Foster Care - The Backbone of Animal Rescue

1 . Fostering is an ideal activity for people that love animals but cannot commit to having a lifelong pet. In fact, every additional foster parent that animal rescue groups can get represents in most cases the difference between life and death for animals abandoned in the streets, or removed from a life of abuse and neglect. Aside from regular day-to-day care (feeding, grooming, exercise), the responsibilities of a foster home may include basic training (housetraining, walking on leash, etc); behavior modification (to correct problems such as jumping, mouthing, barking, destructive chewing, dashing through doors, etc); socialization and temperament evaluation (to determine whether the dog or cat is good with different types of people and other animals); medical care (dispensing medication, taking the animal to vet appointments), and of course plenty of playtime and snuggling.

2 . Many animal rescue groups do not have a shelter, so they depend on the help of rescuers and foster parents to take care of kittens, cats, puppies and dogs until they are adopted. The more foster parents they have, the bigger the number of abandoned and/or neglected animals they can help. In fact, a shelter is not a good option in many ways because dogs and cats can lose touch with being in a home environment. Hereafter, a network of foster homes can take a dog or cat in and give them the care and training they need: the one that can only be accomplished at home. Fostering also bridges the gap between total abandonment and a permanent home. Just think of a shelter dog's day: they can be in their cage (without human
contact) for more than 18 hours. If you multiply that by how many days they can be at the shelter, then the risk with a long-term dog or cat is that they lose touch and exposure to a loving home, interacting with people and even with other pets.

3 . It is a hugely rewarding experience to give an abandoned and/or mistreated animal a second chance to recover its health, as well as to provide him with love and affection while he/she is waiting to get a permanent loving home. The most amazing thing is that rescued animals respond to your care with lots of love … they cannot talk, but certainly they show how much they appreciate all your efforts. Fostering a dog or cat may seem like a formidable task, but it is a very tangible way to make a difference. Everyone benefits: the foster parent gets to spend time with a special dog or cat, while an animal rescue group gets valuable help with rescued animals. The foster dog or cat gets a break from a very hard life of abandonment and neglect, and a second chance at becoming a cherished pet. Then, the new owners get a dog or cat that is better adapted to home life, and therefore has a better chance of remaining in the new home forever.

4 . Pets reduce stress and anxiety! According to some studies, interacting with a dog or cat is a profound and effective stress reducer. It increases feelings of contentment and relaxation. Not for nothing dogs are described as man’s best friend! (even though for some people this applies to their cats!). Walking and/or playing with a pet is an effective mean of spending quality time at home, make exercise, reduce stress and anxiety, forget about the problems of the day ... and to give your foster cat or dog lots of love, exercise and entertainment! Please consider to be a foster parent … abandoned animals will appreciate your help with all their hearts!

Animal rescue organizations always need more foster parents. For you it is a great way to have a “temporary” pet if you cannot adopt, or want to have a furry companion in general or if your own pet needs a friend to play and have company. By being a foster parent you get a companion and help save an animal at the same time!  Some rescue organizations also need “special care” foster parents who are willing to take in sick animals or animals that require bottle feeding on a regular basis every day. 

Animal rescue organizations are always grateful to foster parents because it takes dedication, time and love. When you see a five-day old kitten or puppy survive because of the efforts that foster parents make, it is a wonderful feeling of accomplishment! So, if you like the idea of being a foster parent, please check your local area for organizations in need of foster homes. There are many out there that would more than gratefully accept another foster home. Remember, more foster homes means the ability to rescue more animals in need.

Remembering the Canine Heroes of 9/11

Nine years ago on September 11, 2001 the face of the New York City skyline changed forever when terrorists flew two hijacked commercial airliners into the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Many people lost their lives that day, and many people responded to the tragedy desperate to save the lives of those dying around them. Among those respondents were approximately 300 dogs, dogs trained for search and rescue. Each year on the anniversary of one of the worst terrorist attacks in US history, people gather all over the world to remember the fallen and honor the heroes of 9/11.  The following video courtesy of the Dog Files pays tribute to the canine heroes of 9/11. Those four legged furry rescuers who worked tirelessly alongside their handlers to find anyone alive in the rubble of the twin towers, and when the last live person was found they continued on finding the remains of the fallen and putting loved ones hearts at rest. Today when you stop to remember the fallen and pay tribute to the heroes, remember this video, and take an extra moment to pay tribute to those unsung heroes, the dogs of 9/11.

ONLY in Canada eh?

I was researching Canadian canines involved in the 9/11 rescue efforts for tomorrows blog posting when I came across a news article I just had to share with you. Only in Canada would a city thank a hero in this manner! Just goes to show how backward thinking some people can be.

K-9 Rescue Team Finds World Trade Center Survivor, Then Gets Suspended for It

HALIFAX, NS (Canada) — An exceptionally motivated rescuer and his dog have been suspended from the police force for their miraculous rescue of a survivor in the World Trade Center wreckage last month. Suspended? Don't we mean promoted? Perhaps even elevated-to-demigod-status? Not quite. It seems that they forgot to ask the boss's permission, called in sick to go to New York, and now they're busted.

On September 11, Constable Jamie Symington of the Halifax Regional Police force and his retired police dog "Trakr" watched in horror at the televised coverage of the New York City World Trade Center attacks. Const. Symington and his friend Corporal Joe Hall grabbed their gear, loaded Trakr into a station wagon and drove 15 hours from Prospect Bay, Nova Scotia to Manhattan.

The truant trio arrived at "the pile" on Wednesday morning, September 12, and were quickly led to the still-burning heap of rubble of the south tower.

Trakr, an 8-year-old German Shepherd, had been trained in the Czech Republic and had joined the police force in 1995 at the age of 14 months. After an illustrious six-year career apprehending felons, recovering lost persons and detecting over $1 million of contraband, he was retired in May of this year. Coming out of retirement for one last tour of duty, the dog was faced with a nightmarish, sensory overload that few can imagine.

"It was like nothing [we] had ever seen before," Cpl. Hall describes. "The sounds, the smells, what we saw, it was just incredible." Rescuers found little else but body parts, but on Thursday, September 13, Trakr began to show interest in one particular area of the rubble.

"We knew from his reaction that someone was down there, and it was just a matter of just how far underneath this debris the person might be," says Cpl. Hall. Having indicated the spot, Trakr, Const. Symington and Cpl. Hall deferred to emergency fire crews and moved on."We just kept moving," explains Cpl. Hall. "It was so chaotic there, and having a search dog really cuts down on the search time."

It was several hours before the heroic team would learn that the fifth and final survivor had been pulled from the twisted mass where Trakr had sensed someone. The three labored on tirelessly, often in hazardous burning areas where they had to be suddenly evacuated. On Friday, September 14, Trakr collapsed in exhaustion and required emergency veterinary care. After being treated with intravenous fluids, he was taken off the job, and the three rescuers left to return home.

