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Women Who Inspire Series Part 2: Lisa Edwards of Lost Dog Foundation and Help Tulum Dogs

Your mission/goal with your organization:

The mission of LDF is to aid the neediest animals in areas where little care is available and to assist other rescuers in a grass-roots way to rescue and rehabilitate animals in need. LDF is based on the East Coast of the US and works centrally in Virginia, to rescue and find homes for dogs and cats in need and to promote animal welfare.  TNR of neighborhood feral cats is a side program that LDF has undertaken in the past few years as well.  LDF is also highly involved in international rescue in the Yucatan of Mexico, in the Mayan Riviera areas. A primary goal of LDF is to promote spay and neuter and to work actively to organize and sponsor s/n campaigns on the ground in Mexico.  We formed a specialized rescue organization in 2014 in Tulum, Mexico, known as Help Tulum Dogs to focus on one area in dire need. LDF works closely with several other Mexican rescues and helps to transport many dogs to new lives in the US and Canada.

When did you start?

LDF was formed in 2011, official 501c3 designation in 2012.

What motivated you to start your organization?     

A lifelong interest and passion in veterinary medicine and helping animals…. I began volunteering with an international spay/neuter organization called ViDAS (based in Colorado) in Mexico in 2010, and then helped to found Tierra de Animales sanctuary outside of Cancun, Mexico in 2011.  LDF was formed to provide a base and platform for international rescue work, such as TDA and other efforts.

Biggest accomplishment/proudest moment:     

Personally, rescuing my sweet dog Silo in 2003. He was chained up alone in the side yard of a drug house in a shady neighborhood.

He was basically a wild dog at first, with no idea of how to be a regular pet dog, but he had a heart of gold.  He had a lot of health problems, escaped and was hit by a car and severely injured… but lived another 12 years with me and was my ‘golden dog.’

Biggest hurdle/challenge with what you do:  

Without a doubt, the biggest hurdle is financial funding.  With a significant amount more of funding, so much could be accomplished, both in the US and in Mexico by setting up permanent wellness and spay and neuter clinics and by being able to assist more rescue groups on the ground.

Advise you would give yourself when you started, knowing what you know now:    

Learn to say no when needed, and learn to 10000% trust your gut when sizing up a situation.  So much in the rescue world is dependent on the teamwork of humans and you have to really work with people who have your back and that you can trust wholeheartedly.

Any other info you want to share:        

LDF hopes to expand its’ reach in the future to conduct more spay/neuter clinics in Mexico and to work to promote ‘mindful travel’ so that travelers can assist animals in need while traveling in areas that need help. Win-win.

Site and Social Media Info:

Lost Dog Foundation     http://lostdogfoundation.org/

Facebook and Instagram: Lost Dog Foundation

Help Tulum Dogs: (no separate website as it’s ‘included’ as part of LDF)

Facebook and Instagram:  Help Tulum Dogs

Women Who Inspire Series : Part 1 Laura Raikes of Coco’s Animal Welfare in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

We meet so many wonderful, hardworking woman in our work and we want to share their stories with you and hopefully inspire others to follow their passion in the animal welfare field, because the more people fighting for all animals the better!

Your mission/goal with your organization:

Coco´s Animal Welfare mission is to be able to prevent the birth of unwanted dogs and cats as well as to raise awareness of adequate guardianship of dogs and cats.

Coco’s is dedicated to reducing and controlling cat and dog populations in Playa del Carmen (PdC) and the Riviera Maya (RM), Mexico, through our permanent clinic facility and mobile spay and neuter clinics throughout the region. Low cost or free sterilization is provided for pets, street dogs and cats, and animals rescued by local rescue groups.

We work with families and communities, providing on-site spay and neuter, or transporting animals to and from our clinic, for those without the means to do so. Control of feral cats and community dogs is achieved through TNVR (trap, spay/neuter, vaccinate and return) programs in local neighborhoods and includes implementing the Cat Café program in hotels and resorts, providing TNVR for their feral cats and community dogs, with annual follow up to ensure the health of their stable, non-reproducing populations.

Although our kitten space is limited, whenever possible we shelter, treat, tame and sterilize kittens less than three months. Our objective is to find adoptive homes for all Coco’s kittens in our care. When kittens are rescued by other people, we offer free vaccines, de-parasite, kitten milk, sterilization, and general medical care, helping the rescuers who take responsibility for adoption of kittens in their care.

