Akitas are wonderful, but they are not for everyone.  If you are thinking of getting an Akita, we strongly urge you to research the breed thoroughly. Education and preparation are the foundations to a long, loving relationship. Finding a reputable rescue organization or breeder is the first step. For further information on the breed please read the literature under "Akita Information" at the top of this screen or visit the Akita Club of America website at http://www.akitaclub.org

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GALLAGHER “Eager Helper” Toledo, OH True to his name, Gallagher is eager to help—keep your lap warm, fetch a toy, explore the great outdoors, make new friends—the list goes on and on.  Most importantly, Gallagher is eager to join you in living life to its fullest.  When he arrived at a shelter in Cleveland he had a tumor on his back. Luckily this is a wonderful facility and the shelter staff sees beyond stereotypes.  Gallagher’s warm and outgoing personality won them over so they scheduled to have him neutered and have the growth removed.  It took time for a surgery slot to open, but Gallagher was a champ and spent some quality time hanging out with the staff.  The surgery was successful and the prognosis is very good.  The shelter contacted MARS for assistance and when we saw those expressive eyes and that beaming grin we knew we had to do something. Gallagher has a warm and easy going personality.  In addition, he is a fast learn and is already crate trained.  He loves being outdoors and exploring around the yard.  Gallagher also likes to spend time hanging out with people.  The shelter estimated him to be about 3-4 years old, but based on his energy and playfulness we think he is younger—probably no more than two.  In addition to being neutered, Gallagher is heartworm negative and current on vaccinations.  If dog’s had a dictionary you would surely see Gallagher’s picture next to the definition of buddy.  If you are someone looking for a special buddy eager to help you enjoy life please, contact Deanna O’Brien at marsakita@sbcglobal.net or 773-594-9302 for more information on our Gallagher.

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RAYAH "A Member of the Flock " Columbus, OH We were intrigue by the name Rayah.  With a little investigating we found that the word is of Middle Eastern origin and can mean member of the flock, or friend.  Interesting symbolism in light of what happened to this little Rayah….. A member of the Akita flock, this petite princess was purchased from a pet store in December but by May she had gotten too big, so her owners simply dropped her off at a gassing shelter in Ohio.  How dare she disappoint her humans by growing!  And to add insult to injury, she wanted to play—the audacity!  One cannot help but wonder how much better the world would be if puppies didn’t grow nor have the need to play.  Or maybe the world would be better if pet stores and owners were, oh let’s say—more responsible?  Fortunately, there are small flocks throughout the country with the audacity to think they can make a difference, the tenacity to help those less fortunate, and the determination to make room for one more. So Rayah is now part of the MARS flock of orphans.  There truly are no better words than those of our volunteer— “She was not doing well there (the shelter). I believe she was grieving and stressed out. We took her to a kennel run by a friend of mine where I knew she would get a lot more attention.  Lots of kisses, for arms, hands, and cheeks. Very curious about the world around her, determined to FULLY investigate things that catch her attention. I went out to visit her this morning... oh what a sweetheart!  We worked on some basic obedience stuff, sit, down, shake... she did really well for what I believe was her first lesson.  I'll work with her more when I go back next weekend.  She was talking to me as I was filling out some more paperwork for her.  She is a little doll! " Rayah is just under a year old and is very much a typical Akita pup—full of life and eager to learn.  She is spayed, heartworm negative, and current on vaccinations.  If you are looking to add special girl to your "flock" please contact Deanna O’Brien at marsakita@sbcglobal.net or 773-594-9302. Just remember she won't honk, but she will woowoo!

