RIP Goldie

** COURTESY POST FOR PAT THE DOGS - 

INTERNATIONAL THAI DOGS RESCUE **

[Please direct all adoption inquiries and questions to our dear friend, 

Patarin Phadungpisuth, at zhen.design@gmail.com. Thank you!]

I am Goldie.

I am a girl of many names, actually…and no name at all, once upon a time.

My story began where I was born, on the streets of Bangkok, Thailand. I was nameless then.

I lived and roamed near urban Lumpini Park. This was the neighborhood where I was born, and where my mother raised me - and then, where I stayed, eking out an existence by begging for scraps of leftover food, and perpetually hunting for puddles and fountains to quench my thirst in the heat of our scorching days.

My mother taught me life lessons the best she could about surviving as a street dog, and I really did try to be obedient and learn, but I was a happy pup, excited about this wonderful new world, and easily distracted.

I guess I didn't pay as much attention as I should have, because although I learned the basics about speeding traffic, I kind of missed the boat when it came to her warning that ALL vehicles were potentially dangerous.

By the time I was six months old - and long since on my own - my sensitive ears were already super-attuned to the whizzing and honking sounds that signified DANGER, but I didn't pay very much attention to the slow-moving dinosaur trucks that grunted around our area.

I wish I had known better, but hindsight is 20/20...and unfortunately I cannot turn back time. If I could, I would whiz the hands of a watch backwards to that horrible day four and a half months ago when I was snoozing in the midday sun of a hot day, trying to ignore my ever-present hunger and thirst pangs.

It was as good a way as any to while away the hours.

I guess somewhere in the back of my mind, I heard a faint beep…beep…beep that signified a dinosaur creeping around nearby, but it wasn't noisy enough to wake me from my heat-soaked slumber.

When the big ice truck backed up right over both of my rear legs, though…well, then, I did wake up. I woke up in a fit of agony - actually, I can hardly remember anything about that moment, or the tormented days that followed one upon the other afterwards. 

I was thankfully unconscious for portions of that time, as my body knew its only chance of survival was to shut me down. But in my conscious moments, I could not focus on anything but the excruciating torment of my two useless, crushed legs. 

When I finally regained a little strength, instinct informed me that I needed to find food and water - and quickly - or I would surely perish. My only means of mobility was to stagger up onto my two front legs and drag my crushed limbs behind me. Already covered in open wounds from the ice truck, I endured fresh agony as they dragged behind me over pavement and gravel.

Still - I am a survivor, and I wanted to live. If I gave into the pain, there would be no hope for a future for me - and I am an optimist, so onwards I dragged, somehow managing to procure enough staples to survive against all odds.

I had no human family to help me, and in my weakened state, I became the victim of other street dogs. Most thankfully ignored me...but some reacted quite badly to my helpless state, my frequent cries of pain, and my inability to escape with any speed whatsoever, so I was bitten badly time and again.

The community had witnessed my tragedy unfold, and the ongoing sad story that was my life now. Because I was so slow-moving, I often found myself in dangerous and compromising positions, such as partially in the street - and nearly the victim of another traffic accident. Additionally, they witnessed the way other dogs mistreated me badly, and were concerned that I had no recourse to escape. 

No one knew what to do with me. No one wanted me to be their very own dog, but they also did not want to watch me suffer and drag myself about, inevitably to end up dead some day in the very near future.

Well-meaning neighbors, who called me Thong-dang (which means "Bronze" in English), set up a rusty metal cage at the side of the road. It was very small, and I did not have the head room to properly stand up inside it, so my neck and back muscles ached from the half-mast position I was forced to hold if I didn't want to lie down constantly. 

Though a thin towel was laid on the bottom of the cage, it hurt my bloody and dragged limbs to sit all day upon those hard metal bars. 

A compassionate person draped a towel partially on top of my cage, which gave me minimal shelter from the sun and recent torrential rains and flooding - but for much of most days, I still suffered from the elements.

People tried to stop by once a day to bring me food or fresh water, but I was at the mercy of humans' memories and time constraints, and I lost weight and muscle mass rapidly as I languished uselessly inside my four cramped walls.

I was a prisoner inside this claustrophobic cell for FOUR LONG MONTHS. 

120 days - and day after day, each 24-hour cycle seemed to last longer than the last one. 

My own waste products had nowhere to go but on my thin towel, or the ground just below me. I am a clean girl, and it was devastating for me to have to live in my own filth for all this time - though I tried my best to do my business as many inches away from my body as possible within my caged constraints. 

I had no medication for my open, insect-attacked wounds or for my pain. Worst of all, I began to lose my ability to move at all, since I had no room to inch over more than a foot or two in any direction inside my prison cell.

