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Our Orphans Are all equal in our eyes—young or old, show quality or pet We see them through the eyes of rescue Beyond physical apperance, beyond age, beyond judgment Each one deserving of love, compassion and a forever home We see their spirit and love them equally We kindly ask that you do the same. Additional information on the breed and our application, which is required, are located under the Welcome Menu above.

 

LORD SNOWDON 1st Earl of Curvedtail Cleveland, OH Sponsor Me Known to his close friends as, Polar, this young lad of three has the royal family in an uproar. First, they are not sure he is a true blue blood. Seems there might a little other lineage in his heritage. Second, well how shall we put this—he is a tad silly for a Royal . . . While we don’t know much about his background, we do know that The House of Owner cast him out around his first birthday and he was relegated to living in the backyard for two years. Then one day they just packed him up in the car and brought him to the shelter because he kept breaking his tie out and running away. Wonder if they ever thought he might be looking for a more loving family. Luckily for Polar, a Princess works at the shelter. She took pity upon him and contacted The House of MARS. We dispatched a loyal volunteer who promptly picked him up and whisked him to safety. Polar is now undergoing a royal transformation. While we still have more to learn about him, we are already helping Polar polish his royal manners-- such as walking on a leash more politely and performing the proper play bow. We do know he rides nicely in a car (or royal carriage), there have been no complaints from the household staff (although he prefers a good quality dog food over bangers and mash), and he has been examined by our Vet (and given the royal snip). Next in line is a Royal grooming/makeover. Lastly, while it appears Polar would do best in a palace without cats, a mild mannered, fun loving Princess just might be his cup of tea. Luckily for Polar, royal behavior is not mandatory in the House of MARS. We prefer wagging tails and silly grins over stiff upper lips. Eagerly greeting everyone you meet is a plus, getting down and rolling around earns smiles, not frowns and loyal always trumps royal! If you would like more information on making Polar a loyal part of your House, please contact Deanna O’Brien at marsakita@sbcglobal.net or 773-594-9302.

 

 

HOMER and LOTTIE AOGO - Adopt One, Get One Cleveland, OH Sponsor Us

Love Will Keep Us Together Homer Ain't No Mountain

Homer and Lottie are now safe in rescue. However this isn't the end of their story, it's only the beginning of PART II of their lives. Their story goes to the core of what rescue was meant to do . . . Once upon a time, Homer and Lottie were both happy house dogs until their owner broke his hip and ended up in a nursing home. No longer able to care for them, they were living outside, running free on an abandoned farm. Family members would stop by with food and they even tried to take them home. However, with dogs of their own, no one could safely take both Homer and Lottie. Missing each other, their owner and their home, Homer even escaped and ran back to the farm. When a friend brought their owner out for visit, Homer and Lottie were overcome with joy. Sadly, when it was time to leave, they chased the car down the road trying to get to their owner. Many people were very worried about what might become of them. We asked our closest volunteer to evaluate the duo. Despite the rave reviews from their family, we were expecting to meet dogs who were aloof or even non-approachable. We were overjoyed that we were so very wrong--Homer and Lottie are two of the happiest and most laidback Akitas we ever had the pleasure to meet. We were told by a relative that they are brother and sister, about 6 years young, are house broken and they used to live with another dog and cat. Homer and Lottie clearly love people and children, and of course each other! They are up to date on all of their shots, heartworm negative, spayed/neutered, micro chipped and very healthy, medium size dogs (70lbs). They appear not to mind other dogs or cats, and they will be your best friend if you offer them a treat. Homer and Lottie are easy to walk because they are like two peas in a pod. They are now spending their days at a private boarding kennel about a half an hour east of Cleveland, Ohio. While happy to be loved and cared for they missed their owner and their home but, with a little time and a few cookies they are settling in and adjusting nicely. Their owner is still undergoing therapy in a nursing home, and while his heart is sad, we hope he is sleeping a little better at night knowing that Homer and Lottie are safe. There is no truer reason for rescue than to help loving owners who despite their best efforts, can no longer care for their dogs. You Gotta a Friend Lottie I'll Stand By You Woo woo and thanks to our supporters, one adoption fee has been donated--click here for more details on our AOGO offer. For more information on our duo, please contact Deanna O’Brien at marsakita@sbcglobal.net or 773-594-9302. Woo woos to Eliot, Sachi, Circus Bear & Oliver the Cat for sponsoring Homer & Lottie!

