Thanks to everyone for their patience waiting for an update.  As you can imagine, Kim is VERY busy with these dogs, and the last thing we want to do is bother her with requests for her time.  But being the Wonder Woman she is, she was able to get around to it, and get some new pictures!  Unfortunately, I was out of town.  So I'm compiling the information she's sent to keep you updated on what's going on. (As always, click on the photos to see a larger view.)

If you are interested in working with rescue and would consider being a foster home, please go to our Contact Page and send an inquiry.  These are special needs/special circumstance dogs, so please, serious inquiries into fostering only.  Priority will be given to homes within driving distance of the Canton, Ohio vicinity - Ohio, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Michigan, etc. 

Even if you can't foster, the care and transport of these lovely little Fox Terriers is going to be expensive and we need your help to fund their way to a new life. Your donation, however big or small, is greatly appreciated.  Until now, these dogs have lived their lives as livestock, and it's time they learn what it's like to be warm and loved!

On to the report from Kim. This is pretty blunt and not exactly a fun read, however, it's the reality of what we're dealing with - and what all rescues deal with when we get dogs in from Puppy Mills.  Don't buy from Pet Stores.  Research breeders you find in ads or on websites carefully!  A nice website doesn't necessarily mean they are a nice breeding facility.  Thanks to everyone for their support - as you can tell from reading this, it's a HUGE job that Kim took on.  She's a Rock Star - no doubt about it!  And because of the generosity of our supporters and the hard work of the volunteers, we're able to help these dogs.

July 10: 

• The dogs are heavy – well fed, maybe under exercised but their muscling wasn’t too bad.  Very, very dirty.  Can’t bath right now because of surgeries, no real mats, just chunks of dirt and deep down filth. 
• Feet are stained and pads absolutely full of filth.  I will try and get this prior to them leaving my house.  Half of them have dew claws and a couple were close to growing into the leg. 
• Most all the dogs came with yellow goop in their eyes plus caked on crud in the corners of their eyes. 
• The collars on most of the dogs had obviously been on them for years.  They were the heavy webbing material and between, dirt and the lanolin off their skin and many years they were very difficult in getting off.  I had to cut two of them with industrial type of scissors.  The collars smelled worst than the dogs and that is very hard to believe anything could smell worse than them. 
• One of the seven appears to be housebroken and will walk on leash and climb stairs.  She was purchased at one time and lived in a house. 
• All the tails have a shorter dock.  
• One girl has an ear flap that either was born smaller or there was an injury.  
• One female has part of her lower portion of her tongue gone from an encounter with a piranha.  
• One girl had a large growth on her chest that they removed when she was spayed.  It is a pretty large incision. 
• One girl has had a bloody vaginal discharge and has some incision seepage also.  This poor girl also has diarrhea.  She acted fine today so hopefully this will pass.  
• The small and shy one shows a lot of promise of coming around as she acts happy to see me now at least.  
• The two elder females have very large saggy bellies and teats.  I’m sure this must be a sign of a lot of litters in their past.  One of them is the one not feeling good and one is a ginger and white and has plenty of energy. 
• When taken outside they squat many times as if marking or just have the feeling they have to go.  I am not sure if this is related to the spays or their ages and many babies or what. 
• I purchased 50 puppy pads for their crates and from 1:00 pm on Saturday till 8:00 am on Sunday I had ten left. Yikes!!!  I also have done three loads of towels and bedding as of Sunday evening.  Just a little mindboggling is the point. 
• Surprisingly most of the dog’s teeth do not look too bad.  The 13 yr old male is the worst, he has horrible tartar.
• Most of the dogs are fairly quiet, unless there is a good reason to bark.  There is one that barks more than the others and as I’m writing someone has started the group barking in the basement.  It’s bedtime on Sunday and the dogs were out in the yard in crates without the tray or x-pens for 6 hours.  They enjoyed it and I thought they’d be tired. HA!
• I am hoping we can get some suitable foster homes for these poor pups that need some TLC and some love.  Not to mention the training.  The girls appear to be fine with the male and my Airedales were around them and they ignored them. They pretty much don’t like each other when they get close. 

 July 11:

• The female that wasn't doing as well was brought to the vet today.  The blood work did not show any large increase in white blood cells.  She was tender in the belly and did have a temp of 102.5 today.  They put her on some additional Rimadyl and added cephalexin.  I am to watch her in case anything changes.  She was with them from 9 till 4 and they observed her.  Tonight she is still squatting a lot so will see what is what in the am.   They think maybe she had had a pyometra or was in heat when she was spayed.  Her incision is very large which led my vet to think of those two possibilities.  What they did find out is she is full of whip worms so all dogs are getting treated 3 days for that then again in 3 weeks, then again in 3 months.
• Jessy was acting a little better but still squatting.  They did a urine test and it had no big problems so they did a quick blood test looking for just kidney and liver problems.  She does have a little of both.  Nothing that should throw her into kidney or liver failure now but should be watched in months to come.
• I groomed Jinx the male today, no bath yet just clippered.  He was really good on the table.  Found one of his ears is split about an inch up the center.  Old wound and completely healed.  Also, his mouth is a real mess.  Looks like the gums are so puffed up they are split, some of his teeth are just brown stubs.  Other than those things he appears to be in great shape.

I’m going to try and send some more pictures tonight to the list.  I am getting fairly tired though.

July 16:

• All 7 have completed their 1^st rounds of Panacur for whip worms.  Several of them will be traveling next weekend to foster homes.  They all will be taking their next two doses for the worms.  All will have Advantage Multi applied for their heartworm plus other parasites prevention before they leave.  They are finishing up on antibiotics now.  Blue Grass is going to a vet today.  She is still not doing well.  Passed some blood yesterday after days of not having any and acting fine.  Her incision still worries me so she will go this am as soon as the vets open.

Things are still pretty up in the air with the dogs, and everyone is extremely busy - especially Kim! - but we'll post updates and photos both here and on our Facebook page as things progress so that you can see how your donations are helping these dogs.  And as soon as they're ready to be adopted, we'll let you in on that as well!

Thanks to all of you American Fox Terrier Rescue has saved a lot of dogs over the years.  In these difficult economic times, we know that your charitable donations are more sought after than ever.  We hope you are able to open your heart to these wonderful dogs and give them the new lease on the life they so richly deserve.

Together, we can make this happen!