Not all heroes wear capes. And if you go to St. Petersburg Florida, there you’ll be guaranteed to find a superwoman who is making a huge difference in the lives of the oldest, sickest, and all around least likely to be adopted stray dogs. All of these dogs in need are the projects of the Pawlicious Poochie Pet Rescue.
Jamie Bunny McKnight is the woman behind PPPR and began the organization in hopes of saving all the dogs who came from really neglected or abusive backgrounds, who would otherwise not be given a second thought by society. To date, she has managed to rescue thousands of dogs all on her own as her rescue receives no major grants or funding. Instead, PPPR relies on donations and Jamie’s two full-time jobs.
PPPR represents itself with pink everything – Jamie even has a pink tattoo on her wrist in honor of the work she does. She’s even been known to dress her rescues up in pink, glittery sparkles in order to get them in the spirit.
“I chose pink and sparkles because so many rescues are dark and sad. Everyone knows rescue is sad but I wanted to make it happy and bright and over the top so more would want to get involved”, explained Jamie.
In fact, Jamie even has a few sparkling personalities in her rescue such as the feisty little Bunny La La, who is also called Lols. Lols suffers from chronic breathing problems – and for a time, he was very sensitive and lasted for a few months. Lols showed that she was a very brave puppy, and she walked away. Now, she is happily thriving. She has a pretty bossy personality, and has no problem telling Jamie when she wants a ham and cheese croissant or a muffin from her favorite coffee shop!
PPPR is constantly being called to help save dogs in need – they come from anywhere, such as kill-shelters, local drop-offs, or strays. Incredibly, Jamie takes them all in and cares for them right in her own home. She refers to all the rescues as her “kiddos” and does the best she can to make sure they are all spoiled rotten. PPPR never uses foster homes, since many or all of the dogs rescued require a high amount of constant care.
Besides, the emotional toll that comes from caring for these dogs can be really taxing for anyone that loves animals – many of these dogs rescued by PPPR have seen and experienced unimaginable horrors. However, thanks to Jamie’s hard work, plus public support, these dogs can have well-deserved happily-ever-after.
Jamie’s home is always full of rescues who have had very rough lives. But thanks to Jamie’s generosity, they finally get to experience love and kindness.
Some of the dogs that pass are palliative care cases. All dogs under your care are always bathed with love and care, in addition to many hugs.
There is also an occasional trip to Target, where they are treated to cheese pizza and some retail therapy. Even though these dogs haven’t been out for a long time, at least they have a wonderful place to live their days.
But not every dog that comes through her home is a hospice case. There is plenty that is adopted out to their forever homes. And naturally, there are a few of Jamie’s own rescues who permanently live with her. On any given day, Jamie typically has about 5 or six dogs waiting to be adopted. In the meantime, they’re treated like members of the family and enjoy plenty of walks and cuddles. And Jamie has no limit on how much care she will give.
Jamie has partnered with Partridge Animal Hospital in order to provide her rescues with care. Of course, caring for these precious dogs doesn’t come cheap – on average, PPPR spends $1,000-$6,000 per dog! However, occasionally there will be certain cases such as the adorable little Cadmar, who required $12,000 worth of life-saving medical treatment.
The resilient little Cadmar came from a shelter to kill in Miami. He was hit by a car and his injuries would make him unable to urinate or poop.
As a result, he required several life-saving surgeries.
For several weeks in the hospital, Cadmar had survived everything from dental surgery to sterilization – among other procedures. After all he’s been through, Cadmar is living a very happy and healthy life and Jamie says it was worth every penny and a sleepless night.
Both Jamie and Dr. Harvey flew once by a little Frenchman named Jackson, to look for some experts to save his life. Dr. Partridge even raised him on his private plane to ensure that little Jackson had the best possible care.
However, in a very tragic twist of fate, Dr. Partridge and his wife were traveling on the personal plane when there was a malfunction and caused an accident. Unfortunately, the couple lost their lives. It was a devastating blow, as Dr. Partridge had been a great help to PPPR, and he demonstrated a level of kindness and compassion that is only matched by Jamie herself.
PPPR has so many sad stories that it can cause some people to ask, “Why?
Why rescue all these poor and unhappy souls? Why spend so much money and time on them? Even Dr. Partridge teased Jamie once, asking, “Do you just go to the shelter and ask for the most pathetic and hopeless dog they have?”
Sad stories that may lead some people to ask, “Why?” Why rescue all these poor and unhappy souls? Why spend so much money and time on them? Even Dr. Partridge teased Jamie once, asking, “Do you just go to the shelter and ask for the most pathetic and hopeless dog they have?”
While Jamie has heard all the negative reviews before, she has only one answer, which is: “I fight for the underdog. I save the ones that no one else will. I save the ones that other rescuers don’t save because it’s too expensive. Just like the day I entered the scene, many laughed at my name Pawlicious Poochie Pet Rescue. I said then: ‘I will make a difference and PPPR will be a rescue force'”.
What an incredible woman. Thank you, Jamie, for taking care of all these dogs – you are a true hero.
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