Animal Rescue Team TAIWAN (ARTT)


		Third time’s the charm for Vancouver ‘Mosan’ Not every transition is a smooth one for animals travelling thousands of miles in search of a new home, but thanks to the efforts of a dedicated bicoastal group of volunteers, a young dog from southern Taiwan is now living the dream of a happy home abroad. Lenny is a mixed-breed young pup that was rescued in February near the mountains behind Kaohsiung's Changgeng Memorial Hospital, said Antony Ni, a senior volunteer at Animal Rescue Team Taiwan (ARTT). Lenny flew to Vancouver on March 20 with the help of ARTT's cross-ocean adoption program, which every year places hundreds of rescued dogs and cats in loving new families in the United States and Canada. A new home In Vancouver, volunteers from ARTT's partner animal protection group were ready to receive the new little immigrant with open arms. Within a week, they were able to find Lenny a loving couple that was willing to...

: Third time’s the charm for Vancouver ‘Mosan’ A young Taiwanese pup is rescued twice before finally settling into her new home across an ocean.

Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and Vancouver, Canada, April 7, 2013

Not every transition is a smooth one for animals travelling thousands of miles in search of a new home, but thanks to the efforts of a dedicated bicoastal group of volunteers, a young dog from southern Taiwan is now living the dream of a happy home abroad.

Lenny is a mixed-breed young pup that was rescued in February near the mountains behind Kaohsiung's Changgeng Memorial Hospital, said Antony Ni, a senior volunteer at Animal Rescue Team Taiwan (ARTT).

Lenny flew to Vancouver on March 20 with the help of ARTT's cross-ocean adoption program, which every year places hundreds of rescued dogs and cats in loving new families in the United States and Canada.

A new home

In Vancouver, volunteers from ARTT's partner animal protection group were ready to receive the new little immigrant with open arms. Within a week, they were able to find Lenny a loving couple that was willing to adopt her. The new parents, Jenelle and Sean, met with Lenny several times at her foster home to establish a relationship, and the local rescue group visited their home and interviewed them.

"We determined that they are loving people and that Lenny would have a happy and long life with them," said Cherry Latour from the local dog rescue society. "The mom is a photographer for one of the biggest newspapers in Vancouver and the dad is a stonemason. They have a lovely home with an eight-year-old Bengal tabby cat, who is very well looked after and loved."

"They were very excited to go and pick up Lenny from her foster home, which is nearly an hour from where they live," recounted Cherry. "On the drive back to their home, Lenny cuddled into her new dad's arms. She was relaxed and was basking in the glory of having her 'forever' home!"

Super Snout Jed and Al

When they got out of the car, dad was still carrying Lenny and walked up the stairs to their front door with her in his arms. But the minute he put her down to put the key in the door, she immediately bolted.

"We do tell people to be very careful of the 'Mosans' – that is our term of endearment for the Formosan mountain dogs – as they are from the streets and many have suffered traumas and they are fearful at first," explained Cherry. "Until they are re-socialized, there is the risk of them bolting."

According to Cherry, the distraught new parents followed Lenny for many blocks, in and out of people's yards, but she kept eluding them, so they notified Dogway Dog Rescue immediately.

The local rescue group enlisted the help of Petsearchers Canada in finding the frightened little runaway. "Al and his hound dog Jed (with a super snout – he can sniff out anything!) went immediately into Vancouver where Lenny was last seen," said Cherry.

The new dad took off his shirt and let Jed have a good sniff, as Lenny's scent was still fresh on his shirt. Sure enough, within an hour, they found her 10 blocks away. "She was reunited with her new family and there were many tears of joy and kisses and hugs to both Lenny and Jed!" Cherry described.

"They are an amazing team, that Super Snout Jed and Al," she continued. "They save many, many missing pets. I fear that without them, Lenny would have been lost."

Lucky 'Mosan'

Lenny's parents are now watching her extremely closely and keeping her safe. "They love her very, very much!" noted Cherry.

For one lucky "Mosan" that was rescued twice – once in Taiwan and again in Vancouver – the third time's the charm for settling into a new happy home.

"We... absolutely fell in love with Lenny," wrote Lenny's mom Jenelle in an email. "She's an absolute angel."

"Things are going great," she added. "Lenny and our cat Cayenne are getting along much better than expected. She's getting so much more relaxed and is settling in quite nicely."

