Shadow's Fund

2 days ago

Friends, we have sad news that has been hard to share. On January 1 of this year, we lost our beloved Gotti. The weeks that have passed since then have been hard for our team, and those who knew and loved him.

If you've ever been to the sanctuary, you probably met him. He was the first dog any new volunteer met because he was so friendly and easy going. In his younger days, Gotti got himself into some trouble and that landed him here, for life. Though we were sad that we could not return him to his, or any other, home - we did our best to make the sanctuary his home.

Gotti was the first dog here to have a TV in his room, which we referred to as the (old) man cave. He enjoyed the many, many people who would spend time with him in his room watching TV or taking him out for a walk or car ride or, in the later years, just reading to him while he drifted off into sweet dreams.

He liked to lay on his deck in the sun and he really, really liked to have free reign of the dog housing area to wander as volunteers cleaned rooms and went about the business of the day. It was not uncommon for him to explore several of the other rooms, try out their couches and perhaps steal a toy on his way back to his room.

His life here was pretty good. And while all of he above contributed to that good life, none of it compared to the friendship and bond he built with our longest volunteer - Bea Rains.

Everyone knew when Bea was about to pull up because Gotti would hear her car before we saw it and start barking to let her know that he was waiting for her. He seemed to know when she was coming and would often leave a some of his breakfast unfinished, knowing Bea would not only make it extra special with some home made chicken or treats, but she would probably hand feed it to him too.

Bea began and ended her day at the sanctuary with Gotti and though he appreciated all of his friends, we know that he loved Bea like no other. That he had such a special bond, and a person he considered his own, meant the world to him and to us. And it made this place home for Gotti.

His empty room is still painful to walk past for all of us. He was a member of this family for years and he had a presence and character that were larger than life. His absence is felt, and felt deeply. His walls will bear some of the beautiful photos shared here as a lasting tribute to our old man and his special friend.

He is buried here in a beautiful garden area near where he lived and very near to where Bea parks each day. He is still her first hello, and will probably always be one of her hardest goodbyes.

Rest easy Gotti and get into some good trouble with the Mayor, Diesel and Shadow, Jordan Wigglebutt and all of the other 4 legged heros and hooligans that awaited your arrival on the other side. Your friends here miss you and send you all of our love. ... See MoreSee Less

Shadow's Fund

4 days ago

Separation Anxiety or something more sinister?

While we thought Lola was chewing on the wall out of anxiety, a closer look revealed the hidden corpse of her stuffed Woodstock toy. And though we had not even noticed them missing, we also found 2 deceased tennis balls buried in the wall. It was a grim day but at least we know the truth of where Woodstock disappeared to.

In all seriousness, separation anxiety is something many dog owners have faced. This particular hole was not entirely Lola's doing - it's been chipped away at by dogs who came before her and on our first free weekend we will devote several hours and a few hundred bucks at Home Depot and repair the wall. Not a big deal. What is a big deal is understanding why the dog is so anxious and how to help.

It begins by minimizing their "alone" time in the beginning. Sometimes this meant Lola tagged along with us everywhere. Running errands, she went with us. Feeding the horses, Lola would come along and hang in the ranch truck while we fed. When it was time to put her back in her room we would not simply escort her in and walk away, but would go in with her for 5 or 10 minutes, sit down and settle (maybe check our emails or catch up on text messages) so she could settle. We would turn on her TV and with in about 5 minutes she would hop up in her chair and curl up while we spent a few more minutes just being there. Not necessarily directly engaging, because the goal was for her to be ok without us, but being a comforting presence as she settled in. We would leave then but come back within a couple of hours and go for a little walk or play tug in her room for 15 minutes before settling again. Basically, with someone more than alone in the beginning and day by day adjusting that ratio until we hit the balance that worked for us and that she could easily cope with.

For the first couple of weeks, Lola would still whine and scratch and chew at the walls when we left. But we stuck to our routine and - most importantly - we did not get stressed. I mean, she was stressed enough for all of us. We went about our normal days, with a few modifications to make her days easier. We stayed calm and stayed the course. And Lola, like every other dog we've brought into our home with separation anxiety, figured it out in short order. She realized we were always coming back. She realized she never had to be alone for too long. She realized that when she was alone, her space was comfortable, enriching and safe. We choose the same TV shows (Downton Abbey is the current fave) because we like to think the familiar voices they hear day after day can also be a source of comfort. We made sure that her day included bits of outdoor, physical activity as well as indoor snuggling and play. Sometimes she had "extras" like a nice big bone or a Kong stuffed with peanut butter. Now, Lola is quite comfortable in her room and happily enjoys her routine.

Every dog with separation anxiety is unique and certainly if you work outside of the home full time you will need to be more creative. But the point is, separation anxiety can be worked through. The single most important factor is your state of mind. If you get stressed, frustrated, annoyed, discouraged you can count on the fact that you just amplified your dog's anxiety. They are tuned in to your emotional state and probably more aware of it, and more impacted by it, than even you are. So relax. "Things" can be replaced and repaired. Your dog's emotional health matters more and working through it together will not only strengthen your bond and build your dog's confidence, but will help you problem solve calmly, constructively and successfully. ... See MoreSee Less

Shadow's Fund

1 week ago

Another 2021 story that we never shared was the arrival of Violet and Frankie. These 2 potbelly pigs were left behind when their owner passed away. A good sam reached out to us and we agreed to offer them a home with our 2 existing potbellies, Maggie and Simon.

