Author Archives: True Blue Animal Rescue

Foster Feature: Moonshine

Posted on by

Today’s Foster Feature is Moonshine by Melanie DeAeth

This beautiful gray stallion was seized in a large group of horses that had been running wild and breeding. He was about 4 years old and we could not get a halter on him so I needed to train him to be haltered and handled well enough for a vet to come out and vaccinate and geld him. I set out to do the work I love so much. There is no greater feeling than teaching a horse like this to trust. I knew I had to work with him every day so many evenings after work I ended up working with him at night, and in the moonshine. Which is where he got his name. I’ll never forget one night when I was working with him and getting him to continue to accept the halter and the pictures my husband took came out full of orbs. Believe what you will about this, I’m not sure myself, but it was a peaceful night and a night where Moonshine learned to trust and the pictures around him had orbs and our test pics around other animals that night did not. It was not raining that night either. It was my testament that working with these sensitive animals is magical work! As you can see, in the end he was haltered. I am posting some videos showing some of the work we did together too.

After Moon was vaccinated and gelded he went into a pasture with a group of geldings. He’s always been a soft and gentle soul who is searching for his special someone but needed more round pen training so he’d become a safe adoptable horse. Finally his turn to go to the trainer came and after a month with Juan Vendrell of TC Ranch Ventures here’s Moonshine accepting a halter, being brushed and he can be saddled.

The next phase of his journey will be continued training with a foster home. He should be going there in a week and we’ll hear more about this rescue horse’s journey

Foster Feature: Tommy Boy

Posted on by

Foster Feature: Tommy Boy, By Melanie DeAeth
I have been doing rescue for most of my life and have watched things evolve and change over the years. One of the best things that has happened in rescue is social media. The ability to network and find a home for an animal by sharing their picture and story has led to rescue transport and placements across the country. This has helped save a lot of lives.

True Blue Animal Rescue has a Rescue Animal In Need page called RAIN Networking. When our foster homes are full, and that’s more often than not, we can’t take the animal into our rescue so we post them on the RAIN Networking page. From there others can share their picture and story and the animals find homes!

The first time I saw Tommy Boy was on Facebook. The close up of his eyes haunted me. Meanwhile, a friend and fellow rescuer, Casie Cooper, filled me in on his plight. This sweet boy was found near death and brought to the Fort Bend shelter. Shelters cannot rehabilitate dogs because they don’t have the space or the manpower. He made it to someone before he died but he was doomed because he ended up in a kill shelter that couldn’t rehab him.

Lucky for Tommy Boy, Bridget Love, a shelter volunteer, saw him and decided to do something about it. She got some pictures and proceeded to find someone to save him. The first rescue that offered didn’t have space or a foster home so they started raising funds to board him. There is a boarding place that accepts rescue animals long term but they need six months board in advance so this rescue was trying to raise $2500 before his shelter stay was up and he was tagged for euthanasia. Within a week there was $1000 in his fund. Still not enough to send him to the boarding place but enough to give him a voice and enough to cover his vet bills and give him a chance. That’s when Casie called me again and reminded me about this sweet dog who I couldn’t stop thinking about. There were a lot of people who donated to help Tommy. He wasn’t just one more starving and abused dog anymore he had a voice and I couldn’t ignore him or his sweet expression any longer.

We made arrangements for Tommy Boy to come live at my house. He took a freedom ride from Fort Bend shelter with Bridget to Casie’s house. From there my son, Cory DeAeth, picked him up and brought him to Brenham to live with us. He has puncture wounds, ear infections, eye infection and he’s very skinny. Once he gains weight he’ll be neutered and will go up for adoption. Meanwhile, you can follow his progress on Facebook page, A Walk With Tommy Boy. Like the page so you can see his progress and cheer him on.

Tommy’s story reminds us that it takes a village to do rescue and that it’s up to all of us to do what we can to put an end to abuse neglect and overpopulation. Don’t look the other way or think someone else will save this animal, do something yourself. The reward for rehabilitating a rescue animal is worth the effort.

Success Story: Charlie Brown Family Chihuahuas!

