Stormy's First Snow Tube Ride!

.................AND this is the dog that the shelter wanted to kill because everyone was afraid of her! All she wanted was to protect her babies and be loved in return. She has certainly found her Angels on earth!

Link's First Christmas!

Loook at our Handsome Link! I can't believe how big he has gotten! He loves cuddling with his Cousin Charlie - all of these puppies are snugglers! Merry Christmas and a Most Happy New Year to Link and his new family! Let's all think about a possible date for a Stormy Puppy reunion over the summer!

Stormy in the Snow!

Happy Holidays from Cheyenne!

Happy Holidays from Cheyenne and her loving family! If you have raised a "toast" to Cheyenne and her family many thanks from Southern Cross. We are so happy and blessed to have such a wonderful hospice home for this beautiful Senior girl! Cheyenne also Thanks you from the bottom of her heart and is wishing everyone a healthful, loving, and prosperous New Year! Many, many thanks to this family and the two wonderful, talented and loving children that has given Cheyenne all the love she should have always known!

Baby Ava's First White Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Stormy!

Merry Christmas from Stormy and all of the Volunteers and Dogs of Southern Cross GSD Rescue! The look of contentment on Stormy's face says it all for us - Wishing you all a New Year filled with health, love and Peace!

Wishing that the New Year will allow Southern Cross to continue to find the kind and loving homes that Stormy and SEVEN of her pups now enjoy. Buffy, Delilah and Baby Ava are still waiting but I know the right homes are just around the corner for them!

Hugs from Riley

It didn't take him long to learn how to hug "his" kids!

Ava Wishes everyone a Merry Christmas!

Baby Ava wishes everyone a Happy Holiday and sends so many hugs and puppy kisses to everyone that contributed to her support! It is hard to believe how tiny and sick she was and how healthy and full of trouble she is now :) I am not sure how many presents she might be getting after biting Old Santa Claus but I am not going to be the one to tell her!

Sweet Rose

Adopted! Waiting for photo's.

Our Little Penny!

Here she is in her new home that is absolutely filled with love and music! Penny was the first of the puppies I fell absolutely head over heals in love with - don't ask me why - I can't say - but looking at her as she grows I would have to say that out of all the puppies - so far - she has Stormy's eyes that just look into your soul. I love the one ear up - one ear down and she has travelled with one of the toys that her Auntie Adrienne provided when they were just babies.

We look forward to hearing how she grows - she has had a great start in a wonderful foster home - and is now in a wonderful forever home. She is so beautiful!

Link on his way to his Forever Home

Link nice and clean and dressed up for his new Georgia Tech home! He has a wonderful family waiting for him!

Baby Ava - Our little spitfire!

Here she is! Now over 20 lbs at last and quickly catching up with Rose. It is hard to get a good photo of her because she is always on the go! She gives puppy kisses just as fast as she runs!

Photo's of our Sweet Rose

This is sweet, sweet Rose still waiting for her forever home - she is the sweetest puppy and very, very smart. When it is bed time I have to chase Baby Ava - she will run and hide under beds until I can get her but after she is safely in her crate Rose just simply walks into hers and gives me a kiss good nite!

Adopted!

Little Penny and Link have found their forever homes! Photo's posted as soon as we get some in!

Baby Ava will be well enough to look for her own forever home soon. Please keep her in mind if you run across that special family that will see her sweet fighting spirit.

Baron

Sir Baron McNubbins snuggled in bed with his new buddy!

Stormy's Thanksgiving Frolic!

Stormy, Harry and Little Molly had a wonderful Thanksgiving at the Beach! It is so wonderful to see all three of these Southern Cross Rescue dogs have a life of joy and love. A true Thanksgiving!

How Cute is this?

It's official! Riley has been added to his family's growth chart on their wall! This is just too sweet!

Puppy Updates!

Stormy's puppies are finding homes! Cowboy, Missy, Riley and Sir Baron McNubbins have all found forever homes in time for the Holiday!

We have some nice inquiries on Penny and Link and I am hopeful that they will also soon have homes. That leaves the girls Buffy, Delilah, Rose and Baby Ava still hoping! Ava went for her B12 today and she weighed in at 19 lb. 6 oz! Next time she will be over 20 lbs for sure - a very long way from the 4 lb puppy that survived two surgeries and returned home from UGA! Ava is a hoot, a little spoiled and when she wants attention she rolls on her back and wiggles so that you can't help but love on her!

