Saturday, April 26

Roma Says Thanks!

Where is Roma? What is she doing?
Here she is! She just adores her warm, ticking friend. She wrote a thank you note to the volunteer who sent it:


"You have made me so happy with my little snuggle buddy. I absolutely LOVE it. I sleep under it, on it and beside it all the time. This was such a nice gesture on your part and I just want to say THANK YOU so much. You have made a little baby so HAPPY!!!! I send you cuddles and kisses filled with puppy breath.
ROMA"




Dang! Kisses filled with puppy breath!? Wish we'd thought of it, says an envious
Frog Princess

Every Breed is Special--Every Rescuer Is, Too



We have many rescuers, owners and admirers of boxers among our FBRN membership. This is our own FBRN President Ruthie Chiger's beloved PJ and her Frenchie. There are far more boxers than Frenchies awaiting a new home and a new chance at life. If there is no Frenchie in your area available for adoption, consider a different smooshie faced breed with many traits--playfulness, comic nature, expressiveness--in common with a frogdog.

This video came to our attention recently. It's a lovely testament to the big hearts and selfless motivations and good works of animal rescuers everywhere.




This is our foster Hannah and her foster brother, Chet.




If you have ever wondered how rescuers can bear to see the worst of people's thoughtlessness and to witness and try to mend the aftermath of people's cruelty and wake up day after day to face it anew in another animal's eyes and body, if you've wondered why they volunteer to break their hearts again and again as they foster and release their rehabilitated dogs to a new life, this video may help explain that to you. Enjoy.


This is our foster Romey with his foster brother, Cooper, at sleepytime.

The following video was donated to Boxer Rescue Los Angeles by Present Day Pictures.

A terrific donation:

http://presentdaypictures.com/brla

The dogs--all breeds, all sizes, all ages and all needing--are out there waiting. Join us in rescue at FBRN--or any other reputable rescue organization!--and help us give them homes.
The Frog Princess

Friday, April 25

Too Soon

These are the blog entries we put off writing. It is so difficult to share this news.

Our darling General Eisenhower, Ike, was reported missing a week or so ago. His body was discovered when the neighbor's pool was cleaned. Sadly, Ike lives in a benighted area of the country where pools are not legally required to be fenced, and irresponsible people choose, because they can choose, not to protect animals and children from the attractive nuisance they provide for their own pleasure.
If you have a swimming pool on your property, there is absolutely no excuse for failing to secure it--to secure it with a lock and fence, at the very least to float an alarm on it, and certainly to keep it covered and drained during the months when it is not being used. Shame on you if you have a pool and do not practice some or all of these simple, commonsensical preventative measures. Today you may fish a possum or a squirrel or a dog from your pool. Next week it could be a neighbor's granddaughter. What's wrong with you?

And before careless pool-owning readers start defensively wondering where Ike's people were, yes--they were remiss in allowing him to escape. That shouldn't have happened. Absolutely right. Yet--How many times just today have you avoided death or injury by sheer good fortune? Did you take your eyes off the road to adjust the car radio and not hit a pedestrian or bicyclist? Did you not choke on a piece of food at dinner last night? Did you not mistake one medication for another this morning? You didn't tumble down the stairs when you were carrying a too full laundry basket last week. Maybe your baby didn't fall off the changing table when you had to reach for the wipes. But those things happened to other people who are usually just as smart and careful as you are. And because those things sometimes DO happen, we must be sure not to compound other people's bad judgment or misfortune with bad judgment or negligence of our own. We cannot foresee, and even after it happens we simply can't believe, that our children will wander off while under our own eyes. If it hasn't happened to you or someone you know yet, just wait. But we do know that children love water. We can foresee that a pool will be a draw to any thirsty thing or wandering child. And because we can foresee that, we are, of course, responsible for preventing tragedy insofar as we can.

Our second unhappy message is that our beloved Hercule has crossed the bridge. His neurological problems just grew greater and more comprehensive and when his life was painful and unhappy, his foster mom held him as he went to where he will not suffer anymore. Hercule was deeply loved not just by his foster family, but by all of FBRN's volunteers and so many of our supporters.

We'll carry the image of his foolish face with us as long as we live.

