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Onward We Go!
Another Year to Save Lives!
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2025 Adopts
Cats 221/ Dogs 443
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We can break that down for the month of December as follows: |
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Dec Adopts
Cat 23/ Dog 58
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From Keith: Happy New Year Around The World!
I can’t complain about the year. The last 5 months have been a struggle for a couple of reasons but hanging in there thanks to all of you. Now we are safe with this place, which is awesome. Still waiting on water with the other one. That definitely won’t happen till next year.
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Make your new year’s resolution to adopt a rescue or foster a rescue. It doesn’t have to be through us it can be through some place else. ‘Animal Welfare’ - wise we always need help. Everybody who does rescue needs help. So that’s a good resolution.
……………………………
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Another Wonderful Rescue Story
Come and Sit a Spell
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From Diane (Koda TMAR Cash)
Like most of you, I LOVE watching the intakes and intros of every new rescue at Turtle Mountain.
I stumbled across the TMAR Website and FB Page in late 2022 and was instantly hooked. Watching the depth of compassion at the end of the day was food for the soul and it became a ritual for me each night.
Already having two large older dogs and 5 cats (two that were willed to me that I unfortunately acquired due to the death of their owner during COVID) I knew that although I would like to adopt every pup I see; I was in no position to adopt another….
UNLESS…. I was going ot commit to training a dog to be a therapy dog for nursing homes or traumatic events. And wouldn’t that be a ton of fun?
My excuse was made and in 2024 I was watching for Keith to present the perfect dog and then I would apply…. Rose from the trio that had been abandoned in the middle of nowhere that Keith filmed capturing? Or Miracle, although he was injured and needed rehab? Or the sixth pup born in the “Around The World” litter that Daisy had? I wanted them all!
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But one night, I saw Keith with this white fluff ball, he called Cash, with black ears and two black stripes on the top of his tail. Cash was literally chewing on Keith while Keith kept yelling “OUCH !” to get him to stop. He was adorable.
And didn’t those two black stripes almost resemble ‘adidas’ stripes that I wore on my pants daily as a personal trainer? It was a sign!!
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I got in touch with Louise, the TMAR adoption coordinator, and asked her if she thought he would be a good therapy dog. She got back to me and said, “Keith didn’t think he would be.” UGH! My heart sank because I had been excited about him. Cash was 8-10 weeks old and there was a TMAR road trip coming to my town in a month.
I continued watching for another pup, but I kept watching the video of Keith and Cash over and over until I had myself convinced that I would just work extra hard and go to extra training classes to train Cash to be a therapy dog. And if all the extra training worked? Great! But if it didn’t? I would have this fluffy snowball for a pet and have to get another dog to train for therapy….
Later of course. LOL!
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A week after my adoption was approved, my 85 year old mom had a stroke. She would be going to rehab for a couple of weeks and then possibly to my house before going back home. I lived alone and so did she in elderly housing with her little terrier mix that I was now caring for with my two dogs. Should I cancel the puppy I wondered?
My daughter who is a mental health counselor convinced me to not cancel getting him and that I would need him for my own mental health with what I was about to take on. And besides it would be temporary that my mom stays with me and the dogs would get along.
Nancy, Cash’s wonderful TMAR foster mom in ND was telling me all about him for weeks…..
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sending me photos and videos and calling him by the name we had given him. And I couldn’t wait to meet him!
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June 23rd came and Cash was delivered by Wanda and Keith (and yes, they are just great people…. even nicer in person) to Concord, NH on the road trip.
Wanda told me that she was the one who had gone to pick Cash up when he was found at a service station fending for himself while people there gave him food. The vet who examined him for his health certificate determined he was only 6 weeks old when he was abandoned and found. So this fuzzy snow ball was expected to be on the larger size. Even better. I love big dogs!
Feisty but adorable and in my opinion the cutest pup on the TMAR van that day. Keith’s advice was to ‘never let him win’. And it was great advice that I followed. Cash was strong willed for sure.
I got him home and did the intros with the other dogs. Then got a call from the rehab facility that my mom was headed back to the hospital. When I got there it wad bad. This was a big setback with many complications that lasted until she was discharged July 31st to my home. Whether or not she could return home would depend on whether she could make great strides.
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Cash (now Koda, named after the movie BROTHER BEAR by my granddaughter) was great! Yes he liked to bite and nibble you, but did well with muzzle training when he needed it. My daughter came to my house with my granddaughter when I was at the hospital and rehab and played with him when I couldn’t. He was still mouthy but he was a puppy. |
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I was jealous that he was so in love with my daughter! She got to take him to buy his first toy. To this day It’s his favorite toy and he takes it out whenever she comes over. |
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When my mom came home, Koda was very respectful of her instantly. It was almost instinctual. He never tried to bite, nibble or even show his teeth in play like he did with me or my other family who visited. She was in a wheel chair and a walker and had her little dog with her at all times. Koda would visit her in her room…. but just peek in, quickly steal an item of clothing and the leave.
As he grew (and it was fast and he grew large) he would get close to her and let her pet the soft fur on his back and around his ears.
