Pittie Saves Her Human

A good story in the news, for once. Thank God this lady is okay, and so is her dog!



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I swear

I'm working on an update! Can I interest you in some funny pics for now?

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Some Great Legislative Gains

Big Kudos to the State of Ohio for ditching their pitbull ban (with the help of Best Friends!) and to the City of Las Vegas for legalizing the proper management of cat colonies!!

Well done.

See the goods here and here.

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So sorry to be out of pocket for so long. Maybe the funny pic above will make up for it?!

 I had a trip to the west coast to see some family. Had about two events a day for over a week, as it was a family reunion of sorts. We seem to have a yearly gathering and we lump all of events during that week. It took fourteen hours to get home, but that's another story.  While out in Vegas, I saw Miss Sophie, who got adopted from the shelter where I volunteer. She has a great home and is well-loved. Pics to follow.

Olive is doing great. She's been running and playing ball in a fellow volunteer's yard, weekly, and running off some of the weight she's gained from being kenneled so long. Dixie is doing great and probably enjoying her family very much.

My own little guys are good. I feel terrible because I missed doing a five-year anniversary post for Renaldo.

The cat colony is great. I supply the dry food for it and one day soon I will post a chip in if anyone wants to help with that.

The shelter has moved a lot of old timers since we developed a Facebook page. There is quite a following now.

I will begin posting more regularly very soon. With a full life if I'm out of town for a while, I have to catch up and I'm finally there. One night after work was spent shopping for rescue animals. Another night was assigning soldiers for adoption (I'm a long term volunteer for Soldiers' Angels and organize a team of about 45 active volunteers who support soldiers on deployment).

Enjoy these pictures of Miss Sophie. She couldn't believe she saw me out there.

I brought her new Mommy a dozen roses, and Sophie a toy and bones, and her brother (dog) bones, and her sister cat some mice with catnip. She has a really great family.

And she'll always be my girl. This was the first pittie I ever walked and because she was SUCH a love I kept walking them. Then I realized the ridiculous hype around this breed and that they are much-maligned.

Sophie dislodged the other dog to gain control of the couch! Her Mommy calls her the Queen of the House.

YAY!

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Dixie's Story

August 2011, leaving the shelter for parts unknown.

Dixie is a dog I pulled from the shelter where I volunteer, which went through a terrible patch of having to euthanize dogs every other week due to being fuller than we'd ever been. Dogs that had no issues but were basically just homeless were going down. A bunch of us volunteers scrambled and pulled some dogs to stash in boarding while we searched independently for proper homes. Our shelter has since created a facebook page and gotten much more visibility for our dogs, moving several long timers into home situations. But that is another story.

Last fall I posted signs everywhere to get Dixie adopted. I remembered a friend lives in a neighborhood that is pittie-friendly and very nice. Beautiful old buildings and lots of community. I posted signs on many, many street corners and on their community board. Sure enough, a nice family contacted me, but they quickly realized it was too soon after their last dog died and they still needed some time.

I kept plugging away to get Dixie adopted. Numerous people inquired; one had cats but we learned Dixie hates cats, one had too many rescued animals already, another had too many animals in her apartment but was responding to my flyers and trying to do the right thing. A little discouraged (hey, I'm being honest), I emailed the family who lost their dog again. I mentioned that if they felt they were ready, Dixie was still available. The 21 year-old daughter emailed me right back saying they would finally like to meet her. That was January 20th. 

Nine days later Miss Dixie slept in a home for the first time in three and a half years! The pictures below document the last part of her homeless journey.

They like me, they really, really like me!

And up in the apartment...

This can work.

I'll be glad when I don't have to pose anymore... oh wait, these new people probably like cameras too. Humans! Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em!

On the way to spend her last night in boarding, she knew she did good!

...And the Big Day!!

During her last car ride from Top Dog boarding facility.

 The nice man at Top Dog gave me this new pink collar and leash. And a bath!

Okay, I'm here. I was fluffed and buffed and now I'm waiting...

Are you my Mother?!

When are we going?!

Hey, I recognize this place. This, I can do.

Do you like my new collar and leash? I think it's fab. When do I get fed? I smell good, you know.

Look, our hair matches!

I like the view from home. I think I'll bark at the cars on the bridge, every. single. day.

I want to thank everyone who helped share Dixie's flyers, gave boarding money, told friends about her, and who encouraged both of us in some way during the last nearly-six months. You helped to save a great dog!

Onward, to Olive's new home... someday soon I hope!



xoxo

Dixie Being Adopted Today!!

Sorry to be so quiet... very busy getting the little miss adopted! The deed should be done today. Pics to follow!!



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Why Buying Dogs From Pet Stores, Puppy Stores, and "They are bred privately" stores is bad.

