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Can You Help??
Neglected and Abandoned Warm Springs Reservation Dogs and Cats
With your donation, no matter how big or small, you are helping my mission to continue providing food and life-saving medical services for these rescues.
My name is Vicky Littleleaf and I am originally from the bay area of California. Since 1997, I have resided in Oregon, married into the tribe of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation to my husband, Charles. I have loved every day living in the High Plains Desert in Oregon but, where we live, I see so many stray and sick animals in desperate need, with seasonal weather conditions taking it's toll on them. It is my destiny is to care for them the best I can. But I am in need of some help.
Ever since I was young, I've been an animal lover and protector, almost always putting animals ahead of my own wants/needs. My late mother, also a devoted animal lover, raised my sister and I this way. We see animals as one of life's greatest gifts and that we must do everything we can to treat them with kindness and love, and to always protect them .
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Since living on the reservation, I have been taking in many stray dogs, cats and other animals who are sick, abused, neglected and starving. There are so many of them. These animals are running all over the reservation which leads to the spreading of contagious diseases, often resulting in their death. There are also a great number of pregnant stray mothers who raise their babies under extreme conditions, with most youngsters not making it to their first year of life. In addition, there are several groups of wild dogs who roam around killing cows, their babies, horses and other animals all over this open range. These wild dogs are dangerous, not at all afraid of people, yet they were all once innocent puppies themselves. My husband said he would prefer to come across wolves rather than a pack of wild dogs. Wild dogs are very unpredictable.
It is nearly impossible for me to get through a day without worrying about these helpless animals who are subjected to so much here on this reservation. I am constantly out looking for them, sometimes in the harshest of conditions such as in the middle of snow and ice storms during winters.
Below: I found a mother dog and her 8 newborn pups buried in a deep 3-4 ft ditch on a hillside. with many holes among the branches, sharp twigs and piles of brush and burnable trash. Some of the babies fell into these hole pockets where the mother couldn't reach them. She was in a state of panic. I ended up crawling down into all of it, making my way to get to the pups, risking getting bit by black widows, scorpions or a rattle snake. Once I recovered the pups, I saw all the scratches on my arms as a job well done. Mom and the puppies were safe, contained on our property and happily nursing. All 8 pups were eventually spayed and neutered, then adopted out to loving homes, off rez, in neighboring cities.
A close friend of mine, who I often confide in regarding rescuing and my ongoing financial difficulties to keep going, is aware of how this situation continues to weigh heavy on my heart every day. She recommended that I set up a fundraising campaign. For many of us, it takes a huge effort putting ones' pride aside for an important cause, myself included, yet what I see everyday is absolutely heartbreaking and I need some help to make life easier for them.
Like several dogs here that come and go, I have also been fostering Winum for nearly 3 years now and who is still with me. She is a wonderful watch dog as well as super loving. Winum does have a wild streak in her (known as street-wise!) but she's really quite tame, especially around people. She use to belong to her husband & wife caretakers but, sadly, they both passed away 1 week apart and Winum was left behind with no one to care for her. The neighborhood would sometimes feed her table scraps. While with me, she has been spayed, kept current on vaccines, and is ready for adoption to a loving home, preferably in a neighboring city.
Video below is Winum.
At one point, I was borrowing a couple of Igloos for these foster furkids but I had to return them last year during the summer. I've since been in need of 3 extra large Igloos for larger dogs. For the time being, Winum is sleeping in our parked motor home during storms and below freezing temps. Currently, the snow is coming down in buckets.
For a short time in 2023, I volunteered for an organization that had set up shop here in Warm Springs, to help needy Warm Springs families with dog/cat food and setting up outdoor fences for their dogs who have been tied up on short ropes and chains. I also hosted their dog and cat food bank during my time with them, ending up being able to get a little food for my own rescues during that time. It was always so nice to see smiles of relief on the faces of those dog and cat owners who desperately needed food for their animals as well as outdoor fences, freeing their dogs from a life on short chains and ropes.
As time went on, I found this organization becoming extremely political and that their Warm Springs assistance was entering a new phase. These tribal members, once glowing with happiness and hope for their dogs and cats, had to deal with some drastic changes. Of course, we can't take anything like this for granted but, waving high hopes in front of poverty stricken folks and elders, to witness them being cut off without notice from the food bank I was hosting, was extremely frustrating to watch.
While I was hosting the food bank, I was able to deliver some of the dog/cat food to the elders who couldn't make it to my location. But, once the organization backtracked, they put a stop to this as well. They now have a centralized area for food pick up, far away from many who don't have transportation. If you can't get to their building for a small amount of food to last an entire month for however many dogs/cats you have, you are on your own - animal-owning elders included.
And so, I am resuming to where I left off before they ever came into the picture. I continue to help anyone I can and, especially the elders, as I am financially able to. It has been tough to provide all that is necessary but I will never give up on them.
So, with all that is happening and has happened, I am back on the trail to help the animals of Warm Springs without assistance. With my pride aside, I am humbly asking for donations no matter how big or small, to continue rescuing/fostering them as well as to help the residents here in Warm Springs who have depended on my help.
If you are able to contribute or share my campaign with others who may be able to help me, it would be so greatly appreciated!
Thank you for your visit,
Vicky Littleleaf
Zelle ID: @vlittleleaf@gmail.com
Venmo: @wsanimalrescue
Cash App: $vlittleleaf
You are welcome to donate via check/money order, too! Please send to: Vicky Littleleaf, PO Box 1225, Warm Springs, Oregon 97761, and make a note in the comment section: 'Warm Springs Rescue Donation'.
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