Roxy's Surgery Fund!
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Anybody and Everybody PLEASE PLEASE HELP!!!
Roxy needs surgery!
She has been diagnosed with Thoracolumbar Intervertebral Disc Disease in her neck, forcing down pressure on her spinal cord and slowly paralyzing her. She is currently on steroids for the pain, but time is of essence to make sure she will keep her ability to walk!
I have exhausted all possible avenues, but I just don't have enough cash flow at the moment to cover the costs and I am putting my faith into anyone who has ever crossed her path and/or knows what an amazing and unique being Roxy truly is.
And for those of you who have never met her...here is an article written about her life and as well as a link to a short film she starred in. The film was picked and screened at various festivals all over the world including the prestiguous Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland.
WHEN ROXY MET DAMIEN: THE STORY OF DAMIEN PUCKLER & HIS DOG ROXY
By Lynn Stacy-Smith
Damien Puckler was not looking for a dog six years ago. In fact, although he grew up with animals and was a tremendous animal lover, it was because he had such a strong love of dogs and experience with dogs that he knew that his life was too busy at the time. Between his professional endeavors as an actor, stuntman, stunt/fight advisor, martial arts expert and fitness trainer, Damien did not feel that he had the time needed to be a responsible dog owner.
Fortunately Roxy didn’t care about any of that. Roxy had her own master plan and was not taking no for an answer.
Six years ago Damien owned a gym and was teaching boot camp on weekends in a park near his gym. He had seen Roxy running around the area on occasion, always alone and without a collar. He assumed she was a stray dog or perhaps lived in a nearby house. One day he was finished with the first boot camp session of the day and sat down on a park bench to take a break. All of a sudden he felt a furry head resting on his lap.
Roxy Puckler
Damien started petting the dog’s head and played with her a little. She was jumping around and acting playful. When they were finished playing he headed towards his car. Roxy followed him, jumped right into the car and sat and waited to go for a ride. He got her out of the car, tried to have her stay, but she jumped right back in. They went through this several times, he got her out, she jumped straight back in. His gym was right around the corner, so he let her accompany him to the gym with the intention of taking her back to the second session of boot camp, at which point he would take her back to the park where he found her, or rather where she found him.
Roxy needs surgery!
She has been diagnosed with Thoracolumbar Intervertebral Disc Disease in her neck, forcing down pressure on her spinal cord and slowly paralyzing her. She is currently on steroids for the pain, but time is of essence to make sure she will keep her ability to walk!
I have exhausted all possible avenues, but I just don't have enough cash flow at the moment to cover the costs and I am putting my faith into anyone who has ever crossed her path and/or knows what an amazing and unique being Roxy truly is.
And for those of you who have never met her...here is an article written about her life and as well as a link to a short film she starred in. The film was picked and screened at various festivals all over the world including the prestiguous Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland.
WHEN ROXY MET DAMIEN: THE STORY OF DAMIEN PUCKLER & HIS DOG ROXY
By Lynn Stacy-Smith
Damien Puckler was not looking for a dog six years ago. In fact, although he grew up with animals and was a tremendous animal lover, it was because he had such a strong love of dogs and experience with dogs that he knew that his life was too busy at the time. Between his professional endeavors as an actor, stuntman, stunt/fight advisor, martial arts expert and fitness trainer, Damien did not feel that he had the time needed to be a responsible dog owner.
Fortunately Roxy didn’t care about any of that. Roxy had her own master plan and was not taking no for an answer.
Six years ago Damien owned a gym and was teaching boot camp on weekends in a park near his gym. He had seen Roxy running around the area on occasion, always alone and without a collar. He assumed she was a stray dog or perhaps lived in a nearby house. One day he was finished with the first boot camp session of the day and sat down on a park bench to take a break. All of a sudden he felt a furry head resting on his lap.
