"Casey the Cat" and Gateway Gifting!

You all seem to love "Casey the cat". Please share and help us find an indoor foster and forever home for him (we think he is a him :) He gives us such desperate pleas in the mornings. He is just begging for someone to give him an open invitation into their home.

Another year has slipped by and the crowds are scrambling to buy the latest toys of the year. If you are looking for some meaningful gifts to share, please read further! Why not buy all of your friends and family our new calendar that showcases some of our rescues from the past year. Not only will the recipients be touched by the beautiful photography and captions, but they might even be inspired to expand their own families. And when the year is done, use it for artwork or recycle. It's feel good, it's green and it's made locally. Another fabulous find would be our Gateway Guardians DVD. Animal lovers or not, this film is truly a testament to the change that one person can initiate. It was PJ's incredible dedication that moved others around her to create Gateway Pet Guardians. This film has to potential to inspire any person to work toward their dreams. Maybe you would just like to make a donation in the honor of a person or one of their animal children. And then we have our tees and totes. Some really cute shirts with Gateway and rescue logos. All different styles, colors, and messages. A great way to spread the word. Quit wearing your marathon and "I ran a 5k shirts" to the gym! Go to the gym with a message! If someone comes up to you asking about such a hip shirt like that, well then they might actually be worth talking to. Who knows, the purchase of a pink ringer Gateway tee just might lead you to the person of your dreams! Also available are teddy bears, baby bibs and infant sizes, baseball caps, mugs and beer steins. Another amazing offering this year are dog prints by Kay Renner. All the proceeds from these prints will go GPG. Thank you Kay!

Our Soiree was a huge success. We couldn't have done it without all of our fans and volunteers and we are so grateful to each and every one of you! Of course our photographer, David Carlyon, took some great shots from the evening. Click here to see photos. And speaking of photos, we also stumbled upon some photos from our art auction from February! After the premiere, we also received word that HSUS would like a copy of our documentary so keep your fingers and paws crossed that they will help spread the word about the work we are doing. We are also mentioned here in the SLIFF 2010 Review.
SLIFF 2010 Review: GATEWAY GUARDIANS

We are continuously raising money for our shelter. Each gift is so appreciated. We would like to tell everyone that Ashley Bertschinger is collecting cans this month and will redeem them for their cash value at a the end of December. The funds will go to GPG and we would love for you to spread the word to your friends via all of your social media outlets. So don't toss out all of those cans from your holiday parties! Get in touch with us to find out where you can bring your cans.

We also would like to ask for your support in voting for us in the "Big Apple" Pet Supply contest to help us win $3000 for our shelter fund. Big Apple is sponsoring this and voting begins soon. We will post the voting link as soon as it goes live.
And Kudos to PJ for winning $1250 from the Rams! She was a top finalist for the Rams Community Quarterback Award. Another way we are raising money is throughout the e-scrip program. You simply sign up here and then any participating business will automatically donate a certain portion of your bill to your designated charity. You can see participating retailers here. American Airlines, Schnucks, Orvis, and Sierra Trading Post are some of the ones I noticed.

A huge thank you to Donna Hummert for donating over 1300 pounds of food last month! What, 1300 pounds?? Yep. Instead of being a Scrooge on her birthday and telling everyone not to celebrate it, she had a party and told her guests to bring dog food. What a great idea! No stress of "Is it the right size?", "Does she already have one?", " Will she ever wear it?", etc.... Nope. These gifts will go to feed our kids in East St. Louis. Thank you Donna! Maybe some of our other fans will also suggest to their guests that they don't really need another pot holder, vase, or plastic trinket. Maybe you can inspire your guests to bring dog food to your gathering too! Of course we will come pick it all up! No heavy lifting required.

Another SuperHero we would like to mention is Ledy VanKavage. She wrote a great article about the meaning of Thanksgiving here about our Gateway Guardians film. Her other blog posts on change.org are here. We aren't the only ones who recognize how special she is. Click here to read about Ledy and here to VOTE for her! Please vote NOW as voting will conclude December 5th, Sunday.

Since GPG has no physical home right now, we are storing our supplies at multiple homes and it's getting crazy! On our wish list is to be able to rent a storage unit that we are able to access day or night. This will cost 25.00 each month. Tracy Lammert already stepped up to take the first month. Would you be kind enough to offer to a pay for a month or two?? We will keep you posted on our progress.

Other links we would like to share are for our Gateway Pet Gazette, December Issue.
And an "elf movement". Jamie would love for all of you to send us you and your family (of course include the dogs!) getting "elfed". If you know a Scrooge or two, you guys need to get some "Jamie energy" as she exudes an infectious joy for life. She specializes in holidays and realizes that you must celebrate these moments to create a special life. We are so thankful to have her presence at Gateway. So rarely do highly organized/focused and artistic energy merge but that's just what happened when Jamie got made and we are very thankful for all of her dedication to our four-legged creatures.
Click here to see Jamie with Boise talking about the work we do in East St. Louis on Fox2.