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MINK Cleveland, OH Mink is a sweet 3 year-old female Akita who was adopted from a shelter by a family from Tennessee. When the family’s breadwinner had to leave the Country for work, rescue was approached to find a spot for Mink.  A kind foster family took her in temporarily while Akita Rescue jointly took Mink under our wings.  We found her to be one of the sweetest girls and sadly we also found out her owner decided he would keep his other Akita and leave Mink to "others".  Upon Mink’s arrival, her foster family noticed there were some spots on her nose.  We had the Vet do a biopsy and she has Pemphigus Foliaceus, an autoimmune related disorder often found in the breed.  The good news is Mink is responding very well to treatment, and her nose is healing.  Only time will tell whether or not she needs to be on medication for life, but the medicine is inexpensive and given her quick response, Mink now has a wonderful future ahead of her.  The only thing she needs now is a more permanent foster spot or a forever home.  She adores kids and people.  Here are some excerpts from emails we have received from her temporary foster Mom.... “Those of us, who have been helping Mink, really feel for this girl.… she is a love.  Mink is a very low maintenance dog.  I have had her here with me for 3 weeks and she has been no problem.  Two of my Vets noted what an exceptional personality she possesses.  They were very impressed with her.  She is good with other dogs; however, she probably would not do well with another dog who is overly dominant.  My vet started her on prednisone a couple of days ago and her nose looks so much better.” For more information on Mink, our sweet girl who deserves a loving and permanent home, please contact Deanna O’Brien at marsakita@sbcglobal.net or 773-594-9302.

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SHEBA “Walking On Sunshine” Kansas City, KS Sheba is a very sweet girl, who despite not having been cared for, has a very positive outlook on life. One of her most very favorite things to do is lie outside in the sunshine.  Put her blanket on the deck or out in the yard, and she is in heaven!  With good food, a little medicine and lots of warm sunshine Sheba’s coat is filling in, she is gaining weight and has a new bounce in her walk--Sheba is quickly becoming the beautiful brindle girl she was meant to be! All reports from her foster home have been very positive—a pleasant girl who is sweet tempered, very affectionate and playful.  So far, Sheba has been easy to train and like a typical Akita, she does best with clear and consistent ground rules.  As her house manners improve her foster family has given her more freedom and Sheba hasn’t disappointed them.   Sheba is a young five year old, who is spayed, heartworm negative, and current on vaccinations.  She has done well on her visit to the Vet and does not mind the resident male dog.  If you want to see just how good it feels to walk on sunshine, please contact Deanna O’Brien at marsakita.org or 773-594-9302 for more information on Sheba.

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MARS' FLOWER GIRLS
(and don't forget Murray!)

MARS had a streak of good luck and our last orphan in the Cleveland area had been adopted.  We were hoping to catch our breath, but then the calls and emails started pouring in, especially from shelters in Ohio.  Within a two week period Mariko, Honor, Chloe, Kerri and Murray found themselves in need of rescue.   Mariko, which is Japanese for "true village child", was the first girl in need. Like with so many of our orphans, many people, most of whom we had never worked with before, came together to save her. The others followed over the next week. Thankfully, the kennel we work with in Cleveland graciously agreed to let us board more guests and while we could not save them all, five lucky ones are safe, healthy and have a second chance at life.  Our flower girls range in age from six months to two years and all of these Akitas, including our buddy Murray, are wonderful examples of the breed. They are happy while they patiently wait for their forever homes. No matter where life takes them, they will always be beloved members of the Village of Rescue and so we are listing them all together...

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Chloe is a very sweet and affectionate girl who is only 6-8 months old!

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Honor is a doll who loves going for walks and can't stop smiling now that she is safe!

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Mariko is one happy girl whose tail never stops wagging!

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Murray is a fun loving guy, who enjoys quiet afternoons with his friends!

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ZEN “This is the sweet boy that is haunting me” Detroit, MI 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.  The Vet felt 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’s journey then continued to Detroit for fostering. He is now healed and awaiting 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 also smart, and he loves food.  We couldn’t help but smile and laugh a bit, when we got the following training report from Zen’s foster Mom— "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.” Zen is a handsome five year old boy 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. Former orphan Buster, along with his mom Julie, are "paying it forward" and sponsoring Zen!

