He called the Animal Shelter for assistance. We made contact with Lila from Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue Center in Oakland for advice. We came up with a plan to tranquilize the raccoon so his leg could be freed without struggling or pain. ACO Liang was joined by another member of OAS staff who brought tranquilizer. They carefully injected the juvenile with sedative with a long syringe pole. He soon fell deeply into sleep. They were then able to take a crowbar and open up the space. It was much more difficult to get the leg out then they had originally thought – but little bit by little bit they were able to pry the raccoon’s leg up and out of the crevice until he was finally free! They placed the little one safely in a box and transported him for veterinary care at Montclair Veterinary Clinic where he will then be transferred to Yggdrasil for follow up care.

The Little Raccoon with his foot trapped in the fence.

The crevice where the baby had been trapped.

The raccoon ready to be transported to Montclair Veterinary Clinic for treatment.

Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Center is the only wildlife rehabilitation center in Oakland. Oakland Animal Services partners closely with the center to take all of the injured/sick wildlife that they take in and rescue. Yggdrasil is currently looking for a new base of operation in Oakland – please click here for more information on how you can help.

“Daily’s doing great! She’s really come out of her shell and all our family and friends just adore her. One of our friends’ 2-year-old son plays with her every week, she’s constantly hanging out with our cat Stringer and she’s made many doggie friends too. She and Stringer are always kissing. The sad one of her in the hoodie is on a camping trip. She was in a fleece underneath that fake-fur-lined coat and had had two blankets on top of her up until about two seconds before that shot, but she was still shivering like crazy (even though I was comfy in just a thick sweater) — yet of course she didn’t want to hang out in the tent while we were still socializing outside. She had fun the rest of the trip, though! She did some hiking and also splashed around in a river. In the one of her on the stairs, the other two dogs are Matt’s cousins’ dogs, Darwin and Tiga. You can tell she’s happy in that one! And she and Tiga are playing tug with a toy in the other one — Daily always wins.”

We brought her to a dog-friendly winery in Sonomo, Gundlach Bundschu, and she got so much love it was crazy. The employees actually gave us complimentary tastings and gave her treats too, saying that she should be their mascot. Everyone just  gathered around her — she just loved it! — and I think she changed a couple of people’s minds about pits.”

Daily smiles wide for the camera!

She’s not sure if blue is her “color”.

Daily kissing her kitty cat.

Daily playing tug.

Kudos to OAS! We had the unbelievable fortune of visiting OAS during the Maddies Fund  Adoptathon a few weeks ago, and were so amazed with our experience. Even with all the hub-ub of the day, Volunteers and Staff were generous enough to stay after closing to help us (Reese, my 3 year old daughter, Molly, our 6 year old Beagle, and I)find our sweet Pancake (formally Poppy). Add George, our kitty, to the mix, and we were not exactly easy to find just the right dog for- trust me, we had been looking for a good long while!
Anyway, with everyone’s help, we went home that night with the best dog ever put on the face of the earth! I am not sure who was happier though- us or the folks at OAS- they finally got to go home!
Pancake has now completely settled into life here in Santa Cruz, and we couldn’t be more happy- he gets along with everyone and everything he meets, and cracks us up on a daily basis- he’s a bit of a knucklehead sometimes. He is loved immensely by all of us (two and four leggeds) in the family, our extended family and friends, and all of his play-date doggy friends.

Thank you again (especially volunteer Amy) to everyone who went above and beyond to help bring this wonderful lil guy into our lives- ya’ll rock!
Much love,
Chyna, Reese, Molly, and George

Ike came to OAS after being left tied up and abandoned. With ulcerations on his legs, the 5+-year-old boy was extremely weak and had difficulty moving. No one was sure he had the strength to go on much less come back.

“At first he was not responsive at all,” noted Martha Cline, animal care coordinator at the shelter. “We know nothing about his previous life, but his weakened condition, along with the ulcerations on his legs, could suggest that he was kept in a situation that didn’t allow him to move around much.”

Like many dogs and cats before him, Ike was given a soft bed right in the office of (and at the feet of) Megan Webb, shelter director, so that his progress (or lack thereof) could be noted. Casting weary but inquisitive glances from his new bed, Ike began winning hearts even when he was too weak to know it. Passing volunteers and officers talked to him and gently touched the big head. He was fast becoming another animal that the shelter community rallies around. People seemed to collectively determine that Ike had been through enough; from now on, he would know what it felt like to be cared for the right way.

But what no one banked on was Ike.

With head and heart befitting his name, the big dog has rallied. With good food, medication, and the warmth of real care, Ike is on his feet. He is getting stronger each day and is beginning to explore his new life, winning people over with his innocent, easy-going, curious-about-everything manner. Despite his big, bold exterior, Ike is a puppy at heart: he loves people, plays with dogs a tenth of his size, has befriended a shelter cat, and is starting to be vocal when—by his calculations—he has been ignored for too long. All that is the good news.

The not-so-good news is that X-rays have shown some possible issues with his spine. Treated by VCA Bay Area Animal Hospital, he has been diagnosed with “Wobblers”—a condition that causes narrowing of his spinal vertebrae and creates pressure on his spinal cord. Although this condition may have slow or quick progression, for now Ike is not in pain, and he is learning to be a happy dog.

But there is more good news. Northern CA Doberman Rescue has agreed to foster Ike,” Webb announced. “And, with their help, everyone at OAS is hoping that this funny, promising boy will find a home where he will be showered with love and attention and where his people will give him a wonderful life for as long as he has—which could be years.”

But, no matter whatever Ike’s future holds, staff and volunteers at the Oakland Animal Shelter are determined to help him continue on the upward turn his life has taken. And that’s what Ike is reminding the people around him: We do this for the Ikes, and we do it no matter how long “this” might be, and we do it because we know that all of us who touch his life—or, better said, all of those who Ike touches—will be richer for it.

Oh, yeah . . . we like Ike.

July 11, 2010: – Update

The puppy, now named Toby, is doing so much better every day.  The scabs on his head have healed and he’s growing back his fur!

This little kitten hungrily gobbles up food after she was rescued from a storm drain this afternoon.  People passing by the storm drain could hear the kitten calling out from below the ground but couldn’t see her.  Oakland Animal Services received numerous calls about this kitten in distress and Animal Control Officer Valladon responded.  He called for City Maintenance to come out and they opened the drain for him.  However, it seemed hopeless – there were three long tunnels for the kitten to go into – two over four feet long and another that seemed endless. The kitten was cold, shivering and very scared and kept backing up deeper into one of the holes.  After much patience, Valladon was able to grab the kitten and bring her back to the Shelter.  She’s now well fed, warm and waiting to go into foster care with Hopalong Animal Rescue.