Special Foster Needed for this Sweet Girl

UPDATE: August 16, 2011

Shalla is currently in foster care with dog trainer Joe Zona, aka “Uncle Joe.”

After having Shalla in his care for only a few weeks Joe came to the conclusion that Shalla was a “highly socialized dog,” meaning she gets along with dogs of any size or disposition. Joe is working with an antisocial dog that is unable to mix with other dogs, but Shalla is so skilled with ‘doggie dynamics’ that she has actually made friends with it. According to Joe, it won’t matter what type of other dog her adopter has, she will be able to make get along with it… that’s just how she is.

Shalla is learning out to be the perfect houseguest. She is, however, convinced she is a lap dog. Her most valued reward is affection. Food doesn’t enter into the equation – instead, it’s “When and how will I get some lovin’?” When Shalla wants to jump in Joe’s lap without being invited he turns away and offers no affection. But she’s a fast learner and is quickly figuring out that if she sits quietly and waits she will receive her number-one desire: to be touched. Likewise, she has already learned that she must wait before passing through a doorway and let Joe go through first.

Joe knows that he has rescued a great dog – in his exact words, “This is a very special girl.”

 UPDATE: June 13, 2011

Shalla is looking great and her hair is coming in nicely. She is happy and active as ever. According to her doctor, she may be good to leave the hospital in about a week!

Words can hardly describe the condition of this poor Staffordshire Bull Terrier when we found her. Shalla was so used to suffering in this horrible condition that she seemed to be saying, “I’m so sorry. I must have done something wrong to be feeling so bad, but I don’t know what it is.”

Despite the incredible neglect she has suffered at the hands of an indifferent owner, this girl is ready and willing to receive and give affection, and holds no grudges. What is so sad about this is that conditions like mange are really not that hard to treat, especially in the early stages.

How she was brought in to the shelter.

Poor Shalla’s skin was so inflamed that it was cracking open and bleeding. I can hardly imagine what that might feel like. Please help us help her. We have received enough donations to cover her treatment but now we need that special foster to step forward.

It seems like these cases just keep coming in, but we are trying out best to draw attention to the dogs that are suffering the most.

This girl has such a sweet temperament we are really pleased that this improves her chances of getting out of boarding sooner and into a foster or adoptive home. Please share her story with everyone you know!

When the immune system is down or when they are puppies, dogs are more susceptible to an outbreak of Demodex Mange, but she didn’t get like this overnight, and the vet is going to document how is may have gotten this bad.

Shalla starting to recover.

Shalla is eager to interact with people and give and receive affection. Please help us find a special foster for this neglected girl.

Shalla has received her mitiban dip to help speed up the process of eliminating the demodex mange. It made her a little raw but Shalla’s spirit is so open, optimistic, social and loving, that she is always more interested in getting a little pat or hug then she is worrying about her current skin ailment.

It is all about the inside when it comes to Shalla – how big is your heart – Shalla teaches us to look past the surface and remember that what matters is to remain open to loving and being loved.

Shalla is still waiting for a foster home to welcome her, and as you can see she is not contagious, the volunteer is absolutely not concerned about holding Shalla close, skin to skin.

With daily treatments of her meds Shalla will be a furry love bunny in a matter of a few months – as beautiful on the outside as she clearly is on the inside.

Her chest is all healed and her fur is still patchy but starting to grow back a nice glossy black.

UPDATE 5/10/11: Shalla is recovering wonderfully from her horrible case of Demodetic Mange as you can see from the updated photos. Although her mange was not contagious she now is being treated for a fungal infection which IS contagious and she will be back to normal in about 6 weeks.

Happy Girl!

This 1-year-old  girl has the most wonderful disposition and would make a terrific buddy. Anyone who fosters her before the six weeks is up will need to NOT have other dogs. After that, she is fine and gets along with everyone.

Right now she is being boarded at the vet’s office and is getting Mitaban dips and Invermectin injections once a week.

If you are able to offer Shalla fostering please contact Kerry and/or Meena at: /

Urgently Needs Fostering!

UPDATE: June 12, 2011

Our dear Chaya ran away from her fosters’ home Sunday night (June 5). They opened the door after coming home and she flew out. She may have been looking for her friend Valentino, who visited her that day. The foster parents and UHA have been working around the clock looking for her. She is a blue and white pittie girl – sweet, shy, submissive. She was wearing a pink collar, has tags, and is microchipped. She ran away in the Highland Park area heading towards her favorite park Hermon Park. If you have any tips or would like to volunteer some time looking for her, please contact Claudia: 626-264-2614 or

This beautiful dog, Chaya, is a sweet, submissive pitbull mix that needs to find a foster family where she can feel safe. She truly is a pretty dog, and is fine featured and has soft suede-like gray fur.

She needs love more than anything!

She was in danger of being put down but money we raised for her enabled us to pull her from the shelter where she was in danger of being euthanized.

Chaya getting out of the shelter and on her way to the vet.

She was so large that she was having trouble walking so we put her on a stretcher to get her in the car. We then brought her to the Southern California Animal Hospital where she gave birth to 10 pups. Here is a video of Chaya taken at the shelter:

4/25/11 Update: We are saddened that Chaya’s pups did not survive, despite the best efforts of the vet with oxygen, bottle nursing and CPR. Everything that could be done for them was done, and we are currently working with our trusted veterinarian to understand why Chaya’s babies didn’t thrive.

Chaya has her own battle to wage as she got an upper respiratory infection at the shelter and also has worms. She is currently being treated for both and is expected to make a complete recovery.

We will share more as we know more. In the meantime, we will be working to ensure that Chaya finds the safe, loving, permanent home she deserves.

Chaya was a bit down after the loss of her puppies but is reslient the way dogs often are and has re-focused her energy on another rescue dog boarding at the vet’s office, Valentino, and she has taken a shine to him.

On a happier note, Chaya got to spend Easter at the vet tech’s house, and it turns out she is great with kids and loves belly rubs!

Chaya is being boarded at the Southern California Animal Hospital but URGENTLY NEEDS A FOSTER or FOREVER HOME.

If you are interested in learning more about and possibly fostering or adopting beautiful Chaya please contact Sasha at: