DELAVAN — The small dogs make their way out of the open garage at the Joe and Diane Ponzo house in rural Delavan to greet a visitor.
The stories of why they are here makes one question some members of the human race.
Maggie Moondust was used in Tijuana, Mexico as a bait dog to train fighting pitbulls. She lost one eye, has no spleen and has half a tongue.
Micah was left to die by his owner in Ohio by leaving him outside for two months in the summer without food and water.
Sweet Rooney was tossed out of a car on a Texas expressway. Her back injuries prevent her from walking.
But on Wednesday afternoon they greeted their visitor with wagging tails and after a brief introduction, crowded around for pets and head scratches.
They are residents in the Ponzo’s Canine Angels for Heaven, a senior dog hospice sanctuary. They need help getting around. Some need to wear diapers.
Johnny Lee Middleton Ponzo was born with no front legs. While his family did not want him, the Ponzos took him in, and he gets around just fine. The Ponzos affectionally call him “Kangaroo” for the way he moves.
Unfortunately, many of the dogs in this greeting group will not see the first snow of the season. There various afflictions will prevent that.
“We have a high turnover, because we’re a senior hospice,” Diane said. “Some dogs we have for two or three days, or six weeks or months.”
“I have dogs from all over the United States that need to get in,” she said. “From California to Florida to Texas. They call us every single day.”
A loving household
The Ponzos make sure the dogs are comfortable and give them as much love and attention as they can — knowing that the inevitable is approaching.
Oscar Anthony was one of the dogs that the Ponzos took in.
The Ponzos received the Doxie mix from Chicago animal control a few months ago. Oscar Anthony was 16 years old, and his family did not want him anymore and turned him over to animal control.
Animal control contacted the couple — who are known throughout the animal shelter community — to take the dog the shelters could not treat.
The Ponzos took Oscar Anthony to a veterinarian, who diagnosed the dog with congestive heart failure and kidney failure.
The veterinarian gave the Ponzos two options: they could put the dog down in the clinic, or they could take it home for its remaining days.
The Ponzos did all they could to turn around the dog’s fortunes, but he died three days later.
While the result was inevitable, the Ponzos were comfortable with what they did.
“We gave him the best three days of his life,” Diane said. “We gave him medication and good food. The dog had been neglected. We gave him a spa day. He enjoyed that a lot.”
“We slept on the floor with him. We have an air mattress and sleep on the floor with them if they can’t get onto the bed.”
“It is very, very sad,” Diane said. “But we know we’re giving them the best ending possible. We cry. It’s sad.”
Tiger was the first dog
Joe is an architect. Diane is a certified medical assistant who now works at Aurora Medical Center in Burlington. Joe works from home. Diane works at the hospital Monday through Thursday. Not surprisingly, Diane works in the cancer surgery unit, where love and understanding are needed.
Their schedules leave Fridays open for Joe to visit clients and run household errands.
The Ponzos started taking care of senior and/or medically challenged dogs more than 30 years ago. A pug named Tiger became available from a couple that was getting divorced.
Tiger led to the Ponzos own another rescue dog; and then another.
Soon their house became a sanctuary for needy dogs who were approaching “The Rainbow Bridge.”
Nine years ago, Diane was diagnosed with breast cancer. The couple decided to apply for 501(c)(3) status as a nonprofit organization, which was granted.
They named their business Canine Angels for Heaven.
Diane is cancer free.
The couple spend their free time taking care of their dogs. There are no vacations.
“We have an above-ground pool for the summer season,” Diane said. “We go swimming. The dogs go swimming.”
“We relax with the dogs. We have a nice porch we relax in. I don’t want to travel, and when I do, I fly with Pilots and Paws.”
Pilots and Paws is an organization of private pilots who donate their time and expenses to fly rescue dogs to shelters. Diane accompanies area pilots if there is a possibility one of the transported dogs might have problems during flights.
‘We know when it’s time’
The Ponzos realize the reality of the situations when they accept dogs.
“We have dogs with cancer,” Diane said. “I have one with congestive heart failure. We have dogs who can’t walk—they were beaten or whatever.”
One dog, Bennie, has memory problems.
“He was beaten so badly, he has a brain injury,” Diane said. “He can’t remember what he did three seconds ago.”
“But there is no reason to put the dog down,” Diane said. “Because he isn’t suffering. Once they start to suffer, or lose quality (of life), we work with several different vets. We know when it’s time.”
One of their dogs died less than two weeks ago.
“He had the best ending,” Diane said. “Everyone was around him when he left. We were there; the vet was there, and our neighbor was there.”
The Ponzos are known throughout the United States. They consider all their dogs as pets not patients.
“Once they come into this house,” she said, “they are all personal pets.”
Maggie Moondust is a survivor
One of the dogs at the sanctuary — Maggie Moondust — came from Tijuana, Mexico. She was used as a bait dog to train fighting pit bulls.
The trainers threw Maggie Moondust on the road after her injuries made her useless to them. A good Samaritan took the dog to a veterinarian. She lost her spleen, one of her eyes and half of her tongue.
Diane estimates Maggie is 12 or 13 years old.
“We have to feed her because she only has half a tongue,” Diane said. “It’s a challenge.”
Under the Ponzos’ care, Maggie Moondust is alive and well.
“She is doing great,” Diane said.
Micah ‘refused to die’
The Ponzos can tell many horror stories of human indifference to pets.
Micah, a Chihuahua, came to Canine Angels for Heaven after being rescued from a family in Ohio who did not want him anymore. They left the little dog out in summer sun with no water, food or shelter.
“He was being eaten alive by bugs and mice, ticks and fleas,” Diane said.
A neighbor of the family offered to feed Micah. The family refused his offer.
Authorities were called. Micah somehow survived his two months of neglect.
“Micah refused to die,” Diane said. “He was 24 hours away from death when we got him. He’s on meds, and we’re going on 2½ years.”
Micah has his own little 4-wheel drive remote-controlled SUV he travels around in. The Ponzos take him and his cart to downtown Delavan and other nearby towns where many people recognize him.
“Unfortunately, the end is rapidly approaching,” Diane said. “He’s a very sociable dog. Everyone knows him; everyone loves him.
“With lots of tears, money and prayers, we did get Micah healthy.”
‘We want the dogs to go to heaven knowing they were loved — even if it’s just for a few hours.”
There are many Canine Angels for Heaven stories. The Ponzos’ love and care for their pets are in contrast to the way many of the animals were treated by their former owners.
The Ponzos give more than their time and sweat to their pets. Pet owners know the cost of veterinarian visits.
“My husband works for the house; I work for the dogs,” Diane said. “My check goes for all their vetting, their surgeries.”
The couple does hold several small fundraising events throughout the year, and the pilots in Pilots N Paws often donate to the Delavan sanctuary. Area dog owners whose pets die often donate their remaining dog food to the Ponzos.
Canine Angels for Heaven is an appropriate name for the work the Ponzos do.
“Every dog that comes in here is an angel in its own way,” Diane says. “They are angels, and they are for heaven. They are not going to last here long.”
“We know their time is coming. So, they get the best food; the best love. We want the dogs to go to heaven knowing they were loved — even if it’s just for a few hours. We’ve had some for just 48 hours.”
“But for 48 hours, they knew they were loved.”
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