New Chip-In For Dixie And Olive

I give quite an extensive background of "the girls" at the chip-in page. You will notice I have combined collecting for both girls into one chip-in. The boarding cost for them each is $12 a day, or $360 a month for one dog, or $720 for a month for both: hence the amount being asked for in the chip-in.

I appreciate anything you care to donate towards their care. Many thanks!

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Chicken Snacks For Dogs Causing Deaths

Dogster has the goods:

“FDA is advising consumers who choose to feed their dogs chicken jerky products to watch their dogs closely for any or all of the following signs that may occur within hours to days of feeding the products: decreased appetite; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; increased water consumption and/or increased urination. If the dog shows any of these signs, stop feeding the chicken jerky product. Owners should consult their veterinarian if signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Blood tests may indicate kidney failure (increased urea nitrogen and creatinine). Urine tests may indicate Fanconi syndrome (increased glucose). Although most dogs appear to recover, some reports to the FDA have involved dogs that have died.”

I don't want to besmirch an entire country, but be aware that dog snacks made in China have caused canine deaths all too often.







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Kudos to Terrell, Texas!!

via Facebook:

BREAKING NEWS FROM TEXAS:


Via Stop Gassing Texas Pets -

City of Terrell ENDS gassing! Confirmed 11/29/11 by Police Chief Jody L. Lay "All procedures are conducted with the dignity of the animal in mind and are humanely administered. We are dismantling our chamber and recycling it as scrap metal."

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Keep That Tide-a-Turning!

(Photo credit: The Positive Pitbull)

Penny Eims has the goods.



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Calls And Letters Needed

via Facebook:

Cumberland County Animal Control in Fayetteville, NC. There is a breed ban set to go into affect Monday the 5th of December all Dobermans, Rottweilers, Chow Chows, German Shepherds, Great Danes, Pitbulls, Mastiffs(all bully breeds), Akitas and Huskies. These dogs will be held for the mandatory 72 hrs and then will be killed, they are not going to be given a chance to be adopted. Contact Mayor and be nice about it.


Mayor Anthony G. Chavonne
433 Hay Street
Fayetteville, NC 28301
910-433-1992, 910-433-3401
Fax 433-1948
mayor@ci.fay.nc.us

So I guess my childhood dog, a shelter rescue named Lacy (a white huskey mix with a blue eye and a brown eye), would have been put down immediately, even though he went on to live 14 years and never bit anyone. My ex boyfriend's dog, Ben (a rottie) - another shelter rescue, would have been put down even though he is the mascot of the house and well-loved, and named Ben as in Gentle Ben. I guess my friend Karen and her husband Eric would have had to put down Amadeus (a rottie) who they inherited with their house (POS former owners left him in the garage!), and who lived with them and their two toddlers for his remaining years, and guarded those kids with his life.  The great dane thing just shows how ill informed this town is. They are the gentlest creatures of all, the whale-sharks of the canine world (eat plankton but are huge).



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Much To Be Thankful For!

The number of dogs and cats euthanized is down to 2.4 million annually. I recall when it used to be 17 million. Even if those estimates are slightly high or low, that's an astonishing improvement. And it represents an even more astonishing amount of hard work.

I am thankful for so many things in my life. My family - including Renaldo and Mr. Wiggins, my friends, catching a little of God's grace when he made me an American, my job, my volunteer work and the luxury of having time to volunteer at all. I am also thankful for all those who work on behalf of animals in whatever way they can.

Here are some guidelines form the ASPCA about avoiding a digestive diaster on Thanksgiving with your pets.

Here is something good to stick with:

And of course I have to end this post with the obligatory funny dog pics (and some cat pics!) in honor of the holiday.

(Have to recognize the cat colony I'm feeding)

Have a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving. 


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Something To Be Thankful For

Around the web (From AOL's page)... I just wanted to share because I think the tide might be turning! All these great stories were listed just like this in a row.


Pit Bull Saves Woman Who Fell Down Hill - Pittsburgh News Story ...

