Cathys Rottweiler Rescue

COCO PUFFY is one of our Permanent Rescues. She came to me from Animal Control years ago, where she had been used as a drug dealer's guard dog, always chained, never socialized. I knew at once she was really a stable dog despite what she had suffered. She never ever showed any people aggression despite what she had been thru. It took her a long time to trust, but when she did, she quickly became on of my favorites. She is extremely smart and would have made a great police K9, super smart, obedient, great nose for tracking, and that Rottie intimidating look. One of my volunteers, Sharon, says that COCO chose who she wanted to be her friend. If you weren't chosen, she simply ignored you and wanted nothing to do with you. I think that is why she was never adopted despite intrest in her-she needed an active home, and when people came to see her, it was if she knew-she just turned her nose up at them! She decided she liked it here best! COCO loves her long hikes in the woods, the longer the better for her. She is VERY active. Her favorite game is to chase her big plastic boomer ball all aorund the yard, even standing on top of it, barking madly at it. It is hard to keep weight on her for she is so active! She is aprox 6-9 yrs of age now but you would never know it. She is one of my favorites to ride in the car with me. She most reminds me of my most beloved Greta dog, who is at the Bridge.

CARLY is one of many dogs I have rescued from Hartford pound. She was obviously used as a breeder dog, having had many litters of pups. No one ever wanted her because of how she looks-she has large nipples hanging down from years of breeding, and has 2 crooked front legs and walks with a gimp. She is still very leery of men. She was definitely abused. When I first rescued her, any sudden movement would send her racing for the security of her crate or the house. I strongly feel that she has suffered from many traumatic events in her life, as you can literally see the panic in her eyes when she gets frightened. I wished for a quiet, adult female home for her, but one never came along. Additionally, she was a medical mess when I took her in. We spent over $3,000 fixing her up. She was heartworm positive, which needed to be treated. Before we could get her healthy enuff to be spayed, she developed a massive uterine infection , then had complications from her spay, due to having been older and bred so much. We Xrayed her front legs, trying to determine if there were old, bad breaks. She was aprx 6 yrs old when I rescued her, another factor against her being adopted. She has been with us over 3 years now and absolutely adored Anniebelle when she was alive. Now at least she still has her other pal, Baby Butter, whom she follows EVERYWHERE. She loves her walks in the woods with Baby Butter and her other friend, Rudybear. Carly's favorite things to do are to run into the house and scoop up any of the other dogs' toys she can find, and hide them in her crate. Altho her crate door is always open, she loves burying toys in there and I cannot tell you how many times I have found my shoes or slippers in there! She also has the cutest habit of giving you her right paw and waving at you when she wants her bone. Despite what she has been thru, I know that Carly is finally happy at last, to live out her life here at the Sanctuary.

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; his eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

ANNIEBELLE, found as a stray, never adopted. always loved by us all of her life. Her favorite thing in the world was to go on walks in the woods with Baby Butter and try to climb trees. She would try to rip the bark off logs and trees looking for "mousies" hiding in the holes. Just saying "wheres the mousies?" would send her racing around the house or barn or woods looking for them. She was diagnosed with Degenerative Myeopathy, but held out with meds and prayers for a couple of months, then died of cancer this past June 2007 when we put her to sleep peacefully to suffer no more. She was a wonderful dog. She was aprox 10 yrs old. We miss her.

Here is Baby Butter-she was born Jan 2000, to Anniebelle, whom I rescued one very cold wet November in 1999. Baby Butter has lived here with us all of her life. She is one of the prettiest Rottie girls we have ever seen. She has medium fur, and beautiful mahogany markings. Her favorite toy is a plastic bucket. She rips it into pieces and pushes it all over the ground trying to destroy and bury it. When it is full of holes we give her a new one and she starts all over! She takes a long time to warm up to new people, but when she does,she wags her whole body at you! She has a gorgeous smile too.

Meet our very special ANGEL-I rescued her from a breeder in Jan 2007. At the time, it was thought that she was blind, and she bunny hopped when she ran, and ran into things, being very uncoordinated. Thru 2 different vets, we then took her to see a Board Certified Neurologist at Ocean State Vet Hospital in RI. It was determined that she suffered from a severe, progressive, inheirited neurologic condition,called NVSD, which would ultimately make her unable to walk, chew, swallow.She has visual problems. She cannot bark like a normal dog, but sounds like a seal. She is housetrained remarkably! There is no cure or treatment other than lots of TLC and suppportive care. Most pups do not survive past 6 mos, and life span is 2 yrs max. We have done everything possible for her, including massage therapy at home, hydrotherapy in summer, assistance in walking, eating, going to the bathroom. We custom ordered a wheelchair cart for her so she an still stand and get around outside like a normal dog, which she loves. Despite her handicaps, she is the most loving, determined, stoic, playful, affectionate and joyful dog. She has taught us all about persevering when all the odds are against you. She is the bravest puppy we have ever seen.Here are her pictures. She is now 1 yr 4 mos and weighs 45 lbs.