Riley waiting for his ride home!

Another of Stormy's wonderful puppies has found his forever home! Riley is just calmly waiting for his ride to Westchester, NY and the family that is anxiously waiting for him. We send him home with all of our love and kisses!

Sir Baron McNubbins

on his way to a new home this afternoon! Can't post photo's of the new family because there are kids in the photo and I want to be super careful but it is a wonderful, wonderful family.

It was hard to let him go - that moment when you know you are saying good-bye - maybe for the last time is so incredibly hard - especially with these puppies but it is a sweet family and I feel Sir McNubbins is in good hands.

We look forward to many wonderful updates on Sir Baron and so grateful that he is in good hands.

Southern Cross Wine Debut!

We had a great puppy reunion, played with all the puppies and tasted the Southern Cross Wines!

There wasn't one that I didn't like! :) Both the Red Wine and White have very nice mellowed flavors that I think anyone would enjoy. Remember that a part of the profit of every bottle sold goes to help Southern Cross Dogs. Please check out the site at: www.BenefitWines.com/southern

buy a bottle or two and please help us get the news up on as many facebook pages as possible!

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

Baby Ava Weigh In

16 lbs 8 oz! I swear that once she hits 20 lbs I will be able to stop worrying but I am just so proud of her!

Puppy Reunion and Wine Tasting!

Yesterday, we had a Puppy Reunion and SCGSDR wine tasting event. Here are all the puppies and SC Volunteers - all but Cowboy who has already been adopted and is doing well. I cannot believe that all these puppies once fit in just one laundry basket! They are all very, very sweet puppies with really nice temperaments.

Southern Cross will be selling wine as a fund raiser to continue to raise funds towards Baby Ava's care and to help new GSD's that will come through our doors. We will soon have all the details but I know that we will have "Ava's Miracle Merlot", "Chock Full O' Puppies Chardonnay", "Stormy's Pinot Noir" and "Cheyenne's Sparkling White Wine" - if you enjoy a glass of wine from time to time or like giving wine as holiday gifts please stay posted for the details - it will be a nice way to give a gift and help Southern Cross in the process.

As the upcoming Holiday Season is upon us we wish all of you a Happy, Happy Thanksgiving and thank you ALL so much for all of your continued support.

Stormy

How gorgeous is this girl? Just the light in her eyes tells you just how far Stormy has come. She is finally in a home where she will have forever love and care and you call tell that she knows it! Judy and Gerry have done a phenomenal job with her and report that she is now even walking well on leash and recently had her first view of the ocean which she loved. Go Stormy! It just proves that so many of our beloved German Shepherds that are so misunderstood in shelters really do have the potential to go on to great homes.

Baby Ava Weigh In

13 LB 1 oz! WooHoo!

Group Hug!

Buffy, Link and Foster Dad, John, all enjoying a group hug! Are those ears of Buffy's actually going to stand up?

Delilah and Penny!

Delilah and Little Penny are as sweet as sweet can be - Dana reports that Lilah is a bit more of a mischief maker than Penny..........and I thought it was the other way around! Both pups are happy, healthy and beautiful! YAY!

Stormy with her Dad at the Beach

Honest to goodness - life just doesn't get much better than this! Judy reports that Stormy makes progress every day and Gerry makes sure that his Stormy girl gets her share of hugs!

Stormy and family at the beach!

Stormy's new family loves taking Harry and Little "Molly" to the beach where Little Molly has become the expert at chasing Sea Gulls and will soon be teaching Stormy all she knows! Stormy is making great progress both with learning that being on a leash leads to wonderful new adventures and in learning that love can and does come from both men and women. We could not have wished for a more perfect life for her. Stormy has a courageous and loving heart and I guess the world is going to soon become her "oyster" (couldn't resist that!) GO STORMY!

Handsome Link! Oh my goodness!

Oh my goodness! The puppies are growing up so fast! Link is so handsome and sweet as can be. They will soon be ready for homes of their own so please keep them in mind!

Penny and Delilah are now in a foster home with Dana and her husband and several Aunties that are looking over them.