Posted on by

CharlieBrownChihuahuas_TBAR_BrenhamTexas

#TBT: Earlier this year TBAR stepped in and saved this Mama Chihuaha and her litter of pups with the help ofHouston, Save Lives is our Mission. We had a great foster home volunteer, Michelle Wessels Marburger, who offered to take them all in. Now, months later, all are happy and healthy and in FURever homes! And that includes the two that stole their hearts of their foster family and were adopted by them

Thank you everyone who hand a hand in saving this litter, and especially Michelle and her family for stepping up to foster and working hard to find homes for them all! We couldn’t save lives without our foster homes!

Success Story Wednesday: Indy and Believer

Posted on by

Success_IndyandBeliver

Here are our recent success stories, Indy and Believer!

Indy just got adopted last week. You can see him here with his new mom (don’t they look happy together)! Indy was one of 57 horses taken in through law enforcement due to abuse and neglect. We’re just thrilled that he finally found his forever home with Susan!

Believer is the paint horse out in the pasture with his new pasture mates. His mother was seized due to abuse and neglect and he was born in TBAR. Now, as a well behaved three-year-old he has finally found his new home too!

Thank you to all of the TBAR volunteers that fed, cared for, and helped socialize and train these beautiful horses so they could find their forever home! And many thanks to their new families for opening their hearts and pastures!

Foster Feature: Butch Part 4

Posted on by


Butch5_Foster Feature_TBAR

Foster Feature from Shellie!

Butch the Dachshund – Part 4: Part of the Pack

Even though Butch had been able to see my other three dogs through the dog gate for ten days and seemed anxious to meet them, he was rather intimidated when it finally happened. He stuck pretty close by my side.

I had put Oliver’s old collar on Butch, which happened to be the same color as Oliver’s current collar. They are both black and tan dachshunds, so once they started running around together, it was clear that having the same color collar was NOT going to work – I couldn’t tell them apart without looking closely! I’d call out, “Butch, no Oliver…no Butch.” Oh my!

My three dogs really wanted to play with him, but he didn’t seem to know what that was. When he finally got to come in my room and pile on the bed with everybody, once they all settled down he jumped down, went to the toy basket, grabbed a knotted sock, jumped back on the bed, and dropped it on my tummy. He didn’t want to play…but it was like he was bringing me a gift! And once again, my heart melted as I looked into his expectant eyes.

I found out from the Animal Control Officer that Butch had been abandoned behind a motel in their small town…probably not a good area, based on how he related the story. They left his metal kennel there with a pillow in it. He would run out and bite people and run back to his crate for safety. The police were called, and they closed the crate door when he ran inside and then called the ACO. He spent the next month or so in their city pound.

Butch hasn’t shown much aggression, but he still has triggers that set him off. We’ll be working on those areas and getting him used to strangers. Over time, he’ll learn to trust that he is safe around people.

We worked on food aggression when he was in isolation, and now when they all eat together, since he is the slowest eater, my three gather around close to his bowl in case he walks away and leaves something behind. He has not growled, raised his lip, or shown any signs of aggression toward them! Makes a momma proud!!

He’s also learning to play! He will get excited and run and get a toy and bring it near me and chew on it for a short time. And he’s getting a little less intimidated by my three and will run around with them a get a little playful. Slowly but surely, he is coming around!

Butch will continue through rehab and, when he’s ready, will be available for adoption through True Blue Animal Rescue. Please go to www.t-bar.org and complete the adoption application if you are interested in adopting him or any of the other great animals at TBAR.

I’d like to give a special shout-out to this kind ACO who genuinely cares about the animals in his care and does things others won’t to help them! Through his kindness to Butch and allowing TBAR to rehab him, he has given Butch the opportunity to heal both physically and mentally and have a chance at a happy life with a great forever family. Thank you ACO Butch Schmidt of Columbus, TX! Your namesake will make you proud!

Butch4_TBAR_Foster Feature

Event Announcement: Octoberfest Burton

Posted on by

BurtonFest 2014

Just announced! TBAR will be at the Second Annual “Oktoberfest Burton”, hosted by the Burton Area Chamber of Commerce on Saturday, October 11, 2014.

