Lexi, a Gift of Love!

Lexi, recovering from Demodectic Mange, July 2011

Last month we introduced you, our new friend Lexi, a boxer found wandering on the streets of Puerto Rico with the terrible condition of Demodectic Mange, this is a class of persistent skin diseases caused by parasitic mites,(wikipedia) This boxer was rescued by Gloria Marti (president of the Save A Sato Foundation) on mid May. Thanks to your help and your donations via our Amazon Wish List, and also monetary donations by PayPal, we started treatment to Lexi and other satos on the shelter that had this terrible condition, she is now happy and almost recovered. Sadly we still have more dogs with this condition on our shelter, summer months in Puerto Rico makes this skin disease, extremely difficult to cure, your donations can help us continue helping this satos, we have over 200 hundreds satos on our main shelter right now and over 30 in different foster homes, we are very grateful for this donations and also the satos! This help us to buy the food and give them medical care. If you wish to help us, visit our main page www.saveasato.org , in there you can check our Amazon Wish List, also donate to Save A Sato directly via PayPal, you can also help the Save A Sato Foundation by voting everyday on The Animal Rescue Site shelter challenge, contest like this if won, help us with monetary donations. Thank you for Giving a Gift of love to our Satos.

Lexi, when rescued, after her first bath of Promeris to cure Demodectic Mange on may 2011

El mes pasado, te presenteamos a nuestra nueva amiga Lexi, una boxer que fue rescatada por Gloria Marti (presidenta de Save A Sato) la cual llevaba varios meses viviendo por las calles de Puerto Rico, y la cual presentaba la terrible condicion de "Demodectic Mange" una fuerte enfermedad en la piel de los perros, parecida a la sarna, pero creada por parasitos en la piel de estos. Gracias a tu colaboracion en nuestro Amazon Wish List con diferentes medicamentos para curar esta enfermedad y a tus donaciones directas por medio de Paypal a la fundacion Save A Sato poco a poco hemos ayudado a Lexi a recuperarse de esta terrible enfermedad. Al igual que Lexi, tenemos otros Satos en el albergue con esta misma condicion, por eso exhortamos que nos sigan ayudando, los meses de verano en Puerto Rico hacen que estas enfermedades sean mas dificil de tratar. Tenemos mas de 200 Satos en nuestro albergue en estos momentos y alrededor de 30 mas en hogares sustitutos o "foster homes" sus donaciones nos ayudan a proveerles comida y servicios medicos a todos estos perros, si deseas ayudar a la Fundacion Save A Sato, visita nuestra pagina www.saveasato.org ,alli encontraras enlaces para donar por medio de paypal y podras ver nuestro Amazon Wish List tambien nos puedes ayudar votando todos los dias en el concurso del Animal Rescue Site, concursos como este, si logramos ganarlos nos ayudan donando dinero para nuestros satos. Gracias por darle un regalo de vida a nuestros Satos!

Walgreens y Save A Sato te invitan a esta actividad!

Este Sabado 9 de julio del 2011, trae a tu mascota a Walgreens de Los Colobos de 11 am a 5 pm y fotografialo con un ajuar de verano! Dale al link para que veas el video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzSgMn45yz8

Video

A happy ending for one of our satos!!! Arturo!

Our new friend , Andrew P. Huffman wrote to Save A Sato


Sato Arturo was adopted from Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem, MA.  He now lives in the city that gave birth to the famous author Jack Kerouac, Lowell, MA.  Arturo loves frequent daily walks, playing fetch and small pieces of hot dog!  He is also a fan of attending old-time baseball games and the Boston Red Sox.  Arturo is loved by his new family!  Thank you Save a Sato!

thanks for saving this sato! and for giving him a Forever Home!!!
The Save A Sato Volunteers!!

