Happy Tails

Maverick Station
A huge THANK YOU to the Lewiston Maverick Station for choosing our rescue for donations this Christmas. We go through so much dog/cat food with our many many rescued animals. This donation will feed so many puppies and cats/kittens! We are so appreciative!

All Saints Catholic School
One of our favorite events is our annual visit to All Saints Catholic School to visit with the kindergartners and first graders. Every year they do a donation drive for us and invite us to talk with the kids. This year we took 2 dogs and 2 cats with us. The kids loved it! We always have a lot of fun!

Ritz Express Car Wash for the Paws and Claws event
We want to send a big THANK YOU to Ritz Express Car Wash for the Paws and Claws event. This was a food and supply drive for Helping Hands Rescue, Idaho Animal Rescue Network and the LC Shelter. Thank you to the businesses that participated and to all those that donated. A special thank you to the Carltons who are huge animal lovers and responsible for this food drive!
HOME DEPOT AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT
We want to give a huge shout out to Home Depot and the Community that has donated this Holiday Season. It will be able to help a lot of dogs and cats in 2025.
Thank you again!
RAGS TO RICHES FOR RYE
Rye and his 5 weeks old siblings were initially spotted in the care of a local homeless man. Like many “accidental breeds” the mom was young and unspayed. Due to her immaturity she did not want to care for her pups so they had to be bottle fed. The homeless man was getting by but luckily agreed to surrender a few of these pups to a concerned citizen. Two of them were then turned over to HHR where they remained in foster until they were cleared for adoption. Rye found a home that many dogs only dream of. He is living at a campground where he gets to great guests, play, hike, and even swim. He’s grown to be close to 90 pounds of healthy happy puppy and knows no stranger. Rye’s story of rags to riches is one of the best outcomes that I, as his previous foster, can wish for.

Floyd aka Sergio
It’s always heartwarming to get updates on rescue pets that have found their forever
homes, especially those who had a tough start in life. Floyd (formerly Sergio) is one of
those stories that warms the heart.
Floyd was found as a stray on the streets of Clarkston in the spring of 2024. His ears
were so severely infected they became permanently disfigured. He spent several weeks
at Riverview Animal Clinic battling a series of health setbacks. Thankfully, his foster
mom, Cathy, gave him the care and love he needed to bounce back.
One Saturday, Tecla Druffel and her daughter Frankie attended an adoption event as
part of Frankie’s 4-H cat project. That’s when Frankie saw Sergio and knew he was
meant to join their farm. Given his history as a street cat, Cathy agreed a barn and
countryside life might suit him perfectly—but she warned Tecla, “You just wait, Sergio
will make his way right onto your daughters’ beds. He’s a lover.”
Cathy was absolutely right. Renamed Floyd, he fit in immediately. Floyd joined Tecla
and her daughters in the garden, wandered across the barnyard to happy hour on
Tecla’s parents’ porch, waited with the girls at the bus stop, and kept the dogs in check
like the true boss of the property.
Floyd also developed a special bond with Tecla’s parents, Doug and Diane, who
migrate to South Carolina every fall. Maybe it was the treats they always seemed to
have, or perhaps the cozy conversations over cocktails, but Floyd regularly moved
between their two on-site residences as he pleased.
In fall 2024, Doug and Diane packed their canopy pickup for their annual trek to South
Carolina, a 2,300-mile trip to Pittsburgh, followed by another 655 miles to Charleston.
As experienced travelers, they had their packing routine down pat, with overnight bags
in the cab for easy access. They said their goodbyes and hit the road.
Nearly 24 hours later, just outside Billings, Montana, Diane glanced back at the canopy
and did a double take—there was Floyd, curled up on top of their boxes like a seasoned
road tripper! After pulling over and consulting with Tecla, they decided Floyd might as
well continue the journey. A quick stop at Walmart for supplies turned their pickup into a
makeshift cat RV, complete with a carpeted perch for traction during travel.
When they reached Pittsburgh, Floyd graduated to a more spacious setup in the
basement. By the time they arrived in Charleston, Floyd had adjusted like a pro. Initially,
he was going to join the outdoor cats on the property—complete with dry, protected
spaces under the house, a pond (thankfully alligator-free), chickens, turkeys, and two
cat-friendly rescue dogs.
But Floyd had other plans. Not long after settling in, he worked his way indoors, a spot
previously reserved for Tuna, a military rescue cat. Now, Floyd lives the high life in
South Carolina, enjoying year-round mild weather, free reign of the property, and plenty
of love. He’s sporting a plush, well-fed physique and couldn’t be happier.
Floyd the Stowaway sends his regards to his friends at Helping Hands and says there’s
a vacancy at the Druffel farm for another friendly outdoor cat. As for Floyd? He’s decided to make North Caroline home.