We send our love with you, Ike and Hercule, and our wish for peace to your families.
The Frog Princess

Vinny Goes Home Again


Vinny was initially surrendered to FBRN when his mom's illness made caring for him very difficult. Recently, she realized that life without Vinny was just miserable, and she asked that he be returned to her. A change in family circumstances means she now has the means, with the help of her son and the help of a local FBRN volunteer's family, to care for Vinny. We were delighted to hear that she could once again care for him, and our local volunteer will stay in touch with Vinny and his family.

Thank you to all of our friends and supporters for allowing this happy reunion to take place! If not for FBRN, Vinny might have been placed in a shelter, and we don't like to think of what might have happened then.

Happy for Vinny and his mom,
The Frog Princess

Thursday, April 24

Precious Gemma



Beautiful Gemma has been growing progressively less mobile over the course of the last few months, despite her owners' best efforts to provide veterinary care from a neurologist and exercise right up to about six weeks ago, when she transitioned to a cart.
Her first family are city dwellers and they live in an apartment house without an elevator.





When Gemma's mom learned she is expecting, she knew it was a matter of time before she could no longer manage Gemma, the stairs, the cart and the baby's things at once.


Gemma's family made the decision to find a new home for her among the friends and supporters of FBRN.

And here she is! She's having lots of fun in her foster home. We are going to be exploring Physical Therapy for Gemma, as she has feeling in her rear and some bladder control. Keep a good thought for pretty Gemma as we see what can be done for her. And even if she never gets out of the cart, she's a gorgeous, sweet beauty who will make someone very happy.

You've got to: ac-cent-choo-ate the pos-i-tive, warbles
The Frog Princess

Pause for Roma!

Roma's foster mom says Roma's tummy is too round now, so she must sleep on her back.






















Also, check out the new pigment blooming on her weelittle paddypaws!





Did you EVER?! shrieks
The Frog Princess

Tuesday, April 22

A Weekend in the Country--How Delightful!


While undergoing tests at a specialty vet's, our funny old man, Tobias Toad, recently spent a long weekend with our Vice President, Candi Nilsson (who, incidentally, is recovering from knee surgery. Everybody say, "Feel better soon, Candi!")
He was the perfect housefrog! Tobias made absolutely no demands on anyone, apart from the requisite insistence that if a hand was not engaged in some other kind of activity it might as well be rubbing some tummy or scratching some chinny chin chin!

For Tobias it was a very good weekend of sleeping in a variety of new and comfy places. In the people bed, he slept. On the couch, he slept. In the van, he slept.
He's about ready to get his two week check up at the vet's following nares and palate surgery. He's not as sleepy now that he can breathe. And now that he can breathe, other people can sleep more easily!

Tobias Toad says "THANK YOU!" to all his fans and well wishers and especially his sponsors and FBRN's supporters. For birthday number 10, he got a chance to take a deep breath. A really deep, full, quiet breath.

Your own chests should be a-swellin' with pride, chirps
The Frog Princess

Monday, April 21

Roma Gets a Cuddle Buddy

A generous FBRN volunteer sent Roma a present! Here's an update from Roma's foster mom following a visit to the vet:

"Well, Roma had her appointment today. The vet was unable to do the x-ray unless she was sedated and we both did not think that was a good idea. She was wiggling and walking off so that the x-ray would not be any good. She did listen to her lungs and said they were clear. She is very pleased and impressed with how well she is doing. She did put her on amoxicilin once a day for precaution. She said to keep a close eye out and if she shows any signs to bring her in right away and she will put her back on the stronger medicine. Otherwise she does not need to see her until time for shots and spay. She was almost 12 oz. at the vets. She gave me the number to the surgeon so I will call to see about surgery and at what age. I will also them to get the information from them. Dr. Julie said she will have to have surgery. She does not feel like it will close on its own. It has not changed from last week. Roma recieved a present from Joan. THANK YOU very much. It is one of the puppies that has the heart beat and heating pad for her to snuggle with. Of course, the first thing she did was look for a nipple. Here are pics of our baby today. My female knows that there is a puppy in the room. She sleeps by the door and barks at anybody going in except me. I get a complete sniff over when I come out of the room from feeding her."

