Dogtime salutes Florida’s Wee Waggin Rescue, Inc.
How did your organization get started?
After volunteering for another rescue, we determined there is a tremendous need for more rescues in our area, as there are so many abandoned and abused animals that need help. I do not think there will ever be enough rescues.
What is your mission?
To place abandoned and abused animals in loving forever homes so that they never have to feel unsafe or unloved.
How do most of your animals find their way to you?
We pull from high kill shelters in South Florida as well as take in family pets that the owners can no longer care for. With the high foreclosure rates in the area there are so many dogs that are left behind.
What happens to the animals once they are in your care?
Once an animal is accepted into our program, they are evaluated by a vet to determine their needs. We fully vaccinate, spay/neuter and provide all necessary vet care. Once completed, they are then sent into a loving foster home to be evaluated to determine what the best forever home for them is. We take great care in matching our dogs up with the best applicant.
Tell us about a particularly compelling animal or inspiring rescue.
Recently, we went to our local shelter to pull some dogs that needed special care the shelter could not provide. On our way out I noticed a young man with a tall box. I took a peek in that box and inside was the most pathetic scarred and sick dogs (five 8-week-old pups) I have ever seen. After talking with the owner, I realized they had mange. The shelter would not take them in, and if they did they would have killed the pups.
We offered to take the dogs into our rescue; I rushed them to our veterinarian partner, Angel Animal Hospital. Dr. Rachedi and her team stayed late that Saturday evaluated and treated these poor pups. We got them fed and gave fresh water, they were so hungry and thirsty. Now one week later they are doing great. They are happy and recovering from their mange and will be going into foster care soon, and then on to their forever homes! Those pups were in the right place at the right time and we were lucky enough to be there too.
The other story is of Maddie.
One morning about three months ago, I received a call from a woman–a dog had followed her home on her walk and she had a wound on her foot. She could not keep the dog and asked if we could take her into our program. I agreed and met the woman to pick up the dog. She had bandaged the foot so I was not able to see the extent of her wound; all I knew was she smelled worse than any dog I had ever taken in before.
I rushed her to our partner vet, Angel Animal Hospital, where Dr. Rachedi and her team cleaned her up and removed her bandage. Once the bandage was removed they were horrified to see that part of her foot was missing and Maddie’s flesh was rotting off her foot. Apparently Maddie had been bit by another animal, perhaps an alligator or a coyote, but Maddie is a survivor she managed to get away and live to find a caring woman to help her.
Dr. Rachedi determined she would need to have her leg removed. Maddie was such a matted mess, covered in ticks, we had to have her groomed before she could have her leg amputated. Our partner groomer, Bonita Pet Express, dropped everything and rushed over to the vet’s office and groomed her. Maddie had her surgery, went in to foster care, and has since been adopted to a wonderful family. Maddie gets around like nothing ever happened. Her spirit to survive is enormous and we are so thrilled we were given the opportunity to save her.
