Champ's Champion Christmas!

Here’s a special after-Christmas post by my collaborator and co-Pawthor, Champ.

“I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and that Santa Paws brought you exactly what you wanted. Here’s me in my Christmas Elf coat, next to the tree, wondering if Santa Paws got my special letter to him…

Isn't our Christmas tree just beautiful?

Yay! Santa Paws brought me just what I wanted! A whole bunch of squeaky balls!!!

Yay! Lucky me!

Don’t forget that there are so many needy animals out there, animals who didn’t have a warm cosy bed or a loving family over Christmas. It’s our duty to spread the word and save as many lonesome or homeless animals as possible. Just a small donation at any animal shelter or rescue will help so much.

If you want to help S.A.F.E. Rescue, the wonderful people that saved me from abuse and illness, please consider buying my book about my journey back to life. Champ: My Story of Survival is available on Amazon and proceeds go to help S.A.F.E. Rescue save as many animals as they can.”

About Champ: Champ is a 7-year-old poodle mix brought back to life from the brink of death by S.A.F.E. Rescue, a no-kill animal shelter in California. He lives happily for now with foster parents and their loving family while he gets completely well. He loves to be loved, and has not let being a celebrity turn his head. His favorite toy is his squeaky ball; and he loves going for walks and being cuddled. Collaborating on this book was the biggest step in his life and he hopes that people will love it to bits and tell the whole world.

Readers and supporters will agree with S.A.F.E. Rescue when they say: "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. They too just want to be loved and cared for and can and will blossom into wonderful companions with unconditional love, despite their past."

Champ Interviews Pawthor Byron Tinker

Since Champ has become a Pawthor, he is keen to review books by other Pawthors, and also conduct interviews. Champ was so captivated by Byron Tinker's book, Tortoise Soup, that he couldn't wait to interview this amazing tortie. I couldn't wait to share the amazing interaction between these two animals on my blog. I hope you enjoy it. Over to Champ!

Hi Byron and welcome. I just loved your book Tortoise Soup. It was such an incredible adventure that I’m sure readers are as curious as I am about you and your amazing life. If anyone missed my review, here it is.

How did you come to live with Pawthor Nick Holland and has he been very helpful in getting your book written and out there for readers?

Hi Champ! It's a big honour for me to speak to such a famous dog! My human, the Pawthor Nick Holland, read your story to me and it was very moving! He bought me from a tortoise breeder called Brian. Us torties and turtles make great pets, but it's better to get us from specialist tortoise & turtle breeders, because some people try to sell torties that have been snatched from the wild! My mum and dad were from Russia! They were being illegally smuggled into England. The airport people spotted them and passed them onto Brian, who takes really good care of them.

Phew! Your Mum and Dad were lucky they got rescued. What made you decide to write Tortoise Soup?

I love books, but there weren't enough about us tortoises.  People think we are slow, but we can do lots and lots! I decided to write a book myself, though I had to get my pet human to type it all up for me.

This is a secret question – is everything that happened in the book true?

It all happened! Or was it a dream? After all, having adventures in our mind is almost as much fun as having them in real life. Don't tell anyone though, Champ, but it was all true!

I knew it must be all true! Did you feel sick when you were flying with the wild crane, trying to get back to Ruby? I ask this question because in my book, when I had to fly with the pigeons, my stomach kept going round and round.

I did feel sick at first, and it was very cold up there. But I was so excited that I soon forgot how sick I felt.

Byron eating his annual strawberry!

I noticed in your book you had a hard time getting exactly the kind of food you like and are accustomed to eating. So, what’s your very favourite food in the whole world?

Definitely strawberries! But too many would make me feel sick, so I only get two a year. One at Christmas and one on my birthday (July 20^th!). It's a very special treat. I also love big yellow dandelion flowers!

Hmm, strawberries? I've never tasted one but they sound interesting. You were very brave during your adventure, even when that Miss Scratbakk nearly got you with the big machine. Truthfully, were you ever so scared you thought you couldn’t go on?

I was! I was so scared I could have put my head in my shell and never come out again. But sometimes you have to hide how scared you are. It doesn't matter how little you are, if you have a big heart then you can achieve big things!

Do you believe in the Anjil for Aminals (that’s who helped save me from abuse)?

I definitely believe in the Anjil for Aminals! I think somebody up there in the sky is looking out for us all. That's why we should all say a prayer for our anipals who need her help.