ARTT cross-ocean adoptions

Since 2004, ARTT has successfully placed more than 2,170 homeless animals like Lenny in warm new homes in the United States and Canada through our cross-ocean adoption program. But to keep the program running smoothly, we need more volunteers to help us transport our animals safely across the world. If you plan to fly from Taiwan to the United States and Canada in the near future, please send an email to our cross-ocean adoption program section and become an "animal escort" and help other lucky Mosans find their happy "forever" homes!

: Dog carries 'message in a bottle' across an ocean An animal rescue volunteer discovers a message of love and encouragement concealed in an unlikely container.

Taipei, Taiwan, and Vancouver, Canada, April 1, 2013

Animal rescue volunteers in Canada were reminded of the powerful bond between humans and animals when they took in Taiwanese dog "Mei," in recent days.

After traveling thousands of miles through Animal Recue Team Taiwan's (ARTT) cross-ocean adoption program, the black mixed-breed female was found to carry something unusual around her neck: tightly tucked inside an amulet on a silk necklace was a handwritten letter in Chinese with a photo of a young woman and Mei.

The letter reads:

My baby sister Mei,

Tomorrow will be the day for you to fly to the country of happiness. It seems there is nothing else I can do except wish you well. Although I know that you cannot understand what I'm writing, I hope you can feel my love for you through this letter. You have to be good, be independent, and no longer be scared. There won't be anyone yelling at you anymore. I don't know if the garbage trucks play the song "For Elise" in Vancouver, but don't forget to sing along if they do! I will never forget the time that I spent with you. I hope you won't either. Be happy and joyful. And I hope we can meet again some day.

Love you,

Big sister

Intrigued about the identity of the young woman in the photo and of the cleverly hidden "secret letter," they asked for ARTT to help get in touch with her.

After ARTT volunteers searched high and low, they were finally able to track down the mystery woman in the photo, 28-year-old Alice Yang, a resident of Taoyuan in northern Taiwan.

When ARTT volunteer Antony Ni contacted Alice, she was surprised to hear that her "secret letter" had been discovered. "I feel a little embarrassed!" she said smilingly. "I never thought it would ever be found!"

"I couldn't help but feel sad at our impending separation so I decided to write the letter to wish her well," said Alice about the letter. "I stuffed it neatly inside an amulet that I had blessed at a temple the day before her flight and tied it around her neck right before we said goodbye at the airport."

"I rescued Mei from the streets more than three years ago on a very rainy day," she recalled. "Because I myself am not able to adopt her, I searched everywhere for a suitable home to place her in. During the three years that I looked after her, we tried several private animal shelters, animal hospitals and foster homes, but Mei wasn't able to assimilate into any of them."

"She even broke her right ear after being attacked by other dogs at one of the local shelters," continued Alice. "That's when I asked ARTT for help in finding her a good home, and I knew for sure that her days would be much better in Canada."

Thanks to the efforts of ARTT volunteers, Mei, now four years old, flew on March 20 to Vancouver, Canada, where volunteers from the local animal protection group were ready to receive her and are now searching for a new home for her.

Upon hearing about the story behind the letter, Canadian rescue group posted it on their Facebook page to share this amazing story of love between humans and dogs.

"We have taken Mei into our hearts as a sacred trust... She is so loved here and in Taiwan. We want her 'Big Sister' to know that she will be so cherished and cared for," wrote Cherry Latour, from the dog rescue society, in an email dated March 28.

"She arrived at Vancouver International Airport, and Mei was put into our care and into my Volkswagen in her travel crate... and taken to my home," Cherry said.

But the transition was not an easy one for Mei. "She was very afraid, and stayed close to Adina, another Taiwanese dog that made the long journey with her. I would sit on the floor next to Mei, on the stairs, wherever she was, and reach out to her."

"Eventually she allowed me to approach her and touch her head," recounted Cherry. "It was then that we were able to take the silk necklaces from her neck and open their treasured words."

"What we discovered was a necklace with two coins, a necklace with a miniature origami, and a necklace with the treasured 'letter to Mei.' When we read it, we wept... at the courage and the love that it takes to say goodbye," said Cherry.

"We really hope, as Big Sister wrote, that she will one day be with Mei again. And we want Big Sister to know that we have a piano in our home, and as a classical pianist I play 'For Elise,' and I also whistle it to Mei. Thank you Big Sister for loving her so much to send her across the world to us!"