Rose, Baby Ava and Baron remain here on the Mountain with Aunt Maggie May and Aunt Cupcake who do a great job of helping me "round them up" after playtime in the yard.

Riley

Not to be outdone by his "little" sister Missy, Riley makes sure he gets quality cuddle time with his Uncle Danny as well! These have to be the sweetest puppies on the face of the earth - I might be a little biased but they really are sweet.

Missy being cuddled!

Missy needs a little extra cuddle time and is finding it with her Uncle Pat! Lucky, lucky Missy!

Baby Ava and Cupcake

Cupcake is one of my fosters that has been very sweet with Baby Ava - you can see that Baby Ava thinks she is one of the big dogs!

Puppy Updates!

The time has finally come for the litter to be sent to different foster homes - a sad time for me but I know that they are all in wonderful foster homes where they will all get much more attention than I could give them myself. Buffy and Link, definitely the two most active have gone to a foster home with Angie and her two wonderful kids who are playing the puppies out - exactly what these two needed!

Missy and Riley left yesterday for their foster time with Adrienne - Riley is definitely the more outgoing of the two at the moment and has made friends with Beau, Callie and Bella who all love and play with the puppies. Adrienne's husband has been giving Missy extra cuddle time!

Baron and Penny will leave this weekend for a life with Dana and her crew and that will leave Rose, Delilah and Baby Ava here with me until we find them forever homes.

Baby Ava weighed in at a whooping 10 lbs. 6 oz today - that is a weight gain on average of 2 lbs a week! She is thriving!

Precious Stormy playing with her sister!

Life could not be better for Stormy! She has settled into her new home with her brother and sister very well - she loves her new Mom and Dad and has even gotten far enough along in trusting to be able to get on the bed with her new Dad and rest her head on his feet! Go Stormy! The medical update on Stormy was not as rosy though as a chest x-ray revealed that her chest is full of buckshot and she likely has it other places in her body. There were very, very good reasons why this poor girl was so afraid of people but again, Stormy has a huge heart and so wanted to be loved and now has the life she has always deserved.

Cowboy! On his way home!

A sweet happy/sad day - "Cowboy" was the first of Stormy's litter to find his new home with Karen and Michael! He will have a wonderful family and will spend his first night in his new home in the bedroom with his new Mom and Dad.

On Thursday Cowboy weighed in close to ll lbs. 8 oz! He is a sweetheart of a pup and we look forward to many happy photo's and updates on Cowboy as he grows. He could not have been luckier to have had Stormy for a Mom and now Karen and Michael to love him through life.

Thanks to all who have cared about and supported these sweet lives.

8.8 lbs! WooHoo

Baby Ava had a great check up on Thursday - she now weighs a whopping 8.8 lbs! She is quickly catching up on time lost! She continues to be a sweet little girl and is giving her Aunt Maggie and Aunt Cupcake a run for their money! She loves latching onto their tails and being drug through the house - not sure how much Maggie and Cupcake appreciate it but they are tolerating her well :)

Ava Updates

Hi Everyone - Keep Posted Here - Updates Will Be Added to the Bottom - Please Keep Those Thoughts and Prayers Coming!

If you can help - we have added more information on the Chip-In page: http://babyavamedicalbills.chipin.com/baby-avas-medical-bills

Please forward that link along - as you will read, Baby Ava needs help to stay at UGA.

They have Baby Ava in isolation because they can't figure out what she has yet.  They have started her on a very strong antibiotic and fluids. They are concerned that she will become septic. Preliminary tests only show an overgrowth of bacteria in her body. Low estimate is $1,000 and high is $1,500 for battery of tests and treatment.

We will fight as long as she can.

10 pm update - Molly is home and Baby Ava is at UGA. They will be calling in the am with an update.

October 11 -

AM Update: Baby Ava has been rushed to emergency surgery.  Part of her intestine has turned inside out. It is unknown if any of the intestine is still viable at this point. If so, a portion will be removed and the healthy tissue will be repaired. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.  

11 AM Update: Hospital just called - it took a while to get her stabilized but she is now under anesthesia and they are ready to operate.


Evening Update: Ava awake and alert - still in ICU with oxygen support because she threw up under anesthesia and they want to make sure that her lungs are OK.


