Today At The Park

I am so freakin glad I'm doing this.

I saw a great expression recently.

Rescue work: I lost my mind but I've found my soul.

I would add that I also lost my wallet, but it's still worth it.

This is the second time Olive had been to a park in five years! She loves the grass and pulls you over to the trees, which she likes to sit under.

Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY -- the tortoise, the hare and the pitbull!

Share

Olive is Doing Really Well

Sorry for little posting. Been a busy week. I'm going to take Olive out for two hours later this morning. We'll go to the park again, where on Monday she did so well. I've been updating the chip in and you can get news there without having to donate.

A team of people is posting signs on her behalf. I have an application a rescue uses to give to people who are interested to fill out, and she is being vetted on Monday.

We have volunteers going about three or four times a week to visit her and I'm hoping that keeps her from being lonely.

More later, including pics. My little bag of chicken, home made treats from The Barkery (carrot flavored and very fiberous!), and a bottle of water is all ready to go. I just have to remember my camera this time!


Share

Here's Olive!

Updates at the chip in. Sorry to be lazy... I'm pooped!

Share

Olive is at Boarding... more tomorrow!

I'm pooped. Olive had an eventful day, and so did we all.

She's in, she's safe, I like the place, and tomorrow I go to see her, having taken the day off.

More later. Thanks for your help with Olive. People have been wonderful. .

Share

They Are Just Like Us!

Have you ever read that line in a magazine that's talking about some star doing some mundane thing?

I usually roll my eyes but this is funny. Ryan Gosling really thinks his dog is something special.

As per usual, the dog is looking away from the camera.


Share

Olive Update

Today Olive got her bordetella shot and Sunday she is moving into a new kennel recommended by a fellow volunteer. I called them just to inquire about prices and while they are a bit more money, it's a very nice place. She will have her own run and will be a bit closer to most of the volunteers, so can have visitors. One of the other two places (the one I really wanted) was full, and the other was in a not-so-great neighborhood, and only one other volunteer agreed to see her there!

I am excited though honestly holding my breath about the 100 bucks more a month.

Everyone is stretched so thin right now, I know. If you can see your way to making a contribution, I'd be grateful. We are focused on getting her adopted and to do that, she will need to be made used to being out of the shelter.  That is step two!

Here's the link.

Much thanks!

Share

Please Send Up Prayers For Linda, Co-Founder of Guardian Angels For Soldier's Pet

Is in the hospital with a heart condition. More later. This group would not be around if it weren't for her, and many, many dogs would have landed in the shelter while their soldier was deployed. Linda saw a need and helped to fill it. You can always submit a pet to be fostered while their soldier is deployed. Click on the logo at the top left on this blog or visit their website.

Prayers work. Thank you.



Share

Creative Animal Rescue

I saw this story linked on facebook and was just thinking of sharing it with you and thought "what a nice story," when I realized the subject of the story is a facebook buddy of mine who does dog rescue!

I am very pleased to present this to you!

Real estate professionals work hard to find prospective property-owners their dream homes. But one New Jersey group is committed to providing that same service for pets-in-need as well.

The Diamond Real Estate Group, from Mount Laurel, has used social networking sites such as Facebook to personally sponsor 25 animal rescues and help facilitate over 100 more over the past couple of years.

"Our team started with animal rescue two years ago," says Toni Diamond, founder of the group. "So many dogs and cats that would make wonderful pets are euthanized because they are dumped into shelters unwanted. We believe it's important to stand up for these animals that have no voice."

Philly-burbs.com has the goods..

Check out this other quote that is one million percent true:

"The South does not regulate with spay and neuter as much as the North," says Diamond. "This results in lots and lots of unwanted puppies and shelters that fill up quickly. We network with friends, vets, shelters, cross-posters and volunteer transporters to get dogs from North Carolina and Georgia up north."

Remember those transports I go on periodically and for which I have posted numerous impossibly cute pictures? This is how those Sundays fit into the big picture in dog rescue.

Please get your pet spayed or neutered!


Share

Olive Update

If you go to the main page of Olive's chip-in you can get updates but here are a few.

Tomorrow she goes to get a bordetella vaccination so she can be sprung on Sunday and brought to her new temporary home! I'm still pricing out two facilities, and checking about room at the one that I and the other volunteers would prefer. It's closer, much nicer, run like a day-care, and familiar to several of the volunteers, so the chance of them visiting Olive is that much greater. I eventually want to work out a visiting schedule so we can get people there a few times a week.

Fellow shelter volunteer Leslie - photographer, encyclopedia, and adoption specialist - took some pictures today of Olive playing in the kiddie pool. I deleted them by mistake (stupid blackberry) but as soon as she resends, I will post them. Olive has such a cute face but she moves so fast it's hard to get her on film.

I am also pricing out two vets to get her spay performed and a dental. I think she has stage two periodontal and I want to get it done. I've had a dog who suffered from the lasting effects of his former owner letting his teeth rot, and it's not fun. He died with an enlarged heart and liver, and failing kidneys. This way, whoever is blessed enough to adopt Olive won't have to worry about it. She is also getting her ear checked for a possible infection.

I saw this quote today and through various politics, fears of being left with bills I didn't plan for, and general trepidation at taking on a dog who I will be responsible for, this resonated.

Thanks to those of you who have contributed. I have almost one month of boarding (along with some other pledges). It's going to be a haul. Olive is a pit and she is not other-dog friendly. She was never used for fighting and we don't know why she is like that, but we need to search diligentely for the right owner. So she may be in boarding for a few months. That's why the chip in is for. I'm paying for her vet bills. I think this will have steam in the beginning but I'm hoping people will stay tuned and possibly contribute a little here and there so it all goes smoothly.


Share

God, we desire to be your presence to the least among us and to know your presence in them as we work through you to bring justice and peace to this world in desperate need.

Share

Please Help Me Rescue Olive

The shelter where I volunteer is fuller than I have ever seen it. We have dogs everywhere. Recently about seven dogs were put down, something that takes place a couple times a year as it's a low kill shelter, but we have another sad weekend coming up. All the volunteers are feeling anxiety about who is on the list. This is what shelters across the country face when they must euthanize just for space. Perfectly good pets that are basically just homeless and are out of time.

One dog named Olive has been there a while. She is beloved and a real sweetie. I've bonded with Olive these last couple of months, and I can tell you she's just waiting for someone to make her their lap dog. The shelter is down a road with auto repair stores and a Con Edison (electric) building. We have no grass areas and the place is basically duct taped together. It's sad to see a dog try to roll in four inches of weeds because that's their only option. Thank God for the regular volunteers that come each week (many come both Saturday and Sunday) to give these dogs a walk. Having contact each week with people is important to the dogs, socializes them, and makes/keeps them adoptable.

Back to Olive. This past Sunday I learned from a volunteer friend who wanted to prepare me for next week's "list" that Olive might be on it. I sat with her for longer than usual, and cried. She licked my face and nose. I sat with her again later in the day and wished I could do something to save her. That day two volunteers who have been personally working with one dog they got into a boarding/rescue situation happily announced their rescue has an adopter! 

Who can stand by and do nothing when you see an opening to save a dog?

So I am taking a risk and assuming the initial vetting and boarding costs involved with saving Olive. Each month will cost approximately $360 to board her. She will be nearby so we can visit her, and a group of us are focused on getting her adopted (posting flyers, networking her through rescues, and posting her on facebook). I hope you will join me. Here is a link to a chip in, where you can use paypal or another credit card if you care to make a donation.

Thanks very much for considering. I'm working on getting a close up of her and hopefully some video.

http://sheltertails.chipin.com/olive-girl



Share

Doh!

Share

1,000 Dogs and Cats Up For Adoption in Riverside California, or They Will Be Euthanized

Folks. This. Is. Your. Chance. To. Do. Something. For. Shelter. Animals.

Go here. Get on a plane, get your dog or cat. Or give, and make it possible for a rescue to pull a dog or cat. Due to overcrowding, Riverside California is euthanizing (already begun) a staggering 1,000 animals.

Who's to blame? We can thank stupid movies that picture dogs that can talk, or celebs that carry around dogs like accessories, sheeple, and those looking to make a quick buck. And let's not forgot people who adopted a dog, bought a dog, and then disposed of them like trash.

Please, act now. Go get your dog or cat. I did it with Mr. Wiggins (from a gassing shelter in Louisiana) and have never regretted it. He's such a light in my life I cannot imagine not being with him.

All breeds and mixes are available.



Share

LOST DOG... Denton, Carrollton Texas Area

Share

Cloud Nine Rescue Flights -- 30% of the way back to rescue flights!

LAST CHANCE: Today is the last day to order homemade treats from the Barkery.