Since 2004, ARTT has successfully sent over 2,170 homeless animals like Mei to warm new homes in the United States and Canada through its cross-ocean adoption program. But carrying out our cross-ocean adoption program is not without its challenges. The task of transporting the animals from our veterinary clinic in Taiwan to a new home across an ocean is an arduous one that rests solely on our volunteers, who diligently and lovingly accompany the animals throughout their long journey by road, rail, and air.

We ask that if you are planning to travel to the United States or Canada in the near future or are interested in adopting one of our rescued animals, please send an email to our cross-ocean adoption program section. If you wish to learn more about how to get involved, please visit www.saveDOGS.org/english. Together, we can help more homeless animals in Taiwan start a new life on the other side of the world!

: 'Elephant dog' found in mountainous area Severe case of scabies renders an old street dog hairless with skin resembling an elephant's.

Kaohsiung, Taiwan, January 16, 2013

Animal rescuers in southern Taiwan were shocked to see what was once a beautiful yellow dog reduced to a ghostly sight of its former self: sickly, scrawny and pale, with skin as tough and rough as an elephant's.

When volunteers of Animal Rescue Team Taiwan (ARTT) were recently notified of an old dog wandering around a remote area near Kaohsiung City's Renlin Road, they had no idea what they were about to find. "It was nearly hairless so we could clearly see its skin, which was all cracked," said one volunteer. "The poor dog was not only discarded as garbage, but after days not eating anything, it had lost so much weight that it was just skin and bones."

"Due to the remoteness of the mountainous area, we spent hours conducting a blanket search before finally finding traces of this 'elephant dog,'" recalled another volunteer. "Despite its frail condition, the dog was highly alert and wary of people. We had to chase the dog for some time before we could finally place it securely onto our rescue vehicle and send it on its way to a nearby veterinary clinic for emergency treatment."

Bad case of scabies, ehrlichiosis

Once at the clinic, ARTT's veterinary team said the dog, which was about seven years old, should've been a beautiful yellow-haired dog, but a bad case of scabies had caused its hair to fall out and its skin to harden and crack. Blood tests further revealed that the dog also suffered from ehrlichiosis, an infectious bacterial disease transmitted by ticks.

ARTT's veterinary team is currently administering a treatment of high nutritional supplements, which will be followed up with a combined therapy of injections and medicated baths. "At this rate, we estimate it will take about three months for the dog to recover," said one veterinarian.

The volunteer group has vowed to cover all medical expenses and see to it that this poor old dog not only recovers its health but also regains a healthy appearance.

: Taiwanese terrier sends holiday greetings from Canada A former Taiwanese street dog sends warm season's greetings from its new home in Canada.

Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and British Columbia, Canada, January 1, 2013

Roy, a black terrier from southern Taiwan, spent his first holiday abroad with his new family in Canada at a Port Moody, British Columbia, Christmas festival.

To mark the occasion, Roy's adopted family recently sent photos back to Animal Rescue Team Taiwan (ARTT), which successfully carried out the cross-ocean adoption last November with the help of foreign animal protection groups. "Seeing Roy's happy face while posing on Santa's lap in the company of other doggie friends moved many of us to tears," said Joseph Nee, ARTT team leader.

"The thought that a dog like Roy, who had been heartlessly abandoned and was barely surviving on the streets by eating whatever scraps it could find, would be able find a fresh new start halfway across the globe was very rewarding and comforting for many of us," said Nee. "We only wish Roy the very best in the future and are confident we can help many more stray animals like Roy find the same happiness in the years to come."

Found on streets in October

ARTT first received a notification back in October of a black terrier wandering by an industrial road of Renwu District in Kaohsiung City. "We could hear its cries as it rummaged in the trash for scraps of food," said one area resident. "It was heartbreaking to see this poor animal suffer like that."

ARTT volunteers who first saw the dog and tried to approach it said it appeared very warm and friendly. "We therefore suspected that it was cruelly abandoned by its previous owner," said one volunteer.

The terrier, a male aged about five years, not only suffered from a skin disease that spread throughout its entire body, but also had heartworm disease and ehrlichiosis. Further examinations revealed that the dog also had a perianal gland tumor. But fortunately, after more than a month of constant care and medical treatment by ARTT's veterinary team and volunteers, the dog gradually recovered its health.

Step up and make a difference

Thanks to the efforts of dedicated volunteers, ARTT has successfully sent 2,170 dogs and cats to warm new homes in the United States and Canada since 2004. If you wish to make a donation or learn more about how to become a volunteer or an animal escort for cross-ocean adoptions, please visit www.saveDOGS.org Together, we can make a difference to take stray dogs and cats in Taiwan off the streets!

