Earlier this week, was the 4 year anniversary of the the arrival of the most gut-wrenching foster pup we have EVER had.
A little background - my husband and I, (and our son), have been involved in local Pit Bull rescue, for nearly a decade.
My family "specializes" in the hard cases.
The dogs who have loads of healing to do - physical, emotional, mental, social, or all of the above.
So, believe me when I say that we've seen some truly horrifying things.
But - nothing prepared me for what I would be faced with, after receiving a call from our rescue's president, four years ago - NOTHING!
My phone rang. I looked at the caller ID, it was the head of the rescue I was with at the time. I answer.
The voice on the other line sounded so sad. The caller said, "Patti - the shelter called - we've got a bad one. He is in REALLY rough shape. Can you guys take him?"
As is/was, my normal MO, I agreed without talking to my husband.
**I live by the mantra that I would much rather beg for forgiveness, than ask for permission.**
The caller said, "OK, I will send you his evaluation paperwork, and a couple photos. Prepare yourself - it is REALLY bad!"
I sat there, incessantly hitting the refresh button in my email, waiting for the details to hit my inbox.
After what seemed like 12 hours, (was in actuality, like 10 minutes), the email arrived.
I opened it...
and literally lost my fucking breath.
What I saw in those photos stole all the strength in my body. I felt like a puddle of Patti.
Before I read any of the evaluation information, I just sat, staring at the photos, and sobbed.
I cried out of sadness.
I cried out of fear.
I cried out of rage.
I cried like I hadn't cried in a LONG time.
In a nutshell -
A good Samaritan found this dog in a field, literally moments from death, and called animal control for emergency assistance.
Once the dog was at the shelter, they scanned for a microchip, and any shelter volunteer, or rescuer's worst fear came true - this was a dog that had been adopted out, from the very same shelter, the summer before.
At time of adoption, he was a stocky, healthy boy.
Now - he was completely unrecognizable.
It was abundantly clear that this sweet angel baby had been used as a bait dog in a dog fighting operation.
He was sickeningly emaciated.
He was covered in bite wounds.
His neck was literally quilted in scars from an unfathomable amount of previous punctures.
His teeth had been filed down.
He had two huge abscesses, one on each side of his neck.
His back legs had virtually zero muscle mass, and showed indications that they had possibly been tethered.
Even with all of that going on, volunteers at the shelter who cared for him, reported that he was still a super loving fellow.
How the fuck is that even possible???
Anyway - while logistics of getting this babe to me were being worked out, I set out on a quest to find THE perfect name for this sweet, sweet, soul.
It didn't take me long to pick it - Bodhi.
Bodhi is a Buddhist term that means, (loosely translated) - the enlightened one, who has now been liberated from the cycle of death and rebirth, whose karmic suffering is over, and since they are the purest of heart and soul, (free from hate & greed), they are destined for nirvana (heaven).
Tell me that isn't the most perfect name for this guy who had suffered so horribly...
Finally the day had come when Bodhi would arrive.
Even though I had seen photos of him, I was utterly taken aback when I first laid eyes on Bodhi.
I was horrified.
I was disgusted.
I was feeling VERY VERY stabby.
I was absolutely heartbroken.
I made a vow to Bodhi, in that very first moment together, that I would NEVER let anyone hurt him again.
That night I decided that I needed to use the gifts that God gave me, a strong mind, sharp tongue, and balls the size of China, to be Bodhi's voice.
To share his story.
To educate.
To encourage.
To advocate.
and...to honor all those innocent pups that weren't as "fortunate" as Bodhi.
#fuckmichaelvick
So - I created Bodhi his own Instagram, and Facebook accounts, where his supporters could keep tabs on him, but where I could also share his story in a very visible way - and in HIS voice!
This is the beginning part of Bodhi's story, from his perspective:
I was in an #animalshelter last year. The workers and volunteers there said I was a happy, go lucky guy. Whatever that means. All I know is that I wasn't sad, or scared, or hungry, and I was treated nice. One day I left the shelter with this lady; the humans called it my adoption day. Everyone was so excited, so it had to be a good thing right??
Not long after that, things changed, a lot. I was #scared. I was #confused. The humans were not like the nice ones I knew; they were #bad. I was hungry. It was loud. The bad people did this weird thing to my teeth. It hurt a lot, and they felt smaller, and flat. There were other dogs, and I wanted to be friends with them. I don't know why, but they didn't like me; they were mean. What did I do? Why did they want to hurt me? The bad people let the other dogs bite me - a lot. My throat. My neck. My head. My ears. My legs. They all hurt so so bad. I wanted it to stop. I was so scared. The dogs must have been really angry with me, because they hurt me over, and over and over. I was so hungry; my body was so weak. It felt like I was dying.
