St. Judes Safe Haven for Little Paws
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St. Jude's Safe Haven for Little Paws is now a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. HALLELUJAH
Who We Are
Who we are. We are just your average middle class American couple. We moved from the hustle and bustle of the city for a quieter life in the country. I wanted to pursue my passion, gardening, on a grander scale. Five acres would be grand enough for many flower gardens and veggy patches
However, it wasn't long before we were introduced to the sad, desperate plight of dogs dumped on desolate country roads and my passion for gardening was replaced with my compassion for these broken hearted, lonely, confused and oh! so wanting a warm, loving place to call home dogs. We have six forever dogs of our own. We call them our "Six Pack". Five were rescued over a three year period from the same three mile stretch of country road. We have rescued and found homes for many more.
St. Jude's Safe Haven for Little Paws is in memory of and dedicated to Little Paws
We were first introduced to Little Paws Memorial Day Weekend (2003). He was your average black dog left behind when his family moved. Prior to our introduction, I saw him numerous times over a several month period. He was always sitting under a big oak tree; the same oak tree that was once the focal point of a mobile home. The mobile home went with the family ~ Little Paws did not. On the occasions that I saw him I would return with food and water. He was never in sight when I returned but the food and water were always gone when I checked on him later. Memorial Day Friday he was in the road. Cars nearly missing him. We stopped ~ tried for more than an hour to coax him to us but it just wasn't to be. I returned the next morning with food and water. Several well-intentioned people stopped to help me. The bottom line is ~ Little Paws ran into the road and was struck and killed. The driver of the pickup truck that struck and killed Little Paws ~ didn't even stop. A minor inconvenience for the driver ~ but Little Paw's tiny life snuffed out before it began. Little Paws is buried in our yard under an old oak tree. We buried him with a new blanket. A few new toys puchased just for him, a well worn, much loved stuffed toy loving dontated by our own "Six Pack", a new leather collar and name tag, an old tennis ball and several raw hides. My heart will forever ache for Little Paws. This poor skinny baby. Barely a year old, who had to die to find a home and a family to love him. Only hours after Little Paw's sad death I read the following poem for the first time.
A PRAYER FOR LITTLE PAWS
Author Unknown This is a prayer for little paws, All up and down the land Driven away, no friendly voice, Never an outstretched hand. For weary little paws of beasts Torn and stained with red. And never a home and never a rest Til little beasts are dead. Oh God of homeless things, look down And try to ease the way Of all the little weary paws That walk the world today. .The words "Oh God of homeless things, look down and try to ease the way of all the little weary paws that walk the world today", chanted in my brain and rang in my ears for days and days and days.
"Oh God of homeless things...look down ... ease the way .. of weary Little Paws ...."
The Saturday of Memorial Day weekend we happened on MamaDog and her baby trotting on the edge of a country road. It didn't take long to realize MamaDog had been dumped in the country ~ pregnant. She delivered four pups in the woods. She was an exceptional Mom. Her babies, Duke, Buck, Roxie and Chloe were fat, happy, sassy healthy pups. Mama "did good" with the hand dealt her.
Thus, beginning our rescue and foster of "country road throw-aways".
"Oh God of homeless things ... look down ... ease the way ... weary Little Paws ...."
Many of the wonderful dogs at St. Jude's Safe Haven for Little Paws were rescued from the same five mile stretch of country road. Nine from, the exact same place. It is a mean, mean road ~ and mean, mean, sorry SOBs who travel it . So many precious babies are dumped along this road. I rescue everyone that I can. People tell me not drive that road any more. But how can I not? I see me each morning in the mirror and sleep with me each night How can I ask God for His mercy and compassion for myself and at the same time deny these very same things to His other precious creatures??
How To Break A Dog's Heart
First, you get a puppy, take him home, play with him all the time, lavish love, toys and treats on him. Then as he gets bigger and older, start to ignore him. When he chews your shoes scream at him. When he pees on the floor because you didn't take him out, hit him. Then when he's about 9 months old, tell him he gets to go in the car, drive him out to an old country road and toss him out. Don't turn back to see the look in his eyes because you obviously are a rotten SOB so it won't matter to you that you broke his heart.
(Original post by Hearts United for Animals - www.hua.org)
We can tell you about those dogs because every dog at St. Jude's Safe Haven for Little Paws was dumped on a lonely country road to fend for themselves. A dog who has been dumped in the country quite literally has his heart broken. They stand in the road not knowing what has happened or what to do. Many of them will stay right were they were dumped waiting for the sorry excuse for a human to come back for them.
These dogs suffer greatly and then they die horrible deaths - hit by cars, shot by farmers, eaten by wild animals, starving or freezing to death. There is very little hope for them. I rescue every one that I find. Every one is a wonderful dog. It's amazing that they are all always grateful and forgiving. Only a dog has the ability to forgive such cruelty and offer love and devotion again.
All of the dogs at St. Jude's Safe Haven for Little Paws were dumped in the country. They are extraordinary dogs who will make extraordinary companions. If you have been thinking about adopting a dog, the time is now.These dogs are ready to go to their new homes.
A DOG SIT WAITING
A Dog sits waiting in the cold autumn sun, too faithful to leave, too frightened to run, He's been here for days with nothing to do But sit by the road, waiting for you. He can't understand why you left him that day He thought you and he were stopping to play. He's sure you'll come back and that's why he stays How long will he suffer? How many more days? His legs have grown weak, his throat's parched and dry He's sick now from hunger and falls with a sigh He lays down his head and closes his eyes I wish you could see how a waiting dog dies. ~ Author Kathy Flood ~
PRAYER OF A STRAY
Dear God, please send me somebody who'll care! I'm tired of running, I'm sick with despair. My body is aching; it's so racked with pain. And Dear God I pray as I run in the rain. That someone will love me and give me a home. A warm cozy bed and a big juicy bone. My last owner tied me all day in the yard. Sometimes with no water and God was that hard! So I chewed my leash God and I ran away... to rummage in garbage and live as a stray. But now God I'm tired and hungry and cold. And I'm so afraid that I'll never grow old. They've chased me with sticks and hit me with stones... while I run the streets just looking for bones. I'm not really bad God; please help if you can; for I have become just a "victim of man." I'm wormy Dear God and I'm ridden with fleas... All that I want is an owner to please! If you find one for me God, I'll try to be good. I won't chew their shoes and I'll do as I should. I'll love them, protect them and try to obey... when they tell me to sit, to lie down or to stay. I don't think I'll make it to long on my own; cause I'm getting so weak and I'm so all alone. Each night as I sleep in the bushes I cry, cause I'm so afraid God, that I'm going to die! I've got so much love and devotion to give, that I should be given a new chance to live! So Dear God please, please answer my prayer, and send me somebody who really will care! Author - Bev Davenport
ADOPTING A FRIEND
Our adoption fee is $150. All of our dogs are current on their vaccinations. All have been spayed or neutered. All are heartworm negative or undergoing treatment. They're crate and housetrained. They're well socialized with other dogs and people If you're interest in one of our dogs, please contact me and I'll email you a application. All information submitted on your application will be verified and all references checked. A home visit is required as part of our adoption approval process.
All dogs at St. Jude's Safe Haven for Little Paws are safe.
They will be loved and cared for the rest of their lives. Not all precious dogs will have the same fate. Not all dogs will be lucky enough to find themselves in a no kill shelter. Some sweet, darling, wonderful dogs will find themselves, through no fault of their own in kill shelters.
