My favorite quote:
"Knowing is not enough we must apply. Willing is not enough we must do." ~Bruce Lee

So. You want to know a little more about me.  Well here goes......

My name is Joanna Toms. And I absolutely LOVE Rottweilers.  Everything about them in fact.

I had been involved with Pet-Abuse.com which all began in 2002. Working as a Cruelty Investigator and Case Entry into the database. I later sat on their Board of Directors.  In 2008 it was time I move onto other areas on Human and Animal Welfare. I now only continue to sit on the Advisory Board with this absolutely wonderful organization.

Today... I continue to educate on the connection between animal cruelty and human violence in an effort to help people understand.  That the abuser of an animal 'is' a problem.  Not only for the animal but also for the community they live in and the family they live with if they do not get the help they need.  To much documentation and research information is available to prove this fact. Animal cruelty is a precursor to human violence on many levels.

I am also and have continued to with work with Kodi's Club in New York in the rehabilitation of the Rottweilers they rescue from horrible situations and places. I guess you could say I am  a Foster/Rehabber for them..... or something like that.  What ever you want to call me. I have a great passion working with these most unfortunate Rottweilers and helping them recover from the horrible abuse they have endured at the hand of an abuser.

Witnessing the horrors and crimes committed against all kinds of animals and admitting,  the cruelty cases that involve Rottweilers have broken my heart so deeply that I  have continued and will continue to do more and more Rehabilitation work with the Rottweiler Breed. I have personally witnessed nothing short of miraculous recovery of the Rottweiler, both psychologically and physically, after coming from such horribly abusive situations.

Why I do what I do....

Having personally owned and co-owned Rottweilers past 15 years. And seeing what happens to the more unfortunate Rottweilers, well, the horrors and crimes committed against them (Sad but True) are some of the most horrific things than anyone can imagine. The abusive actions that are taken against our beloved Rottweilers are truly in-humane. Things I have personally witnessed of the Rottweilers that have arrived into our rehab program are too graphic and cruel to include here. Physical injury and illness aren't the only obstacles that Rottweilers face when they come to us to start their road to recovery.

Shock, trauma, and a lack of food and fluids have taken a toll on the animals' psychological well-being, too, creating additional challenges to work with.

Sometimes a Rottweiler may be mislabeled as dangerous or aggressive. Some of these Rottweilers are simply at their wits' end. And need to be kept in a quiet area with food, water as to give them some time they need to have. Usually in a short period of time they are easily handled.

Rottweilers that have been owner surrendered can be extremely sensitive to work with. For example the formerly friendly family pet that was surrendered to a shelter or to an environment that is very extremely undesirable often react in fear and panic.

Please try to remember that every Rottweiler's ability to handle trauma is different. Some are more resilient and bounce back without any apparent emotional scars, while others develop a lower threshold to fear-provoking circumstances. In some cases, some may display food aggression, but that behavior will most likely fade as the rottweiler realizes there's a steady food source.

For cases of high anxiety or physiological-based aggression, we work with this and we seek the help of a veterinarian certified in applied animal behavior. These animals' sometimes need a medication assisted  program to help lessen their anxiety and to move forward.

We follow a minimum of a eight- to twelve-week acclimation period coupled with exercise and followed with general obedience to keep the dog's mind busy and distracted from residual anxiety.

We feel it is very important for us to let the dogs set the pace, and to be patient with their emotional states. A lot of human love and patience can help these animals succeed in the next stage of a life that was forever changed by abuse and neglect they came from.

***A NOTE TO THE POTENTIAL ROTTWEILER ADOPTER:

If you decide to adopt one of our Rescued Rottweilers:

The Rescued Rottweilers that are with us have been with us a minimum of 3-6 months for rehab time and I know the personalities of these dogs and what types of homes/environments would be best fitting for them. Each dog that we adopt out has been spayed or neutered and is up to date in all vaccinations and on heart worm prevention and permanently identified by Microchip. Please, take the extra time and do your research prior to actually getting a Rottweiler. By researching this wonderful breed you will greatly improve your own ability to match up the right dog with the right personality for you and your families, personality, lifestyles. Brining any dog into your home should NEVER be an impulse, quick decision, but rather done as a commitment to the dog for the remainder of it's lifetime!!! PLEASE take everything I have mentioned into consideration before you contact me.