Their arrival begged the question of whether we should consider expanding "Potbelly Provence" to accommodate its population increase. However, the only area in which expansion was possible crossed the borders into "Hamletshire" (where a pig named Hamlet reigns supreme). While Hamlet almost never visits that area of his domain, and thus would likely not protest any boundary change, there is a young (but growing) pomegranate tree just inside the border that Oscar and Elvis have been diligently watching, in hopes of it one day bearing fruit.

Well, that day has come. The first pomegranate has appeared making the expansion of Potbelly Provence into Hamletshire a controversial endeavor. This ongoing dispute is now the subject of the first annual P6 conference - in which 6 pigs meet at the border and negotiate. The conference representatives include the 4 residents of Potbelly Provence and 2 delegates from Hamletshire. The numbers are not even but that matters not. In piggie territories weight and might, not democracy, generally rule the day (with the exception of tiniest pig, Elder pig Maggie who is 15, surly and not deterred by pigs that outweigh her).

We will keep you posted as the conference unfolds. It seems thus far that Violet and Frankie have had positive talks with Elvis. Simon has been silent and Maggie would prefer to forego the talks and just usurp the land. Hopefully Oscar can inject a more tempered voice and peace between Potbelly Provence and Hamletshire will remain. ... See MoreSee Less

Shadow's Fund

1 week ago

Friends, Semaj needs our help (and quickly). His family is experiencing some significant life upheaval and will be moving out of their home on Feb 1. They cannot take Semaj with them and we are asking for everyone's help to find him a new and loving home before then.

Semaj is a 6 yr old mixed breed dog (he was guessed to be a pittie/border collie mix, but without a DNA test that is truly just a guess). He is about 60lbs and friendly to everyone he meets. He likes other dogs, kids and even cats (though we're told they don't always appreciate his puppy like play style).

Semaj has one area that he continues to struggle with (only 1, which puts him far ahead of me) and that is separation anxiety. He has it and therefore needs a home where folks are home more than they are not. He doesn't share his home with another dog right now, but often that can do wonders for helping a dog with separation anxiety do ok when the humans have to be away. So a home with a very friendly and welcoming other dog might be really nice for him as well.

He currently lives with a 5 yr old and is very respectful of her and we're told he tries to comfort her when she is upset.

For a dog with separation anxiety, losing his home and family will be tough enough. Let's help him land softly! Shadow's Fund will work with his adopter to set up a successful and low stress transition. But we need to find that home now to allow time for a visit or 2 before he moves in. If you are even thinking about it, reach out and let's just chat. No pressure - just a chat to see if you might be right for each other and if a meet and greet should be done. If you are not able to, please share widely. Thank you! Let's get this boy settled into his new home to start his happily ever after.

He is currently in Paso Robles, CA but we can make anywhere on the Central Coast work. ... See MoreSee Less

Shadow's Fund

1 week ago

"Not all who wander are lost . . ."

Last year we posted about 4 little pitties that would get out of their yard every day and one day took themselves on an adventure to the Lompoc Library. They were picked up by animal control and spent a couple of months in our local shelter. We posted them in the hopes they would find a home and leave shelter life behind. Unfortunately none of them were adopted.

One of the dogs was struggling in the shelter and we were asked to consider taking him. This posed a dilemma for us as we knew that he was likely struggling (in part) because he was separated from his pack. How could we take him and leave the others behind?

Well, as you may have guessed, we couldn't. So we pulled all 4 dogs in an act of faith or lunacy (still deciding). 1 of the 4 (Bella) had already been separated from her friends for 2 months and was adopted immediately after we pulled her (you might remember the story of Danny and Bella).

The other 3 would need to come here. We did not have a free space for them so we needed to construct something quickly. And since we had to build a structure we thought - why not make it a library!? Work is not complete yet, but their home has all of the essentials - 4 walls, a roof, windows, light and heat and a decent sized little yard around it. All that is missing is the installation of the beautiful wall of book shelves custom built for them by Josh Green.

We will definitely share photos of their "library" once it is truly complete. It has been such a fun project. Our volunteers have donated old books and even went to the used book stores to pick up the classics - hard cover of course. We cannot wait to sit and read Dickens to them by their faux fire place. Though, now that we have gotten to know them, "Where The Wild Things Are" is a bit more appropriate. They are best described as a herd of wild hippos. Until then, they are here, safe and all of their adventures now include human chaperones!

Oh and since they did not respond to their names whatsoever, they are now called Atticus, Jem and Scout. Like his namesake, Atticus is very much the caretaker of Jem and Scout and he keeps a watchful eye on where they are and what they are doing. He is the one that had been struggling in the shelter, and we now know he was just stressed with worry. If he can't see Jem and Scout, he gets quite worried and is nearly inconsolable. They are together again here at the sanctuary. We don't know what their future looks like yet as we need to get to know them a bit more so they can tell us what they want and need to live happily ever after.

Thank to you everyone who donated to make their home possible. Betty Ziegler, CAPA, Lisa Reed, Josh Green, Cynthia Post, Pari Goetz, Holly Lorusso, Dan and Julie Crutcher, Amy and Eric Black, Jim and Jenny Steis, and Tom Rehder. ... See MoreSee Less