Chiquita Chihuahua Rescue

06/01/2026

MiMi update: Miriam had her vet appointment last Thursday and had all her vaccines, was microchipped and had blood work sent. Her physical exam was normal including her heart- NO murmur! And Dr. Jillson confirmed that MiMi does not have a single tooth left in her mouth. Her only abnormal lab was related to her gallbladder function, so we may do an abdominal ultrasound while she is under anesthesia for her spay surgery. (Scheduled for June 11th). She has really got the household routine down, can use the doggie door to go to the enclosed patio, and has a couple of favorite spots for naps. She is waiting in the kitchen as soon as dinner is being prepared and knows to hop in her dinner crate immediately after her meal is “served”. She’s a little gem! She’ll be eligible for adoption after she recovers from her spay surgery.
Stay tuned for more news! I will be asking for some donations to help pay down the vet bills in the next couple of days.

06/01/2026

05/29/2026

Announcing a new senior arrival:
Miriam, aka “MiMi”, hitched a ride on the rescue van from the Humane Society of Yuma last Thursday 5/21. She was a stray from the “rez” and was lucky enough to be fostered in a loving foster home in Yuma while awaiting her trip to CCR. Mimi is quiet, 5 pounds of sweetness, and gets along with the tiny crowd here. Even though she arrived without a single tooth, she got the dinner routine down within a couple of days and has a good appetite. Her long back legs give her walk coyote-like characteristics. (I will post a couple of videos in the comments).
Today she had her vet exam which included all of her vaccines including rabies, blood testing and getting microchipped. She was estimated to be 11 years old, and appears to be in good health and has no heart murmur. If her labs are normal, she will be having spay surgery scheduled, and after recovering, will be available for adoption.
Any donations to the rescue balance at Daisy Mountain Vet Hospital would be appreciated. We still have a balance carried over from 2025!!! They are open Mon-Fri 7:30 AM - 6PM MST. Be sure to specify the funds are for the Chiquita Chihuahua Rescue account: 623-551-8387

Stay tuned for updates!

05/05/2026

May the 4th be with you!
Here’s a well known photo of the one and only Chewie the Chi. He sure was a one in a million tiny character, bursting with personality. Chewie was rescued from the Humane Society of Yuma by CCR, lived a full life in California, and became a “famous” Instagram dog (Back in the day before it was a thing!). Cherished for eternity, we’ll always remember you for the smiles and joy your brought to your thousands of fans.

04/06/2026

Hoping everyone enjoyed their spring holidays, whether they celebrated Passover or Easter and were able to spend time with family and friends.

The precious souls in this photo have all crossed the Rainbow Bridge over the past 18 months—Apollo, Harley, and tiny Munchkin.
To help honor their memories, would you please consider providing assistance to pay off the Chiquita Chihuahua Rescue veterinary balances? Through a previous adopter's work-sponsored donation, I was able to reduce the Daisy Mountain Vet account balance by an additional $200 today.

The current outstanding balances are:

Daisy Mountain Vet: $1,790.00 (This is after today's payment of $200; DMV has been very gracious, as this balance is from care that was provided last year during 2024).

Desert Rose Animal Hospital: This balance is on my personal Care Credit and includes charges for the exams, labs, dental surgeries, and vaccinations for both Pips and Clover (Who was adopted in January; her adopters paid for her spay surgery and microchipping at Dr. Kelly's in lieu of an adoption fee since Yuma did not have any vet available at the shelter the week she was rescued):
$1,709.00 is on care credit.

*The total outstanding balance is $3,499.00. *

Donations can be sent via PayPal: [email protected].
Note that you can also sign up via PayPal to send recurring monthly donations.

Via telephone using debit or credit card for Daisy Mountain Vet: 623-551-8387.

Using Zelle: cell phone number (480-299-4349) or Zelle through Midfirst Bank where the CCR account is located (I can send a link).

I only have one surviving personal dog, Tika, who had urgent bladder surgery in February, and be assured that none of her medical or surgical fees are included in these balances.

