Dear Rescue Friends and Family:

It was only a little more than three weeks ago since Nysa was pulled from the swamp she was calling "home" and taken to TLC Animal Hospital to begin her new journey in life.  I am in awe of the gracious donations, friendship and words of encouragement and support I have received from the rescue community nationwide in support of my endeavor to give Nysa a "new beginning."  There is no doubt she had spent a considerable amount of time on the streets of Houston fending for herself and, eventually, her pups.  Completely alone and consumed by poor health, she refused to give up.  With all of the people who had passed her by without rendering aide (including the person that struck her with the automobile), I feel that June 28th - when I saw her for the first time - was the day her Angel placed her in my path, knowing the end for her was near without help. 

Nysa has amazed me with her will to survive and her strength to endure all that she has gone through over the past three weeks.  Despite her very desparate, life-threatening situation at the onset, she has continued to regain her health at a rapid rate.  She has been home with me, following her surgery, for almost a week now.  She is nowhere close to being the same dog she once was.  Nysa has successfully conquered the stairs to our home and, now, comes to my office only to rest.  She's too busy the rest of the time stealing toys from my Bullmastiff, Pi Dog, and running from family member to family member for love and affection.  She has become quite the clown; her young age is shining through!  At long last, Nysa is able to be a young dog herself without concern for where her next meal or a clean drink of water will come from.  She can just "be a dog", with a family and home of her own.  She has taken her place here and stands guard on our property when strangers pass by (which is more than my Bully has ever done... *smile*).  I would have expected that her time spent on the streets would have lured her away from here on more than one occasion when the children have left a gate or door open, making her "getaway" quite easy for her.  However, even when faced with the opportunity to "exit stage left" if she desired, she has never even approached the gate, staying on our front steps or in the garage waiting for a door to open inward, letting her in.  She has found her place here and I don't think it is her desire to ever go back to life on the streets again.

She had her second bath this morning and, although she doesn't particularly enjoy those moments, she is clearly quite proud of herself when bath time is over and she's a clean girl again.  She no longer has to contend with fleas and ticks or thousands of mosquitos which clearly made a feast of her presence in the swamp.  Aside from a lingering limp with her left front leg, she is completely mobile and has even been running short distances to run after her ball on occasion.  We are trying to confine her physical exertion somewhat due to the infestation of heartworms which the vet said is "severe."  Until we are able to move ahead with that treatment, we will watch over her guarded condition with caution.  I suspect she will pull through her heartworm treatments like a champ, as she has all her other treatments, and will be able to enjoy life to the fullest over the next few months.

We will still need to re-home her when the heartworm treatment is over which saddens me greatly -- for her sake, and for mine.  She is completely housebroke, gets along well with the dogs who share her space here and seems to get along well with the children who pass through (as long as they aren't on their bikes or skateboards, that is!).  I will be teaching her basic obedience commands before she is re-homed so that she is a welcome member of her "forever" family.  I am sure she will pick up a few of the "tricks for treats" Pi Dog is teaching her, as well.  He was a good trainer for other foster pups I have had in the past and, with Nysa's intelligence, I have no doubt she will learn from him easily as well.

We are only a short distance from achieving our goal to begin her heartworm treatment -- about $300 and we're there!  Thanks to very generous donations from all of you in the past, she has already surpassed death's door.  Beyond a shadow of a doubt, she will regain a near full-recovery of her past life and continue to thrive in a new, loving environment when her heartworm treatment concludes.  Please continue to spread the word seeking small donations to get her through this final stage and to help me to begin the process of finding a perfect environment for her to live a long, healthy life.  Nysa deserves a happy life with a family who will never abandon her, never abuse her, and will always appreciate the wonderful dog that she is -- full of strength, love, loyalty and intelligence.

Please continue to check the web site for updates and recent photographs:  http://www.caninerescuenetwork.com  then click on Nysa's story.

It is my hope that the web site will be complete by the 2006 holiday season and that it will serve as an additional interactive tool for all of you who participate in rescue and rehabilitation, albeit by your choice -- or God's.  As an aside, if any of you have not yet encountered the books entitled "Second Chances" by Elise Lufkin or "The Dogs Who Found Me" by Ken Foster, I highly recommend them!  Although I haven't read them completely, the chapters I have been fortunate enough to read so far have been heartwarming and a great reminder of the awesome animals we work so hard to save... and the rewards that follow.

 In faith, Kym Ann