I think I was with the bad people for a very long time; I watched the seasons change a few times. Then one day, when I was too weak to move, when it hurt to breathe, the bad people took me outside. I was so excited. Were we going for a car ride? Were we going to see my family? I'm sure they missed me terribly. All of a sudden, the car stopped and the bad people threw me in an empty field, and left. I was all alone. I wanted to die. I thought I was dying. I was so scared. I couldn't move. Then I remembered all the nice people I knew. I wanted to see them again. I focused on my breathing. I knew that so long as I kept breathing, I would be ok.
Suddenly I felt a gentle touch. I opened my eyes and they darted around, trying to see who was there, who was touching me. A strange human was looking at me with big, sad eyes, and speaking to me gently. I wasn't scared anymore. The nice human picked me up. It hurt. My body was still so sore. My bones ached. My stomach was empty. But I wasn't scared. I just knew this person wasn't going to hurt me. I was right.
Next thing I know, I was back at the shelter. I looked for my friends; the nice people from before. I wanted to tell them all about what happened to me, how scared I had been. How hungry I was. How the people hurt me.
Oh my goodness - I found them. I found my friends! I was so excited. Why didn't they look excited? Why were they crying? Why were they rushing me around? Why were they talking so fast?
Next thing I know, I was back at the shelter. I looked for my friends; the nice people from before. I wanted to tell them all about what happened to me, how scared I had been. How hungry I was. How the people hurt me.
Oh my goodness - I found them. I found my friends! I was so excited. Why didn't they look excited? Why were they crying? Why were they rushing me around? Why were they talking so fast?
Then there was a super bright light. It hurt my eyes. A guy in a white coat appeared, and blocked to light. Then I went to sleep. When I woke up, I still hurt, but it was different. I opened my eyes and looked around. I was laying on some cozy blankets, and my friends were there. Now they were happy to see me. I heard them say words like #emaciated #baitdog #starvedalmosttodeath #dogfighting #notgoingtomakeit, and a bunch of words I'm not allowed to say. I didn't know what the words meant, but it didn't matter - I wasn't scared anymore.
Everyday I grew #stronger. Everyday I was less #hungry. The number of friends I had, got bigger and bigger. One day, not long after that, when I was feeling better, my friends said new words, #rescue #educateabull #kate #foster #patti. These new words sounded fun. I was excited to learn what they meant.
The next day, all of my friends were crying and telling me #goodbye. I was sorta confused, but I got lots of hugs, and smooches and treats. There were lots of #pictures taken. One of my friends put me in her car and we drive away, leaving the shelter in the rear view. My friend kept telling me how I was going to meet my #fostermom, and I was going to feel #loved #safe #happy and #neverbehurtagain. Whatever - I was busy eating all her treats.
Everyday I grew #stronger. Everyday I was less #hungry. The number of friends I had, got bigger and bigger. One day, not long after that, when I was feeling better, my friends said new words, #rescue #educateabull #kate #foster #patti. These new words sounded fun. I was excited to learn what they meant.
The next day, all of my friends were crying and telling me #goodbye. I was sorta confused, but I got lots of hugs, and smooches and treats. There were lots of #pictures taken. One of my friends put me in her car and we drive away, leaving the shelter in the rear view. My friend kept telling me how I was going to meet my #fostermom, and I was going to feel #loved #safe #happy and #neverbehurtagain. Whatever - I was busy eating all her treats.
We pulled into a parking lot and got out. I stretched really big and was happy to see houses, and a playground, and a church. All of the sudden, my friend was really excited; she said my fostermom was here. I looked around and saw a nice lady. I wigglebutted all the way to her. I wasn't scared. I felt safe. I was comfortable. Fostermom knelt down, and I sniffed her good; she smelled like other dogs and flowers. I like her. I smooched her. Then I jumped up into her truck so we could go #home.
Stay tuned for the next chapter of Bodhi's story!
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As Americans, we love the 4th of July, and look forward to all the associated festivities; BBQs, friends, family, and...fireworks.
Our dogs are not nearly as excited about any of this.
Many dogs get frightened by loud noises - thunder, gunshots, and fireworks.
It is our responsibility to do everything in our power to alleviate our pup's anxiety in general, but especially when we can anticipate a bout of anxiety; such as the inevitable fireworks on the 4th of July.