She's a sweetie pie, that Roma!
The Frog Princess

Sunday, April 20

Roma Takes Steps









Today's report on Roma includes news of her weight and a photo of Roma up on her feet!
"Well Roma now weighs just under 11oz. The hard part now is keeping her still for her feedings. I wish I could send the little squeaks and peeps she makes. They are so cute. Here is the little flower this morning."

Was there ever a more tenacious little wiggler? Look at her wandering around! Keep her in her thoughts, and send strengthening, loving vibes her way, pleas
The Frog Princess

Saturday, April 19

A-ROMA-Therapy


Here's the very latest report on baby Roma from her foster mom:

"Well it is the end of a long work week and we all need a spa day with a little A- Roma- therapy. Nothing better than the smell of puppy breath to relax and unwind with.

"Roma is doing very well. Both peepers are open now and she is walking on wobbly legs. She makes it a short distance and tumbles over but she just gets right back up and tries again. She continues to gain a little weight each day. I will be increasing the amount of her feeding according to the scale I am following. She returns to the vet on Monday for her follow up x-ray. I believe it will be a good result. Tomorrow is her last day of antibiotics. Each day brings new hope for this little girl that has a true will to live."

We can see that she is set to step into our own royal shoes as she floats along in her lovely purple boa. Every Frenchie girl shall have one! commands
The Frog Princess

Friday, April 18

Readers, readers of the blog...who's the cutest? Man or frog?


One of our volunteers asked us to give our opinion: Who is the cuter of these two cutie pies? Her foster dog Gabriel or her husband, Chris? Be honest, now.

In other news, baby Roma continues to take food. She has 3 more days of antibiotics, but she has no fever! Plus she is peeking out of her second eye!

Those good thoughts are working! declares
The Frog Princess

Wednesday, April 16

Bonny, brave Bertha

If you have been following the website, you are aware that FBRN has taken in ten dogs purchased with private donations at a dog auction. A group of FBRN volunteers who are also active in Puppymill Awareness Day in Lancaster County, PA, attended the auction of an Oklahoma puppy mill that claimed to be going out of business and selling its stock. The dog auction scene is fundamentally corrupt, since it is supported by people engaged in a corrupt and vile industry. Frequently millers will claim to be going out of business in order to sell off their older stock and then they will use the proceeds to buy younger dogs. The group who attended this auction were convinced that these millers were truly going out of business and they were attending to get as many animals out of the stream of exploitation as they could with the funds they raised.
Bertha is one of the dogs they were able to purchase.
Here is a note from her foster mom, describing Bertha's first few weeks as a family dog, living in a house, learning how to be a pet:


Bertha has been with us for 2 weeks and is such a sweetie. When she is let out of her crate she bounds around with a goofy grin, so excited to see us, which is really something to see because she is a big, long girl and not entirely graceful! Our neighbors even commented that she has a sparkle in her eye now.

In some ways she is like a puppy, because she is just figuring out her new world. The other day after a bath she discovered the mirror on the back of our bathroom door and was very confused, thinking it was a doorway and being a little startled by her reflection, not to mention the fact that she could not barge on through it with her big head, like she does with other doors. She is very curious and likes to check everything out. Like a puppy, she is having to learn to notice when people are talking to her. As a mill dog, I'm sure she never learned this, and that thought breaks my heart. She also does not take treats from a hand, which makes getting her to take her pills somewhat frustrating. If I give them to her in a ball of cheese or hotdog she rolls it around on the floor and eventually gets it in her mouth but is very good at spitting the pills out!

Twice daily pill-time sometimes takes several tries and a lot of patience...

She has started barking when Luna and Rollo [formerly FBRN's miracle puppy, Piglet] do, but when left to her own devices she is very quiet (although she will let you know when she would like out of her crate, like at the crack of dawn). She has to be supervised closely because she enjoys chewing on anything and everything, and doesn't yet know what is okay to chew on and what's not okay (like the remote control, the phone, furniture, rugs, etc.). It will be a long process of consistency to teach her that. Unlike a puppy, she appears to be housetrained--yay!