May God bless your kind heart Kristopher Kevin Owens

 

OWENS Kristopher Kevin, 32, passed away Sun, June 19, 2011 while on work assignment in Rochester, NY. He was born Oct 11, 1978 in Richmond, KY. Kris is survived by his beautiful wife, Kris Spikes, his parents, Amy Burke and John Owens. He is also survived by his siblings, Amanda Owens, Miles Owens, Will Burke and Brennan Burke; his stepfather, Randy Burke; and his most dedicated companion "Spike". He is also survived by his maternal grandfather, Jim Karns, his paternal grandmother, Connie Owens, a multitude of cousins, aunts, and uncles. He is preceded in death by his beloved "Nana" - Jaramy Karns and grandfather, Robert Owens. Kris lived and traveled around the world during his life, and his adventurous spirit and love of learning and language was inspiring to all. He was a Governor's Scholar graduating from Tates Creek High School with an International Baccalaureate Scholarship in 1997. He went on to The University of Louisville where he studied French and linguistics. His Junior year he studied abroad in Montpelier, France. Kris will be remembered as the Trivial Pursuit Champion of the universe. He was loved most dearly by all he encountered. Kris' life will be celebrated at Christ Church Cathedral Sat, June 25th at 6pm; a reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, any contributions may be made to The American Museum of Natural History, at www.amnh.org, or to "Save a Sato Foundation", at www.saveasato.org, a dog rescue organization Kris was active in while living in Puerto Rico.

Published in Lexington Herald-Leader on June 24, 2011

Sterilizing your Dog = Saving a Sato?

By Anna Winwood

SAS Volunteer

Puerto Rico – Miles upon miles of white beaches, rainforests and mountains, and an abundance of Stray Dogs. That’s right, Puerto Rico is overrun with Sato’s! It is estimated that Puerto Rico has a stray dog population well exceeding 100,000.  The Save a Sato Foundation has been rescuing abused and homeless animals off of the streets and giving them hope for a life they deserve. However, the Save a Sato Foundation cannot alleviate this problem without the help of the people of Puerto Rico.

Becoming a pet owner comes with responsibilities. Not only is it your responsibility to feed and properly house your pet, you have to have them sterilized. Allowing your dog to run the streets and mate with other dogs is causing significant problems. Unfortunately, once the dogs become impregnated and have a litter of puppies more times than not, the puppies are abandoned. By abandoned, they are either thrown to the streets where if they survive they will grow up to be unsterilized dogs who themselves will breed more puppies or they are left in a box at the door of Save a Satos Shelter of Miracles in San Juan. Over the past month - 23 puppies have been abandoned at the door of the shelter.

This is making it extremely hard for the dedicated people at Save a Sato to care for and rehabilitate the Satos that are already there. Some people believe that not sterilizing their pet has advantages. They believe that they can breed their dog and make money from selling the puppies. Others feel that they will be violating their dog, especially a male dogs’ manhood. By not sterilizing your dog, you are putting them at health risks as well as bringing puppies into the world that may end up on the streets. You are not in any way doing your dog a favor. If you sell your dogs puppies, you can be taking away a home for another puppy in need. Do the right thing and sterilize your dog so the homeless and less fortunate dogs have a chance at being adopted into a good home.

Sterilizing your pet has so many advantages. Not only will it help control the population of unwanted pets on the island, it is also healthier for your pet!

Spaying your Female dog has the following advantages:

o    No heat cycles, therefore males will not be attracted

o    Less Desire to roam

o    Risk of mammary gland tumors, ovarian and/or uterine cancer is reduced or eliminated, especially if done before the first heat cycle

o    Reduces number of dogs/puppies that are unwanted

o    Helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives!

Neutering your Male dog has the following advantages:

o    Reduces or eliminates risk of spraying and marking

o    Less desire to roam, therefore less likely to be injured in fights or auto accidents

o    Risk of testicular cancer is eliminated, and decreases incidence of prostate disease

o    Reduces number of dogs/puppies that are unwanted

o    Decreases aggressive behavior, including dog bites

o    Helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives!

