  "Find Your Best Friend" News from Little Trooper Ranch Summer 2026 Hello First name: Happy Summer and welcome to our second edition of "The Trooper Scoop!" We had a great response to our first issue (Spring, 2026) and we're roaring forward like a hungry chihuahua to continue with these quarterly publications. In this issue: We recount the trials and tribulations of little Ollie, a Central Valley refugee and abuse case who came to us with a severely broken jaw, among other abuse-related injuries, and with Little Trooper Ranch his only option. His story is heart wrenching, but (spoiler alert) today he is thriving. Read more about Ollie below. We again tell of our valued volunteers and how they fuel our drive for rescuing dogs. Also included here are tips for the July 4th holiday and keeping your pets safe, as well as information about our upcoming summer Soundbath event, and perhaps most critically, a plea for your help in finding a home for our little senior Taquito who needs a forever home as soon as possible. Please continue to let us know what you think! There's a button at the end of the newsletter to provide your comments, questions, and so on. We hope that you'll enjoy reading "Trooper Scoop"! It's sent to you with love and gratitude. --Mark (editor pro-tem) p.s. Did you miss our first issue? We're keeping them available by publishing links on the "News" page of our website. From our President: The Amazing Story of Ollie By Odessa Gunn Rescue asks a lot of the rescuer. The work is rewarding, but it also comes with exhaustion, difficult decisions, and heartbreak. That's why it's so important to celebrate the victories when they come. Every day, shelters fill with dogs who are sick, injured, frightened, or abandoned. While our hearts are always with the dogs who need us most, the reality is that a single major medical case can drain a rescue's resources in an instant. So far, 2026 has brought us more challenging cases than ever. One of those dogs was Ollie - barely a year old when someone kicked him in the face with such force that one of his eyes was dislodged and his lower jaw was broken completely in half.    Thankfully, he was brought to a shelter in Fresno. When the shelter urgently reached out for help covering immediate veterinary care, we said yes. His damaged eye had to be removed, and an initial attempt to repair his jaw unfortunately failed, leading to months of additional procedures, recovery, and a diet of pureed food. Then one of those rescue miracles happened. We found an incredible family willing to take Ollie in before his medical journey was complete. They stood by him through every appointment, every setback, and every stage of recovery. With the help of our friends at Whiskers Animal Oral Surgeons in Petaluma, Dr. Bill Barboni, and the team at UC Davis, Ollie's jaw was ultimately saved. His family made countless trips to Davis, blended meals for months, and never gave up on him. Today, Ollie is thriving. His recovery required more than $12,000 in veterinary care, but every dollar was worth it. Dogs like Ollie are why we do this work.   Now we're asking for your help. Cases like Ollie's can quickly deplete our emergency medical fund, and we're working to replenish those resources before the next urgent call comes in. If Ollie's story touched your heart, please consider making a donation by clicking here or via the "Donate to the LTR Medical Fund" button below. Your support helps ensure that when the next dog needs us, we will be here to say yes. Odessa Gunn is the founder and president of Little Trooper Ranch. She is a "force to be reckoned with" - and gives more of herself to the animals than anyone else we know.  Help REALLY Wanted: Volunteer with Little Trooper Ranch! By Kathleen Daly We are all about providing the best future possible for our Little Troopers, and there is no doubt that this starts with our volunteers. The work that our volunteers do is probably the most important factor in the success of that future. While there are a lot of helpful duties that our volunteers perform, they generally fall into two categories: Shelter Volunteers and Foster Care. The Shelter Volunteer's primary responsibility is to help keep our dogs comfortable through socializing, exercising, and providing lots of attention. Duties include making sure the dogs have fresh water, encouraging calm and friendly behavior, providing appropriate enrichment (toys and treats), helping with laundry, walking, playing with and providing love and attention to the dogs. Shelter Volunteer shifts are available seven days a week from noon to 5 pm, and can be a 2 hour shift or longer. Minimum commitment is 3 months.    