TripodRanch

Why virtual adoption? You can have an animal in your life without the dander, walks, baths, poop clean up and they're very quiet on your computer! There are many reasons people can't have an animal. Maybe the landlord says no, or your child is allergic, or you travel too much. Virtual adoption is the answer!You can "Adopt" an Animal for 6 months! You will get monthy (or more often) pictures and updates!You will know you are supporting an animal that really needs your help! The cost to adopt each animal is what it costs to feed, and care for that animal each month. If you don't have PayPal, just e-mail us and we will make other arrangements.

To Adopt Gunther for $15.00 a month click here!

This is Gunther. He was a problem feral kitten at a large rescue group local to us. He's about a year and a half now, very dignified and very full of himself! He had a skin condition that caused him to lose the fur on the back of both hind legs, and on his stomach. It was always symetrical, and even after tests, scrapings, labs etc. The Vet never did figure out what it was! It never seemed to bother him. It would appear and dissappear sometimes showing up on the back of the ears, or in his "armpits" on the front legs. At the moment it has been gone for about 4 months. We have no idea if it will come back again.

Midnight is not available for virtual adoptions yet, if you want to donate toward her medical bills just click on the "Make a Donation" button on the home page.

Right now this is the only picture we have of Midnight. She is a feral cat we have been feeding for a month and were finally able to catch her! Just in time before Friday the 13th and Halloween. She just got home from being spayed, tested for Feline Leukemia and getting all of her first shots. She also got an injection for ear mites. $208.00!! So donations are sorely needed for her. She is now living in Nissa's room where it's quiet and sheltered from the rest of the animals. She loves being petted, but still gets rough with those who love her! She's all black, longish hair and beautiful golden eyes.
Well, almost 2 years later, she lives out with all the rest of the folks inside and is starting to play a little bit and interact a little with the other animals. She moves forward very slowly, but we know she is making progress!

Stormy and Bear are not yet available for virtual adoption. If you would like to donate toward their care (Formula alone is $12 every two days!) just click on the "make a Donation" button on the home page.

Our two newest additions to the ranch are "Stormy" and "Bear". They are feral kittens whose mom litterally "dropped them at our doorstep"! She had to climb a 4 ft. fence, get past 3 big dogs and then put them behind a big bench! They were only about 3-4 weeks old, so we have been bottle feeding every 3 hours! They are now on dry kiten food and 2nd step kitten formula. Stormy is lean and fast! She is black with white wiskers, a white chin, white toes and white on her chest. Her sister, Bear is all black (almost a dark grey) big, chunky and stocky. They are sharing Nissa's room with Midnight and Key the mini Lop bunnie, until they are large enough to hold their own against the big boy cats.

To Adopt Precious for $20.00 a month click here!

This is Precious. She is about almost 10 years old and is missing her right front leg. We got her when we received a call from our Vet...."we know it's only been a month since you lost Peggy (our first 3-legged dog) but animal control brought us a really sweet lab puppy that was hit by a car and dragged. She's going to need that same leg amputated. They said we had to find her a home today, or put her down. Do you want to come see her?" So... we were hooked! She recovered very quickly from her surgery. You would never know she ever had a leg there except for a cowlick in her fur! She also had some weakness in one side of her face, so we don't know if she was born "Ditsy", or aquired it. She never got her last 4 permanent teeth, and still thinks she's a small six month old puppy. She has some really funny quirks. She's afraid of the microwave beep, and the door opening. She's afraid of the rats, and kittens. She will focus on something and run into the fence headlong! Forgetting it is there! Her nickname is our "pretzel dog" because she likes to lay in such wierd positions! (like the one above). Usually she sleeps on the bed next to Dani, on her back, head on the pillow, with her one remaining leg up in the air like a flag pole! But she loves everyone, has no desire to be "top dog" in any situation, and is very sweet and lovable.

To Adopt Sister for $20.oo a month click here!