Prada, Maggie & Gertrude

We have been feeding Prada for about 2 months now. She is a playful, but shy, little wiggly girl. Definitely a gem of a dog, she just needs the love and affection that a stable home will give her. She is 10 months old and about 18 lbs. She is staying in PJ's carport right now because of her age and the fact that PJ has had parvo in her house. We just don't want to risk it. Please email us if you are interested in fostering Prada, or better yet giving her a loving, fantastic home.


I have spoken about Maggie before on this blog. She takes her bones from us everyday. She loves the pets she receives more than her bones. She is ready to come home to someone. She is going to be the PERFECT dog. I have a great amount of affection for this dog. If I had an open spot in my home she would be my foster for sure. Please consider fostering Maggie. I want to get her off of the streets before she has to live through another winter of icicles hanging from her long, beautiful fur.

Gertrude is the last of the kitties that we want to rescue from the area. She meets us everyday and asks for food. The house she used to live in was knocked down (thankfully she was not in it). The one next store to it burned (thankfully she was not in that one either). She did disappear for some time after those incidences, but is back and begging for food everyday again. Please help us rescue this kitty before she is burdened with the freezing winter months. She is a lover. If you are interested in any of these pets, please email us at gatewaypetguardians@yahoo.com

We Heart Kitties too!

Although we predominately rescue dogs, we still love those kitties. PJ carries cat food with her too when she goes to the streets. If there is anyone out there who is unable to foster dogs, but would like to foster a cat, notify us and when we find a sweet baby like this one who we could catch, we would pick her up for you. In order to pull we need foster homes lined up. Rarely do we see the same cats over and over, with the exception of this group below. The one on the right is the infamous Lou Lou Modelo. Infamous because of this incident. The kitty on the left is still out there. Always in the middle of the road waiting for PJ to pull up. She leads us in front of the car to her spot where she likes to be fed. She just had a litter of kittens. We have not seen them yet.

Do you like the kitties as much as the dogs, or are you strictly a dog person? I am personally both, but my hubby is deathly allergic to the cats, and only slightly allergic to the dogs. He is a saint for letting me bring all of these animals into our home.

Lou Lou

I just love this cat. There is just something about her that makes me melt. She is really starting to come around since the last time I posted about her. I think she will be super friendly to all two legged creatures in no time. Well, maybe not birds. Here is the problem: Since my husband has been out of town for the week, I  have been able to keep her in the basement. He is super allergic to cats and when he gets home it is going to be really hard on him to have her around. Not to mention the fact that she is being kept in a cage in our basement. I would really like to get her in a home that can work with her and integrate her into their home life. She deserves it. She is just darling. She has gone from hissing and scratching to rolling over on her back on my lap and allowing me to work her mats out of her fur. She falls asleep on my lap and purrs just like a regular house kitty. I hope someone can find it in their hearts to open up their home to her. I just couldn't resist taking her off of the streets, and now I need to figure out what to do with her. So much for planning ahead. 

Honey, Please don't kill me, but there is a feral kitten lose in the basement.

Which would not be such a big deal if my husband were not deathly allergic to cats. I rode with PJ today, and we have had this ongoing thing with this kitten. I tried to catch her once and failed, but today, PJ snuck up on her and grabbed her while she was eating. It surprised all of us. It's like, oh no! what are we going to do now? She is so adorable, and I am really hoping she will fall for the stinky food in her trap. It's even organic. She got away from me when I was trying to transfer her into the big kennel, her new lovely mansion, equipped with a toilet, fake mice, and jingly little plastic balls, access to food and water 24/7, and a soft snuggly blanket. And all the pets she will allow, which aren't much these days. She is mad at me, but I told her that she should be mad at PJ since she is the one who caught her. I think I have someone who will foster her on Monday, so hopefully we will only have her for a couple of days. I really do not know how my husband puts up with me. He is a saint, as are all of the spouses of the Gateway fosters. Than you to all of you!

You are Invited!

THE POLAR WAVE POOCH PARTY

The Polar Wave is moving through St. Louis. Please help bring the animals out of the icy cold weather! We would love to see you there. Come meet some of the key players with Gateway Pet Guardians, have a couple of cocktails, bid on some super fabulous silent auction items...but, don't outbid me...or do, because it will go to the animals :)

January 25, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Polar Wave Ice and Fuel Company, Plant number 6
2200 Gravois
St. Louis, MO 63104
$15 entry donation, includes two drink tickets

•Tours of the Recently Rehabbed Historic Building
•Silent Auction
•Hors d'œuvre
•Wine, Beer, Water and Soft Drinks Available

Not only will you be helping us with vet bills for animals like Martin here, but just your attendance will put us closer to our goal for purchasing a facility so that we can pull more dogs from the freezing cold streets. Tonight is going to be one of the coldest nights in St. Louis for a decade. Luckily we were able to get Bomber out of the cold. He is safe and resting on a cushy bed, watching TV and receiving meds for all of his pain and injuries at Dog-Gone Fur Babyz. There are so many dogs out there like Bomber that would love to have a warm and safe place to rest. This fundraiser will be the first of many this year that we will be throwing to raise money for the shelter. We would love to get to know you. We would love for you to be part of what we do. Saving these dogs is not a question, it is just a matter of how quickly we will be able accomplish that goal.
Martin is doing very well. He is adjusting to his new face and is becoming more laid back in his foster home. He is such a sweet dog, and so deserving of a great home. Again, as I have said so many times, it is because of you that we are able to do what we do. I cannot thank you enough. We look forward to seeing and meeting you at our future events this year!