Pit Bull Saves Woman With Aneurysm

Update: Pit Bull hero saves woman - National Dogs
Examiner.com

Stray Pit Bull Saves Woman, Child From Attacker

New group saves dogs from fate in shelter
 
 

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Daniel the Beagle Has a Loving Home

Remember this post about a dog who survived the gas chamber in Alabama?

Dogster has a great follow up story.

Joe Dwyer welcomes Daniel to the family home (Jennifer Brown/The Star-Ledger)

October 3 should have been Daniel’s last day alive. The Beagle was placed in an Alabama gas chamber with 16 other stray dogs and the attendant turned on the carbon monoxide pump and waited. When the killing was done, the door opened, and there were 16 dead dogs.

Daniel, however, walked out wagging his tail. He was sick, but alive.

11th Hour Rescue in New Jersey heard about his story and flew him to the Garden State. Daniel recovered and was adopted by Joe Dwyer and his family, who already have four dogs and are clearly wonderful dog people.

“It’s nothing short of a miracle,” Dwyer says. “Whatever higher power one believes in, God has chosen him to live.” Daniel was named for the biblical figure who survived his time in a lion’s den.

Thank you God, Joe Dwyer and family, and 11th Hour Rescue!

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Delta Does It Again

Really, if you are a pet owner, stay away from this airline.

Previous stories here,  here, and here.



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Dog Treats From China Killing Dogs

via Vitals on MSNBC.com:

At least 70 dogs have been sickened so far this year after reportedly eating chicken jerky products imported from China, FDA officials said. That’s up from 54 reports of illness in 2010. Some of the dogs have died, according to the anecdotal reports from pet owners and veterinarians.

...Symptoms may include decreased appetite, decreased activity, vomiting, diarrhea, increased water consumption and increased urination. If dogs show any of these signs, stop feeding the animal the chicken jerky products, FDA officials said. If signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours, seek veterinary help.

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The Shelter Project

This is an easy-to-use way of finding your way to the dog or cat that will rescue you.
Pass it on.

DID YOU KNOW?


 Shelter pet adoptions are on the rise, despite the ongoing recession and high rates of unemployment.

 Each year approximately 4 million pets are adopted.

 The percentage of pets in homes adopted from animal shelters and rescue groups has risen from 27% to 29% in the last two years and encouraging statistics show that euthanasia of shelter pets is down 10% since 2009.

 However, 2.7 million healthy and treatable pets are still losing their lives in shelters each year.

 Seventeen million people will acquire a dog or cat within the next year.

 The Shelter Pet Project is the first animal welfare campaign that the Ad Council has taken on in its 60-year history.

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Updates on Dixie

Shelter day today; all the dogs got out (yay!) and the thin ones were fed a second meal today (this happens a few times a week if they are thin). Yesterday I was at the kennel/boarding facility, walking Olive and Dixie. They are both doing well. See the post below about Olive.

Dixie has become so much more animated since she left the shelter and is staying at the kennel. She upgraded from a cage to a run (same with Olive), so can walk around, though not much. She gets walked daily, which is also an upgrade, since at the shelter she only walked from her cage inside to the outdoor run, and it was just a movement, not a walk.  With the volunteers that take Dixie out, she walks a mile! And she does it about twice a week.

I've never known Dixie to want to run like she does not. She does this thing that right after she poops, she wants to make a mad dash down the street!

Here are some pictures of Dixie.  She is dog friendly, people friendly, rides nicely in the car, but does not suffer cats!

 In both of these pictures, Dixie was looking at a small bucket of chicken bits that I fed her from (I usually bring her and Olive something), and was going to share with the puppy/small dog room after the workers took her back into her kennel.  Finally, a dog that looks at the camera!

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Update on Olive

Olive had a nice day. I got to the boarding facility at around 2:00pm and it was still nice and sunny. We sat in the sun a few times, the first of which she got her bone to chew. I was concerned because her gums bled but it might be because she doesn't get many bones like that. She did have a dental when I pulled her in July. Hard to believe it's been that long! We walked about a mile. She's put on a few pounds and I need to tell Pedro, who heads up the kennel (and is wonderful) not to feed her so much. I said once that he's got to feed her less because she's gaining weight, and he said "but she looks so pretty."