**My top tips on helping you and your pup survive the 4th:
1) Keep your pup home -
You do know that a dog's hearing is exponentially more powerful/sensitive as ours right?
- Yes? Then why would you subject your dog to being auditorily tortured? Yep, I said it - tortured! I know how some of those boom booms hurt my ears, I can only imagine how my pups would feel.
2) Create a place for your dog to retreat to -
Ideally, a room located in the interior of the home, with dim lights, and calming music. Do a search on you tube for dog calming music. Have it playing in the background, at a volume where it is barely able to be heard by humans. You DO NOT want to blare it; that defeats the purpose.
If your dog is crate trained, you can put a bunch of comfy blankets in there, perhaps even one that you have used so your scent helps to soothe them as well. You can cover the crate with a blanket to help block out the light and noise, if that won't freak your pup out even more. If your pup is interested, you can give them a frozen stuffed Kong to enjoy too.
CAUTION - if you do give them a toy, Kong, etc, please keep checking on your pup to make sure they aren't destroying, and then ingesting, the thing you gave them.
3) Load up on exercise and enrichment before nightfall -
Take a vigorous walk/run, go on a long sniffari (decompression walk), do some enrichment activities (brain games), in the hours leading up to nightfall. This can help exhaust your pup, which in turn could decrease any anxiety, and anxiety induced behaviors.
4) Use calming products -
There are a bunch of things you can do/buy, to help soothe your pup's anxiety. A few such options are:
- Thundershirt - This is an item of clothing that fits snugly, and sort of mimics being held/snuggled.
- Pheromone products - D.A.P, Adaptil. These products release a pheromone similar to a mama dog's, which can soothe your pup.
- Essential Oils/CBD - I love this option, BUT keep in mind that not all essential oils, or CBD are created equal. Personally, I only use oils and CBD that come from Young Living. When I intentionally use EO's to help calm my doggos, I have multiple diffusers going, ALL DAY LONG. My favorite oils to diffuse for this purpose are: Peace & Calming, Stress Away, Frankincense, T-Away, Lavender, Trauma Life. I also rub a couple drops into my hands, and then massage my pups' ears, and head. DID YOU KNOW - there are emotional reflexology points on your pups head, and behind their ears? Peep this great blog post giving step by step how to perform an ear massage for your dog. I also use CBD oil when needed to give my pups any extra soothing they may need.
5) Supervised potty breaks -
Try to let your dog out to potty BEFORE the booms start. However, if they have to do their business while fireworks are happening, ensure that they are closely monitored, and better yet - tethered/leashed. I know dogs who have gotten spooked in their own yards, and easily scaled a 6+ foot fence. So, please err on the side of caution.
6) Update your contact info -
If your dog wears a collar, make sure that your contact information is visible, and current. If your pup is microchipped, I suggest you take a few minutes TODAY to verify that A) it was properly registered with the ID company B) your contact information is accurate.
PRO TIP - if you adopted your dog from a shelter or rescue organization, and they were microchipped prior to adoption, double check that the microchip registration has been transferred to you, and is not in the rescue group's, or shelter's name. If you are unsure which microchip company your dog's chip is from, no worries - use this to perform a microchip search. You just need your pet's microchip number. Don't know it? No biggie - check your paperwork from the rescue group, shelter, your veterinarian's office, or if all else fails, call your veterinarian; they likely have the number recorded in your pet's chart.
7) Be prepared -
Let's be honest, shit happens. Even the most diligent, well-prepared, and responsible dog owners have invariably had a dog get out of the yard, or get away from them. I know I have. Pfftt - one of my dogs, Tucker, was brought home by the police one time. Thankfully, the dispatcher that was on duty at the time, was a friend of ours, recognized Tucker, called us, and the kind officers gave him a lift home.
To best prepare for the worst case scenario, gather the following, beforehand:
- Proof of ownership. Dog license, breeder purchase, or adoption contract.
- Proof of current Rabies vaccination. If you cannot prove that your dog is up-to-date with their rabies vaccine, dog control may require you to provide it before they return your pup, and they can also force you to get your pup vaccinated, even if they technically already are; because you cannot prove it.
- Make note of the phone number for your local Animal (or Dog) Control officers, and find out what their protocol is when they find a dog at-large. Do the same for the surrounding towns. Locally, there are multiple animal shelters, and the municipality that picks up the dog, dictates what shelter the dog is taken to.