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Now This Is What I'm Talking About

Cleary, this was the best outfit at The Golden Globes.

He's the Jack Russell terrier who has won himself millions of fans worldwide thanks to his scene-stealing performance in the critically-acclaimed movie The Artist.

The Daily Mail has the full scoop.



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Still At It For Dixie And Olive

It's hard for me to believe that I still have two great dogs in boarding, but that is sadly the case. Below are some pictures I took yesterday of Olive. I didn't have my camera ready when they brought Dixie out so I will have more pictures of her another time.

I am also posting their chip in. I only had to raise a reduced amount this month due to a great month in December. People have been truly wonderful, and several have been repeat donors. I will say that, frankly, I am a little nervous about February. Each month we/I start at zero and have to raise now $800. How many times can you go to the same well without showing some progress?! I want to do a chip-in for the cat colony I'm feeding but before I do I'd like to show some progress on the dogs.

In the meantime, if you can see your way to contributing somehting towards their boarding for January, Id be grateful.

Wearing the coat a facebook fan sent her!

NYC was COLD yesterday - as well as today - so Miss Olive enjoyed her weekly chew bone in the car.

This has come to be known as Classic Olive. Ever-onward, with one ear up and one ear down.

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Homeless People And Their Pets

Catster (we have a Dogster, so why not a Caster) has the goods about how Vancouver has begun accepting homeless people and their pets in its shelters. I cannot imagine - after becoming homeless - having to also be separated from my pets, and worse, them being euthanized at a shelter because I could not take care of them.

Truly, never a day goes by where I am not completely grateful for all that I have. Thank You God.



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Cool Ad

Go here for advice. They don't mention walking dogs per se, but their main point is to get exercise.

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Good People

...Doing good deeds. If you can't build a new shelter, update the one you have.



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Adoption Event in NYC, at Pet Health on Upper West Side

I love this pet store. They are an actual community place. Not only with events, but with their commitment to espousing good pet nutrition, as well as their willingness to manage an adoption wall for you to post flyers in their store (read: Olive and Dixie).

This coming Saturday, there will be an adoption event featuring dogs, cats, kittens, and puppies. Here is Eve's Adoption Policy and Application.

Eve's Sanctuary Animal Rescue

DATE: Saturday, January 7, 2012 TIME: 12 Noon to 4 PM
LOCATION: PetHealthStore, 440 Amsterdam Ave @ 81st Street

New York, New York 10024

212-595-4200 and 888-735-PETS

www.pethealthstore.com

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Museum Day

Was at the Museum of the City of New York the other day. They have some great exhibits right now (Cecil Beaton, Kevin Roche, and the 200th anniversary of the NYC "grid" ). In between exhibit rooms (it's a beautiful example of a Federal styled home) they have lots of little things they rotate. Saw this and thought you'd appreciate it.

A related thought: There has been a great controversy about riding in carriages pulled by horses in NYC nowadays. Four horses have collapsed and died on the street this past year.

Three of those horses died. New York is not a bucolic place where horses should be pulling carts, or anything.

This was a book in the museum's store.

The museum is a cool place, situated directly across from the beautiful Conservatory Gardens in Central Park, a place that will make you forget you are in a large metropolitan area with too much grime. I'm on a tear about the grime lately. 



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Two More No-Kill Shelters

Kudos to Healdsburgh, California and Harbison, South Carolina!

Go here and here to read more.

The tide has changed. According to this article, 7 out of 10 people are not happy with the fact of pets being euthanized just for space.

But each place that wants to go no-kill, or upgrade its facility, needs to bring together private enterprise, public representatives, and people with checkbooks. It's hard work. It doesn't happen overnight. You can be sure that each of these efforts took countless hours on the part of dedicated people who overcame a lot of frustration.



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Super Important If You Foster Pets

The Examiner looking out for pets and their caretakers once again...

In a landmark case, expenses for foster care even if you are not a registered 501c3 are deductible.  So that means the money you spend on these purposes gets deducted from taxable income, saving you money. You don't get it back directly.


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Cat Gassed Twice At Utah Shelter

Another Daniel...  the Associated Press has the goods, or in this case...

Gassing is neither quick, humane, or painless. Note the cat vomited and that's how they figured out it was still alive. I was once told by the woman who rescues out of Vermillion Parish in Louisiana, where I flew to get Mr. Wiggins, that they often have to gas them twice because they have an old decrepit gas chamber, and that the gassing burns their throats, they panic and try to dig out, and they vomit all over. A terrible way to die.

Officials at West Valley City's animal shelter in Utah say the cat named Andrea hadn't been adopted for 30 days when shelter officials tried to put her to death in October. She survived, so they gassed her again.

