Monday, July 27, 2009

Tiny's Mission

By Laura Kelly

My friends John and Kelly contacted my Schnauzer rescue group about a dog who was going to be surrendered to the shelter where they were volunteers. The dog, named Jenny, was 6 years old and blind, and the owner was moving and couldn't take her. My colleague and I discussed it, and decided to give the little girl a chance.

A couple of days later my friend emailed me -- Jenny, along with her two year old daughter, Tiny, had arrived. Kelly wasn't sure if Tiny was all Schnauzer or not. Mentally groaning about taking in a blind dog and a possible mixed breed we'd have a hard time placing, I arranged for them to be transported to us.

It turned out that Tiny was indeed tiny and appeared to have somesort of toy breed in her bloodline. Jenny seemed to be completely blind. She couldn't see dog toys in the floor right in front of her and would cringe if she stepped on them and they squeaked.

It was immediately evident that Tiny took care of Jenny.

Somehow she knew not to let Jenny walk into walls or down the stairs without knowing they were there, and would block Jenny with her little body. She also didn't want the other dogs to bother Jenny and would get between them and Jenny if they approached. She also made a complete nuisance of herself if I did anything Jenny didn't like, such as grooming or nail trimming. She would wiggle in between us or jump up and down and scratch at my legs. In a busy house full of Schnauzers, she was on the job constantly, buzzing around trying to intervene in something Jenny was doing or something being done to her. She seemed to never sleep. She made me tired just watching her.

We put them our adoption website, looking for both a home and for donations to help with the expensive surgery. A few people had the nerve to apply for Tiny and not Jenny. I deleted them without a second look. Anyone willing to do something as cruel as taking away the only thing Jenny had going for her wasn't getting a dog from me.

We arranged for Jenny to see a dog eye specialist, who said she was a good candidate for cataract surgery. He gave us one bottle of drops to begin dissolving the cataracts, and another to dilate her pupils so she could partially see around the cataract.

That night, I got out the drops and tried to put them in Jenny'seyes. She resisted and Tiny drove me nuts, trying to crawl all over me and lick the drops out of Jenny's eyes. Finally I succeeded, and Tiny took up her vigil beside Jenny in the middle of the floor, where Jenny insisted on sleeping.

A short while later I looked up when Jenny moved. She stood up and moved her head back and forth. It appeared she was looking around!

My suspicion was confirmed when she walked over, stuck her head under the ottoman and grabbed a toy that was under it -- something that she never could have known about without seeing it. She lay back downand began to contentedly squeak the toy duck.

Seeing this, Tiny did something that amazed me just as much... She got up, walked away from Jenny, and, for the first time, curled up in a dog bed several feet away and went to sleep. She seemed to just know her services were no longer required and she could relax.

The two were adopted together, and the new family got Jenny her eye surgery.

She could see perfectly afterwards, and Tiny got to be her own dog, reportedly re-living the puppyhood she missed out on being Jenny's seeing eye dog..

-- Laura Kelley [lek1 at bellsouth.net]

Animals Think

This is GREAT! Just watch how clever these animals are...


Fifteen Legs

Below is brief clip from award-winning documentary Fifteen Legs - written & produced by Bonnie Silva and directed & edited by Russ Barry - profiles rescue transports.

For more information about the documentary that will air on PBS this summer, please visit:
http://www.fifteenlegs.com/


Move for a 5 Year Ban on the Sale of Pets

The following is a petition on Care 2 site. Please visit the page below and sign the petition if you agree:

While in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, filmmaker Tom McPhee witnessed atrocities and senseless killings of many helpless animals. Part of McPhee's work is to shed a light on those atrocities. However, the fight is far from over. Millions of animals die each year because there are simply too many animals without homes. It is estimated that sixteen million animals are euthanized annually in the United States. That number is rising because of the economic downturn.

The business of selling pets is built upon the breeding of them. Every pet up for sale has been bred for that sale. Every time a pet is sold in a store, one dies in a shelter. Millions of animals are bred for sale and millions of animals die each year. It is that shocking and simple.