She gets along very well with our dogs, who are not the most easygoing dogs out there, although I have to brag a little and say that Rollo has been fantastic, bless his little high-strung Russian heart. Actually, now our dogs vie for Bertha's attention; it is really funny to see Rollo trying to tempt her with a toy while Luna rolls around and waves her feet at Bertha.

A. sent Bertha a stuffed toy and some nylabones and Bertha actually played with the stuffy (a first), rolling around on her back and holding the stuffed toy between her front paws and chewing on it. She is precious! She also loves chewing on the nylabones, and they are a great tool to use when distracting her from something she shouldn't be chewing on. She really does not seem to be afraid of people, and so far does not have any behavioral issues, which makes me hopeful that her past was not entirely filled with misery and that someone was kind to her once. She used to flatten herself like a pancake when you went to pick her up, but she does that less now, unless she just doesn't want to go somewhere in which case she just goes totally limp like a 30 lb sack of potatoes.

She will be a devoted and delightful companion to a special person out there somewhere!"

In our next website update, you'll find an essay about the special needs that puppy mill dogs have, and what it takes to adopt one. Each of our survivors will have a link to the essay. We hope you will read it and consider applying for one of our Oklahoma 10 dogs. Their rescuers thought about calling them the OK10, but decided against it. Puppy mills aren't OK. And though these dogs are on their way to a happily ever after, many, many more are not.

FBRN exists to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome French bulldogs in need, regardless of their background. Whether Good Samaritan or owner surrendered, pulled from a shelter, or puppy mill survivor: all our Frenchies are in need, and we rely on our supporters to help us help them find homes as safe, warm, and loving as your own dog's home. Many of our foster dogs have no sponsors tonight. You can change that by finding a face that appeals to you and making a commitment to helping by clicking on their photo and making a PayPal donation. Be sure to leave a note for your dog in the comments section on the PayPal form; they (and we volunteers and foster parents!) all love to hear from you!

The Frog Princess

I spy with my little eye--Roma!

Roma has one eye open, the better to get a look at the great big world.Lung sounds are good, so the antibiotic seems to be working, and she's gained another .2 ounce! Hurray for Roma!
Keep her in your thoughts, please!
The Frog Princess

Tuesday, April 15

If it is Tuesday, this must be ROMA!

Our baby still hasn't opened her eyes, but that should happen in just a day or two or three.Here's what her foster mom said about yesterday's vet visit:
"Well our little tadpole is doing fine. She is robust and frisky. I took a picture of her being weighed and she now is just under 9oz. It is a good sign that even with the pneumonia, she has continued to gain weight. I took these pictures of her being weighed this morning. I was sent a wonderful web site that has a feeding scale according to weight so I have increased the about of her feeding and she is tolerating it very well."
She has a new formula to eat, thanks to the same experienced-with-cleft-palate-babies who sent the feeding scale website, and we are holding our breath until Roma opens her tiny peeps.

All our members are sending up their good wishes and continuing to hope for the best possible outcome for this tiny, wiggly, darling girl. You are sending yours, too, hopes

The Frog Princess

Sunday, April 13

Roma today


Roma is fighting the good fight! As of this evening, she is still with us, snuggled with her rice buddy (a sock filled with rice and warmed briefly in the microwave) and sleeping and squeaking. She's such a wee thing.

We are sending you our love, Roma!
The Frog Princess

Saturday, April 12

Roma Needs Your Good Thoughts and Wishes

This week, one of our volunteers received a late night phone call from an ER clinic. A pair of backyard breeders had dumped a 2 day old puppy with a slight cleft palate at their clinic, and they wondered if we could take her.
This is one of the reasons breeding dogs is not something to take up lightly as a way to make "extra money" or to show children the "miracle of birth." Breeding French Bulldogs is extremely risky. Your mother dog is almost certainly going to require a c-section to deliver the puppies, and she may well die while being intubated or as a consequence of complications. Puppies born to mother dogs who were not given proper nutrition prior to insemination, folic acid in this case, can be born with cleft palates--sometimes even with careful nutrition, birth defects occur. For a
brachycephalic breed like French bulldogs, cleft palate is very nearly 100 per cent of the time a death sentence, unless the cleft is minor and there is someone willing to devote weeks to the feeding of the puppy round the clock. Most backyard breeders, as was the case with this puppy, aren't willing to do that, and no puppy mill operators will.