Shelter officials detected no vital signs and presumed she was dead after the second try, so they put her in a plastic bag in a cooler. But when they checked the bag, they saw she had vomited on herself and had hypothermia but was alive.

There are efforts to roll back gassing as a means of euthanasia, but it requires people's help. Here are two good places to support, not only with funds but with your time (targeted letters of protest, et al). Read the websites, begin to follow the various bills being worked on in the news, see how the legislative and civil society process works via this issue.

• Animal Law Coalition - which has an impressive array of bills it is working on.
• No Kill Advocacy Center (Nathan Winograd's group) - works with shelters to find alternatives to euthanizing.

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Another Month for Olive and Dixie

I have learned that if people see a dog that is safe in boarding, and they want to rescue someone, they naturally go to the dogs still in the shelter. I understand, I do!

But I still have two great dogs in boarding!

I hope you don't mind the tin cup rattling again. Here is the newest chip-in, and an explanation of why this month is less money than last. I hope you can see your way to making a contribution of any amount. They add up and have been adding up these last few months. Many thanks to those of you who have given.

For the girls' part, we had some fun on New Year's Eve...

Dixie -- I knew I'd get the crown on her at some point, when she figured out it's not for eating!

And Miss Olive...

The Princess!

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It's a Happy New Year For Dogs and Cats in Alabama

Because as of December 31st, they no longer use the gas chamber!

Sadly, animals in other states are not so lucky. See here for more information.


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Happy New Year and Best Wishes to You and Yours

And all your little guys, too.

Enjoy this cool video while ringing in the New Year.


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Worthy Organizations

While there are many, I am listing my favorites here with the hope you will click on them, learn about what they do, and see how you can help. Here at the end of the year, it's a good time to make a contribution if you can.

Pet Rescue, Inc. - local Westchester County organization that does enormous rescue work, everything from the pull, transport, vetting, foster, and adoption process. Been around a long while (25 years or so), so has a terrific cadre of foster families, and rescues numbers of animals yearly on par with national groups. Hard to imagine that but this is a fantastic place to drop some cash.

Rolling Dog Farm - New Hampshire (formerly in beautiful Montana). Adopts "disabled" dogs and horses for the rest of their lives. Been around about 12 years and is run by a couple who gave up the corporate life to care for animals on a farm.  Their blog has a fun and dedicated readership, and Steve and Alayne give thrice weekly updates on the antics of everyone's favorites (like Widget!)

Noah's Arks Rescue - Okatie South Carolina - rescues dogs from shelters who are in extreme need of medical attention. Jennifer runs the place and keeps several dogs at her home, as well as manages the foster families that take in these very needy dogs, like Smiley/Miley, rehabilitates them and makes them more adoptable. Money is used for vet care for dogs that would absolutely be put down if it were not for this group.

Animal Farm Foundation - Hudson Valley, New York. Dedicated to rehabilitating the image of the American Pitbull. Does facilitate fostering and adopting, and also awards grants to organizations that match pitbulls with forever homes. Has great notecards, too!

Pets Alive Westchester - took over the old-time Elmsford Animal Shelter, getting lots of warehoused animals adopted within their first year at the helm just by using a new model of outreach. Has a fantastic volunteer program, where people can help with all levels of work: painting the fence to dog-walking; you name it! Very dynamic, very committed, and this past year opened a dog sanctuary in Puerto Rico, with a major gift of $250,000. That island desperately needs their help as dogs aren't always treated so well. Pets Alive Puerto Rico is changing that and giving an avenue for dog lovers there to organize.

Guardian Angels for Soldiers' Pet - fosters dogs and other animals of military personnel while they are deployed. I know the lady who co-founded this group, Linda, and let me tell you, she runs a tight ship. This organization has 2,500 foster families across the country ready willing and able to take in animals while their owner is overseas for a year or more. This effort prevents dogs from being dumped at shelters where they will face certain death.  They also have a dog sanctuary in Texas, where they are headquartered.

Coastal German Shepherd Rescue - Orange County and San Diego (two chapters!) California. I have never worked with them but their reputation is stellar. Someone (probably multiple people) out that way is breeding German Shepherds for volume and many end up at shelters emaciated and in need of major medical care and love. This group does everything from the pull, to the vetting, to the foster, to the adoption process. More money means more dogs get rescued. They offer hope where there is none for these forgotten dogs.

Soi Dog Foundation - if it were not for this organization - an army of volunteers! - many dogs would have been left to perish on Dog Island in Bangkok after the floods. Also - this fantastic organization has neutered or spayed over 32,000 animals in Asia in the short time they have been around! That is huge, and really getting to the root of the problem. You can travel to them and volunteer (direct action!), too, but the flight costs a lot.  Visit them for photos of hope coming out of hopeless situations. You will be glad you did.

