Lost Fantasy Rescue

The Homeless Animals Christmas Prayer

2008-12-16T12:25:00.001-06:00

On the night before Christmas all the homeless animals prayed
“Give us a voice Lord on this Christmas day”
Let us speak to the world
That turns a blind eye
To our misfortune, our pain, and our sad lives

We live in the streets, in the woods, and out in the cold
With no shelter, no food, and no one to hold us tight
Alone in this world as we grow old
We give up sometimes; many of us have lost the fight

Our dreams fill our minds with visions so bright
Of food, soft beds, and a safe place for the night
Of a family to love us and keep us safe
Someone please pick up this small waif

Our fur may be matted, our eyes filled with fear
Thin and ragged to the world we appear
Many people only want us to disappear

We have no home to go to
No family to care
No one to love us
No one no where

No soft voice do we hear
No loving pats
No one to calm our fear
As days turn weeks, to months, and to years

We ask only that people open their heart
To give us a chance, a fresh new start
We promise to love them
And guard them through the night
If only they will give us a chance at a new life

The Lord gave them a patron, a saint, and a cause
Rescue groups worldwide heard their sad calls
They came to their aid and found homes for them all

The animals’ prayers were answered that day
A voice they were given
Their fears swept away

They were given new homes
And families’ to love
Lots of toys, soft blankets, and hugs

The animals have only one final wish
To share with one and all
Please remember that love is the greatest gift of them all

© 2004 Sarah E. Dutton
Lost Fantasy Stables & Animal Rescue Inc.

Horses Mouth Animal Communicators

2008-12-03T08:33:00.001-06:00

Horses Mouth Animal Communicators
"Your pets have something to say"

A portion of your readings will be donated to Lost Fantasy Rescue!

Holdiay In Honor/In Memory Donations

2008-11-23T11:20:00.002-06:00

Give the gift of LOVE this holdiay season!

Make a In Honor or In Memory donation for your pets or loved ones and get a special certificate printed to give as a gift or to keep for yourself. We will also post a special section on our website w/ a virtual "memory tree" that we would be happy to add your photos to to show everyone your special pet.

Lost Fantasy Rescue is a 501c3 equine and companion animal rescue and sanctuary and all donations are tax deductable.

Visit us online or mail your donations to Lost Fantasy Rescue PO Box 39 Speedwell, VA 24374

Use Igive and support Lost Fantasy!

2008-11-23T11:13:00.003-06:00

IGive.com

Holiday Cards for Critters

2008-11-17T17:06:00.003-06:00

We hope each of you have a great Thanksgiving and are gearing up for the wonderful Christmas holiday season. We are trying again this year with the Holiday Cards 4 Critters as a winter fundraiser for Lost Fantasy Rescue and Sanctuary. (We operate this rescue as a 501c3 not for profit organization for abused, neglected, and unwanted horses and companion animals in need with donations from animal lovers everywhere, a few hard to get grants, constant fundraisers, and money straight from our own pockets. All donations are tax deductible)

We are asking everyone who can to add our beloved rescue animals (horses, dogs, cats, and a pet rat) to their holiday card list. If you can, send a holiday card to the rescue with a $1 bill enclosed to help care for the rescued animals. ( $1 is all we are asking but $5 and $10 would never be turned down)! We know that $1 doesn't sound like much but when we add them all together they are a bigger help then you might imagine. If you can't spare the dollar please send the card anyway. Each card will be hung in the feed room for all our visitors to see. Please pass this along to anyone you can and let's see just how many cards the rescued animals can collect. Cards can be sent to:
Lost Fantasy Rescue
PO Box 39

Speedwell, VA 24374
ATTN: Rescued Pets(Any checks can be made out to Lost Fantasy Rescue)

May the blessings of the animals be with you this holiday season!

Help Lost Fantasy win $10,000

2008-10-10T19:55:00.001-05:00

Our Winter Hay Drive Starts Today...

2008-09-16T12:51:00.002-05:00

Once again this year due to the lack of rain in our area good quality hay is harder to find than it should be so we are looking far and wide to find enough quality hay to get us through the winter months.

~~~
We need at least 100 more round bales and 250 square bales to get us by. We are not asking that it be "given" to us (although all donations are able to be taken from your taxes) but are more than willing to pay what it is worth to be able to feed our beloved animals through the cold weather.

~~~
If anyone knows of any good quality horse hay PLEASE contact us by email at lostfantasystables@yahoo.com with contact numbers/location.

RIP Pirate 1998-2008

2008-09-08T17:23:00.003-05:00

Pirate came to us about 7 years ago from a rural WV shelter as a foster for another (now defunct) rescue group sight unseen. We were told by the pulling group that he was a "little" thin however the dog that was unloaded by the transport drivers was more than thin...he was skeletal and near death. Once the sponsoring rescue found out how bad he was they no longer wanted responsibility for him :o( so we decided to give him a chance to get better and then try to find him his forever home.

However Pirate was suffering from liver and kidney problems as a result of starvation and he was very neurotic (jumping through windows...seperation anxiety...you name it) so we decided the best place for him to stay was with us as a "forever dog" along with our other random housedogs (all of which were from high kill shelters and many with medical/mental problems that prevent adoption into other homes). When he came to us he was less than 35 pounds and our vets gave him a 20% chance of survival. Watching him lay in our living room floor for the first 3 days and wondering if he was going to make it was enough to keep us fighting on for him because he deserved it.

All these years and medical issues later it is now time to say goodbye (in fact I did that at 4 pm today). Pirates liver finally quit on him and he was no longer able to hang on. Sometimes the only gift you can give is the gift of a death with dignity and respect and that is what we have done. Pirate will be buried in the backyard with his other friends that have gone on before him and he will be greatly missed by his motley crew of canine and feline companions and his forever family who will miss him forever.

Vaya Con Dios Feeney..... Momma loves you very much and will see you again someday.

Hurricane Gustav... A repeat of Katrina?