By a stroke of nearly unbelievable good fortune, the volunteer who took the ER clinic's call is an MD, an anesthesiologist. She left her home in the middle of the night to fetch this puppy and bring him home to foster her until she can be transferred to another volunteer, a nurse, who will continue the round the clock feedings. We asked our volunteer to describe what it is like to keep this puppy alive. She's promised to take more photos and we'll update readers as we go. The puppy's name is Roma. Today she is 6 days old. Here is the note from her foster mom:
"I can tell you what life is like here right now since I am home. I worry about her constantly and go to check on her at least every 15-20 minutes. I have her in a small crate padded with towels that sits on a heating pad that is currently tucked into the corner of my couch in the living room. I put a pair of rolled up socks in with her which she often lies up against like she might a sibling. I also keep a box of baby wipes in the corner so they can be warmed and ready to use (more to follow)

I took pictures of my set up - exactly as I described it above, but probably can't get them out with this computer at home.


I didn't get home from work last night until almost 8 pm. I got her all set up on the couch as described above with all her supplies laid out in from of me on the coffee table. This includes a "pee-pee rag", a clean towel for holding her, multiple syringes, KY jelly, a stethoscope, paper towels, pillows - anything I need to grab in a rush. In the kitchen, I have her formula pre-mixed in a container in the frig as well as a container of the anti-biotic slurry I add to her food in a prescribed dosage every 12 hours. Her feeding tube and used syringes get flushed, rinsed and dried after every feeding. I have them lying on the counter on a paper towel to dry in between. ( took a picture of this, too)

Her formula is a mixture of puppy replacement milk, Esbilac, which I bought at PetsMart with some baby rice cereal added in. It can't be too thick or it won't go down the feeding tube. To this mixture I added a dab of Nutrical, a "high calorie dietary supplement" gel for puppies and a tube of "Bene-bac" which is a pro-biotic containing lactobacillus to give good bacteria to her gut.

The reason these little guys have to be hand fed by some method is because their oral cavity is open to their nasal cavity via the opening (cleft) in the top of their mouths...this means they can't create a suction on their mother's teats to make the milk let down. They would starve.

They have to be either bottle fed or tube fed. Both of these methods intrinsically has the same lethal complication. If even a little bit of food gets in their lungs, by gagging, overfeeding, poor technique, bad luck, fate - it doesn't matter - they will get aspiration pneumonia and die.

I have been on-line and done a ton of reading about tube feeding vs bottle feeding as well as reading all the email that has come across the FBRN list (THANK-YOU everyone for all your help!!) about how people personally saved cleft palate puppies. I can tell you my experience so far.

I started out tube feeding because that is what I was told to do at the Emergency Clinic where I picked her up. I can tell you this - that first night, at 1:00 am, alone, with a 3 day old (somebody didn't know how to count) puppy's life in my hands was scary stuff. I have been a practicing anesthesiologist for 15 years (and ICU nurse before that) and am quite accustomed to taking peoples' lives in my hands, sticking tubes in them, etc, but here was this tiny little helpless puppy......my technique with the tube had to be flawless. The pressure was on and hasn't let up since.

Those first couple of feedings at home were hard on both of us. I couldn't find a stethoscope (to help verify that the tube was in her stomach - more to follow) so I had to pass the tube multiple times, hold the very vigorously squirming baby up to my ear while injecting a little bit of air through the feeding tube (which is about the size of a piece of regular spaghetti) to hear that distinctive "pop" or gurgle that let's you know the tube is in the stomach and not the lungs. I am trying to do this while she is squirming and trying to push the tube out of her mouth. I thought I would never get it right....but I did - only with great stress and effort, tho. That morning, at work, with extra loving hands to help me hold her and the tube, etc, it all went much more smoothly.

That day, I read about the possibility of bottle feeding, so after work, I drove to PetsMart and bought a bottle set that came with 5 or so nipples of numerous shapes and sizes. Again, it's 8 pm by the time I get home.,...I have to heat a needle to make the right sized hole in the nipple - too small, the formula won't come out, too big, I'll drown her....numerous attempts, I think I get it right. You don't use the bottle like you normally would, you sort of drop the formula on the front of their mouth while holding them upright and let gravity and their natural swallowing do the rest.

