Her name is Wendy, and after spending her whole life giving her love, her life to someone, she was tied to a Lamppost in an industrial area and left there to be collected by the garbage truck.
10 years of waiting patiently for her owners to return from work. 10 years of being a part of their family. Who knows.. maybe she even helped her raise their kids. The truth is, we will never know.
But what we know is that after a decade being the wonderful dog she is, she was neglected to a extreme, those people allowed her to be eaten alive by mange and Leishmania and to reach the point where she just collapsed.
And then… they dumped her.
She was laying immobile on the floor when she was collected by animal control and taken to a local shelter… and that was when we met her.
Wendy is now in one of the city´s best clinics getting the best treatment modern medecine can afford. She being treated for Mange, Leishmania and a terrible Anemia that nearly killed her.
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Update 20 May…
It´s been a week since we rescued Wendy and she remains hospitalized on treatment for all her conditions..
Her mood is improving
–
UPDATE 28 of October…
The recovery was long and complicated, but everything worked out wonderfully…
Here.. let me show you a video of the NEW WENDY!!!
It´s been a week now since I first saw this image. Standing on her two hind legs, a dog is given some food by some kids in India. Both her front legs are broken, open fractures. Her bones are sticking out of the bandages trying in vain to hold her legs together.
Tara, was brutally attacked by a thug with a steel bar, about a month ago and left crying for help on the streets of Patiala, Punjab, India.
Anyone would be overwhelmed by shock and emotion when imagining her pain. Despite their best efforts infection has spread through the tissue and bone. I knew that, despite the incredible efforts of her carers, the Guardians of the Voiceless,Tara would be condemned to a double frontal amputation and a life on the streets crawling on her chest as a handicapped dog.
I have been following their work for months now, armed with barely more than the purity of their spirits they are always there, doing life saving treatments to absolutely destitute animals. It´s awe inspiring. This amazing group of people embodies the spirit of Let´s Adopt! and Tara was more than they could handle.
We had to save her.
I asked our friends in Delhi to speak to them and tell them we would help her with Tara. Their response was incredible… total joy!. They knew Tara had absolutely no chance on the streets and they welcomed our help.
Tara was immediately driven to Delhi and we started her evacuation procedures.
The plan is as daring as it gets. I will be personally flying to India on Wednesday morning. I will arrive to New Delhi at midnight. From the airport I will go where Tara is being cared for, clean and prepare her injured legs for the journey and fly back that same evening. Literally, in and out.
24 hours in India to save Tara.
Please watch this video… it was taken at a Veterinarian in New Delhi and it sadly shows the reality of veterinary care in India, that is, a an amazing amount of love but very basic means and lack of proper health protocols. I cringe when I think of a veterinarian doing Tara´s cures without the use of simple gloves, but that is precisely what Guardians of the Voiceless and ourselves are fighting against.And that´s why Tara must leave India.
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Wednesday 4 June 11.00
We are on the way!!!
–
Friday 6 of June…
This has been the journey of a lifetime.. around the world in 36 hours to save a street dog.
In India dogs like Tara are called DESI dogs, PARIAH dogs…to us she is not a Pariah, she is Tara, and her life is priceless..
Please watch this video… join me and Tara and our journey until now.
I went on this trip knowing Tara and I were not alone. We both knew you were behind us.
It´s to you that Tara owes her life. To fly around the world for 24 hours to rescue a dog with two open fractures? Who does this? We do… Because this is who we are.
—
Monday 9 June..
Tara has been operated. Her bones were in a terrible condition, very infected. We had to cut small sections in order to ensure proper healing. Everything has gone well and we are very confident she will run again. HOWEVER, the next few weeks are going to be critical. We will be monitoring those legs looking for infection and possible vascularity issues.
—
Update 18 june..
Here is Tara… smiling at life!!! She´s doing incredibly well, whenever we look at her we remember how she was when we rescued her and feel like crying..
And how have a look at this!!! Her bones are healing very well… see the little part of new bone being formed?
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Update 26 of June…
A close-up picture of Tara´s leg… in there you can appreciate the extraordinary level of healing it is experiencing.
Tara is doing wonderfully and in a great mood….
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UPDATE 1st July…
I believe this image speaks by itself…
Tara is in the best hands she could ever be. The fractures were absolutely terrible, the bone was extremely infected, but day after day, she is making great progress, just look at the injuries and you will see they are nearly closed already…
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Update 5 July
This is the moment we were waiting for… TARA WALKS!!!!
Step by step…
—
Update 18 of July…
Tara continues making progress. The condition of her bones continues improving although the treatment is being far more complicated and costly that we could have ever imagined.
The problem was that her bones were affected by severe osteomielitis, they were terribly infecting and dissolving. We´ve had to work very hard to keep infection under control and to provide enough stability for new bone to be formed. The plate above shows the newly operated and infected bone on the left and the new bone growing and little by little providing stability to Tara´s leg.. And now.. you are going to Love this video…!!
This is AMAZING AND INSPIRATIONAL AND WORTH SHARING. This image speaks 1000 words as it´s probably the first time a rescued indian street dog has this kind of facilities at her disposal. There were SIX PEOPLE assisting on Tara´s surgery today. Two surgeons, two anaesthesiologists, and two vet techs…
Without a doubt we are giving Tara the best modern medicine can afford. All of this thanks to YOU…
A few hours later… Tara wakes up!
So… the first leg has been fixed… now we need to operate the second one!!!