The survivor, 32-year-old Genelle Guzman, never met her four-legged rescuer. She has spent three weeks recovering at Bellvue Hospital, where doctors believe she will make a slow recovery from her extensive injuries. Ms. Guzman had climbed down 64 flights after the south tower was hit and was on the 13th floor when the entire building collapsed upon her, crushing her legs and pinning her there for 28 hours in complete darkness and silence.

Trakr and Const. Symington

"Pain shot through me from what seemed like every direction," she recalled. "I called out, screaming until I was hoarse. I thought there had to be others. Nobody answered me...Nobody else from my office survived."

Const. Symington has been keeping quiet since the rescue. He appeared on one televised news interview last week which was what got him into trouble with his superiors at the Halifax Police Department. Police Chief David McKinnon indicated the problem "became apparent when we saw him on TV."

"Considering where he was and what he was allegedly doing, the public, I'm sure, will dictate whether this was the right thing for management to do," says Chief McKinnon, speaking about Const. Symington's indefinite suspension (with pay). "We're going to stand by him and provide him with whatever resources he needs, until he gets his day in court."

Copyright © 2001 Canine Nation. All rights reserved.

Now I am sure if I dug a little deeper I would find that Constable Symington was reinstated, but what kind of a moron suspends a man from his job for taking a day off to be a hero in a crisis? I for one commend Symington for grabbing his gear and his dog and going where they could be of some assistance. So I ask you all when you take that moment of silence tomorrow, to remember Constable Symington and his dog Trakr in your hearts and your prayers. At the same time remember the 300 dogs who worked along side rescuers after this terrible terrorist attack.

BSL Rally Today Coronation Park Toronto

At noon today as you are all aware, pit bull owners and lovers from all over Ontario will be meeting at Coronation Park in Toronto. Their reason is simple, but it is something no Ontario dog owner should have to face, they are meeting in an effort to save their dogs from a life of restriction because of their breed. Now some of you may say "well I live in Ontario, but I don't own a pit bull, so why should I go to the rally?" I will explain. If we allow the government to continue using BSL to control dogs, how long will it be before more breeds are added? Maybe your breed will be the next to get the order to wear their Hannibal Lecter masks in public. What would you do if suddenly YOUR dog was the banned breed?

If BSL is not erradicated in Ontario, the possibility exists for the Ontario government in all their wisdom, to begin adding more breeds, and more dogs will be targeted. It is bad enough that pit bulls have been on the government's witch hunt list for the past five years, and so many dogs have been euthenised because of it. Do we really want to pave the way for the government to kill more animals in their insane quest to make the general public feel safe? Of course we don't, but that is why it is important for ALL Ontario dog owners to attend today's rally. If you live in Ontario and share your life with a dog, any breed of dog, you owe it to yourself and your canine companion to attend today's rally and show the government of Ontario you will not stand idly by while they perform mass genocide on the pit bull breed, or any other breed for that matter. Stand up for those who have no voice! See you at Coronation Park in Toronto at noon!

Ontario Must Repeal BSL

What is your nationality? Are you Irish, Turkish, German, Canadian? What if I told you that because one of your fellow countrymen committed a crime the government was going to round up everyone of your nationality and incarcerate or euthanize them. Simply because of their nationality and the fact that they MIGHT commit a crime thousands perhaps millions of people would be banned from existence all because of one bad apple. "Ridiculous" you'd say."That would never happen." Perhaps not, but in Ontario if you're a pit bull the above is reality.

Since August 29th, 2005 Pit bulls and pit bull mixes have been a banned breed in Ontario. Since that date it has been illegal to take possession of or breed a pit bull in Ontario. Dogs already living in the province prior to the breed ban could stay but only if owners followed some very strict conditions set out by the province.  Problem is, the law's definition is so broad that many dogs who have no "pit" in them have been targeted and either euthanized or forced to leave the province unless their owners could prove in court they were not pit bulls.

Under this legislation, a pit bull is defined as a Staffordshire bull terrier, an American Staffordshire terrier, an American pit bull terrier or any dog that has an appearance and physical characteristics that are "substantially similar" to those dogs. That definition is broad enough to include a wide range of dogs, the vast majority of which have never bitten anyone.

This coming Sunday will mark  five years since the controversial pit bull ban came into effect in Ontario, critics are still fighting to have the legislation overturned, arguing that it has led to the unwarranted deaths of hundreds of dogs yet has not decreased the number of dog attacks. One of the people leading the fight is Ontario MPP Cheri DiNovo, who introduced a private member's bill urging the immediate removal of the amendment targeting pit bulls in the Dog Owner's Liability Act. "This legislation is just so wrong-headed," said DiNovo, who represents a Toronto NDP riding. "This idea of mass euthanization of a particular breed due to silly legislation is simply cruel." DiNovo plans to celebrate the anniversary of Bill 132s inception by rallying supporters in a protest aimed at overturning the amendment.

On Sunday August 29th, 2010 pit bull owners and pit bull lovers alike will meet at noon in Coronation Park in Toronto to protest the breed ban. I urge all of you to attend and show your support we must end BSL in Ontario before more innocent animals die simply because someone decided they look like pit bulls. In the very near future I will call upon all of you to sign a petition, or perhaps send an email. When the time comes I hope I can count on your support.

For those of you who do not clearly understand why overturning the breed ban is so important, I leave you with the following images of what one city's BSL laws resulted in:

Is mass murder really the answer? Join the Let's Adopt! Canada network on Facebook and help us tell The Canadian government that dogs should not be killed because of breed.

Bill Bruce Calgary, AB, Canada - Animal control by-laws that actually work!

(Original article from KC Dog Blog)

Calgary has a 90-95% dog licensing compliance rate.  Most cities hover between 10-20% licensing compliance....and 20% are the good ones.  Calgary has done this by providing benefits to people for licensing their dogs....for animal cotnrol being a SERVICE instead of a pain in people's butts.
Overall, they have about 95,000 licensed dogs (in a city with the population of about 1 million).  Licensing fees are $31 per year ($52 for an unaltered dog). 

In 1990 they raised the fines for getting caught with an unlicensed dog from $30 to $250 - -Bruce said that fines should generally run about 10x the cost of actually obeying the law in the first place in order to encourage compliance with the law.  They also made it very easy to license your dog -- online, via phone, at your vets office, and keosks at the animal control office, etc. 

Every dollar that they raise from animal licensing (and fines for non-compliance) go back into funding animal control -- not back into the city's slush fund.  So with an operating budget of $3.5-4.0 million, they are able to really do some things right with their animal control department.

