Charles

Brent AKA Boss

Ashley

Bonnie

Prissie

Rhett

Aren’t they just dolls?  They finally are starting to look like real dogs.

Yes, these happy-faced little puppers, playing in the grass like other “regular” dogs are the NC Six from Wilson, NC.  Six mangy, itchy, hacking and coughing, ill little dogs embarked on a trip half way across the country just a few short weeks ago.  And, it was worth it.  Meet the new hairy happy faces.  Please click on the pictures to bring up a larger version and you can see the hair growing on their feet and muzzles.

This is Charles Hamilton.  Can you believe what a cute dog this is?  He is the most social and with this pose, it makes me wonder if he wasn’t a pet sometime in his life.  Click on the picture to make it larger and look at his paws and face.  He has hair growing now.

Look at Ashley and what a little tubbie he is getting to be.  Here is a picture I took when he first arrived.  And this picture was taken two weeks after he was rescued from the breeder in North Carolina.  His original weight was 7.8 pounds. This afternoon, his weight was right at 10 pounds.

He certainly is filling out nicely.  These puppers are going through about 2.5 cups of food a day each.  That is HUGE for dogs of this size.  They range from 5 pounds (Bonnie Blue) to about 12 pounds (Boss).

Here is Charles when he first arrived about two weeks ago.  You can see how his backbone is protruding.  When rescued from the breeder, his weight was 8.2 pounds.  Today, he weighs 11.75 pounds.

Here he is today – a nice chubby little boy.  No more backbone showing here!

Here is Boss AKA Brent Tarleton, the largest boy.  This is when he first came to Lone Star on 8/12.  He weighed 10.8 pounds, this afternoon, he weighed 13.8 pounds.

Look at this cute little rotund pupper.

This is Rhett when he first arrived.   Just like the rest, he really needed some groceries when we first got him. 

Above, he weighed 9.7 pounds.  Below, taken Sunday afternoon, he weighs 12 pounds!!  Look at that smile!  And his head is already full of hair.  He is so soft and just loves to be petted.

Smilin’ Rhett

Then there is little Miss Prissie.  Here is her skinny picture.  She was at 4.8 pounds.

Here is her non-supermodel-waif photo at 7 pounds.

Notice how her left back leg is turned.  Several of these little guys have pretty severe luxating patella in which the knee joint is very loose and swings out when they walk.

They all seem to be getting healthier.  Hardly any hacking and coughing now.  They are slowing down on their eating.  There were a few days in which they would eat two or 2.5 cups of food a day. 

Thanks everyone for supporting them!!

Again, thanks to the American Shih Tzu Club for their very, very generous donation to help us get started on the vetting.  As we get further down the road, we’ll keep you updated on their progress. 

Ashley – July 28, 2008

Ashley Wilkes Fitzgerald – August 17, 2008

Prissie – July 28, 2008

Miss Prissie Fitzgerald – August 17, 2008

Charles, July 28, 1008

Charles Hamilton Fitzgerald – August 17, 2008

Rhett – July 28, 2009

Rhett Butler Fitzgerald – August 17, 2008

Boss – July 28, 2008

Brent Tarleton Fitzgerald, AKA “Boss” – August 17, 2008

 This is Bonnie Blue Fitzgerald.  She is not in the original pictures – she was found inside a couch in the man’s house after he fled.

Sadly, we lost little Scarlett to Parvo.  A $5 vaccination would have prevented her death.

Rest in Peace finally, beautiful one!

Scarlett O’Hara Fitzgerald – at the bridge

These babies send hugs and huge thanks to:

The American Shih Tzu Club – who, thanks to the hard work and persistance of Loree Levy-Schwartz, is generously underwriting a huge piece of each tzu’s medical bills PLUS the cost of the transport.

Also thanks to the following for their generous donations which will go to help pay for subsequent vetting:

Fur Kids, Barbara Grabell in honor of Cole, Leslie Warrin, Mary Kay Moore, Trinka Schwan, Randee Goldman (Lhasa Happy Homes www.lhasahappyhomes.com), Kara Saenz, Jean Smith, Doug Cameron, Dale Stone.

