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The Amazing Anishnabe Eight:
Orphan Pups and Their Starving Great Dane Dad Find Love Everlasting
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Dear Friend,
[Animal Rescue Corps is delighted to bring you a special Furever Friday this week from guest author: Julie Black. Thank you Julie for the research and time you spent on this wonderful update!]
 It was cold in the first week of November 2011 in Lac Simon, Quebec, about 10 hours north of Montreal, and the dogs were many and all were hungry. Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) was there to assist a native community with their large stray animal population and offer spay/neuter services to family dogs and cats. On the first day of the rescue, one of the dogs claimed by a family in Lac Simon went into labor and delivered 8 healthy pups. She was a Newfoundland, mix and her mate was a Great Dane who was very thin and without a home. As the ARC team drove around the community searching for dogs they nearly passed the Great Dane who sat still as a statue on the side of the road. Rescuers got out of their vehicle, ready for anything. He didn't run away but continued to sit, totally frozen. They were watching him and he was watching them but as soon as they called for him and he saw they had food, he bounded over, ready for his new life.
 Meanwhile,the Newfie's family agreed to spay her and surrendered her eight puppies. Immediate efforts were made to find a foster home qualified to take the giant breed orphan pups. A foster family in Brampton, Ontario with LOYAL Rescue Inc. agreed to take them on, and ARC Liaison Brenda Bunn volunteered to drive the precious cargo a distance of almost 400 miles. It meant feeding the wee babies from a doll's bottle, almost constantly, throughout the journey and, making sure that they were all still breathing, burping, peeing and so on... quite a feat!
Once the litter got to their foster parents, Donna and John Snow, they began a nonstop round of nursing, growing, and being cuddled. The big challenge was to replace momma's nurturing, socializing, security, heartbeat, and nutrition... and to clean up on a 24/7 basis! The babies grew at a rapid rate, and all eight not only survived, they thrived!
Meanwhile, their handsome dad had been placed with another wonderful ARC rescue partner, Birch Haven Rescue & Rehabilitation (BHRR), a well respected Ottawa-based rescue that takes in giant breed dogs and horses with special needs. The Dane was emaciated but he was a gentle and loving dog. He was estimated to be very young, but he had seen enough misery to last a lifetime. BHRR named him Veteran in honor of Veteran's/Remembrance Day.
After gaining much needed weight and confidence, Veteran was happily adopted and today is living with new momma, Kathryne and his fur brother, Buster, in Quebec. At the 'official' opening of his momma's new pool, this goofy 'Big Dude' decided she needed some help with her outfit and managed to release the bow on the back of her swimsuit top! Veteran doesn't seem to mind the occasional jokey picture and funny outfits (the occasion here was his pups' first birthday), but mostly, he just loves his wonderful, happy and secure life with his mom and Buster, plus his extended family, fur and human. Veteran is also a very proud papa, who gets updates from his pups, and 'talks' with some of them on Facebook! One day soon, they all hope to be able to gather together for the first time... |
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And, here are the stories of Veteran's babies, the Amazing Anishnabe Eight... all the pups were given names starting with "S" as the first one named was golden Simon, after their birthplace, Las Simon, Quebec. Then the three other boys were Sherman, Scotlund, and Sarge, and the four girls were Sable, Satin, Sierra, and Sapphire. Here are their stoies...
 Ella (Sapphire), with her stunning harlequin markings, was the first one to be adopted, and found an experienced Great Dane home, as she had a strong and independent spirit. Today, Ella is living a very happy life in Ontario, where her family lives on the shores of a beautiful lake. They spend lots time by the water, with Ella and her fur brother Riley in and out of the 'drink', mud or snow, depending on the season! They are active and happy together (rarely leaving each other's side) and her parents, Brent and Fiona, love her dearly. Ella is looking forward to a reunion with her littermates.
 | | Ella and brother Riley |
 Delaney (Satin) lives in Chelsea, Quebec with her 3 human siblings and her new kitten! Delaney has access to the Gatineau Park, right outside her front door. She loves to run through the woods and explore every blowing leaf that crosses her path. Delaney also gets to visit the big city of Ottawa where she likes to run along the paths of the Rideau Canal. Her size and beauty make her very popular with everyone she meets. Delaney loves her life with her busy and active family and they couldn't be happier with having her in their lives!  | | Delaney and her family |
 Trip (Sarge) certainly is the most like his handsome daddy, Veteran. Trip lives on his 100-acre property with his best buddy, another rescue dog, local stray, Max. His adoptive parents Alicia and Joel said, "Trip has become such a fantastic dog. He gets along with everyone, including cats and all the foster dogs we take in. People are always so taken with him and, when they give him affection, he leans against them, which everyone seems to love.". Trip and Max have inspired Alicia and Joel to join rescue as foster parents and they specialize in caring for momma dogs and litters! What a fitting tribute and beautiful way for Trip to 'pay it forward.' Alicia said, "Trip has a great life that I know he enjoys, but we feel we are the lucky ones who were permitted to adopt him. I hope he lives to be a hundred!"