October 12 Updates:

AM: Baby Ava remains in intensive care but is a little stronger this morning.  She continues to refuse to eat.  The hospital staff is in love with her.  Still waiting on any test results and more information. 


Did not want to post the PM update pending more info from Molly but will now: UGA just called - Ava taken a very bad turn for the worst - back into emergency surgery. I told them I didn't want her to suffer but that if they could save her to try.



October 13

This morning: They called Molly at 2 am to say she survived the surgery but they had to remove much more of her intestinal tract. They swabbed her abdomen to send to the lab to try to identify what is attacking her but I don't honestly know if she can hold on much longer. 


Morning Update: UGA just called - she is in critical condition - has had plasma and now a blood transfusion - is on pain meds - they have specialists looking at her


Evening Update:  She is still alive - still critical - but fighting with everything she has. Thank you for your comments, thoughts and prayers. 


October 14: 

Morning Update: She is still with us! She is still critical but this morning she kissed the

surgeon!   They say it is the first and only kiss she has given - I know she 
knows that the surgeon saved her life.

She has a central port in so that they can continue to give her fluids and do 
blood draws without having to continually stick her - her electrolyte balances 
are still off but they are working to correct those as well as monitoring her 
blood pressure very closely.

She ate overnite and again this morning - they keep reminding me of how critical 
she is and that we are by no means out of the woods but this little girl has 
such a fight in her to live there is no way we could ever stop supporting her in 
that fight and we have to believe that she is going to win.

 

Evening update: Ava remains in critical care.  Her protein and red blood cell levels remain low but her electrolyte levels are beginning to look a little better.   She was on her feet again this afternoon and that is a good thing.  She remains on supportive care and is evaluated hourly. She is still fighting!


10-16
Evening update: Baby Ava continues to hold her own.  She remains in critical condition but was taken out yesterday for a little exercise.  Baby Ava even wanted to chase a dog that walked by her! She will be evaluated Sunday and the doctors will make a decision on when she might be able to come home, if she is still doing well.   Your thoughts and prayers are so appreciated! 

10-17
Evening Update: Baby Ava continues to improve and is eating 1/4 of a can of puppy food at each meal.  She felt well enough to chew through her IV line today so she is now on oral meds. only.  A decision has not yet been made on when she will be able to come home but we hope to hear more tomorrow.  

10-18 WELCOME HOME BABY AVA UPDATE!

Baby Ava comes home!    She was released from UGA late this afternoon and is now home!   She is on "crate" rest for a whole week but is acting like a little puppy.   She weighs 4lb. 6 oz - a good 4 lbs. below the smallest litter mate but she is eating well and will catch up in no time.

It is a miracle that she is alive - Dr. Sakals, her surgeon is holding her in the photo.    I think she gave all of us a lot of sleepless nights but she fought hard to live and had the wonderful team at UGA behind her.  The other woman in the photo is Monica who is a Senior Veterinary Student that called me with daily updates and had to withstand my daily lists of questions.   Many, many thanks to all of the staff at UGA that spent time holding, loving and cuddling Baby Ava through what were some dark days.

There are no words for the gratefulness of Southern Cross for the many, many prayers and love and help and donations sent Ava's way.   I am convinced that she had to feel the outpouring of positive energy that was constantly sent her way.   

We will keep her updates coming!

 

October 21 - Baby Ava had a little downswing after she got home, but thankfully you all kept your good thoughts coming and today we can post this:

Just got back from the Vet for her weekly B12 injection - she is a squealer and 
I also needed a weight on her .............5 lb 12 oz!   up from 4 lb. 6 oz just 
two days ago!    YAY!

Poopies are nice and firm with the addition of the Kefir to her diet and the 
e-collar was removed!     My Vet is amazed - he told me no one expected her to 
live!    With all of the positive energy sent her way I knew she would fight to 
live!

Yay!   Yay!   Yay!
Thank you, thank you thank you!!!!

 

Thank you to all who have donated and forwarded - please keep forwarding and posting - GI surgery is very expensive, but SCGSDR is committed to this baby.  
Thank you all again.

If you can donate - we have added more information on the Chip In page: http://babyavamedicalbills.chipin.com/baby-avas-medical-bills

Donations:

Jean A.