We are committed to education to ensure responsible pet ownership and challenge negative attitudes and behaviors towards feral cats and street dogs. Our long term mission is to greatly reduce the number of unwanted dogs and cats in our mission area, and to continue to expand our model.

When did you start?

I founded Coco’s Animal Welfare nearly 11 years ago.

What motivated you to start your organization?

The desperate need I saw and love for animals motivated me to start an organization that would focus on the solution and make the biggest difference possible.

Biggest accomplishment/proudest moment:

My proudest moment was opening the first permanent low cost/free spay and neuter clinic in Quintanna Roo, Mexico.

Biggest hurdle/challenge with what you do:

The biggest challenge we have had is to encourage people to focus on and donate towards education and spay and neuter, which although is the solution doesn’t pull on the heart strings of people, making it difficult to fundraise for our programs.

Advise you would give yourself when you started, knowing what you know now:

Trust your instincts and persevere

Any other info you want to share:

Since we began nearly 11 years ago we have spayed and neutered over 34,000 dogs and cats.

Facebook organization name to link to your organization:
Coco’s Animal Welfare
www.cocosanimalwelfare.org

Raini is one of the many puppies from an unplanned litter in Mexico, and one of the millions of Mexico’s street dogs. We met Raini when we were going door-to-door to spread the word about our spay/neuter clinics. Raini was sitting in a corner with her head down and not engaging at all. My gut said something was off, so we tracked down the neighbors and they let us know she had been hit by a car a few days prior.

We asked to take her to the vet, and they agreed. When we got her to the clinic x-rays were done and Raini was found to have a broken pelvis and hip. She’d been sitting in pain for days until we found her!

These situations aren’t uncommon due to the sheer volume of stray animals, and it’s one of the many reasons why we must put more resources in spay and neuter. We need to prevent the huge numbers of animals in shelters and on the streets, and rescue alone cannot keep up!

Preventing the next litter of street puppies and kittens takes just $25 this Give to the Max Day!

Raini has a personality that captured everyone’s heart and there wasn’t a person that met her that didn’t adore her! She deserved so much more than a life of suffering on the streets! As fate would have it, during Raini’s recovery a clinic volunteer visiting from Switzerland fell in love with her and flew her home where she has the most amazing life now! It’s the happy ending we want for every dog and cat, but without humane population control we simply won’t have the resources for every animal in need, which is why we must spay and neuter every animal we can!

If we put as many resources into spay and neuter as we do rescue, we would be able to see a huge reduction in the number of animals both living on the streets and entering shelters. Every single one of these animals then needs a rescue to step up to give them a second chance in life, which results in maxed out rescues having to turn their backs on animals in need. The reality is rescues can’t keep up, so we must prevent the need for rescue and that is spay and neuter!

We’d love your support for all the Raini’s out there! Join us on #GTTMD, November 14th, or schedule your donation now via our GiveMN page!

March is Women’s History Month

Did you know that Pet Project Rescue is owned and operated by a group of women? It is because of our amazing founder, Maia, and a wonderful group of volunteers that we have been successful since 2008!
Pet Project Rescue’s focus is to end suffering and reduce the homeless animal population at its source!

We dedicate funds and volunteer efforts to provide spay/neuter services for the most vulnerable cats in our community through Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programing and educational training.  Since the creation of our TNR program in 2009 PPR has fixed 846 community cats, and set a goal of spay/neutering an additional 150 community cats in Minneapolis & St Paul by the end of 2019.

In addition to TNR, Maia is extremely passionate about our Hero Fund. The Hero Fund provides life-saving vet care to owned and homeless animals, assuring them a healthy and happy life! If you think that is incredible, in 2018 PPR created a Cancer Fund to eradicate TVT cancer – a common, but curable cancer transmitted by intact dogs. For just $120 we are able to provide 6-8 weeks of chemotherapy and cure these dogs of cancer! Wow!

We would like to take a moment to thank our talented volunteers for their efforts in all of our programing. We would not be where we are today without all of you!

Photo credit to Huxley Optical

Spring is finally here!

The snow is starting to melt, the sun is shining a bit longer each day, and just like our furry friends… we are ready to get OUTSIDE!

We have a ton of fun events coming up for you and your family! Check out our Events page on our website for the latest event details! Hope to see you soon!