2008-09-01T06:26:00.004-05:00

PLEASE tell me we don't have to go back to NOLA....
PLEASE tell me people have learned their lessons from the devestation caused by Hurricane Katrina and Rita....
PLEASE tell me you are taking your pets with you this time no matter what it takes to do so!

Lost Fantasy is once again preparing to head to the Gulf Coast (pending word from UAN EARS) to work with hurricane rescue.
Do I want to go? Not even :o( I still have nightmares from Katrina 3 years later....
Do I have to go? Yes

Say a prayer for the animals and the people in the storms way that the fury of this storm does not take their lives like Katrina did.

Shame on the SPCA of Texas for denying the pit bulls safe haven! Shame...shame...shame on you. These dogs suffered during Katrina and many ended up being destroyed because of their breed and not enough loving homes for them. How dare this happen again! Tune into the Bad Rap Blog for more information the the pit bull situation.

May the blessings (and the prayers) of the animals be with everyone.

Order the "8 State Hurricane Kate" book and help LFSAR

2008-08-31T03:13:00.005-05:00

Order Kate's Book

$5 from each book purchased will go to Lost Fantasy Rescue. Just enter the code "LFSARVA" when ordering!

What a nice way to help LFSAR and support the 8 State Kate Foundation at the same time.

Hurricane Katrina 3 years later

2008-08-29T20:59:00.005-05:00

3 years later what have we learned? Hopefully a lot.... Hopefully there will NEVER be another Katriana. Hopefully there will NEVER be pets left behind again. I guess we just wait and see....

My "sister" Jenny is in NOLA now for the Katrina memorial service and she says the weather is not so hot right now :o( I pray that there is not another big storm coming in....

For Bruce (who is older than dirt now) and for Tootsie Roll (who still needs a home) May the blessings of the animals be with you, may we take what we have learned from the tragic storm and use it for the good of all the animals, but most of all may there never be another Katrina.

Spice Needs A Home~

2008-08-23T18:31:00.002-05:00

Spice is a beautiful Dutch Shepherd mix girl who has been with the rescue pretty much her whole life (since she was 3 months old...she's 1 1/2 now) along with her brother Sarge (who also needs a home). This little girl is so very sweet and loves attention and affection... she is spayed and UTD on shots and gets along great with other dogs and kids. Spice weighs around 40 pounds and is pretty much as big as she is going to get.

Won't you be the one to give this beautiful puppy a home of her very own?

A Rescue Dog Goes Global

2008-08-23T18:20:00.002-05:00

My friend Jenny from MN rescued an old cattle dog while we were at Lamar Dixon working Hurricane Katrina (almost 3 years ago now) and has written a book about their journey through hell and into the light of peace. I recommend this book for anyone who has had a special pet come into their lives and for anyone who just wants a good read.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As far as we know, Kate, an Australian Cattle Dog, was rescued from a rooftop in Louisiana on September 7th 2005, nine days after Hurricane Katrina struck. On September 18th, Kate and I met at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, LA where rescued animals were brought for care and feeding. I didn’t think that Kate would survive the system there and fought red tape for 2 days to become her foster mom. On September 22nd, before Hurricane Rita hit, I cancelled my plane ticket home and hijacked my rental SUV to take Kate over 1200 miles to Minnesota. We traveled through 8 states, thus Kate became 8 State Hurricane Kate.
In November, I was told that Kate came from Plaquemines Parish, a county with a population of about 27,000 southeast of New Orleans, where cattle were grazed along the river. This county was ground zero for Katrina, experiencing flooding from the sea wall to the southeast and from the Mississippi River to the northwest. 80% of the cattle were reported lost to the storm. After the hurricane, there was only one road out of Plaquemines Parish, and much of the Parish was underwater.
After arriving in Minnesota, Kate was diagnosed with hookworms, whipworms, and giardia. She tested positive for heartworm. She had fly strike bites on her ears and muzzle and her face was sunburned. The hair was missing from her muzzle and feet. Her teeth were very worn, and she did not have one whole tooth left in her mouth. She had arthritis in her spine. She had tendon damage in her foot and walked with a limp. But Kate is a cattle dog. She’s tough and she’s a survivor.
I listed Kate on Petfinder and spent months trying to find her original owners. But Kate was in Minnesota to stay.
Follow Kate’s Journey

Breed Bias

2008-02-25T15:47:00.002-06:00

I'm so very tired of hearing how horrible Pit Bulls are... I'm tired of the looks of hatred I get when I take my VERY well trained and socialized pit bulls out in public.. I'm tired of hearing what a horrible mother I am for having pit bulls in my home with my teenage children.

Just so you know this "horrible" pit bull was used as a breeding factory for her ignorant teenage owner who thought that breeding pits was "cool". She had 2 litters by the time she was 1 1/2 yrs old :o( However once he decided he couldn't sell the pups he turned her and her remaining puppy out to fend for themselves (after he shot the pup in the leg) and they were picked up by animal control where they were taken to the local high kill pound to await their turn at the needle.

Thankfully we were able to pull Ms. Annie and her puppy (who died) and give her a chance at a real life with people who love her unconditionally. She was never treated with kindness...only hate. She didn't know how to be around the other dogs and I can only assume she had never been near a cat before coming here. Now she lives in my home with my other pit bulls (who are also rescue dogs) and she is starting her work as a pet therapy dog with her sister pit Molly.

Yes, she still needs some work and sometimes trust is still a big issue for her. But when she trusts you she loves you unconditionally. She sleeps in the bed...lives with the cats and other small animals...and is a wonderful example of what a pit bull is really like :o)

Won't you give me a home?

2008-02-22T15:59:00.006-06:00

Of all the dogs that come into rescue the ones that I personally feel the worst for are the momma's and puppies that were tossed out by the people who claim to love them the most.

Lilly is a boxer (mix) who was chained on a 4 ft log chain with no shelter while her pups were chained around on on equally short chains with no shelter of their own. Why? Beats me.... Animal control was called to pick them up because they were no longer wanted but because the shelter was full the call was forwarded to us as owner surrenders and we went and got them. All are/were sweet dogs and didn't deserve the life they were having to live.

Thankfully all the puppies have been placed in qualified and screened homes but Lilly is still looking for her very own home. She has been spayed and is UTD on her shots and she is reported to be housebroken as well. She loves to ride in the car and go for walks and wants nothing more than to have a home of her very own where she will be queen for the rest of her puppy life. Can you be her family?

Rescue or not?

2008-02-05T10:32:00.000-06:00

I don't know what you want to call it but I call it rescue in its purest form. Yesterday I pulled a dog just to let her have a safe warm place to die so she wouldn't die unloved in a rural shelter with nobody to even care.Sally is an older than dirt blind Cocker Spaniel who was covered in matted deep burrs that had dug into her neck causing open sores and she smelled to high heavens. She is also blind and was found by vet exam yesterday (from our vet who I took her to after pulling her) to be suffering from congestive heart failure. She is also incontinent.Why would I pull a dog that is going to die? Because she doesn't deserve to die alone and cold in a rural shelter when she can die warm and loved in a home. Why would I spend money on medications for a dying dog? So she can feel better than she does now. Why would I? Because this is what I do....this is who I am.

Right now Sally is walking around my living room with our other misfit rescue dogs and cats and acting as if she is content which is all I can ask for. She is wearing a diaper to keep her dry (and my floors too) and she is given all the love she could ever want. Sally will no doubt leave this world with as little fanfare as she entered my life with but she will be cherished and loved until her last days on this earth and treated with the dignity and respect that she deserves.

Goodbye Big Fat Weezle

2008-01-30T13:55:00.000-06:00

Sadly last night we lost our beloved ferret "Big Fat Weezle" to old age.

She was a wonderful addition of our lives for her last few years and will be greatly missed not only by her sister ferret and cagemate Missy (who does not like people but loved her sissy) but by the people who she met while working as a therapy pet in the local nursing homes and adult care/mental retardation centers.

Fly with the angels Big Fat Weezle... Vaya con Dios..

Meet Sheba!

2008-01-12T19:20:00.000-06:00

My new name is Sheba and I am a beautiful and very gentle female pit bull who was dumped after hours at the Tazewell Animal Shelter on the coldest night we have had so far this winter. I was tossed into an outside kennel and had a blanket thrown over top of me...I sat there all night until the shelter ladies came in the next morning and found me.

When they let me out of the kennel they noticed right away that something was wrong with me besides being bone thin from apparent starvation/neglect. I also had a recent litter of pups (although none were found with me) and had mastitis and what appeared to be a staff infection. There were at least 3 large places on my teats that were open and oozing and I was very uncomfortable.

The shelter took me to the vet who put me on some medicine but it didn't seem to help much and since I really like to lick my wounds I keep them open. They did put me in a nice cage by myself with a elevated bed to sleep on but I was still lonely and wanted a home of my very own with people who would cater to me...even if they did have to give me some nasty medicine to make me better.

Last Monday when 2 of the volunteers who come in to take pictures arrived at the shelter the shelter director let me out of my cage to play with them (and show them what a nice girl I am) and one of them fell in love with me and offered to foster me until a new home can be found for me (and to take me to her vet to get me on some different medication to dry up my milk and heal my wounds).

I left the shelter today to go home and stay with Sarah until I'm better! I also got to visit with my "Aunt" Lori and meet people at the fundraiser they were doing today. I take treats easy from your hand, I know how to ride in a car and get into a crate, I also know what beds are for (me...), and I'm fine with kids. I'm not sure if I like cats and other dogs yet because I'm not going to be introduced to any until Sarah's vet gives me the all clear on Monday but from my behavior in the shelter I would think I'm going to be fine with the other dogs.

Sarah put an Ecollar on me to keep me from licking my tummy and making it worse and I sure am one sad pitiful pitty right now :o( but she said if I behaved myself I would get to sleep in a bed with one of the kids soon so I'm trying really hard to be good.

Sarah isn't sure what my vet bills are going to run but they are probably going to be pretty steep with my infection and my open wounds on my tummy and she sure could use some help with them. She runs a 501c3 non profit rescue that works with dogs and cats as well as horses and exotics and all donations are tax deductible and put directly to work for the animals that need them. You can see some of the animals that she has here now at www.lostfantasystables.org and even read the blog about the rescue at www.lostfantasyrescue.blogspot.com .

Would you like to give me a home after I'm all better? You can contact Sarah at lostfantasystables@yahoo.com or my Aunt Lori at lsalyer@4sw.us and let them know.

Peace and Blessings...
Sheba

Happy New Year from the pets

2008-01-02T10:43:00.000-06:00

The Garfiled and Bruce (our blind Katrina golden) and all the pets of Lost Fantasy wish you and yours a very happy and healthy new year complete with all the good stuff that life has to offer to you.

Our goals for 2008 include working toward our wildlife rehab certification and working to save as many dogs and cats from our 2 local high kill shelters as we can. Plus caring for our sanctuary animals and our other resident animals still looking for their very own forever homes.

May the blessings of the animals be with you all.

Happy Holidays from Lost Fantasy

2007-12-25T12:49:00.000-06:00

Tootsie Roll our rescued Hurricane Katrina pitty and all her friends (feline, equine, and canine) wish each and every one of you the happiest of holidays and much peace and love in the New Year.

May the blessings of the animals be with you ^i^

Homeless Animals Christmas Poem

2007-12-21T11:55:00.000-06:00

In Honor/In Memory Donations

2007-11-22T09:27:00.000-06:00

Give the gift of LOVE this holdiay season!

Make a In Honor or In Memory donation for your pets or loved ones and get a special certificate printed to give as a gift or to keep for yourself. We will also post a special section on our website w/ a virtual "memory tree" that we would be happy to add your photos to to show everyone your special pet.

Lost Fantasy Rescue is a 501c3 equine and companion animal rescue and sanctuary and all donations are tax deductable.

Visit us online or mail your donations to Lost Fantasy Rescue PO Box 42 Ceres, VA 24318

New Fundraising Magnet Sale!

2007-11-22T09:23:00.001-06:00

Christmas Shopping was never this easy! Check out our ONLINE STORE to see our newest magnets (more than what is pictured here) as well as our cookbook...hand drawn tote bags & hats...and angel dog & cat pins!

