Update: Yoshi will be rescued tomorrow night, thanks to msanthrope and her ex. However,

[tblue37]

Last edited Sun Aug 2, 2015, 03:46 PM - Edit history (1)

TTW will still need to accumulate enough money to pay for deposits on a place for her and Yoshi to live together, as well as for for food, gas, and basic living expenses.

She has been in a very deep hole for some time, and although she is working, it will take some time for her to dig herself out of that hole and up even to level ground. Therefore, I think it would still be nice for those who can afford to make a small donation to consider doing so, to help TTW get a place where she can keep Yoshi with her.

Yes, masanthrope and her ex are rescuing Yoshi and providing a good temporary home for him, but for his sake and TTW's, I hope that she will be able to get him back with her sooner rather than later.

I am leaving the information from my original post just so people will not be confused about what this is all about, but I am blockquoting it and setting it off.

Last night Moosepoop posted a thread about how Yoshi is suffering in a dangerous facility:

(SNIP)

. . . a doggie-daycare place had . . . agreed at the last minute to take him for as long as needed, with no money up front and the charges (if any at all) could be worked out later. They get an awful lot of donated food, so no problem with that. They said that he would have his own large pen indoors in the air conditioning, and the first week he was there they would call . . . often and she was told that Yoshi was doing great and was happy. The daycare is a distance from where {she} lives, and given that distance and her Monday through Friday job, she can only get there to see him once a week, on the weekend.

Last weekend, they brought him outside for her visit, and given that it was very hot and there was only hot concrete for them to be on, {she} kept the visit short so Yoshi could get off the concrete and back into the A/C. She had them take him back inside before she left, so he wouldn't see her leaving. She cried all the way home, but thought that he was doing all right other than missing her.

She called ahead again this week, a couple of days ago, and arranged to visit him again today. When she arrived, she was told that "he was sleeping" and that therefore now wasn't a good time, and that she'd need to reschedule. That set off alarm bells, and she insisted that they get him for her. After an employee huddle discussing it, they went and got him and brought him out.

{She} told me that he looked horrible -- he has lost weight, his hair is falling out, and he was listless and didn't even seem to recognize her. The difference from last week to this one was astounding. She got very upset and demanded to see where he was being kept indoors. It turns out that the "very large pen" is a very small crate, not big enough for him to even turn around in. There was no water dish. There is A/C, but not set cool enough for a dog with a coat like Yoshi's (the other dogs there are shorter-haired). When he's outside, the area he's allowed to be in is all concrete with full sun. When he's indoors, it's in the tiny crate with no water dish. . . . when they first brought him out today, he went to every available water source and drained them, and was still looking for more.

. . . She's terrified that Yoshi is going to die there, that he's dehydrated, overheated, and is being essentially tortured to death. She's afraid [bb]he may die in the next few days, if left there. She was crying so hard I could barely understand what she was saying a good deal of the time.

(SNIP)

Now, I realize that many DUers have decided not to believe the pleas for help from TTW, and some go so far as to post on threads about her plight to advise others to ignore her and to reject her pleas automatically. I also know that many have her on ignore, so I assume a subject line with her name or a plea for help posted by another DUer would be clicked away from unread the second her name was mentioned. This is why I omitted all mentions of her name in the excerpt from Moosepoop's post.

I know DU loves animals and hates for them to suffer and die needlessly. The outpouring over the cat killed by that vet and over the murder of Cecil the lion tells me so.

So here is my plea. Even if you have no sympathy for Yoshi's human, please, please, please pity the poor dog and, if you can spare a few dollars, donate to TTW's GoFundMe campaign. Even if you can't afford to donate, please spread the word so others who have the means to do so can.

Also, if you live near TTW in PA and know a safe *temporary* refuge for Yoshi (TTW loves him and needs him; he is all she's got so she should not have to give him up permanently!), please contact Moosebump with the info.

One DUer who lives too far away has offered to take Yoshi temporarily if transport could be arranged, so that might be a last resort.

