THE Dawgs of Dogtree Pines

Nubbins, formerly Army, found down in Casa Grande was paralyzed from the neck down. His story is horrific. He was hit in the back of the head with a “blunt object” and thrown out of a car on the side of the highway. While he was lying there waiting for help, he got tick infested. They estimate he laid there for 3 days!

     A blood clot in his neck caused paralysis. He could not walk and didn’t know how to do even basic things like eating and drinking. I saw that face and I wanted him but knew I could not handle a fully paralyzed dog in the middle of 20 others. Luckily, Southwest Oasis Labrador Rescue (SOLR) stepped up and placed him with fosters, and three months later he was walking, albeit like a drunken sailor, and was ready to come to the sanctuary to continue his recovery. 

     He is now recovered with just some lingering oddities. He’s 85 lbs. of pure joy and muscle and he’s the funniest dog to see walk. His ryittle “Nubbin” (nubbed tail) just bounces all over the place with joy...a bit out of control. He loves exploring our 3-acre forest and having his freedom. He accompanies Tucker on patrols around the back forest making sure the fence line is secure.  He’s fascinated by the squirrels and can be found staring into the trees in hopes that someday he may catch the critters. He was one of those "meant to be" miracles. He is absolutely flourishing. When it comes to walks, Nubbs is first in line but instead of walking he takes our volunteers for runs.  Yes he can run in his own awkward beautiful way AND you must be in shape to keep up with his pace.  Nubbs has a special relationship with his favorite volunteer and he 'chirps' and jumps with glee when he sees her knowing a walk will soon be in the day's events.

Bernie, suffering from a very severe case of Valley Fever, could barely stand and was stick-thin when we saw him on what was to be his last day at Maricopa County Animal Control.

He was just a stray trying to survive… until a kind human let him inside and gave me a place to crash for a bit. The foster said Bernie was very friendly, but Bernie was not doing great.  Besides being scary emaciated with white eye discharge and having a hard time walking, it is the untreated terrible case of Valley Fever that has hurt Bernie the most.  It can be managed with meds and love so Bernie was picked up by our transporter and brought up to Dogtree Pines so Bernie could be closer to his medical team.

Since then, Bernie has continued to improve and is now eating and standing, even playing a bit, on his own.

He's still only 64 lbs, which is small for a shepherd his size, but he will soon grow into his skin. and be the big healthy Dutch Shepherd he was always meant to be. 

Est DOB 5.01.2019 | Rescued 5.14.2025

Two days before Christmas, Navi was rescued by the border by Barb's Dog Rescue. He was in such terrible shape, starved nearly to death and covered in lice and maggots. Much of his body was covered only by raw skin but his biggest problem was an infected wound so deep his bone was exposed and extended down into his paw. 

Fearing amputation was the only option, Barb reached out to Dogtree Pines for help. Navi made his way to the states and to Dogtree Pines to continue his treatment. His wounds were so severe that they had to be treated from the inside out. Medical maggots were delivered to Dr. Delia at Harmony Veterinary Care and inserted into his wound to debride and clean up the damaged flesh. 

Navi spent the better part of 6 months recovering from his severe wounds but he did make a full recovery. His wounds will always show the horrific start to his life but all that has changed now. It was said that all Navi wanted was a family. Navi has a family, has made friends and finally feels safe for the first time in his short life. He wiggles and squiggles all over the bed in the morning with excitement for another day! He has also discovered the "BALL" and lives to play. He's good too...one of the best retrievers we've seen. 

Navi is a volunteer favorite because of his happy outgoing manner and his enthusiasm to play ball. We call him the Mexican Jumping Bean

Bertie, now Bubbles, has a very bubbly personality.  Bubbles was initially rescued  by HARTT - Humane Animal Rescue and Trapping Team out of Phoenix.  Bubbles was sitting on the corner of Central and Jones streets in front of Pete's & Chips.  She was just laying there whimpering with no tags and no where to go. First of all thank you to Lost Pets of Phoenix for the post, then for HARTT for stepping up and now Bubbles is in the safe hands and medical care of the experts at Dogtree Pines. She has multiple bubble-like bumps across one side of her that we have yet to officially diagnose.  Other than the bubbles she is happy and healthy.  With Bubbles looking better every day as her bumps are all magically going away we decided to postpone the removing of the bumps.  Bubbles is looking better every day and she is fitting in and truly enjoying herself at DTP.