In Roma's case, 2 things happened that made it not go well. One, she would take some of the formula - only a little - get sleepy and conk out!!! I couldn't put any more in her mouth - it was just coming out the sides and I was afraid she would aspirate (suck it into her lungs = death) - very bad. Also, she wouldn't get getting enough formula. #2, the formula didn't come out smoothly enough (this could have been me mixing it to the wrong consistency, a poorly made hole ??) but one time the formula came shooting out like a spray and in horror I though I had surely drowned her and she was going to die and it was my fault. OH NO - no more bottle for me. The tube was a sure thing as long as my technique was flawless and she got more food that way.

Here's how the tube goes. I get everything ready in front of me:
1. 5cc syringe with warmed formula drawn up (usually 3-4 cc)

NOTE: the feeding tube came "marked" at the right length to reach her stomach - the emergency vet marked it. As she gets bigger, this mark will have to be moved as the distance from her mouth to her stomach gets longer.

2. feeding tube with 5cc syringe attached to the end - syringe drawn back with 3cc of air in it
4. pre-moisted the first 1-1/12" of the feeding tube with KY
5. stethoscope
6. peepee cloth
7. towel
8. baby wipes (pre-heated)
9. pillow
10. paper towels (for a dab of KY and a place to park the used items)

I sit on the couch with a pillow in my lap covered by the towel. I have the peepee cloth on the coffee table. I hold Roma over the cloth, feet touching it) and gently rub her lower tummy with a warm baby wipe in downward strokes to stimulate her bladder (her mother would lick her for this). I watch for the little drops of peepee. Sometimes it takes a little time, but it works. I dab her behind clean and rest her in my lap on the towel covered pillow. I put the stethoscope in my ears. I hold her in my left hand - kind of high on her body with her butt sitting on the pillow. I have the formula filled syringe on the table right in front of me - literally at the same level (my coffee table elevates) or I hold it in my mouth. I put the stethoscope up to Roma's chest/belly and hold it with my left hand, too. I take the slightly pre-lube feeding tube and bring it to her lips. I don't force it in, but gently introduce it and she will often start to swallow it as I gently advance it. Most of the time it goes down very smoothly. I stop advancing when the mark reaches her lips.

NOTE: if she starts to gag, I pull it back, wait for her to calm and start again.

I have to watching to make sure the tube isn't sliding out WHILE I take the syringe on the end with the air in it and "inject" a couple of cc's (ml's) of the air while listening through the stethoscope to hear the little "popping" or gurgling sound of the air reaching her stomach. If the tube is in her lungs - you won't hear it, plus she'd probably be coughing and gagging. It can still be a bit tricky because she is squirmy!! I try to get it right the first time so I am not filling her up with air.

If I get the confirming sounds, this is were it gets a little harder and I wish I had extra hands....I have to hold the tube in place with my left hand (without squeezing her too hard or covering her nose - and she is squirming like the dickens and trying to push the tube out). With my right hand (and my mouth or a finger or 2 from the left hand), remove the air syringe from the end of the tube and put on the formula syringe - it's a tight fit. Rechecking all the while to make sure Roma hasn't dislodged the tube despite my death grip on it, I slowly start injecting the formula. Often, after a cc or so, she will start to calm down - it's almost like she sighs and is thankful for a filling tummy. But sometimes, she just keeps squirming. I finish the formula slowly, wait a second, grab the tube near her mouth and pull it out in one quick smooth motion.

By this time, she has often worked up quite a bit of foamy saliva and at first this scared me thinking it might be formula, but it's not.

You can see why it goes so much more smoothly with a second pair of helping hands!!

It's important after feeding to let her suckle on a finger to help pull down any bacteria or mucous out of her nose into her stomach. Sometimes she really gets into it and sometimes she doesn't.

I gauge the amount of formula by how long it's been since the last feeding. 2 hours, I give her less, 3 hours she can take about 3.5 cc and this will increase as she gets older. You can see how much fuller her belly is after a feeding.