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LUIGI “But not for long” Fort Wayne, IN Update: Luigi is grown into a very handsome, and confident young hunk! He continues to thrive in his foster home, where his favorite pastime is playing with Zen. Luigi is crate trained and housebroken. And ,while he loves his foster family, he is waiting for the day he is adopted so he can say "thanks for taking such good care of me and Arrivederci" .... The Akita version of Mario and Luigi is not about rotund twins who are plumbers by trade, but rather it is the story of two young, neglected brothers who were dumped at a shelter in east-central Indiana by their owner.  Like the video game characters they were almost identical in appearance, they just had slightly different coloring and sometimes the shelter staff would get them mixed up.  While waiting for foster spots in rescue, Mario was adopted and Luigi was left behind in the shelter, but not for long.  When we sent out a plea for foster homes for a number of very young Akitas in need, one of our foster homes offered to take in another rescue. When Luigi first arrived at his foster home, he was very scared and huddled at the back of his crate, but not for long.  His foster brother is Zen a former MARS’ orphan and a participant in the recent Rescue Parade.  While good food, fresh water and a warm home helped Luigi, what really got him “jumping” were the stories Zen told him about the Rescue Parade. Zen told him how everyone was so nice and so very proud of all the rescue dogs, how he got a beautiful ribbon and bag of treats, how he got to see Mary the volunteer who saved him, and best of all how his pictures and video are now on the Internet!  Luigi was a little overwhelmed by all of this, but he could clearly see the pride Zen took in being a rescue.  And, when Zen told him about his own tough start in life, Luigi began to believe in second chances.  Thanks to his newfound confidence, Luigi is learning very quickly.  He still likes his crate but he no longer huddles in the back, and he now enjoys wearing his collar and going for walks.  He is also learning that food and water are not occasional things.  Most importantly, he is leaning to be a pup and what it feels like to be loved and respected.  Little Luigi is being fostered in Fort Wayne, IN, but not for long--we are certain this special boy we will be “jumping for joy” in his forever home, in the very near future.  For more information about Luigi, please contact Deanna O’Brien of MARS at marsakita.org or 773-594-9302.  Ciao! Woowoos to Perfect Pet Food & Accessories in Fort Wayne, IN for sponsoring Luigi's visit with Santa Claus! Keeter kisses to Judy Schenk & Blaze for sponsoring Luigi in loving memory of Keizo.

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JASMINE So-OH Jazz  Queen of All She Surveys Southwest Indianapolis Jazz is a young female Akita that was graciously taken in by wonderful all breed rescue in Ohio.  Her owner had fallen upon hard times and the rescue offered to care for Jazz while the family got their life back in order.  Jazz was a wonderful girl—sweet, affectionate, and well behaved—but the rescue had little experience with the breed.  They wanted only the best for Jazz and contacted MARS for assistance.  Arrangements were made for one of our volunteers to visit Jazz, she was a great girl, just as the rescue had described— "So-OH Jazz is a wonderful girl. Mostly tan and ohhh, the softest Akita fur I have ever run my fingers through. My husband and I were privileged enough to be granted an audience with Her Majesty at her "retreat". She barked a little at our arrival, but quickly quieted down as soon as she realized that we were ok to be there. She gave both my hubby and me a friendly greeting; let us pet her right away with no reservations. As my hubby and I talked with her 2 human caretakers (a lovely couple who run a much needed rescue in rural Ohio), Jazz sometimes hung around with us, sometimes went and laid down on the deck. Jazz is the first Akita this couple had ever encountered. Her former owner really didn't want to give her up, but was trying to do what was best for her, as he was going through some major life issues. The rescue couple have seen, and their vet has copies of Jazz's papers. They believe Jazz is 3-4 years old and I saw nothing to contradict that. She seemed to be a very balanced girl, excited and happy to play, but when we started talking and discussing her, she was happy to wander off and lay down to watch us. My husband and I each called her back over to the group at various times, she responded happily to her name, clapping, and whistling. Her fur was in great shape, very even, no bare patches or issues that we could see. We felt comfortable with Jazz. She gave us each gentle little kisses, rather than big sloppy licks, as befits a member of her royal station... lol. The rescue had 20-30 other dogs there being kept 2-3 to a run. The place was well kept, especially for as many dogs as they have there. Jazz did acknowledged the other dogs; we observed no fence fighting, no eyeing the other dogs, nothing that would give cause for concern to someone experienced with the Akita breed.  Physically, Jazz is a smaller but very well proportioned girl. Simply a perfect little royal bundle for the right castle."  It took time for MARS to find a foster spot and pull things together, but through mutual respect and a shared passion for doing what is best, Jazz joined the MARS family.  The following note from Jazz’s rescuers’ only confirmed our belief that we were working with one of the really good guys, and that we had made another strong ally in rescue— “There is no pull fee. We just want her to go to a good home.  She is a good dog for sure.  She loves attention and I am sure you will find her the best home ever or after talking with her foster parents, they  sounded like they would be soft hearted enough to keep her.  He sounded very nice and he loves the doggies, so that is what it is all about. “ Jazz is being fostered southwest of Indianapolis and all reports continue to be excellent—affectionate but not needy, happy and playful but not pushy, list goes on.  So, if your castle is in need of a mellow and laid back Queen please contact MARS’ premier lady-in-waiting,  Deanna O’Brien at marsakita@sbcglobal.net or 773-594-9302 for more information on Jazz.

