Dropped by a feral Mom on her first day 9-11-2001..

I received a call from friends of mine tonight.. Last evening, someone tried to break into their home. The inttruder was scared away by one of Allen and Jack’s Greyhound rescue dogs. The gate was left open and the “Sean” ran loose. He was hit by a car (doing well).. The service below, responded and transported “Sean” to the vet..

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In 2001, Anthony Nuncio and his dog Behr were hiking when Behr accidentally fell off a cliff. He immediately dialed 911 and to his disappointment, was told that a response unit could not rescue his pet. Although Behr survived his injuries, Anthony made it his mission to establish an emergency response service for animals in crisis. Understanding that medical treatment for animals has its financial burdens, Anthony knew there had to be an alternative. With this in mind he has worked hard in establishing Pet-A-Medic, an emergency ambulance service at no cost, so that every animal would have a fighting chance.

Go To Their site..LINK

Mission Statement -

To provide 24-hour a day emergency medical service for pets and strays in Los Angeles County.

Vision -

• To provide enough emergency vehicles and staff to service the Los Angeles greater metro area and beyond.
• To help educate the public to recognize problems during a crisis.
• To establish a 24-hour animal trauma center for Southern California.

How It Works -

1. Individuals and pet owners may call the Pet-A-Medic emergency help line 24-hours a day.
2. Our personnel is trained to provide the caller with the best information possible to assist the pet owner in their effort to stabilize the animal’s condition.
3. In the event the situation is more critical, then our help line will dispatch one of our units to safely transport the animal to an emergency veterinarian clinic.
   

Our founder and his inspiration - Tony and Behr

Los Angeles County is planning to raze buildings at the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Downey. But about 150 feral cats living on the property pose a problem. What’s to be done with 150 cats encroaching on county property earmarked for a $68 million data center? Officials and cat feeders have come up with a life-sparing solution

read article

Produced and directed by Jan.. for under $90,000.. obviously.. Now finding funds for Outlaw Barbies.. a talented project. A large % of profits will go to help dogs and cats in need.

March 22, 2008

Hambone is Home!

Hambone is home! | Photo courtesy Eric Leemon

Amazing, right? The little dog that became our Hambone was found - safe and sound.

Here’s the email that went out to Hambone followers last night. Read on:

Dear Friends,

At 9:50pm this evening I received a call from someone who saw the Craigslist posting about Hambone. He said that two days ago he was jogging along the LA river in Studio City, and there was a dog, by himself, that was friendly and started running with him. The dog had no collar. So he took him in, fed him, and took care of him. Tonight, as he was surfing the web, he ran into the Hambone info, and he gave me a ring. “I’m not sure, but I think I may have your dog here… he’s an awesome dog… very gentle… black body, white head, white socks…” I asked him about his eyes… “different colored eyes…” he said. I asked “what about the tail?” He said it’s black. And when I asked about the tip of the tail, he said it had a little white tip… “I’ll be there in twenty minutes”, I told him. Lisa and I jumped in the car, grabbed my friend, and hightailed it over to his house. I approached with caution, not knowing what to expect, but I had a feeling. The 20′ish kid, Damien, opened the door and greeted me with a smile. He showed me into his house, and had me wait in the living room while he went to get the dog he had rescued. I was so anxious, so anticipatory, so hopeful, so scared… he opened the door, and brought out this little black dog with a white head. It took about half a second for it to register, but it was him… HAMBONE. I dropped to my knees and broke down. He walked over to me as if to say, “what up?” That was it… nothing dramatic. Nothing Romantic… just “what up?” He licked me on the face, and we said hello, like two friends that hadn’t seen each other in six weeks. Well, at least that’s how he said hello to me. Me? I was a little more enthusiastic. Damien, had said that Hambone was a pleasure to have around the house, and that he was actually a bit sad to see him go. But the genuine look of happiness to see that he had reunited me and Hambone was astounding. He was beaming with pride in knowing that he had done such a good thing. And, so far as the reward is concerned, it couldn’t be going to a better guy. Damien was a professional track and field athlete, until a while ago, when he was hit by a car (hit and run) that left his right femur shattered. His track career over, Damien had to move back in with his parents, and now has $50k in medical bills to pay off.

So now I’m sitting here on the couch with my boy, and all I can do is shake my head in amazement, while he sleeps soundly next to me. It’s been a hell of a month and a half. And I’ve learned some extremely valuable lessons.

1) NEVER EVER LEAVE YOUR DOG TIED UP AND UNATTENDED
2) PEOPLE ARE GOOD
3) THE UNIVERSE IS AN AMAZING SYSTEM
4) HARD WORK, SMART IDEAS, STRONG BELIEF, PERSISTENCE, AND A WHOLE LOT OF ASSISTANCE CAN HELP YOU ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING.
5) NEVER, EVER, NEVERNEVEREVERNEVER, LEAVE YOUR DOG TIED UP AND UNATTENDED
6) FAITH IS A POWERFUL TOOL

So thank you… thanks to all of you… Thanks to Chris Derose and everyone at Last Chance for Animals, Minnie Driver, all of the news outlets that shone a light on the problem of dog theft, everyone who said a kind word, kept an eye out, thought a prayer, offered a suggestion, lent time and effort, volunteered resources, gave me a hug, spoke words of encouragement, kept me focussed on the days when I was overwhelmed, sent light and love to Hambone and me… and thank you to Damien for taking care of my boy, and thank you to the Universe for delivering my best friend back to me safely. I am happy. I am blessed to know each of you.

