If you’re reading this, then you’re likely a dog lover and you’ve seen just about every rescue around. But what if I told you there’s a rescue unlike any other? A saving grace for the most critical, elderly and least likely to survive. Take a trip just a couple of hours southwest of Walt Disney World and you’ll find the superwoman who is making miracles happen.
Sunny St. Petersburg, Florida is home to some of the best beaches in the world but it’s also home to Pawlicious Poochie Pet Rescue. The name alone sends your imagination running wild. But, pair it with the rescue’s pink and sparkly persona and you’ll see what makes it so special.
A Rescue Like No Other For The Ones Who Have No Other Options
Jamie Bunny McKnight is the mastermind behind PPPR. She started the rescue with the aspirations of saving the most severely neglected, most broken, oldest underdogs who otherwise didn’t stand a chance. She has rescued thousands of dogs to date and she does it entirely on her own! There’s no grant, no corporate funding, no magic money and dog treat fairy making deliveries. PPPR is supported by donations and Jamie’s two full-time jobs. The rescue boasts pink everything. Jamie even has a pink tattoo on her wrist showing her commitment! Occasionally, she will adorn some of the pups with sparkly (and completely safe) jewels.
“I chose pink and sparkles because so many rescues are dark and sad. Everyone knows rescue is sad but I wanted to make it happy and bright and over the top so more would want to get involved,” said Jamie.
Speaking of sparkles, one of her most brightly shining personalities in the house is Bunny La La, affectionately known as Lols. She suffers from chronic respiratory problems and things were touch and go for a few months. Lols pulled through and is thriving! She’s a bossy little thing who has no problem letting Jamie know when she wants a ham and cheese croissant or a scone from her favorite coffee shop!
There Is No Limit To This Rescue’s Reach!
PPPR is constantly sought out to save pups at the last minute. They come from kill shelters, local drop-offs, or strays. Remarkably, Jamie cares for all of the furbabies in her home! She calls them her kiddos and gives them a life of pure luxury. PPPR has never used foster homes because of the extremely demanding level of care these babies need, and the emotional toll is pretty substantial on top of that. The abuse and neglect that comes through PPPR’s doors is unlike anything you’ve ever witnessed. But, thanks to Jamie and her supporters, there is always a happy ending.
Jamie’s home is always bursting at the seams with four-legged (and sometimes two or three-legged) tiny lives who’ve known more heartache than love. Some of the dogs are hospice cases. These doggos are showered with love, cuddles and the occasional trip to Target for cheese pizza and retail therapy while they enjoy their last days knowing what true love is. Their lives may be cut short, but the happy ending is knowing that they’ve taken their last breath in the arms of someone who truly loves them.
Other dogs are adopted to new families once they’re healed. Of course, there are Jamie’s own cuddle bugs who live there permanently. She typically has at least 5 or 6 dogs waiting for their furever home. They sleep in her bed, go for walks in their stroller, and even tag along to work with her while they patiently wait for their new families.
Small Puppers Overcoming Big Odds
There is absolutely no limit to the extent of care that Jamie is willing to provide. PPPR partners with Patridge Animal Hospital who provides all of the care for her rescues. As you can imagine, the cost of caring for such medically needy pooches is astronomical. PPPR spends $1,000-$6,000 on average per dog! But then there are cases like sweet little Cadmar who required $12,000 worth of life-saving treatment.
This resilient little guy came from a kill shelter in Miami. He had been hit by a car and was unable to urinate or poop. Cadmar required multiple life-saving surgeries to put him back together. After dental surgery, neutering, and weeks of hospitalization among other things, Cadmar survived and is still living a happy and healthy life to this very day. Jamie says he was worth every penny and sleepless night!
Jamie and Dr. Harvey Patridge even flew Jackson, a tiny Frenchie, to see specialists in order to save his life. Dr. Partridge loaded them up in his private plane more than once to make sure Jax had the best care available.
A Shocking Tragedy Took The Life Of The Man Who Helped Saved Them
PPPR is no stranger to tragedy but it struck a little differently just a few months ago. Dr. Partridge and his wife were traveling in their personal airplane when something malfunctioned. The plane crashed and the loving couple lost their lives. In an unfair twist of fate, the plane that had been used to save the life of Jax had now taken the lives of two people who had helped Jamie save thousands of dogs. Dr. Partridge showed a level of love and compassion that is only matched by Jamie herself.
Why Spend So Much Time And Effort On Such Desperate Cases?
Looking at so many heartbreaking stories might make you ask, “Why?” Why are people so cruel? Why is this rescue spending so much time and money on elderly, broken dogs? Wouldn’t these efforts go further on less unfortunate souls with a chance of a longer life? Even the kind-hearted Dr. Partridge would tease Jamie, asking, “Do you just go to the shelter and ask for the most pathetic and hopeless dog they have?”
Jamie has heard it all and here’s what she has to say:
“I fight for the underdog. I save the ones no one else will. I save the ones that other rescues won’t save because it’s too expensive. Just like the day I first came on the rescue scene, many laughed at my name Pawlicious Poochie Pet Rescue. I said then, ‘I am going to make a difference and PPPR will be a force in rescue.'”
You can following all of PPPR’s miraculous stories and adorable pictures on their Facebook page! The world needs more pawliciousness!
h/t: @PawliciousPoochiePetRescue/Facebook
Toledo, United States.