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MOLLY Grateful for the Little Things Kansas City, KS Area Molly hasn’t had an easy life so far and that makes her appreciate the little things more than most.  When we were notified about Molly she was heartworm positive and oh my, what was up with that coat, well what coat that is?  After an examination, Molly was found to have mange and she was pregnant too.   Despite her condition she became a favorite of the shelter staff and was so appreciative of even the limited comforts and care a shelter gives.  Molly was spayed due to health reasons and treated for mange and the Mastiff Rescue folks took such a liking to her that they scooped her out of the shelter determined to find her a good home.   She dearly loved the comforts of her foster home and had such a tough past that she enjoyed the safety and coziness of a crate.  Treats and good food were an unimaginable pleasure and the company of humans . . . pure heaven.  There was only one small, well big problem really – the mastiffs.  Turns out Miss Molly was not a fan of other dogs and preferred being the only dog in town.  MARS was contacted to see if they could help this most grateful girl.  She greeted our volunteer with wags of her scraggly tail and took treats nicely.   It took a bit of convincing to get her into the Akita hauler but then she still had staples in her belly.  Molly rode nicely and happily went into her new kennel.  Here is what her new foster mom says about Molly and her recent visit to the Vet with one of our volunteers: “Molly did not want to leave with her, so I helped. Molly came running back to the kennel door when she brought her back. So I went into her pen with her and she immediately rolls on her back for me to scratch her for a while. She's ridiculously affectionate, a real hugger. Climbs up in my son's lap; she thinks she weighs 2#.  Eating great, which is I think one of her fave things to do.  She doesn’t care that much about being outside and running and playing. Would rather sleep on the couch with someone and be fed bon-bons. She's responding very eagerly to commands, not perfect on the leash, but you know me, not strict at all!! NO other dogs or cats, mine all stay away from her…but gigantic people dog. I love her, she'll be great!” Molly’s hair is starting to grow in after her bout with manage.  (Molly will be spending a day at the spa in early March, so make sure to check back for her after pictures!) She is being treated for her heartworm and is well on the road to being healthy.  Soon Molly will be back to being beautiful on the outside—which perfectly matches her heart.  You will never find a girl who would be more appreciative for a forever home then Molly.  So if it is in your heart to share your home with such a sweet and grateful girl please contact Deanna O’Brien at marsakita@sbcglobal.net or 773-594-9302.  Molly is currently on treatment for heartworm which will need to be continued.

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