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Update 8 September…
Tara´s first operation was a total success… There hasn´t been any infection and the bone has started to re-grow… it´s time to operate her second leg and to finally end what we started the day we went to India to rescue her.
Tara´s second and final operation is scheduled to take place tomorrow morning. The procedure will be slightly more complicated than the first one due to some issues with blood circulation inside the bone but we are very optimistic..
Please help us operate Tara´s second leg.. She has gone through so much, WE MUST FINISH WHAT WE STARTED…. this is the last stretch, the last sprint until she is finally able to walk freely, like your dogs do, like any dog should…
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Update 9 September…
TARA IS OUT OF SURGERY!!!
It was a three hour procedure, everything has gone well.
We have given enough stability to the bone for it to scar perfectly and regrow… We hope this will be her last procedure.. if everything goes well we should be able to show you TARA´S NEW WALK!!!!
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Update 16 September…
TARA IS NEARLY READY TO RUN AGAIN!!!!
LOOK AT THIS!!!!
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UPDATE 7 OCTOBER
Don´t miss this video…
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TARA… ADOPTED!!!!
Five months have passed from the day Tara was rescued.
During this time Tara went through endless cures and multiple surgeries in order to rebuild her TWO DESTROYED LEGS…
And finally.. today… Tara is getting to experience what she dreamed all her life… the warmth of a home, the love of a family, the feeling of belonging to a pack.
This was the most impossible of impossible cases…
From the streets of India to the family´s sofa… TARA IS FINALLY HAPPY…
LOCATION!!! LOCATION!!! Give us this dog´s location so that we can share his plea…
LOCATION!!!Where is the dog located??? If you don´t tell us where it must be that you are a scammer..
WHERE IN THE USA IS THIS DOG LOCATED?
If you follow the work of Let´s Adopt! on FB you are probably used to see any of those three questions, usually being asked by obviously upset people but want to help but don´t know how… because they can´t figure out where the animal we are trying to rescue is.
Why does this happen? Other than the sad reality that most people don’t read past the second line, there is a second explanation why we usually don´t emphasise our rescues location. For a international rescue group with an international community of supporters and based on Facebook, location, by definition, is irrelevant.
The fact is that, somewhere in the world, there is an animal in distress, and Let´s Adopt! Global can be of assistance through it´s international network.
We rescue in Phases..
PHASE 1. THE PHYSICAL RESCUE
The vast majority of cases, by the time you read our plea the animal has been rescued and he is in one of our clinics for treatment. At that stage we rarely need someone local to do anything. This phase is usually accomplished before the plea is even launched on Facebook.
PHASE 2. The plea.
The launch of a blog post is the second phase of a typical Let´s Adopt rescue. By telling the animal´s stories we harness the resources of our community, we raise funds for their treatments, surgeries, rehabilitation processes and their final flight home. Through our pleas we also find loving families for our animales.
PHASE 3. Screening of adoptants and the final journey home.
This is an extremely delicate phase. The decision taken will forever mark the life of our animals. Over the years we have developed deceptively simple screening procedure. It´s thanks to this procedure that most our adoptions are resounding successes. Of course, being humans involved, sometimes some things don´t go according to plan..
So.. why is location irrelevant? Because location has absolutely no influence over the adoption process. An animal rescued in Europe could be adopted anywhere in Europe or the USA, a USA Animal could be adopted anywhere in the US or Europe. I always tell people.. we are adopting animals to FAMILIES.. not to COUNTRIES.
People are, in most cases territorial, limited by their closest environment.Announcing an animal´s location, unless essential for the first phase of rescue, where human presence is needed to pull an animal to safety, is actually counterproductive when it comes to harnessing help or finding a foster or a final home for the animal. Even in a community as visionary as ours there would be many that would think.. oh.. the dog is in (let´s say) China…. there has to be someone in China willing to help the animal… and that would be it.The animal would get no help and he would never find a home.
Let´s Adopt! GLOBAL…. it´s all in the name… it´s all in the borderless vision… Animals don´t have passports, they don´t have nationalities. Those are conventions of men.
Let me tell you a secret… I do have moments when I look around me and I see nothing but problems waiting to be solved. I see pressing demands and commitments. I see mounting obligations. I see pain no matter where I look. But when this happens I look at a picture I treasure. It is my screen saver.
This is the picture that helps me get through these days..
This, above all others, it´s the image I hold on when times are bad and when I need some motivation. This, my friends, is Monty.
I will never forget the day I saw Monty for the first time. We had driven across the country to pick him up from where he laid for three months, dejected and forgotten, with his frame shattered, unable to move, unable to pee or poo without assistance, unable to stand, battling internal infections and the most horrible pain caused by untreated injuries… There he was, being held in front of me, reeking of dried and recent pee, poo… unable to stand but staring at me with penetrating gaze.
Save me, he said with his eyes…
The message to our vets was clear. If Monty has survived for so long on his own, if he has arrived to us after all this pain and despair, it is our obligation to save him, to go the extra mile for him, to try things that weren´t tried before, to seek alternative approaches using technology out of the reach for most dogs.
The message was simple: We had to save Monty´s life.
It´s been close to two years since Monty was rescued and these images are nothing but a tribute to the indomitable spirit of this incredible dog.
It took us two years to find Monty a home. No matter how incredible his recovery has been he remains a special needs dog, needs that not everyone would be able to fullfill. But after all this time, the perfect family has been found, and it´s time to send him home…. to the most developed society in the world.. NORWAY!!!
