Meet Little Romeo

The adoption went super-well. We brought my dogs into the bedroom, kept Romeo on his leash, and had George off his leash in the living room, where Romeo was, since he does better that way when meeting new dogs.

The initial meeting when very well. Romeo was suitably deferential to the other three dogs (who are all rescues).  I took my dogs out of the bedroom and into the living room, on their leashes, and did the close-but-not too close thing for about a half hour. There were no big skirmishes until late in the evening and at that point it was Romeo who lunged at George, who walked too close to Romeo while he slept in his bed (or actually, one of the other dogs' beds). George is a bit like Oscar the Grouch but he's easier with other dogs than he used to be. Romeo started the argument and George pinned him to the ground. Feisty yorkie! I bet Romeo will be more careful going forward.

Overnight he slept in his bed (again, another dog's bed) and stayed there all night till I walked them at 6:30am. We're walking them about every three hours right now till he gets used to his routine. When he first got here, my Mom kept his leash on him and walked him throughout the house. He peed on everything. It took us a few hours to realize he thought he was being walked! Since being off-leash in the house, he has only marked one area - not again since - and no pooping inside (even though he had slight diarrhea, which happens when dogs are nervous at being switched from one situation to another). It's already cleared up and now he's on a regular walking, pooping, eating schedule.

All is well. Here are some pictures of the adventure yesterday.  Mom is so glad she got George a companion, and I am so glad this guy got out of the shelter. He was NIPPY there because he was afraid and I was afraid for his life because he couldn't get placed. One rescue already said no to him. And here he is, now, a bundle of happy joy and good nature.

In the car, happy he's out of jail. He and Mom match.

One of the trees in my lobby provided facination.

Wow, this place is nice and much bigger than my shelter digs!

I know what I'm doing. (They sure do learn fast!)

Mom learned, too, how to provide a comfy place to sit!

Smiling shyly for the camera.

Everyone is so happy!! Shelter dogs are the best!!


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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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Facebook Networking Saves Dogs

This story resonated with me because it is the same story of how I got Mr. Wiggins.

MIAMI (WSVN/CNN) – A Facebook page connected a dog on death row in Miami with its new owner in Michigan. Nick, a 2-year-old Bull Terrier mix was featured on Facebook escaped being euthanized by Miami-Dade Animal Services. Steve Jordan, a Facebook user and now life saver flew all the way from Michigan to rescue Nick who was facing death at a high-kill shelter.

Here's how it works:

1. Facebook user sees dog who needs rescue
2. Facebook user flies to far away state to get dog from high kill facility
3. Dog is forever grateful
4. Both have been saved.

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Transport Sunday and Shelter Day

Happily, my entire day yesterday Sunday was spent doing stuff for dogs.

The morning began taking my little guys on their Daily Constitutional 1.3 mile walk (later in the day they get another Constitutional 3/4 mile walk, plus three quickies).

Here they are at "Grandma's House" last weekend.

Then I left to provide one leg of a transport of three little ones needing to be driven to their new homes. They were impossibly cute. Bentley is on the left (he was thrown from a moving car and that owner was turned in by her son and grandson!), Diamond, and Little Margot.

Bentley leaving his old life behind!

Diamond in between ear scratching.

This little one (Miss Margot) nibbled on my ear the entire time! If she was quiet and I got worried she was into something, so looked her way, she took that to mean it was time to start nibbling again.

Both Bentley and Diamond are with their new people and Little Margot is being fostered for a week first.

Then it was off to Yonkers Animal Shelter where I volunteer. It was a beautiful day, all the dogs got out, and one got adopted (Bonnie, who went with such nice people).  We've had some good adoptions lately. Spot went home a few weeks ago. He's doing well, I hear. Love that boy.

Sadly, a shady threesome cast another dog out their car window in front of our shelter. If a dog's face could personify worry, this little one's could. She has big soulful eyes that are kind of close set and between the totally wrinkled-up brow at being thrown from the car, we all rushed over to love her. She was afraid but we did out best to make her at home.