 

DERBY The Triple Crown of Rescue - Safety, Health, a Forever Home Central, OH Sponsor Me
Which Way to the Races?	Off to the Stables	Checking the Competition
Derby, as you’ve probably guessed, was saved the weekend of the Kentucky Derby.  An early favorite at the shelter, she quickly became a top pick of our volunteer who evaluated her.  We were prepared to take Derby, but were told someone had called them looking for a lost dog who fit Derby’s description.  A lady did claim Derby, however when they reached the home stretch, the lady’s husband insisted this wasn’t their dog and Derby was returned to the shelter.  Thankfully, a volunteer at the shelter contacted us about Derby’s dilemma.  Not wanting to risk another false start, the shelter volunteer claimed Derby while our MARS volunteers were en route. While “Super Saver” was winning the Roses in Kentucky, Derby won the first jewel in her quest for the Triple Crown of Rescue—safety. Not much more than a yearling, Derby was a little thin and her ears were fly bitten, but she was a very sweet, happy and playful girl.  Other than a light case of heartworms and needing to be spayed, her trip to the Vet revealed Derby was ready for the winners circle.  While “Lookin at Lucky” was winning the Black-Eyed Susans at The Preakness, Derby was spayed and successfully treated for heartworms.  She had easily won the second jewel of her quest—health. A few weeks later, while Drosselmeyer was wearing a blanket of Carnations for winning the Belmont Stakes, our Derby was busy meeting some distant relatives of Super Saver, while she awaits the third jewel in her crown—a forever home.  Derby is being “stabled” in Ohio, where she continues to train for the race of her life and where she continues to blossom under the love and care of our volunteers— “Her temperament is awesome.  No grumblings or aggressiveness towards humans at all.  She is very trusting and not afraid or timid.  She's house trained and knows a little basic obedience. Derby should get along with the right male. I take her for walks with my little male barn dog.   She is kenneled next to Texas, who is 8 months old, and they could care less about each other.  She has the run of the shop at times, plays w/her toys and entertains herself or cuddles.  Just a very sweet energetic girl.  She will DEFINATELY make someone or some family a wonderful girl!" Derby doesn’t need a blanket of flowers like “Super Saver”,” Lookin at Lucky”, or “Drosselmeyer” to prove she’s a winner.  She doesn't care about fancy drinks or whether you wear large-brimmed hats.  No, this filly just wants a soft blanket, a cool bowl of water and most importantly the love of a forever family to complete her quest for the Triple Crown of Rescue. For more information on Derby please contact Deanna O’Brien at marsakita@sbcglobal.net or 773-594-9302.  We’ll be waiting near the finish line, where all rescues who start out as long shots, end up the being the favorite! You the jockey from MARS? Offical Winner's Portrait MARS Winner's Circle!

 