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Lone Star Shih Tzu & Lhasa Apso Rescue is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) organization.  We cannot do this without your help.  To help us help little orphaned shih tzu and lhasa apsos, please CLICK HERE to contribute.

But they are coming around so quickly, emotionally.  They all come running to see what it is that you might have for them.   

Physically, all but Miss Scarlett are doing well.  Miss Scarlett is having a rough time – she wasn’t eating when she got her and seems a bit dehydrated.  On my vet’s advice, we gave her some subq fluids tonight.

I took some pictures to show you how terribly thin these little guys are.  And, do not forget, they were confiscated almost two weeks ago.  So, as thin as they are today, that is with two weeks of lots of groceries in their tummies.

Look at little Charles Hamilton Fitzgerald’s protruding backbone.  It looks as if all of the muscle has already atrophied.  I can’t wait to see what my vet says.

Here is Brant Tarleton Fitzgerald AKA Boss

Rhett Butler Fitzgerald

And a GREAT BIG HUG to the American Shih Tzu Club – and Loree Levy-Schwartz – Thanks to Loree, the ASTC has pledged to underwrite all of their basic vetting!!

You gotta love those tzu lovers!

Sherry rolled into town around 3:00 this afternoon with these adorable little mops-to-be.

We always give our dogs a “last name” to reflect where they came from.  In this case, we certainly did not want them to have anything associated with that nasty man that put them in this shape.  So we decided to give them the last name of “Fitzgerald” in honor of Max and Della Fitzgerald, of For the Love of Dogs in Wilson, NC.  These two compassionate people are their true saviors.  They took these dogs in and searched long and hard for someone to take these babies in.  Thank you Max and Della.  Because of you, we can say hello to…..

Ashley Wilkes Fitzgerald

Bonnie Blue Fitzgerald

Brent Tarleton AKA “Boss” Fitzgerald

 Charles Hamilton Fitzgerald

Miss Prissie Fitzgerald 

Miss Scarlett Fitzgerald

Rhett Butler Fitzgerald

Ok, applause now!  Just wait until you see what these beauties will look like in four months!  It will astound you.

Yes, that’s “Aunt” Sherry in those pictures.  Kudos to Aunt Sherry.

Some of them are as friendly as can be and others hide in their crates.  Regardless, I cannot wait to see them.  We’re already in love with them all.

Two weeks ago, Suzi Beaupre, the head of US Shih Tzu Rescue, an ASTC Rescue coordinator and a long time rescue mentor of mine sent me pictures of some of the worst looking shih tzu I’ve ever seen.  Eight little tzu were confiscated from a breeder in North Carolina and they needed help FAST.  All I could say is OMG.  

They are HAIRLESS. Almost completely hairless. 

These dogs were confiscated from a breeder in North Carolina.  He has been charged with seven counts of felony animal cruelty.  YAY!!

Now, I know we are overrun with dogs already – left and right we are getting calls and emails about dogs in need.  But, when we needed help last year with the North Texas 96, the ASTC, headed by Loree Levy-Schwartz and Suzi, moved mountains to ensure that none of those sweet little neglected dogs had to die.  Now, it was our turn.

How in the world could I say no to these dogs?  We know how to help them – many do not know what they will be facing with these dogs.  Lone Star is known for taking in the hard cases – the broken and neglected.  We’ve just put back together four orthopedic cases in the last two months - Weise Arkana who had a hip replacement and is now RUNNING, Gianna Montgomery, who had a malformed front leg surgically corrected, Alamo Bexar, who had a completely broken front leg repaired and, finally, Monkey Harris, a beautiful black tzu with a chronic disc rupture had surgery to remove the hardened material.  These four cost an arm and a leg and you all came to their rescue!  All are not only alive because of you, they are now thriving.

Well, these North Carolina dogs are TRULY hard cases.  Check their story HERE.  We’re calling them the NC Seven and they will be on their way to Texas TOMORROW morning.