Our Moral Responsibility To Willow

As Arizona’s oldest and largest no-kill shelter, we have a moral responsibility to give Willow the life she deserves.

Every moment you spent with her going for meandering walks, shaky snuggling, or petting her while she collapses, Willow had an optimism and view on life that everything was going to be okay. Born with a mysterious neurological disorder that causes her to collapse, have mini “seizure”-like episodes, and the inability for her brain to communicate properly with her legs, she was surrendered to one of our Rural Rescue partners and adopted. After a short period in the home, she was attacked by another dog during a seizure, covering her face and body in deep cuts. Returned to our Rural Rescue partner, she spent weeks recovering with a wonderful foster mom who cleaned her wounds and gave her love.

Knowing AAWL had access and the community support for specialist care, Willow was transported along with some of her doggie friends to AAWL to finally find the cause of her mysterious illness. Was it a brain tumor, cancer, hydrocephaly?

Working with a wonderful Neurologist, Dr. Yeamans at Animal Medical And Surgical Center, and thanks to our Medical Miracle Fund, she received multiple procedures to rule out deadly diseases. After a DNA marker test, a spinal tap, AND an MRI, we finally learned that her neurons don’t work like other dogs. A simple answer to a scary situation, and finally an understanding she will live a long and happy life. Where will she spend that happy life? In the arms of one of her saviors, the foster mom who cared for her after the attack. Checking on her every week for months, she arranged to have Willow brought back to her across Arizona so she can have a family. It’s the happy ending we hoped for, and one that all our animals deserve.

You can help animals like Willow receive above and beyond medical care by clicking here and supporting our Medical Miracle Fund to continue our life saving mission.

Abandoned and almost frozen, Anna and Elsa now looking for their forever family

Cold to the touch, he lifted their tiny bodies from the snow in the empty campground where they were dumped. The ranger stuffed them into his thick jacket as he raced to his home, praying he wasn’t too late.

What felt like hours passed, until the puppies slowly began to warm up. With a breath he held all morning, he contacted a woman who had rescued hundreds of animals and helped them find homes in Phoenix through AAWL’s “Rural Rescue” program. A woman who takes the hardest cases from rural Arizona because she had the support of a no-kill shelter.

These are the cases saved through our Rural Rescue Program, our incredible partners across the state. These are the lives we save with your support. With AAWL, All Roads Lead Home. AAWL.org/AllRoads

Thank you to the rangers and staff of Canyon de Chelly and their years of caring and rescuing vulnerable animals, some of whom have come to AAWL over the last three years as Anna and Elsa did. The only way to make a difference is to work together, and we are proud to have them as our partners to fight against pet homelessness. Thank you to all our Rural Rescue partners who have done so much for these animals in need.

“She did me dirty”: How sassy Chelsea was too sassy for a show about sassy cats…

(Begin Rant)

Chelsea, you know I love you, we’ve spent the last two years together at the shelter! I’ve brought you treats and new toys, we’ve hung out writing emails. I’m allergic to cats, and I take drugs so I don’t miss my time with you. We’re friends.

So imagine my surprise when you did me dirty last week when I got a film crew here to make you famous! The List is a great show that loves interesting topics to help their viewers across the country.

When they learned about our reigning “sassy cat” and how people have passed you by for two years because they didn’t know how to talk to you, they created a segment about “sassy cat diplomacy” to help you get adopted.

For you. And you had ONE JOB – climb on your cat tree and be sassy, it’s literally your favorite thing in the world. What was the one thing you didn’t want to do when we stopped by? You can guess where I am going with this…

You were too sassy to be in a sassy cat show!!! But that’s why we love you. You have this enduring, independent spirit that makes spending time with you so great. I LOVE my time with you because I’ve earned every cuddle, every head butt, every purr. And man, it feels great. I will not give up finding you a family, we will not give up until you have a home. That’s what we do here at AAWL, we don’t give up.

(end rant)

Sincerely,

Michael, one of your many human servants at AAWL

2018 Impact Report

We had an incredible 2018, thanks to you! Your support made us stronger together: We saved more lives, made more families, helped more youth campers, visited more schools, and spread the word of adoption and animal welfare across the state. Read our impact report, see the difference you made in your community, and get ready for an even better 2019!

“Let’s Save One More.”

My name is Herman, and I was that “one more”. On Nov. 3^rd, you’re walking to give animals like me a second chance at life. From now until Nov. 3^rd, AAWL will give all funds raised for their Walk To Save Animals to their Medical Miracle Fund to help animals like me who need lifesaving medical care.

I’m 7 years old and have been battling glaucoma for years without any treatment. The pressure is so bad, people say it feels like the worst headache of your life that never ends. The pressure built so much that one of my eyes died, and now the other one is swollen and slowly dying.

When AAWL found me at a small rural rescue(who loved me, but couldn’t afford my medical care), they were loading up a lot of dogs to help them find homes in Phoenix. They saw me, an old cattle dog who can barely see with bulging, injured eyes and began calling their medical team, asking about how much money they have in their “Medical Miracle Fund.” They came back, sat with me and said, “Let’s save one more.” AAWL took me in and is now preparing for my surgery this week, giving me my life back.

I want other animals to be given the chance that I had, a second chance at life. Please sign up, donate, or raise money for the walk, because all week your donations will go directly to their Medical Miracle Fund to help animals like me every day. Please, let them save “one more.”

Register for the Walk To Save Animals HERE.

I have you, You have me: Charlie and Caleb

Charlie and Caleb had a tumultuous life before coming to AAWL. A gentle man living in rural California provided a safe haven for dogs he found dumped in the desert near his house for years. As they wandered to his property for food and water, he invited them into his ever-growing pack of abandoned animals. Charlie and Caleb were two of those abandoned animals. They became friends at the small house and looked out for each other like brothers.

One day the unthinkable happened, the good Samaritan who opened his doors passed away unexpectedly in his home – Living alone as he did, no one noticed his absence. For almost a week. Charlie and Caleb, along with over a dozen dogs, scrounged for any food or water they could find trying to survive. Any morsel left in a bowl, any water dripping from a faucet. Sadly, some of their friends did not make it, but Charlie and Caleb stuck together and survived through what was undoubtedly the hardest time of their life. Through partnerships built across states, all the animals were placed with different groups after they were rescued, with Charlie and Caleb travelling hundreds of miles to AAWL.

Caleb, the most shy of the two, spent his first week shaking on his bed, refusing to make eye contact. He shuffled to the farthest corner when anyone tried to visit. How do you convince him he had been through hell, but now was safe? The ever-brave Charlie perched on top of Caleb all day and kept watch, Caleb’s “Rock”. As more and more volunteers and staff slipped them treats, soft neck rubs, and the always constant, “good boy”, Caleb grew confident, and Charlie flowered into a total goofball full of kisses and snuggles. We knew they could now find their new fur-ever homes.

We think they need a fresh start in life, new friends to give them a second chance. They can flourish if adopted separately and make new memories, happy memories, but they both would love a doggie companion. Caleb would love a mellow, understanding older friend, someone who can give him confidence, but also the space to become his own loving dog. Charlie would love a friend who can match his energy, who loves to play, and who doesn’t mind being sat on!

When they went through the hardest chapter of their life, they had each other, but now they need you.