- Make note of the phone numbers to your local animal shelters. If your pup goes missing, give the shelter a call, and give a physical description, noting any special markings etc, that would help to identify your dog versus one that looks similar. The shelter staff should then be able to tell you if they have a dog that may be the one you are looking for, or not. Don't just call once and give up - call every.single.day. Dogs can travel pretty far in a short amount of time, and can find ingenious hiding places, especially if they are afraid.
- Have a current photo of your dog available to post on social media if they do go missing. Check for local missing/found pets groups on Facebook - they are SUPER helpful at spreading the word.
Wishing you all a safe, and Happy 4th of July!
Stay safe.
Be excellent to each other!
Growing up, we were VERY poor.
I mean like, there were times I did not eat, because there was literally nothing to eat.
- Not because there was nothing I cared to make; because there was NO FOOD.
Mom was a single mom.
We were on welfare, and received food stamps.
This meant that we had a very strict budget for food shopping, and my mom had to make the funds stretch as far as humanely possible.
Given⬆, what was the best way my Mom could maximize the number of meals she could buy, while keeping on budget?
- Buying the least expensive food options possible.
🟣 This often looked like lots of easy-to-cook frozen items/meals.
- Think Salisbury steak & gravy.
- Think fish sticks.
- Think pot pies.
🟣 This often looked like pop & potato chips, but not fresh fruits & veggies, because they were too expensive.
- BUT, we could only afford chips, not chips AND dip, so I used ketchup as my chip dip; and still do.
🟣 This often looked like white bread, and bologna slices.
🟣 This often looked like white pasta, and meat-less sauce.
- Not because it was healthier, but because it was less expensive.
This way of eating became instinctual.
So much so, that when I got older, and learned about nutrition, and making healthful choices, it was EXTREMELY difficult to stop eating the crap that my body "loved", and replace it with healthy alternatives.
Please note that I in no way am I faulting my mom, or judging her; it was what it was, and she did the best she could. This is part of my story, and thus, I am talking about it.
#fightme
When I was in college, I got gallstones, and suffered a gallbladder attack.
Holy shit you guys, that was the most intense pain I have, to date, EVER experienced.
- And I labored with my 10# son for 19 hours...
I did not have health insurance, but my Doctor is AMAZING, so he saw me for a deeply discounted fee. He had suspicion that my gallbladder was the culprit, but that I needed imaging to know for sure.
My Doctor's office called one of the local imaging places, and explained to them what my situation was. They said the best they could do, fee-wise, was $350.00. I counted the pennies in my checking account, and off I went.
After filling out, and handing in all the paperwork and what not, a familiar face came around the corner; it was my husband's, (boyfriend at the time), cousin. In my extreme pain, I had forgotten that she ran the place. #facepalm
Anyway - I got the hook up of the century, only had to $50 vs the $350 I would have, and got what I needed to verify that I did indeed, have gallstones.
I returned to my Doctor's office to discuss. Doc said that ideally, I would need to have surgery to remove my gallbladder. Since I did not have insurance, I said, "Nope. Not a chance!"
After some discussion about what he felt caused the gallstones, I left with a plan, and was prepared to remedy the situation naturally, with diet change, and the addition of vitamins, supplements, etc.
At that time, I worked at Feel Rite, a local health food store, so I had access to all the things I needed to try to feel better.
I proceeded to:
✔ remove virtually all saturated fat from my diet; a diet high in saturated fat is among the top risk factors for the formation of gallstones.
✔ start taking a bunch of herbs, vitamins and supplements that would aid in my healing my digestive process. There are multiple organs that participate in the digestive process, and if one is not functioning optimally, (ie - the gallbladder), it causes the others to have to work harder.
- Guys, I legit carried around a HUGE pill case, loaded with all my supplements, everywhere I went.
✔ drink the most disgusting thing in the history of ever, every single day - olive oil and lemon juice.
- That combo is known to break up gallstones. And make one want to vomit instantly. 😂
I started to feel better pretty quickly, and when I went back for follow up imaging like 6 months later, guess what y'allI -
I no longer had any gallstones!!
#whoopwhoop
That experience changed the way I view food, (for the most part).
- I now know, and understand, that food, (albeit the right food), CAN heal us.
- I now know that I am fully capable of healing my body, using the medicine the the Earth provides (food, plants, etc).
- I now have a different set of values, and beliefs when it comes to food, health, and wellness.
I live this value system, EVERY.SINGLE.DAY!
I am literally in the BEST health of my entire life, and I owe it all to the things that Mother Earth provides.
