"Z A K A I"
ZAKAI
With a heavy heart did we receive the below email regarding Zakai. We agree with the decision to surrender him back to SAR 100% as it is always important to keep your children safe. Since Zakai is deaf, he is easily being startled especially when he is in a deep sleep. Zakai is a wonderful dog and we are certain that he will be placed into another wonderful home sooner than later.
ZAKAI is back on the market
"As you know, Zakai has rapidly become the second baby we do not have... he has been a tremendous addition to our family and we are eternally grateful for Sachi and the role you've played in bringing him into our lives. Unfortunately, for the second time he has bitten Cole (both times in the face)... and this time it broke the skin bad enough that my neighbor had to drive us to the urgent care facility for it to be treated. Since the incident yesterday afternoon I have been in tears, knowing that I have no choice but to surrender Zakai. This was in NO WAY Zakai's fault, as both times it has happened he has been asleep and Cole has fallen on or stepped on him, startling him awake. Both times, right in front of Kyle or me. I cannot remember the last time I was this heartbroken as this dog is my BABY. As you know, I run with him every day, he comes to the park with Cole and I almost every afternoon and lovingly watches all the kids playing, he sleeps with us every night and is otherwise lounging around on our sofa with Izzie. He is truly a part of our family and both Kyle and I are devastated that we can no longer have him here, but after much talk and consideration it is a risk we cannot assume. When it happened the first time and it just bruised Cole's forehead Kyle and I had a long conversation that if we ever saw a glimpse of it again that we would HAVE TO, no "ifs, ands or buts," surrender the dog. If Cole were older and understood absolute "NOs" and wasn't a clumsy toddler and if we didn't plan on having more children it would be another story but those factors in our life have caused us to have to make a tough decision that isn't really a choice. We would like to foster him until such time as you find a new family for him but as you can imagine would like to it be as quick as possible as this is tremendously painful for us. I am happy to help in any way that I can! I want to reiterate how important it is to me that he placed with a family (or single person) who does not have, nor plans to have young children as I don't EVER want him to have to be surrendered again. I want him to have a FOREVER home and have thought that our home was 100% just that but sometimes there are circumstances we do not foresee. I am CERTAIN the only reason this happened is because Cole unintentionally provoked him by startling him (because he's deaf) awake. THERE IS NOT ONE AGGRESSIVE OR VICIOUS BONE IN HIS BODY. NOT ONE. "
new pictures of ZAKAI in his new home. All is well!
"Zakai is doing sooooooooo well! He has been such a fun addition to our family! We cannot n thank Sachi enough for ushering him into our lives. The foster care and love you gave him truly defines this dog! He is so thankful to be loved and is more of a companion dog than any other I've known... Which is hard to say since our Izzie is SUCH a lover! He is so sweetly devoted to me it's unbelievable... I'm sure it has to do with the fact that I take him running with Cole ande almost every day. We typically run about 3 to 6 miles and he beats me every time! Plus, when we get back to the house he helps with all the chores.. You know, lying on the clean laundry hole I'm trying to fold it, helping me make lunch for Cole (really just waiting for a hand out. Hahaha!), and of course keeping his sister Izzie in line! It's so cute how well they play together... They RUN AND RUN AND RUN around that yard.... There isnpretty much no more grass to speak of thanks to their help "irrigating" the lawn! Oh yes, and wert ending he welcomes Kyle home from work with lots of kisses from the tounge that's way too long for his mouth! And his evening is topped off by snuggling into our king-sized bed with Kyle, Izzie and me! We're in love with him!!"
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This is the end of his foster story!Sachi Animal Rescue is thrilled to announce another happy ending. ZAKAI, the boy who touched so many hearts has found his forever home. He was welcomed into the loving arms of Celeste, Kyle & Cole and the excited ….new doggie sister Izzy. It was a match made in heaven!
To all of you who have followed his incredible story and have generously contributed to his care, WE THANK YOU. However – it is only right that you are being made aware that your generous contribution in Zakai’s name made thru Boxer Orange County Animal Rescue and their founder Brenda K. NEVER reached this precious boy! Brenda of Boxer Orange County Animal Rescue took upon herself not to transfer Zakai’s trust fund to Sachi Animal Rescue and spent the money anywhere she liked. We also like to acknowledge TAZZY FUND for their involvement and generous donation to Zakai’s cause. Thru Zakai’s story, once again, we saw both, the Best and the Worst of what rescue can be. And as usual, the Best always triumphs! |
September,Zakai took some time out of his busy schedule and visited the park the other day. He flirted with a girl dog thru the fence of the dog park but foster mommy ran late and they had to take off. Sachi Animal Rescue is currently interviewing a very nice family that seems perfect for Zakai. |
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August 25, 2010Zakai and his foster family are having a very lazy and relaxing summer. Sleeping a lot, shopping and strolls by the beach. What else is there to do in that heat? |
August 5, 2010Zakai's sutures were removed today and his Auntie Raphaele came to see him. |
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July 29, 2010Zakai lost a foster sister and a foster brother within two days and we were not able to maintain Zakai's blog.