Many thanks to those who have contributed towards Olive's boarding. It's such a big help. The entire cost for one dog for a month is $360! And I have two dogs in boarding, both pulled from the same shelter. I first pulled Olive, only planning to have one dog out, got her adopted, and then once those folks were going to keep her, I pulled the second dog, Dixie. Don't you know Olive came back after a month. We learned she needs a quiet home and not too many visitors. She spent five years in a shelter and lived in a cage. She needs and will need a long transition, a lot of patience, and probably one owner, or a couple who are equally committed to allowing her time to feel secure. But I am not giving up on her and only wish I could see her more than once or twice a week. I do have two other volunteers going to see her so she actually gets visitors three to four times a week.

Many many thanks for your concern for OLIVE! Enjoy the pictures! I will post some of Dixie tomorrow.

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Another Woman Charged With Starving Her Dog

People are sick of animal abuser's crap. It's a painstaking process to get laws and penalties changed. It takes showing up at court hearing, like in this story; it takes lobbying your local officials, it takes speaking to the press, being smart about getting your story out, and not giving up.

But it's happening, all over.



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Kisha POS Curtis Indicted With Four Degree Animal Abuse

Well, it's almost time to go to trial. On Decemkber 3rd, Kisha Curtis, famed animal abuser of Patrick - a dog starved and thrown nineteen stories down a trash compactor -  will face a jury.

I am not encouraged the the charge is only fourth degree. But we will see what happens.

Go here for the story.


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Updates

One day I will be a regular blogger again, writing on things that are time-sensitive, telling of the latest news, putting together a substantial story instead of posting mostly pictures. But with the two dogs that I rescued in boarding, the usual at the shelter, my soldier-supporting work (we have a dog unit!), and the cat colony I've just begun to manage (oh, didn't I mention that? I think I have a saved draft post about it, that I haven't finished yet. I won't mention that I'm not even a cat person!), I am swamped.  Then there are my own dogs and the birds I adopted a month ago....

So please forgive. Below are some brief updates and pictures of Olive and Dixie, both still in boarding, and one of Patrick, who looks better now than I bet anyone thought possible. Thank You God!

Olive Girl!

Some basics: Olive spent five years in a low-visibility, low-kill shelter. I sprung her when she was on "the list" due to overcrowding, which increased due to the bad economy. I put her in boarding, and through facebook "crossposting" got her adopted her out to a friend of a friend. She was returned her after one month (not a good fit, sadly) and was freaked out and skiddish about that. I still have her in boarding and it's been three months. She is 42 pounds, 6 years old, totally vetted (including dental and a microchip), and is available by appointment. Please click the link in the left column for my email and put "Olive, blog" in the subject.

This picture was taken yesterday. Olive had a nice long walk today (about a mile), half a small chicken empanada, three marrow bones, a small piece of chicken cutlet, and a backrub (while sitting in the sun). AND, she rec'd FIVE days of boarding from an ANGEL! Many thanks. You know who you are.

Also, here is Olives "chip-in" if you would like to help with her boarding costs. It's $12 a day.  She is at Top Dog in Morris Park, Bronx, if you care to donate directly to either Olive or Dixie. You can get a receipt for tax purposes. Pedro runs the place and he is wonderful. His facility is specifically for dogs that are halfway from a shelter situation to a rescue or foster, or an adoption. Thanks for anything you can do.

And here's Dixie:

Dixie!

Dixie was in the same shelter, but for three years. She wasn't in danger of being put down but by my pulling her and working to get her adopted, it opened up another cage for another dog to not get euthanized. We still put down a lot of little guys this past year, but I like to think one less than might have been. Dixie is about 5 years old, friendly with other dogs, does NOT like cats, and is really opening up since being at the boarding facility. She discovered grass recently and decided she likes it. Dixie will come fully vetted including a dental and a microchip. If you are interested in Dixie, plese put "Dixie, blog" in the subject line of an email.