Roxy PucklerDamien started petting the dog’s head and played with her a little. She was jumping around and acting playful. When they were finished playing he headed towards his car. Roxy followed him, jumped right into the car and sat and waited to go for a ride. He got her out of the car, tried to have her stay, but she jumped right back in. They went through this several times, he got her out, she jumped straight back in. His gym was right around the corner, so he let her accompany him to the gym with the intention of taking her back to the second session of boot camp, at which point he would take her back to the park where he found her, or rather where she found him.
After the second session of boot camp, they went round and around in the same game, in the car, out of the car, in the car, back out. Finally Damien gave in and said to her, “Ok, you can come with me.” Of course this was to only be a temporary situation, or so Damien thought.
“I went back for three weeks to try to find an owner, but nobody was missing her, nobody asking anything about her. I wasn’t sure if she belonged to a homeless person, or I had no idea,” Damien recollected, “After three to four weeks I was walking her and someone said, ‘You’re walking Gracie’ and told me the house where she lived. I went to the house, nobody was there.”
Damien left a note at the house, and by now he was not sure if he wanted to return her or keep her, but he wanted to do the right thing. Finally the owner called Damien, walked into the gym and identified Gracie/Roxy as his dog. Then he asked Damien if he wanted her. Damien was surprised but the owner explained that they didn’t have enough time for her, she was too high energy, and they never walked her. By that time Roxy had found her way into Damien’s heart and she has been his dog ever since. “I didn’t have time for her then, but life knows when you kinda need something like that.”
It turns out that although Damien originally thought he would not have enough time for her, Roxy was the perfect fit for Damien’s busy life. She knew what she was doing when she selected an owner who was into physical fitness, running, hiking. “She used to do three to four boot camps a day with me, running 5 miles each time,” Damien said, “I think that’s why she’s still in great shape today.”
It is easy to imagine Roxy as a young and energetic three-year-old dog slipping out of her former owner’s house, where her needs were not being met, and spending time at the park to seek a new and more suitable home. You can almost picture her checking out all of the various people, noticing the physically active young man who ran the boot camp and thinking, “I’ll take him, that’s the man who I’m going to make my owner.”
When Damien was trying to find out if Roxy was lost, he took her to the vet to see if she was micro chipped. The vet could not find one that day so Damien started calling out ever possible dog name that he could think of to see if she would react. One of Damien’s human friends is Roxy Balboa, a Professional Muay Thai Fighter. Roxy’s attitude reminded him of his friend; when he called out her name she reacted to that name immediately. Once he found out her previous name was Gracie he decided to keep the name Roxy since it was more of a feisty name and was suited for her personality. Damien laughed when he talked about the fact that now that he and Roxy live at Lake Balboa in California that she truly is Roxy of Balboa.
Roxy, a Pharaoh hound/Basenji/Thai Ridgeback mix, displays several of the behaviors of the breeds in her lineage. Damien talked about her propensity to sit straight up like a Sphinx from the Pharaoh hound in her. During her younger days she used to run extremely fast like a hound, and be able to jump 6-foot high fences from a standing position just like a Basenji.
“I went back for three weeks to try to find an owner, but nobody was missing her, nobody asking anything about her. I wasn’t sure if she belonged to a homeless person, or I had no idea,” Damien recollected, “After three to four weeks I was walking her and someone said, ‘You’re walking Gracie’ and told me the house where she lived. I went to the house, nobody was there.”
Damien left a note at the house, and by now he was not sure if he wanted to return her or keep her, but he wanted to do the right thing. Finally the owner called Damien, walked into the gym and identified Gracie/Roxy as his dog. Then he asked Damien if he wanted her. Damien was surprised but the owner explained that they didn’t have enough time for her, she was too high energy, and they never walked her. By that time Roxy had found her way into Damien’s heart and she has been his dog ever since. “I didn’t have time for her then, but life knows when you kinda need something like that.”
It turns out that although Damien originally thought he would not have enough time for her, Roxy was the perfect fit for Damien’s busy life. She knew what she was doing when she selected an owner who was into physical fitness, running, hiking. “She used to do three to four boot camps a day with me, running 5 miles each time,” Damien said, “I think that’s why she’s still in great shape today.”