It works both ways… Monty must surely be grateful to us (in a doggie-dog kind of way), as much as we are thankful to him for giving us the inspiration and strength we so hardly need to carry on with our mission.
It´s time for Monty to leave our protection and to find his new path in life, with his new family… PLEASE, let´s, together, do one last thing for Monty.We saved his life… now let´s send him home. If you have reached this far, you must have been one of the ones that have cried and rejoiced with every update of Monty during these two years..
Esta es la foto que vi en Facebook a primera hora de la mañana. Allí estaba ella, con sus ojos infectados buscando en vano la ayuda de alguien que la sacara antes de su inminente fecha de sacrificio.
Destruida por la Leishmania, vieja, enferma y condenada, quien la iba a sacar de allí? Quizás la habrían sacrificado ya?
Un par de llamadas más tarde y estábamos yendo hacia la perrera a salvarla.
Mila había sido abandonada en la perrera hacia ya días y desde entonces lloraba intentando conseguir ayuda.Finalmente esa ayuda llegó, y agotada, la pobrecita Mila cayo rendida en nuestro regazo mientras la llevábamos a a clínica.
El estado de Mila es tremendo. Los resultados de sus análisis de sangre son, simplemente terribles, con una enorme anemia y signos de multiples focos de infección.
Su piel ha sido destrozada por la Leishmania y la sarna y el poco pelo que le queda cae a puñados en cuando lo tocas.Sus ojos están infectados y una rápida exploración revela fracturas antiguas, ya soldadas.El estado de su boca es catastrófico y necesitara un tratamiento dental completo.
Nos dan ganas de llorar cuando pensamos en la vida cruel que esta muñequita ha debido tener.
No va a ser fácil salvarla, pero teniendo en cuenta todo por lo que ha pasado y lo mucho que ha luchado para mantenerse con vida, pensamos que se merece toda la ayuda que le podamos proporcionar, no os parece?
No Podemos salvarla sin vosotros… Por favor, si podéis, ayudadnos a salvar a Mila, el Pequeño Milagro, ayudándonos a cubrir su tratamiento… Curar y rehabilitar una perrita en las condiciones de mila no es facil, ni barato, pero JUNTOS PODEMOS HACERLO TODO…
Muchísimas gracias!
Viktor
P.S. Tras el tratamiento Mila va a necesitar el MEJOR HOGAR DEL MUNDO. Si creeis que sois el hogar para ella por favor escribidme y contadmelo todo sobre vosotros y vuestra familia, incluyendo vuestros animales. Demostradme que sois la familia que Mila necesita.
PS. 2 Como siempre actualizaremos sobre su estado a traves de nuestra pagina, Let´s Adopt! España…
His name is Red Bell, he is one of the most beautiful red cats you´ll ever see, and he is a survivor.
Red Bell and his siblings were abandoned as kitties in the gardens of a factory. The owners kept the mother and the babies were left to fend off by themselves.
Two nice ladies took care of them but no matter how hard they tried the factory owners didn´t want them there and set out to poison them. From that moment on it was a race against the clock… They had to find them homes before the kitties were killed.
First victim…
Second victim…
Third kitty found a home..
Fourth kitty died, shot.
Red Bell was the last of them all… so far he had avoided the bullets and the poison but he had nowhere to go.
They placed a desperate alert on Facebook… Red Bell would die unless he found a place to go that same day…
I watched that thread in desperation… same old story.. lots of well wishers, many prayers, some even started to wish him a good trip to the Rainbow Bridge, but noone offered to help to spare him death.
And this is how Red Bell ended up with us…
And what a about his character? He´s just amazing… he´s the greatest cat, gets along with everyone, dogs, and cats, he´s superfriendly, loves to be petted, he looks at me while I shower… He doesn´t dare to come in Red Bell needs a GREAT home.. the perfect home…
What do you need to adopt Red Bell? It´s very simple… you need to meet our four adoption conditions.
1. You have another cat or dog right now. This is the only way for us to be sure you understand the responsibility of having an animal. It´s also the way to ensure Red Bell will have the company of another friend at home. 2. Red Bell will have a family life. He will be part of a family, not of a cat colony. We want Red Bell to have the life he deserves.
3. Red Bell will be fed a biologically appropriate diet. A RAW Diet. To know more.. http://feline-nutrition.org
4. No Smoking families / No smoking inside the home…
Let´s Adopt! Global DOES NOT apply an adoption fee and we cover all expenses of transport… but you have to meet our four conditions..
Look at this amazing cat.. if you are the owner he has been dreaming off, if you are the perfect home that will provide him with companionship and love, for life, please write to me on viktor@myletsadopt.com telling me EVERYTHING about you and your animals.
Come on… what are you waiting for? Write to me… viktor@myletsadopt.com
This is the story of two very special puppies, mix breed of a thousand races, part boxer, part greyhound, part terrier, who knows…
Mandy, together with her brother Nelson were abandoned by the side of a mediterranean road and were rescued by a passing by driver that literally had to swerve the car to avoid a collision with the two dazzled pups.
He stopped, called them and they rushed to him wagging their tails. This was the day that Nelson Mandela left us… in his honor, he called them Nelson and Mandy.
It was pretty obvious that the two pups, in the wrong hands, wouldn´t have the kind of life they deserved, so we decided to take them and instead of rush to find them homes while puppies, keep them during their first year of their life to give them the best possible socialisation, so important at that early state of their lives.