McPhee has called for a five year ban on the sale of pets in order to aid the efforts of controlling the pet overpopulation. Pet animals should not be bred while pet animals die. We believe that good breeders will get behind this initiative because it will clean up the industry from backyard breeders, puppy/kitten mill owners, and bunny/ferret farms. We are not looking for a permanent ban on the sale of pet animals but in these extraordinary economic times, it is absolutely necessary. We should not be okay with sixteen million animals dying each year.

With our signatures, we are hoping to institute the five year ban of the sale of animals on August 30, 2010: the five year anniversary of animal rescue efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/5-year-ban

The Deer & the Cat

A truly heartwarming video. Enjoy!


Friday, July 24, 2009

Doug & Katie Are Doing Great


Here is another update on how wonderfully Doug and Katie are doing in their new home! To read previous posts about Doug and Katie, please visit Spotlight on Rescuers.


Hello Everybody,

Doug and Katie are doing VERY WELL in their new home!

Katie loves the other dogs in the home, and they love her.

Doug is slowly starting to learn to deal with the "stress" of a life off the streets. We have a lot of appointments with Social Services and the hospital coming up. Tomorrow, we are meeting again with his social worker in West Los Angeles. He will get an assesement of temporary disability because of his hernia. Next week, we have an appointment at the hospital to see the surgeon. From then on, it can still take up to 1.5 years to get a surgery appointment. Then he has an appointment at the hospital to see a dermatologist because the doctors are suspecting skin cancer below his nose and on his scalp. Then he has a full physical exam in the beginning of August.

ARE THERE ANY DRIVERS out there? (Just kidding).

Anyways, it is very exciting to see how Doug keeps the house organized and clean, and how he continues to make improvements.

He is very happy there.

I accompanied Doug to his first AA meeting on Saturday (we will go every Saturday). It was great, and he really liked it. Two guys at the meeting, who have been sober for over 30 years, gave Doug their number. I hope he can make some friends that will also support him. We are also looking into counseling to battle his anxiety and to overcome his childhood and adulthood traumatic experiences.

Katie stayed at home with the other dogs during the AA meeting, and she did great! She is SUCH A GOOD girl.

We took Katie and her 3 new siblings for a little walk in the park. You will see Doug & his gang in the pic. I had the pleasure to walk 2 of them but for the pic, I asked Doug to hold onto all of them. IT WAS SO CUTE!!!


The dogs are so in love with Doug! They follow him around the house EVERYWHERE and sleep on his bed.

As you can see in the picture above, Doug is also a great cook! He insisted to cook me lunch, and it was Tortellini with a Mushroom/Creme sauce. VERY GOOD!

You all might remember that we had found a black Pit Bull last week on our way to the Social Services in West LA. She is still at WEST LA SHELTER. I am waiting for better pics from one of the volunteers.

I AM ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN, because on Saturday, when I was visiting Doug and Katie, I was in their living room and all of sudden, I see 2 Pit Bulls running by the house. I ran out and caught both of them, they jumped right into my car that was parked there.


Male and female, between 10 months and 1.5 years old. NOT FIXED, NO COLLAR/TAGS, NO MICROCHIP, a bit skinny, dirty, FLY strikes on ears. EXTREMELY FRIENDLY.


I begged my friend to hold onto them until tomorrow morning. I have networked them out like crazy because I am BEYOND full with the dogs that I have for adoption.

If no rescue can be found by tomorrow morning, they will have to go to the shelter.

PLEASE NETWORK THESE AMAZING DOGS! My trainer evaluated their temperament and they passed with flying colors.


THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT! Special Thanks Again to our 2 VERY special ANGELS (you know who you are)!

Please continue to make donations as Doug still needs to cover expenses. The medical exam will show how soon he can start looking for a job but until then... WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!!

Ingrid Hurel
4818 W. 136th Street
Hawthorne, CA 90250


or

PAYPAL
pajade@yahoo.de

Thank you!

Ingrid
310 480 6030
pajade@yahoo.de

Animals Who Steal

This is hysterical! Enjoy!


Monday, July 20, 2009

Pit Bull Blues

I hope that you enjoy Pit Bull Blues by John Shipe which is easily the best song about pit bulls that I have ever heard.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Update on Doug & Katie in their New Home


Here is another update from Ingrid on Doug & Katie's new home.

Previous posts:
The Story of Doug & Katie
Update on Doug & Katie
Doug & Katie Have a Home


Hello Everybody,

I am so sorry I haven't updated you in over a week.

