Today, Harry the Rescue Dog is interviewing Champ for his
Rainbow Street Animal Shelter blog post with special thanks to Fiona Ingram for translating, and for including Champ's poem as well!
Tell us a
bit about your story?
Hi Harry,
thanks so much for featuring my story on your blog. By the way, what a great
blog! I read that you are a rescue dog too. My story has a wonderful happy ever
after ending and I’m such a lucky pup for that. I was treated very badly by my
previous owners, and it’s a good thing my memories of those bad times are a bit
hazy. I was actually saved after my owners wrapped me in two plastic bags and
dumped me at a shelter. I guess they thought I was dead, and I thought I was
dead too – but I wasn’t!
I was saved
by a caring animal rescue organization called S.A.F.E. Rescue in California,
and they made sure I came back to life with lots of love, medical care, and
good food. My life just turned around. Then a children’s author called Fiona
Ingram (who is also a devoted animal lover) saw my story on Facebook and asked
me if I’d like to be a co-Pawthor on a biodography. Of course I said yes! What
pooch wouldn’t? I thought this is my chance to tell people how to love and care
for their pets, and to say NO to animal abuse.
You may be
wondering what’s in my book; is it all just sadness and tears? No, there’s a
bit about that in the beginning to explain to readers how the book came about,
but there’s tons of happy, fun stuff. I wrote Mi Happy Eva After Pome to say how things happened. And then I also
wrote a super hero short story, starring me, for younger readers. How Superdog Champ Saved the Day is very
exciting. It’s how I saved the dogs of Thousand Oaks, California from being
dognapped by bad guys. There’s also lots of helpful stuff about how to look
after pets, how to help animals in general, and how to be a good citizen and
help elderly people who may not be able to care for their pets any more.
I hope
people who love animals will buy my book because the proceeds go to S.A.F.E.
Rescue so they can help even more animals like me get saved and find new homes.
Here’s something cool – if people buy my book on Amazon, I can Pawtograph it
for them!
What's the
best thing about living in your home now?
Having
people who love me, people who care about me, people who take me for walks with
all my other doggy siblings; having a lovely cuddly warm bed to sleep in, and
just knowing that when I open my eyes every morning I am safe, loved and secure.
No more pain and heartache, no more tears.
Is there
anything you'd like people to think about before they get a pet?
First,
adopt, don’t buy. There are so many adorable animals, just like me, who are
longing to find their Fur-ever Family. And rescues make the most wonderful
loving pets because they are so happy to be with a caring family. Second,
make sure you have the time to spend with your pet; that you have the right
environment and enough space for it. Third, make sure the type of animal suits
the mix of family members. If people are not so young any more, they should
consider a more senior pet that won’t jump about and demand lots of playful
activities. Fourth, animals need the right food, regular dental and health
check ups, and annual inoculations. These are all serious considerations before
thinking about getting a pet.
I hope
Harry’s followers will look me up on Twitter and social media. I love making
new friends!
Champ’s Bio: Champ is an adorable poodle mix. He loves to
be loved, and has not let being a Pawthor celebrity turn his head. His favorite
toy is his squeaky ball; and he loves going for walks and being cuddled.
Collaborating on this book was the biggest step in his life and he hopes that
people will love it to bits and tell the whole world. Readers and supporters will agree with S.A.F.E. Rescue when they
say: “Champ has touched the hearts
of so many people and has been an inspiration, if for no other reason than to
bring awareness and attention to the plight of abused and neglected pets. They
too just want to be loved and cared for and can and will blossom into wonderful
companions with unconditional love, despite their past.”
Fiona Ingram’s
bio: Fiona Ingram is a South African
children’s author. Her multi-award winning middle grade adventure The Secret of the Sacred Scarab
is the first in her adventure series Chronicles
of the Stone. Fiona loves animals, reading, books, anything artistic,
travel (any excuse), and especially doing research for her books. Fiona has an
amazing adopted daughter, Mabel, and is passionate about getting kids to love
reading. Writing this book with Champ has been an absolute joy. Find out more
about Fiona on her website. Find out
more about her animal rescue books on Caladrius
Books.
(Bit of book blurb)
On May 11, 2013, a little dog was dumped at a
California animal shelter. He was enclosed in two sealed plastic bags, with
another one over his head and tied around his neck. Miraculously, the shelter
vet was able to revive him. More miracles happened. He was taken in by S.A.F.E.
Rescue animal shelter in Thousand Oaks. Hundreds of supporters on Facebook
followed his precarious road back to health. Again, the odds were stacked
against him: his condition was so bad, his wounds so deep. But this little
champion (renamed Champ) decided to live. A torrent of love and funding poured
in for Champ. Many people said Champ and his brave little struggle for survival
had changed their lives. From being beaten by life, Champ has become an
inspiration and penned his tale Champ: My
Story of Survival with the help of biodographer Fiona Ingram. Please share
Champ’s story: it deserves to be told.