Her story begins June 15, 2011 when animal control finds Shimmer tied to a dumpster in Crescent City, Ca.  She is taken to their shelter, which consists of a shed with no windows, and small 3 x 5 cages.   There is no vet or vet tech care for the animals; this is just a pound.    Some dogs spend 4 to 6 months here before they are transferred out or adopted. Seldom do pit bulls ever get adopted and are often transferred out to another shelter.  Many develop sores on their feet and legs from the cement floors.

\

Shimmer Before Attack

When their cages are cleaned, 4 or 5 dogs are placed in an open yard, unsupervised.   It was here that a new dog savagely attacked Shimmer.

Shimmer After Attack

Fortunately, shelter volunteer, Tana Bachman saw through Shimmer’s, eyes a warm and loving dog, who deserved a better life and would make a good pet.  She needed to “save” this dog!  She began contacting everyone she knew in the rescue business. They in turn helped with facebook campaigns and the word spread quickly.  So many people came forward to help.

After two long months, Shimmer was finally adopted.  When the adopter took her home and introduced her to her other male dog, they ran and played in the yard.  Once in the house, she forgot there were toys and food on the floor.  Her male dog attacks Shimmer, and she readily admitted she knew her dog has a history of food aggression.  After attack #2, Shimmer finds herself back in the shelter again!

Time is running out and Shimmer is rapidly deteriorating. Rescue groups, networkers, sponsors, donors and more start a frantic campaign to get Shimmer out of the shelter and into a safe foster home.

Finding transportation from the small rural coastal city was becoming a challenge, when Rebecca of Bichon Rescue in Washington decided to place a “request” on Pilots N Paws.  She also called pilot Renee DiFronzo, in the bay area, who passed the info along to pilot Sue Clark.  Sue agreed to help, but there were numerous cold fronts passing through the area, which made flying a light aircraft with low freezing levels impossible.

Shimmer, Sue Clark and Renee DiFronzo in Van Nuys

Because the situation was becoming extremely critical, Sue opted to make the 7 ½ hour drive to Crescent City and back to get Shimmer out of harms way.

Two days later, Renee DiFronzo pilots the airplane that takes Shimmer to her foster home in Los Angeles, while Sue flies co-pilot, and after takeoff squeezes into the back seat to comfort Shimmer who is a little anxious about riding in a small plane.  It doesn’t take long for her to slip into a serious nap for the rest of the flight.   Annie reports…Shimmer is BEYOND happy in her new surroundings.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO MADE THIS RESCUE POSSIBLE.

Sue And Shimmer After Her Rescue Flight