[font size="+1"]
[font color = "blue"]Here is the GoFundMe page if you want to help TTW pay up-front expenses for a place where she can have Yoshi with her:[/font]

http://www.gofundme.com/slumlord-escape

[TBF]

1. A couple of people have offered shelter -

and many have suggested rescues. I'd give to a verifiable rescue that is willing to take him & foster him for awhile. But we have been getting more and more of these gofundme requests and no one knows whether they are legit or not. Normally I only do these if they are verified by news stories, someone I personally know, etc.

[tblue37]

8. The problem with the suggestions about Yoshi is that they have all

been for places that would require TTW to give him up permanently to be adopted by someone else.

I know I could not give up one of my pets permanently, so I understand why she can't bear to do that. Furthermore, Yoshi is attached to TTW, so losing her would hurt him, too.

I also know that when one is under so much stress, with problems coming from all directions, it is hard to keep track of and handle everything.

I am hoping that even people who don't have positive feelings about TTW will consider Yoshi's plight and consider helping him. Considering how much sympathy DU felt about Cecil the lion and Tiger, the cat who was murdered by that vet in Texas, I am hoping that there will be some effort to rescue Yoshi from the suffering he is trapped in right now.

[TBF]

10. I have dogs myself -

I am not oblivious to the things you are saying but I'm also not giving blindly to a "gofundme" account.

Is there a way that he could be boarded at a better daycare & we could fund that directly?

[roody]

32. We should all love our pets so much

that if we are unable to take care of them, we would let them go to a loving home.

[CountAllVotes]

2. Sent TTW a few $$ at her PayPal account

that address is: [e-mail] FYI. PayPal does not take a cut if it is sent for personal reasons unlike outrageous fees for sending via gofundme does. I wanted her to get all of what she could rather than have gofundme take their rather large cut.

I believe she's raised a few $$ via PayPal but not a lot by any means.

Even though I am not a close friend of TTW I feel very sad for her and dog Yoshi and I did what I could to try to help her in a small way.

I hope others will do the same if they can find it within themselves to HELP this poor woman and her dog Yoshi, both of whom certainly do not deserve to be going through all of this for no good reason at all.

Suck ass scumlords really CAN and DO ruin people's lives and no, they do not give a damn!

Thanks for reading this.

& recommend!!

[Contrary1]

23. According to the OP of the other Yoshi thread, TTW's computer is inoperable.

In any case, please remove her email addy from your post. Not a good idea to put it out there in public, given the past experience here with trolls. You can have people PM you for it.

[CountAllVotes]

39. TTW has posted this email address before

and as for no computer, she can go to a library and log-in and transfer any funds that may be there to her own account. That is what she did in the case with me and it was not long ago either.

[Contrary1]

45. Ok...didn't know she had put her email out before.

If that's the case, I have no problem. I was just thinking back to another situation involving Paypal that some rightwing nutbags horned in on.

[emsimon33]

38. Thank you for the email for PayPal

Since TTW does not have access to her computer, can she access PayPal, though?

[CountAllVotes]

40. Your welcome

I'm sure she can find one to use for a short period of time. Public libraries often have computers for use at no charge as well or perhaps a friend is letting her check her email and she can transfer the funds in PayPal to her personal account.

Thanks for being willing to help. I'm sure any amount at all will help. Very distressing situation at best and I don't believe that TTW is fraud, etc.

[emsimon33]

44. I don't believe she is either

But better to help a fraud than let another person suffer. We have become a very cynical society.

[tblue37]

3. One thing we might do is send info about Yoshi to those rescue sites that often

spread the word about dogs that must be rescued immediately because they are scheduled to be euthanized. Does anyone know the link for such a page? I bet we could get him out of that place and into a safe environment by spreading the word to such a group's members.

[BainsBane]

4. This is a situation where the dog needs a home

and a poster above says two people have already offered to take him.
It appears the money being sought is actually for the person and their living situation, so I don't see why the dog enters into at all.

[tblue37]

14. The offer to take Yoshi is relatively new--in response to Moosebump's

post last night.

But TTW still needs to collect enough money to move to a place where she can keep Yoshi. That's expensive. You have to pay first and last month's rent, plus utility deposits, and in many cases a pet deposit as well. Here in Kansas, I had to pay $600 up front in pet deposits alone for my 3 cats, not to mention the $800 I had to pay up front for first and last months' rent. $1400 just to move.

Fortunately, I didn't have to pay utility deposits, since I was already living in the town, so my utilities were already set up in my name. But since she was evicted, she will probably also have to pay utility deposits when she moves.

Then there is the cost of moving her belongings to a new place. She'll probably have to rent some sort of U-Haul or other truck. She needs money for the move to a place where she can keep Yoshi, as well as for food, gas, etc. She is working a lot, but she has a pretty deep hole she has to dig out of before she is even on level ground, so she needs help just getting to the starting line, since she is so far behind it at the moment.

[BainsBane]

18. I'll be honest

I don't like her using the dog that way. That dog could be rescued by living with someone else.

[trueblue2007]

35. oh give me strength!!! She is not "using" her dog. She can't even post on DU.

her computer is dead.

Gees, some people...... have some compassion why don't you!!!!!!

[Tipperary]

5. If you go to "Moosepoop's" thread, you will see that a DU poster

has offered a temporary home for Yoshi. So I would assume there is no need for donations at this point. I do think that the facility where TTW placed Yoshi should be reported immediately.

[lumberjack_jeff]

16. +1 thanks to msanthrope.

It appears that Yoshi's situation is rectified.

[tblue37]

24. He will be picked up tomorrow evening, thanks to msanthrope and her ex. nt

[stage left]

28. Oh, that is great.

Msanthrope is an angel.. I will still throw in a couple of dollars no questions asked as I believe TTW is really trying. I prefer to use her paypal account.

[tblue37]

22. TTW still needs help getting together enough money to pay deposits on

an apartment where she can keep Yoshi. From Moosebump's thread:

She is working. Between the rent and gas for the car to get to work, plus basic living expenses such as food and toilet paper, etc.., she won't be able to get a place of her own for her and Yoshi for some time. She would need first/last rent + deposit, and she doesn't make enough to save that up for a few months out.

If we help her now, she would be able to set herself and Yoshi up in a small apartment that she could afford with her current job.

[irisblue]

6. money for Yoshi sent

my princess peanut is snoring across the room from me. How/why are DUers making judgments?

[CountAllVotes]

12. Exactly!

Pleased to be able to help them as the situation is very sad and pathetic and it is certainly no fault of TTW's!

Shit happens in life and you never know when it will be your turn. I've been there myself and it was totally frightening! I'd rather die myself than have to give my three cats away to someone/some place that I did not know every single detail about. It would kill me inside, I know it!

Glad you were able to help a bit too!

[Arugula Latte]

25. It's because there is a whole long history of weirdness with TTW's stories.

They never seem to add up, and offers of help/advice are not taken.

Post 21 says things are legit ... I don't know. But I get why people are skeptical.

[emsimon33]

37. Until you have walked a mile in someone else's shoes, try not to be judgmental.

Since the recession, charitable organizations have been swamped and are not able to be as responsive as they once were. The least each of us can be is less judgmental and thank heaven that we have not had to walk in TTW's shoes.

[trueblue2007]

36. How/why are DUers making judgments? Perhaps they are mean in the heart?

Makes me mad to read/hear such harshness going out to a homeless woman and her dog.

[PearliePoo2]

7. I won't be able to donate again until next week on payday.

How will donating money help TTW specifically? What will she use the money for? A new place to live where Yoshi is allowed?
How to get Yoshi for now, to a temporary refuge? That's the problem.
Wouldn't it be great if someone close by was to go get him and shelter him until she can make other living arrangements!
I'm on the other side of the country (Washington State) otherwise I could and would love to help.

[tblue37]

15. PearliePoo2, in my post #14 below I explain why she still would need money:

But TTW still needs to collect enough money to move to a place where she can keep Yoshi. That's expensive. You have to pay first and last month's rent, plus utility deposits, and in many cases a pet deposit as well. Here in Kansas, I had to pay $600 up front in pet deposits alone for my 3 cats, not to mention the $800 I had to pay up front for first and last months' rent. $1400 just to move.

Fortunately, I didn't have to pay utility deposits, since I was already living in the town, so my utilities were already set up in my name. But since she was evicted, she will probably also have to pay utility deposits when she moves.