MILEY Head of the Class! Battle Creek, MI Sponsor Me
Follow the Leader 101	Puppy Picture	Rolling Over 101
Miley was part of a Baker’s Dozen of Akita mix pups that were abandoned at a shelter in southern Illinois. Six of the pups, including Miley and Jackson came to MARS. Like the characters they are named after, the pups are learning their way in the world. They are growing up quickly and while they love each other, they sound just like kids who try to get away with stuff when Mom isn’t looking, or voice their opinions when she is. . . . "The two of them are pretty feisty! But quick to learn. They’ve already got my corrections down pretty good. This morning Miley did something to Jax and spun around to look at me (I was folding laundry), as if to say--"really I did not hurt him that hard". LOL because Jax has found his voice, he has been barking this morning, nothing wrong with him he is just talking! Jax has been adopted and Miley is ready for her forever home. She is now being fostered with a family near Battle Creek, MI, where she is continuing to socialize with other dogs and even completed an obedience class. We all had big smiles when we received the following update from her foster Mom . . . "I am very proud to announce that Miley graduated from her 6 week beginning obedience class at the top of the class! She can now heel on a loose leash with both left and right turns, sit, down, hold a stay with distance, come to front when called, and has a stop and wait command. She also gives great heads up attention throughout all. She is growing, growing, growing and just lost her first two canines last evening. She remains in great health, is happy and energetic. She loves to be on the go, has not encountered anything she cannot conquer (we dremmel her toenails now!) nor met a person she does not like. She greets me everyday with a toy in her mouth and whoo whoo's to me through it. She and my bullmastiff Rumor continue to be the best of friends and have hours of endless fun. She also gives my Labrador Riff Raff a run for his money in the backyard "fetch the tennis ball marathons". Sit & Watch Test - A+++ Relaxing on Spring Break Down-Stay Test - A+++ Miley will miss her foster family, but she is ready to venture into a forever home where she can show her forever family all that she has learned. We think she would enjoy advanced obedience classes--we know she will make her lucky family look like expert trainers and once again become the star of the class! With slow and proper introductions Miley wouldn't mind sharing her home with other four-footed family members. For more information please contact Deanna O’Brien at marsakita@sbcglobal.net or 773-594-9302.

 

HARVEY “No Invisible Akitas in Rescue” Cleveland, OH Sponsor Me
Harvey is a gregarious and gentle adult whose family abandoned him at the shelter. Raised in a family, he appears to have been cared for and loved. Harvey almost became invisible because of a treatable skin condition. His wonderful disposition won over the shelter staff, but under their guidelines they could not put him on the adoption floor. They contacted MARS to see if we could help. We were full, and our volunteer almost didn’t pay Harvey a visit, but there was something about Harvey. . . Despite being confused and a little scared at being in a shelter, Harvey just wanted a little understanding and a little lovin’. It was obvious his nose was painful. It could be a number of things, some of which are fairly easy to fix. When the shelter offered to run some medical tests for us, Harvey once again became visible. His blood work came back fine and a difficult to treat condition was ruled out. When our volunteered returned to the shelter Harvey was waiting, eager for a second chance. Harvey has started to respond to treatment and has now been thoroughly examined by one of our Vets who is very optimistic that Harvey’s future is bright. If you are looking for an affectionate, happy, and visible friend please contact Deanna O’Brien at marsakita@sbcglobal.net or 773-5949302 for more information on Harvey. Amy, Chewy and Trooper are helping to sponsor Harvey's medications! tho I have no space at my home right now I can give you a home within my heart. . . . Mucho Amore my big fuzzy friend.. Jo Harvey is sending high-fives to Britt and Marc Caras for helping with his medical care!

 

HOOPS Chicago, IL Sponsor Me
Hoops Dreams
Unfortunately, as Hoops was turning one, she wasn't celebrating. Instead, she found herself in need of a new home. Her owners had to move and could not take Gia, Koji and Hoops—they all came back to MARS. . . You might be wondering about her name, well Hoops was raised with two young teenage girls and she quickly became the darling mascot of their basketball team. She often attended practice and even had a photo shoot with the team. You can see from her puppy picture that she is a game player and her favorite color is pink! Hoops is spayed, current on vaccinations, housebroken and crate trained. A petite girl her basketball idol is Spud Webb—who despite not being very tall, made it to the Pros because of his determination and spirit. Like her idol, Hoops also has big dreams—a forever home that will truly be forever, with a family that is willing to help her celebrate a belated first birthday. MARS is dreaming big too—we hope Hoops’ dreams come true before the last buzzer of March Madness. If you’re ready for a pickup game of fun, or you’d rather camp out on the couch and watch the action on TV contact Deanna O’Brien at marsakita@sbcglobal.net or 773-594-9302 to start the ball rolling on trade. PS: Even though they don’t use a pink basketball. Hoops is cheering for the UCONN Huskies woman’s team. She thinks their mascot rocks! As for the men’s teams, she is rooting for the biggest “underdog” because you just never know when your dream just might come true! Sending woo woos all the way to Christine and Roger in Antarctica for sponsoring Hoops in memory of Roger's beloved Jake!

