Thanks to the student performers at Tehachapi High School for a great evening of talent and fun. The students raised $600 for Marley’s Mutts!

Thank you, Judy Trujillo for putting it all together!

I just returned from a tour of the Grossman Burn Center and I am floating…or is my head spinning? Let’s put it this way, I’m on top of the World!! My new pal, Cathy Butter (Marketing Director) gave me a behind-the-scenes tour of the facility. I met the entire staff from top to bottom, including Dr G’s son, Dr. G (Peter), who is also the Co-Director of the medical center. Everybody that I hugged or shook hands with knew exactly what Marley’s Mutts is, who I am and the entire story about the Pups. Our conversations went something like this (me) “Hi, I’m Zach”. (Staff) “Oh, wow, you’re the guy that saved the puppies”. (Me) Well, Kind of…” (Staff) “It’s incredible. We’ve all been following it.. Your website is up on all of our computers!!” I felt so welcome and so comfortable and so honored to be there. However trite it may sound, I felt like I was among family.

One of the highlights was visiting with Dr. Herb (whom we WILL name a dog after!) in the hyperbaric room. Dr. Herb was treating a young, pediatric patient in one of the chambers and it was remarkable to observe. He taught me how the machine works and about different types of chambers–the chambers they have compared to other types of chambers. We went visited everywhere from the ICU to the pediatric counseling room and, to me, it is very clear why Grossman is synonymous with care, understanding and hope.

We talked with the nurses about bringing a therapy dog to the unit–possibly as a permanent fixture. The head nurse said that she has always wanted a dog on the unit and that all we had to do was follow the protocol. WOULDN’T IT BE AMAZING IF PHOENIX OR NATALIA ENEDED UP AS THERAPY DOGS AT THE GROSSMAN BURN CENTER!!

Towards the end of our tour, Cathy and I headed off in search of the man, DR. G. He proved to be elusive as we kept finding ourselves in a room that he had just been in minutes before. We finally caught him and he and I sat down to catch up. We took seats next to each other in the lobby of the hospital; just two guys having a chat, watching patients come and go. We talked about life, love and doggies. I felt perfectly comfortable being vulnerable and real; just being me, and he seemed to enjoy that. A week or so ago, I was scared to death, near hopeless and didn’t know how we were going to save our girls. But as life would have it, today I sat with the world’s foremost burn expert about how our girls were going to make it–and then we talked about love.

What a day. I am so happy to do what I do today!!

On Saturday, March 17th, Bakersfield Diamond Divas, a nonprofit roller derby team, will be hosting a fundraiser for Marley’s Mutts at Skateland in Bakersfield.

Doors open at 5 pm, first game is at 5:30 pm. This will be a double header with the second game starting around 7:15 pm.

The goal is to bring in as much money for Marleys Mutts as possible, and have an amazing roller derby game for the fans to enjoy! !

Skateland is located at 415 Ming Avenue, Bakersfield.

Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for seniors and children (ages 5-12).

The Interact Club of Tehachapi High School, sponsored by the Rotary Club, will be having a fundraiser for Marley’s Mutts on Friday, Feb 24th, in the Tehachapi High School Cafeteria beginning at 6:30 pm. Admission is $5 per person.

Come out and cheer on the performers as well as support Marley’s Mutts!

Hey Zach,

This is Shea MacIntire. I adopted my wonderful companion with my fiancé back in August 2011. I know you guys like to keep tabs, and although it’s been a while, it’s better late then never

Here are some pictures and a video of “Monster” (formerly called “Davy Jones”) that you can put on the site, if you wish

Thanks,

Shea MacIntire

Zach Skow and the team at Marley’s Mutts Dog Rescue would like to express its deep appreciation to Mark Abernathy and Kelly Blanton for the use of the Downtowner Inn in Bakersfield on February 4th for our fundraiser “Dog Day at the Downtowner.”

We appreciate that Officer Pete and and his police dog, Kaia, stopped by, and gratitude also to Rosemary Evans of Thunder Paws Dog Training.

To our Sponsors who made the Raffle such a galloping success, a hearty thank you: Toni Lott, BAA Art Center; New City Cleaners; Rosa’s Italian Restaurant; Biscuit Boutique & Doggy Spa; Uricchio’s Trattoria; Angel Isaacson of Clarisonics; Mystique Salon & Tanning; Rosemary’s Family Creamery; Bellissima; Dewar’s Ice Cream & Candy Shop; and Club Med Restaurant & Deli.

[For larger photo, click on the picture-then click once again]

[More photos on the Marley's Mutts Facebook page]

Tomorrow, Saturday, is our big event of the winter–if you can call this weather “winter”!

Where: Downtowner Inn, 1301 Chester Avenue, Bakersfield
When: Saturday, February 4th, 11 am to 4 pm
What: A special fundraiser for Marley’s Mutts
Why: The Team at Marley’s Mutts Needs Your Support AND You Will Get to Meet Sonar!

There will be food and drink for sale and we will be raffling off some amazing donated prizes. There will be arts and crafts activities for the kiddies. It is going to be AWESOME! Don’t miss it!

This Saturday’s fund-raiser is shaping up to be a lollapalooza! There will be food and drink for sale and we will be raffling off some amazing donated prizes. There will be arts and crafts activities for the kiddies. It is going to be AWESOME! Don’t miss it!

Please Join us! We’d love to see you there!

Monday, Jan. 23 at noon.

Just rescued another Saint from the Bakersfield pound and he is in terrible, awful shape. They released him to me early, which was very nice of them, but our boy is going to need a lot of help. He must be 50-60 POUNDS UNDERWEIGHT!

Monday, Jan.23 at 6pm

Well, I’m sorry to report that we had to put down Saint Boris. This is a tough loss. Dr. Freng quickly noticed that he couldnt open his mouth more than an inch, which was a sign of serious trauma or disease or both. X-rays revealed a huge mass in the jaw, where the jaw met the head. The bone growth around the site pointed very seriously to cancer of the bone. He was so skinny because he couldn’t eat; he just hadn’t been able to open his mouth. It would have been another several days or longer before he would have been put down at the shelter. I’m grateful that KCAC bent the rules and released him so that we could do what we had to do. I’m also grateful for my buddy Josh who schlepped me around today and help get that boy out of there.

The reality is that you win some and you lose some, but you’ve got to suit up, show up and play the game. R.I.P. Boris. I’ll pick him up tomorrow and bury him up here.