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Ranko's Foster Adventures

@fostermamaranko

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Introducing the wonderful foster pets I have the privilege of welcoming to Camp Ranko! Please consider fostering and ADOPT DON’T SHOP 💝

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It was unexpected. I didn’t see it coming. Zero has crossed at the tender age of 4 weeks 💔💔💔

One night we were playing, I offered them my sweatpants-covered legs (their claws can slice right through them!) and they climbed all over me, tumbled with each other, even showed a little interest in a toy ball. These guys seemed to be advanced for their age. I fed them their milk and went to bed.

4 hours later, I returned with their next bottle and Zero was not okay. It is unclear what and why this happened. I rushed them over to the Best Friends nursery where they treated her immediately.

This is why I only foster with @bfas_la … when kittens crash, it always at night. And they have an emergency foster phone number and a nursery that is staffed 24/7. At 2:30am, they answered my call, asked how soon I can bring her in, and met me at the door to whisk her in while also asking me all the questions. I did not see her pass. They took care of her until then end. I am so very grateful that they do the hardest job 🙏🏽

Zombie also received treatment to make sure she’s hydrated and well. We came home and spent a few days together, just me and her living a singleton life. I took naps on the floor so she could use my body as a jungle gym. She is so affectionate ❤️

Best Friends took care of her too. These two belonged to a 4 kitten litter, and they asked the foster who has the other two siblings to take in Zombie so she can grow up with her siblings. We didn’t want her to be a singleton. Thankfully, the foster said yes ❤️

Zombie was reunited with her other two siblings and the foster mom said they didn’t hesitate and started playing right away. I am so so glad 🥹 Her foster mom is an absolute pro - taking in countless litters every season. Zombie is in the best hands ❤️

I didn’t want to write this post. It’s felt like we’ve been cursed. It’s been heavy. But I’m moving forward. I’m about to go pick up my next litter. I needed to write this before I do. As short as her life was, Zero will always be remembered. The little calico with a heart on her shoulder 🖤 I’m sorry I couldn’t save you 💔 by @fostermamaranko

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19 hours ago

Welcome baby kittens!
Perhaps appropriately named for the season, Zero (calico) and Zombie Apocalypse 😂 (black) are the first kitten fosters we’ve had in a year! We took a break after having some panleuk babies last year and are happy to be back 🩵

These kiddos are 3.5 weeks old, 300g or so each, and both girls. They are pretty good with the bottle, although Zero the calico only drinks when she feels like it 😂😂😂 They are already very friendly and curious!

Fostering for @bfas_la by @fostermamaranko

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7 days ago

🩶 Rest peacefully Cooper, and may you reunite w your daddy 🩶

It’s been a hard week at Camp Ranko as we also said good bye to long time foster Cooper. He came to us in Feb 2025 after spending two years in another loving foster home, but his upbringing was a hard one, from what we know. The majority of Cooper’s life was spent in instability, and he had a dad who he was strongly bonded with who passed away. His trauma likely ran deep, and his last foster and I just wanted to do what we could to help him live a comfortable life 🩷

I hope Cooper enjoyed his time here. He used to have epic solo zoomies and loved his walks. My favorite was how he slept - while Bentley slept in the most uncomfortable looking poses, Cooper slept like a passed-out-drunk 😂 He was also very vocal when it came to meal time - impatient with me for taking so long 😂 Sorry Cooper! I did feed you first every time though!

Over time, it seemed life was catching up to him… by the end, he couldn’t hear, he was losing his eye sight, his legs were giving out, his collapsed trachea had him coughing lots, and he seemed to be disoriented often. It’s still so hard to decide when to cross a pup though 😣

On his last morning, Coops got to have fried burger meat. I had tucked in a sedative pill for the car ride but he repeatedly picked it out and set it aside 😅 He always had a knack for not taking his meds! Once again, we visited our friends at @southpawvets who gave us lots of time together once the sedative injection was given. I got to clean and trim his face, look inside his mouth, touch all of his paws, and hold him tight and give him kisses 🥹 He was a touch sensitive boy, so this was the first time I was able to do any of this and it was so bittersweet 🩷

Thank you to @bichonrescuebrigade for being there for Cooper and his dad even before the dad passed away 🩷Thank you @nobodygottimeforthat for being his trainer and friend 🫶🏽 Thanks to my friends who visited and gave him space ☺️ Coops, I hope you found your pops up there! You were loved and will always be remembered ✨ by @fostermamaranko

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22 days ago

🩵 Bentley Update 🩵

It’s been over 2 years with this magnificent creature that is Bentley! It was purely by chance that he came to live with me, first as a foster, then a hospice foster, than as my son 🙂 We have been so lucky to have all this time together!!

Summer is hard on Bentley it seems. Last year he had an epic 10 day constipation that made him an (in)famous patient at @southpawvets as he blasted the floors of their clinic with his poops after many enemas 😆 He also had a big tumor burst on the back of his knee and couldn’t walk. I thought he was a goner. He rallied!