All proceeds go directly to the animals in our care to provide for them the best of care until they find their very own forever homes.

We have MET our hay goal!

2007-11-22T08:41:00.000-06:00

FINALLY~

Many thanks to Sue H. without her constant searching for us we would have never been able to find the hay we needed to get our horses through the winter months!

Thanks to Sue's Aunt Doris who gave us 20 huge round bales! Thanks also to Charlie who was kind enough to take his time to load them for us and to Scott & his wife who took a Saturday off to help move the hay for us to our farm.

Thanks to the Dunkley family who sold us 2 big loads of square bales (hauled & stacked for us as well) and to the gentleman who read our ad in the Trade Times and sold us another 105 bales (and also took the time to haul & help us stack them).

A great big THANKS also goes to Jenny P. without her very generous donation we would not have been able to buy our last 2 loads of hay!

Spirit the wild puppy...

2007-10-23T12:58:00.000-05:00

Ok lets be real... how fast is a 3-legged puppy supposed to be moving and how come I can't catch him when he goes outside?

Spirit is getting better with each passing day... his weight has climbed from a pathetic 16 pounds when he was pulled from the pound to over 22 pounds now :o) and he eats like a little piggy... I think he really likes his "good boy" cookies that he gets each time he goes outside to potty :o) He is "almost" crate trained at this point and once we get a complete handle on the housebreaking issues he will get run of the house with everyone else. He enjoys playing with the cats and kittens that he shares the house with and like any normal puppy enjoys chewing on anything he can get his mouth on (feet are a big thing right now...uggh). He has been invited to go to school and "speak" with the kids about how to properly care for your pets and I'm sure he will enjoy the attention. I do have plans to enroll him in the "Cold Nose Warm Heart" pet therapy program that we participate in as soon as he gets a little older and more stable on his one leg... Of course he and I are both going to need therapy by the time he finishes growing up :o)

I am thankful that I was allowed to adopt him after all and that John found him in time... I am also thankful for Dr. Taylor who showed so much compassion for this little injured puppy and made sure he got the best care possible while he was with them. Life probably won't be easy for Spirit but at least he is going to have a life now... Sadly many more dogs at pounds everywhere will not be so lucky and will give the ultimate price of their own life because of the callous attitude of people everywhere that pets are disposable. If you have a pet treat it like you would want to be treated....don't throw them away when you grow tired of them. If you can't keep them find them a home with a family who wants them...don't depend of your pound to take care of your problems for you. The "kill rate" at most local pounds runs in the 80-90% range! Sadly there are NOT enough homes for the animals out there and there is no way that all of them can be saved....but responsible owners go a long way in making life better for the ones that are here now and making sure that NO more animals get added to the mix by spaying/neutering their pets and asking others to do the same.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have a pet you want spayed/neutered but can't afford it? I'll help you pay for it... If you are local to us (Bland/Wythe) contact us at lostfantasystables@yahoo.com and I'll set you up an appointment with my vet and have it done for you! Spirit is lucky...he has us... How many don't have anyone?

Holiday Fundraising!

2007-10-18T07:12:00.000-05:00

Want to help us raise money to care for the animals that live here?

Want a cute custom charcoal characture portrait of your pets or children (or pretty much anything else)?

Jodi C. is a wonderful artist who is also a college student in TN working on her Masters degree and is donating ALL proceeds from her drawings to the animals.

Drawings will take approximately 2 weeks due to her college schedule so please order early to get yours by Christmas!

Cost is $20 which includes shipping~ Size is 11x17 and suitable for framing~

Please contact us at lostfantasystables@yahoo.com for more information or to order your portrait!

Spirit is HOME!

2007-10-16T07:59:00.000-05:00

Spirit is home with us now at the "misfit pet rescue" (I officially adopted him so that his medical treatment would continue after the county ACO said they had no money to care for him.. Wow the whole entire bill was $138...wonder why they couldn't afford that?) and he will remain here for the rest of his little puppy life to never be hurt again by idiots :o(

Sadly he did indeed loose his hind leg although the vet and the orthopedic surgeon did what they could for him. However he is a very happy puppy who loves to play with his toys and be held in laps (gee I hope he doesn't get too much bigger). He seems to love the other dogs here and has 3 mommies now... Ms. Annie & Molly the Pit Bulls and Cassidy Jade the Aussie...as well as 3 uncles.. Bruce the blind Golden, Odie the Basset/Beagle, and Rat the Dane/Lab... who will help me to raise him to be a good canine citizen like they are :o) The cats just wonder why in the world there is yet another dog in "their" house...

This did make the Wytheville Enterprise thanks to a young reporter named Nate who has a huge heart for the animals and the county administrator (who is over AC) promised us that changes would be made for the betterment of the animals (I'll wait and see). The ACO who denied him care is still in control of the pound but they say that a reprimand will be issued (once again I'll wait and see) but now they know that many people are watching and I hope that things will indeed change for the animals and that the pound will indeed become the "shelter" it needs to be.

One of my buddies just informed me that I do indeed have misfit pets :o) I have 2 cats that between them sport 6 legs, 3 good eyes, and a tail and a half and now a 3 legged puppy...and a one eyed horse :o) Who knew?
Now who wants to help me housebreak this one?
Spirit meets Bruce (blind Katrina Golden) & Ms. Annie (pit bull)

Puppy with broken leg denied treatment by pound!

2007-10-07T11:20:00.000-05:00

Just when I thought it could get no worse the animal shelter has proven me wrong again.

Meet Spirit...

Spirit is a 3 month old puppy with a compound fracture of his rear leg. Isn't the infection nice? See the swelling? Notice the bone sticking through the skin? See the foot "popping" open from the untreated infection? What you can't see is the poor shape Spirit is in physically. He is nothing but skin and bones stretched over a weak body. What you can't smell is the god awful stench coming from the infected leg...it can turn your stomach.