Often after a feeding she presents me with a little solid pellet of green poo. I wipe her face clean and then her behindy. Even if she doesn't suckle, I hold her for a while, head upward and then put her back into her nice toasty warm crate.

Then I have 2 - 2.5 hours to do as I please, except I still have to check on her, just for my own peace of mind.

2:15 pm 12April08

I just finished a feeding. My 5 year old Frenchie, Maxine, continues to be very interested in the baby. (The other 2, Cosette & Roman, don't really seem to care too much). I let Maxine come up on the couch and sniff her and lick her while I held her. Roma didn't seem too interested in suckling, so I just held her. She does root around in my palm like she is looking for a teat, but isn't always satisfied with my finger. I've put her back in her crate, took the tube and syringes and rinsed and dried them in the kitchen. Tube feeding isn't a sterile procedure, but it's important to keep everything clean. The supplies are all lying on a paper towel on the counter drying in the wonderful breeze we have today. It's an absolutely gorgeous day - cool for Florida in April and bright, bright sunshine - Chamber of Commerce weather as I call it. The river (which I can see from the computer here) is sparkling and the Spanish moss is waving in the branches of the big Live Oak tree on the river bank. I think I will spend some time at the computer trying to figure out how to down load songs onto my new iPOD. I'm pretty good with computers, but we'll see..."

What she didn't tell you is that she hasn't slept in 24 hours. Roma needs every good thought, prayer and hope she can get. She is by no means out of the woods. It's not even a 50/50 chance that she will survive. But if we can keep her alive, and keep her tummy full and if the cleft is not severe and if we can repair it with surgery when she is old enough, and if she doesn't choke or aspirate and if any number of other potential disasters we haven't imagined yet do not befall her, she may live to grow up.

We know you will hold her up in your thoughts and keep her warm in your hearts,
The Frog Princess
PS Here is a YouTube video that shows a vet doing the procedure on a very sluggish baby English bully. He makes it look so easy! Amazing what 20 years of experience can do for one's confidence.
Follow up note: Last night, Roma was sneezing and had a runny nose. She was whisked to the ER vet and her foster mom put together a humidified oxygen area for her. She has started medicine for pneumonia. Please send your good thoughts for this baby and her exhausted foster mom.

Friday, April 11

Teddy Is Home

Our wonderful, soulful Teddy has found his forever family at last. The dogs with special needs must wait for equally special families to discover them, it seems, and such is the case with our Teddy. We knew he was special, from the time we picked him up after he was found bloody footed and exhausted in the desert. His true nature revealed himself as he grew to trust and love his foster family. When the time came to relinquish him to his forever family, so a new needy pup could enter foster care, his foster mom said,

"I love all my dogs. They are all wonderful. But none of them look at me the way Teddy does." Here is his foster mom's note on the day his new family took him home:

"Teddy is in NC today. They started their journey yesterday morning at 5 am.
Teddy spent 3 days with his family while they were here. It didn't take long for him to bond with them. He knew they loved him.

"Saturday we had the privilege of having Teddy visit for a couple of hours while Mom and Dad did a little sight seeing. We then took him back to the motel, and Teddy was so happy to see them again. We talked for a few moments, and Teddy came to me for one last snuggle and then he went to his new dad and asked to be picked up. As you can see in the picture, he was very content.

"Teddy is a well traveled boy. From the streets of AZ to CO and now to NC. His mom is in the mental health field his dad is a graphics designer who will be home with him all day, and he has 2 new fur siblings. We may have new volunteers. Not to foster, they had a hard time understanding how we could let this sweet boy go. But they are very glad we did.


"Be a good boy, and know you are missed by us and your foster fur siblings, but we can't wait to hear about the adventures in your new life."

To borrow from a tin pan alley lyric that was popular when our grandmother was a child in 1929, we'd like to say to our incomparable foster families: "You're the cream in our coffee! You are the salt in our stew. You will always be our necessity...we'd be lost without you!" For all you do, we thank you!

Sincerely,
The Frog Princess

Thursday, April 10

General Eisenhower Missing! Stolen?


PLEASE HELP US FIND IKE!

