Pit bulls-Thx Deirdre for letting me repost Donate People, PLEASEEE!!! ~~~~
Toni Phillips started rescuing dogs in 1990 after moving to a rural area in Dallas/Fort Worth, Tex. Having grown up in Seattle, Wash. and fresh from living in San Francisco, Calif., Toni had never before experienced the tragedy of finding dogs and puppies "dumped" along the highway in the remote country to survive on their own. She immediately began bringing these abandoned dogs home, an effort that was supported by her husband Mike, who quickly took an active role in the cause. The couple fostered and sought loving homes for all the deserted dogs they could find, and continued rescuing canines when they moved to Branson, Mo.
In 1998, the Phillips moved to Colorado, and in 2003 bought property in the forested mountains of Divide where they founded Mariah's Promise, a safe haven and sanctuary for dogs named for a five-week-old puppy who fought a losing battle against parvo when their land purchase was being negotiated. Located just south of Denver, Mariah's Promise was perfectly placed to become the hub of an urgent rescue mission when an indiscriminate ban on pit bulls began to tear beloved canine companions from their guardians in May 2005.
Toni and Mike heard in April that the ban would soon be reinstated, so they posted signs around Denver offering to find permanent homes for pit bulls with new families or temporarily foster people's dogs at their sanctuary until they could relocate to new cities. Sadly, just weeks later, many guardians stood helplessly by as their dogs were driven away in Denver Animal Control vans, the majority to be killed because of their breed. Dogs taken in by Mariah's Promise were the lucky ones, having survived the mass extermination that is still well underway in Denver. Mariah's Promise has so far saved the lives of 73 pit bull dogs and puppies victimized by the ban, with more arriving by the week. Of those, 22 have been given a fresh start in new, loving homes outside of Denver's city limits. Mariah's Promise has also worked with other no-kill rescue organizations outside of Colorado, transporting dogs across state lines to make room for the constant influx of Denver exiles, which will only increase should breed-specific bans pass in neighboring communities.
Toni and Mike have managed to keep Mariah's Promise going while simultaneously running a family business, and have built their "Denver Refugee Camp" (which includes numerous dog houses and kennels) from donations provided by generous dog lovers. With the long, cold winter on the way, Mariah's Promise is now focused on building 10' x 10' climate controlled doghouses with outside runs to keep the dogs warm through the frigid winter months. Seed money provided by the Max Fund was essential to get this project off the ground, but now the sanctuary needs all the funds they can get to continue saving the lives of as many dogs as possible.
- To help pay for food, shelter, veterinary care and other necessary expenses, please send checks to:
You can also donate using your credit card on IDA's website at https://secure.ga3.org/02/idadonations and designating "Mariah's Promise" or "pit bulls" in the First Name field of the "in honor of" section of the form.
- Mariah's Promise has many loving dogs who need permanent, loving homes and families to take care of them. Click here to see a listing of their available dogs. If you are interested in adopting a new friend, contact Toni at mariahspromise@msn.com, (719) 687-4568 or (719) 651-4733. If you write an email, be sure to put "POTENTIAL ADOPTER" in the subject line of your message.
- Learn more about the ban and the efforts being made to help pit bulls at www.idausa.org/denver_frame.html.
IDA is proud to salute Toni Phillips and recognize her dedication to dogs by naming her our Guardian of the Month for August 2005. Congratulations, Toni, and keep fighting the good fight!