A concerned local spotted me and called Patarin Phadungpisuth, who immediately investigated. She was horrified at my state, and arranged for me to be transferred to a local veterinary clinic.

I have been here for over a week, and I wake up each morning in awe at my changed surroundings. I am in a large, well-padded, clean crate. 

Kind doctors and assistants tend to my every need, and take me out often so that I can exercise my atrophied muscles and get moving again. I receive pets and gentle belly rubs, and I am held, carried, and loved whenever possible. 

Measurements are being made so that I can get my very own set of wheels and begin really moving again, unlike the slow drag that I have re-taught myself to do here in this wonderful place. Although…even without a wheelchair…I have made up for lost time in a hurry, and can scoot myself around quite admirably just by pulling my body with my powerful two front legs, which are regaining muscle mass every day, thanks to exercise and proper, regular nutrition. 

So just think of how fast I will whiz when I get my wheels!! I could tap-dance just to dream about it!

I am no longer "Thong-Dang" or "Bronze", because the community in Thailand and abroad who are banding together to help me agree that that name should be left behind, along with my terrible past. 

They wanted me to have a fresh, new start in life. And they all agree that I am a true champion - not a bronze, and not a silver. I am a Gold - Goldie.

Thank you for reading my story, and for considering sharing it. Maybe your share - or a share of your share - will cross paths with that very special someone, somewhere out there, who will look into my eyes and decide that we are destined to be together.

I am so happy to be safe from danger now, and out of my rusty, claustrophobic imprisonment, but I hope it's not too much to dream for something even more wonderful than that - to dream of a home and a special human or family to call my very own. (I told you I was an optimist!)

If I didn't dare to dream, I never would have made it this far. Please help me make my dreams come true…please share me far and wide.

Thank you with all my heart.

Love, Goldie

* * * * *

Goldie is a small-to-medium sized dog, weighing approximately 12 kgs (26 lbs). She is a female, spayed, vetted and vaccinated. She is approximately 10 to 11 months old.

Goldie can use her two front legs to drag herself, but her muscles have atrophied from four-plus months in a small cage at the side of a road. They are being built up again with regular physical activity at the vet clinic where she is currently staying to recuperate.

She can urinate and defecate without assistance. Both hind legs, however, are fully nonfunctional from her accident, plus her subsequent extended confinement. 

She will benefit from the use of a wheelchair in future, as well as a drag bag for when she is mobile inside her home and garden without the chair (to prevent developing sores on her hind limbs). 

** THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts to Patarin's friend, Onanong Kwan Pilun-owad, who donated 5,000 Thai baht to have a wheelchair built for Goldie! Overwhelmed and so very grateful...khob khun! **

** THANK YOU to Angus DMT Survivor, a Facebook page dedicated to helping dogs in dire need around the world, who have generously offered to raise funds for Goldie by means of a Facebook charity auction that will run from November 10 - 24. Please consider bidding to help her, or donating new and gently-used items to the auction. Thank you! **

Goldie needs a loving home with understanding humans who can offer her the assistance she requires to live a full life. She is dreaming of a forever home, via either domestic adoption, or a home overseas - and Patarin and other global supporters of Goldie feel that funds can be raised to help offset some of her travel costs if the perfect place is found for her.

Goldie is a little nervous around other dogs because she was the victim of aggression after she was hemi-paralyzed. She may do well in a home with other dogs who are handicapped and/or calm, gentle, independent types, as they are more likely to give her the doggie "personal space" she may need at first, to overcome the intimidation she learned in the past - but she is young, and eager to start her life, so a little encouragement and the right kind of dogs will probably go a long way!

Patarin Phadungpisuth is Goldie's guardian angel and her adoption contact. She can be reached at zhen.design@gmail.com with any questions or interest, and she is able to help Goldie travel to anywhere within the USA, Canada, UK, or Europe.

Thank you so very much for taking the time to read this sweet survivor's story! 

We pray that she will find her very own happily ever after, after all she has endured…she certainly deserves all the world has to offer.

RIP Cutie

* * * UPDATE * * *

December 2013

My heart is weeping, as this is such a bittersweet update. 
We were overjoyed when Cutie was adopted by the Christiansen family of Wisconsin, USA. It was to be a "best of both worlds" happy ending since Ginger - Cutie's best friend - was adopted by friends and neighbors of the Christiansens, so the two dogs would be able to see one another regularly.

Both doggies were both scheduled to fly here to Chicago on December 18th. Tragically, Cutie has fallen ill with the distemper virus, despite having begun her vaccination series at the time she contracted it - a rare but possible occurrence, as we now sadly know. But nothing we have ever encountered before…so you can imagine our shock. And our grief is now compounded a thousandfold because Cutie was so very close to her forever happy ending - just days away. Her adoptive family is heartbroken. So are the Lewandowskis, who are adopting Ginger.