Sterilization will not only benefit your pet but you and your community as well.  Stray animals can easily become a public nuisance, soiling parks and streets, ruining shrubbery, frightening children and elderly people, creating noise and other disturbances, causing automobile accidents, and sometimes even killing livestock or other pets. The only way to stop this from happening is to become a responsible pet owner and to sterilize your pet. Abandoning your pet or its offspring is not the answer.

New born kittens abandoned outside of Toy “R” Us in Carolina. Sadly they did not make it due to the fact they were taken from their mother too young.

Not only are the Satos of Puerto Rico suffering from hunger, they are also the victims of disease.  One of these diseases is Demodectic Mange, a skin disease caused by parasitic mites. This disease is common in malnourished animals.  If diagnosed early, the disease is very easy to cure. Sadly, when dogs contract the disease many times they are abandoned by their owners rather than having them treated. The disease then becomes so severe that the animal suffers extremely and the disease is spread to other Satos.

Diseases like this can easily be avoided. If your pet seems to be suffering from mange, bring them to a veterinarian so they can receive the proper medication.  More importantly have your pet sterilized so the stray animal population does not continue to grow. The fewer malnourished and stray animals there are, the less the disease will spread and more attention can be directed to the already sick animals.

A puppy that was found suffering from Severe Demodectic Mange

    There is no just cause in not sterilizing your pet. It makes for an all around healthier, happier animal.  With the help of responsible pet owners and the Save a Sato Foundation the overpopulation of Satos on the island of Puerto Rico can be greatly reduced.

The medicated puppy recovering at the Shelter of Miracles

For information on low cost spay/neuter services, please visit the Save a Sato webpage, www.saveasato.org .

                                                                                                               

A Happy ending for Donna!

This is an email sent to Save A Sato, from the new parents of Donna, one of our rescues!

Hello,

     On March 24, 2011 I adopted Donna (rescue# 82467) from the Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem, Massachusetts.  I actually changed her name to Poppy and she already knows it and responds to it!!

    She has come a long way in the 2 months she's been with me...(she's actually just come into the room where I am e-mailing you to see what I'm doing!!).  We walk every day with our friends and their dogs, we go in the car for ice cream, and we've been to the beach in New Hampshire... and this is just the beginning!!! 

    Thank you for saving her from the streets.  She is a very sweet dog. I'm constantly amazed at how gentle she is. She will have a very nice life with me here and I will take very good care of her.  I've enclosed some pictures my friend took of Poppy...

Best Wishes to your and your organization,

               Kathleen Kimble

 Thank you Kathleen for fulfilling Poppy's dream of having Love, A nice family and a Forever Home! 

Pablo need your help!! this is his last chance!

Do you remember Pablo? the sato sentenced to death row? a couple of month ago he was saved from death row, but now he needs help again, he is still on "Jail" on a shelter, this is a Email, sent to the Save A Sato volunteers by Robin Urbani. Please read it and if you can help in any way do it! is very important for us and Robin, to save Pablo's life! If you want to read Pablo's story first, please Click Here:

I hope you remember me. I am Pablo's "owner", the Sato that was almost euthanized in April but was saved at his hearing. After we won at the hearing for Pablo they made us believe they were going to help us locate a place for him (the lawyers, the animal control officers, etc.)..I have been writing to sanctuaries and private trainers but so far have not found anyone that will take him.
He is doing very well at the facility and they adore him there..but the date they gave us is coming up..June 1st..the new deadline before he is euthanized unless someone will agree to take him home.
The good news it is does NOT have to be a trainer or a sanctuary anymore. After spending a few months with Pablo they realized that he is not a "threat" to society, and anyone that is responsible as a pet owner and does not have children, can adopt him.
I am hoping to eventually get him back. He just will never be allowed to live in my town. But, my daughter lives in NY and she could take him, or if I move, which I am planning to, he can come back to me.
I am just looking for anyone that could be approved by the ACO as a caretaker for Pablo that does not have children, has a fenced in yard and is willing to adopt him... Once we get him out of the Animal Control Facility his life will no longer be in danger and I can continue to find a permanent place for him. I am willing to pay for his food, and also behavioral training for him.
I love him SO MUCH!!! My daughter also, and everyone that knows him.
The anniversary of my son's death is coming up June 15th. I know my daughter's heart will be broken again in a very serious way if Pablo is not rescued.
Can you help us find someone that might be willing to help?
I would be so very grateful and i know whomever takes him will not be sorry they did.
The ACO told me if I even have a couple of names of people that are interested in trying by June 1st she will continue to keep him there and not euthanize him. She is a great person..it is her boss that is not an animal lover and does not have any compassion.
Please let me know. Pablo gets along well with anyone that is truly an animal lover, and female dogs, and some cats.