Then there is the cost of moving her belongings to a new place. She'll probably have to rent some sort of U-Haul or other truck. She needs money for the move to a place where she can keep Yoshi, as well as for food, gas, etc. She is working a lot, but she has a pretty deep hole she has to dig out of before she is even on level ground, so she needs help just getting to the starting line, since she is so far behind it at the moment.

[PearliePoo2]

20. Yes, of course.

I so hope she can get back on her feet and start a new chapter of her life that always includes her dog that she loves so much.
I can't imagine being separated from my rescue Border Collie 'Pearl' for even a day.
It's great to hear she has found a job too!
I'll be sending her a little cash next week. I hope she can hang on (and Yoshi too) while help is on the way!

[msanthrope]

9. WE WILL TAKE HIM......

TTW has already talked to ex on legal matters, he will take Yoshi as long as she need.....

HAVE HER GET IN TOUCH>>>>>>

[TBF]

11. This is awesome.

[tblue37]

13. THANK YOU!!!

I think we will have to wait for Moosepoop to get back from work, since she seems to be the only one who knows how to reach TTW directly.

I was not able to sleep last night because I was so upset about Yoshi and TTW.

I hope people will still contribute to TTW's page, so that she can get enough money to pay the deposit on a new place where she can keep Yoshi and the utility deposits she would also need to pay. She might also have to pay a pet deposit in the hundreds of dollars for Yoshi, since many landlords do charge pet deposits.

Moving to a new apartment is very, very expensive. I had to come up with about $1400 right off the bat to pay the first and last month's rent plus $200 deposits for each of my cats when I moved to a tiny one-bedroom in 2001--and I live in Kansas, where rents are much lower than in many parts of the country.

[cwydro]

17. People are skeptical

because one of these threads turns up every single month.

DUers have offered every kind of help and resource only to have them spurned.

It'll be interesting to see if TTW takes this latest very generous offer.

It's against the law for a dog to be in a crate unable to turn around and to not have water.

That place should be reported, as others have suggested.

[tblue37]

19. I imagine it will be--as soon as Yoshi is rescued. The last thing they would want

is to have him sent to a shelter and euthanized, which is what often happens to animals taken from such places.

If Yoshi is rescued today (msanthrope has offered!), then the place can be reported right away.

[tblue37]

21. I think many of the offers about Yoshi would have required her to surrender him

Last edited Sun Aug 2, 2015, 09:30 PM - Edit history (1)

permanently. He is all she's got. I couldn't give up my pets permanently, either.

Many other offers were of information and places to contact about this, that, or the other. She did follow up on several, but at the time she was so overwhelmed with so many other things she had to keep dealing with that she probably couldn't keep all the balls up in the air.

I have been overwhelmed that way at times, and I know how hard it is even to think of what to do next.

As for the repeated pleas--when one doesn't receive enough help to get to level ground where one can begin to rebuild, one just has to keep asking.

Several DUers (including msanthrope and Omaha Steve) have verified that TTW has tried to make use of the help offered when doing so was practicable in her specific situation.

[roody]

31. I have 3 dogs and a cemetery

of dogs and cats in my backyard. They were and are all my family. Ttw has to love her dog so much that she will give him to a happy, loving home. She needs to get herself together and love the dog enough to let him go to a loving home. I will contribute to Yoshi's improved situation.

[Facility Inspector]

27. Do these threads pop up at the beginning of the month?

[cwydro]

41. Five months at least,

That these posts have come.

There was a mysterious stranger in CA who paid off everything some months a ago- but TTW is still unable to get her head above water.

[daredtowork]

49. Resources are not usually "spurned"

The problem is poor people still have autonomy and a point of view, too. If they are being driven into a place of terror, they look for other options. If this happens to you, I assure you that you will do the same. The "reasonable people" will say "sell all your stuff": you will try to keep the stuff that is important to you. The "reasonable people" will say "give up your home": you will wiggle and try to keep your home instead. The "reasonable people" will tell you to give up your pet because you can't afford their food on top of yours: you will struggle to keep your friend. The "reasonable people" have their logic. You know you are are somehow cheating under their all-powerful gaze, but you try to get what you need anyway: food, shelter, AND the things that constitute home and identity.

If you are ever in this situation you WILL do this, too, instead of doing what is coldly logical. You will struggle all you can to hold on to what you have.