I actually have been doing some catching up in my own life in addition to helping Doug and Katie.

Both have been in their new home for 1 week and 2 days now, and so far everything seems to be going really good.

It's a cute 2 bedroom house with a peaceful yard. A friend of our rescue ANGEL lady's family lives there too. Doug and Angelo get along just fine, especially since they found that they both are of Italian heritage, lol.

Doug is absolutely excited and happy about his new home but at the same time, I can see how he gets overwhelmed with all the changes. As it seems easy to most of us, every change is hard for him. We are trying to establish a daily routine for him, and he started making a list for every day of things that he wants to get accomplished... be it yardwork or vaccuming the house or making calls to find out about counseling.

He does his best to clean the house and the yard but he has to take it slow, because he often is in strong pain because of the hernia.

Even though, at first, Doug was really apprehensive about the idea of going to counseling, he seems to be warming up to the idea now. We are waiting for a call back from the Family Counseling Center in Pasadena.

Doug will also start going to AA meetings. I will be going with him for the first month, starting this coming Saturday at a Church near his house.

Katie LOVES, LOVES, LOVES her new home. She is so happy to sleep in the bed with Doug and run around in the yard. Katie loves her new doggie brothers and sisters. All the dogs constantly follow Doug around and/or sleep in his room or on his bed.

Especially Daisy, the senior lady of the bunch, is very fond of Doug. And Doug adores her. She gets extra hugs and kisses all the time.


We are also working on getting help from the Department of Social Services. He had gotten a card for food stamps, but there is a problem with it now. We went food shopping one time with it for less than $ 50 and now the balance is gone. So we had to spend some donation money on Saturday to buy groceries.

Well, we went on Friday to meet with the social worker all the way from Duarte (near Pasadena) to West Los Angeles, and then she wasn't even there. We were just able to submit the application. On top of everything, we found a BLACK female PIT BULL (I think she's is mixed with Shar-Pei), approximately 2 years old, near the Social Services Department on Pico/Sepulveda, just running loose.


I am stressed to the max, because I have no more room for another dog. My house is full with cats and dogs (my own dogs and foster dogs), and I have several in boarding and 2 in a foster home. I can't take any more. Most of mine are Pits. Well, please don't get upset with me, but I took the little girl to WEST LOS ANGELES SHELTER. I actually stopped by another rescue before, but of course, they were full. I called a few rescuers, but of course everybody is full.
Before I turned her in, I had a long conversation with a volunteer at the shelter who assured me she would take pics of her. As soon as she becomes available, she'll e-mail them to me. The West Los Angeles Shelter has several good volunteers there and the dogs get exposure. Of course, I will keep an eye on her and start networking her out as soon as I get the new pis. I don't have much hopes because everybody is so full and adoptions are so slow. Plus, she is black and black dogs are always the hardest.

I named her Crystal for now (please see pic above). Her impound number is A1046623. PLEASE NETWORK HER!

Of course, we had Katie in the car. Since I always keep a crate in my car, I put Crystal in the crate. She went in without any problems and a couple of minutes later, Katie and her were kissing each other through the bars of the crate. She becomes available for adoption (and to be killed) tomorrow.

Again, please forgive me, but I didn't know where else to take her. I am beyond overwhelmed.

Doug has another appointment tomorrow morning at Social Services with the acutal case worker. So, I will leaving my house at 5 am to go pick him up (his new home is about 45 min. from me) and then drive him to West LA. Then drive him back, go home to spend some time with my dogs and then go to work for my nightshift.

Please keep crossposting Doug's and Katie's story. There is still a LOT OF WORK ahead of us and we NEED your support.

To all who have donated, THANK YOU SO MUCH!

If you can, please make a donation. Our goal is to make Doug and Katie self sufficient. They are on the right track, but it can't happen overnight.

Please send your donation to:

THROUGH PAYPAL
Ingrid Hurel
pajade@yahoo.de

or

Ingrid Hurel
4818 W. 136th Street
Hawthorne, CA 90250


PLEASE NETWORK CRYSTAL SO HER LIFE CAN BE SAVED!!!


Thank you!!!