It's Bomber's Turn.

PJ called me today, saying that she wished we could take Bomber off of the streets, just for a couple of days, while the cold passes. My husband is out of town, and I thought, well, I could have him for a couple of days. My second thought was, there is no way I will be able to put Bomber back on the streets once he gets to live in the lap of luxury. So, I set out on a mission to find Bomber a foster home. The response was amazing. The people that we work with are so supportive and wonderful people with the biggest hearts. Bomber now has a foster home, with Dog-Gone Fur Babyz, and will no longer have to suffer as he has suffered for his entire life.
As you can see in the background of all of Bomber's photos is a black dog. I do believe that this is Bomber's lady. She has had so many litters just in the two and a half years I have worked with Gateway. I am sure most of those are Bomber's pups. I think Bomber protects her. Although, she will be happy to not have to have Bomber's pups anymore, I think she will miss the protection and friendship Bomber has provided. The problem is that she will not come near us. We will have to trap her to catch her. In order to do that, we will have to have a foster home lined up for her. I am worried about her being out on the streets without Bomber. Hopefully we will find someone willing to take her. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for someone who would be willing to foster a pretty black dog. She would love to never have anymore litters of pups again.
Thank you to those who donated to Martin's fund. I am always amazed at the people who step up to the plate when we need them. Martin is doing well, and has really taken to his new cyclopse look. The vet says that he is just the sweetest dog and they would be happy to have him there as long as he needed to stay. David Carlyon is going to be his foster. We will be getting some fabulous pictures of Martin to show off from David soon, I am sure.

Martin (kind of graphic)

I will let you know when a post is going to be sad or graphic. I don't want to offend anyone, and I know that we all want to hear the happy stories of dogs being saved, but sometimes there are trials and tribulations before those dogs can be saved.

Today when PJ was feeding the dogs she came across the same packs as usual. Except this time, one of the dogs was severely injured. Poor Martin's eye was completely hanging out of his socket. Of course he usually will come to PJ, but this time he ran. She chased him and finally caught up to him. She picked him up and carried him about 100 yards to her car. She took him directly to the vet. They are going to have to remove the eye. Martin is so sweet. He loves people and would always play games with the dog treats with the other dogs. It seems like each time we get a major vet bill paid off, or just when we think we might be getting ahead, we find another dog who is in undeniable need of our care.

We could really use you to help us pay for Martin's surgery and medical care. Thank you in advance for all that you do for us. We really appreciate you being here and caring about the animals. Without you, what we do would not be possible.

Scarlett's Story

Last year, one of our fosters, Melissa rescued a very sick puppy. She was so malnourished that her growth had been stunted and she was losing her fur from all of that mange. Scarlett was a very special dog and was adopted by a wonderful woman named Sarah Torretta. Sarah wrote a narrative in Scarlett's voice as well as her own. It is such a sweet story, I thought I would share it. It is totally worth the read.

Gateway to a Forever Home
by Sarah Torretta

Scarlett

The warm sun started to peek over the building across the street. I stretched my paws, farther and farther, ignoring the aching in my belly. There was a thirst at my mouth, as there was most of the time, and I sighed. It was time for another day. Here, where I lived, it was tough. The cold weather had stopped for awhile, turning warm and wonderful, but then it came back again. My bones ached, my belly rumbled and my fur itched. I started walking around, looking for anything to eat, and ran across a trash-can half-tipped by those crazy animals in the night. They would freeze if something came across their path, but that left me with breakfast, so I was okay with that. I licked some water off the ground. It was in a muddy puddle with some leaves. Leaves, an added morning treat. I loved to eat them. Sometimes I had to eat the droppings of larger, meaner dogs, who wouldn't let me eat from the leftovers in the trashcans. I searched and searched for somewhere soft to rest. I was just so tired. Is this what life is like?

I curled up in the sun and took a nap, until I heard it. A growl. I startled awake and scampered off behind the run-down building, my heart beating wildly in my chest.

I watched, from the distance, with my eyes peering out of the dark shadows as my friend, the only one I had, disappeared. The growling had not stopped... in fact the thing was still standing there, and even when it stood still it growled. A low rumble, never blinking. I watched as something crawled out of it. The other dogs had called them human. I watched this human, with soft eyes take him... the other dog... and put him in the big growling thing's belly. He was never seen again. I wondered how something with such soft eyes and a gentle voice could take away my friend.

Sometimes this human would bring more humans and they would even crawl under buildings to find other dogs. Always they would put them in the belly of the large growling thing and they would disappear.

The sadness in my heart grew everyday. The weather would bounce from cold to hot. I couldn't get comfortable lying down, my ribs rubbed on the pavement, which ranged from cold to colder and was always hard and uncomfortable. When I found grass, it was sparse and patchy, and usually other dogs ran me out. I itched more and more everyday, and I kept losing my fur. I was achy, and hungry and thirsty. I was in the middle of the street, but I just had to lie down. Just a little rest, I told myself. I scratched at my ear with my paw, but it just kept itching. My skin hurt so badly. I just didn't want to move anymore.