They strongly encourage all people who license their dogs to also have them microchipped (which allows the dogs to be scanned and the owner determined immediately).  Every animal control vehicle is equipped with a scanner -- so if they find a stray dog, the animal control officer can instantly scan the dog for the chip, and deliver the dog home free of charge (although there are fines if your dog becomes a frequent flyer). 
This home delivery a) is a service for people who obey the rules and b) saves money in animal control costs because stray dogs seldom even make it to their shelter.   They are returned home where the dog belongs.  The city then doesn't incur the costs of putting the dog in the shelter, maintaining the dog while it's in the shelter, food etc.  Bruce's goal for next year is to gett 50% of the dogs returned directly home without ever reaching the shelter.

If a dog does end up making it to the shelter, its photo is taken immediately and placed on their webpage within 15 minutes of the dog reaching the shelter.  All the dogs in the shelter are treated for the basic diseases - -and if a dog is found injured, animal control will take the dog to a vet.  The vets treat the dogs because a) animal control is usually able to find the owner of the dog because they're all licensed and b) if they don't, animal control will cover the medical costs associated with treating that dog.  Wow. 

Calgary built a new shelter for their animals about 5-8 years ago that is state of the art...and has never been filled to its capacity.

Calgary also focuses a lot of its energies on education and encouraging responsible dog ownership.  They have a full time staff member, that is trained in education, that puts together a public education program.  They have six specific programs that are part fof their public school's curriculum that emphasizes respect for living things. 

Calgary also has 140 dedicated off-leash areas for dogs -- so that's 140 "dog parks".  Kansas City, MO is struggling to find a way to get a second one.  These off-leash areas provide a ton of areas for socialization for the dogs to learn how to enteract with other dogs and other people.

The net results of their efforts have been impressive.  Over the past 18 years, the city of Calgary has cut their number of dog bites and chases by more than 50% (all the while, the human and dog population of Calgary has doubled).  Last year calgary only had to euthenize 256 animals (Kansas City, KS alone euthenized 5,000 DOGS last year, the KC metro area kills in the neighborhood of 40,000 dogs and cats each year).   Almost all of the euthenizations came from dogs that had behavioral or health issues.  Bruce estimates that Calgary will become a true no-kill city within the next 3-5 years.

When Bill was talking it sounding like a utopia.  I hear stories about local animal controls breaking through locks to steal people's pets based on what breed they think it might be, the massive killing of dogs in our shelters, dogs that are put to sleep because they've been in the shelter too long but never made it up on the website or petfinder or anywhere so people knew where to find them.  I hear about dogs being taken out of someone's loving home and euthenized because someone was over the pet limit -- apparently death is perceived to be better for animals than having to live with 3 other dogs.

Calgary has accomplished so much by focusing on root issues of problems, providing service to their "customers" (it was so weird to hear an animal control officer refer to their constituents as "customers"), and getting people to obey their current laws.

They did it all without mandatory spay/neuter laws, breed specific laws, anti-tethering laws or pet limit laws.  And through paying animal control officers a fair wage -- as Bill said, "If you pay peanuts,  you'll only get monkeys."

The full article can be found here:

KC Dog Blog

No Glory Wanted, Just Foster Homes Please!

Do you know my name? I wouldn't be surprised if you did, strangers recognizing me is somewhat of an occupational hazard since I began working full time with rescues. People know me when I walk down the street or comment in an internet forum. They stop me and try to pick my brain for training tips, or spend five minutes praising the work I do and telling me what a great person I am for doing it. What they do not do is ask about the animals I work with, and therein lies the problem.

I did not begin rehabilitating rescued dogs with the intention of becoming "known". I began rehabilitating rescues because I truly wished to give them a second chance. Besides I owe the species my life. Just over twenty years ago a dog gave her life to save mine. I feel it is only right to dedicate the rest of my life to ending the pain and suffering of her fellow dog (and cat, horse, bird, rat, etc.) whenever I can. To me that means saving and removing them from an abusive or otherwise detrimental situation, seeing that they are properly socialized and trained, and finding them homes that fit right with their individual needs and personality.

What I do is a labor of love. It gives my life meaning, but I do not want to be glorified for doing it. I just want to be left in peace to do what I do best, rescue and rehabilitate animals. I do not want to be known, I do not want you to remember my name. I want you to remember THEM, the animals I help. I want you to thank me by stepping up and saying "I have room in my heart and my home for one more, and I can make a difference!" I don't want your praise, I NEED your support, I need you to thank all animal rescue workers out there in the best way you possibly could, by stepping forward to help make a difference.

DON'T GIVE ME PRAISE! Forget my name. Remember the animals! FOSTER! ADOPT! Your support is my reward. BE THE CHANGE! That is all the thanks or praise I want or need.

 Reach out to a rescue near you and volunteer to foster, or transport a pet in need. Volunteer at your local animal shelter and give a dog some time out of it's kennel. BE A PART OF THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE!

Samson Gets Neutered

It certainly was a crazy morning here on Perry Street. One of our dogs was scheduled for surgery and had to be at the clinic at 8 a.m. He was not happy about it, and when an almost 100 lb. dog decides he is not happy about something it makes for an interesting tale.

It all started last night when we had to crate him. Samson is one of the most food oriented dogs I have ever seen. Hold a dog biscuit in front of him for more than five seconds and you have a puddle of drool on the floor at his feet. So because he had to be NPO (nothing by mouth) before his surgery, we had to crate him, or he would have managed to eat something even if it was not really something edible. So we hauled the monster sized crate out of storage and set it up in the dog den next to Nakita's crate. (The only dog I have crate trained in years is Nakita, and then only because she is related to Houdini.) We put Samson in the crate, but no sooner had we settled into bed to watch an evening movie, when the howling began. Samson it seems does not like small spaces, the crate is quite spacious even for a dog his size but he simply sees no reason why he should be confined. Well we could not have this dog howling all night long, what would the neighbors think? So we tried the bark collar (the ones that emit high pitched sound when a dog barks) but that did not stop him. Eventually we were forced to muzzle him or get up in the morning bleary eyed and sleepless. Finally all was quiet and we settled down to sleep. At 6 o'clock this morning an unholy whining could be heard from the dog den. It seems Samson had had enough of confinement and was voicing his displeasure, but since he was muzzled he could not bark so he set about whining as loudly as possible. Our furry alarm clock had spoken, it was time to start our day. Samson wanted out of that crate and he wanted that muzzle off! He got his one wish but we could not remove his muzzle or he would head straight for the food dish. So Samson wandered around pawing at the muzzle and bumping into everything in sight until it was time to leave for the clinic.

Samson does not like to ride in the car, so we have to get a running start and trick him into jumping into the back of the wagon. This morning thank goodness he did not make putting him in the car an issue. With the rest of the dogs settled in the house and Samson in the car we set off for the clinic. We use a high volume low cost Spay and Neuter clinic to sterilize our rescues, and they have some very strict criteria for how things are run. You must arrive with your pet on the dot of eight, no later, and leave your pet in the car while you do the paperwork. I have already mentioned that Samson does not like the car, so leaving him alone in a vehicle is out of the question if you want to come back to an intact car. My husband took an hour off work and came with me so he could walk Samson around the parking lot while I did the paperwork. A good plan in theory...in execution not so much!