Please join us in sending positive thoughts to dear Cutie for her speedy and complete recovery. We are just sick over the fact that she is so ill, and that she and Ginger cannot fly here to the USA together - but our entire ISDF community is hoping, praying, and wishing for a happy reunion down the road.

Our dear ISDF friend and foster mom in Bangkok, Patarin Phadungpisuth, is asking for donations of any amount to help cover Cutie's medical costs. Cutie needs daily bloodwork to monitor her progress, IV fluids, a number of medications to control her high fever and other symptoms, and at least one CT scan to monitor her neurological activity. Donations can be made through PayPal using Pat's email address of zhen.design@gmail.com. Aggressive treatment will give Cutie her best chance at making a full recovery. 

Thank you so much to ISDF/Pat the Dog friends and supporters Hayley Wiltshire, Deborah Seagle, Christine Mai Truong, Susan Harasin, Pear Alisa, Payani Roshanak, and many others who are helping Patarin shoulder the financial costs of Cutie's top-notch medical care. I know I'm missing many names, and I do apologize. Every penny helps - thank you for helping Cutie, and thanks to all of you for holding her in your hearts and prayers.

Thank you to all who have helped Cutie come this far, from Patarin for pulling, transporting, vetting, and fostering Cutie; to kind-hearted international supporters who have, and continue to, donate towards Cutie's medical costs and flight funding; to the Christiansen family, for their kindness and understanding in a terrible situation, and for their prayers, love, and hope for this little girl.
Special hugs and tears for dear Patarin, who is spending every minute she can spare by Cutie's side at the veterinary clinic where she is being hospitalized for the intensive care she needs. Pat is sick with worry and heartache. She is more than just Cutie's foster mom - she is the first true bit of lasting love and kindness that Cutie has probably ever known, and Pat was so looking forward to the arrival photos of these two best friends as they headed off into the sunset with their forever families  As such, Pat's heart is doubly broken for Cutie was so very close to a lifetime of joy and love. Our sadness for everyone involved right now is unspeakable.
 Special thanks also to our entire international community, for the massive avalanche of well wishes, prayers, positive thoughts, love and light that are supporters from every corner of the globe are fervently sending Cutie's way day and night. 

Sweetheart, we are all bombarding you with every get-well wish imaginable. Our hearts are collectively in pieces. We love you so very much - you have come so far.

Please, please, please - fight for this, Cutie. Get well, sweetheart. 

We are all pulling for you, and we love you. 

WE LOVE YOU.

Please hurry on home to the life you so deserve after all you have been through.

* * * * *

My name is Cutie.

I am a good friend to Ginger, who is also looking for a forever home through ISDF. We have traveled a tough road together to date, but our luck is changing fast now.

I made my own fortune. 

I worked hard to save myself.

But let me begin at the beginning of my sad story...

Many, many months ago - sometime in early 2013, or possibly even prior to that - I was rescued from the southeast Asian illegal dog meat trade, where I was being transported cross-country to Vietnam (you can read more about that below, or here).

I am only about one-and-a-half years old, and weigh just 13.5 lbs (6 kgs), which means that for approximately $14 USD (the going rate for us is $10 per pound), I would have been slowly slaughtered to be someone's supper - chips of beef for a stew, or perhaps served with rice and vegetables. A brief and unremarkable meal to anyone wealthy enough to pay such a price in a poor nation - and a meal long since forgotten.

But I am here still, to tell my story, thanks to many remarkable people…and also, thanks to ME.

After my smugglers were apprehended, I traveled a long way - still confined inside a torturous squeeze cage - to the Nakhon Phanom shelter. It was nearly a day's journey by truck, and I thought my already-prolonged suffering would never end.

And then it did. And suddenly, I found myself in an immense and overcrowded livestock shelter, with few resources and so much competition for them. 

I was tiny…young…terrified. It was then that I realized I was my own last hope.

I was relieved to be safe from the perilous end I would have met on the meat market, but intuition kicked in and informed me that I would soon perish anyway in such an overcrowded, unhealthy, and dangerous environment.

I survived as best I could, hard as it was.

And then one day, I was chosen along with many others for reasons that I will never quite understand. I didn't even know what I was chosen for at the time, but I found myself and many others herded onto a fleet of transport trucks. No squeeze cages this time - thank goodness - but we all still trembled with terror to think about what might come next.

Off we rumbled - and after another long, hot journey, we found ourselves at Khemmarat livestock center, another place much like the last.

Once again, I fended for life and limb. Days turned into weeks, and still I tenaciously clung to hope, despite the despair, death, and lack of affection, food, and medicine around me.