Est DOB 12.18.2014 | Rescued 12.18.2024

Woody and Peanut.  A friend and supporter alerted me about these two. They were dumped on the side of the road in Chowchilla, CA and sat for two days, waiting for their people to return. They were finally picked up by volunteers and taken to a high kill shelter in Madera. Nobody was willing to take the pair and their time was running short, so we stepped in. Labrador Rescue of Fresno acted fast and pulled the two to safety. Of course, there was a hurricane about to slam the west coast so transport was delayed a bit until it was safe. They look like they’ve had a bit of a rough life and both were intact, about 10 years old.

Both boys were neutered.  In time they became less bonded.  Peanut a feisty little guy was adopted by one of our volunteers and is living a dream life.  Woody likes his stuffed animals and is our grumpy old lab at Dogtree and he will remain with us.

This is Pepe and here is his story. We were contacted back on May 10 about him. He was located in Tijuana Mexico.
“”””””””””””
"This dog is trapped behind that brand new chain link fence. The guy at the mariscos stand have been feeding him since he literally ended up on the wrong side of the fence (about a month and a half). There is not a tree or plywood or tarp to protect him from these past months rain or now from the searing sun.
These guys say some time ago the dog was hit by a car, he dragged himself to the median, and that's where he lived for the longest time. He'd get to the sidewalk to forage for food and water, then returned to the median. That was his home. They say the dog rolls his hip at walking, is deteriorating and is incredibly sad and lonely. The marisco guys dug a hole under the brand new fencing so he could get out, but just like Red in the Shawshank, he's been institutionalized and can't do it on his own. The hole under the fence can easily fit a smaller person with a leash (like me) but what would be the point in dragging him out, and setting him loose to get hit by another car."
“””””””””””””””
Well, long story short Pepe is now a resident at Dogtree Pines. Dr. Tammy confirmed that he does have a fractured pelvis and a hip joint completely out of place in addition to a large mass on his spleen. Thank you for his angels for helping him out and for my new friend Elena for driving a full day to transport Pepe to us. 

Est DOB 5.01.2020 |  Rescued 5.26.2025

The Lily flower is associated with fresh life and rebirth. Our little Lily has had a rebirth coming to Dogtree with a swollen abdomen and an emaciated body showing all of her ribs. We heard she was found abandoned in Casa Grande while trying to eat rocks.  Beth and Susan drove to Phoenix to meet the other half of the transport relay and brought her home to us. It just breaks our hearts to think about her pain but Lily is a sweetie and shows no bitterness.  She is a tough girl and shows her teeth to any pups that approach her while she is eating. After taking Lily to the vet to get her abdomen drained weekly, Cindy continued an aggressive care program for Lily. After several weeks, we noticed that Lily’s abdomen no longer was swelling. The vet did not have a scientific answer. We, at Dogtree Pines, think it was a miracle and a testament to the love and care here. Lily, does still have congestive heart failure that caused the fluids to drain into her abdomen.  That condition did not allow her to fill her stomach enough to get the needed nourishment. However, now she is able to walk around the sanctuary and join the other pups outside. She is usually found resting on her oversized dog bed but is no longer in pain from the extended abdomen and is able to finally gain some weight to fill in her protruded ribs. 