Now on to lighter fare… Next Saturday, March 29th, from 1pm to 3pm, we are inviting everyone to come out and meet the little fella that you’ve worked so hard to bring home. The Hambone Meet and Greet will take place at Hambone’s favorite place on Earth… the Lake Hollywood Park, on Canyon Lake Drive in Hollywood. We hope you can all make it so we can thank you in person.

With Love,

Eric

“HAMBONE,” THE DOG STOLEN FROM THE 7-11 ON CAHUENGA AND YUCCA IN HOLLYWOOD, IS STILL MISSING.
Hambone has a black body with a white head. One blue eye, and one brown. He is gentle and submissive. SEE PIC BELOW.

HE WAS TAKEN BY TWO MEN DRIVING A GREEN ASTRO-TYPE WORK VAN WITH “W2″ PAINTED ON THE DRIVER’S DOOR.

A GUY NAMED “TEX” WAS A WITNESS TO HAMBONE’S ABDUCTION. ERIC, HAMBONE’S DAD, NEEDS TO FIND HIM. THIS IS CRUCIAL. TEX CAN HELP GET HAMBONE HOME.

IT MAY BE LIKE LOOKING FOR A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK, BUT IF ENOUGH PEOPLE ARE LOOKING, ERIC’S CHANCES OF FINDING TEX ONLY INCREASE.

CONTACT ERIC AT eric@findhambone.com WITH ANY INFO!
TEX APPARENTLY FITS THIS DESCRIPTION:
AGE: 20′S
HEIGHT: APPROX 6′2”
BUILD: SLIM/LANKY
HAIR: LIGHT BROWN
MAY HAVE A SLIGHT BEARD (I.E. DAYS OLD)
MAY DRIVE A BLACK SUV
MAY LIVE IN THE HOLLYWOOD AREA
IF YOU KNOW OF A “TEX” THAT FITS THIS DESCRIPTION, PLEASE HAVE HIM CONTACT ERIC AT: eric@findhambone.com

Fur flies over dog custody

Monday, February 18th 2008, 4:00 AM

Millionaire Marsh Newmark says his estranged wife is keeping their dog Rocky from him, despite a custody agreement.

Pedigree dogs may have wowed them at Westminster, but it’s a mutt that’s melted a millionaire’s heart.

Marsh Newmark, founder of the Design Strategy Corporation, has spent $60,000 in his custody battle with his estranged wife, opera singer Darynn Zimmer, over their dog, Rocky.

“He’s a golden Lab mix — I think,” said Newmark. “He’s the sweetest, friendliest dog. There’s not a bad bone in his body.”

At first, the uncoupling couple shared Rocky during the week.

“She would have the dog Monday morning through Thursday evening. I’d have him over the weekend,” says Newmark. “I’d take him to my house in Sag Harbor. He loves it out there. He has a pool to swim in and acres to run around free.

“One night, in February 2006, I was waiting for Rocky, and my wife’s dog walker told me she would not be returning him.”

Mirroring some child-custody cases, Zimmer accused her husband of abusing Rocky, who is 10 — but Newmark says the dog passed a veterinary exam with flying colors.

“The vet came in from Westbury in a van. He said the dog was very well cared for,” Newmark told us. “I would never abuse Rocky. I love him.”

Justice Laura E. Drager then saw to it that Zimmer resume sharing Rocky, but instructed the couple’s attorneys to stop calling her chambers about the dog.

“I understand that Justice Drager probably has hundreds of matrimonial cases involving child custody, and I concede that that’s more important,” Newmark told us.

The arrangement worked for awhile, but last June, Zimmer suddenly announced she was moving to Connecticut.

“She said I won’t be seeing him again,” Newmark said sadly. “Not a night went by that I didn’t think of him. But she didn’t really move to Connecticut anyway.”

Desperate, Newmark asked a loyal friend to try to get Rocky back. “[Darynn’s] boyfriend was walking Rocky — they only walk him for a few minutes — and my friend came up from behind with a leash and tried to unhook one leash and hook the other one on. The boyfriend fell and called out, ‘He’s stealing my dog!’ The doorman tackled my friend, and the police came.”

Newmark then came out of hiding. “Rocky saw me and he went nuts. He tried to get to me. I then took the only avenue I could.”

Not wanting to bother Justice Drager about the dog, Newmark then sought custody of Rocky in a Long Island court.

Newmark won the battle for his millions — a jury denied Zimmer a divorce. But he lost the war for Rocky, who’s still in Zimmer’s possession. Her lawyer did not return our call. Newmark is filing an appeal.