It is easy to imagine Roxy as a young and energetic three-year-old dog slipping out of her former owner’s house, where her needs were not being met, and spending time at the park to seek a new and more suitable home. You can almost picture her checking out all of the various people, noticing the physically active young man who ran the boot camp and thinking, “I’ll take him, that’s the man who I’m going to make my owner.”
When Damien was trying to find out if Roxy was lost, he took her to the vet to see if she was micro chipped. The vet could not find one that day so Damien started calling out ever possible dog name that he could think of to see if she would react. One of Damien’s human friends is Roxy Balboa, a Professional Muay Thai Fighter. Roxy’s attitude reminded him of his friend; when he called out her name she reacted to that name immediately. Once he found out her previous name was Gracie he decided to keep the name Roxy since it was more of a feisty name and was suited for her personality. Damien laughed when he talked about the fact that now that he and Roxy live at Lake Balboa in California that she truly is Roxy of Balboa.
Roxy, a Pharaoh hound/Basenji/Thai Ridgeback mix, displays several of the behaviors of the breeds in her lineage. Damien talked about her propensity to sit straight up like a Sphinx from the Pharaoh hound in her. During her younger days she used to run extremely fast like a hound, and be able to jump 6-foot high fences from a standing position just like a Basenji.
Roxy and Damien Puckler enjoying the outdoors
Since Roxy is as loveable as she is active she quickly became the mascot of boot camp. “It was great because people came to boot camp who would be scared of dogs and would ask if I could put her on a leash,” Damien explained, “One family was really scared of her and after a few weeks they were her best friend.”
For a while Damien and Roxy lived on the same property as a home that housed children with Autism. The children were often out in the yard near the home that Roxy and Damien shared. “The children did not connect with people that well but they immediately clicked with Roxy,” Damien explained, “The owner asked for someone to come over and train her and have her work with the kids.”Roxy worked with the children for two years, and both she and the children loved it. Damien relayed a story in which one child cut his arm and Roxy ran to get the caretaker for help, she was that emotionally in touch with the children and so caring about their well being.
Now that Roxy is nine years old she and Damien take two big walks a day, either around their neighborhood or to Lake Balboa, “She has people who stop and give her treats, she stops and gets to know the people,” Damien says. Although she is still active and fun loving she is now more content to nap after a nice long walk.
Roxy Puckler enjoying a nap
Roxy has become used to being the center of attention, not just with Damien, but also with an adoring public. “She doesn’t do anything but she’s always in the limelight,” Damien joked lovingly.
Damien talked about the EcoLuxe Lounge event at which he met Dawn Barraco and Doreen Wong who were representingCanine Caviar holistic pet food at the celebrity gifting event. “When I walked in at that point there were not many dogs there and there were a lot of people,” Damien shared, “I walked to a table and let Roxy’s leash go. She wasn’t the center of attention so she walked into the middle of the room and threw herself down on her back, scratching her back so that everyone stared and everyone watched her lay on her back, everyone was looking at her. She does like the attention.”
In May Damien was featured in the LA Times. It was a huge article and the day the photographer showed up for photos Damien had prepared for the photos, was to perform some fight scenes and martial arts moves in the photos. In the end the main photo on the front page? A photo of Damien and Roxy, Damien explained, again laughing lovingly at his spotlight stealing dog.
In 2010 Damien and Roxy starred together in a movie, the critically acclaimed short film Roxy that was shown at art festivals and film festivals all over the world. “Roxy” received a lot of attention and was critically acclaimed in countries all over the planet. “The director did an amazing job,” Damien said, “She had this idea to shoot a film of a guy in his car traveling around the country with his dog, being depressed and suicidal.” The entire 10 minute short film was shot from Roxy’s point of view and was very focused on her. “
It’s really amazing when the film climaxes and gets to a certain situation how you worry abut Roxy, more about what will happen to her,” says Damien. He also relayed a story about filming a scene where Damien walks from his truck to a hotel room with Roxy by his side. After two takes she ran back down to the truck after the scene to wait for the next take. “She’s too smart for her own good,” he laughed.