 

SHADY Southeast of Indianapolis, IN Sponsor Me
Young female who stole the hearts of the shelter staff! There is nothing Shady about our Shady--she just happened to be picked up as a stray near a street named Shadeland Avenue. A little timid, but wanting to be loved, she quickly became a favorite of the shelter staff and they nicknamed her Shady. We had worked with this shelter in the past and trusted their judgment, as all the dogs they asked us to take have blossomed into wonderful examples of the breed. We also had a new adopter in the area who, along with their new buddy Shakespeare, wanted to pay it forward and offered to foster Shady. She has been a wonderful guest, is crate trained, quiet and keeps her crate clean. A petite girl, you can see from the center picture how quickly she is responding to unconditional love and good care! Shady is sending 'keeter kisses to Keith Venezia & the kids at Nakodo Akitas for sponsoring her!

 

MURPHY BROWN Central OH Sponsor Me Dog Scout Camp Gets Rave Reviews! Ms. Murphy Brown, like the character played on TV by Candice Bergman, is an independent and highly intelligent female Akita mix puppy who has weathered her own obstacles with courage and persistence. She was turned into a shelter in Nashville Tn at the age of six weeks and was to be put down due to acquiring kennel cough. Wonderful angels pulled her and got her to a Vet where she immediately received care and started to thrive. MARS was contacted as she was perceived to be an Akita puppy and we worked our miracles to bring her to Ohio where she is presently fostered near the Columbus area. She is an amazing female puppy who is crate trained and house broken and loves to toss her toys in the air and exhibit her happiness. "Smart little girl. She's affectionate and beginning to give kisses. She loves to run around chasing leaves, retrieving a soft ball, chasing her tail. And, she has learned to go to the door when she wants in ... it's a bit cold for her! She also tries the dog door, can't quite make it, but she knows what it is for!" Murphy and her foster family recently spent a week at Dog Scout Camp (http://dogscouts.org). Murphy and her family had lots fun. Murphy also had a chance to try a lot of new activities like chasing a lure, swimming, and agility. From all the great pictures, we think it is safe to say that camp was a huge success. . . . We are home safe and sound and more than a little exhausted from Dog Scout camp. We took all 4 kids; Punkin, Yoshi, River, and Murphy Brown, to a camp in St Helen, MI. There were probably close to 100 dogs there for the week and not one dog fight. That wonderful outcome was due to people understanding their dog's boundaries, and others respecting those needs. Murphy learned how to swim. She is not the water hound that River is but she had her moments where she would walk right in and go for a swim. She was introduced to more agility equipment. She LOVES tunnels, does great on dogwalks (even doing a two on, two off pause at the bottom most of the time), chutes are not a problem, and jumps (kept REALLY low due to her young age) were just a breeze for her. She got to try lure coursing twice, and wow is she hooked! She rode in the car like a little dream, we couldn't have asked her to do any better than she did. We were hoping that she would stay exhausted a little longer than she did, but oh well, we can't have everything :o) Lovin' Lure Coursing!

 