NYC Top Dog - this is the place where I am boarding Olive and Dixie, and which has recently turned from business model to a non-profit model. They provide a segway for dogs going from rescue to adoption, which is critical. Many times the only thing preventing a rescue from taking place is the lack of a temporary place to house the dog for a few weeks. Pedro Rosario, who runs Top Dog, is a caring animal advocate and is a well known dog lover. Rescues love him. He houses about 140 dogs (big and small), and about 50 cats. What he needs is to own the building he's in so he can build running-around pens! Any major donors out there?!

Wheels of Hope (partners with New York City Animal Care and Control)  - this is a transport vehicle service that works with the New York City Shelter system (read: a lot of animals in a high kill situation) and which has also provided a critical piece of the rescue continuum: transport from one place to the next in a professional, systematized, and safe way. While relying on volunteers to cart dogs around from point A to point B sounds good, that kind of things is a lot of work to organize and manage well. With Wheels of Hope, they are already familiar with the shelter system, and they know where point A and B are... not small things. This simple van transport has literally saved thousands of dogs' lives by providing a piece of the puzzle that often stops a rescue from taking place. Logistically, their existence also allows someone in another state to organize pulling a dog, and bringing them to a place like Top Dog for boarding until a foster or a more permanent situation can be worked out.

Cloud Nine Rescue Flights - A fabulous organization run by a now-married couple (they met doing this work!) Pilots donate their flying hours, Cloud Nine owns two planes who provide safe transport, and dogs from high kill areas (usually in the south but also in the Midwest) get flown to high adoption areas, some 19 or 20 animals at a time. A true lifesaver. Over 500 pets a year saved. Amazing.  They also have the amazing "barkery" -- where they hand-make and bake dog and cat treats twice a year. Special order yours!

Alley Cat Allies - dedicated to cat care everywhere. Promotes anti-cruelty legislation, tutors in cat-colony management, advises about feral cat care. I'm selling them short, I'm sure. Take a look yourself.

Again, these are just a few good orgs. I have two more to add later. Jenny's Hope in Westchester and The Grey Muzzle Foundation, but I am out of time.  Mom is visiting, today is Museum Day, and I already convinced her to adopt a dog this vacation. Can't push my luck.


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Renaldo, new-guy Romeo, Mr. Wiggins, and George.


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All is Well

It doesn't take much to care and to apply yourself for another being. Check out this story (and watch the link to YouTube) about Cora, the very lucky dog who was rescued by a patient and extremely determined person from Hope for Paws.  I remember this group from the video shown on their home page, of the little white dog that was petrified and wouldn't let anyone near her. That dog got saved, with some patience, and it looks like the man adopted her!

All is well with Little Romeo, and the other three boys are getting over their irritation at a new little one being brought home. When a pack of dogs is used to one another, and each other's movements and mannerisms, and someone new comes in with their new movements and mannerisms, there is an adjustment period. This hasn't been bad at all. It's provided a lot of laughs. This morning I had four dogs laying on me when I woke up.

Going to see Miss Olive today and taking her to the park with her new coat from a fan. Dixie isn't quite as needy as Olive so I don't usually take her to the park, but on a long walk in the kennel neighborhood. I bring chicken and liver treats for the dogs in the puppy room there, who are normally on their way to their rescue situation and are usually pretty thin. The kennel, NYC Top Dog, has become a non-profit organization instead of a company. Pedro Rosario, who runs it and whom I cannot say enough good things about, is known far and wide as a strong advocate of the animals. His entire kennel is made up of dogs that are in between a shelter situation (or something worse) and a rescue situation.

Blogging will be light the next few days, but I do plan a post on the various organizations that are worthy of your support. There are many doing some great work, like Hope for Paws.

Thanks for your readership. I hope you all find this blog informative.

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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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Merry Christmas to All!

I hope you all have a blessed and merry Christmas holiday.

The best gift I could get: My Mom, who is visiting from Florida, is adopting a chihuahua from the shelter where I volunteer. We're bringing him home tomorrow morning; won't the boys be surprised! I'll fly home with her since she has her other (rescue) dog, George, and you can only take one dog at a time on the plane. Little Romeo's tag, bed, harness, collar, toys, and sweaters are all ready for him. He was vetted this week, has lyme disease (but who cares, it's treatable), and is about two years old.

Pics to follow...

In the meantime, have a laugh:

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Happy Hanukkah To All

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A Nice Christmas Story

A heart warmer. And a good person.

Enjoy.

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Many thanks... and don't forget to tell others...

I am so pleased and happy to say that the chip-in goal for Dixie's and Olive's boarding has been reached for December! Many thanks to all those who contributed and to those who passed it around to others.

And, don't forget to forward this little tidbit to your friends and family...

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