I awoke with a start as I realized IT came back. The big growling thing. It came right near me. I tried to move, but my bones were sore and I was so weak I barely managed to stand. The human was back, and this time there was another one. This one had an even gentler look. I didn't want to disappear into the thing. I didn't want to go away, even if this world was cruel. But something about this human caused my tail to wag. Something I haven't felt in my whole life. I knew it was worth risking going into the thing. The human picked me up and looked at me with sweet eyes. They were wet with tears. Sometimes I get tears, too. When my fur itches or my belly aches. The human was holding me now, so close I could feel a heartbeat. It was nice. The human took me into the belly of the thing, but nothing happened. I didn't understand. It was warm, and the thing didn't hurt like I thought it would. I was now on something soft and cuddly. I had a hand rubbing my head, and a soft voice calling to me. I wondered if this was so bad, but I continued to shake.

The human was still holding me tight. The other human called her Melissa. She talked to me, called me a good girl. As the thing started moving, I shook even harder. Her voice soothed me the whole time we were in the thing and when it came to a stop, I looked up, and realized I was still being hugged tightly.

"Scarlett Martini" she said. "That's what we'll call you." I had no clue what that meant, but I guess that's my name. I was carried into a building. I'd never been inside one of those before. It was a little scary.

Melissa said I was sick. We were at THE VET. I was scared, but she was with me. This place smelled of animals. Melissa kept whispering to me to be brave, and she told me how good I was. I wanted to make her happy. She was my angel.

The vet said I have mange. The vet said I have worms. The vet said I'm lucky to be alive. I know this, because I know how my stomach turns, and my outsides itch. I know this, because I know the taste of trash and water from the street.

Melissa took me home with her. It was soft beneath my paws and I slept more soundly than I ever have in my whole life. She gave me food everyday, and she gave me soft toys to play with and a place to sleep. I knew she was wonderful. I knew that it couldn't last forever, because I smelled the other dogs and cats that had come before me and I knew that her dog and cat (she called them Summer and Meeko) were there for good. I could tell. I knew that I wouldn't get to be there for good. Melissa talked about finding me a "forever home" where I could stay always. She talked about finding me a family and a yard. She wanted it to be the perfect place. She said I was special.

Sarah

It was one week after returning from Paris and Vienna, and I wished I was back there, the weather was nicer, and life there was a little slower paced. I knocked on the door at Lyndsay's apartment, and she came out. We were headed to dinner. When we came back, she was telling me about her neighbor who takes in puppies. We happened to see her. She held in her arms a towel, and in that towel was a dog, or at least what was supposed to be a dog. Her fur was patchy and you could see right through to the skin underneath. She was tiny, but in her eyes was a look. She reminded me of Rosie, our family dog. She was shy, but she came to my feet and stared intently up at my face. She was a gentle soul of that I'm sure. I took a card from her neighbor, Melissa, and I got her e-mail address. I returned home that night with the card and thought. I asked my parents what they thought, I e-mailed Melissa. I got pictures, and I begged. Since I lived in an apartment in the basement of my parent's house I couldn't get a dog without their blessing. It would have to use their yard, and would be in the house, too. Yet, a dog was not to be. I resigned myself to that fact, and the rest of my school year continued, eventfully and she was on my mind. That little face, with the glance filled with hope.

Scarlett

Melissa bathed me everyday, and she gave me my special medicine. No matter what happened (when there was bleeding or I was sick and scared) Melissa was nothing but patient. She stayed in the room with me (she called it quarantine) until I was well enough to go play with her dog and cat. I knew they were out there, and I wanted so badly to play with them, but she said mange was bad and I had to be alone for awhile. That didn't stop her from spending time with me, though. She took me on walks and loved me. I would run with her, but I couldn't resist the wet grass. She and Summer would go on long walks or runs, but I liked to stop, and roll around. She just laughed. I would stretch my body wide in the soft grass that was full and wet with dew. Grass like I have never seen before.

When we were inside, I would curl up on her lap while she was doing work. I snuggled into her lap and watched every move she made. I slept in the big chair that was shaped like a bowl, and I drank fresh water whenever I could. It was always available. Eventually my scabs stopped itching on my skin and my fur and belly felt full. My belly could never be hungry like on the street. Melissa made sure of that.

We visited several people, but no one was good enough for my "forever home" she said. She hugged me so tight. Even though I knew it wasn't forever, I still hoped she'd keep me.

We went to "class." I learned to sit. She was so happy with this that I did it all the time, even when she didn't tell me to. (I also knew I'd get at treat). She told me one day to be pretty, to play with people and show them how great I am. She told me that today I might find a forever home. We went under this big area and I was playing with Princess. We were romping on around in a pen, and I was having fun. People were around. I still wasn't sure about them, but I knew Melissa was close, so I felt safe.

There was one who stopped by us and looked at me. Her eyes seemed kind. She looked at me intensely and I vaguely recognized her. She stood next to Melissa and they talked. Then I remembered where I had seen her before, and I knew I liked her, but I was still unsure. I sniffed her hand, but I didn't want to get my hopes up, so I went back to playing.