Then one day, in May of 2013, representatives from the Soi Dog Foundation visited Khemmarat. I didn't know who they were, but I knew they were kind…and smiled at us with sadness in their eyes…and tried their best to dispense love, resources, and gentle pets to as many of us as possible - as impossible as this task was.

I saw a rare opportunity - and I seized it! 

Putting on my best game face, despite many long months of hardship, I dashed toward them and angled to get as close as possible. I was desperate, being so easily overlooked in such a big crowd - especially with my moth-eaten coat and my petite appearance.

How to get their attention…?? Soon they would disappear, as kind humans always do from these places. 

I knew that from experience, and I was NOT going to lose my last chance.

"Look at me, look at me!!" I practically sang, as I finally got in close to one of the people. I did every trick left in my depleted and worn-out bag…I bounced up to them to get as close as possible. I angled my way in until I was able to put my paws up on their legs. 

I got them to look me in the eye so I could give them my best and most pleading, hopeful stare. And when their eyes met mine, I gave them my biggest, friendliest, most cheerful and adorable lip-splitting grin.

It seemed to work - something happened! One of the people, whom they all called "Gypsy Lady", pulled a small box out of her pocket. The next thing I knew, the box began clicking away, and with each click, a bright flash of light shocked my eyeballs. I was a little scared - I'd never seen anything like that before! - but I sensed that something positive was happening, so I amped up my showboating to the max and prayed for a miracle.

Click, FLASH, click, FLASH, click, FLASH…but then, suddenly - what was happening?? - the people began to move as one group, and their direction was the door out of our giant holding pen.

What had happened? What did I do wrong? Why didn't they want to take me with them?

My heart sank…

Little did I know that they WERE trying to help me, and that the best way to do that was by using that magical box. Later that week, when they returned home, pictures came out of that little box somehow (I'm not making this up! Honest) and somehow, those pictures went into a big machine, and then anyone with the same type of machine all over the world could look at those pictures of ME, and lots of other dogs, and help us if they could.

Patarin Phadungpisuth, a wonderful friend to the dogs of Thailand, saw my photo and knew in an instant that she would help me - she would save me from the shelter, and start me on the path to a new, real life.

Still, it takes time to make lots of arrangements to move us around from one place to the next, and it takes money, and sponsorships, and we needed a place to go to see a doctor, and another place to go to live after that until we could get adopted...

Meanwhile, as all these arrangements were being made, I continued my struggle for existence at Khemmarat, dejected at what I thought was my big failure, and knowing nothing about the animal angels diligently working to change my fortune. If I had known about all these amazing people, I would have been dancing my way through the days, but I was clueless and about to give up all hope. And every day was like an eternity in there.

But then --- !!! 

In early fall, arrangements for myself and Ginger were finalized, unbeknownst to us. 

One day in late September, another truck pulled up to Khemmarat. Once again, I found myself amongst a handful of others aboard a rumbling monster - but this time, we each had a spacious crate to call our own. 

Then on September 24th, another adventure awaited - we were loaded into the belly of a big silver machine, and we felt the ground fall away underneath us as we sped through the sky like birds. Nok Air, a domestic Thai airline, had flown both myself and Cutie for free to Bangkok (wow! They want to help us dog meat trade victims as much as possible, and we are VERY grateful).

Immediately upon arrival, we were transported to a large, modern vet clinic, where we were given a thorough physical exam. The vets say I have something called "demodex", but that with medicine and adoption to a less tropical climate, my coat should clear up pretty quickly. Speaking of which - right now I look a little like a white winter jacket that's spent too much time in the attic without mothballs! But - the doctor actually told Patarin that once I get all the things I've never before experienced - a stable and loving home environment, a steady diet of good nutrition, and access to proper medical care - I will be BEAUTIFUL. 

Me?? Wait, are we talking about the same dog? 

But YES - that's really what he said!! He said I would fill out, instead of looking like this sack of bones I am now, and that my hair should be long, white, and straight once it grows in properly again. It's hard to believe it all...but he seems to know what he's talking about, so I really hope it's true!
(Update! November 8 - here I am today, with pal Ginger, at my foster mom Patarin's house. Chck out my gorgeous coat now!! So --- maybe he knew what he was talking about after all...)

Here's a brief video of me and my best friend Ginger at the vet clinic, dated October 3.

And here's another one of me from today, November 5.

Patarin has taken me into her home for foster care while I await my very own special people who will adopt me forever and ever. Ginger is here too! We get lots of love and attention, and are so happy to be in a home for the very first time.

Patarin tells my friends in the USA about what a good girl I am, and how I am friendly with people of all shapes and sizes. I am perpetually happy and always wanting to play, especially with my buddy Ginger!

