Street Animal Rescue Alliance

What happens when an activist/wildlife rehabber and the director of a homeless shelter/dog rescuer find a disabled puppy that is about to be euthanized? A $10,000 vet bill and a story of determination.

Sheida Soleimani is an activist, educator, artist, wildlife rehabber, and founder of Congress of the Birds–a wildlife clinic in Rhode Island.

Kat Monterosso is a community organizer, director of a homeless shelter, and founder of Street Animal Rescue Alliance–rescue that operates in Guatemala and Mexico.

Both of us know what it is like to face injustices and suffering on a daily basis. Both of us know that we cannot solve systemic issues in isolation or save every animal we come across that is in need.

But when we came across a 3mo old puppy facing euthanasia because his medical needs were too costly, we knew it was time to launch our first collaboration.

Meet Grem. Likely the result of a puppy mill operation, Grem was brought to a city pound and surrendered as a "stray" at just about 10wks old. Both of his back legs have grade 4 luxated patellas, which means his "kneecaps" don't stay in place. He goes from walking/running normally to collapsing and dragging his hind legs without any warning.

Despite looking like a disheveled old man with a mild hunchback, he is actually just a baby. He is a curious, playful little guy who is just learning about the world outside of the sad cages and kennels that were all he knew for his first few months of life.

The bad news is that he will not grow out of this condition, he is in pain, and there are no moderate interventions to help. The good news is that there is a surgical option which is regularly successful and will result in him leading a full and normal life. The initial estimate for this surgery is $10k, which is why the pound where he was abandoned was facing the horrendous reality of euthanizing a puppy.

Together, we are committed to creating a different future for this little Gremlin. With your support, we can give him the future that he deserves.

Grem's story would not be possible without Becky from Walker's Way Rescue, who initially pulled him from the pound to save him from euthanasia. We are tremendously grateful for her compassion and the incredible work she does!

We’ve recently become aware of conditions at another local “rescue” that are quite dire. There are 20-30 malnourished dogs without access to proper medical care.

There is no mal-intent here. This is an unfortunately familiar case of someone wanting to help, but lacking the resources and knowledge to do so.

This lady brings street dogs to our castration clinics every month. She genuinely thinks she's helping, but she's clearly way over her head and needs our help.

Our goal is to improve conditions and provide education.

We will stabilize any medically critical dogs, provide basic care for all dogs (sterilization, vaccines, flea/tick, dewormer), and provide adequate food for 3 months while we work on a long term plan.

We are collaborating with other local partners who have already stepped up to provide some initial supplies and meds.

Please note:

Reporting to the govt agency is often not in the best interest of the dogs as the govt agency is overwhelmed and under resourced. We understand this may feel inadequate to some but ask supporters to trust our assessment. We have successfully improved conditions at other under resourced rescues and are unable to take on all these dogs into our network.

We found this tiny senior boy wandering alone in a park—confused, anxious, and clearly searching for the person who abandoned him. At just 4 pounds and approximately 12 years old he was especially vulnerable.

After his initial vet check we have determined the following conditions and are pursuing immediate medical care. His condition is considered critical.

He has life-threatening anemia, clear signs of malnutrition, skin conditions, fleas, severe dental issues, and a prolapsed penis.

He tested negative for heartworm and tick-borne diseases, and his liver and kidney function are okay. That gives him a fighting chance.

We are immediately starting urgent care for anemia and malnutrition. His body condition is too weak for a blood transfusion, or to address his dental issues and penis. Our goal is to stabilize him for 1 week before reassessing and taking more drastic measures or address other issues.

This little guy has clearly been neglected for years before being discarded like trash. But he isn’t disposable to us—he needs a chance to have the golden years he deserves.