Dixie's chip-in link is here. Again, anything you can do is appreciated.

And, here's Patrick, preparing for a game I imagine (I thought it was World Series Time, but I guess that's over now). It is hard to look at this magnificent boy and remember the skeleton we all saw. God bless his caretakers.

And finally, here are the birds I adopted - Pauline and Pips, who will go on the picket line if I don't post a picture of them.

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Mr. Wiggins Is A Celebrity

Don't mind me for being a proud mom.

Go here to see.



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Kudos To Macon, Georgia Animal Control

The shelter signed a pledge to go no-kill for a week. This is a big deal in the south, where there are far fewer spay-neuter programs, and many many strays.  I do not mean that as a gratuitous knock on the south!

SIGNED, Macon Animal control has officially signed the PAWS of Hope & Faith Pardon.  During the week of Nov.6th thru 12th there will be no animals put down! The goal is to save everyone of them. Small steps: one week of no-kill will lead to more!

I appluad small steps like this. It's so easy for advocates of worthy causes to feel frustrated at not getting a big committment. But this small step is a measurable thing that can be done. It's something to build on. I do think a month would have been nice, but I'm also thinking that if they agreed on a week, a week of no-kill is likely a big deal in that community.



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Remember Issues With (Certain) Dogs Flying On Planes, and, Delta Still Sucks

Short snouted dogs have trouble breathing (and panting, which cools them) during stressful situations, like flying in an airplane. See this old post I did on the subject.

But as the subject has been studied and more evidence shows that not only short nosed dogs don't fare well, but that any dog in the cargo hold of a plane could easily die from extremem temperatures and stress caused by any number of factors.

Recently, this poor dog died unnecessarily. I feel bad for the soldier whose dog it was.

The problem is so widespread it led to a study by the U.S. Department of Transport which analyzed the death of cats and dogs during flights from May 2005 to May 2010. Their results showed that flat-faced canines such as pugs, bulldogs, boxers, Boston terriers and cats such as Himalayans and Persians were extremely susceptible to the stress of flying in the cargo hold.

The study also found that English bulldogs, like Buster accounted for more deaths than any other breed.

Animals with snub-noses are at a higher risk because “their breathing is more restricted” than cats and dogs with a longer muzzles. This restricted breathing makes it harder for them to cool themselves by panting.

Since the study many airlines have banned these animals from flying unless they are seated in the climate controlled cabin of a plane, like human passengers.

I would add that flying in cargo is no picnic and many animals have been frozen to death (like this one) as well as having died of excessive heat. It's better to leave your pet home, frankly, or use a pet friendly airline.

I do not even fly Delta Airlines anymore, since they have lost three passengers' dogs in recent years. Here is a bit from the kitten article I linked above, about Delta's poor record:

This is not the first time Delta Airlines has been in the news for the death of a pet they were transporting. Between November 2009 and October 2010 the airline reported 12 deaths, four injuries and one loss.

There were a total of 33 animal deaths reported during that time from all of the airlines combined – placing Delta with a far greater number than their competitors.

Another article over at Dogster about Delta losing people's pets.
And some of my old posts about Delta, here and here.


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Escape From The Gas Chamber

Meet Daniel, one lucky little dog.

(photo credit: Associate Press)

Nineteen states still use the gas chamber as a means of euthanizing. It's barbaric. Dogs gasp and choke, often burning their windpipes. They panic, vomit, and lose their bowels. There is nothing humane about it. In some areas, the gas chamber is old and needs to be used twice to do its job. Older dogs, without sufficient lung capacity to succumb to the poison gas, take longer to kill.

Florence Alabama rightly voted to ban the use of the gas chamber this past legislative session, but the ban will not take effect until December 31, 2011. Until then, many dogs will suffer the fate Daniel fortunately escaped.

I hope his case brings some awareness to the gas chamber's use.






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