I went into the clinic to get the paperwork started. As I got to the door a clinic employee was giving an orientation talk so we were all waiting to hear what she had to say. A woman standing beside me had broken the rules and was holding her cat in her arms. That is when Samson escaped as my husband was taking him out of the car. He began running around the parking lot looking for "MOM." Spotting me he made a beeline for me, and the woman next to me panicked thinking he was going after her cat. I managed to grab him by the collar just as he discovered the cat. Samson contained (my husband took him for a walk) I proceeded to finish the paperwork, we took Samson in, and we will pick him up at 5 this evening groggy, sore, but incapable of breeding! In a society where there are so many unwanted pets in shelters, is it not MY responsibility to ensure that my pet does not add to the problem? I feel that it is, and so all my pets are spayed or neutered or scheduled to be so soon.

If your pet is not spayed or neutered please have them spayed or neutered. If cost is an issue check into low cost spay and neuter clinics that may operate in your area. It is important not only to control the pet population, but spaying and neutering are healthier for your pet and could prolong their life. If there is something you can do for your pet to ensure they live a longer healthier life, don't you want to do it?

Traveling with Dogs: The Camping Trip from Hell; Campfire Dogs

I apologize that this story was left abandoned for so long, but we have been dealing with a few problems that needed our immediate attention. I continue it now for your further enjoyment.

When we left off we were getting ready for the evenings campfire. We had done the dinner thing, cooking chicken over an open fire and eating like we hadn't seen food in a month of Sundays. You know how hungry you get while camping, you feel as if you could eat everything in sight. Anyway, dinner done and the dishes cleared and washed, we set out to make s'mores by the campfire. We tied up the dogs two on either side of the fire taking special care to ensure that they could not reach the flames. "There" we thought, "finally five minutes of peace to enjoy our campfire." Oh how deluded we were!

We set up camp chairs for the kids and broke out the marshmallows for toasting. The campsite was quiet save for the sound of crickets and bull-frogs, and the muted voices of the other campers in discussion at their own fire sides. Suddenly off in the distance we heard the lone howl of a wolf. Our campsite suddenly came alive with the sound of four dogs howling in answer. The rest of the campsites suddenly came alive with the sounds of other campers shouting "shut those damned dogs up!" Oh no! We were on park Ranger radar yet again!

We finally managed to quiet the dogs down. My friend's big yellow lab had been the ring leader in the howl at the moon escapade so he took her off her tie-out put her on a leash and brought her fireside to sit at his feet. This way he could control her by correcting any bad behaviour immediately. A good theory, but put into practice it definitely did not go as planned. The seventeen year old and I put the younger children to bed, and returned to the fire. Our bottoms were barely in our seats when a racoon ran through our campsites. Once again the dogs began to bark enthusiastically straining at their ties to go after it. The dog sitting at my friends feet decided to give chase. She darted sideways and in doing so dislocated my friend's knee. He hit the ground and dropped the leash. Campers all around were yelling at us to keep the dogs quiet, my friend was rolling around on the ground yelling "I lost my leg! I lost my leg!" From inside the tent trailer I heard the sound of my daughter bursting into tears. She had heard my friend scream "I lost my leg!" and thought that his leg was actually missing. I scrambled around the campsite muzzling dogs to keep them quiet. After picking my friend up off the ground and returning him to his chair, I went into the tent trailer to calm my daughter down. She did not stop crying until I brought her to the campfire so she could see that my friend still had both legs attached.

After helping my friend to his tent and ensuring the fire would not flare up during the night, stowing the dogs in the van, and cleaning up the remains of the s'mores ingredients, I finally climbed into my sleeping bag exhausted and sore, and vowed that I was going to cut this camping trip short and head home in the morning. I could not take one more disaster. I fell asleep thinking camping with dogs was a very bad idea, and promising myself I would end the trip early. I underestimated the ability of children to make one feel guilty about a decision they don't agree with, but that is another story. Suffice it to say I fell asleep confident that I was leaving for home in the morning.

What happened the next morning will be revealed in the next chapter:

Traveling with Dogs: The Camping Trip from Hell; We Don't Want to go Home!

Traveling With Dogs: The Camping Trip from Hell; Dogs and Beaches Don't Mix

(Continued from last post)

With all dogs now safely contained in the van, we could finally sit down to breakfast, which of course by this time had gone stone cold. We ate it anyway having built up quite an appetite during the morning’s excitement. With breakfast finished and the camp site tidy, the kids run off to change into bathing suits and grab towels and beach toys. I am gathering together a picnic lunch and packing the cooler, my friend is busy unhitching the tent trailer from the van for the drive to the beach. Neither one of us remembers to pick up the dog dishes which still contain a few scraps of kibble, and place them in the tent trailer. Everything seems to be going smoothly and I begin to think that we may actually get through the day without any more excitement. I couldn’t be more wrong!

I look up and see my friends six year old heading for the van. Before I can say “wait for us” he throws open the sliding side door and all four dogs burst from the back of the van. We are camping in Algonquin park in Ontario’s north, and there are some very strict rules about keeping your dog on a leash at all times, and here we have four dogs running around the campground sans leash! We of course drop everything and give chase. If you are old enough to remember the Keystone Kops then you can well visualize the chase. People at campsites around us are just getting ready for their day. Some are having breakfast others are relaxing with coffee, some like us, are getting ready for a beach trip. Off to my left I spot the wolf hound cross Brindle as she runs through a campsite snatching a piece of bacon out of a child’s hand on her way through. I make a grab for her and end up with a fistful of fur flat on my back on the ground. Off to my right my friend is wrestling with his 120lb. yellow lab Nelly and trying to get her under control and back into the van. His seventeen year old daughter has a hold of my dog Gabrielle, and has managed to put her back in the van without releasing the 120lb. lab. I finally get a hold of and wrangle Brindle to the front door of the van and manage to get her in and slam the door shut before the others can escape. My eight year old daughter has managed to get a hold of blind lab Bucky, and now asks me to put him in the van so she doesn’t let the others out again by accident. The dogs are finally back where they should be, but now we are faced with the task of putting four kids in a van full of dogs who want out.