And so, we set out to turn Nelson and Mandy into two little perfect dogies…
Today is time to find the perfect home for Mandy… PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO…
Mandy is the perfect girl, athletic, playful, funny, super sociable, kind and sharing. She has become fast friends with every dog she´s ever met. She has never met any cat…
Mandy is homeless…
What do you need to adopt Mandy? It´s very simple… you need to meet our four adoption conditions.
1. You have another dog right now. This is the only way for us to be sure you understand the responsibility of having an animal. It´s also the way to ensure our dogs will have the company of another friend at home. 2. Mandy will have a family life. She will be part of a family, she won´t be a yard/garden dog… we want Mandy to have the life she deserves. 3. Mandy will be fed a biologically appropriate diet. A RAW Diet. To know more.. www.rawfed.com 4. No Smoking families / No smoking inside the home…
Let´s Adopt! Global DOES NOT apply an adoption fee and we cover all expenses of transport… but you have to meet our four conditions..
If you meet our four adoption conditions and you feel Mandy was destined to join your home please write to me: viktor@myletsadopt.com and tell me everything about you and your family…. We´ll take it from there.
PLEASE HELP US FIND THE PERFECT HOME FOR THE PERFECT DOG… MANDY… SHARE THIS POST ON FACEBOOK!!
Winter is coming, and the nights are slowly but surely becoming colder…
Little Arthur must have felt that crawling under that car and seeking refuge inside his engine was a very good idea…
He loved it. He must have spent the night sleeping peacefully comforted by the engine´s heat… He must have purred in delight.
The morning came with an abrupt noise, sudden fear, everything moves, the engine starts moving, the leg is trapped… a loud crack, bone breaks.
A loud MEOW!!!!!!
The driver heard it all, stopped the engine and picked up him from under the next car. He didn´t try to escape, he was just crying there, struggling and afraid….
We received an urgent email, the person wouldn´t be able to pay for his surgery to save him and we either had to take him or he would be euthanised.
It is possible to save his leg but due to the position of the fracture, just about the growth line, and due to the tiny size of his bones it´s going to be a very delicate operation.
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UPDATE Thursday 9th October…
Arthur was operated yesterday, the operation went well….
He is tiny and even in this most difficult time he has the sweetest character and just wants to be loved…
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Update 17 October
HERE IT IS!!! THE VIDEO EVERYONE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR!!!!
WATCH IT!!! BEST SIX MINUTES YOU WILL SPEND TODAY!!!
Even if you are not in a position to help, there is a very important way you can help Little Arthur. Please SHARE THIS POST ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER, help Little Arthur reach the world….
P.S. After he is operated Arthur is going to need an AMAZING home… Please write to me on viktor@myletsadopt.com telling me everything about you and your family of animals. If we feel you are the perfect home for Arthur we will make sure we get him to you…
THIS IS OUR CHANCE TO HELP A KITTY BEAT CANCER… PLEASE CONTINUE READING THE STORY OF THIS INCREDIBLE CAT, AND AT THE END, HELP HIM BY SHARING ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER!!!
Life can be cruel to a little cat abandoned on the streets.
First, a really bad fracture that noone bothered to treat left him with an impaired use of his left leg… and then, the scorching sun triggered a particularly cruel form of cancer on his white skin: Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
There is nothing we can do about his bone fracture, it´s an old one. White Moon is an incredible cat that learned to cope with the pain and learned to make good use of the leg. It´s the lesion on his ears that is life threatening. If left untreated it will spread through his ears onto his eyes, his nose, his soft tissue… Cancer will quite literally, EAT HIS FACE AND KILL HIM.
But we can stop this terrible disease from destroying White Moon… In order to stop the progression of the cancer White Moon will have to have surgery and have both his ears amputated. This will be no normal amputation, it´s essential that all possible traces of damaged tissue are eliminated during deep tissue surgery.
White Moon has been lucky… we arrived in time and cancer has not yet spread through other areas of his face and/or organs… but he needs to have surgery immediately to minimise the possibility of cancer spreading and swallowing him up. PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO…
It may not seem like it but White Moon is an incredibly lucky cat, his life until now has been a terrible one, and his future was going to be nothing but horror, but with your help, he has a chance now.
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Sunday 26 October…
White Moon has been operated… everything went well… he is cancer – free… he is an incredible cat!!!
P.S. WHITE MOON is a wonderful kitty that is going to need the most extraordinary family. In order to stop the damage of the sun he will need to be an indoor only cat… Are you that person? if so, please write to me to viktor@myletsadopt.com telling me all about you and your family of animals…
Open your home to White Moon.. Please write to me on viktor@myletsadopt.com
This is one of the most beautiful rescue transformations you will ever see…
Please HELP SIMBA BY SHARING HIS STORY ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER
Simba´s story is one of the most moving and inspirational rescues we´ve ever achieved… His entire treatment was followed and updated on a regular basis at our Facebook Page: Let´s Adopt! Global.
Today we wanted to show you, in a single video what has been Simba´s story so far and show you what a community can achieve if we work together for the animals.
You HAVE TO SEE THIS…
The incredible Simba is looking for the perfect home.
He is absolutely amazing…
Please write to me on viktor@myletsadopt.com should with you have the HONOR to adopt him…
In just a couple of days, on Thursday evening most of us will be celebrating Thanksgiving surrounded by our families and those we love. I want to introduce you someone that will spend Thanksgiving alone, battling extensive injuries and fighting for his life. His name is Duke.