Give back on purchases with AmazonSmile!

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Pet Project Rescue every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to PPR!

Note: Please choose “Pet Project Rescue” before placing your first order online.

Inn-House, huh, what’s that? This is the question we get most often when we talk about the work we are doing to bring spay and neuter services to one of the poorest neighborhoods in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Most people in Playa don’t even know Inn-House exists – and it’s far beyond the scope of any tourists.

So, what is Inn-House? This “invasión” neighborhood is an extremely impoverished, fast growing area that grew out of a need for housing in a city with rapidly increasing property costs that locals often can no longer afford. This, coupled with an increasing population of people from all over Mexico moving to Playa in hopes of job opportunities, has created these “invasión” neighborhoods all over Playa del Carmen. With these neighborhoods comes extreme poverty, often trying living conditions without water or electricity, and many, many animals.

It seems that every home has at least one, or 5, animals – often for protection, but also for companionship and more increasingly because the home found a sickly dog or cat on the street and just couldn’t turn them away – despite barely being able to feed themselves, much less another animal. If these struggles weren’t enough, the residents of Inn-House also fall victim to organized crime that knows this population makes for an easy target. Overall, life is no cakewalk in Inn-House – these daily struggles make even the small problems seem huge, and so when people are struggling just to get by often the first to go without are the animals.

For these reasons, and because of an exploding population of needy and suffering dogs and cats, Pet Project Rescue has spent the last two years providing as much free spay/neuter and vet care support as we can to the animals and their families living in Inn-House. Days can be long and heart breaking, but they can also be filled with smiles, thank yous, and the absolute privilege of knowing we can provide care that would be entirely out of reach to this population. We know that the resources we provide change lives for the better, often saving lives and always preventing future generations of animals from being born to a life of misery on the streets.

Pet Project Rescue’s spay and neuter efforts assure more puppies and kittens are not born to the streets or into homes that can’t possibly feed and care for them. We reward these wonderful souls, that despite having so little still reach out to help street animals, by providing free vet care and sterilization services.

PPR is also able to start important conversations and educate the community on the importance of vaccinating pets, the health benefits of spay/neuter, and the general needs of dogs and cats. It’s not uncommon for a loving pet owner to see us and explain that their beloved pup hasn’t been eating and is losing weight – it’s often a case of terrible parasites and we’re able to provide de-parasitic medicine right on the spot and bring relief. We follow up on the animals that need repeated care – assuring that true relief from mange, injuries, and infections are provided. We’re showing this often over-looked and disenfranchised community that there are options, that someone does care, and that they are not in this alone.

There are days filled with tears and days filled with laughter – and most often days filled with both. It’s a gift to spends one’s life helping others, especially those that cannot speak for themselves. It’s a privilege to work with such caring people and to have the amazing support to keep doing this life-saving work thanks to each one of our donors. This work comes with a hefty price tag at the end of each day, but being able to change lives, and save lives is truly priceless. It absolutely takes a village to be the solution to animal over population, suffering, and homelessness, but we know this village is changing the world for the better one day, one dollar, and one life at a time. You can help continue this work with a gift of any size!

Another year flew by and we were blessed to be able to spay/neuter and care for so many dogs and cats! 450 animals were spayed/neutered and will never again contribute to animal homelessness and suffering, with thousands of fewer kittens and puppies being born to the street or entering already overcrowded shelters. To continue our life-saving work we rely on the generous gifts from our amazing supporters like you – please consider a 2018 end of year, tax-deductible gift by clicking here!

Every one of these animals was also given the vet care they needed to assure they are happy, healthy, and living the best quality of life, and all of that is possible thanks to you, our amazing donors!

Laika is now cancer free and in a loving home thanks to our Hero Fund and 2 months of chemotherapy and proper nutrition! Beyond curing cancer, we’ve fixed broken legs, cared for dogs hit by cars, nursed malnourished kittens and puppies, cured terrible skin conditions, prevented disease by vaccinating, and so very much more!

All these services are provided for free to animals and their caregivers who would otherwise never be able to access life-saving vet care. Our programs rely entirely on donations and that’s why our end of year gifts means so very much to us!

No matter the size of the donation, it allows us to keep saving lives! To continue this work, we are asking you to consider an end of year, tax-deductible donation to Pet Project Rescue to assure we can continue to provide lifesaving care to both low-income pet owners and their beloved fur babies, as well as homeless dogs and cats.

