Barbara's request was a request that any person who works in animals rescue longs to hear. Barbara and her family wanted to adopt a dog possibly two, however she did not ask for a dog that was house trained or a dog that did not shed or small or large or young or old. She said her only specifications was that United Hope bring the two who were in the greatest need; her exact words "Just give us the one's who need us the most." Ask any one in animal rescue and they will tell you that those words are gold. We see so many in desperate need every day and work to find options for these beautiful creatures who want nothing more than to belong. And there are many who live pain filled lives and never know kindness or joy. Baby and Lady were two or the VERY lucky ones. Both Lady and Baby are rescues from Mexico. Lady an older dog about 7 years and she has experienced the harsh life of Tijuana. It is not common for a dog in Tijuana to survive to a ripe old age.

The United Hope group cleaned up and took over the responsibility of running a place called 'the ranch' in the south hills of Tecate. The ranch used to be run by a man who collected homeless dogs but offered no hope for a descent life for the dogs. The only way out of the ranch was to die due to unattended medical needs or starvation. United Hope cleaned up the ranch and attended to the medical needs of the dogs left on the ranch. Then the group went to work to find homes for these deserving dogs. Lady was a dog on the ranch that never caused any trouble, she always tried to please. She was a dog in need of a loving family. I went up to the ranch many times to clean, deliver food or to pick up dogs and take them to adopters of fosters. Each time I had to leave her behind at the ranch her huge brown eyes would stay in my mind for the long drive back to L.A. Lady's eyes haunted me; those big brown luminous eyes; she was so lonely and desperate for human companionship.

Lady was stuck in a pen for almost 2 years. When Barbara's request came in I immediately thought of Lady. Finally her opportunity for a good life had come! To see Lady today happy with Barbara and her family fills my heart.

Little Baby was a puppy on the ranch the day we went up to get Lady. Baby was destined to be brought off the ranch with her litter mates but when the volunteers went to retrieve the puppies Baby missed her opportunity because of her level of fear. Tijuana is a horrible (and dangerous) place for companion animals and as with people some of them come through their experiences relatively undamaged while others continue to suffer with mistrust or fear or defensiveness. As a puppy Baby filled with fear. We could not soothe her because for Baby just to be touched was terrifying causing her to drool and become almost catatonic. Baby needed the patience, consistency and the kind of love that the Gates family was willing to offer.

Barbara wrote: "Baby is still a bit skittish and a bit feral - not like a normal pup - but watching her romp and seeing her learning to trust is so rewarding. Lady, the "old gal" finally has a place to live out her golden years and we are in love with these two misfits. My husband was worried in the beginning with these "special needs" dogs, now he's their number one champion. Thanks United Hope for Animals for all you do."

Lady has finally found her family and now she is surrounded by love; and now Baby is loved and safe and finally knows what means to live with out fear. Every one at United Hope for Animals would like to thank the Gates family for their compassion and commitment to companion animals in need and for offering Lady and Baby the life and the love they deserve.

Kerry Oldridge of United Hope for Animals wrote:
The following 3 photos of some of the dogs at the so called "ranch." The man who owned the land and put together all of the pens on the ranch would "collect" dogs from the streets of TJ and fill his pens with starving, injured dogs. If they arrived at the ranch healthy within only a few months they would be sick. He would have at any given time 2 to 3 hundred dogs in pens on the ranch 90% of them in a horrific state. The first two photos show the general condition of the dogs at the ranch after they had been there for 4 or 5 months. These photos are certainly not the worst photos I took at the ranch. The photos I took at the ranch before we were able to clean the environment and help all of the dogs there are very difficult to look at but these give you glimpse of how much the dogs suffered there.

The 4 following photos are of UHA volunteers bringing aid to the dogs at the ranch.

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Every penny and ounce of energy helps end the suffering and improve the lives of animals here at home and over the border. Without your compassion, awareness, and support, our work would not be possible.

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