Duke has been found with extensive injuries on his lower body. He was rushed to the clinic in a state of shock. His tail was rotten and surrounded by necrotic tissue. It was so damaged that it fell off right on the vet´s hands!
There is no way of knowing how long he survived on the streets in that condition, but he was nearly frozen and burning like a stove due to infection. It was clear that small rural vet would not be able to treat Duke and the only alternative in their eyes was euthanasia. But before they killed him they contacted us and asked for help…
Duke arrived to us this morning in an absolutely appalling condition. He was a sight to behold… His massive injury had been covered in gauze that melted with the raw flesh.I will never forget the stench of feces and urine mixed with rotten flesh. His hip has been shattered and the skin around his hip and buttocks is totally gone.
He was absolutely terrified, shaking like a leaf but with his eyes he was begging for help. The moment we opened his cage and we touched him gently, he knew he was finally safe.
PLEASE WATCH THIS EMOTIONAL MOMENT…
In a couple of days we will be giving thanks for all the good things we have in our lives.
Today I want to thank you in advance and personally ask your help on behalf of beautiful Duke, that finds himself in a terrible position, having absolutely nothing and nobody… except us!
P.S. After Duke is totally recovered he is going to need an extraordinary home. Please write to me on viktor@myletsadopt.com and tell me why you would be the perfect home for Duke… Let´s Adopt! Global is 501(c)(3) rescue. Donate, Save a Life and get to deduct it from your taxes! Donations to Let´s Adopt! Global are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by U.S. law.
This blog is trying to save the live of Little Dora, a puppy rescued from a kill pound. Please read it all, watch her video, and please help her by sharing her post on Facebook and Twitter.
Little Dora was found at the last cage at the end of the dark, damp corridor.Curled into a little ball, whimpering in pain. Who knows who here family was, mother siblings, long gone. Little Dora was dumped at the pound two weeks ago with a massive bleeding injury on her left leg. A quick clean up and a shot and she was returned to her cage. The leg got worst, noone cared.
Little Dora´s time was up. It was her time to die. An unfair death, a waste of a life. She would have died without having had the opportunity to savour the good things in life, running in the park, playing at the beach, sleeping in a human bed. The injury has got much worst. There was a smell of decay.
She will be better off dead, they said. There is noone out there that would care for a puppy in her condition, they said.
We know they are wrong. We know there is people out there that will look at Little Dora´s face and leg and will think that she has suffered on her own long enough, that it´s time to do something for her… that she is the prettiest dog in the world and deserves a second chance.…
Little Dora is at our clinic receiving the best of cares. Her treatment is going to be long and costly and it will be done in two stages, first we will have to eliminate all dead tissue, including most of the skin of her leg in order to stop the spreading of necrosis that would end up killing her. Then we will work on recovery, possibly needing several skin grafts.
It is the end of the year for us and with your help, let´s mark today as the beginning of a new life for Little Dora…
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I have been rescuing animals for over a decade. By now you would think I´ve seen it all… but today, standing in front of Dora while we were doing a surgical debridation in order to stop the progress of necrosis I couldn´t hold myself and burst into tears.
Tears thinking of the callous indifference of BOTH the family that abandoned her AND of the shelter workers that allowed this disaster to happen when simple antibiotics would have saved her.
We had to literally peel her leg of dead skin and necrotic fat… We are hopeful we will be able to save her leg, but we are VERY concerned about her little paw…
Viktor P.S. After her treatment is over, Little Dora is going to need an extraordinary home. If you are that home PLEASE write a letter to me on viktor@myletsadopt.com telling me everything about you and your family of animals. (only serious requests will be answered)
When Let’s Adopt was created by Ivan Jimenez (a.k.a. “Viktor Larkhill”), it was with the aim of rescuing animals and inspiring people. You, Let’s Adopt supporters, with your kind donations, words of encouragement, time, and sharing of the vision made it happen.
Along the way Let’s Adopt attained 501c3 designation with our non-profit organization headquartered in Massachusetts, USA.
With the new status came explosive growth, new opportunities to help more animals, and a new responsibility. This new organization required transparency, accountability, and respect. Let’s Adopt! put controls in place to ensure we meet these responsibilities and secure the success of our mission. It is with sadness that we share with you Ivan Jimenez’ disagreement with the implementation of those guidelines & practices, and his consequent resignation on March 7th.
Let’s Adopt! is a community made up of many rescuers, donors, and supporters. It is that community that is at the heart and strength of Let’s Adopt! Stay with us to continue buy xanax the important work of helping the helpless, speaking for the voiceless, and of saving those that no one else will save!
Using coercive tactics to pressure donors to contribute quickly.
2. How Viktor Larkhill was Lying to Donors
The following screenshots come from Let’s Adopt executive committee Facebook group. It shows Ivan Jimenez, aka Viktor Larkhill, defending his deceptive and unethical fundraising practices to an ex-board member Debbie Hicks and to activist and adopter Katy Cohen.
This conversation is one of many that ensued every time a board member would attempt to work with Viktor on any of the multitude of issues that were being observed. Board opinions were always met with resistance, advice never heeded and toys often thrown on the floor.
(Viktor even resigned a few times through the years. He really did.
We have the screenshots.)
Image 1
“It’s therefore impossible to be totally truthful.”
“If I am truthful the posts lose their power.”
“I must able to say XYZ is going to be operated in 24 hours.”
“If I am not able to say that it just doesn’t work.”