Thank you,
Robin Urbani
860-303-2955
Feel free to pass along my information to anyone and have them text me if they know anyone that might be able to help.

Thank You! Migdalia Negron, Scotiabank and the World's Best 10k Race!

Migdalia Negron, Gerente de Distrito de Ventas y Servicios del
Scotiabank en San Juan, represento a la Fundacion Save a Sato durante
la carrera de 10 Kilometros, en el Puente Moscoso, en Puerto Rico. 

Con la cooperacion de los empleados, suplidores y clientes de las
sucursales bajo su supervison, Migdalia en corto tiempo lograron
recaudar $8,000 para la organizacion. Un cheque conmemorativo fue
presentado a la organizacion a voluntarios de la organizacion el dia
de la carrera.

Troy Wright, el CEO del Scotia Bank y Rafael Acosta Presidente del
Comite Organizador de la Carrera Internacional. durante una breve
ceremonia en las oficinas del Scotia Bank en San Juan, presentaron a
todos los gerentes y supervisores que "corrieron" o caminaron por 10
organizaciones sin fines de lucro.  El Sr. Wright indico que el Scotiabank llevaba 100 anos en Puerto Rico y como parte de la comunidad
puertorriqueña, el banco decidió coordinar una campana pro fondos para
ayudar a unas 10 organizaciones sin fines de lucro.


Las organizaciones sin fines de lucro fueron escogidas por los
representantes del banco entre varias que fueron nominadas por los
empleados de cada sucursal.  Cada  supervisor escogio la organizacion
por la cual correria para levantar fondos, asi como representar
durante la carrera.  Las organizaciones sin fines de lucro que fueron
agraciadas por los esfuerzos de los empleados del Scotia Bank fueron:
La Cruz Roja Americana de Puerto Rico, La Asociación de Diabética de
Puerto Rico, La Asociación del Corazón, SER de Puerto Rico,
Cuidadanos del Karso, Asociación del Althzeimer de Puerto Rico, Fondita
de Jesus,  Asociacion Pequeño Josua, La Asociación del Cancer de
Puerto Rico y la Fundacion Save a Sato.  Cada una de estas
organizaciones recibieron entre $7,000 a $12,000.

Scotia Bank Raises $8,000 for Save a Sato


Migdalia Negron, District Sales and Service Manager for Scotia Bank
represented the Save a Sato Foundation during the 10 Kilometer
International Race on the Moscoso Bridge in Puerto Rico.  With the
cooperation of employees, suppliers and clients of the bank branches
under her supervision, Migdala in a very short time raised $8,000 for
the Foundation.

A check representing the donation raised was presented to SAS
volunteers the day of the race.


Troy Wright, Scotia Bank CEO and Rafael Acosta, President of the 10K
International Organizing Committee for the bank, during a brief
ceremony at the bank offices in Hato Rey, presented all the managers
and bank supervisors that either walked or ran for one of 10 non
profit organizations selected.  Wright indicated that the Scotia Bank
has been part of the Puertorican community for the last 100 years, and
as such they decided to coordinate a fund raising event to help 10
non-profit organizations.