I'm a sweet girl, and although I've endured many hardships, I have faith that something great is just around the corner for me. Now if only I had a family to call my very own.

One day, I hope. 
I am the eternal optimist, so I just gotta believe one is out there for me. 

Maybe it's you…?

For more information about adopting Cutie, or any of our available dogs, please contact Dawn Trimmel at (414) 426-4148. Thank you!

 I am a victim of the dog meat trade.

I grew up on the streets of Thailand, in a "survival of the fittest" climate, where I had to fend for food and avoid many dangers. 

One day, some men approached me while I slept and tossed a wire lasso over my head. As I awoke, struggling and snapping with fear, they used a long stick with crude pincers attached to the end of it to lift me and then dump me into a truck.

Lots of other terrified dogs were in the truck alongside me. We were driven into a dense jungle-like area, away from main roads and towns. Tropical trees provided cover as the same horrid men used the wire lassos and pincers on us again, this time to grab us and drop us into a pit. We fell through the air for a terrifying moment, then landed on a hard concrete floor. Some of us were injured in the fall; all of us were terrorized.

The pit cover was replaced once we were all inside it, and hardly any light penetrated from above. There was no food or water in our hot, dark, claustrophobic jail, and nowhere to escape. But we didn't fight one another or really do much of anything other than freeze with fear - we were all too traumatized.

Over the next couple of days, the pit cover opened a few times, light blinded us from above, and more dogs were dropped in amongst us until the men apparently decided that had enough of us to satisfy their greed and justify an legal smuggling run across the border.

 There was the sound of the pit cover opening again, and as we all blinked, blinded once again by the light, expecting more dogs to drop down amongst us, the long pincer stick returned instead. We were grabbed around the neck once more, and then shoved into a new form of torture - a compact "crush cage" - with many other dogs. 

The cages were set on end and we were dropped in and shoved and packed like sardines until limbs and tails emerged from between the wire bars and we were nearly suffocating from such close quarters. None of us could move more than literally one inch in any direction. 

Then our crush cages were piled high onto the flatbed of a truck, with more and more cages on top of, and around the sides of, ours. Many of us lost limbs and tails in crushing injuries as the staggering weight stacked higher and higher.

In order to conceal us - live contraband intended for smuggling cross-country and over two border crossings - a heavy, non-breathable tarp was thrown over the entire truck's cargo, cutting off even our access to fresh air - the last resource we had.

We sat on that truck for a long time. I was so dazed and disoriented that it could have been hours or it could have been days - I really can't say for sure. I guess they were waiting for an all clear signal from they boss. They drank water noisily from bottles as they laughed and joked near our truck and we watched them with desperate eyes because of course, during this time, we had been under terrible stress and had not had food or water for a dangerously-long period of time. 

I was certain that the end must be near - I was sure I would suffocate from the heat, from this extreme overcrowding, and from the long stretch of time that slowly ticked by. Indeed, many dogs around me perished.

It was evening, as dusk fell, when our truck finally rumbled to life and attempted to make a run northward for the border. The smugglers were headed for Vietnam, by way of Laos. But near the river's edge which separated Thailand from Laos, where we would have once again been thrown about like so much live garbage - this time into overcrowded smuggling boats - new sounds reached deep into our desolate quarters, inspiring fresh apprehension to those of us still alive and still conscious.

Voices - angry and commanding - fell upon our ears.  We were frightened, but not for long. Much to my surprise, we were rescued that day, and I owe my life to the caring individuals and government officials who came together to save us all from yet more suffering in an extended transport, and eventual slow torture and death, to be someone's adrenaline-infused meal (which some cultures consider good for one's health and virility). 

I am forever grateful to our saviors. A few of the Royal Police even cracked open water bottles and tried their best to proffer sips to those of us in cages with access to bars facing them. But there was too little water and too many dogs. And anyway, it would be a long while before we could even be released from our terrifying confines.

We were slowly transported another long distance, still in those horrible crush cages, still packed like sardines - it seemed to take forever. I was in so much pain and filled with claustrophobic terror - what next??

We ended up at the Khemmarat government-run shelter, one of several large livestock centers in the Thai nation. There, our cages were unloaded with the use of cranes, hoists and manpower. One by one, our cage wires were cut and we literally had to be unpacked and unfolded from the positions we had been held prisoner in for so many long and torturous days.

Next, those of us who could stand and move still were herded into a large dog kennel. To be able to move freely again, and to have access to large vats of water and a long trough with food, was nothing short of miraculous, after all I had endured.

But although my life was marginally-improved now that I'd been "saved", we all still suffered - this time from widespread disease and massive overcrowding. Food was scarce; we lived practically one on top of the other; dog fights were frequent and often vicious; and there was little to no medical attention available. Once again, I was surrounded by terrible suffering and watched as many fellow dogs died around me at a rapid rate.