Your support means the world to us and the animals we serve. It truly is a matter of life or death for so many of these animals, and your end of year, tax-deductible gift to PPR assures we can save lives! Your gift is just a click away – give here to save lives!

The wonderful vets at St Francis Animal and Bird Hospital wrote an important and informative piece on feline inappropriate urination (FIU) – an issue we see often, and is the main reason cats are given up! But don’t lose hope, FIU can be remedied and cats can stay in their loving homes!

Feline Inappropriate Urination

Inappropriate urination or house soiling can be a challenging issue for cats, their owners, and veterinarians alike. For many cats, the underlying cause of this behavior is multi-faceted, making management more challenging. However, with patience and consistent behavioral modification, most owners can successfully manage this issue long term.

Cats that are exhibiting inappropriate urination should initially have a complete physical examination performed by a veterinarian followed by specific diagnostics that help to exclude an underlying medical cause for the behavior. Recommended diagnostics may include a) a complete urinalysis and culture to rule out infectious or inflammatory causes; b) radiographs (x-rays) +/- an ultrasound to identify stones, masses, or structural abnormalities; and c) baseline blood work to rule out concurrent or underlying diseases.

If these diagnostic tests are normal, our goal will be to address a behavioral cause. Common issues that can result in inappropriate urination include substrate preference or aversion (type of litter), litter box preference or aversion (including litter box type, construction, or size), anxiety, or marking behavior.

Your veterinarian may have you keep a journal of the frequency and location of any inappropriate soiling behavior to help determine which of these issues are playing a role. If possible, try to identify changes in the household that could be triggering the change in litter box habits. Did you recently add another pet or a new baby to the household? Is there a stray cat outside spraying your home or shrubs? Did you start a remodeling project or move into a new house?

Though more specific management recommendations can be advised on a case-by-case basis, the following are general guidelines that may help resolve inappropriate urination.

Improve the Litter Box Environment

1) It is essential to provide an adequate number of litter boxes. Ideally you should provide at least one more litter box than the number of cats in the household. In addition, litter boxes should be scooped daily and cleaned thoroughly every week using soap and hot water.

2) Litter boxes should be placed in inviting areas. It is important to avoid obstructing your cat’s path to the litter box with obstacles such as baby gates, flights of stairs, or closed doors. In addition, avoid placing the box near loud objects such as a washer or dryer.

3) In multiple cat households, position litter boxes in areas that are difficult for one cat to guard. For example, avoid placing a litter box in a room with only one entrance/exit. If this is not possible, several litter box locations are necessary.

4) Litter boxes should be large enough to allow your cat to dig, turn around easily, and bury the excretions. For some cats, this means that standard litter boxes are simply too small. You could try plastic storage bins intended for use under beds or modify larger containers to allow access by cutting a “door” into one of the sides. Both covered and uncovered boxes may be tried, but most cats seem to prefer uncovered boxes. Some cats are terrified of the self-cleaning litter boxes, so alternatives should be offered.

5) Most cats prefer clumping clay litter, though it is a good idea to experiment with other types of litter. Cat Attract litter or litter additive may be tried. Liners are generally discouraged.

Discourage Recurrent Elimination Outside of the Litter Box

1) Thoroughly clean all soiled areas with soap and water, then follow-up with an enzymatic cleaner such as Nature’s Miracle or Anti-Icky-Poo to help prevent residual odors that may be perceived by your cat. Avoid ammonia-based cleaners – they can actually contribute to the problem because of the urine-like scent. NOTE: Enzymatic cleaners will typically cause the soiled area to smell worse during the first 24-48 hours after application.

2) For areas that are soiled repeatedly, make the area less inviting by covering it with a food bowl, piece of tin foil, or plastic carpet runner turned upside down so that the small spikes face upward.

3) Some cats gravitate towards soft surfaces such as piles of laundry or bedding for elimination. If this behavior is exhibited, be sure to restrict access to these materials. Closet doors and even bedroom doors may need to be closed.

4) Cats that have a long history of inappropriate elimination may require a period of confinement to re-establish litter box habits. Though each cat should be assessed individually, the typical time of confinement required is proportional to the time that the behavior has been occurring. Generally, cats will need to be confined for approximately 1 week for each month that the behavior has occurred. Your veterinarian will discuss specific confinement plans for your cat.