Ingrid

Monday, July 13, 2009

Update from Ban Ohio Dog Auctions

Here is a recent update from Mary O'Conner-Shaver from Columbus Tops Dogs & Ban Ohio Dog Auctions:

Dear Companion Pet Lovers ~

I wanted to take a moment and thank you for playing a critical role in our campaign to ban Ohio dog auctions. Your dedication to the animals is so important in helping us raise awareness of this event and its relationship to puppy mills and pet homelessness. I also want to share with you where we are in the process and ask for your continued assistance as we move forward in reaching our goal in presenting this proposed law to Ohio voters.

Here's where we are right now.

Unfortunately, our initial written Petition, which was signed by over 1,500 Ohio citizens, was not certified and approved by the Ohio Attorney General (OAG) and Ohio Ballot Board. The primary reason was information we did not capture correctly during the first signature drive.

But when one door closes, another one opens.

Although we were very disappointed to receive this news, thankfully we have allies (which include several animal loving attorneys!) in the right places who are providing guidance on corrective steps that need to be taken to ensure our amended Petition is approved and certified as part of a second filing. We have also connected with many new groups and individuals who are committed to helping us succeed in this campaign! One of those individuals is Don J. McTigue of McTigue and McGinnis, LLC.

In case Don's name may not be familiar to you, he is the former Chief Elections Counsel to the Ohio Secretary of State. Don has been in private law practice since 1991, representing and advising ballot issue groups across Ohio. He has also represented his clients in numerous election-related cases before the Ohio Supreme Court and the Ohio Elections Commission, and he is an Adjunct Professor at Capital University Law School, where he teaches election law.

In addition to helping us draft our amended Petition, Don's team has also coordinated the necessary legal paperwork to ensure our affiliate - Coalition to Ban Ohio Dog Auctions - can operate as a 501(c)(4) tax exempt, nonprofit organization.

We're getting ready to submit our amended Petition within the next week!

As was the case with our initial written Petition, the amended Petition will need to be signed by a minimum of 1,000 Ohio registered voters. Because so many animal lovers across the state feel passionately in supporting a ban on Ohio dog auctions, we have once again partnered with teams of dedicated animal advocates, which includes many volunteers from Stark County Coalition for Animal Concerns, who will be taking a lead role in helping us secure the required signatures (as with the initial filing, we will be striving to secure at least 20% above the 1,000 minimum requirement). As an additional show of support, efforts to secure signatures will also be taking place during the July 18 Citizens for Humane Action (CHA) Animal Shelter's 'Picnic with the Pups' fundraiser.

Again, I sincerely appreciate all your passion and commitment to helping us move towards a statewide ban on Ohio dog auctions!

For the dogs,

Mary O'Connor-Shaver
Columbus Top Dogs
http://www.columbustopdogs.com
http://www.banohiodogauctions.com
http://tejasanimalrefuge.ca
http://www.lostpetusa.net

LEGISLATIVE ALERTS: Please visit our Home page for pending legislation impacting the welfare of OH animals - http://www.columbustopdogs.com/

Recession Proof Your Dog: Tips from Cesar

Owning or adopting a dog can be expensive under any circumstances. Between the price of food, medical expenses, pet paraphernalia, training, and boarding, monthly budgets can shoot skyward with the addition of a four-legged friend to the household. But even in this time of economic crisis, you can find ways to care for your loyal companion without breaking the bank!

Read Cesar's 11 Tips:
http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/features/recession.php

Newsweek Article: Pressure to Close a Puppy Mill

Newsweek
July 11, 2009

Bill Smith has dedicated his life to fighting "puppy mills," the warehouses where dogs are raised for profit in tiny cages, denied sufficient medical care, and often killed when they get sick or can no longer breed. Smith noticed that many of the farms around his shelter facility, near the heart of puppy-mill country in Lancaster County, Pa., were displaying signs boasting that they were organic dairy operations. Smith found that one mill— B & R Puppies, which had been cited by authorities as recently as a year ago for housing dogs in squalid cages and failing to vaccinate them—was also supplying milk to Horizon Organics. Horizon is a major presence in markets like Whole Foods, where animal welfare is paramount.

Read the entire article at: http://www.newsweek.com/id/206163

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Doug & Katie Have a Home

Below is WONDERFUL news about Doug & Katie from Ingrid...