Has being a world-famous Pawthor changed you in any way? Has it changed your life? Do you feel you still have all four paws on the ground?

I get fan emails from across the world, which I love! But I try not to get too big headed, or I wouldn't fit in my shell any more. I got my picture in the local paper as well, but it wasn't on the front page where I should have been. Oops, my head is getting bigger again!

What’s a typical day for you?

Byron charging around the garden!

I wake up and exercise, up down, up down, twenty times. And then my other eyelid. It's hard work keeping in top shell condition. Then I have a bath in a plastic tub with warm water in it. When I come out my human has put my food out. I gobble it up and then snooze under my sun lamp. While I snooze, I'm thinking up ideas for new books. At midday, my human lets me out of my home (my tortoise table) and I stomp around the house and watch television. Then it's back to snoozing until supper time, lots of nice weeds for me to eat, with a bit of lettuce. If it's summer time, I go outside and charge around the garden – I like that! But I can't stand the cold, so I spend my winters indoors. I love climbing over things, knocking things over and digging in the soil. Maybe I should be a tortoise marine? Then when it gets dark, I go to sleep. Another fun filled day will be waiting in the morning.

Two books in one here!

Now that you’re a Pawthor with two books (Shellebration and Tortoise Soup), what’s next on the writing agenda?

I think I should be the first tortoise in space. I'm planning on stowing away on a rocket and blasting into space with my special human friend Ruby! I want to find out if the moon is made of cheese or lettuce? When I get back, I will write all about it.

If you had One Big Wish that was guaranteed to come true, what would you wish for?

I would wish that all anipals would be happy and healthy, and there would be no more cruelty out there. Because we all have a lot of love to give, and we only want a little love in return.

I totally agree with you, Byron! What’s your message for other aspiring Pawthors out there?

Don't let anyone stop you writing your story! People might try to put you off, but they're just jealous because you can write a book and they can't. Once you've done it, then you'll be a Pawthor for life, and nobody can ever take that away from you. And maybe your book will make people happy, and that's the bestest gift of all!

Thanks so much for sharing details of your life and career with us today. I am sure this will inspire many Pawthors to put paw to paper and get their stories out to eager readers.

Thank you Champ! I loved talking to you, I hope I wasn't too slow!

Not at all! I’m reading Shellebration right now and hope to post a review very soon.

Byron on a dandelion hunt!

For new readers, Byron lives in the United Kingdom which is a long way from where Champ lives in California. His guardian is Nick Holland, who is also a Pawthor. I think he helped Byron with some big words and spelling. You can follow Byron on Twitter @ByronTinker. You can also buy his books on Amazon, and don’t forget to leave a review.

Please share this post and spread Champ's message to stand up against animal abuse, and to teach people to love animals worldwide.

Book Review: Nobody's Poodle by Gizmo



Gizmo looking cute!

Since I became Champ's biodographer (Champ: My Story of Survival) , I've been helping Champ review books by other Pawthors. It has been an enlightening experience, to say the least. Champ's latest foray into book reviews led me to read Nobody's Poodle by Gizmo. What a story, and what an adventure. Gizmo was abandoned in Tenerife when he was just a year old and spent some time in a refuge. Gizmo was found by Nikki and Richard Attree (looking to fill the big sad gap left when their beloved Basil went to the Rainbow Bridge) and his life went from rags to riches. Gizmo is such a clever dog that it wasn’t long before the Attrees and Gizmo had penned his experiences and produced a book.

The story starts with a great adventure—Gizmo and his people (Sharon, Trev and young Tracey) move from England to Tenerife, which is an island in the Atlantic. It sounded great: sun, sea, sand, a new Woof lingo, new places to explore, and new faces to meet. But things didn’t turn out so well when Gizmo’s family ran out of money. He was abandoned when Trev didn’t come back for him on the day they left the apartment. Gizmo had to fend for himself on the mean streets, and he soon learned that life in Tenerife is very harsh for an abandoned pooch. He made friends with other dogs in similar situations and wondered if he would ever find a Fur-ever Family again. Then the most terrible thing happened. Gizmo was caught by horrible people that make dogs fight each other. He was shoved into a dreadful dark place, given hardly any food, and met other suffering dogs with sad tales to tell. His one consolation was meeting a dog that had been on the same plane ride with him from England to Tenerife: Rambo the Rottweiler who is all soft inside of a fierce outside. Luckily, when they were taken to a dog fight, the police arrived, and in the confusion of all those people being arrested, Rambo and Gizmo escaped. Somehow they ended up at the same rescue shelter, where kind people looked after them. Some of Gizmo’s street friends and acquaintances also ended up there, and soon found loving homes. Gizmo waited … and waited … and then one day Nikki and Richard walked into the shelter, and Gizmo’s life changed overnight!