Foster Care responsibilities start with providing a clean and safe living environment for our Troopers; transporting foster animals to and from the shelter for scheduled appointments; and provide socialization and attention to the animals in your care. The time commitment for Foster Care is highly variable and is dependent on the age, health, and behavior of the animals being fostered. Length of foster can vary from a few days to a few months. Foster homes provide life-saving service to dogs in need - for every dog who is being fostered, a space is opening up somewhere else which saves a life that might otherwise have nowhere to go. Please help! If you are interested in volunteering at Little Trooper Ranch, please complete the Volunteer application (click here to contact us). Thank you so much for your interest in volunteering with us!   Kathleen Daly is the treasurer for the LTR Board of Directors, but she is much, much more than that. She's one of our hardest working volunteers and is one of Odessa's main go-to's whenever something is needed. Oh, and she is the proud mom of three LTR alumnae.  Time for a Soundbath! Join us on Sunday July 12, 10:30 AM, as Matanzas Creek Winery in Santa Rosa hosts a sound bath in support of Little Trooper Ranch. Sound Baths are starting to pop up in spas and in other outdoor peaceful venues, as the sounds and vibrations experienced can be relaxing and restorative in a busy world. After a brief guided meditation, the gong is played by a very talented musician for 35-40 minutes as your tensions and worries drift away. Following the sound bath, you’ll have a chance to sip some wine and enjoy some charcuterie from our friends at Matanzas Creek winery. Your $65.00 admission includes the Soundbath and wine plus refreshments afterwards, and supports all the Trooper dogs and pups. Tickets for the event are limited, so click here to sign up today.  For questions or further information, send us an email at adopt@LittleTrooperRanch.org 250th Birthday? Yay! Fireworks? Boooooooooooooooooooooo!  In the USA, as we prepare to celebrate the big 250th birthday, we can’t stress enough the fact that more animals run away from home on July 4th than any other day of the year. That’s not a coincidence. You’re probably getting lots of emails about what to do to protect your furbaby, so forgive us for the repeat, but here are a few things that we’ve gleaned from various organizations. If you want more recommendations, drop us a note…. We’ve got a million of ‘em!
 Our available "Pup of the Season" We are featuring one of our available/adoptable dogs with each issue of The Trooper Scoop. Please feel free to help us find these deserving pups their forever home!   Some dogs are looking for adventure. Taquito is looking for peace. Nearly a year ago, our founder, Odessa, welcomed this tiny Chihuahua into her home after our friends at Compassion Without Borders rescued him from the streets of Mexico. Life had not been kind to Taquito. He arrived with severe dental disease and needed all of his rotting teeth removed. But with a thorough dental procedure, a warm bed, and plenty of love, he slowly began to discover what it meant to feel safe. And oh, how easy it was to fall in love with him. Taquito is the kind of dog who wants nothing more than to be close to his person. He loves soft blankets, cozy beds, and the comfort of knowing his favorite human is nearby. After surviving life on the streets, he has earned the right to spend his golden years surrounded by kindness and security. What we've learned over the past year, however, is that rescue life isn't the right fit for every dog. Odessa's home is full of Little Troopers coming and going—new arrivals, foster dogs, and the constant activity that comes with saving lives. Many dogs thrive in that environment. Taquito does not. The steady stream of unfamiliar dogs, particularly male dogs, leaves him feeling anxious and overwhelmed. It's easy to understand why. After surviving on the streets, where other dogs could pose a real threat, Taquito learned that he had to look out for himself. Even after finding safety, his worries haven't completely disappeared. While he may act tough, the reality is that he's a fragile senior with no teeth and a very tender heart. What Taquito needs now is simple: a quiet home, a devoted person, and a chance to finally relax. He would do best as the only dog in the home, or potentially with a calm, respectful female dog who will give him space. Most of all, he wants a human to call his own—a lap to curl up in, a bed to share, and a place where he never has to compete for love or attention.  Taquito has survived hardship. He has learned to trust again. Now he's ready for the final chapter of his story: a forever home where he can spend his days feeling cherished, protected, and completely at peace.
If you think you might be the person Taquito has been waiting for, click on the link below to go to our website for more information and adoption application: Well.... we've done it! Two full issues of The Trooper Scoop! We really appreciate any feedback you have... good, bad, or neutral: send us your thoughts, comments, and questions. Click the "Contact Us" button below and get in touch! Thanks for reading The Trooper Scoop! Little Trooper Ranch, PO Box 1071, 11041 Main St, Penngrove, CA 94951-8756 Little Trooper Ranch is a locally founded, donor-supported 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Tax ID 86-1286801 |