ZEN “This is the sweet boy that is haunting me” Minneapolis, MN Sponsor Me Sometimes it is their picture, sometimes it is their story, but most times we don’t know exactly what it is that catches are attention; we just know that we need to make room.  In Zen’s case maybe it was his plaintiff look, or the fact that this was a gassing facility, or this brief posting on Petfinder that summed up Zen’s life and plight…. This dog was left in the drop box with no info on him. He has a blue nylon collar on. He will be held for 3 days for the owner to reclaim him. Zen is grateful for whatever it was that caught our director’s attention.  MARS made room, a volunteer went to get him—the rescue wheels had started turning for Zen.  However, there was a slight bump in his journey to rescue Nirvana—Zen tested positive for heartworms.  It was a light case and Zen was a good candidate for treatment.  His gentle nature had already impressed the clinic staff and he was an excellent patient during treatment.  Zen is now healed and ready to find his forever home. We have learned much about the dog left in the drop box—Zen loves to explore and is good at meeting new people.  He will check them out and then goes about his business.  In typical Akita fashion, if they call him he’ll go back for a quick recheck and then he’s off again.  He is also quiet and so far, not a big talker.  While Zen likes attention and affection, he is not clingy.  He is crate trained and quickly settles in to meditate until it is time to play and run in the backyard.  Zen is smart and he loves food.  We couldn’t help but smile when we got the following update from Zen’s foster family — "Couple times when I took him out and praised him and gave him a treat, he was so funny, after he ate his treat he looked at me for another--when I didn't give him one, he walked away a bit, peed again and came back to me looking for a treat!  He's working on sit, come and stay. When I tried heel and sit, he did so good I wondered if he had training sometime in his past.” And we loved the update from our volunteer's visit with the big guy — "Had the pleasure of meeting Zen on Sunday night. What a love he is! Such a good boy. Doesn't go on the furniture, sits like a good boy when he sees his leash, goes potty outside, wonderfully soft coat, likes other dogs....What more do you need in an Akita? ;-)" Zen is a handsome adult male who is neutered, current on vaccinations and ready to reach treat Nirvana in a forever home.  If your mantra is Akita and you would to meditate with our gentle giant, please contact Deanna O’Brien at marsakita@sbcglobal.net or 773-594-9302. Jo loves Zen and Zen adores Jo for being his sponsor and loving all the seniors! Former orphan Buster, and his mom Julie, are "paying it forward" and sponsoring Zen!

 

Ready For My Big Jump	The Sweet Roll of Success	Your Turn to Jump!

BUNGEE A leap of faith leads to a soaring rebound! Cleveland, OH Sponsor Me We are never totally certain how things will work out for an orphan. The unwanted are asked to put their faith in us, and there are times, when we hold our breath and take that leap with them. The miracle of rescue is not that we dare to leap, but that despite all the ills life can hold, these magnificent beings rebound and soar beyond our expectations while they gladly take us along on the ride, inspiring us to take that next leap . . . . . Bungee is well named. He's our literal bouncing boy, loaded with athletic energy and "joie de vivre", a comprehensive joy of living. Bungee is a year old, owner surrender.  His high energy became too much for his busy owner and he ended up spending his days bouncing at the end of a six foot tether and nights alone in a garage. While a bit uneducated— no fault of his own— it turns out he is quite smart, and he has spent the last couple months with us learning to pay attention to the games humans play. Now he can't wait to see his handlers and walkers and does his bungee jump for joy on their arrival. He loves long walks, likes rolling in tall grass, sniffing for woodland creatures, and  following anything that moves. Bungee is a big handsome ball of Akita fun who is eager for the love and life long attention from  a dog-savvy someone with a good heart on the lookout for a rambunctious youngster. Bungee walks well with his fellow Cleveland orphans, but he has little experience sharing a house with other animals, so he may do best as a solo canine companion. If you are looking for an Akita ready to take a big jump into adulthood, and eager to live life to it's fullest, please contact Deanna O'Brien at marsakita@sbcglobal.net or 773-594-9302. Bungee bounces to Lyn and Brent Montgomery for sponsoring our bouncing boy! Bungee sends woo woos to Peter McCall for being his sponsor & for the trips to school! Big thank yous to Michelle Schwarck for sponsoring Bungee in memory of Ruger & Target

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VIP Reunion	Waiting for the Limo	Touring the Windy City