 She'll have a name and a picture soon.

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Mr. Wiggins Having a Celebratory Bully Stick

...to mark his one year anniversary with his new family:

Posing (or not) for the camera:

This is the shelter where I got Mr. Wiggins from. This is the rescue the shelter works with, since they do not adopt out to the public. They always have dogs needing to be adopted... rescued, for sure! It is still a gassing facility. They will take the dog you want out, foster it till you can get it transported.  When I adopted Wiggins last year, I flew down from NYC since it was easier and faster. The couple who rescued Mr. Wiggins drove three hours to the airport to bring him (and three hours home!).  I will always be grateful. Their group's vet bill for May and June '11 was $7,500. I made a contribution to thank them for Wiggins today and will each year. I so wish I could do more.

Gassing is neither quick nor painless.

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Mr. Wiggins's One Year Anniversary

At this exact hour last year I was on a plane going to Louisiana to get Mr. Wiggins from a couple who had rescued him from the gas chamber.  I saw a picture of him on Facebook and thought he looked just like my other little guy, Renaldo, and after a few days and a few frantic attempts at sending some money for him to be fostered, I was on the phone looking to adopt.

Here, here, and  here is the whole tale tail.

We got up fifteen minutes early today so the day wouldn't be so rushed and took our time during their 1.3 mile walk. He dutifully barks at all the squirrels and birds, though at this time of year it's dark so that gives me a break is sort of nice.

Little guy got a new $16 dollar collar his sucker super duper Mom bought to mark the occasion!

Here are some pics over the past year.

4th of July

Wiggins has helped Renaldo not feel so alone during the day (Renaldo is deaf), so that keeps him from scratching on the door or breaking out of the house to look for me (yes, he did that once).

Wiggins at Mommie's computer. She thought he was so clever standing on the chair she uses while at the computer, because she thought he was saying "hey, give me attention," but all he wanted was his ball.

Asleep during vacation.

On alert...

Wiggins settling for the back seat while his older brother was on Mommie's lap in the front seat.

Two peas in a pod.

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Goodnight

We're all home and everyone is well and chewing a bone. Night night.
More to report tomorrow. It was a wonderful and eventful day.

Mr. Wiggins and his first night at home, 3-24-10

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I'm Off To Get The Wiggins, The Most Wonderful Wiggins Of All...

His flight bag is all ready with cushion, water bowl, two chew bones, a nylabone, a marrowbone, and don't you know Renaldo is poking his head in there to see what he's missing. I can just see it now.  I have his leash, collar with new tag, sweatshirt, and his foster Mom has his papers all ready to go. I rolled up all the smaller area rugs in the house and will see how he does before they go back down. The wee-wee pad is already stretched out waiting for him.

I'm going to spray the house with Nature's Miracle (another great product!!) to neutralize any Renaldo scents, thereby thwarting any soon-to-be Wiggins scents. He'll sleep in a crate the first couple of nights; I dug it out from the basement, cleaned it, and put a pillow in there with a fresh pillowcase.  He can be confident in his space and not pestered by his older brother.

It'll be fine. I'm meeting some soldier friends at the New Orleans airport for lunch and then getting Wiggins in the afternoon. We'll be home by 11:00pm, and I'll report in Wednesday morning before he goes to the vet.

Wish us luck!!


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Guess Who's Going To Be A New Mom?

So about two weeks ago I was on Facebook and I see a picture of a dog in Louisiana needing to be fostered. Virtually fostered. Had not seen that before but that doesn't mean anything. So I click the requisite clicks to get a bowl of food, or a blanket, etc. Turns out that for just $13 bucks you can buy the little guy a bed. I went to do that and though the links were not working, I learned that he was in a shelter that does not adopt out to the public, and he only had four days to live! They have such a problem with the number of unwanted pets down there that he was basically in a euthanization site, where either his owner or a rescue group can get him out, but that's it. And, they use the gas chamber to euthanize them, to boot. Yuck. Very sad.