We decide that the 17 year old should get in through one of the front doors and block the dogs from getting into the front seat. We then let the other children in one at a time and the seventeen year old helps to get them seated. Miraculously this works without incident, and we are off to the beach. “Okay” I think to myself, “maybe this won’t be so bad after all.” We park the van and before I can turn around and say “okay, everyone sit tight until we get the dogs out and tied up,” the three year old, excited about playing on the beach throws open the door and suddenly the quiet peaceful beach front is invaded by off leash dogs who head straight for the water! And we are off again chasing down dogs. The second chase goes much the same as the first, us leaping to catch dogs who just manage to escape our reach as we land face down in the sand. The seventeen year old has had the presence of mind to secure the tie downs into the ground so we can secure the dogs once we finally get a hold of them. One by one we manage to catch and tie up the dogs, by the time this is accomplished we are hot and tired and out of energy, and it is all we can do to flop on the beach on our towels and try to catch our breath.

The rest of the day at the beach passes without incident, and we manage to pack up the van just before dinner to head back to the camp site. Remember those dog dishes we forgot to pick up before we left? They have attracted a flock of birds, and as we pull into our campsite upon our return from the beach all we can see is birds. They are everywhere! They are perched on the top of the tent and tent trailer, they fill the trees surrounding our campsite, and cover the ground. It is at about this time I fervently start wishing the van had no windows, the dogs have spotted the birds, and they are going crazy in the back of the van. We now have to find a way to get the kids and ourselves out of the van without the dogs escaping so we can chase the birds out of the campsite. We manage to do so, and one by one take the dogs out of the van and crate them. It is now time to prepare dinner, which we also manage to do without incident. After dinner we will have a campfire and the kids will roast marshmallows, standard camping stuff right? Ah, but remember, this is us and four dogs in Algonquin park, we are at the end of our second day, and we have already proven Murphy’s law more than once. There is nothing “standard” about this camping trip. To find out what happens next check back tomorrow for the next chapter:

Traveling with Dogs: The Camping Trip from Hell; Campfire Dogs

Travelling With Dogs: The Camping Trip from Hell; The Trip to the Campsite & Setting Up Camp

N.B: It became clear to me as I was writing this story that the entire story would take far too long to read in one blog posting, therefore the story is being broken down into chapters. As you are reading this one I am writing the next so check back tomorrow for the next chapter. 

Years ago when I was still a single Mom and only had one dog, a friend (who was also a single parent) and I decided to combine finances and take our kids on a week long summer camping trip. We made our reservations, packed our bags, fixed up his van and hooked up the tent trailer. We then loaded his two sons and one daughter and my daughter into the van. All that was left was to load in the dogs. Now I already mentioned that this was way back when I only had one dog, so you are probably thinking okay so no big deal, a couple of dogs and you’re on your way. If that were the case this would not have been the camping trip from hell.

My friend had three dogs, and they were not small ones! So what we were standing there realizing as we were looking at this van full of children was, “where the heck are we going to put all these dogs?” Packed into the tent trailer were a few crates for night sleeping containment of the dogs, and an 18 kg. bag of dog food, as well as dishes and toys and chew bones and the  like for four dogs. We couldn’t afford to kennel these dogs, and we couldn’t get to their things to leave them with friends without totally unpacking the tent trailer. They had to come with us, so into the van they went.

We set off on the two hour drive to the campground we had booked. We hadn’t gone a country mile when from the back seat we heard the three year old scream and begin to cry. I looked back (my friend was driving) into the back seat to see 120lb. Yellow lab Nelly Standing on the three year olds lap. The little boy was screaming and crying as his 17 year old sister attempted to get the dog back onto the floor. At the same  time from the third row seat where my eight year old daughter and my friends six year old son were sitting I heard “Ow! Let go of my ponytail!” ,”you pinched me first!”  “Oh this is going to be a great trip!” was my sarcastic thought.

About an hour into the trip we were thinking we needed a refreshment and bathroom break for everyone, dogs included. Somewhere in the back a dog (probably mine) vomited on the floor, this made the decision and we pulled into the next rest stop we came to. 

It was decided I would take the younger children into the washrooms, and my friend and his 17 year old daughter would walk the dogs. Off I went, and dealing with children who needed to go to the bathroom, had no problems. When I returned with children and refreshments in hand, I was confronted by a scene that made me think “Wonderful! I’ve been dropped into a bad G-rated camping comedy!”

My friend, always the ego-maniac (he was a fire-fighter who thought he could handle anything) had decided to attempt to walk all three of his dogs at the same time! Now these were country dogs who had never been leash trained, and I think I previously mentioned that one weighed 120lbs. What I haven’t told you is that another was a 100lb. blind lab, and the third was a young wolf-hound cross who had no real training. The site that confronted me when I came out of the building was of my friend being dragged across the parking lot on his back as three dogs went their own way. I helped his daughter put my dog back in the van with the kids, and we set out to corral the other three and rescue my battered and bruised friend. We hadn’t even made it to the campsite and I was already pulling out the first aid kit! The second half of the trip went pretty much the same, but we finally reached the campsite.

Plans were for myself and the two girls to bunk down in the tent trailer with two of the dogs. He, and the boys would sleep in the tent with the other two.  This would have been fine in theory, had it not been for the good old Algonquin weather gods who saw fit to flood or campsite with a storm in the middle of that first night. About two in the morning we awakened by a pounding on the trailer door. We opened it to find three very wet humans and two soaking wet dogs. Seems the tent they had all been sleeping in now had six inches of water floating in the bottom of it and was unusable for at least the rest of the night. We packed everyone into the tent trailer dogs included and slept the rest of the night feeling much as a sardine must feel once packed in its can.

The rest of the night was peaceful despite the crowding. The next morning dawned bright and sunny. We got up got the kids dressed, and started to prepare breakfast. The dogs had to be walked as Algonquin park has some very strict leash laws. The four children decided to walk the four dogs. Great in theory, not so good in practice. My 60lb. 8 year old daughter decided for some reason we will never know, that she was going to walk the biggest dog we had brought with us. Nelly the 120lb. yellow lab. This would also have been fine in theory were it not for the fact that just as my daughter was passing the river that ran close to our campsite, Nelly saw a squirrel..

When a 120lb. dog decides it wants to chase a squirrel there is no way they are just going to let it go. When a 60lb. child is the one walking that dog you just know the results are going to be disastrous. The squirrel saw the dog at about the same time the dog decided she wanted squirrel for breakfast. The squirrel took off running in the direction of the river, Nelly hot on her heals with my poor daughter hanging on to the leash for dear life and being dragged behind. Right into the river they went, me running along behind screaming at my daughter to let go of the leash, which she finally did. My friends 17 year old daughter took my daughter back to the campsite to get her dry clothing and bandage a few small cuts and scrapes. I set off in search of the dog who was still chasing the squirrel leash trailing behind her. I finally caught up to the dog when she treed the squirrel and was able to wrestle her back to the campsite and put her in the van with the other dogs for the ride to the beach. It was the morning of the first full day and already I had silently vowed to never go camping with this many dogs again! Ever! Six more days to go and I was already wondering what else could possibly happen. I had no time to think about that now, we had promised the kids a beach trip and it was time to go.