The other day I posted that the Cessna 310 Cloud Nine had donated last year needs some instrument repair work and is otherwise grounded until those can be completed. Every month, Cloud Nine rescues about 50 pets, bringing them from a high-kill shelter area to a rescue or group of rescues willing to take them, wherever they need to go in the country. If an area has few spay/neuter programs, and lots of extra dogs, they are likely to be euthanized. Cloud Nine saves lives.

Please consider making a donation today to let Sugar Pop (the Cessna) be airborne again!

So far they have raised $5,000 of the needed $15,000.
Please do what you can.

Here's a bit from their email alert to me this morning. Notice how Cloud Nine flew laboratory beagles to rescue just last month! (see my other post on the subject earlier today)...

This is every bit as important as the emergency transport requests we respond to, such as the 50 cats we transported from Joplin, MO to Seattle, WA July 1st in partnership with the ASPCA in response to the tornado in Joplin, or the 16 beagles we transported from Raleigh, NC to West Palm Beach, FL last September after the shutdown of Professional Research Laboratory Services in North Carolina due to charges of animal cruelty. Without our aircraft ready to go, we can't respond to these emergencies when they come up, nor we can we respond to our regularly scheduled transports. At the moment, we have two transports we have had to cancel due to Sugar Pop being down. That's two plane loads of pets that will be put to sleep. We need your help to make sure no more healthy, adoptable pets are killed.

Here's a bit about Cloud Nine from the ASPCA's website, with whom they collaborated to save the Joplin Missouri animals.

Thanks for considering a donation. I know it's a hard time but if everyone does just a little...
Cloud Nine will be airborne again!
 
 
 
Share

Lab Dogs and introducing Beagle Freedom Project

That's as in laboratory dogs, not "lap dogs."

According to KTLA news,  there are 70,000 dogs used in research testing in laboratories across the country.

Here's a story about a dog that made it out. Her name is Libby. PETA has the story. Recently they were instrumental in shutting down a testing lab in North Carolina and four of its workers were indicted for animal cruelty.

Here another story about lab dogs, which are mostly beagles, because of their good disposition.

"The people using animals in testing like the beagle because they are small dogs, friendly and docile," Rajt (Lindsey Rajt of PETA) said. "They can be manipulated."

I am impressed by the founder of the Beagle Freedom Project, who has created a relationship with the laboratory in the story that calls her when they are ready to release a dog. That would be a hard road to travel. A Facebook rescue buddy of mine in Staten Island has a relationship with some Amish farmers, from whom she takes dogs they used for breeding but no longer want. (Yes, the Amish are big puppymillers, with no oversight, BTW). It's hard on her too, but she does it. The dogs are always in terrible shape.

Just last month, nine beagles were made available. Forty-eight hours later, the animals were in her possession.

"They were so scared it took them at least 15 minutes to even step on the grass," Keith (who heads of Beagle Freedom Project) told KTLA.

"They had never felt grass, never been outdoors, never seen the sun. It was bittersweet."

Now, those dogs are running around and happy, but Keith says there are thousands more still living in cages and being tested on.

This is tough minded work.

Here's the groups website if you'd like to learn more about their work and make a donation.

The Beagle Freedom Project says the best way to take a stand against animal testing is to be more aware of the products you buy.

For a guide to companies that do and do not test on animals, visit: http://www.peta.org/living/beauty-and-personal-care/companies/default.aspx.

Looks like Beagle Freedom Project is having an adoption day this weekend. If you're in the Hollywood California area, check it out. Info is on their website.

ADOPTION DAY

Sunday, July 24th from 11am-3pm

Come meet our beagles and other rescues!

Healthy Spot in West Hollywood

8525 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069

Share

Pets From Yonkers Animal Shelter

Volunteer extraordinaire Leslie got our pets frm YAS into the local paper.

Meet Gertie and Loverboy! I haven't met Loverboy (I'm sure he lives up to his name) but Gertie is a nice dog to walk. Very sweet.

Share

Be Advised!

This beautiful dog, Badger, a police K-9 partner, died tragically when a rubber ball she was trying to catch became lodged in her throat. I've heard of this exact thing happening before. It's best to get over sized balls for your dogs to play with. I think it may have happened to one of Oprah's dogs, if I'm not mistaken. A ball fills the shape of the throat perfectly and you have no room to maneuver your fingers to grab the ball. It's a terrible way for a pet to die.

DAYTON — A Dayton Police drug dog died over the weekend after too, a freak accident with her trainer and police partner.

Badger, a 6-year-old Belgian Malinois, was exercising with her police partner Det. Kevin Bollinger, at Lyons Field when a ball tossed to her became lodged in her throat, according to Sgt. Gary Lowe.