 | | Trip and buddy Max |
 Bella (Sierra) is now living in Pittsburgh, PA with her family, including fur brother Cooper and a feather brother named Pickle! Bella's family, Bill and Susan, travelled a very long way to adopt her and say it was worth every minute. "We can't even imagine how our life was before she came into it," said Susan. "She is filled with joy! When Bella first came home, we still had Jackson, our 14 year old Lab/Greyhound. He was blind but Bella, even at 12 weeks, was so compassionate she waited for him when they went outside, and stayed with him, almost like a guide dog. We think that Donna and John did such a fantastic job of socializing these orphans. Bella loves to be hugged, and leans her head against my heart, which is so dear and, even at 140 pounds, she still tries (and succeeds!) to get under our bed sometimes just because she loves it under there!" Bella's family was truly honoured to be part of this Furever Friday update, as they are so very grateful to all those responsible for rescuing these beautiful pups. They particularly wanted to thank Donna and John, the pups' extraordinary foster parents, who did such an amazing job of caring for them and teaching them all to be exceptional dogs.
 | | Beautiful Bella |
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 Simon may be the smallest pup of the litter but he has a huge heart - he loves people and other animals, especially his littermates. When he met with Trip, Sherman, and Sable for a reunion during their first spring, they had a blast! But Simon was devastated when Sable finally left, sitting on the deck watching the lane for over an hour. Simon is an outdoor guy who loves hiking and canoeing with his adoptive parents, Lucas and Laura, Simon seems the most "Newfie" in his behaviour and activities and loves water in any form! Simon is helping renovate his house right now. His contribution is staying out of the paint... sometimes.
 | | Handsome Simon |
 Sherman was the biggest pup and consequently named for the tank! He was adopted by LOYAL Rescue volunteer/foster Megan and her husband, and now lives with his three fur siblings (one dog and two kitties) along with a brand new one year old human boy of his own! Sherman loves his little brother and is very protective over him. He is a big goof who is so happy at the dog park and on hikes with his family. He's active, sweet, very well behaved and just the best and biggest softie around, according to his family.  | | Sherman with his new family |
Haisley (Scotlund) was named for the founder of Animal Rescue Corps and when he was adopted, his new family just switched from first to last, so his name will always be a tribute to his rescuer. Haisley is a sweet and gentle giant who lives near Toronto, Ontario with his adoptive parents, Drew and Michelle. He loves walks, hikes, and hanging with his people. Haisley also has the "goofy" side that all of these pups seem to express! Drew said, "Michelle and I just love him and we're really grateful to his foster family. These are great dogs and they did a super job raising them without their real mom. Amazing!" His family is looking forward to getting Haisley together with his siblings sometime very soon!
 | | Haisley on a hike |
 Sable is a very big beautiful ambassador for big black dogs. She is so gentle and sweet, she has helped quite a few other dogs (her foster brothers and sisters). She shares her country home near Collingwood, Ontario with a 'foster failure' special needs fur brother, Teddy, and two rescue kitties, all of whom she adores. In fact, 6-pound Lily Rose has decided that 120-pound Sable is her 'kitten' and spends a lot of time cleaning her face and ears, which sends Sable into a trance. "She is my heart and soul, and it's been the experience of a lifetime raising this amazing dog," said her mom Julie. "I am forever grateful to the entire chain of success for these wonderful dogs - ARC of course, and LOYAL Rescue, for which I now volunteer, and Birch Haven Rescue & Rehabilitation, who have provided so much wonderful guidance and support." Julie also recognizes the native community where Sable, the other pups, and Veteran were born, for taking a progressive and life-saving approach towards their dog and cat citizens. Julie wanted to conclude by saying that most of all she's grateful, as is Sable, for her foster family, Donna and John, "for their incredible work in raising such balanced and beautiful souls."
 | | Sweet Sable |
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Animal Rescue Corps is wants to express our gratitude to Julie for this wonderful update, as well as our thanks to the Lac Simon community, John and Donna, LOYAL Rescue, Birch Haven Rescue & Rehabilitation, and to the nine adoptive families who helped these special dogs find everlasting love.
In closing, here is a lovely poem that Veteran's momma Kathryne wrote in tribute to him, the dog she refers to as her Soul - "a dog that once had no future... until one cold day in November 2011 when Angels came". Today, he inspires these beautiful words...
Breathe
Sometimes when I, 
Sit here alone,
My Soul will pass close by ...
Then he turns,
And puts his head,
On my shoulder, don't ask why.
Next he shifts,
And takes the place,
The nook beside my neck ...
I tell myself,
How blessed I am,
And keep my joy in check.
He leans to me,
And I to him,
So close, we're ear to ear ...
Motionless
We stay this way
And then I start to hear ...
The beating sound,
Of his loyal heart,
To me, which is so dear.
Close we sit,
In peace and calm,
For the moment that comes next ...
For then I hear,
The soothing sound,
Of life flowing to his chest.
A second more,
I find myself,
In sync with each deep sigh ...
A gift I have,
he's given me,
To breathe an infinity by.
And special thanks again to the foster parents of the Amazing Anishnabe Eight!
 | | John and Donna Snow, with two of their gorgeous Anishnabe foster pups, Sable and Sherman, visiting the monument to Police Service Dogs, at beautiful Joe Park in Meaford, Ontario |
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Animal Rescue Corps is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All donations to Animal Rescue Corps are tax-deductible. Donations to ARC not used in this specific rescue will be used to fund ARC operations, investigations and future rescues. |
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