabelle has only been with me for a month now, I discovered her when making a pull from the Humane Society for my rescue group, when I saw this old poodle shivering in the back of the cage, with one eye crusted over (which I've since found out is nothing but a socket - Infections destroyed the eye
) that was obviously sick and in need of help I couldn't help but ask, I'd found out she was found at the side of a road, nearly dead. The finder brought her into the Humane Society where it was discovered she had a chip, the heartless owners who had owned Anabele told them she was 15 years old, but was useless to them, they hadn't given her a name, and admitted to turning her loose because they didn't want her. She was suffering from a bad respitory infection, the socket where she's missing the eye was badly infected, she had obviously not been groomed in a long long time, on top of having mammory tumors, rotten teeth, and being old. Nobody wanted her, they where going to euthanize her that evening. I wouldn't hear of it, and took her home, after 2 weeks on IV fluids and antibiotics at my vet, she was finally able to come home to me, where I gave her the name Anabelle and made her a part of my family. Nobody thought she'd live the first week, yet a month later, there's only a very minor cough that is still improving every day, her infections are all under control, and she's become my little shadow, so obviously grateful for me saving her life and giving her a chance to know what a home should be like before she leaves this world. She'll probably never be well enough to have the mammory tumors removed or to have her teeth cleaned, but at least she's no longer sick or suffering, and when she leaves this world, she'll have known what love is. Bringing her home was definatly a good choice!
Then there's my cats - I've got 3 Sphynx cats I've rescued, Oogie was my first, rescued from a BYB here in Utah, with a chronic respitory problem, declawed on ALL FOUR FEET, but the sweetest boy! After Oogie got me hooked, I rescued 2 more while living in Vegas, Haley and Calipso. Sadly, these girls where in such bad shape that we lost Calipso only a week after I rescued them, but Haley survived and she's now thriving, her and Oogie are best of friends! Then came the 3rd, Osiris, my handsome devil cat! He was rescued from a lady in Las Vegas as well, he'd been an "outdoor cat" and was so starved for attention, he's been with me about 6 months now, and has settled right in! Him and my Ragdoll have a love hate relationship, he's alot bigger then my other 2, but is one cool cat! Then there's the Ragdoll I mentioned, she's been with me many years, I rescued her when I was in college, they where going to shoot her because she was just a "mean nasty cat" - Well, that's from abuse! She was burned, beaten, neglected, and abused, she was an emotional mess when I rescued her, declawed on the front with no way to defend herself except to bite, which she did, putting me in the hospital 3 days after I got her when she bit me so hard it got infection clear into the bone despite me going in immediatly! That was years ago now, and she's come around, she'll snuggle and love on me on her terms, she's still a very shy, timid cat, a reminant of her abuse I'm sure, it took me almost a year to win her over, but now some times it's hard to get her to leave me alone!
Then there's little Saya, the "dog show" ferret, rescued when some stupid teenagers turned her loose in the middle of a bull dog ring at a dog show I was attending! I'd owned ferrets for many years, and had just lost my last ferret about 4 months prior to Saya entering my life, but I knew I had to rescue her, and once she came home with me it was over, I fell totally in love with this tiny little ferret girl! Everyone laughed as I swore when my last guy died I didn't have the heart to do any more ferrets, but Saya quickly changed my mind!
Anyway, that's my crew! Got quite a house full, but I love it this way, my animals are my life, and while it can be a handful taking care of so many on top of running my rescue, there's not a one of them I'd dream of giving up!
Then there's the rest of my pack, some you may remember, some have been added to my pack more recently.
There's my super star IG, Ms Hannah, my first IG (just turned 7 years old in April), who has done everything from Agility to Rally to Lure Coursing, on top of her confirmation titles in 3 registeries, she's the one that got me hooked on showing and sports, and also the one responsible for me starting up my rescue program with a focus on puppy mill and special needs dogs, especially Italian Greyhounds and Afghan Hounds. She was a mill dog herself, her family I managed to rescue from that terrible place, and sadly lost most of them, but the experience changed me forever and motivated me to start seeking out other mill dogs that needed help!
Then there's the Diva, Momma's perfect little angel, the apple of my eye, and the most spoiled rotten IG in the entire world, Miss Aiyana. She was born in my arms May 1st, 2 years ago now, and is as perfect as the moment she was born, in my eyes anyway! Such a little princess, won't leave my bedroom in the morning until she's dressed (can't expect the princess to go out naked, now can we? LOL), she's the daughter of the best show dog I've ever owned, Piper, who now resides in Canada where he has 5 acres to explore and run in, city life just wasn't for him! She is very much like her father in many ways, but she has limited hearing, and has had many health problems from the time she was about 9 months. It's a miracle she survived, and is now doing very well. She's also more of a city girl, born in the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas, she's all Vegas Girl! She's solid white, the girl I had always dreamed about in so many ways, I just adore this prissy little princess!