“Fundraising is a different animal.”
“Comms in social media need to have a sense of urgency.”
Image 1
Image 2
“If we do things the way [the board member] wants
we either raise as [the animals] enter the clinic,
or we’ll always be lying.”
“And it’s impossible to raise as they enter [the clinic].”
Image 2
Image 3
“If I want to be totally truthful we could only rescue
three cases a month, because none of the others
could be used as fundraisers.”
“Every fundraiser would have to be handled LIVE
and that’s impossible.”
“There has to be a time delay.” “I control everything, from tones of a picture to dates of an Xray.”
“Don’t do that… and funds don’t come in.”
Image 3
Image 4 “Rudolf for example.” “He was operated many weeks ago.” “I NEED to be able to say he needs an operation.”
Image 4
Image 5
Viktor deems rescues that comply
with laws and regulations unsustainable.
He also seems to think legal requirements are “bla bla bla”.
3. What the Board of Directors Thought
We didn’t understand why Viktor NEEDED to lie. We didn’t understand why he thought he knew better than the Attorney General’s office. We sure did understand, however, that it was not acceptable for Let’s Adopt to lie to it’s trusting donors. This is only one of many issues discussed with Viktor Larkhill, which eventually lead to a major rift and his consequent resignation.
1. How Animals Didn’t Go Home Because of Viktor Larkhill
A handful of animals were adopted just before Ivan Jimenez’, aka Viktor Larkhill’s resignation from Let’s Adopt Global. The Let’s Adopt team attempted to contact the adopting families but were stonewalled by Viktor, who had other plans for the animals.
The following screenshotsare from his inner circle and demonstrate how Viktor Larkhill single-handedly sentenced those already adopted animals to extra months in boarding, so he could take the credit for transporting them home when his new rescue was registered. At the same time he intentionally set up Let’s Adopt to look like the villain.
Image 1
Viktor giving instructions to his team
to tell the adopting families not to respond to us.
The animals were to wait in boarding until his new rescue was registered, so he could transport them himself.
Image 1
Image 2
Viktor explaining his priorities
which he says are not the adopted animals going home,
but “rebuilding the fund [payments coming in]
and donor base [list of people who donate regularly]”.
Image 2
Image 3 & 4
Linda Edwards, a key member of Viktor’s network,
confirming that the animals in Spain cannot be moved by Let’s Adopt because they are microchipped in Ivan’s name.
Image 3Image 4
Image 5
Another supporter of Viktor’s new rescue is worried that a board member of Let’s Adopt will attempt to move animals out of boarding; Ivan confirms that is not possible.
Image 5
2. How Viktor Larkhill Lied to Become a Hero
After stonewalling the Let’s Adopt team, Viktor Larkhill took his time registering a new rescue in Holland.
Image 6
Viktor registers Let’s Adopt International,
using the name of a charity he resigned from.
Image 6
He was now able to proceeded with organizing transport for the animals (who by then had spent unnecessary months in boarding), and soon went public with a blatant lie.
Image 7
Viktor lies that we had cut contact with the adopters
when in fact he prevented it from ever happening.
He then lies that Let’s Adopt is to blame for
the animals remaining in boarding for months.
Viktor celebrates himself as a hero-rescuer,
inconveniencing his busy life to finally take home the animals who were “not his priority” and who “were fine” to sit in boarding for over three months.
Image 7
Image 8
Viktor graciously accepts applause for his love of animals,
which to him come first, but can sit in pensions
while he”rebuilds the fund and donor base”.
Please be informed that Let’s Adopt! Global has suspended payments to Spanish boarding and veterinary vendors. All animals under those vendors’ care are to be legally transferred to Let’s Adopt! Global by the end of August 2015. Payments will resume upon completion of the legal transfer.
In order to be sustainable, business relationships must be founded on trust and respect. Let’s Adopt! Global’s relationship with its Spanish vendors has been tainted and eroded since the beginning by the actions of Ivan Jimenez (aka Viktor Larkhill).
Ivan Jimenez (aka Viktor Larkhill) has proven that he has no intention of cooperating with Let’s Adopt! Global in rehoming the animals currently in Spain, and has been actively interfering with our efforts, with the Spanish vendors’ assistance.
2. Rescue Model ‘Hoarding’
Ivan Jimenez’ “rescue model” is nothing short of hoarding. Board members have long been urging Ivan to slow down the rate of taking on new cases, and place more focus on rehoming the animals already rescued. We were continually met with resistance on his part. As a direct result his vendors have and continue to suffer shortfalls in payment, while the number of unadopted animals continued to rise. We acknowledged this problem from the outset and made significant changes to address it. We fully expected Ivan Jimenez to do the right thing for the animals and support us in trying to rectify it. We could clearly see the organization was heading for bankruptcy since 2012 when Ivan moved back to Spain from Turkey, and started stockpiling animals there.
The first animal stuck in boarding was Champion. Champion is still in boarding at this moment.
Instead of cooperating and addressing this and other issues discussed, Ivan chose to resign.
3. Constructive actions undertaken by Let’s Adopt! Global Board of Directors
Upon Ivan’s resignation Let’s Adopt! Global Board of Directors assumed the responsibility of paying boarding bills and finding homes for over 40 animals stockpiled in Spain. A number, never disclosed by Ivan to the board, even when directly asked. Below are some of the actions the Board has undertaken since.