Damien is getting his own time in the spotlight these days. Damien Puckler is a former World Champion in Muay Thai Kickboxing and has a Black Belt in Karate & TaeKwonDo. He retired from fighting after a motorcycle accident, finished his education and began doing stunts in films. During his work as a stunt man the director would ask him to deliver a few lines. Damien decided to go to acting school and his work became more focused on acting and less on stunt work.
Damien Puckler and Roxy sharing some down time
Damien now is best known for the character of Meisner on the TV series Grimm. Meisner is a German assassin who people turn to when they need someone to be killed. Although he was supposed to be in just two or three episodes before being killed off the producers liked how his character came off and they kept him on the show in a reoccurring role.
Next week Damien starts filming the independent film Scramble. “It’s really cool, a mix between a Guy Ritchie film meets Natural Born Killers meets a Cohen Brother’s film,” he explained, “All of those styles together, a lot of different characters and story lines, all come together in a big climax.” Damien’s character travels around with a female character in a Bonnie & Clyde type relationship of the modern world, taking revenge on those who have hurt his girlfriend.
When Damien has long days filming or is on location for a show or film Roxy stays with a friend of his. “She’s very picky, she doesn’t stay with many people, she just won’t go,” he explained, “I have never walked her with a leash, she doesn’t need it unless there is a leash law, she’s never more than five to ten feet away from me.” At first she had a little separation anxiety when he would run into a store or on an errand but once she realized that he was always coming back to her she’s been ok.
According to Damien Roxy loved her Canine Caviar VIP box that they received at the EcoLuxe Lounge. Roxy is a very picky eater and is a grazer. “She did like the food a lot, there’s a lot of food I get that she won’t even eat, even when she’s hungry,” he told us. Roxy did devour her Canine Caviar Buffalo treatsquickly, explaining that it lasted all of three to four minutes. Damien continued, “It means the food is really good, she knows what is actually good. I’ve gotten treats before from other places that she won’t eat; she knows and has to have really good stuff. That means your stuff is good.
As happy as we are to have the Roxy Puckler stamp of approval, we are equally thrilled to have met and learned about Damien. Although he often plays assassins and fighters on the big and small screens, in person he is a genuinely nice guy, with a tremendous love for his beloved Roxy. For someone who did not think he had time for a dog, he and Roxy have developed a wonderful life together and are truly each other’s best friends and constant companions. Roxy definitely knew what she was doing when she chose Damien Puckler as her human.
Also, click on the link below to watch Roxy's film, written, produced & directed by the amazingly talented Shirley Petchprapa and screened at the prestigious Locarno Film Festival.
ROXY - the film
Since Roxy is as loveable as she is active she quickly became the mascot of boot camp. “It was great because people came to boot camp who would be scared of dogs and would ask if I could put her on a leash,” Damien explained, “One family was really scared of her and after a few weeks they were her best friend.”
For a while Damien and Roxy lived on the same property as a home that housed children with Autism. The children were often out in the yard near the home that Roxy and Damien shared. “The children did not connect with people that well but they immediately clicked with Roxy,” Damien explained, “The owner asked for someone to come over and train her and have her work with the kids.”Roxy worked with the children for two years, and both she and the children loved it. Damien relayed a story in which one child cut his arm and Roxy ran to get the caretaker for help, she was that emotionally in touch with the children and so caring about their well being.
Now that Roxy is nine years old she and Damien take two big walks a day, either around their neighborhood or to Lake Balboa, “She has people who stop and give her treats, she stops and gets to know the people,” Damien says. Although she is still active and fun loving she is now more content to nap after a nice long walk.
Roxy Puckler enjoying a napRoxy has become used to being the center of attention, not just with Damien, but also with an adoring public. “She doesn’t do anything but she’s always in the limelight,” Damien joked lovingly.