A long, frightening, sad period of my life passed here. I wondered if my whole life would play out behind these bars, and I shivered with fear to imagine such a fate.

But somehow, through some magical stroke of fate, Lady Luck intervened on my behalf. Someone, somewhere, saw my photo, looked into my eyes, and knew that they could not leave me behind.

For the first time in my strife-filled life, I am seeing the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. In my foster home in Bangkok, I am being shown kindness and affection; I am learning confidence, and polishing my manners; and I am discovering the meaning of family, and the meaning of love. It has been a glimpse into a life I never even knew existed: lives where doggies have homes and families to call their very own, lives where they will never know fear again. 

It's a life I so desperately want now…but one which will be brand-new to me and often confusing. I have so much to learn about life as a pet dog. I know I can do it - I've made it this far already! - but please, won't you gently show me the ropes, and have patience with me when I make missteps sometimes, as I surely will? In return, I will repay you a thousandfold.

I just need a fair chance at a life I could only dream of when I was that terrified dog, crammed into a crate, baking alive in the tropical heat, who had given up all hope.

Thank you for reading my story.

Love, Cutie

A Plea for Help

* * * Updated September 2013 * * * 

Dear Adopters, Supporters, Friends, and Families of ISDF:

A short while ago, we were devastated to learn that dear Mona, recently adopted, was not suffering from a urinary tract infection or a post-surgical spay complication as we had originally thought, but from a disorder known as TVT - transmissible venereal tumor.

Once we had recovered from our initial shock, our thoughts turned first to her family - we are thinking of them constantly and are so filled with concern. And then to practical matters - how is Mona doing? What are the basics of the disorder, and what is her prognosis? Will Lucy, her sibling, be affected? Why did this happen, and how is TVT contracted? What has been done for Mona already, what still needs to be done, and how much will it cost her new family? 

So...this is a two-pronged post.

One, it is a central place to disseminate information about TVT to our adopters, and to hopefully address any fears or concerns they may have about their own adoptees.

Two, it is an urgent appeal to our ISDF supporters and friends. Mona's family needs our help desperately. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and for considering helping her through this financial crisis.

The good news.

Let's start there.

With proper treatment, the prognosis for full remission of TVT is excellent. Mona should make a complete recovery. A more detailed description of the disorder can be found below, but this is the single most important piece of information we want to convey. We are so relieved for this sweet little survivor, though we are heartbroken for all of the emotional fallout her family has had to deal with these past few weeks.

The bad news.

The cost of Mona's care.

All told, her family has paid out approximately $3500 so far and her estimated total care costs are projected at close to or slightly above $5,000: for her care prior to the diagnosis; for the diagnostics and biopsies that confirmed what we were dealing with; for the surgical removal of an internal tumor; and for her targeted chemotherapy treatments. Mona's family adores her and do not question the care of her cost - however, they understandably never expected to be saddled with such staggering expenses in the first few months of her life with them.

ISDF would like to reimburse them for as much of these costs as we possibly can; however, as most of you will understand, a full reimburse out of our pockets at this time will effectively limit our ability to assist any further dogs this calendar year and possibly beyond, other than the two Malaysian street dogs and little Sissi, whom we are already committed to helping at this time.

Hence, this urgent plea for help.

We are fervently wishing that our ISDF friends, families, and supporters will each consider giving $5 or $10 towards Mona's medical reimbursement. Of course, and as always - we pride ourselves on transparency, and our plan is to post a financial update here and on our Facebook page as to what we were able to raise, what it was used for exactly, and how much the shortfall was, once all is said and done. 

Every dollar raised will offset our out-of-pocket costs and enable us to continue doing what we are doing. The alternative is very sad for us to consider right now - but if we are to be realistic and practical, we must acknowledge that this crisis may be the one to bring our humble and small (but mighty, we'd like to think) organization to its knees.

TVT 101.

As Dawn and I often say, we are walking a path with a steep learning curve. She had never heard of TVT prior to Mona's diagnosis, and I had vague associations of it mostly being an issue for hoarders with large amounts of unsterilized dogs in the southern United States.

Over the past few years, I have seen perhaps five photos of Thai dogs with exterior genital tumors, though I mostly mistook them for rectal prolapses at the time, as captions were usually in Thai or didn't mention TVT specifically if in English.

It was never discussed as being a common occurrence in conversations with our many Thai dog adoption associates across the world, and our hope is that this is because it is truly not nearly as prevalent as it could be, given the circumstances. Additionally, Dawn has a policy that upon each dog's arrival at O'Hare, she immediately proceeds to our wonderful vet for a complete physical exam, paid for by Dawn out of her own pocket, primarily so that she can hand over our new arrivals with complete confidence in their good health. Of course, the exam does not include an internal genital exam as we never had cause to feel this was necessary - so we will be reviewing and amending our protocol for the future, based on the recommendations of our professionals, given this recent occurrence.