"Tucker the Great" Pyrenees came to Dogtree Pines when his owner became very ill. United Animal Friends was advertising him for adoption and there were no takers, probably because of his size, his need for property and a job, and the amount this dude eats. That day, I was at my vet office and mentioned him to Dr. Tammy. As it turns out, she has treated Tucker his whole life and knew his owner well. One call later, and we were scheduled to pick up Tucker the following day. Now, we have never had a dog this big and had no idea what to expect. Tucker is the size of a small horse and brings counter surfing to a whole new level. He and Bill bonded almost immediately and Tucker became a permanent of Dogtree Pines. Bill built him the Taj Mahal of dog houses that Tucker absolutely loves. Tucker stays busy guarding the 3-acre fenced property and chasing coyotes, deer & especially javelinas.  Tucker was 8 years old when he came to live at Dogtree.  As he has gotten used to his new home, he has claimed my bathroom as his new dog den (complete with his own personal fan).  Tucker has passed his Good Citizen test and is becoming our Dogtree Mascot at events.

Sophia is her name because she is a beauty.  We were told she was an elderly and aggressive German Shepherd.  After her check up we disagree with that all!  We think she is only about 7 (not 11-12) and in spite of a few growls through the fence once she made her way into the house she has gotten along well with the others.  She does not seem to be sick at all and after a good brushing she is even prettier than when she arrived.  She also knows how to play fetch, loves  to go on walks, knows sit and shake (with either paw). Welcome beautiful Sophia, your picture does not do you justice. 

Sophia is almost always by Cindy's side and for now is not up for adoption. 

  Sophia is beautiful and smart.  Her greatest joy is being in the Dogtree SUV with Cindy cruising down the road with the window opened and the breeze on her face.  She knows she is going either to the lake for a fun swim, to enjoy a "Puppuccino"  cup of cream, or to experience a new adventure with her favorite person, Cindy.  Sophia is such a perfect dog that we often have her hang with the new residents to be a good influence.  Sophia loves diving under water for rocks, sitting next to Cindy and enjoying her days at Dogtree.

Mickey was tied to a tree in a park for 3 days in the Valley until the neighbors who were feeding him called the police and said no one is returning to pick up the dog. Several Good Samaritans stepped up to help Mickey and after researching the best place for Mickey was Dogtree, that is where he went.  

Est DOB 5.01.2018  | Rescued 5.20.2025

Dakota Rose "Kota" is just about the prettiest dog we've known.  She came to us from a family.  We won't go into the story as it is just too sad. She's about nine and we soon learned that she has cancer.  Here at DTP we do not let that be a death sentence as there are now amazing drugs to not heal but to keep the cancer at bay.  Kota is living her best life.  She LOVES the water and cannot pass up a hose as she thinks every drop of water is meant for her.  She can get dirtier than any other pup at Dogtree.  Her fur is velvety soft and her cancer has not stopped her one bit.  She makes sure that every day includes playing in the pool or swimming in Lynx Lake.  She is such a volunteer favorite she has them now picking her up for field trips to the lake for a swim.

This one year old beauty is Timber. He was picked up as a stray and ended up in the high-kill shelter in Nogales, Arizona. He was set to be euthanized because he was not adoptable due to his fear of people.  Well he's not a senior but we couldn't let that happen. I figured a few months at the sanctuary and Timber would be ready to find his forever home. Timber is adjusting nicely and was just neutered. He LOVES all other dogs and is slowly warming up to people.  Tim has become the welcome committee for any new pup to Dogtree.  He loves his person (for now) - me - sleeps in the bed and rolls all over me in the morning.  He allows us to give him treats and most recently has allowed us to give him pets although still with his side-eye stare. Tim is our favorite athlete and is living his best life!

Betty White arrived here from Arizona Humane on her last day before a planned euthanasia.  Betty has a severe condition called "Chronic Shar Pei Fever Syndrome"  resulting in very high temps (104-107 degrees) and swollen  joints. Betty went to the vet and her bloodwork looks surprisingly good. Her condition is very controllable. She is sweet and after spending some time with us we also learned she had kennel cough.  Her cough is now under control and we are happy to have our own Betty White.  Her delicate skin has caused her trouble.  She always seems to be in the wrong place and has recovered well from random and several nips to her face.  Betty as with the other Betty White has kept her sense of humor and is still sweet and calm.                                                                     Est DOB 3.27.2018  |  Rescued 3.27.2024 