This is Sister. She is a German Shepherd/ Coyote mix. She is about 13 years old. She came to us when we got a call from a shelter. "We were contacted by a family that is loosing their house and moving into an apartment. They won't let them bring their dog and they are really upset. They think she would kill herself in a kennel and no one would ever adopt her because she looks like a little red coyote and is missing part of one rear leg. She's afraid of everyone and hasn't left our back yard for 3 years!" they said " We can't take her but I have their number. Are you interested?" We called and set up a time to meet her.
Sister's story is a heartbreaking one. She was born into a colony of about 85 dogs who lived in an old woman's back yard in the hills. The woman let the dogs breed at will, and the coyotes also bred with them. There was furniture in the yard as well, and when Sister was a puppy, she got her rear legs caught in a couch spring and couldn't get them out. You can still see the scar on the remaining leg, where it was cut by the spring. The woman tried to get both feet out, but could only free one.......so.....she cut the other foot off! Shortly after the woman was placed in a managed care home and the animals were seised by animal control. Sister was adopted by a couple of drug dealers who beat her and only fed her when they thought about it! When they went to jail, she was just barely 6 months old, had already had a litter of pups, and was terrified of everyone and everything! (Can you blame her?) The people we got her from adopted her, had to crate her and cover the crate with blankets just to get her home safely. She never left their yard for the next 3 years. Then the Dad became disabled, and they were loosing the house. They were frantic to find a home for her. She was very frightened, so we visited 4 times before we brought her home. Nesa would just sit with her in the yard and after a while, she let her touch her. When it was time to bring her home, she lay in the back seat, with her head on Nesa's lap and shook all the way home. A miracle occured when we got home and she met Precious! It was as if a light went on in her head...I'm not the only one! She blossomed! She is our little "social Butterfly!" She loves to go to the drive-in theater, any place where there are children, and anywhere we are! She's getting older now, and has some arthritis and has put on some weight, but she is still a wonderful, loving example of what animals can survive and still love their humans!

To Adopt Patches for $20.00 per month click here!

This is Patches. He is Deaf and only can see movement with one eye, other than that he is blind as well. His story is one that proves these special animals come to us in special ways! We had been talking to a local shelter about 50 miles away about a deaf blind dog they had. He found a home, but one of their employees had been at another shelter about 25 miles from us and seen another deaf blind dog and begged us to go and check him out. So we did! Patches had been at the shelter for months! He had been adopted out...returned, adopted out...picked up by animal control. He was hard to handle and not trained at all. We spent some time with him and made sure he wasn't rat obsessed (he's not) and discovered that if you let him know what you want by touch, he does fine! He just needs tactile commands and clues. He is an Austrailian Shepherd/ Border collie mix and therefore is also a high energy dog! So he needs lots of walks and outdoor play. We noticed some ticks on him, but the shelter said it was more humid this year, so they've had some ticks. (usually our area doesn't have ticks or fleas) The next day we brought Patches home! The first stop was the tub for a flea and tick shampoo. We took over 150 ticks off of him!!! Each toe had 5-7 ticks and his ears were full of them! He's got to feel better now. Next day was a vet check and he's in good shape except for his limitations! He's learning to walk on a leash and is getting along well with all the other animals! He fits right in!

Patches needs a Special home! I am no longer to get him out for his 2 mile jog! My big electric wheelchair is no longer working! He would be especially happy with someone who is very physically active! Please contact us if you think you can provide a "Forever Home" for this energetic boy!

This is Lucas, a 15 lb., Albino Cocker Spaniel Mix (we think maybe with Mini-Daushound) Who is Vision and Hearing impared, but still has enough of both to function. He came to us from the same shelter as Patches and they are about the same age. Believe it or not they are play buddies! Even though one is 60 lbs and one 15 lbs! However, when he comes inside, Lucas acts more like a cat! He climbs on the back of the couch for a nap! We are working on getting him to wear his goggles when he's outside to protect his eyes from UV damage.
With our need to downsize in these trying economic times, Lucas has found a "Forever Home" in California City, CA. He loves being an "only dog" and still visits whenever his owner needs to travel out of town.

Piczo