Donations of any amount—nothing is too small—will be graciously appreciated and a donation receipt will be provided.

03/16/2026

Pips getting in on the fun during a work break !

03/16/2026

Playtime joy during one of my scheduled breaks from my remote hospice triage job!

02/12/2026

Please check out our Valentine’s Day fundraiser and share with your friends and family!!!

https://www.givinggrid.com/SeniorChwawa n

Click here for more information!

01/28/2026

Clover and Pips underwent dental surgeries on Monday, with Clover requiring the extraction of 6 baby teeth and 2 additional teeth with abnormally formed roots; Teeny tiny Pips had 19 extractions. Fortunately, both animals are recuperating well.

Having joined her new family just over a week ago, Clover, (Who came back for a bonus sleepover with the gang for transportation purposes prior to surgery), is doing great! Clover’s new sister, the uber-senior Queenie, is tolerating the exuberance exhibited by Clover as she plays with her new brother Hemi. It has been revealed that Clover has been hiding some of her sibling’s toys in her new Dad’s laundry basket . LOL

Due to the complexity of some of Pips' extractions, which required sutures, her recovery period will be slightly longer; However, it is a considerable relief that she experienced no complications from the surgery or anesthesia, particularly given her weight of less than 3.5 pounds and mild hydrocephalus.
Both Clover and Pips received meticulous monitoring during their procedures and exceptional care from the staff at Desert Rose Animal Hospital, a practice I highly recommend, especially considering their affordable monthly care plans that include unlimited visits and surgery discounts. Ashley Casida DVM owns the practice and is awesome. Her reputation for skillful and empathic care has spread so much thoughout our community and beyond, that after being open only 6 months, the demand for care has required a 2nd vet to join the practice. The addition is a very experienced vet, who was a previous colleague of Ashley’s, and has similar philosophy of practice.

As I move forward, my immediate financial priority is addressing the outstanding balance at Daisy Mountain Vet, which currently stands at $2800; Any donation toward reducing this amount would be greatly appreciated. Donations can be made by phoning 623-551-8387 on weekdays, ensuring that the staff is informed that the donation is specifically for Chiquita Chihuahua Rescue.

I have personally covered the $1,700 for the dental surgeries via Care Credit, with an 18-month, interest free payment plan. while I continue to work, I am confident in my ability to settle this balance over time. Additionally, I have been absorbing most of the costs for supplies and food; a small group of regular donors provide support through monthly PayPal donations, which has been helping with daily needs for the dogs.

For those wishing to contribute, one-time or monthly donations can be made via PayPal using the link [email protected]. At this time, all of the PayPal donations will be directed to the Daisy Mountain Vet account balance, with the goal of closing that account.

Thanks in advance for following CCR and your support!

01/08/2026

Clover arrived on the Yuma transport van on January 2nd. She is super sweet, calm and has displayed a playful disposition. Her appetite has improved and she has gained 1/2 pound in the past 5 days. The humane society estimated she was 4-5 years old, however she is most likely 2 years old, and appears to be a chiweenie. The shelter did not have a vet last week, so she got her rabies vaccine at Daisy Mountain Vet on her way home from the van, and was spayed and microchipped today at a Dr. Kelly’s Surgical location. She has multiple baby teeth that have erupted, but have remained in situ. These have piggy backed over her adult teeth. Who would have thought that a young little lady would need a big dental surgery?! CCR will be obtaining additional dental estimates but Dr. Kelly’s was $600-$800.
Lucky little Clover has a previous CCR x 2 family waiting to meet her after she recovers. Their precious uber-senior, Mister Smalls, passed away recently. Senior Queenie, also a Yuma alumni, lives in their home. We are all hoping that Queenie will approve of getting a new sister!
Welcome to your new life and many years of love and happiness Clover!

Donations can be sent via Zelle, PayPal ([email protected]), or to help pay off the balance at Daisy Mountain Vet that is now just under $3000 by calling: 623-551-8387 and specify you are donating to the Chiquita Chihuahua Rescue Account. (The office is open Monday- Friday).