Judy L.

Deva D. x 2

Jenifer M. 

Johanna U.

James H.

Kim D.

Elizabeth T.
Vicky M. 
Ginny P.
Jamie R.  
Bianca A. 
Angela R. 
Holly J. 
Mary Lou M. 
Benjamin K. 
Erin M.
Dana B. 
Mary Jane P. 
Kris S. 
Fan & John A. 
Charlene S. 
Debra R.
Diane D.

Please let us know if we've missed your name - every donation,  forward, post, thought, and prayer is appreciated.

Chip In

Baby Ava and Cheyenne Need Your Help

Dear Friends of Southern Cross,

We know many of you have been following Baby Ava's serious illness and hospitalization. As of last Thursday, Baby Ava's intensive care bills exceeded $730. She is a fighter and we aren't giving up on her, but donations are desperately needed to continue her extensive medical treatments.

Also, you might recognize the picture below but few people know her story. This is our permanent senior hospice foster Cheyenne. (pictured in her Easter bonnet) Southern Cross rescued her along with her min pin buddy as part of a bonded pair, after they were being dumped in a high kill Ga. animal control. Cheyenne's shelter card was marked with a large red "X" to be killed by the shelter immediately but we couldn't allow that to happen. The reason was after suffering years of neglect and abuse, she has advanced inoperable cancer, and is high heartworm positive. She was placed in a permanent foster home for her remaining time where she is receiving special care, medical treatment and love for the first time in her life. Her conditions had actually improved a little and she had been doing well until the past week when she took a turn for the worse. Her foster mom rushed her to the vet and they are trying to stabilize her so she can continue knowing the love of her family for a little longer.

Every dollar collected will go directly to these special little lives, so please consider sending just $1 or $2 and sharing this chipin with others, to help us continue the medical treatment these precious girls desperately need...

Thank you Friends,

Southern Cross, Baby Ava and Cheyenne

Chip In Website Page

Yikes! Forgot this great photo of Baron

Almost forgot this beautiful photo of Baron. I honestly think his eyes are going to be Blue and so does Dr. Josh. We will have to see.

If we have 8 people willing to donate $10 each we can play "Who's your Daddy?" and have a genetic test done! Penny and Baron are two that mystify me.

Get Ready - LOTS of Family Photo's and Baby Ava!

Cowboy is such a little man! Here he is enjoying the outside cot in the sunshine all by himself!

A big day here -Baby Ava was out in the sun for awhile today and totally enjoyed it! It is warm here in GA this week and the sunshine was really good for her - she loved exploring the yard and tried to attack every leaf she found. We discovered that she likes food that is sweet so Karo syrup was added to almost everything we offered her including scrambled eggs! She still has a way to go and I say a prayer at every food that is offered her but she is starting to eat again .......I am almost afraid to say it but I stocked up on lots of baby food - pureed bananas, sweet potatoes, beef, rice cereal with bananas and some canned pumpkin.

Link looks like a little Bandit and thoroughly enjoyed chewing on the rawhide shoelace of Aunt Adrienne! All of the puppies nails were clipped today and they all got new chew toys! Yay!
They played so hard and for so long that they all finally just fell over on each other and took a nap! I think this is LILAH and MISSY - who has now been renamed MISSY the TERROR! She is unstoppable and totally adorable!
Penny who thinks she is the Queen surveying her Queendom!
Penny getting ready to pounce! She is almost catlike - she will wait for the chance and then the poor victim had better look out!
Momma Stormy and Cowboy! Stormy loves her puppies and even though he interrupted her rest she was very kind to him.
Stormy enjoying the warm weather and sunshine and the fact that her puppies were being babysat! Babysitted? hmmmm..........Stormy doesn't care - she is just feeling better.
Missy leaving the Puppy Palace! They have already managed to tear up the linoleum!

Link and Lilah sharing a puppy chew.
And the day ends as it began with Baby Ava - being held by Aunt Adrienne. She continues to show the will to live - really enjoyed her day in the sun and wants so badly to be back with her brothers and sisters. She will have to continue to eat and put on some weight before we can let that happen - We don't want Queen Penny pouncing on Baby Ava just yet!