It has been six days since his neuter and tumor removal. He is healing beautifully. We are taking applications and as promised, Zakai will only get a home where he will be loved and never, never again be stuck in the yard without having access to the house via doggie door. Being white and prone to get sunburned, we will not allow a home where he will be stuck in a yard for hours and hours. Zakai has one big fault: he makes you late for work. Since he is so cute I can not stop kissing on him and petting him and when I look at the clock I am late, again. Other then that, he seems perfect! |
July 23, 2010Today Zakai was neutered and his growth on his hip was removed. He is recovering well and is sleeping it off right now. Zakai has gained another 8 pounds over the past week. His head is still too big for his body, so I can just imagine that he will do some more growing. Zakai will be a big boy! Again - Sachi Animal Rescue is taking now applications for this special boy. Only the best home is good enough! |
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July 22, 2010Zakai was successfully introduced to BEN & JERRY! For a moment we thought Zakai could be the spokesdog of BEN & JERRY's but quickly realized it will be very hard for him to "speak" with his snout deep inside the ice-cream container. |
July 14, 2010 part II
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July 14, 2010OMG - this dog is friggin' FANTASTIC !!!!
First - we took him to our favorite vet, Dr. Yves Galea of Sepulveda Animal Hospital in Culver City. All seems fine but fecal is still outstanding because foster mommy "forgot" to collect poop of Mr. Precious. A needle aspiration was performed to check the growth on his hip. No cancer cell but Dr Galea suggested to take it off when he has his neuter appointment. The vet believes Zakai's age to be around 1.5 years young. Eyes and teeth are in good shape. Heart is strong but aching for a home to call his own (hint, hint!). Foster mommy's concern about pale gums were just her paranoia (she fosters mostly very sick dogs, so forgive her!). We have to watch his ears as there is a tiny chance that he has demodex (but most likely not). Dr Galea was very impressed with this very gentle and sweet soul and offered to do the neuter and growth removal for a super, special price because he likes Zakai and wants to make sure he is treated in a clean environment with all the care there is for a special guy like Zakai. After our vet visit, we had our Spa appointment at the Dogromat in Venice, CA. WE LOVE THIS PLACE, especially Faith who adores our puppies. Zakai enjoyed his treatment of soothing aloe vera shampoo caressing his skinny body. And his Auntie Raphaele made sure the experience is nothing but wonderful for our boy. A polished and good smelling Zakai emerged and landed with his doggie friend MARY and yet another auntie, Auntie Andrea, at a busy restaurant with an outside patio designed for pups like Zakai. This was a test to see how Zakai is doing around people and dogs in a small, busy place and boy did he pass!! He certainly is a so called STARBUCKS DOG! He was respectful of the people sitting right next to him and was quiet yet very alert when it came to food on the table. Ok - I know what you are thinking when you look at the pictures with us feeding him at the table with human food but get over it already! WE ARE IN LOVE WITH ZAKAI ! |
July 13,
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July 13, 2010Zakai went to the park today. When we passed a homeless guy and his shopping cart, Zakai got very scared. I wonder what has happen to him in the past ...
Since our boy is still on the skinny side, we pushed his neuter appointment towards the end of this month. Tomorrow will be a big day for Zakai. His first Spa visit is finally here! And after he will see the SAR vet to do a fecal and thorough blood test to make sure he is healthy. Stay tunes my friends! |
July 11, 2010 Zakai's stool is normal now and his appetite is great. Still sleeping a lot, we thought its best to take him in for a pre-op exam to make sure everything is ok. He'll see a vet this Wednesday.
