AAS CARDS

Alfie

For being a puppy, Alfie was put outside. For digging out of frustration, he was tied up. For crying and barking out of loneliness, he was muzzled. When AAS got him he was close to being ruined beyond rehabilitation. But we didn't give up and we worked with trainers for Alfie for over six months. And then one day, the most amazing family, who already had a rescued Retriever, said that they would give him a chance and wouldn't give up easily, as so many people do. Two years later, and Alfie is still a bit of a work in progress, but no one tells him that and he is convinced that the world is his oyster - and he's right!

Watch his Happy Endings video at www.animaladvocates.com/videos/happy-endings

Photo credit: J. Stone

Beau and Zephyr

Beau spent three years of his life tied to a staircase. But Beau was one of the lucky ones, and he escaped his imprisonment. For the rest of his life he was never alone, going with his new family wherever they went, and making friends with all the other animals on his farm. Zephyr and Beau had a special bond, formed when Beau watched him being born. Beau refused to come back inside the house and slept all that night outside the foal's stall.

Photo credit: C. McKie

Judith

AAS first saw her at night, lying in the frozen mud, being snowed and sleeted on, surrounded by her own excrement.  When we got her she was emaciated, dehydrated, and barely able to walk because of painful hips. Her coat was weighed down by clumps of caked mud. Neighbours told us that her owners were seen urinating on her from the porch.  We found her a home with two very special people, who loved her dearly, and made her a member of their family, which is what every dog wants more than anything, more than food, water, and shelter. When her old hips gave out, her family got her a cart and took her everywhere. She went camping, and to the lake, and chased squirrels in her cart. And when she died, after almost two years of happiness, she took with her all her memories of love, and warmth, and good food, and fun. And the time before didn't count at all. See all Judith’s wonderful videos and her whole story at www.animaladvocates.com/happy-endings/judith

Photo credit: Y. Atsuta

Wiggy

Wiggy was found with his siblings on the waterfront in a pile of lumber that was due to be loaded on a ship in a few hours. The caring employees of Western Stevedoring phoned Animal Advocates. After being socialized at AAS's cat shelter, all the kittens were found good homes, and Mummy cat was tender-trapped, spayed, vaccinated, tattooed, and put at AAS's feeding station because she was too feral to be socialized.

Photo and hand tinting: Y. Atsuta

Plya

Pyla (pronounced Peela) spent the first two years of her life tied up “because she ran away”.  When she was caught she was beaten… no wonder she ran away.  When AAS first got her, she was so terrified of hands that she would fall over shaking and crying.  Her forever home is with two gentle people who love her dearly, and who she loves just as much.  She’s fifteen years old now and still happily going strong, at the beach or the creek every day. 
Photo: Judy Stone

Tyke

Tyke spent three years in a garage.  When AAS got him his toenails had grown around into he paw pads; his ears had been painfully infected for a long time and he had the saddest, most persistent case of separation anxiety of any dog we have rescued; he literally ate his way through walls! But we were even more persistent and finally he was ready – but only for the right person.  You can see that he found the right person! He is never alone so it doesn’t matter about his separation anxiety.

Photo: Eileen Young

Red

Red spent the first winters of his life curled up in the wet snow on the end of a chain. But dogs are so forgiving and resilient and now the snow is only joyful fun, always followed by a gentle voice of greeting, a loving pat, a good meal, and a warm bed to curl up in.

Photo: M. Crawford

Paloma

Paloma and her siblings were born in an abandoned car. It was a fitting place as her mother had also been abandoned. AAS trapped them all and brought them to our cat shelter, where they were treated for fleas and worms and upper respiratory syndrome. When they were all well and socialized, each was found a loving, stable, responsible new family.

Photo and hand tinting: Y. Atsuta

Ollie

We called Ollie the "Smiling Dog". He had so little to smile about for so many years. When AAS got Ollie he had lived in a yard for eight years because he was deaf and "didn't pay attention" and he smelled and he shed. Ollie paid a lot of attention once he realized that someone cared about him. And he smelled like a rose once years of dirt was shampooed away and his rotten teeth were removed and his infected ears were treated. Once he was no longer in constant pain and was treated like a being worthy of love, he smiled and smiled and smiled...

Photo and hand tinting: Y. Atsuta

Trixie

Trixie and her siblings were born in an abandoned car. It was a fitting place as her mother had also been abandoned. AAS trapped them all and brought them to our cat shelter, where they were treated for fleas and worms and upper respiratory syndrome. When they were all well and socialized, each was found a loving, stable, responsible new family.

Photo and hand tinting: Y. Atsuta

Laurel and Hardy

They were found in Kitsilano, two weeks old, in a garage, eyes still opening.  Somehow they survived, though mother was nowhere to be found. AAS volunteer Roberta Tottle bottle-fed them and washed their little bottoms every four hours for two more weeks, until they could start eating a little bit of solid food.  Bless all kitten-feeders! They can’t bear to see little beings suffer.

Photo: Roberta Tottle

Bless the Beasts and the Children

Inside (only this card is not blank inside):
Bless the beasts and the children
For in this world they have no voice
They have no choice
Light their way
When the darkness surrounds them
Give them love
Let it shine all around them
Bless the beasts and the children
Give them shelter from a storm
Keep them safe
Keep them warm.

From The Carpenters Songbook

Back of card:
Teaching children that the true Spirit of Compassion embraces all helpless creatures, great and small, is the greatest gift of all.

Artist: N. Anderson