This summer, it’s been a battle with peeing. Too much of it. He had a couple of bouts of UTI which is not common for boys. And now, his bladder is growing numerous masses inside 😔 It came about quickly… these are very fast growing tumors. He also has one paw that’s growing a bunch of little tumors too. It’s nothing like I’ve seen before 🫣 He’s not in pain, but is in discomfort. And it can turn into extreme pain quickly. I need to not let him suffer that.

This will be our last weekend together 💔 We have so many memories together. Our quirky routine, our two big trips to Southern Utah, all the fosters who we cared for together, all the friends he made ❤️ He makes people smile just by being his stoic yet silly self 🥰 and sitting/laying in the most peculiar ways 🤣 He is one of a kind ⭐️

Wanted to do an update for his IG friends so you can maybe send him some peaceful wishes 🙏🏽 This senior chonk from the city shelter did good!! He loves you all 💝

Extra extra thanks to South Paw Vets 🫶🏽 He loves being w you guys! by @fostermamaranko

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a month ago

🩷🩷🩷 Myles found true love 🩷🩷🩷

Myles was found as an emaciated pup on the side of the street in mid June and rescued by @loveleorescue who gave me the honor of nursing him back to health. He was skin and bones and a shut down pup who watched the world go by from a safe corner of the yard. It has been an incredible experience to watch him blossom into a hilariously cute and fun loving pup ⭐️

Myles has left Camp Ranko last weekend and started a new chapter with his very own mom who is as obsessed with him as he is with her!! 🥰 To watch him melt into his new mom’s arms was amazing - these two were meant to be 🫶🏽

His new name is Roman and you can follow his mom’s account @amandalee703 to watch him continue to grow and prosper 🩵 Thank you Love Leo Rescue for trusting me with his care! Thanks Roman for providing us with unlimited laughs and sweet moments 🥹 I couldn’t be happier for where your life is headed!! May you never be short of food or love ever again✨✨✨ by @fostermamaranko

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2 months ago

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Welcome Buddy ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Buddy comes from @dogsmatter - a rescue who is helping people keep their pets while they go through their own challenges. Buddy’s mom is in in-patient treatment, and instead of losing Buddy to the shelter system, Dogs Matter has taken him in and placed him with me! My mission is to take care of Buddy for about 2 months. When his mom gets out, Buddy will be right there waiting for her. And we can all agree that having your dog waiting for you is one of the best motivations one can have to get better quick!!!

Buddy is my first pug 😆 What interesting creatures they are!! 😆😆 He is finding his way in the pack (or he may just be forcing his way in 🤔), can be a little whiny when he doesn’t get things his way, but he gives in pretty easily and takes very loud naps 😂😂😂 He is louder than Bentley when sleeping, which says a lot!!! Just like Myles, he’s a little dude that makes you giggle just watching him strut his way around the yard 😂😂😂

It’s pretty cool to be able to help stop a dog from entering the shelter system. I am not in touch with his mom - the rescue does weekly calls with their clients to give updates! So I’m trying to take fun pics and video (he is so photogenic!!) in hopes that his mom finds them helpful in her recovery journey. In the meantime, I hope Buddy enjoys his time with us too 🩷

For more info on Dogs Matter, please reach out to @nobodygottimeforthat ! She’s super fun to work with! by @fostermamaranko

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2 months ago

Y’all must be crazy!!! not one person has filled out an application for this perfect little man.
Myles came to us on the verge of death, he was starving, overheated, and had bloat. After three days at the hospital, he turned the corner and finally started feeling better. The amazing @fostermamaranko welcomed him into her home with her beautiful pack, and LOOK at him now. He has blossomed and turned into the cutest little Bulldog you could ever hope to see. Friendly, funny and sweet; this little man is waiting to meet you.
You can fill out an application for him on our website: loveleorescue.org by @fostermamaranko

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2 months ago

☀️ July was a busy month at Camp Ranko ☀️

We started the month with a wonderful trip to the Best Friends Sanctuary (see prev post).

When we came home, we welcomed our friend and former North Central shelter pup Henry for a stay while his family traveled abroad. Henry is a gorgeous coyote-looking-fox-looking creature who fell in love with Pony, as they all do 😆

Then our previous foster and former North Central shelter alum Alma, now named Ruby, came by for a stay while her new family traveled out of town. You could tell how loved and well cared for she was, and she and Pony went right back to being best buds too 🩷

We also got to have North Central pup Gohan, a gorgeous creamy white shep/husky over for a few days. He’s a senior boy enjoying foster life and… you guessed it! He befriended Pony too 😂

Soon after, the distinguished Sir Chepo from North Central came for a stay while his foster parents traveled - it was his 3rd stay with us and I loved seeing him relax right away this time ☺️

And as you know, we are enjoying hosting Odie at the moment, he got sprung out of North Central earlier this week and is moving to his real foster home tomorrow.

5 North Central alums (7 if you count Pony and Bentley!), of whom 3 are looking for their forever homes 💛 Pony has been promoted to Social Director as he continues to help every pup enjoy their stay at Camp, and I’m proud of Little Myles who is engaging with big dogs everyday!