What I Think: I actually wept when I read this book and I think Gizmo was very brave to survive all his real-life traumas. It is so sad that many dogs are abandoned in Tenerife because their owners can’t afford them any longer, or don’t want them. The dog fighting was also very distressing. I can just imagine how all those poor dogs felt, locked in cages, and thinking there was no way out for them. A lovely message in the book was when Gizmo spoke about love and communication between dogs and humans, and how much dogs understand humans, even more than humans could ever know. Another very nice ending to Gizmo’s sad tale is that Gizmo’s terrible experiences also ended up helping other pooches in a strange way.  His new Fur-ever Family are dedicated to helping stray and abandoned dogs in Tenerife. Gizmo’s writing expertise also attracted attention and before you could say, “give a dog a bone,” Island Connections newspaper signed him up to be their intrepid news hound, doggedly sniffing out the breaking news and giving the pooch perspective in his regular column: ‘Life According to Gizmo (It’s a Dog’s Life).’ If you love dogs (and any animals) you will really enjoy Nobody’s Poodle. Gizmo is hilarious and his sayings made me laugh. He is also quite philosophical about life and has some wise words for humans and canines. There are also very cute drawings by a talented artist called Annie Chapman. Hop over to Amazon and get a copy. Just purchasing the book will help other needy dogs because some of the profits from Nobody’s Poodle will be donated to help the animal rescue shelters in Tenerife.

Gizmo doing a bit of swotting on dog stuff.

About the Pawthors: Nikki’s website is dedicated to finding homes for the island’s abandoned dogs, as well as being a mine of information and an insight into the canine world. Gizmo is the Spokes-Mutt for Tenerife Dogs, following in the paw steps of the late, great Basil, who was the first ambassador for Tenerife Dogs. One of Gizmo’s first tasks was to be the poster pooch for Accion-del-Sol’s educational program. This is the refuge that took Gizmo in and cared for him. Gizmo’s role involves visiting local schools, telling the children about the plight of stray mutts in Tenerife, and teaching them how to look after their pets properly. You can read more about Nobody’s Poodle here.  Besides his many other accomplishments Gizmo is an expert in woofing, sniffing, digging, chasing cats, siestas, and looking cute.

 

Champ Shares: The Year That Was 2013

Welcome to 2014. I am sure that for many people 2013 had its ups and downs, trials and tribulations. I followed the ups and downs, and many trials and tribulations of Champ, the little dog in California who survived terrible abuse, and lived. With me as his biodographer, Champ penned his story of hope in Champ: My Story of Survival. He started his own blog, made a book video, and also a music video. Here is Champ's reflection on 2013, and his New Year resolutions for 2014. Brave, loyal, loving, and ever optimistic, this is one dog in a million. Please watch and share his music video which says it all.

Champ's motto, now and forever!

Champ says: "Hi everyone, I hope you had a wonderful New Year celebration and you've made lots of good New Year resolutions. I have: I'm going to shower my friends and Foster Family with love; and I'm going to show the world how to love animals everywhere.

I thought back on how far I've come since I was rescued. It's hard to put all my feelings in words, but my fantastic musician friend Joe Zamora and his band One Bad Munky said it all for me. Please watch and share this amazing music video."

Champ's Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGs9MXN7GIk

Me thinking back...

Champ: A Story of Survival

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!

many readers, appalled and then moved. Appalled that such neglect and abuse could even happen in the first place, and moved by a little dog’s immense courage, fortitude, and most importantly his will to life, and his ability to forgive and love humans again.

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!

the wilds, or just a little dog that perhaps no one would miss—his abusive owners did not care—is a link in a chain of love. The unsung heroes are a growing army of compassionate people, vets donating skill, supporters donating funds and food, volunteers donating their time. There is very little fame involved and definitely no fortune. Many large animal organizations and the humblest of animal shelters rely on public goodwill to keep going. The only reason they still operate is because of people's compassion and generosity.

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.