Saving Violet: A Rescue Story

2-16-16

Violets Story  http://wjla.com/news/local/a-mastif-thrown-away-left-to-die-gets-a-second-chance-at-life 

2-20-16  Your daily dose of Violet...Today Violet is trying to earn her keep and helping clean the dishes

3-1-16
Hangin' in the kitchen with Foster mom. She was up 12 more pounds at her weigh in making her 87 lbs. today!!

3-15-16
Look who's hanging out in the kitchen! Violet wanted to let you all know how well she's doing,and how much she appreciates the love and support from everyone. Just look at her beautiful brown eyes

3-24-16
What an amazing transformation. Our sweet Violet is now 104lbs. She went from being broken spirited and emaciated, to having the brightest spirit and most loving heart. She still has a way to go. Her scars on both the inside and outside will take time. BUT, she is finally well enough to be spayed, and have some of her broken teeth removed.
Please send your love and prayers to her for a safe surgery and speedy recovery tomorrow. Goodnight Everyone and thank you for your amazing, amazing support. -
Love Violet


4-8-16
Violet gets a home!
http://wjla.com/news/local/photos-saved-with-love-and-care-violet-the-mastiff-gets-a-new-family

PHOTOS: Saved with love and care, Violet the Mastiff gets a new family wjla.com Shelley Castle is a professional pet photographer who has seen a lot of animals in crisis.I think this is probably the worst case I have ever seen and I really just questioned whether she was going to make it or not, says Castle of Shelley Castle Photograp

4-10-16
This is going to be quick I need to get dinner on the table. 
Last night I slept in my own bed with hopes she would venture upstairs to look for us and explore, no such luck. Violet did however do a "roll call" as I'll lovingly refer to it, at about 5am. It was good to hear her vocals. My husband and I sprung for our bed in panic ran to the hall. My husband took her out and she simply peed and was ready to go back to bed. I think her true intentions were to see how high we'd jump when she says "jump". Also last night before turning in she did the zoomies outside with me, my heart sang. 
Violet's letting me know when she thinks it's time to eat. She goes to her bowl looks at it and let's out a big yawn. She's also letting me know she prefers not to have the large metal weighted ball in her bowl by pushing it up and out with her nose. I used this ball to slow down our Baya when she ate they're great and found on Amazon. She's a leaner and pushes her weight on you and definitely out drools our Baya.
Something that broke my heart this morning is as I was making bacon for breakfast she didn't even get off her bed. It made me think what dog doesn't move to the kitchen for the smell of bacon. So, then I started thinking what possibly could have been done to her to not make her move for bacon, that question may always remain open ended

4-18-16
As I sit on the deck with Violet in the still of mid morning I can't help but reflect upon where she came from, how far she has come and where she'll be once her healing is complete. I'm inspired by this animal who suffered at the hands of a human yet shows everyone she meets such grace, compassion and love. How she can simply choose to forget, let go and carry on. How I wish the wrong doings done against "us humans" could be so easily left in the past. I don't know about you but I'm trying to take a lesson from Violet.
In the 10days that we've had her home she's already shown that she's coming out of her shell. She is protecting her yard with vigilance, eating like a beast, drooling like a monger, playing keep away, doing zoomies like a "nut job" and is wanting to please all she meets. I've taken Violet on two brief walks she did amazing, made her "satin balls" and gave her a bath yesterday which she did really well. She was feeling so good and confident that she followed me halfway up the stairs.....until she realized what she was doing, turned and made a bee line back down. She has had a few peeing accidents and one poo which I'm not quite understanding why bc I'm home with her practically all day and we spend a ton of time outside. She won't go off the deck without encouragement from us being in the yard. I take her out in the morning before waking the kid for school, bring her in for breakfast then let her back out. I watch her closely from the kitchen window and I don't think she leaves the deck again until I come out. I can sit on the deck with her and she'll go off to patrol her yard but she won't leave it if she's left to her own devices outside. 
This weekend Violet got a care package in the mail from a special admirer I think hoping to win the affections of such a graceful beauty. Our son had a friend over whose family has rescued several animals. The boys played in the basement and Violet stood by the door curious to what all the laughter was about down there. I told her to go see the boys....but no. We had dinner on the deck with this family who made homemade treats for Violet, she enjoyed laying on the deck and checking in on the boys as they played in the yard and she soaked up all the attention. Every passing minute things are getting better and better


Follow Violet on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/SavingViolet