July was a lot of fun for us! August should be a little quieter… (famous last words! 😂) by @fostermamaranko

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3 months ago

Our first summer trip to the Sanctuary was wonderful ☀️ We usually go in spring/fall but this time we took advantage of the holiday weekend and tried a July visit. Lucky for us, it wasn’t super hot (yet) and we crammed a lot of fun in a 3 day stay!

For Juniper, this is a visit to her past home where she lived before I adopted her. It’s her 4th visit and she’s getting good at these trips! Bentley made his second visit and this was Boots’ first trip to our favorite place 🧡 We especially love the onsite cottage, where we can see out to the horse pastures and beautiful red rocks.

I visited with the horses (ie mucked their poops 😂) and spent the rest of the shifts w dogs at Old Friends. I walked dogs, did car rides, and hung out in their runs. I enjoyed seeing the wonderful caregivers of the dogs and horses and caught up on what I’ve missed over the last 7 months. My friends and I also did a horseback ride through the canyons and visited the reservoir - an oasis in the middle of a desert!

If you are fond of animals, this is the place to visit 🧡 Not only do they have something like 1,500 animals (cats, parrots, bunnies, pigs, goats, etc.!) but you witness the incredible care that is provided by hard working staff so that these animals - many who are special needs - can live their best lives 🧡

It is simply inspiring what Best Friends has created over the last 40 years. I know there has been an increase in critical opinions about BF especially in LA. Sure, BF was built by a cult (old news!), and those still alive live on the Sanctuary and I’ve met a few. Perhaps a fascinating origin story, but what I experience first hand is kindness to animals… and constant pursuit on how best to care for shelter pets. It’s the kind of place I want to spend my time in 🙂 taken in Best Friends Animal Society by @fostermamaranko

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3 months ago

Alma, now named Ruby, has been adopted 💕💕💕

Just days into her arrival at my place, I said “What are you doing here? You’re perfect! You should have been adopted by now!”

She’s happy. Sweet. Smart. Looooves the crate. Hasn’t met a dog she doesn’t like. Fun. But also chill. Friendly with all humans. A beautiful potato.

It turns out, she was just waiting for this amazing family to find her! Her new family has had rescue dogs their whole lives. They loved her even before they met her. They have a gorgeous home and yard (look at that amazing crate!) and plenty of friends and pups to keep her company. And Alma/Ruby deserves all of this. Because even though she was a TWO-timer at our shelter, her spirit never broke. She trusted people and trusted us to find her her forever after ✨✨✨

The day before she met her future parents, Alma had to have surgery to remove a foxtail from her paw 😣 She was the easiest pup to sit with at the vet’s waiting room for long stretches. She acted like the donut cone was added comfort (see last pic 😂) She rallied and still went to her meet & greet with a bandaged paw. And the new parents loved her anyway 💖💖💖

Special thanks to @_stephanie_chung_ , Alma’s first and best foster 🙏🏽 She and her 4 year old daughter made amazing reels with Alma which attracted so many people to her, including the adopters. Stephanie originally volunteered to transport Alma from the shelter to her foster home. When the foster home fell through, she stepped up and fostered herself. Now that’s a true hero!!

Many many thanks to @hope4sweethomes and @sweetangeldogrescue for being the Rescues that said NO to her being euthanized and got her out. You are her forever angels 💝

Now Ruby is being pampered for the rest of her life, and that’s how it was supposed to be all along 🥰🥰🥰 by @fostermamaranko

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4 months ago

🩵🩵🩵 Welcome Myles 🩵🩵🩵

I don’t know Myles’ story. I just know he was found on the streets absolutely emaciated. He looks like a puppy but his teeth and mannerisms tell me he might be an adult. I’ve never held a dog this skinny 🫣 He’s tiny overall (maybe 10lbs at the moment?), but he’s already getting stronger! Time and care will help us find out who Myles really is, but for now, he’s a sweet, quiet and resilient boy who has an underbite you can’t unsee 😂🩵😂

Fostering for @loveleorescue by @fostermamaranko

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4 months ago

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Welcome Alma ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Last weekend, handsome Simon found himself a new foster home with a new best friend and a wonderful family 🙂 Please see stories for some photos!

This opened up a spot for Sweet Alma to join us 🩷 She is a North Central shelter alumni and comes to us from the incredible @_stephanie_chung_ - You def want to check out her page for some of the prettiest reels of Alma and other pups looking for homes!

Alma was dumped at the shelter a few years ago, adopted, then found as a stray at a park near my house with another dog. It’s really hard to believe because she’s kinda perfect❣️ She is supposed to be 6-ish (awfully clean teeth for a 6 yr old tho!), great w people including kids, great w other dogs, loves her crate, super affectionate, listens to commands and is pretty playful and can keep up w the boys 😉 She’s a 60-ish pound short stack with eyeliners to die for!

ALMA IS ADOPTION READY 📣 She can be a solo dog or live with others. She loves walks and snuggling with her human. She rides perfectly in the car. So please reach out if you want to meet her! She’s a real catch 🩷 by @fostermamaranko

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4 months ago