Sponsor Me

ANAHI It’s Never Too Late to Live Happily Ever After. . . Chicago, IL Once upon a time in a land far away, there lived a female Akita named Anahi.  She lived with her family until the age of 10.5 at which time she found herself in a shelter.  She was so sweet and loved everyone she encountered  The shelter staff quickly fell under Anahi's spell and knew she deserved a special place to live out the rest of her life.  They believed she would be a great companion for Best Friends Sanctuary in Utah and Best Friends folks agreed. So Anahi traveled to Utah to live out the rest of her life. Fast Forward a bit and some of MARS' old and dear Golden Retriever Rescue friends were visiting the sanctuary.  They also fell under Anahi's spell and took her to their motel for the weekend.  Well she grabbed their hearts and they were not going to let go.  After a couple of phone calls and emails, MARS was offered one of their best Golden foster homes if we would agree to take Anahi under our wing.  The news got even better, Best Friends would fly this special Akita to Chicago.  On October 30, Anahi landed in Chicago with her tail wagging and ‘keeter kisses for all those who were waiting for her special arrival. Yes, Anahi is a senior girl but what an ambassador for our breed,  bringing together sister rescue breed groups for the love of one special girl and a great sanctuary that felt she deserved a home to live out the balance of her life.  Our sincere thanks to all those who helped save Anahi —to all those who did not see age as a detriment but as a celebration.  Please know you have many Akita tail wags and wooos coming from the MARS   grandstands. All stories, including Fairy Tales, have a beginning, middle and an end.  Anahi’s life story is already filled with many chapters and the most recent ones are truly the heart of fairy tales.  None of us ever knows how many chapters are left to be written in anyone’s book, including our own.  However, when we open our hearts and homes to the less fortunate, when we love for no other reason then love, we provide the paper and pen to ensure the full story of extraordinary souls is told.  And, if one is willing enough and we dare say brave enough, to help write those final chapters, the moral of the story will teach lessons beyond what one can simply imagine.  Lessons that will forever change you—lessons that will become chapters in your life's story. For more information on fostering or adopting Anahi, please contact Deanna O’Brien at marsakita@sbcglobal.net or 773-594-9302. Smiles & smooches from Anahi to Dawn Dawson for sponsoring her in memory of Scully. Anahi is sending keeter kisses to Tabitha, Hachiko & Roger Petry for being her sponsors!

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Sponsor Me

POLAR Global Warming Greater Indianapolis Area Adoption Pending! We're not sure at what rate the polar 'bergs are melting but we are fairly certain this boy is likely to melt your heart in no time.  We're also certain that if brain power contributed to global warming, we'd all be swimming because, when it comes to smarts our Polar is definitely firing on all pistons…. A stray in Kansas, Polar was in desperate need of rescue.  Thanks to volunteers with the shelter we got Polar vaccinated and neutered, then transferred to a kennel while he awaited his trip east.  The kennel manager stated Polar was one of the nicest and smartest boys he had ever met--very agile and a bit of an escape artist.  We thought the kennel just hadn’t seen too many Akitas. After a few weeks, Polar made traveled to a foster home outside of Indianapolis.  Poor Polar had been moved around a lot, and that is tough on any dog, but especially on a young boy just leaving puppyhood behind.  After a bit of time, Polar started settling in and he quickly became attached to his foster parents, especially his foster Dad—maybe it had something to do with the long transport back home and Polar riding shotgun for the better part of the journey!  Polar loves to sit quietly by your side and rest his head in your lap.  He also enjoys watching his foster Dad work in the barn.  Polar really got excited when construction started on a new addition.  He is very content to lie outside for hours, under his favorite tree, and watch all the building that is going on. We didn’t think much of all this “observing” until the day Polar opened the door.  No, not the door to a crate or kennel.  No, not a door that was left ajar with enough room to fit a curious nose.  Seems our Polar was taking lots of notes—he turned the dead bolt with his mouth, then jump on the handle till it popped,, then wiggled in-between to push the door open.  Then patiently sat looking out the storm door, waiting for his foster family to return. Seems Polar likes to see the "big" picture. We told you he was firing on all pistons! Polar is a sweet and affectionate boy who has yet to meet a stranger.  In addition to being observant and intelligent, he is also very athletic and agile.  This is a boy who would probably enjoy and excel at agility or rally. You see, when Polar is good, he is very, very good, but when he is bad he is brilliant.  Polar will need a home willing to give him a job or one that is looking for a potential agility dog.  He would also probably do okay with a four-legged buddy to keep him company.  If you are interested in learning what other notes Polar has been making, please contact Deanna O’Brien at marsakita@sbcglobal.net or 773-594-9302.  And if you have an extra hard hat hanging around, Polar said bring it along. UPDATE: Polar still hasn't met a stranger and he is as smart as ever! He is well-behaved in the house, totaly housebroken and let's Jasmine rule the roost (he even lets her pick what to watch on TV). Polar also loves to go for car rides and doesn't mind stopping off for some icecream. Polar is sending warm and fuzzy woo woos to Nancy Richards for being his sponsor!

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