This puppy was hit by a car over a WEEK ago while in the "care" of his former owners. Apparantly they could not afford treatement (or a bullet) so they allowed him to suffer for days prior to bringing him (and his siblings) to pound where they surrendered them all to their fate. Then the pound put him in a pen with his siblings and left him with NO MEDICAL TREATMENT! The excuse? It isn't in their budget! ~Note this is NOT the first time they have denied a injured dog medical treatment either~

The pound euthanizes dogs all the time..that's part of their job. They have the training and the medications to do it but apparantly this particular puppy and his suffering wasn't important enough to take the time to put him down since they couldn't "afford" to have a vet look at him. Instead they left him in a pen with his siblings with a compound fracture that had become infected. An owner surrendered animal can be euthanized on intake (and they have done so many times in the past)...so what made this puppy any more special than the others?

Spirit was found by the gentleman who takes the pound photos weekly... he had his wife pull him and the Humane Society has taken him to a local vet where he is now recieving his much needed a very delayed medical treatment. You can see more photos on Mr. Whitts website at http://www.je923.com/misc/puppy.html as well as read the VA state code § 3.1-796.68. Care of animals by owner; penalty.

Spirit will loose his leg on Monday if he is healthy enough to survive surgery. He may also be infected with the Parvo virus from his stay in the pound but only time will tell. Will Spirit make it? I don't know but he deserves a chance and a life...

I know that I am going to now be a target for Animal Control for this entry...but so be it. Spirit deserves to have his story told and people deserve to know the truth.

Where does the money come from?

2007-10-04T13:24:00.000-05:00

I have to laugh each time I hear someone tell me "You know the government gives you the money to operate the rescue so I don't know why you have to ask for donations." Ummm No that isn't how it works at all. We don't get money from the state or the government to help us operate. We don't get a special deal from our vets, farrier or dog groomer or the boarding kennel we have to occasionally use when we run out of room in our foster homes...we don't get a special deal from the feed store or the hay supplier...we don't get anything like that.

The money to operate this rescue and care for the many many animals that live here both as adoptable and sanctuary animals comes from the good hearted people who make donations....it comes from the adoption donations we ask for when we place an animal into its new forever home...it comes from the few and far between grants that our special grant writer Jenny is able to get for us..it comes from the constant and often painful yard sales, bake sales, car washes, and other fundraising that we do all year long and lastly it comes from our very own pockets.

We have many people call us and ask us to take on their unwanted horses and ponies when they no longer want them or can no longer afford to care for them anymore. They assume that because we are a 501c3 rescue we have money falling from the sky or in vast amounts in our checking account and that we can and should take their unwanted companions NOW.

I dearly wish we could take all of the horses and other animals which have been offered to us, but we have to base our decisions on the animals need and the space we have available at that particular time. It breaks my heart when we have to tell an owner that we cannot take that animal because we do not have the space/funds to care for it properly until it can find its perfect forever home but that is part of this. We will not take on more animals than we can provide proper care..feed...vetting for at any time out of our own pockets if necessary (should funds run out) so that limits what we can do to help especially now with the hay shortage we are going through.

Any help is greatly appreciated...15$ can buy a bag of dog food which can feed all the dogs here for 4 days...9$ can buy a bag of cat food which can feed the cats for 1 week...13$ can buy a bag of feed which can feed the horses for 1 day...45$ can spay or neuter a dog or cat to get it ready to go to its forever home. We need your help to continue to help the animals.

May the blessings of the animals be with you.

We are begging.... We need HAY please...

2007-10-03T19:31:00.000-05:00

Never in my life have I begged for anything but now I am begging not for myself but for the 11 rescued horses in our care.

We are BEGGING for help to get the hay we must have to get these horses through the winter months~ We cannot find ANY hay in this area....we have also resorted to looking in other states but cannot find a way to afford shipping as well as hay costs to get it here.

We were sold 400 bales of hay only to have the seller back out and leave us high and dry! We were counting on that hay...we needed that hay...and now it is gone :o( Of course it also took him 2 months to tell us he wouldn't be bringing it...so we had quit looking for more thinking we would have enough to get by.

Currently we have enough hay to last us 3 months.... ONLY 3 months... and it is not nearly enough to get us by even with the supplements our feed mill is making up to help other horse and cattle owners in this area who have no hay to get by this winter. We haven't had rain here in literally months...everything is dry and brown and it doesn't look like rain will come anytime soon. They say this is the driest it has been in 100 years!

PLEASE help us find hay for our beloved rescue horses.... Please.... You can email us at lostfantasystables@yahoo.com with any hay source you may have...

For Batman & Tootsie Pop...Airy...Ms. Bow...Dex...Painty..Prince..Prissy...Elmo..Bubba..and Old Skip...please help us find hay!

Hurricane Katrina 2 years later

2007-08-29T13:51:00.000-05:00

Today marks 2 years since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast forcing thousands of people and animals to abandon their homes in an effort to remain safe in a city that was unprepared for the tragedy that befell it. Many innocent lives (both human and animal) were lost and many more lives are still effected every day with the loss of homes, jobs, family and friends, possessions and their former lives.

I spent a week at the Lamar-Dixon Center in Gonzales, LA working with the animal rescue portion of Katrina but I also meet and spoke with many of the evacuees who told me of their flight to safety and of leaving their pets behind thinking it would be like all the others and they would be home in a few days. Who thought this hurricane would be any different? Not the government who provided no help for the people of New Orleans that could not evacuate on their own...not the Red Cross who could not cross the floodwaters with the supplies they needed...not the mayor who did nothing to get these people to a safe haven. Who helped? The common everyday people like the guy who drove a bus filled with people out of the Superdome... the folks who drove thousands of miles to bring food and supplies...the animal rescue community who dropped everything to go in to a putrid disease filled area and rescue pets that were not our own.