Decrease Stress

1) Increase positive interactions with your cat and provide behavioral enrichment with interactive and/or foraging toys, trick training, and regular grooming.

2) Provide ample hiding areas as well as cat trees, shelves, or perches placed high up within the cat’s favorite areas.

3) Diffusers containing synthetic pheromones (Feliway) can help to relieve anxiety and promote feelings of security within your cat’s environment. These diffusers plug into a wall outlet and cover approximately 500-700 square feet. Feliway diffusers should be used for at least 4-6 weeks initially and may be safely continued long term if helpful.

4) Some cats are quite stressed if outdoor cats can be visualized through the windows or doors. Self-adhesive window coverings may help eliminate this trigger. The Scarecrow motion-activated sprinkler can also be used to deter stray cats from your yard.

5) Behavioral medications are appropriate for use in cats with chronic inappropriate elimination that is unresponsive to other therapy. Baseline blood work is recommended prior to starting any behavioral medication, and regular monitoring (every 6-12 months) is recommended. Please consult your veterinarian for more information and recommendations regarding these medications.

6) Avoid punishment at all costs – punishment rarely results in improvement in symptoms and can damage the trusting bond between you and your cat.

Inappropriate urination in cats can be a difficult problem to manage. With a little diligence and patience, there are plenty of ways to get your cat thinking inside the litter box.

By Kevin Roeser, DVM and Jennifer Blair, DVM

What’s a flea market have to do with animals? Firstly, 100% of the sales from our flea market support our spay and neuter clinics and vet care program, The Hero Fund. These programs allow us work toward our goal of ending animal homelessness and suffering – ending the cycle of animals being born to the streets from Minnesota to Mexico!

Secondly, shopping secondhand has a hugely positive impact on the environment, helping animals big and small by preventing new pollution from entering our ecosystem. The simple act of thrifting keeps tons of perfectly good items in use and out of landfills! Trash also has a sneaky way of creeping from our garbage cans into the streets and traveling into our oceans and forests- the simple act of keeping things out of the trash helps to keep garbage out of the food chain for our wildlife, both on land and in the ocean! We’re helping animals big and small, four-legged and with fins, to live a healthier and happier life!

The small act of supporting our flea market will not only allow us to continue to provide life-saving programs from spay/neuter clinics, hospice care (Lukas Project), trap-neuter-return, barn cat placement, and vet support (Hero Fund), it will also make the world a cleaner, healthier, and more enjoyable place for creatures small and large!!

Join us on August 5th at 612 Brew from 1-7p for our zero waste flea market and help us end companion animal homelessness and keep the world green and healthy!

**Our sustainable Tshirts will also be on sale at this event – get your paws on the best organic T’s available and ship the shipping costs! (Photos by Alexa Kay Photography)

Our story started on January 3rd, 2016 with a sweet little Puggle that was so sick we didn’t believe she’d make it through the weekend – 2 1/2 years later we can’t believe we’re standing beside this same dog, Holly, and announcing she is CURED of mammary cancer and no longer a Lukas Project hospice dog!!

Holly’s June 18th surgery to remove the left side of her mammary channel was her second and final surgery, and we’re thrilled to say our vets were able to remove all the cancer from her body! She was a real champ this time around and was mobile and feeling good right after her surgery! We were thrilled because her first surgery really knocked her out for about a week, but we knew in order for Holly to have another 7+ years of life we had to go through with the final surgery – it was her only chance at a full and healthy, cancer-free life.

Holly continues to thrive – she loves walks, couch snuggles, and treats! She’s a happy gal with 2 amazing foster parents, Marie and Marlon, that we cannot thank enough for caring for Holly and loving her like she was one of their own since January 2016.

And the good news doesn’t stop there, because Holly’s foster parents are going to be her forever parents and will be adopting her as soon as she’s fully healed! We can’t believe that this 2 1/2 year journey, with so many ups and downs with her health, has such a happy ending! We can finally say that Holly will have many, many years of a spoiled and comfy life ahead of her with her soon to be forever family!

Holly’s surgeries cost nearly $3000, and we’ve managed to raise $1410 of that $3k, leaving us with $1590 to raise to cover all her care. It’s no small amount, but you can help and donate ANY amount -assuring Pet Project Rescue can take on additional difficult animal cases, and give every dog and cat a fighting chance at a long and healthy life!