Meanwhile Zakai shows off his tongue all the time. People stop on the street to comment on that. He is hillarious! |
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a word from MaryAnnEmaciated stray white boxer male. The picture is heartbreaking. I love all dogs. I especially adore Boxers. Like most of you who will read this, I share, cross-post, e-mail and tag every dog on facebook who is running out of time or needs money. Something about this boy stabbed me in the heart. I knew I had to work with all my FB friends and guarantee this one would be a success story. Cathy, Sandi, Ann & Martina felt it, too. They rescued him. They saved his life. Look at his progression of photos. He is blossoming from the love & care he is now receiving. I want him for my own. His angels gave me the priviledge of naming him. He is now called Zakai ... in Hebrew it means one who is pure & innocent. He certainly is. We affectionately call him Zak even though he cannot hear us. He is deaf. He is a hero. He survived on the streets in dark silence eating whatever he could find which doesn't look like it has been much. He has managed to avoid being severely injured. He has suffered fleas, ticks, fly bites, diarhea and God knows what else. And he is still happy & hopeful. He will be stunning when he gets well, although we all think he is nothing less than gorgeous even now. I will do whatever it takes to make him mine and spend his life with me in my home. If this is not possible, I will sadly accept it because the most important thing is that he gets the best forever home he can. His angels are looking out for him. He will be our success story. Through him, others will be inspired to step up for the strays, the unwanted & abandoned, the abused, the death row dogs who are so easily disposed of. Zak's story may help save the lives of other dogs. We may not be able to save them all and there are unfortunately so many. But one dog make's a big difference to that one dog. Just ask Zak♥.
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July 5, 2010
Zakai was obviously a back yard dog and never allowed in the house. He has trouble with stairs, is not house broken, counter surfs, jumps up onto the stove and is literally inside my refridgerator the second I open the door. It breaks my heart to see his bony frame, the concrete burns on his joints (from laying on hart surfaces), his raw, pink ears and his super long nails. Why in the world would somebody let him get to this point? In the same time Zakai is the most loving and gentle Boxer I had in a long, long time.
I wanted to weigh him today and to do so, I had to weigh myself first which I haven't done in years. Needless to say I fell into a coma for a few minutes and refused to get back on that scale. It is evil. By looking at him, I say, he gained weight.
Tomorrow we go to the doggie spa! Stay tuned, my friends ...
I wanted to weigh him today and to do so, I had to weigh myself first which I haven't done in years. Needless to say I fell into a coma for a few minutes and refused to get back on that scale. It is evil. By looking at him, I say, he gained weight.
Tomorrow we go to the doggie spa! Stay tuned, my friends ...
July 4, 2010Everything is new to Zakai and he is a little anxious. He started to pee in the house and we have to immediately start "puppy training" with him. He has diarrhea again but is put on Flagyl right away with a very plain diet (rice and chicken). We put REVOLUTION on him for the tickes and fleas and noticed a little growths on his right hip. Once he is under when he gets neutered, the vet can take it off or leave it if it is nothing to worry about. It looks like he has fly-bites on his ears and for the time being we'll put sunscreen on the raw skin when we go outside.
After work we found Zakai sleeping in the bed. |
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July 3, 2010
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Foster mom Martina: "People ask me why I foster another rescue's dogs and the answer is always the same "it's about the dog". I have several Boxers and cats and thought one more will not make a difference. I never took care of a deaf dog and have to say that they are so much more attentive than the dogs with selective hearing."
MaryAnn S. fell in love with "ZAKAI" on FACEBOOK and wants to give him a permanent home. Until he can go home, he needs to put on weight and of course needs to be neutered. Meanwhile Zakai stays at my home to socialize with other Boxers (the girls love him, the boys not so much. I think it's a "neuter-thing"). |
July2, 2010
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BOCAR put a hold on the boy and Sandi DiVities pulled him, took him to a vet and brought him to his foster home that fell thru shortly after delivery. He spent one night at Sandi's. The next day Sandi drove him to West LA to his next foster home. A Sachi Animal Rescue volunteer took pity and agreed to give him a home until he is ready for his forever home.
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July 1st, 2010
Sandi started to circulate him on FACEBOOK and she got many inquiries about him. Most people were concerned about his medical condition as this pictures shows an extremely skinny and unhealthy Boxer and they started to collect funds for this precious boy. People from all over the U.S. try to help by donating money, giving advise, offer to foster and adopt.
He suffered from diarrhea, parasites, vomiting and of course starvation. His ears were raw from fly-bites, and he has a little growths on his hip.
This is how the story started:
by Sandi DiVitis:
I stopped by East Valley Animal Shelter on a spur-of-the -moment decision. I'd seen a Facebook post that there were two English Bulldogs at the shelter. An acquaintance was interested in adopting an EngBull, and my husband and I happened to pass by the shelter while running errands. As it turned out, the Bulldogs were unavailable for 30 days.
As we were leaving, my husband pointed at a cute white boxer. I stopped to say hello and was taken in by his adorable face and the way his tongue stuck out of the side of his mouth. When I stood up and looked down at him, I saw how extremely thin he was and was shocked. He looked at me with warm amber eyes that seemed to plead, "Please help me." I have been a rescue volunteer, a dog socializer, networker, foster and fundraiser, but have never had hands-on experience with an actual "rescue." I took photos with my phone and posted them on facebook, begging for a rescue to take him in. I knew he would need a very experienced foster to help bring him back to health.