What drove me to New Orleans? This photo did it... The one that sent me over the edge... The pit bull swimming after the rescue boat reminded me of my own special pit Molly

I went to NOLA....I worked hard...I cried harder...and I left as Hurricane Rita was bearing down again. I brought back 3 dogs to VA to hold for their owners that I prayed would return... Gonzo (rat terrier) was reunited with his owners who had fled to Kansas City after their stay in the Superdome... Little Man (beagle) was never found by his former family and was adopted by my fellow rescue volunteer who went to NOLA with me Cindy where he now rules the roost :0) And Bruce (blind Golden) whose owner Al died in the hurricane and was found 3 weeks later in his home with Bruce by his side now lives with me thanks to the generosity of his remaining family and is doing his part as a therapy dog for the elderly. I also went back a second time to Camp Katrina run by the Humane Society of LA in Mississippi and brought back many other animals including cats and kittens, puppies and adult pit bulls who needed a safe haven. All but my biggest pit bull Tootsie Roll have either found their former families or been adopted into loving homes.

Please remember Katrina...all that was lost...and all that still remains. Remember the people and the animals that lost their lives due to our governments inability to plan for disasters and uncaring attitude for those less fortunate than themselves... Remember those that 2 years later still live in FEMA trailers with no promised insurance payout for their destroyed homes. Remember those who have taken their own lives to escape the hell they now live in.... Remember those that still continue and persevere.... Remember and never forget what this horrible tragedy has taught us.

May the blessings of the animals be with you.

Why are we so misunderstood?

2007-08-20T13:37:00.000-05:00

I cringe when I read the national headlines as there always seems to be dog attacks featuring pit bulls or idiots like Vick fighting their dogs. All I hear is "pit bulls are bad", "I wouldn't trust a pit", "they ought to all be banned"...etc.

I'm sorry pit bulls are like every other breed out there...they are honest, loyal, family orientated dogs who love their family and with PROPER training and socialization can be a wonderful addition to a animal assisted therapy program as proven by Molly (a red pit bull found running the streets of Radford as a stray).

I am proud to say that my family is owned by 3 pit bulls... Molly (the aforementioned girl), Ms. Annie (a former breeding female owned by a teenage brat who thought it was "cool" who had 2 litters by the time she was 1 1/2) and Tootsie Roll (a Katrina survivor that I brought back from NOLA). All 3 dogs sleep indoors (under covers of course), live with cats and kittens as well as other small animals and multiple other dogs, are handled daily by children, and Molly works as a therapy pet with the elderly and the mentally retarded.

We also have 2 pit mixes in foster who are wonderful dogs in their own right but can't find homes because of the stupid breed ignorance that permeates the breed. I have watched children run up to Molly and throw their arms around her neck and their parents cringe at the thought of a pit bull being that close to their child. Molly doesn't understand why they hate her...all she wants to do is give kisses and be petted just like every other dog.

Train them...spay/neuter them.....socialize them...and most importantly LOVE THEM! They give you so much how can you deny them?

Humane Society Yard Sale

2007-07-27T13:52:00.000-05:00

Wythe County Humane Society is having our 1st annual yard sale on Saturday August 4 from 9-2 at the Advance Auto Parts Store in Wytheville, VA.

Proceeds raised will go to our ongoing community spay/neuter programs, education, and toward the care of the animals we have rescued that currently reside in foster care waiting for their forever homes to find them.

All types of items will be available for purchase and ALL monies raised go the the animals!

Please come join us on Saturday August 4th.....

Daddy is still looking for his forever home...Will it be yours?

Winter Hay Wanted

2007-07-17T11:18:00.001-05:00

Due to the lack of rain in our area hay is very scarce and what there is is unsuitable for horses (or at least our spoiled bunch) and we are looking far and wide to find enough hay to get us through the winter months.

We need at least 75 more round bales and 25-50 square bales for Elmo the mini to get us by. We are not asking that it be "given" to us (although all donations are able to be taken from your taxes) but are more than willing to pay what it is worth to be able to feed our beloved animals through the cold weather.

If anyone knows of any good quality horse hay PLEASE contact us by email at lostfantasystables@yahoo.com with contact numbers/location.

Elmo thanks you!

Wythe County Animal Shelter Dogs

2007-04-20T21:42:00.000-05:00

Wythe County Animal Shelter now has it's very own Petfinders Page!

Because our rescue is also a pulling rescue for the shelter and I am in there multiple times during the week I thought it would be much easier for me to make them their own Petfinder site and keep it updated for them rather than trying to run them on my site where they might not get enough exposure to get them pulled in time to keep them from dying.

Please check out the WCAS Petfinder page at http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/VA430.html to see if there is a dog there that you would be interested in adopting. Unaltered dogs can only be adopted out to surrounding areas (Wythe, Bland, Smyth, Pulaski, and Grayson) but already altered dogs can be adopted anywhere. Unless noted into their bios shelter dogs are not spayed or neutered!

Please email lostfantasystables@yahoo.com or petsnperil@yahoo.com if you find a dog on the WCAS page that you would like to adopt and we will pull it, vet it, and arrange transport if necessary!

This is Murphy and she is a WCAS dog that we pulled!

Death Row Dogs Transport!

2007-03-26T10:14:00.000-05:00

My weekend was spent with Lori from P.A.W.S on a long drive to PA to take 41 dogs from Wythe and Tazewell to Molly's Place Rescue. These were dogs that were slated to die because nobody wanted them anymore....death row dogs that were pulled at the last possible moment by both P.A.W.S and Lost Fantasy/Pets In Peril and given the opportunity to have new lives. These dogs will all be able to find their "one true place" in life now which is something they never would have gotten here in rural SW Virginia.

We are grateful to Molly's Place for offering these dogs a place to go and we know the dogs appreciate this new lease on life that they have been given.

From the 3 momma dogs and their puppies as well as all the others... THANK YOU

~Getting all cleaned up after our long trip~

He didn't stand a chance...

2007-02-27T09:51:00.000-06:00

Buster is the black and white puppy pictured above with his Mom Annie who I pulled from the pound last week where they had lived for the last 7 days after being picked up as "strays" and brought in. They were both skinny and scared living in a dark building surrounded by other barking dogs....cowering in their cage. However when I brought them out and turned them loose out here in their outside kennel they began to jump and play...bouncing all over the place and acting like dogs should.