To be continued…Next Segment – Travelling with Dogs: The Camping Trip From Hell; Dogs & Beaches Don’t Mix!

Traveling With Dogs: Creative Use of Seatbelts

 As most of you that know me are aware, I have been active in dog rescue for over twenty years. In that time I have been required to move animals from place to place in my own personal vehicle. I find that I get paranoid when there is a dog in my car that is free to be thrown about should I stop suddenly. I also do not want them to be thrown from the vehicle in an accident or escape out the window injured after the fact. Therefore I tend to use the seats and seatbelts in our station wagon in a creative manner. For example, yesterday my daughter who had been up visiting with us for the week from Toronto needed to be taken home with her dog Tia (can you believe there were 9 dogs here all last week and our neighbors were none the wiser? We have good dogs!)

My daughter is 18 and needs to retake her G2 driving test for the third time so we decided to make the trip from Barrie to Toronto down back roads so she could get in some practice driving. So with my daughter driving, my husband navigating (sans pre-plotted route and flying by the seat of his pants I might add) and I sitting in the back seat (where I never travel) with the dog, we set out for Toronto.

Tia a three year old mixed breed (really mixed, even the vet hasn't a clue, but she's a cutie) with short little legs and a nervous disposition, does not like the car on a good day when an experienced driver is at the wheel. You can well imagine her reaction to a hesitant teen driver just getting her license was much worse. So here I am, my husband has thoughtfully put both back windows down, kind of him and I love him for it, but there is just one problem.

My daughter is driving, my husband is trying to figure out where the heck we are going, the dog just wants out of the car and no one but me has realized the windows are open too far! The window controls are of course locked from the front of the car for the safety of the traveling dog, so I can not close the windows. The dog's leash, which my daughter has removed and thrown in the cargo area with her oversized purse and the other detritus teenagers carry around with them when they come home from college for the week has obviously found some here before never known hiding spot in which to take up residence. So I grab the dog by the collar right before we come to a stop sign and she tries to go out the window.

Of course before I can say wait a minute I have to find the leash, we are off again so I am left hanging onto the dog by the collar for the next 20 miles or so while I wait for somewhere my daughter can safely pull in and stop (see the trouble with those back roads and a teen driver now? hehehe) Tia is the type of dog who never sits still in the car , so I now find myself being yanked all over the back seat of the car while she roams at will. She is also an oddly shaped little dog with the legs of a bassett hound and the body of a full sized lab, so balance in a moving vehicle is not her strong point. The two people in the front of the car are of course still blissfully ignorant to what is going on behind them as I try to prevent the dog from heading for the too open windows.

So when we finally stop I assess the situation, fold down the seat clip the lap belt over top of it and secure the dogs leash (which I have searched for and found with some cursing and swearing involved,) and tie it off short enough for the dog to be able to move about as far as the back cargo area, but not to go out the window, which I have know made sure is only open the right amount for the dog to stick her head out of, and not her entire body. I then put a harness (which has also been miraculously pulled from hiding somewhere in the vast reaches of the cargo area) on the dog clip the leash onto it and we are off again. Dog is all secure, and I can stop worrying she is going to fall out the window and start worrying about the fact that my daughter with the learners permit is driving. That is of course when Tia the dog who never sits still in the car,decides to lay down in my lap for the rest of the trip.

Woofstock 2010 Here We Come!

Woofstock 2010 is happening this weekend. The poodles are excited because this year they have been chosen to go to Woofstock and represent the Perry Street Dogs. Everydog whose anydog will be there, there will be treats and lots of new friends to meet.

Last year this little bulldog dressed in her best. We met and photographed many dogs, and met many new friends.

Sometimes we were not even sure what breed a dog was,  we saw things we had never seen before!

Dogs make friends, and everything is peaceful!

You have never seen anything like it! Imagine! Hundreds of dog lovers and their furry companions, all in one place? Vendors sell everything you could possibly want for your canine companion, and some things you didn’t even know existed! You should join us this year! Downtown Toronto, this weekend! We will take over the streets of Toronto near the St. Lawrence Market, and have a dog party. Bring your furry friend, (no cats please) shop for a new collar, and see what new treats and foods there are available. Your dog will take home a goody bag of samples, and you will have a great day watching the competitions, (your dog can be a competitor) and there are always great photo ops! If you are a dog lover living in Ontario Woofstock is the place to be this weekend.

Going to Woofstock? Look for Pebbles  and Hercules in their stroller. They as I already mentioned have been chosen to represent the Perry Street Dogs at Woofstock this year. If you want more information about what Woofstock has to offer you can view the website here:

http://www.woofstock.ca/ini.html

 Hope to see you there!

Breeders Need Not Apply

I had a Bell Canada tech in today to fix my phones. Not surprising, it happens. However, in the course of talking with him while he worked it came out that I do dog rescue. When I mentioned looking for a home for our purebred Shih Tzu rescue Diva, his face lit up. Not because he liked ShihTzu's or because he wanted to adopt, but because he thought he had solved a problem for me. He knew a breeder who would be happy to take Diva off our hands seeing as she was a purebred and all. That is when I informed him that Diva is fixed, and that under no circumstances would I consider adopting her out to a breeder even if she were not. He seemed puzzled by this, saying , "but I can find her a home, and then she won't be in your way anymore." It was then that I informed him that NO dog or cat leaves my house unfixed, and breeders need not apply, because I never have nor will I ever allow a breeder to adopt one of my rescues. I do not condone Backyard breeding, and never will. I have spent far too much time over the past twenty years cleaning up the messes that BYB's leave behind in their quest to make a fast buck. Besides I took these dogs in to protect them and give them a better chance at life. That better chance does not include being forced to pop out puppies litter after litter, that would not be an acceptable life for any of them. As far as I am concerned it is not an acceptable life for any dog or cat.

As I said, my phone tech looked puzzled by this concept. So for those of you who are puzzled right along with him let me explain dog rescue in a manner in which you can understand. Dogs come to me because they were strayed, abused or abandoned by their owners, or rescued in puppy mill raids. When they get here they are damaged by the trauma they have suffered at the hands of humans. They are shut down and trust no one, sometimes not even other dogs. In this state they are pretty much unadoptable. But you have heard me say before that there is no such thing as an unadoptable dog. I work hard, sometimes for months on end to rehabilitate them and teach them to live in the average home with the average family. I also assess the needs of the dog to determine what their perfect family dynamic would be. (i.e; can they live with other dogs, cats, children?) At no time do I ever look at a rescue purebred or otherwise and say "we need to find a breeder who will make you pop out puppies until you are too old to do so anymore."