Previous posts:
The Story of Doug & Katie
Update on Doug & Katie

MIRACLES HAPPEN-----RESCUE WORKS

I can’t even describe in words how happy I am to be able to tell you that Doug and Katie have found a home! (Yes, we did the application process, home check, home delivery, contract etc., just kidding!).

A true Angel, a friend and rescue associate has made it possible for Doug and Katie to move in to a family-owned home. Her mother-in-law, will have to go into an Assisted Living Facility, and Doug and Katie will be able to help care for the house and the 3 dogs residing there. Doug will have a nice gentleman (a long time friend of our rescuer's family) as a housemate and the two men are already getting along just fine.

We met everybody on Sunday, had a nice lunch together... to “sniff” each other out. Afterwards, we went to the house, which is located in Duarte near Pasadena, and introduced Katie to the residential dogs, Sammy, Daisy and baby Mellow. Katie loved all of them, but she already fell in love (so did I) with Mellow, a handsome crème-colored Eskimo mix. The two of them were chasing each other in the beautiful, shady yard. Mellow was totally showing off for Katie and had a smile all over his face.


Doug and Katie will move in this coming Saturday and will start with a two week trial period. This will turn into a permanent living situation... if everybody involved feels that it is the right match. They will have their own room and privacy! Doug will be making repairs in the house and he can’t wait to begin showing off his skills. The rent will be $ 350/month which truly gives Doug a chance to get back on his feet and start a new life!

(This is so amazing, considering what Doug would have been put through finding a place to rent from a stranger. We had looked at a room that he found in the newspaper. Many of you would have considered it “a dump,” but we were hoping that it would at least give Doug a chance. Well, as much of a dump this place was, the owner still requested a credit check, all of Doug’s personal info, yearly income, etc. So, even in this “dump” we wouldn’t have been able to get him in, not even talking about a nicer place to rent.)

SO THIS HOUSE IS A TRUE BLESSING!!! It’s such a cute house too!

Doug was completely overwhelmed by our rescue Angel’s kindness. I almost squeezed him so hard that he couldn’t breathe, and he just sat in the backyard smiling. Doug tells me everyday how thankful he is to everybody involved in helping him and Katie. He is very serious about this one-in-a-million chance! The house is so peaceful, and it will give Doug time to start recovering from all the stress and heartache that he has been through. Naturally, Sammy, Daisy and Mellow took to Doug right away, and I have the feeling that they will all end up sleeping in his bed with Katie, lol.

Please enjoy the attached pictures, and know that your support and prayers have turned Doug’s and Katie’s lives around.

As of this Saturday, Doug will not be considered “homeless” anymore!

My special thanks go to our first Angel... a lady who took initiative from the beginning and made it possible for Doug and Katie to be safe in the motel. We love you! Also, my special thanks go to our second Angel... who opened her heart and home to Doug and Katie and believes in them, just like I do! You are the example of a true humanitarian. We will be thankful to you forever.

Thank you all for saving 2 VERY PRECIOUS LIFES.

Thank you to everybody, who has send a donation. WE STILL NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FIRST 2 MONTHS OF RENT ARE COVERED.

I hope, by that time, he will be able to support himself... IF WE FIND A SOLUTION TO TAKE CARE OF THE HERNIA.

We also need to get him a cell phone. Call me crazy... but I am hoping that there might be somebody out there who could donate a computer. Once Doug starts looking for jobs, that will be crucial. As you know, the unemployment rate is very high, and it will be hard. But we are not giving up!

Please make your donation to:

PayPal
Ingrid Hurel
pajade@yahoo.de

or

Ingrid Hurel
4818 W. 136th Street
Hawthorne, CA 90250

THANK YOU!


Note from Jo Ann...
I'd personally like to thank everyone who responded to Doug & Katie's story with prayers and donations. People who ban together CAN and DO make a difference. For Doug and Katie, it was a "life saving" difference. He is overwhelmed with the kindness people have shown him and his beloved Katie.... people he has never met, nor probably ever will.

Although Doug & Katie are finally safe and off the streets, they still have a tough road ahead. Please continue to keep them in your prayers, and if you can spare a few dollars every now and then, it would be greatly appreciated.

Again, thanks to everyone who opened their hearts to this man and his dog. God Bless you for your kindness.

Jo Ann & "gang"