After a few days Buster began to go off his food..not eating with the gusto he was when he came. I watched him from signs of Parvo (bloody stool, vomiting) and he showed none of those but he still wasn't eating like he should. I took him to the vet last night and had him admitted for dehydration. We did a Parvo test on him and it came back negative so they suspected Coronavirus... Sadly Buster died in ICU this morning from Coronavirus not Parvo... Our vets guarantee he contracted it at the pound...imagine that...

Buster never stood a chance in hell.... when we shaved his leg last night to put the catheter in him for his fluids we found numerous pellets where he had been shot! Why would someone shoot a 5 month old puppy???? No wonder he was so scared of people he ran to the back of his kennel..... I know where these dogs came from but I'll never be able to prove that they are who shot the pup :o(

Buster never had anyone to love him before he came here....and sadly love didn't save him...
I held him for hours at the vets office last night and told him how sorry I was and how much I loved him now and that no puppy (or dog or cat or horse or...) deserved to be treated the way he did... I think he understood that I was trying to save him.. Now I have to go outside and explain to his Momma why her puppy isn't coming home again...why people are so hateful that they cause injury to the helpless...why they don't vaccinate their animals....and why they throw them away like dirty diapers when they are done with them.

If you have pets treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve! Don't decide that they are "just animals" and don't deserve love and attention, good food, or vaccinations... If you can't take care of them find someone who will....don't throw them away.

For Buster and the others out there like him... Vaya Con Dios Buster...Fly with the angels ^l^

If not for you....

2007-02-23T13:24:00.000-06:00

If Not For You

I would've given up on life, if not for your kind eyes.
I would have used my teeth in fear, if not for your gentle hand.
I would have left this life believing that all humans don't care
… there is no such thing as fur that isn't matted
... skin that isn't flea bitten
… good food and enough of it
... beds to sleep on
... someone to love me, to show me I deserve love, just because I exist.
Your kind eyes…
Your loving smile…
Your gentle hands…
Your big heart saved me!!!!!

You saved me from the terror of dying on the street.
You have soothed away the memories of my old life.
You have taught me what it means to be loved.
I have seen you do the same for others just like me.
I have heard you ask yourself in times of despair, “Why do I do it… When there is no more money... No more room... No more homes???” I see you open your heart a little bigger... stretch the money a little tighter... make just a little more room... to save one more… like me.
I tell you this with all the gratitude and love that shines in my eyes. It is the best way I know how to remind you why you go on trying....

I AM THE REASON
The others before me are the reason,
As are the ones who come after.
Our lives would've been wasted...
Our love never given...
I WOULD HAVE DIED THAT DAY IF NOT FOR YOU!

Author Unknown

Why should they have to die?

2007-02-20T09:35:00.000-06:00

I have spent the last week trying desperatly to find rescues, fosters, transporters, and general help for the Mercer county pound in rural Princeton, WV. The ONLY group we got help from was Molly's Place in PA...nobody else even offered...and that makes me very sad.

Thanks to Lori from P.A.W.S. who got in touch with Molly's Place we were able to save about 70 animals from Mercer in the last week. Sadly at least that many were killed because there was nowhere for them to go.

I realize rescues are full (we are always full BUT we have made room for "one more" more times than I can count)...I realize funds are low...I realize rescues are overwhelmed...but I also know these animals need help. And they need it NOW...

West Virginia has a 5 day hold then they are killed... Please...how fair is that? 5 days is NOT enough to get help for these animals when it is only the 2 of us doing it... We both also run our own groups and have families and lives outside of rescue yet if we were able to put it all to the side and do this then anyone else can.

Lori and I spent all day Sunday (in the pouring snow) transporting 13 dogs to meet Molly's Place in Lexington, VA... That is 13 animals that WILL NOT DIE....these will find their one true place and have wonderful lives without the threat of the needle or the gas chamber hanging over their heads. How many more died this weekend? I don't know...

We also work with 2 other rural shelters....Tazewell and Wythe... and they need rescue help as well. Wythe is one of the few gassing shelters left in VA and they are currently full :o( The beagle pictured above is in Wythe...he needs a home now or he too will die unloved in a cold shelter...

These animals have no voices of their own....we have to be their voice. If I have to stand and scream it from the mountains I will... These animals need rescue committment...they need private adopters.. And they need it NOW..not tomorrow...Now

This momma dog is heavily pregnant and she faced the needle on Friday at Mercer... thanks to Crystal she is now safe and will be able to have her babies... When they are old enough they will be spayed/neutered and found new forever homes... Momma dog already has a home :o)

Rural Shelters Need Help!

2007-02-12T19:46:00.000-06:00

Everyone knows there is an overabundance of companion animals...none of us can dispute that fact. The mass numbers can be attributed to everything from backyard breeders to limited education on spay/neuter practices. But in honesty does it really matter what caused it? What we need to focus on is how to change it so that there are no more animals dying scared and alone in a shelter somewhere instead of being loved and cherished companions like they ought to be.

I spent today at the Mercer County shelter in rural WV with Molly's Place Rescue from PA and P.A.W.S from Tazewell, VA pulling dogs and cats and getting them to safety. Mercer is a VERY high kill shelter sometimes killing daily for lack of space...and they were full :o( A huge number of animals were scheduled to die today but thanks to the intervention of Molly's Place and P.A.W.S that was not to be the case.... All the puppies were pulled (about 25 of them) all the kittens were pulled (15 or so) some adult dogs were pulled (and will be boarded until they can pick them up), P.A.W.S took a cat whose time was up as well as a momma dog whose puppies were taken but she was left behind and Lost Fantasy pulled 3 pregnant cats to hold for Molly's Place (1 which is currently at the vets office because she is very sick and most likely would have died from it in the shelter if the needle hadn't gotten her first).

When you think rural shelter picture Mercer....small space...very limited funds..no camera to put the animals photos online...no transport drivers to get the animals into other rescues...and a few very dedicated people trying to do what is best for these animals. While I was talking with Lisa today she explained how she has to pick and choose what animals will die that day and how some of them she "overlooks" as many times as possible because she knows they deserve a chance. A 5 day hold is NOT enough when they can't get the dogs and cats online and apparantly adoptions are not that great there (imagine that) so many animals die that could be going into rescues or private homes. Lisa wants this to be NO KILL but without the help of the rescue community it is not going to happen...