Damien talked about the EcoLuxe Lounge event at which he met Dawn Barraco and Doreen Wong who were representingCanine Caviar holistic pet food at the celebrity gifting event. “When I walked in at that point there were not many dogs there and there were a lot of people,” Damien shared, “I walked to a table and let Roxy’s leash go. She wasn’t the center of attention so she walked into the middle of the room and threw herself down on her back, scratching her back so that everyone stared and everyone watched her lay on her back, everyone was looking at her. She does like the attention.”
In May Damien was featured in the LA Times. It was a huge article and the day the photographer showed up for photos Damien had prepared for the photos, was to perform some fight scenes and martial arts moves in the photos. In the end the main photo on the front page? A photo of Damien and Roxy, Damien explained, again laughing lovingly at his spotlight stealing dog.
In 2010 Damien and Roxy starred together in a movie, the critically acclaimed short film Roxy that was shown at art festivals and film festivals all over the world. “Roxy” received a lot of attention and was critically acclaimed in countries all over the planet. “The director did an amazing job,” Damien said, “She had this idea to shoot a film of a guy in his car traveling around the country with his dog, being depressed and suicidal.” The entire 10 minute short film was shot from Roxy’s point of view and was very focused on her. “
It’s really amazing when the film climaxes and gets to a certain situation how you worry abut Roxy, more about what will happen to her,” says Damien. He also relayed a story about filming a scene where Damien walks from his truck to a hotel room with Roxy by his side. After two takes she ran back down to the truck after the scene to wait for the next take. “She’s too smart for her own good,” he laughed.
Damien is getting his own time in the spotlight these days. Damien Puckler is a former World Champion in Muay Thai Kickboxing and has a Black Belt in Karate & TaeKwonDo. He retired from fighting after a motorcycle accident, finished his education and began doing stunts in films. During his work as a stunt man the director would ask him to deliver a few lines. Damien decided to go to acting school and his work became more focused on acting and less on stunt work.
Damien Puckler and Roxy sharing some down timeDamien now is best known for the character of Meisner on the TV series Grimm. Meisner is a German assassin who people turn to when they need someone to be killed. Although he was supposed to be in just two or three episodes before being killed off the producers liked how his character came off and they kept him on the show in a reoccurring role.
Next week Damien starts filming the independent film Scramble. “It’s really cool, a mix between a Guy Ritchie film meets Natural Born Killers meets a Cohen Brother’s film,” he explained, “All of those styles together, a lot of different characters and story lines, all come together in a big climax.” Damien’s character travels around with a female character in a Bonnie & Clyde type relationship of the modern world, taking revenge on those who have hurt his girlfriend.
When Damien has long days filming or is on location for a show or film Roxy stays with a friend of his. “She’s very picky, she doesn’t stay with many people, she just won’t go,” he explained, “I have never walked her with a leash, she doesn’t need it unless there is a leash law, she’s never more than five to ten feet away from me.” At first she had a little separation anxiety when he would run into a store or on an errand but once she realized that he was always coming back to her she’s been ok.
According to Damien Roxy loved her Canine Caviar VIP box that they received at the EcoLuxe Lounge. Roxy is a very picky eater and is a grazer. “She did like the food a lot, there’s a lot of food I get that she won’t even eat, even when she’s hungry,” he told us. Roxy did devour her Canine Caviar Buffalo treatsquickly, explaining that it lasted all of three to four minutes. Damien continued, “It means the food is really good, she knows what is actually good. I’ve gotten treats before from other places that she won’t eat; she knows and has to have really good stuff. That means your stuff is good.
As happy as we are to have the Roxy Puckler stamp of approval, we are equally thrilled to have met and learned about Damien. Although he often plays assassins and fighters on the big and small screens, in person he is a genuinely nice guy, with a tremendous love for his beloved Roxy. For someone who did not think he had time for a dog, he and Roxy have developed a wonderful life together and are truly each other’s best friends and constant companions. Roxy definitely knew what she was doing when she chose Damien Puckler as her human.
Also, click on the link below to watch Roxy's film, written, produced & directed by the amazingly talented Shirley Petchprapa and screened at the prestigious Locarno Film Festival.
ROXY - the film
Organizer
Damien Puckler
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA