OLD DOGS MATTER – Help Save Old Souls K9 Rescue

  • by: Chela Landau
  • recipient: Yuma, AZ Planning and Zoning Commission Letters in Support of allowing Old Souls Rescue to continue their good work desperately needed and can be sent to : Yuma County Supervisors 2351 W. 26th St, Yuma, AZ 85364
UPDATE: Unfortunately, the Yuma County Council has denied Old Souls the permit they need to stay where they are. They will have to move their rescue to the country, away from neighbors. To make the move possible, this tiny non-profit has launched a crowd-funding campaign. Please click through, donate and share this effort with all your friends and family who love animals. If everyone who signed the petition would donate just $1 - we could fund their move!

Thanks for everything! 
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I am writing my first petition ever to try to help my friends at Old Souls K9 Rescue, a 501c3 non-profit rescue for senior and abandoned animals---they are a wonderful, responsible, caring and compassionate safe haven for senior and disabled dogs and other animals, and a neighbor is trying to shut them down with lies.     

Paula has her PhD in Conservation Physiology and I met her when she was a "turtle doctor" at the San Diego zoo over 10 years ago. She had rescued a senior shepherd who was due to be euthanized at a high-kill animal shelter I was volunteering at. Back then, she rescued dogs one at a time, but she and Isaac vowed to buy their own farm so they could help more animals.

After saving for many years, they were finally able to buy a farm in Yuma, Arizona 2 1/2 years ago. Isaac quit his job as an Authorized Desert Tortoise biologist to stay home to take care of their animals, all senior or sick, and Paula began working at the University of Arizona.

I will never forget how they took in Hugo, the potbelly pig, when he found his way into a local Los Angeles shelter where I volunteer after he was dumped on Hollywood Boulevard, no doubt because he grew bigger than his owners thought he would be. I drove Hugo and Tess, a little sweet neglected senior dog who was going to be euthanized-- because no one wanted an old hairless dog --to Paula and Isaac, in Yuma, Arizona. [This is the video I made documenting the trip there: https://youtu.be/ 6q7jsyS5LyA ]. The animals quickly became members of the Old Souls family, finally safe in a home that would care for them no matter what, with people who would embrace them when they were sick, and would love them no matter what, and they would never be abandoned again.

Their rescue is clean, quiet, and well-run. Most of the senior dogs sleep all day and the property is surrounded by farms - it's very peaceful. But now, due to a neighbor who has complained that cats are coming on to his property, they are in danger of having to shut down a farm that is home to 18 senior and sick dogs, 5 cats, 5 tortoises, 3 potbelly pigs, 2 rabbits, 1 special needs goat, a pony, a miniature horse, chickens, and a blind rooster. This is farm country where these animals are meant to be.

There is an enormous feral cat problem in the neighborhood, and Paula and Issac have HELPED the problem by trapping and spaying/neutering many of the cats. This neighbor has threatened the safety of their cats, and two of their cats have disappeared over the past year. The neighbor is instilling fear in other neighbors, encouraging them to speak out against Old Souls' permit request, by telling them that their property values will go down because of Old Souls being in the neighborhood.

The truth is that this rescue is a shining example of what good responsible rescue is, and it should make Yuma, Arizona proud. The Old Souls property is maintained at a standard much higher than many of the other properties I saw on their block where some homes are in a state of neglect and disrepair.

Thanks to your support, they won a vote for a temporary, 1 year probationary permit from the Zoning Commission. Now we need the County Supervisors to approve that decision at a special hearing next month. We need to convince the County Supervisors that the fate of this safe haven for thrown away animals who have no place else to go is in their hands. PLEASE PLEASE TELL YUMA THAT OLD DOGS MATTER, AND PLEASE ALLOW OLD SOULS K9 RESCUE TO CONTINUE!!!!!!
Update #46 years ago
I am so sorry that I have not posted an update sooner. We were absolutely OVERWHELMED AND AWED by the response, the gratitude for your kindness and support cannot be overstated, you all are so amazing, to know that there are so many kind and caring people out there has helped. Wow.
I have been waiting for Old Souls to create a page for donations so that they can move and make their animals safe.
Update #26 years ago
Our hearing went well - we won a 5-2 vote for a temporary, 1 year probationary permit. Now we need the County Supervisors to approve that decision next month. Please keep supporting Old Souls, and share the petition. These animals deserve the love and care that Old Souls provides, and we can't do that unless we get our permit!! Thank you for all your support!
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