Brenda with BOCAR agreed to help this sweet-faced boy and put a rescue hold on him with the shelter. I agreed to pick him up, get him to a vet and deliver him to his new foster home. (I cannot foster because one of my dogs is aggressive to dogs he doesn't know, and I work full time - which wouldn't be ideal for a boy that would need lots of time and attention.) A foster was arranged, but backed out the night before I was to pull the boxer that would come to be named Zakai. Scrambling the weekend before the 4th of July, when all boarding facilities we contacted were full, another foster was arranged the next day.
I pulled him, took him to the vet, delivered him to the foster. ("Zak" looked at me, confused when I invited him to get into my car. He obviously had never ridden in a car.) An hour after I returned home, the foster called to say it wasn't working out. A few hours later, I picked up Zak again, and we spent the night in a back room of my house on an inflatable mattress to keep him separate from my dogs. It was clear he'd never slept on a bed or inside, didn't know how to play with toys, and was deaf. But still he learned "sit" "down" "stay" and "come" with hand signals within an hour. (I'd fostered another deaf dog in the past.) He soon settled in and slept by my feet for a few hours. He woke up a few times with vomiting and diarrhea, so we spent a few hours sleeping outside on the deck, me in a lounge chair and Zak on top of two blankets, right beside me. He only got up to walk away to go to the bathroom. He is very attentive and people-focused.
Fortunately, that night, Martina contacted me that she would be willing to foster Zak, even though she volunteers for Sachi Animal Rescue, and is fostering several other dogs. BOCAR didn't have any available fosters for him. We drove Zak to Martina the next day and she is FANTASTIC for him. She adores him and he even gets to sleep on her bed at night. She has a lot of experience in caring for dogs and if anyone can get him back to health in record time, it will be Martina. She truly is an angel to Zak and a generous, warm, loving human. She and Sachi Animal Rescue have a new fan in me!
I stopped by East Valley Animal Shelter on a spur-of-the -moment decision. I'd seen a Facebook post that there were two English Bulldogs at the shelter. An acquaintance was interested in adopting an EngBull, and my husband and I happened to pass by the shelter while running errands. As it turned out, the Bulldogs were unavailable for 30 days.
As we were leaving, my husband pointed at a cute white boxer. I stopped to say hello and was taken in by his adorable face and the way his tongue stuck out of the side of his mouth. When I stood up and looked down at him, I saw how extremely thin he was and was shocked. He looked at me with warm amber eyes that seemed to plead, "Please help me." I have been a rescue volunteer, a dog socializer, networker, foster and fundraiser, but have never had hands-on experience with an actual "rescue." I took photos with my phone and posted them on facebook, begging for a rescue to take him in. I knew he would need a very experienced foster to help bring him back to health.
Brenda with BOCAR agreed to help this sweet-faced boy and put a rescue hold on him with the shelter. I agreed to pick him up, get him to a vet and deliver him to his new foster home. (I cannot foster because one of my dogs is aggressive to dogs he doesn't know, and I work full time - which wouldn't be ideal for a boy that would need lots of time and attention.) A foster was arranged, but backed out the night before I was to pull the boxer that would come to be named Zakai. Scrambling the weekend before the 4th of July, when all boarding facilities we contacted were full, another foster was arranged the next day.
I pulled him, took him to the vet, delivered him to the foster. ("Zak" looked at me, confused when I invited him to get into my car. He obviously had never ridden in a car.) An hour after I returned home, the foster called to say it wasn't working out. A few hours later, I picked up Zak again, and we spent the night in a back room of my house on an inflatable mattress to keep him separate from my dogs. It was clear he'd never slept on a bed or inside, didn't know how to play with toys, and was deaf. But still he learned "sit" "down" "stay" and "come" with hand signals within an hour. (I'd fostered another deaf dog in the past.) He soon settled in and slept by my feet for a few hours. He woke up a few times with vomiting and diarrhea, so we spent a few hours sleeping outside on the deck, me in a lounge chair and Zak on top of two blankets, right beside me. He only got up to walk away to go to the bathroom. He is very attentive and people-focused.
Fortunately, that night, Martina contacted me that she would be willing to foster Zak, even though she volunteers for Sachi Animal Rescue, and is fostering several other dogs. BOCAR didn't have any available fosters for him. We drove Zak to Martina the next day and she is FANTASTIC for him. She adores him and he even gets to sleep on her bed at night. She has a lot of experience in caring for dogs and if anyone can get him back to health in record time, it will be Martina. She truly is an angel to Zak and a generous, warm, loving human. She and Sachi Animal Rescue have a new fan in me!