While all my dogs leave here fixed and incapable of breeding, it is especially important for any small breed purebreds that may come through our compound. People see these popular little dogs as money makers, and the only way to find perfect loving forever homes for them is to ensure they no longer have the ability to be bred. We who rescue dogs do not do so just to move them around from place to place, and we are not just looking for any home that will take them in, we are looking for the home that will treat them like the beloved pets they are. We are looking for the home that will give them the second chance at life they missed the first time around. Placing a purebred rescue with a breeder would be abusive to the dog, and I am in the business of stopping and preventing abuse, not giving it a helping hand.

It is not enough just to find a place for a dog, we must find the right place, the place that they will be well loved and cared for until the end of their natural life.

Dog's Rescuing Dogs: Meet Lead Dog Bowser

Meet lead dog Bowser!

Bowser was born in our home on January 24, 2007. He celebrated his third birthday this past January along with his sisters Mysty and Tia. Mysty lives here with us, and Tia has moved to the big city with my daughter Cheyanne.

Yes Bowser was born in our home, but at the age of ten weeks he went to live with what was to be his forever family. Sixteen and a half months later Bowser was returned to us, and labeled an uncontrollable dog. As is our policy we took Bowser back into our home with the intention to rehabilitate him and find him a new home. Little did we know that he would soon become an integral part of the rehabilitation program we were in the first stages of developing.

Bowser was a very high spirited dog, and at 70lbs. definitely hard to control at first. I started his rehab training, and he responded well but his ability to behave was sporadic at best. A few weeks after Bowser came back to us we got in another rescue. Now I was faced with rehabilitating two rescue dogs with issues at the same time. At least that is what I thought at first. A few days in I noticed that Bowser's behaviour was no longer sporadic, he was obeying my every word, and what's more, he was working along side me with the new rescue, and we were getting results.  He had been listening all along, he just needed a job. Now apparently he had chosen one for himself, he was going to be the dog who rescued dogs!

I firmly believe there is no such thing as an unadoptable dog. I thank God for the rescue agencies that do exist in our society, but I truly believe that it is not the dog but the rescue program that is flawed. Bear with me for a moment while I explain, we'll get back to Bowser's story in a bit.

We all have good intentions, those of us who takes these animals and find homes for them. I have learned through years of experience however, that plucking an animal off the streets and placing it in a home is not enough. We have to look at the animals issues, and believe me with the exception of very few all rescues have issues. Most of the time I find myself trying to teach a rescued dog to be a dog. That might sound strange to some of you, but for those of us whom have worked with rescue dogs it is something we understand all too well. You must admit, it can't be easy for a human to teach a dog to be a dog.

Then along came Bowser! Suddenly I had an assistant, a wonderful furry four legged assistant, and the task of rehabilitating rescues became phenomenally easier. Over the next 18 months Bowser would help me rehabilitate many other dogs, he would also help me to train my pre-existing pack to play a part in the rehabilitation process.

Today Bowser together with pack member Nakita whom you will meet tomorrow (see picture below this post), lead the pack and help me to rehabilitate rescue dogs and give them a second chance at life. Every pack member has a specific role in the rehabilitation process, and they are a very close knit group who work together well, and are very good at what they do. Most of them are rescues themselves, so I guess you could say they are paying it forward.

As for me? I am just their handler, in truth they do all the work, and I want none of the credit.

(Nakita, more affectionately known as Nikki, is Bowser's right hand gal when it comes to pack management.)

INTRODUCING:

The Perry Street Dogs

You have all followed us through our recent troubles with the city of Barrie, ON, Canada. Some of you as far away as Australia even offered to take our dogs into your home sight unseen to keep them safe. To those people, I would like to take the time to say thank you on behalf of the Perry Street Dogs. I also extend my thanks to you for your care and concern. Without people like you who are willing to BE the change, we could not save as many lives as we do.

Today the Perry Street Dogs are all safe and sound, and legally licensed by good friends who know us and our dogs well, and are ready to take them into their homes should it become necessary. However, it occurred to me, that those of you out there who stepped forward when we reached out, did so knowing nothing about the dogs they were willing to save. It is for this reason, that over the next 8 days (starting tomorrow) the Barrie Dog Blog will introduce Let's Adopt members worldwide to the Perry Street Dogs. The Perry Street Dogs are working dogs. They work together as a pack to help me rehabilitate the rescued dogs that come through our home. You could say they are dogs that rescue other dogs.

I am a dog trainer, and for the past two years I have been developing a rehabilitation program for rescue dogs. The program relies heavily on a dogs inherent pack mentality, and the bond that develops between dogs who live together as a pack. Using the natural instincts all dogs are born with, we integrate the rescue into the pack and allow the dogs to teach him/her what is acceptable behaviour. (Please do not try this at home, I know that sounds corny, but this method requires a pack of balanced and well adjusted dogs, and a handler with full working knowledge of dog behaviour to control the pack as they work.)

This process is a long one, and takes a trainer dedicated to rehabilitating the animal in question. It is not just a matter of throwing the rescue in with the pack and hoping for the best. Interaction must be supervised, and a knowledge of dog behaviour and body language is essential for the program to be successful.

Since July of 2008 the Perry Street dogs are responsible for the successful rehabilitation and rehoming of ten dogs. A few of those were in rehab for over a year. All save one are still in the homes we found for them.

Tomorrow you will meet lead dog Bowser (complete with photo spread).

D-day for the Perry Street Dogs

Well today is D-day for the Perry Street Dogs. This is the day the city comes back at us to make sure we have disposed of all our "extra" dogs. Now I ask you? What is an "extra" dog? Why does any city in Canada have the right to tell me how many dogs I am capable of caring for?

Down the street from our compound are two little terrier mixes. These dogs are out of control, they bark every time they are let out and disturb the neighbors at all hours with there incessant noise making. According to the city that is just fine however, they only have two dogs so their dogs can keep the neighborhood awake at all hours and no one says anything. Across the street lives a hound mix who is in love with his own voice, every time he is put out (at 5 in the morning I might add) he sings to the neighborhood dogs until he is brought in again. Needless to say no one on our street who owns a dog gets any sleep past 5 in the morning. We do, our dogs have been trained to ignore the howling of the hound across the way. As a matter of fact we train our dogs to ignore any barking dog in the neighborhood. We are conscientious dog parents who do not allow our dogs to disturb the peaceful enjoyment of their homes. Our dogs are not permitted to bark uncontrollably, and as a matter of fact are brought back in to the house if they are too loud. Our yard waste is removed every two days, daily if necessary, and our dogs are NEVER left in our yard unsupervised. As a matter of fact we monitor our dogs playtime the same as a human parent would monitor the play of a very small child. Rough behaviour and loud barking is corrected immediately.