Some Southern states still use the gas chamber and it's barbaric. Alaska - or at least some parts of it (like Dillingham) - allows the dogs to be shot in the head at the garbage dump. I like most other areas of the country and while I'm different than a lot of New Yorkers in this way (the snobbery in NYC about other areas has always annoyed me), I'm glad I do live in a place where this method is not the norm. Not that the city shelters give them more than a week, but the death is a needle given and while they don't give the valium-like drugs I insist my own dogs get when the time comes, it is quick (the gas chamber usually takes 20 minutes). We live in an imperfect world.

Anyway, so between calling to make a contribution (I give at least something to most special cases I list here), getting fixated on the dog because he looks just like my little guy, Renaldo, and finding out he needs a home desperately, I ended up applying to adopt him. Now, to some degree, I do think he was already in a foster when I clicked to get him the bowl of food. But it doesn't matter. A rescue group took him and put them in one of their homes, and he is sleeping in a bed, and not going in the gas chamber.

My application was approved (after a vet check), and I began to look into calling upon one of the newly developed non-profits whose specialty is to transport dogs from the south to the north, where people are ready to take them in. This, in some dog rescue circles, is an apostasy. Why take in a dog from another area when you can get one near you? Well, it's a fair question, I guess, though the gas chamber thing does weigh on a person. Plus, he's the same mix as my dog (who I thought was a chihuahua-dachshund mix and now I realize he's a minipin-chihuahua mix, though I'm not yet telling him that since he likes to burrow like a dachshund). He needs a home and I have been wanting a second dog as a companion to Renaldo. It's perfect that they are the same size, color, and look so darn alike I think Renaldo will have shock when I bring -- Mr. Wiggins -- home.

Wiggins

Renaldo













So I began to look into the rescues that transport. They are very useful (and a Godsend!) but I honestly didn't have the time to keep watch on their message boards to grab a time slot and road-trip-leg that was available (made possible by their angel volunteers), and piece together a trip from Louisiana all the way to New York City. I'm off next week from work and wanted to do the transport then, getting Wiggins acclimated to me, my apartment, Renaldo (and Renaldo to him!). So I instead booked a flight with Jet Blue to New Orleans, and the wonderful rescue woman is driving two hours each way to bring the new other little guy to me. I'll bring my pet carrier and off we'll go, after lunch in a nearby park. We'll have a day at home to get settled (and make sure we know to poop and pee outside), and then Thursday is vet day. Friday we'll do more lounging and getting Wiggins and Renaldo used to each other.

I'll keep you posted on the meeting of the minds. Yes, it's risky to not have had them meet before, but Renaldo likes other dogs, Mr. Wiggins likes other dogs, and everyone is going to have to share. There are dogs to be saved, and I have the room.

Of course, after I found out I was able to definately adopt him, and I made the flight and confirmed the rescue lady dropping him off, I went to the pet stores and had fun. Mr. Wiggins does not know it yet but his signature color is blue. A muted blue, though I did have some angst choosing between the royal blue harness and leash I also bought but will be returning, and the more subte blue that is a good companion color to Renaldo's signature color of hunter green. I also got Renaldo a new set because I can't play favorites, you know!  So they both ended up getting a new bed (there are now a total of six in the house for two dogs, plus The Big Bed, which no doubt they will both hog), new leashes, new bowls, toys, bones, giant size wee-wee pads, and one got a baby-carry-bag but since Renaldo doesn't fit in it (it looked like the doggie version of the glove with O.J. Simpson's attorney -- "if you don't fit you must acquit"), I doubt Wiggins will since he's only a pound less than Renaldo, so that will be going back to the store too.

The new stuff has been on a chair in the living room for a week and I keep adding to it. I feel like I've been "working on the baby's room."

More to follow....


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