Sarah

We walked up under the big white tent at PetCo. Lyndsay was in search of her perfect dog. She had been to shelters and the humane society and in the last couple weeks nothing had clicked. She had met a few that were cute, but nothing that just fit. I told her to be patient. She'd find the dog that needed her, and that she was meant to be with. I remember from my childhood how it just seemed like they clicked with you. Every dog we had was that way. They came in unexpected circumstances but they were always perfect for us. As we walked around, I saw Scarlett. Lyndsay's neighbor Melissa was there, and we talked. I reached to pet Scarlett and she sniffed it, nosey to see what I smelled like, and then went back to playing with the other dog in the pen. Melissa told me Scarlett is very shy and that she is the sweetest dog, but that she doesn't show that to people, she almost acts indifferent. I wonder if this is because she is afraid. I wonder if she's afraid to get attached and have that gone. I want to hug her and tell her I'll never leave, but I hear my dad's voice in my head warning that he's not ready for a second dog. Our other dog Shadow had to be put to sleep after 16 years. I hear his voice, and yet her little eyes tell me that she is the one for me. I hear a squeal from Lyndsay at the other side of the tent. She has found her match. A little Boston Terrier that needs a home. She names him Seamus and off we go to PetCo to get the supplies he needs. I call my mom. I ask if it's okay to set up a playmate for Scarlett to meet Rosie. She says yes. I think she hears it in my voice, that I really want this to happen. That this is something I need. I go back to the tent and talk to Melissa and as I do, I see two people playing with Scarlett. My heart breaks in two. Don't go home with them, I think. Don't go. Come with me! But I can't say that, because I don't know for sure how she'll like Rosie, and I don't know if my dad will be okay with this. So I tell Melissa to come over the next day, and that's the best I can do for now.

Scarlett

That next day Melissa took me to the thing, which I learned is a car and not an animal. I love it now. I like to curl up and nap. When it stops and we get out, I see a fence. I see a dog, and my spine tingles. The hair stands up and I see the lady from the other day, the familiar lady. She has sweet eyes, and a soft touch, and I go to her. There are three more people. They are kind looking, too... but I'm afraid. I see the other dog. They call her Rosie.

She's a nosey thing. She just smells me and smells me. They take the leash off, and I get to run. I run all over and I feel free They have grass here. I turn to look at Melissa and she gives me the okay, so I take off and I play. This Rosie keeps following me. The man, he leans to pet me and I walk away. I'm not sure yet. I smell all kinds of wonderful smells here, and there is so much space. I wonder what this place is. Melissa seems to like it here. She goes inside and I follow.

After playing for awhile, I'm okay with this Rosie, but I'm confused. Melissa takes me back to the car. I guess this forever home isn't good for me. I watch out the window as Rosie sits at the gate. She's looking for me. I'm looking, Rosie, I'm here, and I want to be with you, too. And the kind lady and the others, with the good yard. I settle for a nap and close my eyes, dreaming of that grass, and my new friend Rosie.

Sarah

The car pulled out of the driveway and I turned to look at my family. I think that Rosie would do great with another dog, but ultimately I have no say, even if it's my dog, my financial and emotional obligation, and my commitment. My dad looks at me, and he says "I guess we're getting another dog, huh?" We talked, and my heart grew light. I was so excited that Scarlett could come live with us. I was so excited she was going to be mine. Those tender eyes, that shy but gentle disposition. I called Melissa and told her we wanted her. I had to fill out an application and send it to her. It was thorough. I had to describe the type of dog I wanted, our previous animals, everything practically. I had to talk about how I would treat a dog and get references. I was nervous. Suddenly I worried that I might not be good enough for this dog, that there was something wrong, but I passed, and we set up a time for Scarlett to come. Melissa had to do an inspection of the house, and we had to sign a contract, so she would bring Scarlett on Wednesday, May 9. I couldn't wait. I was so excited. I just wanted her to be mine.

Scarlett

I was in the car, again, with Melissa. She was quiet, and I could tell something was different about her. When we stopped we were at that house again, the one with Rosie and the great big yard. I wagged my tail, and when I got through the gate I greeted Rosie. I was shy at first, making sure she still liked me, and I ran to the lady. Melissa introduced her as "my new MOM." I have a new mom!! This means I have a forever home. I looked back at Melissa and went to her and sat. She had a tear in her eyes. She gave me a treat for sitting pretty and I went to play. I was so happy. I have this big yard.

Then, I saw it. Water!

Sarah

Scarlett was here, and we were doing the final paperwork and questions from Melissa. She had one concern. We didn't have a gate across the pool. It wasn't open yet, and my dad had just caulked the deck, which is why the gate had been taken off. I told her not to worry about it, that we have a gate, and I shared why it wasn't on at the moment. As soon as this happened, Scarlett made a beeline for the pool. She dove onto the cover, which had water on the top. My heart jumped into my through. My first thought, as I ran to the edge, was "Can she swim?" My second thought, after seeing she could swim was "Will Melissa let Scarlett stay?" I envisioned her taking Scarlett away, claiming me an unfit puppy mother. Scarlett reached the other end of the pool and jumped off the back. She proceeded to race around the yard and straight up to us, soaking wet. She has spunk. Melissa let her stay, thank God. We went inside and played and filled out paperwork. As it came time for her to leave, I saw the tears in Melissa's eyes. I walked her outside with Scarlett and we went straight for the backyard grass. "You know, if there is ever a reason you can't keep her, I will take her back. If you ever need someone to watch her, let it be me," she said to me. She told me she would have to come back for a visit to check and see how things were going. I let her hug Scarlett, and she walked away, tears streaming down her face.

Scarlett

Melissa left, and she left me here. I'm sad to see her go. I'm not sure why she's leaving, but I know it has to do with my "forever home" so I guess this is it. I look into my "new Mom's" eyes. She seems so happy. I see that Rosie is still here, and the others. They all look excited. I am so excited, too. I can't believe I have a home, and it has grass to run in, and people with big hearts and a friend to play with.

That night I was a little scared, because the room was new, but I slept well. I was comfortable and Rosie was near me. In the morning, Mom came in to get me and we went outside. I played in the wet grass! I rolled and stretched and flopped my tongue outside my mouth with happiness. We played outside several times, and I loved it. That night I got to play inside with Rosie, too. She is the best friend I've ever had. I snuggled up to my Mom. She has a chair just like Melissa's, so I know I'll like it here.


Sarah

Two days later Melissa came back to the house to check on Scarlett. Scarlett greeted her and then continued playing with Rosie. Melissa was teary-eyed. She said it was because she knew Scarlett had found her forever home. My heart was so happy. I was so thankful for this woman, who saved Scarlett from the streets and nursed her to health, and was now trusting me with loving and caring for her. I have never loved a dog like I fell in love with Scarlett, and I am so grateful that she came into my life.

Scarlett

Melissa was crying, and I suddenly got worried, was she going to take me back with her, did I have to leave the green grass and my Mom and Rosie? Did I have to leave the others? I realized Melissa's tears were for a different reason, and I was relieved. I knew she had other dogs to come, I wasn't the first or the last, but I knew she was the most important person in my life so far, she was my Angel. Now I have my Mom, but it's because of her.

A few mornings later, the warm sun was starting to peek over the hill as I stretched my paws, farther and farther. The grass was wet and cool and I rolled in it. I looked up to see my mom, her smiling face laughing at me in the grass. She called me over and I flopped to run to her. I snuggled my cool and wet nose into her hands and she said something I will never get tired of hearing, "I love you forever."

Author's Notes:

Gateway Pet Guardian is a virtual shelter. I came in contact with them exactly as this story says. I didn't know much about them, even after adopting Scarlett, but after being blessed with such a wonderful dog, I knew I wanted to learn more about the caring organization that rescues so many little ones from the street. I wanted to piece together Scarlett's story to know what my little girl had been through.

I have kept in touch with Melissa, Scarlett's foster mom. We see each other in passing when I visit Lyndsay, and I've brought Scarlett back to visit her. From the moment I started working with them I knew they were a different type of shelter.

There are 30-40 foster homes in this virtual shelter. They host a website and myspace page to advertise their pets and link to events. They raise money with fundraisers like a bowling tournament, or they attend events like the one at PetCo. The most recent adoption event was Saturday, July 7, at the Bass Pro Shop.

This organization dedicates much of it's time rescuing animals from the streets of East St. Louis. There is a woman named PJ, who started the organization who has driven around the streets feeding stray dogs and puppies. She would take in the sick and injured to the vet and then try to find homes for them. Eventually it evolved to the organization it is today. They will drive around and feed the animals until they are able to have available foster homes for them, and they will take as many as they can. Usually they know where a litter of puppies is located and will collect the litter and get them to foster homes, or another rescue group that has room. There is a vet who has kindly worked with the organization to provide discounted services.

They have a very wonderful way of matching people to pets. They have an application process, which is strict, and they call your references. They check to see that you have a vet and what the vet says about the type of home you will provide. They do a home visit, and check out the house, along with a playmate to see if the pet is a good fit. They wait to leave the pet until the family has decided and agrees. Then, there is a ten-day trial period. If, after ten days, something isn't working, they will give you your adoption fee back and claim the animal. This is also when they do a second visit. They follow-up with a phone call about a month later, and when you adopt the dog you sign a legal contract with the organization. You promise to feed, walk, and medically care for the animal. It is a legal and binding document. It made me comfortable knowing that they took their work seriously and wanted these dogs in not just a home, but a home forever.

I know that they truly care that the pet is a fit with the family. As in Scarlett's case, Melissa had visited other homes with her, and didn't feel right about it.

They are a responsible organization with caring people. They are doing the best they can to save animals from a horrible life on the streets.

Thank you Mike & Gracie!

The other day we received a letter from Mike and Gracie. Gracie was adopted from Gateway Pets and when she heard the news that we are going to open a facility for her relatives from East St. Louis, she told Mike that he better send money to help out. Mike sent the cutest letter and photo of Gracie. I thought I would share the photo. Gracie is a celebrity!

Thanks to all of you, like Mike and Gracie, who have donated so far to the rescue fund. We are working slowly toward our goal. Our business plan is coming together to ensure our success once we obtain the facility. If you are still considering donating, please consider doing so now. There is a donate now button to the right. We could really use your help with getting this shelter for all of the homeless dogs living in East St. Louis like the ones below. Luckily, the pups below have been rescued! Yay!
Popeye is a 9 week old German Shepherd/Terrier mix, found wondering alone in East St. Louis. PJ just could not resist that cutey patootey face. She came straight over afterward to show me the cutest puppers we have found lately.
PJ was tracking T-Bone and his siblings since they had been born. She knew the mom was pregnant, but did know where she had stashed them. One day she spotted one of them frolicking outside of an abondoned house. By the time she got to the puppy it had scurried under the foundation of the house to be with the rest of its litter. PJ checked everyday to see if these puppies would come to her. She brought the grossest smelling, tastiest to dogs, food she could find. No dice. When they realized it was PJ and not their mom they would hide as far in the depths of that abandoned house as they could. We even went as far as to driving the mom to the pups to try to trick them into coming out. These puppies were a little too smart for us. Finally, PJ was able to get a grate over the hole in the house before the puppies were able to crawl back in. Rescued! It is a good thing, because it was starting to get very cold and who knows what would have happened if they would not have gotten into the safe hands of PJ.

Duck, Duck....

Boy oh boy, did Duck give us the run for our money. Above is the picture of him today. Below, you will see the picture of him on the first day he was rescued. We found him wondering alone across a busy road in East St. Louis. PJ had never seen him before. He was skin and bones, completely beat up, I mean like bad beat up and the choke chain on his neck was tied, so we could not get it off. He had no hesitation to jump in the car with us. He laid on me, enjoying my scrubbins' all the way to the vet. The vet put him on antibiotics because his wounds were so bad. This poor 5 month old pup had been through a lot; most likely inflicted by humans and dogs alike.
Once he landed in his new foster home he was quite scared and aggressive, as you can see by the difference in the pictures. The lovely foster who helped this dog off of the streets decided, with her 13 year old, four pound, deaf toy poodle, that she would not be able to keep this one. He came to me the next day and was not very nice to my dogs either. I thought it was bad news for this guy. I was sure that the torture he had been through was too much for a dog that young to overcome. After crying for a bit and thinking I was going to have to make the decision that I don't ever want to have to make, I decided to take him for a run. We ran for a long time, through alley ways with dogs charging the fence. We slowed and walked through those areas to see how he would react. He stayed right by my side without any sort of nervousness or aggression. Maybe I was wrong? Why did I jump to the conclusion that this dog did not deserve a chance? Now, after a week of keeping him in a large crate near all of the other dogs in our house and brief, surveillanced interactions, today he was able to play all day in the yard with the other dogs. Duck was actually the one I was worried about getting hurt.
He is such a sweet boy. It just goes to show that you can't judge a dog by its initial reaction when he comes from an unknown situation. Dogs & Ducks deserve the chance to show how much love they are capable of giving, even after a life of torture. This one is a keeper and is going to give someone a lifetime of love and entertainment, because he is funny too. How could he not be with a name like Duck.

Julio Heaves Hotdogs

Julio (Hoo-lee-o) brought a little of the East St. Louis dumpster home with him. We are all clean and clear and off to a new start with real dog food, sans the hot dog incentive, which is turning out to be a little tricky. Mr. Julio seems to like that junk food. Just as we humans get hooked on the junk food, I have found that street dogs sometimes don't really take to dry food, dog treats, and especially raw veggies. I consider trash to be the street dog's fast food. Julio as per the picture below, believes that my not vegetarian husband's pork smelled like the best piece of meat he had ever smelled. My husband named Julio after a famous Mexican boxer (the human fighting kind, not the breed of dog kind). It was either that or Duck. I liked Duck, but my hubby liked Julio. I suppose that suites him more anyway. The picture of him at the top of the entry is him admiring his good looks. Julio said, "Dang, I am good-look-ing." And then he went back to the mirror, admired some more and noticed his scar. He reminisced about where that scar came from, thought about his previous days as a street dog, and wrote it off as the past. We think Julio is the bees knees. Do you think you might recognize Julio?

Introducing: The Gateway Ride-A-Long Program

We have had quite a few inquiries from readers about how they can go see some of the dogs I have posted here on the blog. For that reason, in cooperation with PJ, we have created the Gateway Ride-A-Long Program. It is essential that PJ has a person to come along with her on her visits to East St. Louis. Usually her sweet mom rides with her, but her mom would love a break!

If you are interested in seeing first hand what PJ does and helping her feed the dogs (and some kitties), please contact us and we can set up a day for you to ride along. If you have any questions about this program, please do not hesitate to comment here or contact us through phone-314.664.7398, or email. We would love to hear from you.

There are so many more dogs than just the ones I have posted pictures of so far. Quite honestly, there are probably hundreds of dogs on the streets of East St. Louis. Some of them PJ sees everyday. There are some she sees one day, and never again. And then there are others that she sees consistently, and then one day they just disappear. The best part is when we have an open home for a dog and he gets to come home with us that day. The look in their eyes is one of excitement and contentment that this is their very last day of living on the streets.

Wha choo lookin' at?

This is Sage. Sage says, "Why you be frontin'?" No really she says, "I want to lick that camera." No, she was saying, "Ooh! Ooh! Your on the floor, let me get down from this chair so that I can play with you!"

Sage is our foster. She is a quirky, hilarious, soulful little girl. She is a little thing at about 35 lbs. and looks like some sort of pointer/bird dog mix. She flattens herself out when she wants to play with the other dogs in the house; head flat, back flat, tail flat, hind leg lifted. She points with her hind leg, which I have never seen before. Sage was rescued with several of her litter mates. They were all scared frozen when they were rescued. When you picked them up they would cling to your arm like little koala bears. We think they were attacked by something. One of the litter mates was missing a leg. But, we got her all patched up and she is now in a super fabulous home. Sage is the remaining pup from that litter. We love having her around, but I am sure that she would love to have her final forever home, sooner than later.

I have to say that I am pretty impressed with the response that we have gotten so far from the facility fundraiser. I don't think I mentioned it here in the blog, but two days ago, I sent out a plea for donations toward a facility for our rescue. We found a place that we think would be just wonderful for rescuing more dogs. It is a 5000 sq. ft. warehouse, with a fenced in gravel lot. We just need to raise $40,000 for the down payment. I know that number looks daunting, but if just 200 people get 4 of their friends to donate $50, then we will be well on our way. We are off to a good start, considering it has only been two days, but we need some serious donations to make this happen. It's all about dogs like Bomber and Sage & her litter mates above. Sage's poor sister would not have made it if we were not able to rescue her. And who knows where Sage would be. Even if you can't swing $50, small amounts help too. I know times are hard right now, but it is the end of the year, and your donation will be tax deductible. We appreciate anything you can give.

Qelso and Luke

Luke is turning out to be a wonderful little boy. He gets along great with my cats. Here is a picture of him with Qelso, the white and carmel colored cat and with LBJ, the grey and white cat. They are constantly sleeping together and romping around with each other.

Homeless but still Gorgeous

Today I rode along with PJ to East St. Louis. Here are a couple of the faces we came across.

This beautiful guy kind of stole the show today. This was his sweet face from the car when we were leaving. "Please don't leave me again!", he says.


This is him when we arrived. Think he was excited?


And this is him being just adorably hilarious. If he could speak, I think he would be saying "blah!", like he didn't like whatever he just tasted. I kind of fell in love with this boxer today. He just started coming around for PJ's daily feedings. He wants it to be his turn to be pulled. He is pulling out all of the shots. That is for sure.




This is sweet, sweet Bomber. Bomber has been on the streets for a long time. He is arthritic and has trouble getting around now. All he wants is to be petted by us. He is the friendliest, sweetest Rottie. PJ gives him meds for his arthritis, but the winter is coming, and the cold weather is even harder on his joints. Do you see his shy buddy in the background?



This cutie is scared to death of us. But, I think she is so pretty. She had mange when she was young, and her fur looks in pretty bad shape. I bet if we caught her, she would be happy in a minute.


Not just dogs that PJ feeds over there. I would look grumpy too if I were this kitten. So pretty though.


We just love this dog. She's a new one for PJ too. She is pretty scared of us, but will probably come around over time. We love that fluffy white fur.


PJ sharing the love.


Little Mini German Shepherd. I have named her Eartha. I love her. She is scared of us too, but extremely hungry. New to the streets too.


This little Pit mix is also miniature. Super sweet to people, but tends to be completely beat up most of the time.


Ra Ra was fascinated by the camera. Every time I went to shoot another dog she ran in front of the camera. When I would press the button she would duck and scoot out of the way. Ra Ra always has to come to the side of the car to get a treat from PJ before she leaves. Ra Ra is super sweet.


Now you have an idea of the day in the life for PJ. She has gone every day since 2001 to feed these dogs. She has not missed one day. It would be so wonderful if we could just take them off of the streets and put them in a warm, easy and loving environment. Please consider donating to our shelter fund. Help us save these sweet animals from the rough street life.

Highway Men

Welcome to Gateway Pet Guardian's first entry! We are so excited to join the blogging world to share our experiences rescuing dogs off of the streets of East St. Louis, and other places. I, Amie Simmons am the administrator for Gateway and am super excited about my position. There are so many good things that this organization does and I am proud to be a part of their daily happenings. This blog will introduce you to key players in our daily rescue adventures, as well as new intakes, the wonderful folks who help us take care of these animals on a daily basis, and updates on our progression toward purchasing our first facility. We are so happy to have your involvement and can't wait to get to know you. Please give us your feedback, suggestions, thoughts and so on and so forth. The community is extremely important to us. We are here to make the world a better place. We believe that a society can be judged by how it treats those that are less fortunate. Stay Tuned!

P.S. The pups above are looking for a new home & a new foster. Please click here or here to see more of their cute little faces. They were found running on a highway. Super lucky little pups found their way to one of the initiators of this rescue's car. They were very lucky. As you can see by their faces, they had no idea of the perils they were in.