: Puppy with severed paw found near school School children in southern Taiwan were greeted with a gory sight in recent days: a poor puppy with a severed paw clinging defenselessly onto its mother.

Kaohsiung, Taiwan, December 20, 2012

The sight of a poor puppy whose paw had been lopped off clean off its bone immediately moved a group of good Samaritans in southern Kaohsiung City into action.

The puppy was spotted with its mother and another puppy in an alley by Huashan Primary School in Xiaogang District. "One of the puppies' left front paw had been apparently cut off and it was bleeding profusely," said one resident of the area. "We suspect this was an act of animal abuse and its paw had been cruelly chopped off with a sharp object."

Following the discovery, the group of well-meaning people helped transfer them to a safe location so that whoever did that to the poor puppy would not be able to find them again to repeat the misdeed. Then they contacted Animal Rescue Team Taiwan (ARTT) for help.

Every second counts

ARTT team leader Joseph Nee and a group of volunteers immediately set out to find the dogs. "When we arrived at the scene, we found the two newborns tightly pressed against their mother," recalled Nee. "Upon closer inspection of the puppy with the missing paw, we were sure its life was in danger if we didn't get it medical attention right away."

To make the mission as efficient as possible, Nee used an anesthetic blowgun on the mother before securing her and her puppies onto the rescue vehicle. Fully aware that every second counts, Nee contacted ARTT's veterinary team on the way to the veterinary clinic to make sure they would be ready to treat its wounds by the time they arrived.

Prognosis uncertain

The ARTT veterinary team that performed surgery on the puppy, which was not even three months old, said that because of the severity of the wound, its prognosis remains uncertain. "We will need to keep it under careful observation for a period of time before we can determine if it's out of danger," said one veterinarian.

In the meantime, rescue group volunteers have flocked to the clinic to visit the puppies and its mother in the hopes that they can recover soon.

"We will cover all medical and relocation expenses for the dogs and make sure they never have to fall prey to the dangers of animal abuse from a life on the streets again," said Nee.

: Young family of diseased dogs rescued in southern Taiwan A mother and her three puppies are recovering from a serious case of skin disease and ehrlichiosis after being rescued from the streets of southern Kaohsiung.

Kaohsiung, Taiwan, December 8, 2012

The parking lot of a restaurant specializing in roast duck was the setting of the latest rescue of Animal Rescue Team Taiwan (ARTT) volunteers in the southern port city of Kaohsiung, where a female dog and her three puppies were found living on a patch of weeds.

"They all suffered from a severe skin condition," recalled one resident of the Renwu District area. "In addition, the recent heavy rains gathered puddles around the area where the dogs lived, exacerbating their skin condition to the point that it gave off a foul smell."

Wanting to help, a group of well-meaning people set up a makeshift shelter and left food for them, but the mother was very protective of her puppies and extremely wary of humans, making it difficult for anyone to try to approach them.

"We tried on several occasions to take them to a veterinary clinic for medical treatment but the mother would not let us get anywhere near them," said one of the good Samaritans. "Finally, we decided to ask one of our friends to contact ARTT for help."

Rescue takes more than three hours

ARTT team leader Joseph Nee set off on a rescue mission with a group of volunteers upon being notified of the case. "Sure enough, we found the puppies in the specified location, but the minute they saw us coming they fled in separate directions," said one volunteer. "It took us a while to round them up, but eventually we were able to secure the puppies onto our rescue vehicle one by one."

After hearing the puppies' cries from the cage, the mother instinctively wanted to get close to them, but also struggled to keep her distance from the rescue team, said Nee. "In order to avoid a chaotic scene, we opted to use an anesthetic dart to calm the high-strung mother and take her in safely along with her pups."

In the end, the rescue mission took more than three hours before we could rush the canine family to a local veterinary clinic, he said.

Besides skin disease, ehrlichiosis

ARTT's veterinary team estimated that the mother was about one year old, while her pups were no more than two months old. Besides the skin disease, the dogs also suffered from ehrlichiosis, said one veterinarian, who added that the dogs would all be thoroughly disinfected and given a combined therapy of medicated baths and injections.

ARTT has vowed to cover all medical expenses and find them a warm new home once they are fully recovered so that they never have to wander the cold, wet streets again.

ANIMAL RESCUE TEAM TAIWAN