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Helping Hands for Hounds of Honduras: Update (July 2022)

Here's what's happened at the Helping Hands for Hounds of Honduras Sanctuary since our last AKI Blog post:


In June, long-time HHHH resident, Ali, was diagnosed with an inoperable tumor, probably cancer, on his right side (you can see in the picture below). Which explains why he was losing weight. He's still eating well and walking around, doesn't seem to be in pain, and still seems to be enjoying life, so Pilar isn't ready to have him euthanized.


dog with tumor
Ali has an inoperable tumor on his right side, as big as a fist

3 dogs and a person petting them
Kelly with Bootsie, Ali, and Thor-Ali's still enjoying life

On July 22, Pilar wrote that Ali, has gotten weaker, but still eats and wags his tiny tail. She has to give him pain meds every day for his arthritis. But he's still seems content at the HHHH Sanctuary.


dog on bed
Ali on his bed, July 22

Ali has been at the HHHH Sanctuary since some time in 2014. This picture is from September of that year:



I found this AKI Blog post about Ali from almost 7 years ago: https://www.animal-kind.org/post/2015/11/30/aki-helping-in-honduras, where I wrote about Ali's original illness, mega-esophagus, and how he ended up at the HHHH Sanctuary.



On June 3, little Pixie celebrated her one year anniversary at the HHHH Sanctuary. Here's how she celebrated:

sleeping dog
Pixie celebrates 1 year at the Sanctuary: after a good meal, it's time for a nap.

One year ago, Pixie's owners had brought her to the vet clinic--the same vet that HHHH uses-- to be euthanized. Instead of euthanizing, the vet suggested giving her up, and they agreed to hand her over to Pilar-and Pixie's luck changed from there on.

tiny Chihuahua
Pixie at 3 lbs when given up by her owners, who wanted to have her euthanized.

In May, Gabriel got in touch with HHHH about an injured kitty he found and was hoping to get vet care for, and then adopt.

sick kitty
Injured kitty at Gabriel's on the day he rescued him

Pilar took the kitty to her vet:

sick kitty
Sadly, the kitty couldn't be saved

Gabriel was really looking forward to helping the kitty recover and adding him to his family. We were so sorry that wasn't to be.


Valentina, a neighbor of Pilar's, insists on coming to the Sanctuary every morning with her mom at 6:30 to pet the cats. She comes in her pajamas--the best way to start the morning:


kitty and kid
Valentina pets her favorite kitty

Livia was rescued by a woman who died of Covid in October 2021. Before she could get the kitty spayed, Livia had kittens. In May, after her kittens were weaned, Pilar had Livia spayed and returned Livia to the rescuer's sister (her name was Livia too). Then Livia the person died from a ruptured hepatic artery. A couple of weeks ago, Livia's (human) son, Francisco, borrowed a pet carrier from HHHH to take the kitty to his home in Olancho. Although there's been a lot of upheaval in their lives, Livia the kitty will have a good, stable home with Francisco.

kitty in a crate after spay
Lvia after she was spayed and recovered--going home

In June, Gloria, a neighbor of the HHHH Sanctuary, rescued Ginger from where she was living as a street dog in Tegucigalpa. She wasn't a very successful street dog. As you can see, she was emaciated.

street dog
Ginger when rescued

Gloria brought Ginger home and gave her a bath. With Pilar, they agreed that Gloria would foster Ginger, Pilar would provide food, cover her vet care, get her spayed, and watch over her during recovery, and they would both look for the perfect home for this sweet dog.

dog getting a bath
Ginger gets a bath

By July 10, Ginger had put on 9 lbs, and weight-wise, she was ready to be spayed. But she had picked up ehrlichia while living on the street and she still needed 15 more days of antibiotics before the vet would spay her. She's looking much healthier, and she loves her walks (watch the short video of Ginger taking a walk around the HHHH neighborhood):


On July 22, Pilar brought some food for Ginger and visited with Gloria as they planned the upcoming week. Ginger will get another blood test this week, and if she's clear of the infection, her spay will be scheduled.


Recently a group of high school students and their teacher visited the HHHH Sanctuary. They bathed the dogs, walked them, and provided a day full of love. They also donated bags of dog and cat food.

Students donate cat and dog food to the HHHH Sanctuary

bathing dogs
The students bathed some of the HHHH dogs
walking dogs
Walking the HHHH dogs
dogs and student volunteers at the shelter
Giving love and getting walks

HHHH friends Kelly and Kevin donated this nice dog house to the HHHH Sanctuary --Thank you!

The community spay project with HHHH and the Tegucigalpa neighborhood where Patrick lives and is collecting dogs from, bringing them to HHHH, and picking them up to return to the community, will continue! Patrick had identified the next dog to be spayed, but then she disappeared. He's planning to identify the next spay candidate soon and we'll let you know who that will be. (See AKI Blog posts in March: https://www.animal-kind.org/post/helping-hands-for-hounds-of-honduras-march-2022-update


Here's how HHHH spent your donations through June:

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