#forrealforreal
Obligatory disclaimer, because some people need it...
Obviously I am not a doctor, and did all of this with my Doctor's blessing, and kept him apprised of the situation the ENTIRE time. If you seek to change your lifestyle, I suggest you consult a medical professional FIRST!
This shift in my thought process surrounding food, heavily impacted how I would come to feed my son after he was born.
- To learn more about that - stay tuned for the next episode.
Stay well.
Be excellent to each other.
XOXO
It is no secret that I am likely one of the crunchiest, and woo-iest friends you have.
This is not entirely a new thing for me.
Growing up, my Gram LOVED all things spiritual, metaphysical, woo woo, and was open to try any holistic remedy.
Even though Gram had a strict Irish-Catholic upbringing, she was smitten by psychics, mediums, etc.
I was just a young girl, maybe around 10 years old, the first time I accompanied my Gram to a psychic reading.
We shared many more Woo Woo adventures together.
As a kiddo, I collected rocks. I almost always had my eyes on the ground, searching for my next addition. I had a routine, (cough cough - ritual - cough cough lol), where I would clean my rocks, and lay them out in a very particular manner to dry.
My Gram would bring me home rocks from where ever she was, anytime she would travel.
I still have my childhood rock collection.
That juvenile hobby has now morphed into a substantial collection of healing crystals, and a constant desire to learn more.
You will always find me with crystals on my person in some fashion.
I utilize my collection for their healing/energetic properties.
I have crystals in my truck.
I have crystals in my desk at work.
I have crystals all around my home office.
I use crystals on my dogs.
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Gram,
Thanks for nurturing my love for things that came from the Earth.
That love serves me quite well.
XOXO
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Stay tuned for the next installment of My Woo Chronicles.
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Looking for belonging?
Feel like you are too EXTRA for the masses?
Join me, and my Interwebs Gang over in my exclusive Facebook group, Free to be Me Revolution.
Be excellent to each other!
Something pretty profound occurred to me recently...
I have literally NEVER fit in.
Ever.
In my entire life.
Holy predicting the future batman!
All kidding aside, from a young child, to this very day, my experiences, and circle of friends is super diverse.
I grew up poor AF, lived in a pretty rough, and impoverished neighborhood, was a wise-ass, street smart AND book smart, take no bullshit, biker, girl, who preferred hanging out with boys; girl friends came with too much drama. #aintnobodygottimeforthat
Additionally, I did not go to my neighborhood school; I went to a Montessori school.
If you are unfamiliar with the Montessori philosophy of education - google that shit. 🤯🤩
An extremely abbreviated explanation is that kids who are Montessori educated are TAUGHT to think for themselves, and not just blindly follow the masses, as well as to embrace diversity.
As a result, I was never really fully "accepted" into any one group.
#zfg
#storyofmylife
#whatevs
The summer between Freshman and Sophomore year in high school, I moved from the inner city, to the suburbs.
Holy shit did I experience culture shock like a MFr.
Lots of the kids I would go to school with had barely even ever left the safe confines of their comfy suburban existence, and there I was, having come from what seemed like an alternate freaking universe.
My high school years weren't terrible, but they were not easy either. Generically, I had very little in common with the kids I went to school with. To further complicate things, I was sort of an enigma; I played sports, I was loud, I got great grades, I smoked pot, I didn't really date, gave virtually zero fucks about what anyone thought of me, many of my family members were bikers, (not just folks who ride motorcycles, but BIKERS), I was still pretty poor, I had friends from all different "cliques", I was raised by my grandparents, my Gram was super into holistic modalities, and the metaphysical, and I had lived a life that virtually none of my school mates could even imagine being possible.
Rinse and repeat this same thing through college, and into my adult life.
I never thought much about not fitting in; I never felt the need, or desire to.
#NBD
Now, as a grown ass, confident, enlightened, woke AF, woman, I can say with certainty that the Universe knew EXACTLY what it was doing; it prepared me for my life today...
I live my truth
I speak my mind
I don't need or want your approval
I tolerate zero bullshit
I rescue dogs that society demonizes
I love, love, love, all things woo woo
I create my own happiness
I proudly share my bright, sparkly, crazy self
I will shove that boring, beige box you try to cram me into, up your tightly spun ass
If you wanna surround yourself with sparkly, vibrant people, who will embrace, and not judge you, join my online community on FB, Free to be Me Revolution.
Tune into your inner Rebel and live life by design, not default.
XOXO
Patti
The Free Range Rebel