The non profit organizations that were chosen by the bank
representatives were selected from various organizations that were
nominated by employees of the different bank branches.  Each bank
supervisor chose the organization for which they would be working to
raise funds and actively represent during the 10 Kilometer race.  The
10 non profit organizations selected were: The American Red Cross of
Puerto Rico,  The PR Diabetic Association, The PR Heart Association,
SER of Puerto Rico, Citizens for the Protection of the Karst
Mountains, the Altheimer Association of PR, Fondita de Jesus, Small
Joshuah Association, PR Cancer Association and the Save a Sato
Foundation.  Each organization received between $7,000 and $12,000.

Save A Sato today! Save Pablo's Life! Sentenced to Death Row

Click to save Pablo's life

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/5/help-save-pablo/ Click and sign this petition to save Pablo's life sentenced to death row in Connecticut.

This is a petition to save the life of Pablo, our very special 25 lb. black and tan Sato... not just any dog, but truly a part of our family. We rescued Pablo from the streets of San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2005 where he was born and lived as a stray for at least a year before my daughter Samantha found him. For the past five years, Pablo has been a wonderful asset to our household. When at home, he is well behaved, playful, loyal, and full of personality. His presence in our life is a huge source of joy and comfort for us- we adopted him a year after my 19 year old son Robert died due to a congenital heart condition. Raising and spending time with Pablo has been one of the most important parts of my and Samantha's grieving process. For us, he is what is referred to by professionals as an "emotional support dog." Due to Pablo living as a stray in an area where wild dogs are often abused, he has had temperament issues in certain situations. Now Pablo is on Death Row and unless we can convince the powers that be that he deserves to live, he will be gone to doggy heaven in a week ( April 1, 2011 :( Pablo is 6 years old now and has led a pretty interesting and meaningful life so far and we just aren't ready to let it be over yet.
  There is an ongoing overpopulation problem in Puerto Rico with dogs living on the streets (http://www.saveasato.org/ ) but Pablo seemed just like any ordinary affectionate pet from the moment we first met him. We took him to the veterinarian in Puerto Rico for his shots and got him his own plane ticket on another airline back to Connecticut because the plane we were on wouldn't allow pets. 

Click to save Pablo

  In June 2004, we suffered the tragic, unexpected sudden loss of my 19 year old son and my daughter's only brother Robert due to a congenital heart condition (http://www.DinotoFuneral.com , obituaries, Urbani). If he had had an operation in time he would have lived but sadly things didn't work out that way.

   Samantha and I  were too sad to stay in Connecticut and try to have a "normal" Christmas holiday the following year, so took a vacation to Puerto Rico instead of having Christmas at all. Finding Pablo and bringing him home to become part of our family was perhaps the first time either of us had felt any sort of happiness or comfort during that very difficult time, and also why we have become extraordinarily attached to him.

  Within the first month after Pablo came to live in Connecticut with us he nearly died from a life-threatening heartworm infestation, common among Puerto Rican rescues, but our friends and family managed to raise over $5,000 for the major heart surgery and 3 subsequent procedures performed by Tufts Veterinary Hospital for Small Animals in Mass. which saved his life (again). He had been given only a 30% chance of survival but we were not about to give up hope. We were not given this chance to save my son, and while many people would say  "Pablo's just a dog" it didn't feel that way to us, under the circumstances, and it doesn't now either.

 Pablo did well with the treatments and has been in very good  health since his surgery at Tufts, although in the beginning he had some minor aggression issues with being territorial about his food, etc. The veterinarians that cared for him never muzzled him and told us he was a great dog and that with time he would outgrow the minor "fearful" or "protective" behaviors that had been ingrained in him on the streets. With loving supervision he has become a very good family pet with a happy, playful disposition. He gets along well with people and other dogs that visit (we also have another small rescue dog that lives with us who misses him very much! ), although he has shown some signs of being "territorial" on occasion when people walk by our home, or when he feels threatened in some way by a stranger within our home.

