Have you ever heard a story so gripping
that you are compelled to “do something about it?” Well, that’s what happened to
me over these past few weeks. It is my only excuse for blogging just once in
three weeks. I have been following more and more rescue sites and stories of
animals saved from an awful fate. Many times I end up in tears and raiding my PayPal
account to donate.
One particular animal rescue story captivated
my attention—a story of death and life, in that order. The little dog was nothing
special, many may think. He isn’t an exotic creature on the verge of extinction;
he’s just a little poodle mix named Champ. When I first read Champ’s story I was,
like |
| Champ's story! |
On May 11, 2013, this little dog nearly died. He was dumped at the West Valley Animal Shelter, Chatsworth, California. Champsky (that was his given name) was enclosed in two sealed plastic bags, with another one over his head and tied around his neck. This gruesome parcel was left on the clerk’s counter by two people who then walked away. When the clerk opened it, thinking it was a delivery package, she saw what she thought was a dead dog. After all, he had already turned blue.
Do you believe in miracles? One happened right away. Against all odds, the shelter vet was able to revive him. The dog was a matted mess. They shaved him down and discovered ulcers covering most of his body, as well as deep wounds going all the way through his skin to his muscles. He was extremely malnourished, weighing only 7 pounds, when his proper weight should have been 15 pounds.
More miracles happened. He was stabilized and then taken in by S.A.F.E. Rescue, an animal shelter in California. Along with the hundreds of supporters on Facebook, I followed his precarious road back to health. Again, the odds were stacked against him; his condition was so bad, his wounds so deep. But this little champion (renamed Champ) decided to live. A torrent of love and funding poured in for Champ. The shelter was able to provide him with particular food to build up his constitution. Every day, his new foster guardians kept a Facebook Diary updated. Every day, people sent their messages of support, myself included.
Then I thought, “How about a blog post?” Then I thought, “How
about a little e-book?” That way, I could donate my writing and create
something to generate ongoing funds for Champ and the rescue shelter. S.A.F.E. Rescue
were over the moon and the rest has been a flurry of gathering photos and
information, getting Champ’s story down, and some creative stuff on the side,
such as Champ’s “Happy Eva After Pome” and his short story How Superdog Champ
Saved the Day.
As I wrote, so people worldwide sent in messages of love
to be included in the book; some even sent messages from and photos of their
own rescued dogs. But it all starts with one act of kindness. Every person
involved in rescuing an animal, be it a glorious tiger in the jungle, or an
orphaned elephant in |
| Happy at last! |
Champ’s messages, included in his book, also moved me
when I read how many people said Champ, and his brave little struggle for
survival, had changed their lives. People saw their pets in a new light; some
people began to work with animals; some people saw their own life in tandem
with Champ’s and decided if he could survive, so could they. Champ’s tomorrows
look very good. From being beaten by life, he has risen to stand head and
shoulders above everything. Although fame was something he never expected,
Champ handles his new celebrity status with grace and aplomb. To so many people,
he has become a little ray of hope and sunshine in a dark world. His fans just
want to love and cherish him. Until he is fully back on all four paws, he is enjoying life with his Foster Mommy Suzy and her collection of animals. Champ is not out of the woods yet. He needs ongoing care, and an operation to a damaged knee.
Kelli Hopper, who runs S.A.F.E. Rescue says: “Champ has
touched the hearts of so many people and has been an inspiration, if for no
other reason than to bring awareness and attention to the plight of abused and
neglected pets.”Champ’s book will be available soon from Amazon, B&N, and all other book sites. Proceeds from sales go to Champ's continued care, and will enable S.A.F.E. rescue to help more animals. Please share Champ’s story: it deserves to be told.
Julia Dweck's background in elementary education affords her the opportunity to be in touch with what children want to read and what makes them giggle. She's collaborated with leading artists in the world of children's literature to produce over 20 Amazon eBooks. Her titles have garnered placement on Amazon's bestsellers in children's color picture books multiple times with two #1 bestsellers: PIE-RITS and Zombie-Kids. These titles have been chosen by Amazon Editors for the prestigious "Kindle Daily Deal." Many of Julia's titles have earned placement on Amazon's top ranked lists based on customer review. In her spare time, Julia is a designer of educational adjuncts for children's literature, and has worked with such notable publishing houses as Penguin Young Readers. She presented at the 2011 National Center for Family Literacy for her creative use of technology in the classroom.
For more information about Julia Dweck and her books, please visit her website, 