"Sugar Mama"

Well, its no surprise how Sugar got her name - she is sweet as can be!!

Sugar is a 2 year old Pit Bull mix. She somehow found herself at animal services with a litter of puppies. The shelter staff put Sugar's pups up for adoption, but she was scheduled to be euthanized. We just couldn't bear seeing her get put down because she wasn't as "adoptable" as her puppies.

Unfortunately, Sugar ended up being heartworm positive, so she has had to undergo treatment for it. As of May 2011, her treatment is completed and she is ready to move onto her forever home.

Sugar adores people of all ages. In fact, her foster mom says she acted as the welcoming committee when new neighbors moved in...they loved her! She is good with other dogs, too.

Sugar is a true Florida girl - she loves to lay outside and relax at the beach. She is in heaven if she gets to lay out in the sun.

Summer is fast approaching. If you are looking for a super cool dog to chill out on the beach with, fill out an app for Sugar today!

"Mary Beth"

Mary Beth is a short and stocky little girlie from Hillsborough County Animal Services. She was confiscated as a cruelty case, but you would never know she had experienced any trauma or neglect. Her personality is fantastic - totally happy-go-lucky, great with people and animals. She is the perfect poster dog for Bully breeds.

Mary Beth actually passed the Pit Bull Ambassador test at HCAS, but unfortunately, she is heartworm positive. Since heartworm treatment is expensive and requires a quiet, relaxed environment, the shelter was unable to treat. But no worries, she is now with a RRinc foster to start her recovery.






UPDATE 5/30/11:

Mary Beth has completed her heartworm treatment is all ready to find her furever home! This girlie is cat, kid, and dog friendly. She is an absolute delight and is sure to make you smile.

"Wish" Upon a Star

Wish's intake photo at animal services. Notice the urine-stained
legs and open sores.

"Wish" is a female blue and white Pit Bull Terrier who is being pulled tomorrow, 4/13, from Orange County Animal Services.

Wish is in awful shape - bones sticking out and covered in urine burns. She is going to go through a full medical workup - blood panels, physical exams, etc - to see if there is a biological cause for her emaciation. But, considering the extreme urine stains, it appears she is probably the victim of unthinkable neglect - locked up in her own waste without food or water.

No matter what is causing her condition, she only has one "wish" - to be loved. Despite her harsh treatment, she still have a desire to live. She is a timid soul, wagging her tail gently when approached by people. Right now, her eyes tell a depressing story. But, with some TLC from RRinc, they will soon be telling a tale of great redemption.

By some stroke of luck, Wish is heartworm negative. However, she will still need a lot of supportive care and medical check ups. If you could please donate even just $10 to her treatment, that would make a world of difference.

To donate via Paypal, please click here.

Wish's progress will be posted here regularly, so stay tuned!

UPDATE: 4/17/11

Wish is safe and sound! She and her daughter, Twinkle, arrived Friday evening. Thanks to Summer in Orlando for holding them overnight and Stephanie for transporting them to Tampa.

Twinkle is in relatively good shape - a little skinny with some flea dermatitis, but nothing too serious. She is a happy, wiggly puppy with a great personality. She appears to have a little something other than Pit mixed in...maybe Hound? She is super adorable and is currently looking for a Foster-to-Adopt home.

Wish, on the other hand, is in awful shape. She is totally emaciated, with her spine and ribs sticking out completely. She also has severe urine staining on her legs and underbelly, which will take weeks for the new, clean hair to grow back in. To top it all off, she has multiple pressure sores on her body. All of this supports our theory that she was locked in a small, cramped cage with no human interaction - no petting, no love, not even trips outside to use the bathroom.

But now, Wish never has to worry about that fate again. She will never have to wonder if she will get dinner every night, or whether she will ever be allowed out of her crate. Her life from here on out will be a "wish" come true.

5/30/11:  Well, it has been just over a month and Wish is a totally new dog! She has been fostered by our director and has totally stolen her heart with her wiggly personality and love of life. In fact, Wish's nickname is "Go-Go" because she bounces around like a Go-Go dancer. The vet estimates her age to be around 6 years, but don't believe she is an old lady for a second. This girlie has boundless energy and would love a home where she can go for long walks and have lots of play time. She is quite the snuggler, too.

So, if you are looking for a Pittie girl with an awesome personality, Wish is your girl. She is a fantastic example of the trusting and forgiving nature of this breed - she literally was on death's doorstep because of human negligance, but she still adores people.

"Cajun" - Available

Cajun is a stunning chocolate and white male Pit Bull Terrier. He was picked up by an Animal Control Officer in Highlands County. His owners were contacted, but they never came to get him. Now, he is safe with our rescue and ready to find his forever family!

Cajun is a gentle and well-mannered dog. He takes treats gently, walks well on the leash, and doesn't jump up on people. He is pretty calm and quiet and would probably adapt well to just about any home. He will be starting his basic obedience training shortly.

Stay tuned for updates on the handsome Cajun!

UPDATE 4/17/11:

Cajun is doing great! He has really come out of his shell in the past 2 days and is showing what a fantastic personality he has. He has been out to play with Gumbo for short periods of time, and both of them are getting along perfectly. They would run around together all day if they could!

Cajun has also been a good boy about crate/housetraining. He doesn't care to go in his crate, but doesn't fight it either. Once he's there, he is quiet and relaxed. He is still learning not to barge out the crate door as soon as it opens, though. 

We haven't introduced him to the rest of the pack yet (waiting until after neutering on Wednesday.) He has had some nose-to-nose interactions with the cats, and acted like he wanted to play. I probably wouldn't place him in a home with a timid cat that would run from him, but if the cat was more assertive, it wouldn't be a problem.

"Gumbo" - Available

Gumbo is a 2-3 year old Staffordshire Bull Terrier/Pit Bull mix that was pulled from Highlands County Animal Control. He has very unusual blue and white markings and is incredibly adorable. His pictures simply don't do him justice - he is much more handsome in person! He has a "squishable" face that would melt just about anyone. Combine that with a stellar personality, and you have yourself an awesome dog!


More info on Gumbo coming soon :)

T-Bone - Foster to Adopt

T-Bone is an absolutely gorgeous American Staffordshire Terrier. He was hit by a car and taken to an emergency vet. He went through his medical screening and it was discovered that he had a fractured pelvis. The vet tried to locate owners, and when that came up dry, they contacted rescues. We took him in and we are glad we did!

T-Bone is eligible for our Foster to Adopt program until his hip is all healed up. He just needs to be on crate rest for a few weeks, and he should be good to go!!

More info coming soon.

"Aislynn" - Foster to Adopt

Okay - it just doesn't get ANY cuter than Aislynn!!

This adorable little black and white girlie will *totally* steal your heart. Her personality is phenomenal - she greets everyone and everything with a wiggly body and LOTS of kisses. She is being fostered in a home with dogs and cats, and is doing great with them.

Looking for your next performance prospect? Aislynn is your girl! She has great tug and toy drive, which is super important for agility, disc, and flyball dogs. She is attentive, focused, and always ready to go! She also has a pretty mean vertical jump for a pup, so I could totally see frisbee competitions in her future.

Aislynn would be best suited to an active home. While she would love to be in a home that did agility or another sport with her, she would love to go for evening jog or bike ride just as well :)

Aislynn was pulled from Hillsborough County Animal Services, and she has a bit of Demodex mange (a common condition we treat in RRinc.) Her case isn't too severe (compared to, say, Honey Bun or Oliver), so a couple of rounds of treatment should knock it out.

If you are interested in this amazing pup, please contact Adoptions@RugazRescue.com