 After escaping a few times and scaring the neighbors with his barking we built a large pen in our yard which, ever since, he has only gotten out on one or two occasions, without incident.

 During the past several months there were a couple situations where Pablo felt threatened by a person he did not know (which I was told by a trainer is normal in certain situations) and he did end up biting one of our friends that was visiting in our home. This raised serious cause for concern and we began researching types of dog aggression and started working on different solutions including  looking for a good animal behaviorist as well as keeping him inside a locked room when we had a lot of company, just to be on the safe side.

 Unfortunately late on the night  of Dec 4th, 2010, Pablo managed to get out of the house when some company was leaving, without knowing until the next morning that he had been out for a few hours in the cold and had bitten two of our neighbors, a man that delivers papers and a woman who is an avid walker in our neighborhood, apparently unprovoked except for his own basic instinct to protect our home.

   I feel extremely sorry that Pablo bit these two innocent people, and understand that it was my responsibility as his owner to keep him away from people in the event that this might happen, and was not their fault at all. I regret not having had a better system in place by then to have prevented him from getting loose that night. My neighbors were not seriously injured but a dog bite is not something anyone should have to suffer, regardless, and anyone that owns a dog that has even mild aggressive tendencies needs to have a secured environment to protect people from getting attacked whether the dog is provoked or not ; sadly hind sight is 20/20- BUT- I don't believe that killing Pablo is the solution to the problem! My neighbors do not agree, however, and Pablo has been incarcerated ever since at the Groton Animal Control Facility , awaiting a hearing for the purpose of an appeal on a  "Disposal Order"  in Hartford with the Commissioner of Agriculture and a panel of other professionals, standard procedure with reported dog bites.

  We are devastated by the thought of Pablo being sentenced to death. He has the personality of a child and with some work with a trainer he will overcome his unwanted behavior.   We love him as if he were an actual member of our family.

 There will be a panel of people at the hearing including my neighbors and their attorneys that do not know or love Pablo that only see him as a "vicious" or "dangerous" dog and want to see him euthanized. They want me to prove that I can prevent him from ever biting anyone again, which I believe is possible, by either allowing him to come back to live with us under new circumstances, or as a last resort by sending him to a dog farm in Texas that takes animals in situations such as this to let them live out their lives that has agreed to let Pablo come live there.

 If he is allowed to come back to our home we will agree to completely fence in our yard, as well as build a second door and entryway in front of our existing doors which would prevent any future escapes into the neighborhood. If this is not enough we will install an electric fence as well. We would also agree to keep Pablo contained in his own room whenever we have guests, and or keep him muzzled. Whatever is recommended we will do.

 We were told Pablo would be "in jail" until next Christmas (2011) before we could get a hearing. Recently somehow they managed to speed up the process and now the hearing is scheduled for April 1, 2011, just one week from today! We are currently working on getting a support team together to attend the hearing  including a veterinarian, an animal behaviorist, and an attorney. We would like to have a petition with as many signatures as possible to bring with us to the hearing.

By signing this petition you agree that putting our best friend and companion Pablo to death is not the solution to this problem, and that his life should be spared. If you have any friends that work with animals such as veterinarians, animals trainers, PETA, etc. that will sign it please share the link.
Thank you!!

Robin, Samantha and Pablo

Date La Vuelta y ayuda a Save A Sato

Date la vuelta este proximo domingo 27 de marzo del 2011, por nuestro centro de acopio "La Respuesta" localizado en el 1600 de la Avenida Fernandez Juncos en Santurce de 11 am a 4 pm y ayuda a los cientos de perritos y gatitos de Save A Sato, donando articulos de primera necesidad para estos, voluntarios estaran listos, para que te des la vuelta y recojer los articulos, sin que tengas que bajarte del auto, ni pasar trabajo alguno. Cualquier ayuda es grandemente agradecida