Please folks help me get some rescue involvement for Mercer County! Help me to get them the help these animals need so that these precious lives won't be lost....

For the momma pit bull who was so patiently licking my hands while I was talking whose puppies were taken but she was left behind to die...for the beautiful pitty boy who was "chittering" at me wanting to play...for the basset/beagle with his sad eyes...for the old cat who was abandoned by her owners after they had a baby... for the beautiful calico who's time is up... and for all the ones who didn't have a chance and who now reside in black garbage bags on their way to the dump....

Please help them!

Got Junk?

2007-01-28T14:42:00.000-06:00

One of the ways we raise money for the rescue is by doing various flea markets and yard sales from Spring to Fall. Last year we raised over 1000$ this way alone! That money went a long way in buying winter hay for the horses...

If you live within 2 hours of us we would be more than happy to come and pick up items you no longer want that we can then sell to benefit the animals...

Our first "big" market of '07 will be in Dublin on June 2-3 where we will be located in spaces 431-432 under a big white tent with Molly (our resident pit bull) there to greet people!

You can email us at lostfantasystables@yahoo.com if you would like to donate items for the animals....

Second Graders ROCK!

2007-01-23T19:12:00.000-06:00

Thanks to the 2 second grade classes at Bland Elementary School for collecting food for our rescued dogs! We want to thank both Ms. Bowling and Ms. Young's classes for all their hard work...

As the "official" spokesdog for the rescue Bruce sends all of the children lots of puppy kisses for all their hard work!

Meet the "Tripod Twins"

2007-01-16T18:18:00.000-06:00

We now have the pleasure of having 2 yellow tripod kitties in our lives.

Pounce (on left) is coming from the Pulaski shelter thanks to Rita sending me an email about him and Pogo (on right) came from Smyth County where my kids found him in a bottom cage row.

Both are missing legs on the right side of their bodies... Pounce is missing a front leg while Pogo is missing a hind as well as 1/2 of his tail. According to the story we got with Pogo he was hit by a tractor.... Pounce was found as a stray so nobody knows his true story.

Because they are "different" than the other cats many people overlooked these beautiful boys in the shelter rather than giving them a home. Their loss is our gain!

Mud & Snow..... Yuck

2007-01-10T16:53:00.000-06:00

We got about 5" of snow overnight... on top of the many layers of mud we already had from our heavy rainfall of the past few weeks.

Paint is showing what he thought about the soggy mess....

However Prince looks beautiful standing in the fading sunlight surrounded by the snow...

I bet these mudballs can't wait for spring!

Puppies...puppies...and more puppies

2007-01-06T23:51:00.000-06:00

Although we are a horse rescue we also from time to time work with companion animals as well.

We work with our local humane society and took in a beautiful Aussie to foster who turned out to be expecting (she was so bone thin nobody had a clue until the pups were born). She had 6 pups... 4 have already been found wonderful new homes but these 2 kids are still looking. The pups are only 4 weeks old...won't be ready to leave until Feburary 27th after they are spayed/neutered...but we are accepting application on them now.

Onyx is the black male...Whoops is the black/white female.

Applications are on our website at www.lostfantasystables.org

Meet our "Oldsters"

2007-01-04T16:32:00.000-06:00

Many of the horses we take are older horses that have medical of physical issues which result in their owners needing to place them with someone else. Our "oldsters" want you to know age is nothing more than a number...and they can run and play with the youngsters when they want to.

Dex (in front) is a elderly TB gelding who was bought as a weanling from a kill sale by his donor. However due to his poor conformation he was never started under saddle...so he is in essence a big puppy dog.

Rainbow (in the rear) is a 26 yr old Paint mare who was donated by her family when her arthritis in her shoulders made it unsafe to ride her anymore. Ms. Bow is the "spokeshorse" for the rescue and greets everyone at the gate and searches them for horse cookies.

This old boy is Prince who is a 20+ yr old Morgan with an injury to his stifle which causes him to be unsound for riding. He was donated as a sanctuary horse (like Bow & Dex) and will live out his life here with other horses like himself doing nothing but being a horse surrounded by people who love him.

Our Therapy Pets

2007-01-02T22:20:00.000-06:00

4 of our rescued pets are now participating in a pet therapy program called "Cold Nose Warm Heart" coordinated by Bill Marshall which is an extension of the Wythe/Bland Animal Welfare League.

Bruce our 12 yr old blind Golden Retriever that we rescued in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina during our stay at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center.

Molly is a 3 year old Pit Bull Terrier that we adopted from another local rescue group. Believe it or not Pit Bulls make awsome therapy dogs! Molly is the favorite of some of the nursing home residents who ask for her by name...

We also use a big white ferret named Big Fat Weezle and a young tortishell kitten called Fuzzy.

Wishing you the best in 2007

2007-01-02T18:48:00.000-06:00

Lost Fantasy was started after we rescued an emaciated AQHA mare "Skipa Lou Lady" from a horrible situation. Granny came in as a BS 1 with little chance of survival...happily she was with us for 3 more years before she crossed over. We dedicate all our work to her memory.

Pictured are 2 of our sanctuary horses Batman & Dexter. Batman was a former team roping horse competing in the National Finals Rodeo until a stifle injury sidelined him forever. Dexter is a old TB who was rescued from slaughter as a foal and due to his poor conformation was never started undersaddle.

We accept owner surrendered horses as space in the program permits....those that are safe and healthy are placed up for adoption into approved forever homes and those that are not are kept as sanctuary horses here.

We also work with companion animal rescue and adoption and have started a low cost spay/neuter program for the citizens of Bland and Wythe Counties. We are a 501c3 non profit organziation and all donations are tax deductable and greatly appreciated. Thanks to the everyone who has supported us and helped us to give a better life to the animals.

May the blessings of the animals be with you in this new year.