3.1 An emergency solution was sought to ensure payment for boarding continues.
All funds raised for each and every one of those stranded animals had been spent months, in some cases years, before Ivan walking out, leaving behind his failed strategy. He fundraised for treatment, and then if the animal was not adopted easily, it was placed in boarding and sank into oblivion, never to be mentioned again.
Let’s Adopt! Global has never raised funds for boarding for any animal in boarding in Spain, and as mentioned any funds raised initially have long been spent due to Ivan’s broken rescue model – relying on new rescues to provide the funds to cover old bills.
3.2 A photographer was hired to take current photos of all animals.
3.3 Updated stories for each animal are being written; already published adoption pleas are those of D’Artañan, Bruce, Axel, Sweetie, Mika, Champion, Brandon, Amor, Ajoo, and others.
3.4 Work commenced on a dedicated section in our website, aimed at extending the adoption reach beyond Facebook, and extending the adoption promotion cycle.
4. Destructive actions undertaken by Ivan Jimenez
Ivan Jimenez (aka Viktor Larkhill) has seized control of the Let’s Adopt! Spain and Let’s Adopt! Deutschland Facebook pages (both legal assets of Let’s Adopt! Global) with no regard to the fact that they are critical to alleviating the crisis in Spain. The German Let’s Adopt Facebook page was the most successful adopting network of the organization, while the Spanish Let’s Adopt page could provide much needed local fosters. Ivan has made the pages invisible to most major countries so they serve only his benefit. Both pages are currently being used only to promote and raise funds for Ivan’s new rescue, while effectively blocking access for the rest of the animals he claims to care about.
Since his departure Ivan Jimenez is withholding invoices and receipts for the year of 2014 required for Let’s Adopt! Global to file auditable financial records. If they are not produced Let’s Adopt! Global cannot file annual reports and its legal status can be jeopardized.
Ivan Jimenez and his “advisory committee” are methodically and relentlessly contacting people who comment on Let’s Adopt! Global’s Facebook page and manipulating their opinion with the aim to damage our reputation. Some of those contacted supporters have come to us and provided full evidence of this, so we are familiar with every detail of the manipulations.
These are only a few examples of the damage Viktor Larkhill is doing while placing the animals in Let’s Adopt! Global’s care under additional risk.
5. Evidence of Ivan Jimenez Interfering
To illustrate the situation further we are providing evidence on a single, timely instance of Ivan Jimenez’ (aka Viktor Larkhill) destructive activities.
Soon after his resignation we contacted Ivan with a request to put us in touch with the new families of some animals, which had been recently adopted. Ivan refused to provide those contact details and suggested he take the animals himself. In the interest of the animals Let’s Adopt! Global team insisted on personal contact with those families and full control over transport.
Entrusting the process to a resigned and disgruntled Ivan Jimenez would not have been good rescue practices.
Ivan’s further obstructive actions within his secret “advisory committee” group, outlined below, resulted in the animals remaining in boarding for many more months.
5. 1
Ivan giving instructions to his team to tell
the adopting families not to respond to us
(we had been given their Facebook profiles).
The animals were to wait until his new rescue
was registered, so he could transport them himself.
5.1
5.2
Ivan Jimenez stating that Let’s Adopt
cannot move animals out of boarding.
He is also explaining that his priority is not
to transport these animals to their new homes,
but instead to rebuild his rescue and grow his donations.
5.2
5.3
Linda Edwards, a key person in Ivan’s network, confirming that the animals in Spain cannot be moved by Let’s Adopt
because they are microchipped in Ivan’s name.
Ivan explaining that [the animals will have to wait because] registering his new rescue will take time.
5.3
6. Manipulation and lies by Ivan Jimenez
Months after blocking Let’s Adopt! Global’s contact with the animals’ adopters Ivan Jimenez (aka Viktor Larkhill) went public in August 2015, and lied about the entire episode. His new rescue was registered and he was now able to transport those animals. Which he did, taking the credit while slandering Let’s Adopt! Global.
6.1
Viktor lies that Let’s Adopt cut the communication with the adopters when in fact he prevented it from ever happening.
Viktor lies about the animals remaining in boarding
due to Let’s Adopt’s actions.
Viktor contradicts himself stating he is helping Let’s Adopt and the animals, when in his private conversations months earlier he claims they are not his priority and that
he will do what benefits his new rescue instead.
6.1
7. Has Let’s Adopt! Global Been Paying its Bills? Yes.
Ivan Jimenez (aka Viktor Larkhill) is also spreading lies that we have not been paying bills in Spain and implying misappropriation of funds. Please find evidence of payments to Spanish vendors below.
We have been paying HIS bills indeed.
As best we can, under the circumstances, while not fundraising for that particular purpose. We have been discussing asking the Let’s Adopt community for support since the task is gargantuan.
March 2015
April 2015
May 2015
July 2015
7. Conclusion
We have concluded that Ivan Jimenez is using Let’s Adopt! Global’s animals in Spain to promote his new venture, with the cooperation of boarding and veterinary vendors in Spain, while leaving Let’s Adopt! Global to pay their bills. The animals are microchipped to Ivan’s name, they belong to him in a legal sense, and he has repeatedly referred to them as being ‘his’. In addition, it has become obvious that all vendors in Spain recognize him as the owner and Let’s Adopt! Global solely as the financially responsible party.
In order for Let’s Adopt! Global to be successful in rehoming these animals we must have full control. We cannot afford to invest time searching for and evaluating adopters, organizing and paying for transport, only to run into a stone wall at the end of the process, because Ivan Jimenez has other plans.