Badger was taken to a veterinarian off Woodman Drive, via a police escort, after several unsuccessful attempts to dislodge the rubber, baseball-sized ball. The veterinarian was able to remove the ball, but was unable to revive Badger, who died at approximately 1 p.m. Friday.

The veterinarian told police that the rubber ball collapsed when Badger bit down on the ball, but expanded in her throat. “This was a total freak accident,” Lowe said.

Full story here.

My condolences to the Dayton Police Department and Badger's partner, Detective Kevin Bollinger.



Share

Cloud Nine Rescue Flights Needs Your Assistance

I received the below email alert. Also, their wonderful homemade treats for dogs are still available until the end of this week. I promised a review and Mr. Wiggins is preparing his comments.

EMERGENCY!!

SUGAR POP IS GROUNDED!

For the first time in Cloud Nine's 850 hours of flying over the past two years, saving the lives of 962 pets across North America and transporting veterinarians to remote areas, one of our aircraft has a major problem that has forced us to take it out of commission until it is repaired. Sugar Pop, Cloud Nine's Cessna 310, is grounded and unable to fly rescue missions.

Two of the most vital instruments - the Attitude Indicator (AI) and Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI) are broken. These are precision instruments that are required for safe and legal flight in instrument conditions (flying in clouds). Until we get these units replaced, we cannot fly Sugar Pop on any more missions. We have obtained quotes on several options, and need to raise $15,000 immediately in order to get Sugar Pop fixed and back in the air.

You may remember that Sugar Pop was generously donated to Cloud Nine almost exactly one year ago. An excellent plane in great condition, we have used Sugar Pop on 14 transports all over North America. It has excelled in our longer distance transports and transports of smaller pets, where it is a better aircraft for use than our Aztec. We have been routinely flying it on transports going from Texas to New Hampshire (saving the lives of over 130 dogs in 2011 alone). Sugar Pop hasn't let us down yet. We urgently need your help to make sure we can continue using this tool to keep saving the lives of homeless animals.

This year, we've truly put the aircraft we have at our disposal to use. In the first half of 2011, we've transported 398 pets over 26 transports. By comparison, in 2010 we transported 434 pets over 32 transports. We are fully on track towards meeting our goal of 52 transports for 2011, and expect to come close to saving the lives of twice as many pets as we did last year! However, each plane we fly is best suited for the missions that it flies. There is not room for overlap, but due to capabilities and also due to scheduling constraints. Until Sugar Pop is repaired, the missions it flies cannot be flown, and those pets cannot be saved.

Cloud Nine strives to always be there when it counts, responding to both the constant need to transport pets from overpopulated areas to places where they will find loving homes, and also to emergency needs around the continent. In the past year, Sugar Pop has become an integral part of our capability to do this, and has proven its capability especially in immediate need and long-distance transports. Help us to continue this today with your donation. Make your donation now at:

http://www.cloudninerescueflights.org/donate/

Ted DuPuis
Founder, President, Chief Pilot
Cloud Nine Rescue Flights

Share

Enjoy

Share

Great Job, Washoe County, Nevada!

This is via Nathan Winograd, an ardent no-kill advocate. He conducted an interview with a shelter out in Nevada that has seven times the intake as New York City shelters. That is a lot, but it sounds worse than it is. The greatest intake is in places where they are no spay-neuter programs and where backyard breeding is rampant. I happen to know that little Abbeville, Louisiana (a parish of 13,000 people) took in 600 dogs one March alone. That's the place where I got Mr. Wiggins, in March of '10 (that same month). Dogs there have four days till they are gassed in a chamber that is old and barely works. Often they have to be gassed twice. Very sad. (Here's their link, BTW).

But this is a good story, and one that could only be told after lot of hard work and dedication. The shelter that deserves kudos is in Washoe County, Nevada, which includes the Reno area. Mitch Schneider heads up the shelter.

Our success is a result of a willingness to embrace continuous process improvement, which requires not fearing change. That, in turn, requires understanding that you can’t solve the problem with the same thinking that created the problem. You can’t get a different outcome if you keep doing the same thing.

Share

Making Hay

A common fantasy among those who rescue dogs is having an animal sanctuary. I think most people know it will be a lot of work but they'd be doing something they love and just think of all the dogs they can save!

Less common is considering things like making sure you have enough hay for the cows and horses, slaughtering your own beef for food (for the dogs), or dealing with snow removal.