"Ike", AKA General Eisenhower, is a recent FBRN grad. He went missing near Birmingham, AL on April 9th in the early evening from his fenced backyard. He may have been stolen.

He is a 18 month old neutered male French bulldog, and he is microchipped. He was last seen on Shamley Drive in the Brookwood Forest area of Mountain Brook near Overton
Road in Mountain Brook, AL.

Please call IMMEDIATELY if you have any information!

205.977.2295

205.305.7200

Thursday, April 3

A Sad Day in Lancaster County, PA

Sally Jane, the French Bulldog seized from convicted animal abuser and puppymiller Elvin High, has been returned to the man who allowed her festering sores to become infected to the point that she required immediate veterinary intervention. Judge Farina, who acknowledged receiving many, many letters about Elvin High's sentencing, some of them from FBRNetwork News readers, felt no compunction to follow the pleas of the public nor even the sentencing advice of the prosecutor, who asked that High be prohibited from owning dogs for 2 and a half years. It appears that, as Dickens so astutely pointed out, "the law is a ass."
This judge, and others of his kind, are simply not attuned to the wave of outrage and disbelief that is sweeping the country as more and more people learn of our nation's willingness to turn a blind eye to the suffering and horror inflicted upon many hundreds of thousands of dogs in the puppy mill or "commercial breeding" industry.
Here is a link to the article describing Judge Farina's ill-considered decision.
In other puppy mill news, The Oprah Winfrey Show will be airing a report on puppy mills on Friday afternoon. Lisa Ling has put together a show on the topic, and it is timely and, we hope, one of the most effective ways of informing and educating the US public.
Let us hope that Judge Farina and others who are in a position to make decisions and pass sentence on animal abusers watch the program and learn something.
Those of our readers in the area of Lancaster County may wish to set aside Sept 20 and plan to attend Puppy Mill Awareness Day at Intercourse Community Park in Leacock Township, PA.
A disgusted
Frog Princess

Wednesday, April 2

JUNIOR FOUND!

Less than 8 hours after he was attacked by strays and ran away, Junior is back home. A wonderful schoolbus driver picked him up and called the number on his tags.

Does your dog have his tags on EVERY time he goes out? Remember, it doesn't matter how sweet and good natured your dog is, if he meets an unfriendly one, unexpected things can happen. Be sure your dog has his tags on whenever he leaves the house.

A very relieved
Frog Princess

FBRN Foster JUNIOR is missing!




Please help us find our missing foster, Junior, who also answers to the name of Sammy.

He and his foster mom and her dogs were attacked by two strays and Junior slipped his lead. He is missing in Bushkill PA. Last seen this afternoon on the extensive wooded grounds at the
Mountain Laurel Performing Arts Center
on Bushkill Falls Rd. in
Bushkill PA, 18324

Junior had surgery recently. He is shaved on right shoulder and elbow. He has a collar and microchip tag and tags with AABR tag contact info. Junior is a dark brindle with a big white patch on his chest, sometimes shy or excitable with people, and may be in pain from the attack. Please approach him carefully or better yet, keep him in sight and call his foster mom's cell phone: 570-872-4634.

Junior is an FBRN foster dog. If you live in the area, please consider helping in the search.

We'll post an update as soon as we hear anything. Please keep a good thought for Junior tonight, lost in the woods.

The Frog Princess

Happy Birthday, Yoda!

A long, long time ago, FBRN grad, Yoda was born. In fact, it was ten years ago today and FBRN would like to wish the “wise Jedi master” a Happy Birthday! (Ten years is a long time in Frenchie!)

Yoda was adopted by her adoring family six years ago and now has the fun job of playing “mom” to a human baby! Here was the write up from her adoption in 2002: “Yoda is sharing her new digs in Saint Petersburg, Florida with a very easy going rescue bull terrier named Maxwell and a pair of ferrets named Casper and Clyde! Her new owners have promised to make room on the bed for her - and Maxwell has promised to make room on the couch. With someone at home during the day, Yoda won't have to spend too much time alone!”

According to her family’s most recent update, she’s a great looking, playful gal with a tiny bit of gray in her muzzle. We wish you many more happy years ahead! Happy Birthday!