Mihari's Tale
The Innocence of Children
On a cold November morning in 2006, TARA was notified about a pregnant Akita that had for months, been living near an elementary school, begging for food. One of the children’s mothers was picking up her son at the school and again spotted the dog. Realizing this dog was pregnant, she immediately became concerned this dog would end up giving birth to a litter of pups in the coming winter conditions.
She went on to describe a ritual that occurred twice a day, involving the dog and the children. Every morning when parents came to drop their kids off at the school, the dog would come out of hiding, realizing that where there were kids, there might be food. Although frightened and suspicious

It wasn’t long before she learned there would be yet another chance for her to get a tasty snack or a few crumbs, when the kids came out for lunch. She’d slowly approach, hoping someone would provide a bite of something…anything. This soon became her daily routine. And though she became braver about approaching, she maintained her well honed survival instincts and kept her distance from other humans.
When we learned what these kids had been doing for the last several months, we decided that rather than contact Animal Control, we would do everything in our power to rescue this girl off the cruel streets and harsh weather conditions she had endured for who knows how long. It was the children, that reminded us to stay focused on why we are passionate about our rescue efforts. In their innocence, these kids never feared this dog, and their only concern was to make sure she received something to eat, every day. This Akita sensed their genuine affection for her and must have realized they would never harm her. It was a magical connection between a child (children) and a dog, that as adults we can never replicate.
The Dog Lady vs The Dog
TARA enlisted friend and dog trainer, Eleanor Rose Scheidemann, (aka The Dog Lady) who happens to live a short distance from the school. Eleanor is a trainer who specializes in complex cases and works closely with TARA when the need arises. Eleanor was under great pressure to not only capture a basically feral and unsocialized dog, but to do so under the watchful eyes of this dog’s young guardians. This was their beloved mascot, and it would not be easy.

The very moment this girl sensed the leash falling down around her neck, she immediately dropped to the ground, and thrashed wildly about, rolling over and over like an alligator in a death roll, trying frantically to shake loose her leather lead. Eleanor held on for life. She knew if the dog were to break loose, all bets would be off and she’d never be able to get close again. While trying to maintain control of the leash, Eleanor could only watch helplessly at the physiological torment this dog was enduring, and her thoughts immediately turned to the physical safety of this dog and her unborn pups. Eventually, our Akita began to tire and they were able to get a makeshift blanket sling under her and hoist her up in the car very carefully. Her eyes were like saucers, petrified out of her mind. Her world as she knew it, had just come crashing down around her.
The hard part was over, but Eleanor’s job was not done. After witnessing such a traumatic capture, she then had to reassure the Principal, the kids and some of the parents that “their” dog would be safe and that updates would be provided to them.


Unsure of her new surroundings, her survival instincts kicked into high gear. Mihari, as we would call her, kept her distance and she refused to venture out of her kennel for several days. She was terrified but somehow managed to keep it together. Through it all, she never once lashed out or showed aggression, in spite of her overwhelming sense of uncertainty. As you can imagine, her first week proved to be highly emotional for everyone.
Much To Be Thankful For
Thanksgiving weekend had arrived, and it was obvious Mihari was about to give birth any day. While the rest of us were enjoying Thanksgiving with family and friends, there would be no turkey and stuffing smothered in gravy, no cranberry sauce or homemade pumpkin pie for Eleanor. Holiday plans had been rearranged, and everyone involved took a crash course in Canine Pregnancy 101.
After one instance of false labor, a few days after her capture, Mihari delivered


They gave us two options: 1) perform emergency surgery or she may not survive, 2) perform emergency surgery but she may not make it through, due to her condition. Option 3, was only an option for a fleeting moment, and that was to have her kindly euthanized. The surgery would cost us $2,000, which we did not have. We frantically phoned our breeder friends, and the varying opinions about what to do were dizzying. In the end, we knew the decision was ours and ours alone. We opted for the surgery, and hoped she was strong enough to pull through. We hoped her toughness and ability to survive all this time on the mean streets was an indication she would fight to live. And fight she did.
Mihari proved us right, and she pulled through. Her thoughts were not of her own pain or fear, but only of the welfare of her pups. She was sent home to be with them.

Of the seven pups, two boys and one girl survived. Obviously, they inherited their strong will to live from their mother, and it looks as though the rough times are behind us. We are ecstatic to report they are fat and happy!

In"DEBT"ed
We will be forever indebted to Eleanor and her team, for all they've done. We are also IN DEBT! Mihari’s care and bills have depleted the entire TARA bank account. Her vet bills alone have amounted to over $3,000 in the few weeks since her capture, and she will still require a few follow up exams. TARA members, including Eleanor, have stepped up to front the money for her food and care, paying for bills on personal credit cards.

Despite the heartache we all experienced, we would do it all over again in a heartbeat. Now eight weeks old, the puppy antics and clowning bring smiles to our faces. Saving the life of this resilient Akita and her babies, made every minute worth our efforts. Eleanor and her team have committed their time to working with Mihari, and in the last few weeks we’ve seen her blossom! During her first week with us, she was treading on foreign ground. Everything was unknown to her. To see her now secure in her environment, attempting to entice you to play and asking for attention, is like seeing a baby open its eyes for the very

Due to Mihari’s extensive care and costs,

If you would like to make a contribution to Mihari and her pups, you can send contributions either via Paypal by clicking on the "Make a Donation" button below, or by sending a check to:
TARA
P.O. Box 355
Hayward, CA 94543-0355
Your support is greatly appreciated!
• August 2007 UPDATE: Mihari's pups (Seiko, Isa and Ginko) were adopted!
• June 2008 UPDATE: Mihari was adopted and now is happy in her new home!
You can visit Our Album to see their adoption pictures and updates for other TikiKids that found their new homes!
A HUGE thank you to our contributors and sponsors. Without you, we could not save these lives.
Cansu Arabaci
Alex & Lisa Ruzycki
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Kristy Verhines & Jake
Dennis and Laura Olson
Terry Atkins
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Matt Thorne
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Suzanne Novotny & Kiki
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