Consider a year-end gift for the animals

A new Cotton ... with foster mom Jenna.

It has now been almost 20 months since we made our first transport up to Leech Lake Reservation to meet with the Leech Lake Community Services Officer. We have had 111 transports, covering approximately 45,000 miles to bring over 1,100 precious animals to safety. Since our first trip up to Leech Lake Reservation our network has grown as we continue to collaborate and build partnerships both within Leech Lake Reservation and outside of the Reservation.

As 2012 comes to a close, it is difficult to pick one story to share as each animal has touched our hearts. But tonight, I would like to share with you an update on Cotton (who arrived on 10/28/12) with her brother Caster. Cotton had 75-80 quills on her face and Caster had over 200 quills over his entire body. On November 11^th, I shared incredibly sad news … the passing of sweet Caster (click here to read the blog posting on Caster). Along with the 200+ quills removed from his body, face, legs, and chest there were apparently more quills inside of his body. Quills migrated in his body and penetrated his heart, liver, lungs and kidneys. We shed many tears for Caster but his spirit continues to live on in his sister Cotton. The next day (November 12^th), Cotton went home with foster mom Jenna and in the month or so Cotton has been hanging out with foster mom Jenna and her many foster 4-legged siblings she has become a totally new dog. She has come a LONG way from when she arrived and was extremely fearful of people. Now she loves to be held and to sleep on laps. She also gets along great with her foster siblings and rumor has it she sleeps on foster mom’s bed with two of her siblings, Yukon and Rue. Just 6 weeks ago, Cotton was fending for herself up at Leech Lake Reservation, starving and in excruciating pain with a face full of porcupine quills. Today, she naps on a couch and gets pampered like royalty. She will be up for adoption soon and whoever adopts this sweet princess will be a very lucky person! Thank you Jenna for everything you have done and continue to do for Cotton.

Cotton and Caster when they arrived on 10/28/12

Cotton’s story is just one of more than a thousand stories. We are now at over 1,100 animals who have been transported and given a second chance. We could not do this without the support of so many … from volunteers, to donors, to the Leech Lake Tribal Police, to our partner shelters and rescues.

2012 was an amazing year for Leech Lake Legacy:

• We transported and re-homed more than 900 dogs and cats.
• We hosted two spay/neuter clinics on the Reservation where 184 dogs and cats were altered.  We also provided wellness checks and vaccinated another 126 dogs and cats.
• We held two “Great Puppy Roundups” where more than 100 animals were surrendered and transferred to rescues and shelters in Minnesota.
• We provided emergency medical care to countless dogs and cats who were brought in to our veterinarian in Bemidji with injuries that needed immediate attention.

The following video gives you a glimpse into our first 20 months!

 Our goals for 2013 are even greater.  Our plans are to host four spay/neuter clinics on the Reservation and during the months without scheduled clinics, to host vaccination clinics and Great Puppy Roundups.  We will also continue our weekly transports of dogs and cats from the Leech Lake Impound.  And inevitably, there will be injured animals on the Reservation who will need immediate and often expensive medical care.

In order to continue the transports, clinics, roundups and provide emergency care to injured animals, we need your support.  We are an all-volunteer grass roots organization. Every single cent you donate is used to help these animals.

Please consider making an end of year donation. You can make an online donation through Paypal by clicking here. You can also send a check to:

Leech Lake Legacy

P.O Box 385454

Bloomington, MN 55438

Thank you again for supporting Leech Lake Legacy.  Together, we are making a difference.