To compound matters, as this whole situation began to develop, the vet who spayed Mona was brought into the conversation and Dawn, myself, Mona's pet parents, and Patarin were all startled to discover that besides a cyst on Mona's hip, she had had cysts removed from her ovaries at the time of her Caesarean section/spay surgery. Had we known this, the diagnosis of TVT might have been made some time ago, saving lots of time, effort, anxiety, and veterinary costs. This is not meant to point a finger of blame at anyone, as Mona's surgery clearly occurred under dire circumstances, and information was simply lost in the shuffle. She was rushed from Khemmarat livestock center to Bangkok on a transport during which time, as I understand it, she was literally going into a traumatic labor situation as she traveled. She arrived in rather a bad state, and Patarin's experienced and very excellent veterinarian was able to perform emergency surgery on her (a combination c-section/spay), saving her life, as well as safely delivering her six puppies, who required immediate medical attention due to their harrowing arrival. Sadly, only four of her babies ultimately survived, despite the best loving care of Patarin's vet team and Pat herself. Additionally, at the time of her spay, Mona was still a "Magic 10 dog" and not yet officially an ISDF candidate, so I don't believe we received her original surgical papers or reports. We of course understand completely that the information about the ovarian cysts was overlooked given the circumstances, and are only saddened to think that had we known about the possibility of TVT before her arrival, it is very possible that none of this fundraising would even be necessary right now.

So - for the reasons stated above - unfortunately, this disorder was never even on our radar prior to Mona's recent diagnosis. And amidst our sadness at her condition and the worries it has caused her lovely new family, perhaps this will be the one bright spot - that we are hopefully able to harness this newfound knowledge, learn all we can moving forward, and prevent this scenario from ever unfolding again.

There are some excellent resources for information on the web, but many of them are technical or research articles, so here - for our adopters and supporters - is a "crash course" to bring everyone up to speed:

What is it? 

TVT is a common tumor, only found in dogs. It has a patchy worldwide distribution including parts of the Caribbean, USA, Southern Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is transmitted by direct physical contact and occurs in both sexes.

How do dogs contract it? 

Imagine a tumor that can be transmitted by touch. For dogs, this is not a matter of imagination; the Transmissible Venereal Tumor (TVT) has been described since 1876 and is commonly found on both male and female dogs. 

Transmission is by simple physical contact between an existing tumor on one dog and abraded skin on another. It is most commonly spread during mating. 

TVT may be visible as an external fleshy growth on the penis or vulva, or may simply present as genital bleeding (eventually the tumor will become eroded on the surface and bleed). 

Strangely, the tumor cells are not the patient’s own cells transformed into cancer cells - this is actually a very primitive type of tumor that grafts itself from one dog's body onto another dog's body. Developing TVT is somewhat analogous to getting bitten by a mosquito, and having the few mosquito cells left behind actually trying to grow a new mosquito on one’s body.

What symptoms are present?

TVT tumors grow rapidly at first, then remain static for a time as the dog's immune system produces specific antibodies that cause the tumor to spontaneously regress. Once the tumor regresses, the dog is highly resistant to further tumors and TVT is very unlikely to recur down the road, even after additional exposures.

How is TVT confirmed?

Diagnosis is made either by biopsy (taking a small piece of tumor tissue for analysis) or by cytology (obtaining a smear of the tumor’s cells and looking at it under a microscope as shown above).

How is it cured?

Treatment of TVT is straightforward and generally very rewarding. Surgery alone often leads to recurrence, and surgery may sometimes be difficult due to the location of these tumors. Chemotherapy is very effective - the prognosis for complete remission with chemotherapeutic drugs delivered intravenously is excellent.

What risks does TVT pose to humans and other pets?

This is the obviously the most frightening aspect for our adopters. We are happy to note that tumors cannot be transmitted from dogs to humans or other species. However, as stated above, it can be transmitted from dog to dog. 

We were devastated to learn this, as Mona joined a household of three - Mom, Dad, and beagle-mix sister, Lucy. We empathize deeply with her family, understand how upsetting it is that they were placed in this situation, and are deeply aggrieved for the concerns we have inadvertently caused this wonderful family. We are so very sorry! Our hearts are broken - we had the very best of intentions to help save dear Mona, and are so grateful to the Jones-Santana family for their commitment to our sweet little survivor and for allowing us to learn and grow from their difficult experiences.