Share

No Such Thing As An Hypoallergenic Dog

It was just hype. I thought it was a bit of an eye-roll myself.

ScienceDaily (July 7, 2011) — Contrary to popular belief, so-called hypoallergenic dogs do not have lower household allergen levels than other dogs.

Share

Help Get CAARA Passed in New York State

This is from an email alert I received Best Friends Animal Society:

Ask Senate to Support S 5363 CAARA

Dear Members and Friends in New York State:

CAARA, the Companion Animal Access and Rescue Act, is an important piece of life- saving legislation written to both improve the standards of care for shelter animals and provide needed access to shelters for qualified animal rescue organizations so they can save the lives of homeless shelter pets.

This month, the New York State Senate will address unfinished business from the 2011 legislative session, which officially ended June 30.

The bill was introduced by Assemblyman Micah Kellner, sponsored in the Senate by Senator Robach and co-sponsored by Senators Avella, Ball, Lanza and O’Mara.

Because of the critical importance of this legislation, Best Friends asks you to please write to your state senators and ask them to vote for CAARA in July. Click here to send a letter to your senators.

Thank you for caring and for everything you do to help animals. Together we can bring about a time of No More Homeless Pets.

Best wishes,

Jamie Lyn Rubin, Best Friends Animal Society New York Programs

P.S. – Please forward this e-mail to your animal-loving friends and family members, so they can help pets in New York, too.

If you have a question or concern about animal welfare please email Community Animal Assistance at animalhelp@bestfriends.org

Share

Great Job, Austin Texas!

Remember this story? There's hope (and now accomplishment!) in Austin, Texas.

Abandoned dog adopted from Town Lake Animal Center

Achieving 90% no-kill is doable.  The Town Lake Animal Shelter shows how.

“This is truly an accomplishment and it shows that the hard work of the staff, partners and volunteers is paying off,” said Abigail Smith, chief animal services officer. “Despite the busy season and an influx of kittens and cats, we were able to overcome some serious challenges and continue to lead the nation’s largest cities in live outcomes. It’s a testament to Austin’s commitment to the no-kill goal, and an example of what success looks like when the whole community comes together. We are very grateful that Austin cares about its animals. This is no-kill in action.”

The Animal Center continues to work on the Austin City Council-approved 34-point No-Kill Implementation Plan, which focuses on programs, services and partnerships to reduce animal intake and increase live animal outcomes.

TLAC's rescue partners are a significant contributing factor in reaching the no-kill status, according to Smith. Austin Pets Alive! and the Austin Humane Society, the top two rescue partners, save hundreds of animals from the shelter each month. In June, APA! saved 350 pets and the humane society rescued 90.

The article goes on to mention how fostering has helped. Many times, a dog gets to a shelter and they are stressed and might misbehave. They don't know what's going on, they might have been lost, given up/abandoned, and their world has turned upside down. A foster family gives the dog a sense of security again, which is the main thing they want. They re-learn, or learn for the first time that they are safe, secure, and will be getting regular meals. Dogs are so adaptable and they respond extremely well to a regular routine.   Dogs that have been successfully fostered have a much higher rate of a successful adoption. And it allows the shelter to take in another dog and not have to make room by euthanizing.

It's not as hard as you may think to give up a dog you've fostered, especially when you take the time to get to know his/her new family. It actually gives you a sense of real accomplishment. I say this from experience.

Kudos to Abigail Smith, Town Lake's director, and to the City of Austin, who took very seriously the need for a dedicated, driven, and enthusiastic shelter director, and found the right woman for the job.



Share

Adopt a German Shepherd

I'm not sure why but California has a great deal of German Shepherds waiting for adoption. There must be backyard breeding going on. Between Orange County German Shepherd Rescue and Coastal German Shepherd Rescue, there are plenty to go around!

Here's an event happening over the next few weeks. Please pass it around.

Share

Freegle Celebration

Last year a New Jersey research laboratory closed down and 120 beagles were going to be free but homeless. Best Friends Animal Society stepped in and got them fostered and adopted. The story is here.

This weekend, the Freegles are reuniting and having a family gathering!

Sorry for the terrible graphic, but I couldn't save it as a jpeg file.

At least you can make out the date and location.

Share

Have a Nice Day

Sorry blogging has been sparse. Busy time; not much time to scan my usual spots for news. But I did see this over at Dogwork.com:

Enjoy!

Share

Puppy Rescue Mission... Thank You God!

Now this is what I'm talking about!

No time to elaborate now, but go see the link. I'm so glad they exist!

Share

Share