Therefore, payments to Spanish vendors have been suspended until ownership of all animals in Spain is legally transferred to Let’s Adopt! Global. If the transfer is not effected by the end of August 2015, we will terminate our relationship with those vendors and Ivan Jimenez will assume sole financial responsibility, to include all current and future boarding and veterinary costs, and outstanding payments.
Further substantiating evidence can be produced on request.
Sincerely,
The Let’s Adopt! Global Board of Directors
Since we went public with the information disclosed in our latest blog publications, Ivan Jimenez, aka Viktor Larkhill understandably retaliated. Here you will be able to find a running update of our responses.
Has Let’s Adopt cancelled payment for Claudia and Fozzie?
No. On August 13, 2015 we settled Claudia and Fozzie’s bills in full. After receiving an email from Ivan Jimenez (Viktor) regarding that payment we contacted the vet who had Claudia and Fozzie and requested that he comply with several conditions before the payment was finalized. The vet responded positively and payment went through.
PayPal payment to vet Toni, August 13, 2015PayPal payment – transaction detailsPayPal account manager – payment confirmation
We recommend that Ivan Jimenez stop interfering with the animals he left behind and focus on his new venture instead. If Ivan cared for those animals he should have stayed with the organisation until all of them were safely in new homes. Instead he chose to move on and start a new rescue. Every lie Ivan decides to perpetuate on the subject is causing us to spend time explaining and is interfering with our continued efforts to deal with the problem he himself created and conveniently abandoned.
Has Let’s Adopt abandoned its animals?
No. Let’s Adopt! Global has been paying the bills of the many animals in Spanish pensions since Ivan Jimenez (aka Viktor Larkhill) departed. A few incidents happened in the last few months, with the last one transpiring in the beginning of August, which made us issue an open letter to the Spanish boarding and veterinary facilities we work with. In that letter we request that the animals are legally transferred to us in order for us to be able to help them best. At the moment they are legally owned by Ivan Jimenez.
Why ownership matters in this particular case, and why it is in the interest of the animals that it is settled, you can find out in this disturbing account of some recent and not so recent events.
Is it true that LAG has paid no bills for months?
No. For months we have been paying the bills of the animals in boarding in Spain, and he knows that very well.
Is it true we are having problems paying those bills? Yes. Why is that? Well, because Viktor kept those animals kind of hidden. He never raised funds for their boarding, trying to hide the fact that there were so many of them. He paid for the boarding bills with funds from other rescue cases. That is unfortunately a vicious circle and one of the bad practices the board members wanted to stop.
So we suddenly had to tell people there were those over forty animals in boarding facilities in Spain, and that they had the corresponding monthly cost. We started working on stories for each animal so we can share them with the community, and ask for help. In the meantime we continued to pay as best we could. To see the exact amounts we have paid so far please follow this link.
Why don’t we “sort the situation right now” and “just pay the bills”?We have been working on solving the situation, however, it is a slow process, and as time passed became bigger. When this mess fell entirely into our hands, everyone who came forward and jumped to the rescue of Let’s Adopt Global was a volunteer – people came together from different countries,except Spain, and they are what is helping Let’s Adopt! Global operate at the moment.We do not have a ready solution, as we didn’t expect to need to move all at once for fostering and adopting of forty plus animals. Raising the necessary funds to also cover everyone in one settlement has been made difficult because of the sabotage being done to undermine our donor base. Our available emergency fund cannot stretch to cover that amount. We have been and are addressing the issue as fast as we can. We will keep you updated.
Are some of the boarding facilities Ivan Jimenez had chosen luxurious?
By all means! We are very impressed. Perhaps that has something to do with the daunting boarding bills he was always racing to pay by taking on more and more new cases, on which to fundraise in order to cover same boarding bills – which the community knew nothing about.
We have no problem with the facilities the Spanish animals are stuck in. We have a problem with the fact that some have been there for years and that there are so many of them. Upon Ivan’s resignation their number turned out to be around forty.
Why “no animals waiting to be delivered to their families were delivered”?
Ivan Jimenez accused us of not delivering adopted animals, who were waiting to go home at the time of his resignation. Please find here the entire story on how he deliberately kept those animals in an expensive facility in Spain until he registered his new venture, and then took them home himself three months later. Let’s Adopt! Global was left with the boarding bill and his accusations of inactivity.
Is it true Axel is dying because his vets bills are not paid?
No. We have requested information on this and will assess it. Last information on Axel we received from his vet is that he has atopic dermatitis and is being treated for it.
Did anyone steal Let’s Adopt from Ivan Jimenez?
No. The Board of Directors, who in late February 2015 initiated, yet again, a difficult discussion on old issues with Ivan Jimenez, did not want him to leave, and he was told that many times. What we wanted was for him to comply with these while rescuing and rehoming for LAG. Simple as that. We were all volunteers, with day jobs, personal lives, hobbies, and we did not have any aspirations of running LAG instead of Ivan or without him.
Are we soulless heartless robots?
We love animals and we are all long time rescuers. Those of you who care for animals will easily sense it in the publications on Let’s Adopt! Global’s Facebook page.
What you may have seen as an immediate change is a lot less URGENCY, a lot less animals needing an operation that have ONLY 24 HOURS TO COLLECT THE MONEY, and a lot less animals TERRIBLY HURT BY PEOPLE. Exaggeration and gore does have a certain place in the narrative but when overused it desensitizes the audience.