The reason TTW came back every month is her rent was due every month. Perhaps it would have been better to come up with how much money she needed to for several months, try for a greater amount, and come back less frequently. The fact is, it's difficult for people in certain high stress situations to find/hold on to work, and once you are dealing with a lot of poverty services and legal matters on top of that, the situation just gets worse. She knows she has to get a job. It's not like she's living high off the hog off of your donations. Does it help to constantly natter: "getajobgetajobgetajobgetajob.." For heaven's sake! You sound like some Texas rightwing judge judy!

The more jobs you get rejected for the more demoralizing it gets: applying for jobs you don't get is also a real time suck. As your transport and communications apparatus breaks down (car, computer, money for public transport) everything takes longer and gets more expensive. I congratulate TTW for continuing to try to look for work even through her housing was being pulled out from under her. People can go for years without finding a new job if they really hit a rut.

Many on DU have harped on TTW's "inconsistencies" and have continuously tried to poke holes in stories that actually make good sense to people who have been in a similar position, and no one will give her any allowance for depression and confusion. Such skepticism is warranted for strangers: there are a lot of Internet scammers. However, a few people from TTW have called TTW to vouch for her. At least one lawyer has discussed the the points of her housing situation. MsAnthrope says her Ex discussed TTW's legal situation before agreeing to take the dog. Hasn't there been enough "peer review" of her case to give the skepticism a rest?

Why are you so hot to try to prevent anyone from helping TTW just because her rent is due every month? The unfortunate fact is there is no welfare infrastructure to help her. And the larger problem is there are a lot of people in TTW's situation who have had to find other "workarounds" when they discovered there was no safety net. Frankly, I would like to see a restoration of a decent social safety net for housing so people in this situation, who are already terrified of impending homelessness and depressed and possibly in pain (disability is often the original cause of these problems), won't have to face down a scornful mob of people chanting: "getajobgetajobgetajobgetajobgetajobgetajobgetajob..."

[catrose]

52. Thank you for an awesome explanation N/t

[cwydro]

57. I haven't told anyone not to donate.

I haven't told anyone to get a job either.

I simply said I'm skeptical, and there are many of us who are.

Please let TTW know that libraries are available for computer use.

[tblue37]

58. TTW was finally able to find a job and us working now. Moosebump mentioned that if enough help

had come through at the very beginning, a couple of thousand would have prevented everything that happened afterward to drive her so deeply into the hole that she needed so much more help.

But because not enough could be raised at first--and because some people did their best to talk others out of donating, claiming repeatedly that it was a scam--she ended up in much worse straits, and thus had to keep asking for help, which just reinforced the naysayers' suspicion and gave them more ammunition to use to persuade others not to help.

Consider this contrast: Right wingers who proudly discriminate against LBGT people and cops who murder unarmed black people can raise a million dollars in just days from those who share their bigotry. But after 3 months, on Saturday night TTW's GoFundMe page had accumulated just $1500. It has gotten up to a bit over $2000 now, and some have been amazingly generous, while many who cannot spare anything because they are too strapped themselves have offered kind words and emotional support. But she is still $2000 from her goal, and without some up-front money, she simply won't have enough to pay all the deposits and moving expenses to get a place where she will be able to have Yoshi with her.

She is working and trying to save money to accomplish her greatest wish, which is to have a place where she can be with Yoshi again, but we all know how little one can earn despite working hard.

If people who go around telling everyone this is a scam and not to donate to TTW would just back off, maybe others would be less skittish about helping her get back on her feet. Imagine this: if 500 people donated just $5 each, she would reach her goal with enough above to pay the fee GoFundMe will deduct from the total.

I don't know TTW, but Moosepoop, msanthrope, and Omaha Steve have all vouched for her. They all have direct evidence that she is not lying. They all have also said that she does, as much as she can, follow up on suggestions that are given to her on DU. But some suggestions have not worked out, and others were just beyond what she could do while trying to keep up with everything that was coming at her all at once.

Your post expresses very well what TTW is dealing with. Like you, I wish those who have a bone to pick with her would just stay out of these threads and quit trying to prevent others from helping her out if that is their inclination.