Then there's my big girls - Lola entered my life when I first started showing, I'd always loved Afghan Hounds, but never dreamed of owning one until I met Lola. Lola's owner at the time, a very devoted Afghan breeder, introduced me to Lola, and I was in love. In October 2008 when it was clear that Lola just didn't like to show and would be happier sleeping on someone's bed instead of being a showdog, her owner called me and wanted to know if I'd be interested in making Lola my own - Of course I couldn't resist, and Lola entered my world, forever hooking me on Afghan Hounds. Such regal, beautiful dogs!
Then there's my loyal companion, Ms Jamie, the Afghan nobody thought would survive! After I had Lola, I started working with Afghan Rescue, doing what ever I could to help Afghans in need. Then came the call about an old Afghan nobody wanted, when I arove and saw this matted, skinny Afghan with HUGE infected mammory glands that dangled so bad it looked like she was nursing (she wasn't, she hadn't had puppies in years) my heart just sank. I took her home, shaved her down, and got her to the vet to start getting her many health problems taken care of. After months of patient care, tears, and lots of TLC, not only has Jamie survived, but is now thriving in her new life. She's nearly blind from scars on her eyes as a result of the neglect she suffered, but that doesn't slow this dear old girl down, she's been with me for 9 months now, and has made an amazing recovery, there's no sign of that timid, sick dog that nobody thought would make it, who was so fearful of other dogs she'd go into a panic if another dog outside my home approached her, she's now a happy, confident girl who loves her momma, and really reminds me every day of why I got into rescue, this girl is so special, and to think even most of my rescue buddies advised me to put her down, I'm so glad I didn't listen and gave her a chance!
Last but not least is my most recent addition, little Anabelle, the 6 lb toy poodle. Before and after pictures would shock you, Anabelle has only been with me for a month now, I discovered her when making a pull from the Humane Society for my rescue group, when I saw this old poodle shivering in the back of the cage, with one eye crusted over (which I've since found out is nothing but a socket - Infections destroyed the eye
) that was obviously sick and in need of help I couldn't help but ask, I'd found out she was found at the side of a road, nearly dead. The finder brought her into the Humane Society where it was discovered she had a chip, the heartless owners who had owned Anabele told them she was 15 years old, but was useless to them, they hadn't given her a name, and admitted to turning her loose because they didn't want her. She was suffering from a bad respitory infection, the socket where she's missing the eye was badly infected, she had obviously not been groomed in a long long time, on top of having mammory tumors, rotten teeth, and being old. Nobody wanted her, they where going to euthanize her that evening. I wouldn't hear of it, and took her home, after 2 weeks on IV fluids and antibiotics at my vet, she was finally able to come home to me, where I gave her the name Anabelle and made her a part of my family. Nobody thought she'd live the first week, yet a month later, there's only a very minor cough that is still improving every day, her infections are all under control, and she's become my little shadow, so obviously grateful for me saving her life and giving her a chance to know what a home should be like before she leaves this world. She'll probably never be well enough to have the mammory tumors removed or to have her teeth cleaned, but at least she's no longer sick or suffering, and when she leaves this world, she'll have known what love is. Bringing her home was definatly a good choice!Then there's my cats - I've got 3 Sphynx cats I've rescued, Oogie was my first, rescued from a BYB here in Utah, with a chronic respitory problem, declawed on ALL FOUR FEET, but the sweetest boy! After Oogie got me hooked, I rescued 2 more while living in Vegas, Haley and Calipso. Sadly, these girls where in such bad shape that we lost Calipso only a week after I rescued them, but Haley survived and she's now thriving, her and Oogie are best of friends! Then came the 3rd, Osiris, my handsome devil cat! He was rescued from a lady in Las Vegas as well, he'd been an "outdoor cat" and was so starved for attention, he's been with me about 6 months now, and has settled right in! Him and my Ragdoll have a love hate relationship, he's alot bigger then my other 2, but is one cool cat! Then there's the Ragdoll I mentioned, she's been with me many years, I rescued her when I was in college, they where going to shoot her because she was just a "mean nasty cat" - Well, that's from abuse! She was burned, beaten, neglected, and abused, she was an emotional mess when I rescued her, declawed on the front with no way to defend herself except to bite, which she did, putting me in the hospital 3 days after I got her when she bit me so hard it got infection clear into the bone despite me going in immediatly! That was years ago now, and she's come around, she'll snuggle and love on me on her terms, she's still a very shy, timid cat, a reminant of her abuse I'm sure, it took me almost a year to win her over, but now some times it's hard to get her to leave me alone!
Then there's little Saya, the "dog show" ferret, rescued when some stupid teenagers turned her loose in the middle of a bull dog ring at a dog show I was attending! I'd owned ferrets for many years, and had just lost my last ferret about 4 months prior to Saya entering my life, but I knew I had to rescue her, and once she came home with me it was over, I fell totally in love with this tiny little ferret girl! Everyone laughed as I swore when my last guy died I didn't have the heart to do any more ferrets, but Saya quickly changed my mind!
Anyway, that's my crew! Got quite a house full, but I love it this way, my animals are my life, and while it can be a handful taking care of so many on top of running my rescue, there's not a one of them I'd dream of giving up!