This event is the Chamber’s main fundraiser for the year. Funds raised will benefit current projects aimed at the civic, economic, industrial, agricultural, educational, tourist and general welfare interests of our community. A portion of the entry fee for the Weenie Dog Races will be donated to True Blue Animal Rescue.

Gates will open at 3:00pm with a $5 gate admission. The Event will kick off with the Burton Cub Scouts Flag Raising Ceremony, followed by the Ceremonial Tapping of the Keg. Live German music and celebratory German Singing will conclude the opening ceremonies. The Running of the Wieners (Dog Race) will begin at 4:00p.m. Ladies Stein Races will start at 5:00p.m. and Beer Barrel Races will start at 6:00p.m. At 7:00p.m.,visitors can participate in Burton’s Biggest Chicken Dance. The LIVE AUCTION starts at 7:30p.m. Local and German Vendors will be selling their wares and fun and games will be available for the kiddos. Dress up in Lederhosen or Dirndl to enter the “Best Dressed German Lady and Man Contest”.

The John Holub Polka band will play under the big top from 3:00p.m.to7:00p.m. and Slim Bawb and the Stump Grinders will follow and play until 10:00 p.m.

Enjoy Authentic German Food & Ice Cold Brews while you polka through the night. We hope to see you there!

Success Stories: September 17, 2014

Posted on by

SuccessStory_September17

We have three recent success stories to share! Mattie was one of the “bottle baby” puppies that were saved by TBAR volunteers this summer. She has a great family now, look at that #Selfie! Nebula was one of our “Guardians of the Galaxy” pups that were a surprise litter from our senior rescue, Sage. And Gracie is a boxer mix that has been a foster pup in wait of her forever home. Congrats on your new homes girls! And THANK YOU to those great families that have opened your home and hearts.

Foster Feature: Butch Part 3

Posted on by

Butch3_FosterFeature_TBAR

Foster Feature of the day by Shellie Bellinghausen
Butch the Dachshund – Part 3: Isolation

When we finally left the vet clinic, we headed home. I took Butch straight to the back yard and put him in his crate. Only he would be allowed to use the back yard for a couple of weeks; my other dogs would have to use the front/side yard.

After getting my three dogs fed and settled, I moved the crate upstairs to the spare bedroom, which I keep blocked by a dog gate. The rabbit cage was in the same room, so the two had to be placed on opposite sides. My dogs were, of course, excited about the new “stranger” and got rather upset that they couldn’t meet him.

When I brought Butch inside, it was straight to the bathroom for his first anti-fungal bath with the special shampoo the vet provided. I wasn’t quite sure how he’d react and was still well aware he could attack if he got to scared. But he was an absolute angel and very patient, as I had to bathe him FIVE times before the water finally ran clean when rinsing.

Isolation was tough for Butch. He really wanted to be with me and to interact with my other three dogs. I kept counting down the days for him, but it seemed to pass so slowly. And every time we walked into the bedroom and he saw his crate, his head hung low. He was always so good to go inside, but he was equally saddened.

He could hear them barking when I came home from work and let them out. He could see them playing in the hall when we’d come upstairs. But most of all, he felt left out of all the activity. He wanted my affection and time so badly, but he could only have it for a few minutes at a time.

For me, everything took twice as long, having to do the same thing twice, first with my gang and then with him. I changed his bedding twice a day, washing it daily.

The worming granules had to be given with a couple tablespoons of canned food, and then he refused to eat the dry. I had to mix a little canned with it for a few days, and finally he got used to the dry.

He started to get food aggressive, so I took the food from him, put the bowl in my lap, and told him it was mine and that I would share it with him, but he couldn’t growl or guard. I kept the bowl in my lap and let him eat there. Well, he decided that was a pretty fair trade and, after that, wouldn’t eat unless he could sit in my lap! That didn’t last long…I know that trick!

After ten days, and the mites dying off, I gave him his third anti-fungal bath and cleaned his ears. I told him I had a special treat for him when we were done. And special it was…he got to meet my pack finally!

To be continued…