We are asking for prayers, well wishes, and all good thoughts from our ISDF family to go out to Mona's lovely family for her complete recovery and Lucy's continuing good health.

Our hope is - and we were quickly reassured to learn that - there are several of factors on our side in this regard. The majority of TVT tumors present outside the body, hence why it is often noticed quickly and treated before adoption of an animal takes place. In Mona's case, the tumor was located internally, which should strongly reduce the risk of transmission, as it generally requires another pet coming in direct contact with the actual tumor - either through sexual contact, or because the resident pet has been allowed to extensively lick or otherwise have direct contact with an exterior tumor itself. Hopefully, Mona's having an interior tumor alone will reduce the risk of transmission to her sister. 

Although there have been cases of dogs with shared water bowls and dogs who groom one another passing the disease without sexual contact, we were greatly relieved to have our ISDF vet (who has worked extensively with street dogs in the West Indies where TVT is common) confirm that such forms of transmission are highly uncommon. We remain aware that there is still a risk, and are extremely concerned about this possibility, but for now, continue to hope and pray the risk can be minimized now that Mona's diagnosis is known, she has had corrective surgery, and she is beginning the final stages of treatment with chemotherapy at this time.

All of our adopted dogs are sterilized prior to entering households, and are placed only with other sterilized dogs. Given that Mona lives with a single, spayed female, and that her tumor was internal (and has since been removed), we are keeping our fingers, toes, and ears crossed that Lucy will remain TVT-free. 

Please join us in these prayers and hopes.

* * * * *

As far as how Mona is doing now - her family described her treatment to date in their own words. An excerpt here:

"We wanted to go ahead and send along another update about Mona. She had her surgery [to remove an internal growth caused by TVT] two weeks ago and has been recovering really well - she had her staples taken out today and can start getting back to normal activity in a few more weeks. She's been a total champ while recovering- our biggest challenge has been keeping her calm so she can recover.

We're still working to figure out what's going on with her tumors but are almost positive it's TVT - we're waiting on one more test result to confirm. They did find another cyst on the ovary they removed during surgery but it was benign. As of now the tumors are just in her vagina and once we have it confirmed we can start chemotherapy immediately to cure it.

We want to move forward with chemo treatments with the vet we're currently using - they've done extensive testing and really understand her medical history more fully than anyone else at this point - but know it's going to be really costly. We've already spent upwards of $3500 trying to resolve her health issues and know that chemo is not going to be cheap.

The good news is a few months from now Mona should have a clean bill of health."

* * * * *

Dawn and I spoke at length on the phone last night, and have plans for another phone conference this weekend. She will be calling concerned adopters to explain the above individually, but hopefully all of our ISDF supporters and families will have a chance to read this to help address their concerns as well. 

Anyone with any questions, concerns, or comments should - of course and as always - feel free to reach Dawn directly by phone at 414-426-4148 or by email at trimmel@usa.net. My phone is 847-912-3212 and my email is zoomdog500@comcast.net should you need to reach one us immediately. 

We appreciate all input as we make our way down this steep path of a learning curve, striving to continually increase our knowledge base and better this foundation.

We are heartbroken for the worries and fears we have unintentionally caused Mona and her lovely parents, Nate and Kelly, in regards to both Mona and sweet Lucy. 

Our deepest apologies to all of our adopters, as well, as we are besides ourselves imagining the worry that others may be feeling as well. Hopefully this post will in some small way help to assuage any anxieties or fears. 

We are hoping against hope that we can harness the power of our kind supporters and friends to help Mona's family move through this crisis without crippling the foundation's finances in the process.

Dawn and I are in firm agreement that we must place a moratorium on all adoption efforts at this time, beyond the few we are already committed to, until this issue is firmly and satisfactorily (to all parties concerned) behind us. 

But we are hoping and praying that Mona will soon be on the road to healing, that all of our other dogs and sibling dogs will continue in good health, and that the foundation can continue its work in the near future of doing what we are so passionate about. 

Any help whatsoever for Mona's family towards her veterinary care is welcomed with open arms - every penny truly counts, at this point. Please visit our website at www.istreetdog.com and earmark your donation towards Mona's medical fund.
Also, please note that we are holding a rummage sale (the link takes you to photos of the event) in Burr Ridge on October 5th & 6th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m to raise funds for Mona. Please come and have a "rummage" for some good deals - plus check out our baked goods for humans & doggies alike, browse our informational brochures, and suss out our cool new gear (t-shirts, bandanas, stickers...the list goes on) - AND visit Megan, Saalim, Sparkle & other ISDF rescue doggies while you "shop for Mona".



We are so very grateful to all of you in advance. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and for considering helping dear Mona. 

With deepest apologies and sincere gratitude to all of you for your dedication and support,

Dawn & Izumi