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He claimed the picnic table on the deck as his and that was his look out spot when outside. He was guarding the fenced yard like the ‘Red Baron’. |
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There were times I would call him in and he refused to come (when he was watching other people or wildlife). I would have my mom go to the door and call him (and she can barely talk having lost her speech and voice) and he would instantly come in for her! |
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We have had an additional diagnosis since my mom’s discharge which determined that she cannot return home so we had to dismantle her apartment. She became very depressed. |
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Sometimes when she is looking depressed, he will crawl up on the couch with her and put his head on her shoulder or arm.
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If she is sitting in the living room with her sneakers on with her elastic laces, he will get a hold of them and stretch her laces across the room, tugging on her shoe. |
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He tries to engage her in the cutest ways. Much differently than he engages with others.
My mom’s dog passed away only three months after she came to live with me. Sadie had been with my mom for 13 plus years by her side. My mom took it very hard.
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Since then I find Koda in my mom’s room just lying next to her reclining lift chair where she can reach down to pet his back. Some times I find him sleeping by her bed. Other times I can hear her talking to him in her room while he sits there listening intently by her bed while she pets him. |
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He has had zero class training as of yet. I met with a trainer once with him for leash walking advice as he is so big and could use me as a pull toy if he wanted to. She agreed that he is a GREAT dog. She showed me a few tricks and we will continue with classes at a a later date.
If you walk by our yard with your dog you will hear the loudest warning bark you’ll ever hear. But that is the GLD breeds in him which make him instinctively a watchdog.
Great Pyrenees, Alaskan Malamute, Husky, St. Bernard. American Bulldog, Collie, Newfoundland, German Shepherd, Border Collie, Labrador Retriever, Golden Lab, Chow Chow, Akita, Australian Cattle Dog, Rottweiler, American Pitbull Terrier, American Eskimo Terrier —> all these make up this TMAR pup. All that diversity spells HEALTHY! There are no genetic risks according to the analysis we did on him.
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And did I mention how Koda saved me?
I have gone from normal living to 24 hour caretaker (while also working from home) since the end of July 2024. Those of you who do it or have done it know the toll. When I get out of bed it’s right to work. Sleep is hard to come by. My mom’s meds and care start the day. Then the dogs. My older yellow lab wants FOOD and only FOOD? My husky/pit/boxer mix stretches for a minute and wants to go out. Koda, before going out or touching food, comes up to me and wants a BIG HUG EVERY MORNING! As though he knows I need one. And at 110 lbs, it’s a BIG HUG!
So sometimes…. even against all odds…. you get what you wish for. He has been the best therapy dog I could ask for and I am fully blessed! Life can change in a heartbeat. Never underestimate the power of the love of an animal (who’s waiting for you) to get you through it. Adopt
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If any of you have TMAR rescue stories that you would like to share in the newsletter just email TMAR TAILS through our website. We will contact you.
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Jorunn from Norway, a wonderful follower, wishes everyone a Happy New Year!
Thank you, Jorunn, for your encouragement and support!
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HOW TO ADOPT
Our rescue is volunteer-based. We rely heavily on our fosters. Most of our animals are adopted out of foster homes. Currently most of our fosters are in the Fargo and Grand Forks area of North Dakota.
We highly encourage you to apply NOW so that you can
be pre-approved for future TMAR animals!
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January is now alive and getting ready to do some “kicking”.
To begin with let’s see what will be happening in Minot, ND
Hope you can come!
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Now let’s go to Fargo, ND
January 10, 2026
Meet & Greet at PetSmart 12:00 - 2:00
1630 13th Ave E, West Fargo,ND
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Then over to Minot, ND
January 11, 2026
Meet & Greet Pet Supplies Plus 1:00 - 3:00
2215 16th St NW, Minot, ND
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Then up to Grand Forks
January 24, 2026
Meet & Greet PetSmart 12:00 - 2:00
2450 Columbia Rd, Grand Forks, ND
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The weather may be challenging here in North Dakota right now BUT that does not stop us from saving animals. Please come out to one of our events and love on the animals…. AND adopt AND/OR talk with us about volunteering at our events. |
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Along with Keith, Wanda, and the crew at the rescue,
you can help the animals in your own special way.
No matter where you live.
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Visit our website or Facebook Page |
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We have just a few Calendars left. Orders still being taken! Thank you for purchasing these. You will be enjoying the rescue pictures all year long
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TMAR operates in an underserved community where veterinary access is sparse and local animals are in desperate need of a helping hand. We work hand in hand with our community to save thousands of animals each year. We are nothing without our community, our volunteers and our supporters.
Every dollar you donate will go towards providing vaccinations, mange and flea and tick treatments, paying for vet bills, gas for transports, food for the animals, and our biggest goal, a shelter. You can donate financially:
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Mail check to:
Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue
PO BOX 896
Rolla, ND 58367
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Charity Navigator is a non profit watchdog that evaluates charities on their health and impact. They help donors make informed giving decisions. We have earned a score of 93% and a FOUR-STAR rating. This highlights how effectively we use all your donations to help animals in need. |
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