Daisy Acres

Welcome to Daisy Acres

Where there is no horizon to limit the second chance at life for rescued dogs and the people who are lucky enough to welcome them into their families.

I know because I fostered and then adopted a rescued dog in 2013, and she changed my life forever. Daisy, a ten-year old (?) red Pomeranian arrived in Minnesota after volunteers at a local dog rescue brought her here on what is called “the freedom ride.” Daisy had spent her life to that point in a cage with the sole purpose of bearing litters of puppies who would then be taken from her and shipped to pet stores where they would be sold. She was never groomed. She never had veterinary care. She never knew the comfort of a soft voice or touch.

I’ll never forget the day I picked Daisy up. She was so filthy (and awful smelling) I had to roll down the windows in my car when I drove us home. The song Fast Car, by Tracy Chapman was playing on the radio. To this day, hearing it brings tears to my eyes.

The first priorities were to get Daisy groomed and evaluated by a veterinarian. It is no understatement to say that I didn’t recognize Daisy when I picked her up at K9 & Kitty Kutters Grooming Salons, a wonderful organization in Minneapolis that works closely with animal rescues. As you can see from the picture, Daisy was more than physically transformed by her grooming. For the first time, I imagine, in her life did she feel free. Being witness to the moment when a rescue dog catches that first feeling of freedom IS the reason I foster. A flicker of hope is often subtle and requires close observation. Sometimes it’s as quiet as a sigh when a pup realizes it’s safe to take a nap on a soft bed and a patch of sunlight. Sometimes it’s a cold nose nudging my hand, an indication my touch has been deemed safe. Sometimes it’s a pup abandoning the frenetic pace of eating and lingering over his/her food bowl, savoring the taste and demonstrating the tenuous belief that the fear about food scarcity might not be necessary anymore.

Such subtle gestures. Such huge steps!

Daisy? Well, there was never anything subtle about Daisy. She came home from the groomers and launched herself out of her kennel and into her second chance at life! Daisy, I remember thinking, such a delicate name for such a strong little girl. The rescue organization had given her the name Daisy and I gave serious thought to changing her name to something more fitting like Joan of Bark, but then I watched Daisy bloom before my eyes and so I kept her name and I kept her, too. I did modify her name slightly and she quickly became known as Rebel Daisy or Daisy Chainsaw. That’s right, Daisy was a “Foster Fail,” but that is the only time the word failure was ever applicable to Daisy or the work she dedicated her second chance at life to: rescuing as many dogs as possible.

You see, Daisy was not simply my canine companion. She was my co-worker and together she and I fostered and helped over fifty dogs find their furever home.

Why Rescue?

Isn’t it safer to get a puppy from a reputable breeder? you might ask. Aren’t there fewer health or behavioral risks? Won’t it be too painful to adopt and get attached to an older dog?

The first answer is humanitarian: When you rescue a dog, you save a dog’s life. There are so many healthy, lovable dogs scheduled for euthanasia in shelters right now that it just doesn’t make sense to pay a breeder for an animal. Rescue dogs are intelligent, emotional beings who deserve a chance at a long, happy life, and the rewards you get from rescuing are far greater than buying a dog. Rescues have dogs of all breeds and ages whether you want to give an older dog the best golden years possible or you want to fill your home with that contagious puppy energy – rescue organizations can help you find the right dog for you and your family.

The second answer is humbling: When you rescue a dog, you get to see a beautiful spirit bloom.

Ferguson, Tony Danza, Fabio, Zuzu, Maria, Tori, Lauren, Hugh, Orion, Lydia, Opie, Birdie, Bonnie, Emily, Skeeter, Crisco, Gracie, Lana, Turbo, Eclipse, Althea, Zoey, Willow, Lilly, Ozra. These and so many more are the names of pups Daisy led out of the darkness of despair and into the light of hope.

You can check out videos of the pups Daisy and I rescued at my YouTube channel.

December 5th, 2020 was one of the increasingly rare good days for Daisy. Prednisone had given her the gift of lessening the pain of advanced arthritis for a few days. She took a nap in the sun. She ate not one, not two, but three of her favorite non-dairy ice treats. She hung out with her brothers Ferguson and Hugh. We listened to Fast Car. Over and over and over. She snuggled into my arms and then, with the help of the compassionate veterinarians at Lap of Love, she passed away.

This website is in memory of Daisy and dedicated to all the pups she saved.

It’s also my way of continuing her work.

There is still so much important work to do and so many beautiful lives to save. To learn more about volunteering with dog rescue or adopting a rescued dog, please follow my blog or email me via my contact page.

Thank you for visiting Daisy Acres. I invite you to join me in following her footsteps.