[bravenak]

51. You are awesome.nt

[Aerows]

53. You are the very best of us

Thank you for being so kind to a person in a difficult situation.

[MADem]

26. You should alter your headline, since the dog has a safe place now.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027036403#top

[tblue37]

29. Edited to reflect current reality, as well as the continuing need for funds to be able to

Last edited Sun Aug 2, 2015, 04:33 PM - Edit history (1)

pay up-front expenses to get a place where she can bring Yoshi home to live with her.

[stage left]

30. So sad for Yoshi and TTW.

I will send a little via her paypal account. Hope the two will have a home soon. Thanks for posting.

[tblue37]

33. This will help your heart--it certainly helped mine!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027036403

Of course, she still needs to get together money for deposits, etc., so she can have Yoshi with her, so your donation still went to a good and necessary cause!

[tblue37]

34. Yoshi is so beautiful!

[herding cats]

42. kick

For Yoshi and TTW. I want them to be a success story, not another failure of our society.

[JI7]

43. she has to be able to afford it every month

Otherwise she will end up in the same situation .

I think is best to take advantage of yoshi being well cared for so she can be free to improve her life and she can get back y oshi anytime.

[tblue37]

46. She has a job now. She is in a hole because of all the things that slammed her

all at once (including being persecuted by a landlady). But if she can find an apartment where she can keep Yoshi, and if we can help her accumulate enough money to cover all the up-front expenses of renting a place (deposits, moving, etc.), she could probably dig out of the hole and reach level ground so that she will be able to deal with regular expenses with her regular paycheck.

The problem is that once a person is driven into a hole, getting out of the hole is extraordinarily hard. But once that hole has been filled in, and the extreme circumstances that caused the original problem have been removed, the person can usually take it from there.

[Sunlei]

47. the dog is housed in bad conditions in a area business?

what is the name of the business? If they're keeping the dog in a small crate for free, give the business an exercise pen and a water bucket so the dog has more space and constant water. visit daily, even if it means getting up at 4am. If the place is not well air conditioned, cut the dogs coat short and he will tolerate the heat better.

[Sunlei]

48. have the owner contact Akita Rescue of Northwestern Pennsylvania | Facebook

They help akita owners with impound fees ( the daycare place probably will want money paid from who ever picks up the dog) and the rescue helps pay for dog food.

[daredtowork]

50. People mentioned Akita before

But in the above thread there was some issue about the places where TTW sought help required taking the dog away from her. Does Akita do that?

[Sunlei]

56. There are several "Akita rescue" in Pa. use search to find them, some are on facebook.

The place the dog is now, could tell the owner they will take the dog to the dog pound if the owner doesn't pick the dog up or pay immediately. Sounds like its a doggie daycare business not a dog charity.

[Aerows]

54. It's an Akita

I'm not sure there are clippers adequate enough to do away with all of their hair, and what will he do when winter arrives?

Would you advocate shaving down a Siberian Husky, because Akita's have fur just like that.

[Sunlei]

55. they shed undercoat like any other dog and need to be brushed daily. The owner should

go where ever the dog is kept and brush and exercise the dog.

If the place houses the dog in heat, yes any dog can be clippered down short and with shade and constant fresh water (bring some buckets for water) will be much cooler. Better to clipper the dog then leave that breed full of undercoat in a hot location. It will overheat and die.

[RobinA]

59. Yes

We had a dog that was part Akita and had the double coat. Yes, it was a difficult job. We absolutely had that dog clipped every summer, sometimes twice, as we didn't have AC and live in humid Philadelphia. The dog was much more comfortable and was like a new "person" after she came back from being clipped. The hair was grown back by winter and it was never a problem.

[Aerows]

60. Thanks for the info

I wasn't sure, and better to ask those who know

[ladyVet]

61. It's sad to look at some of these posts...

and see yet again just how unforgiving people are to the poor. I'm telling you, once you get down that low, it's awfully hard to get back to the rim of the hole, much less to get onto solid ground again.

I hope some of those folks never have to be in that situation. It hurts, and they sure won't get much sympathy here.

[tblue37]

62. +1 million! nt

[trueblue2007]

63. it is sad to see Dems being so unforgiving to the poor.

Why are people in our group acting like Mr. Scrooge ???