Bugsy, this once sad 11 year old senior was at MCACC (Maricopa County Animal Care & Control) West Valley. He was found abandoned at Thomas & Sun Valley Parkway in Phoenix.  AZ Shepherd "Breed in Need" organization posted a picture and pitiful video of this senior trembling and shaking and then pausing and looking around a corner before stepping forward.  DTP stepped in. Bugsy is a sweetie.  At his initial exam he did have some infections that we are treating.  While he got over his sickness, he spent his time mostly sleeping in our quarantine cabin lodging.  Now that he feels better, he has joined the pack.  Timber, after anxiously awaiting to meet Bugsy, has made it his business to show Bugsy the ropes.  Bugsy has decided that his favorite spot is the comfy dog bed in the corner of the kitchen.  Great choice.

Est DOB 11.20.13 | Rescued 1.08.2025

Holly came to Dogtree by one of our special volunteers that saw a sad situation with a senior dog and she jumped in to help.  Holly's lifelong owner went into hospice.  She was left in their apartment for 45 days and was fed by neighbors.  Holly is about 50 pounds, a Queensland Heeler and about 13 years old. At Holly's initial vet exam we discovered several ailments beyond just her age.  Holly was also overweight which limited her activity level.  With the healthy natural food served by Dogtree she has started to lose weight and that has also helped her with her other ailments. 

Holly just needs a quiet place to retire. She still loves to have a ball in her mouth and loves her daily walks.

Est DOB 11.20.11 | Rescued 1.25.2025

I would check each morning on this tiny pup to see if anyone had adopted him. Each morning the days that remained before his euthanasia date ticked by. The picture posted on the shelter site of this pup (now named Teddy) was really bad, I mean terrible. Teddy looked like an elderly, disabled, disjointed bear-fox-dog combination. No one wanted him and we swooped in and brought Teddy to Dogtree Pines. We all initially thought Teddy was an elderly dog that had suffered from distempered. We were completely wrong on all accounts. He does move oddly from some type of injury, but he did not have distemper. He is also quite young, a puppy of a few months old. He runs and jumps and chases the squirrels up the trees. Teddy is a fan favorite and could easily be up for adoption however he is a team mascot and is staying put. He entertains pups and people alike. He is one of our favorite success stories that he was a few days from euthanasia but because of Dogtree Pines he is happy and provides happiness to everyone around him. Teddy would have been just a victim of a bad picture but now we cannot take enough pictures of him jumping, running, sleeping, enjoying life and yes, kissing fellow residents. Check out our Dogtree Pines Facebook page for some precious videos.

We took in this beautiful 10-year-old Great Pyrenees from Maricopa County animal control. We believe he was strictly a working dog, so is not familiar with the human touch and definitely does not know what a leash is. I believe animal control did not know what to do with him since they could not get their hands on him. He sat in his kennel for 11 days waiting for a behavioral evaluation. One of the volunteers took a short video of him, which is where we got our first sight of him. We immediately inquired and volunteered to take him. All this just happened on Monday and Wednesday morning at 7 AM, our wonderful Misty drove down to Maricopa to pick him up. They had lured him in to a transport kennel and put him in a quiet office the prior evening. This morning, he was loaded into Misty‘s car, still in the kennel and brought up to Dogtree. He was moved into the garage and immediately came out and started exploring. He took a big poo and pee, and ate a big bowl of food. He seems very sweet, just leery of people. I was able to pet his head. He’s a small great Pyrenees weighing only about 65 pounds, but we will get him tuned up in no time. Welcome to Dogtree Pines wonderful boy. And yes, his tongue hangs out all the time. 

Est DOB 8.09.2014 | Rescued 12.04.2024

Bean came to Dogtree when her lifelong owner moved into assisted living with dementia. Beanie is 13 years old and moved in with the pack smoothly. She is sweet as sugar and a total love bug.  Bean has mild diabetes and will require a medical adopter/foster to administer insulin shots every 12 hours. She is one of our smaller dogs at just under 40 lbs.

Est DOB 4.16.13   Rescued 4.16.25