“I haven’t seen him since last June,” says Newmark. “I’ve never had children. This is my child. He doesn’t have a lot of time left.”

Making a Home for Charlie, Away From Baghdad’s Slums
By Karin Brulliard
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 15, 2008; B01
He hesitated just a bit as he rounded a corner inside Dulles International
Airport yesterday and spotted the flock of television cameras and cooing
journalists awaiting him. Then, with posture erect like a soldier’s, he trotted
straight toward the action — he was used to bomb blasts and gunfire, after
all, so this was nothing.

Post-escape from Baghdad and fresh off a 13-hour flight from Kuwait,
Charlie the border collie mix actually seemed to be smiling for the crowd.
Five months after the SPCA International received a plea from American
soldiers hoping to transfer their beloved Iraqi stray to U.S. terrain, the
9-month-old mutt became the first beneficiary of the animal advocacy
organization’s effort to rescue pets from the war zones where they provide
solace to service members. Charlie eventually will live in Phoenix with one
of his caretaker soldiers.

It being Valentine’s Day, the SPCA dished out the emotional hyperbole.
Charlie’s bond with his caretakers, the organization said, “is the ultimate
love story between a man and his dog.” The soldiers, too, were effusive.
“We can’t wait for him to get his first taste of the good old USA,” one wrote
in an e-mail to the SPCA. “We especially can’t wait until we can see him
again.”

Parts of Charlie’s back story were obscured to protect those he left behind.
In his case, they were U.S. soldiers based at a Baghdad outpost — the
SPCA identified the unit only as Charlie Company — who were barred by
military rules from keeping pets. But when the soldiers came upon a
flea-infested and starving puppy while on patrol, they could not resist
sharing their affection and their ready-to-eat meals.
One soldier, identified by the organization as “Sgt. Watson,” sent e-mails to
animal rescue groups. The SPCA took up the case, and Operation Baghdad
Pups was born.

But first, program manager Terri Crisp interviewed Watson in Phoenix
when he was on leave in October. Watson wanted to adopt Charlie at the
end of his tour in March.

“He was a soldier and tough, and toward the end, I said, ‘Why are we
bringing Charlie home?’ And he said, ‘Because I made a promise’ ” not to
abandon the dog, Crisp said yesterday, her voice choked with tears.
Eleven other dogs and two cats adopted by service members in Iraq or
Afghanistan are in the pipeline for rescue, said
Stephanie Scroggs, a spokeswoman for SPCA
International. The SPCA will pay about $4,000 per
rescue, Scroggs said. She acknowledged that the sum
could aid many more stateside animals but said the
program also supports the troops.”It’s too much to ask them to leave, go to Iraq and
then to desert their companion animals,” Scroggs said.

To prime Charlie for departure, rabies and distemper
vaccines were shipped to Baghdad, where a veterinarian at the Ministry of Agriculture was
prepared to administer them. Although the soldiers lived near the ministry, Crisp said, they needed to generate a “mission” to justify the visit because they are not allowed to have pets.
After a 30-day quarantine, a cloak-and-dagger turnover was arranged so Charlie would not come to the attention of the soldiers’ senior officers. This week, a quartet of U.S. security contractors picked up Charlie at his outpost and took him to Baghdad International Airport. Crisp, meanwhile, flew United Airlines to Kuwait, then Gryphon Airlines to Baghdad. When her plane touched down, the contractors carried Charlie in his crate across the tarmac, and he was soon on his way to the United States.

Once at Dulles, Crisp said, she e-mailed the Charlie Company, “to let the company know that Charlie has put paws on American soil.” Soon Charlie was striding with Crisp into the baggage claim area, his still-dingy white tail curved like a plume over the camouflage cape that draped his back.There to welcome him was former Navy reservist Mark Feffer, accompanied by Cinnamon, a refugee dog Feffer brought home from Afghanistan in 2006. Cinnamon got lost in transit for six weeks, prompting Feffer to launch a rescue mission that his sister, Christine Sullivan, chronicled in a book titled “44 Days Out of Kandahar.” “They give so much support to the guys that are over there,” Feffer, who lives in Annapolis, said of war-zone pets.

As the humans spoke, Charlie, perhaps feeling amorous on Valentine’s Day, eagerly edged toward Cinnamon. Regal and aloof, Cinnamon leaned toward a row of soft seats, where she later fell asleep. Charlie, too, quickly sprawled in slumber on the shiny linoleum.
“Jet lag,” Crisp pronounced.

Much lay ahead: A dog spa appointment to wash away desert dust. A night at a hotel. In coming days, a vet checkup, a flight to Los Angeles and a drive to Phoenix, where he will be cared for until Watson
returns from Iraq.

But first, Charlie was scheduled to stroll around the Mall.
“It’s probably going to be a real shock for him to see such beauty and great monuments,” Watson wrote in an e-mail to Scroggs yesterday at 2:14 a.m., “after knowing nothing but the slums of Baghdad.”