Our dogs are vetted yearly, receive their shots and bordatella vaccines and are treated against fleas and heart worm. A dog without vaccinations is not allowed in our home for the safety of the rest of the pack, as well as any humans they may come in contact with. I know dog owners with one pet who are not so thorough, and have seen neighborhood dogs who have never seen a vet in their life. All of those dogs are "safe" according to the city bylaws, because there are only one or two per household. That brings me to the point I wish to make here, how can the city condone irresponsible dog ownership, merely because the number of animals within a home is in keeping with the city bylaws? Were these laws not put in place to protect animals and ensure that they received proper care?

Shelters all over the county are full to capacity, dogs are being euthanized because homes can not be found for them, yet the city wants to place five of my dogs into the system because they say I have no right to keep them. I will not allow this to happen of course, I merely mention it to illustrate the point that their attitude makes no sense. Talk to my neighbors who will gladly tell you that as pet owners we are a joy to live next door to. I have one neighbor who is amazed on a daily basis when she looks out her window into my backyard, and sees all my dogs running and playing. Why is she so amazed? Simply because that although there are eight dogs running and playing in our yard, she can not hear them, she has to physically look through her window to know they are there. They are good dogs, we have respect for our neighbors, and no one should be able to take our furry children away from us.

We take our responsibility far more seriously than some people who keep only one pet. Yet our dogs are persecuted because the city says we have too many. Would someone also explain to me why it is legal in this city to keep 6 cats, but dog lovers are only allowed to keep three dogs. I like cats as much as the next person, but I am a dog lover, dogs are my pet of choice ( I have rescued cats too, but dogs are my passion.) For the privilege of being a dog lover I am penalized. My cat loving friends can own six animals, I am only allowed to keep three. How is that a fair bylaw? If you are going to regulate the ownership of animals there should be no distinction between cats or dogs, the numbers should be the same for both. Cat owners should not be more privileged than dog owners. Besides, the movement of cats is much more difficult to control than the movement of dogs.

People allow their cats to roam everywhere, but we generally keep an eye on our dogs, and do not let them roam free. Our dogs are controlled, they do not disturb the neighborhood. The same can not be said for my neighbors cats, whom are always roaming our property and relieving themselves in our driveway. (You don't see my neighbor following her cats with a stoop and scoop bag, I get to clean up my driveway after they have used it as a litter box.) If my dogs did that I would be fined for having an off leash animal, and not cleaning up after it, cats however are free to roam about the city destroying property as they go, and their owners are not held responsible.

Go after the woman walking the Great Dane on the beach and refusing to stoop and scoop, or the guy who lets his Rottweiler run around the city parks off leash. Stop wasting your time coming down on people who take their responsibilities as pet owners seriously, and go after the ones who do not license, sterilize, or vaccinate their pets. Leave my dogs alone, they are not hurting anyone, and they are safe and loved.

To my friends at Let's Adopt Global, I thank you for your support both in the past week as this situation has evolved, and in the future when we fight the city. Know that for now the Perry Street Dogs are safe, and that a fight is coming that we will need all your support on. In the coming weeks we will be challenging the bylaws, and at that time we will need the global support of Let's Adopt members. We beat the city of Halifax as a team and saved Brindi, now I am asking you to pull together for the Perry Street Dogs. Mysty, Bowser, Harley, Nakita, Samson, Pebbles, Diva, and Hercules need your help to keep their home. All of these dogs were thrown away by people who viewed them as disposable, they have found a home here with us, they are a family, our family, and the city has no right to break up a family.

Newmarket OSPCA in the Business of Murder?

I went to the Newmarket O.S.P.C.A shelter website this morning. I was shocked that there was no information or announcement concerning their latest decision to euthanize hundreds of animals rather than treat an infection that while highly contagious is not a death sentence if properly treated. Since when is the O.S.P.C.A in the business of convenience killing? This agency that has sworn to protect the lives of these animals is now their executioner, and for no other reason than the fact that they have allowed a situation that could have been prevented to get out of hand. How does an entire shelter full of animals contract the same disease if things are being run efficiently? Are these animals not vet checked vaccinated and de-wormed when they are brought in? If they are not someone explain why? How is it I can rescue animals in my own home, and never have an incident like this take place? These people are supposed to be in the business of saving lives, not ending them because of their own incompetence. I think that the O.S.P.C.A should be put under review, the shelter should be closed to the public until all animals have been treated and are declared healthy. The O.S.P.C.A should not be allowed to follow through with what in my opinion amounts to mass murder!

Are Animals Capable of Emotion? Any thoughts?

I have loved dogs since I was a young child. You might even say they were my first love. I didn't get my first dog until I was 11 years old. She was a 2 year old miniature french poodle. I spent hours playing with her and walking in the park. She died long after I left home for college. I never forgot her and still think of her often. As a matter of fact I think of all the dogs that have passed through my house, each one special in their own way. I remember their little personality quirks, their fears, but most of all I remember the look of gratitude in their eyes when they looked at me. They knew that I had saved them from a much worse fate. That look in the eyes is the reason I do what I do, and have done so for over 20 years.

I don't need anyone to know my name, I don't care if anyone knows what I do, I just want to save the lives of those who can not speak for themselves. I am no Cesar Milan, I have a long way to go before I can make that claim, but I am good at what I do. More importantly, what I do is good for me. These dogs that I bring into my home are not the only ones who benefit. I too am rewarded for my work, not in monetary compensation, but in friendship, and love.

Don't ever let anyone tell you that dogs are incapable of emotion. I see it in them every day. There is Nakita, my big husky/lab cross who clumsy as she is will rein herself in to play with fellow pack member Pebbles a seven pound toy poodle. She will protect her little buddy Hercules from anyone and anything, and will nurse injured pack members when they are recovering, as she did with Harley and the recent paw injury. If I cry she lays beside me pawing and whining, but according to most "experts" she is incapable of emotion.

Nakita (and any other dog or cat) is capable of emotion, she is capable of loving both her fellow pack members and her human family, and she does! Those same aforementioned "experts" would scoff and say it is just instinct that makes her protective, that dogs don't have feelings or emotions. How then do you explain the dog that saves it's family from a fire? Would it not follow that if dogs are incapable of emotion, and your house is on fire, your dog would run? Why then do we hear so many stories of dogs saving their human companions from fire and other dangerous situations?  In order to have the desire to save someone you must have the capability to care about what happens to them. If this is the case, then does it not follow that your dog has formed an emotional bond? Thereby proving that dogs and other animals, are more than capable of emotional attachment.

In a being incapable of emotion there would be no desire to save anyone but yourself. The simple fact that dogs and other animals have been credited with saving lives proves that they are capable of emotional thought. If this were not so then any animal in times of crisis would save only itself, being incapable of giving thought to the plight of anyone else. We know this is not true.

If animals can show compassion towards humans, why does it seem that many humans (supposedly the more intelligent species) are incapable of compassion toward animals? I think we perhaps have a lot to learn from the animal kingdom. What are your thoughts?

Lost Pups Home Safe and Sound! The Miracle of Social Media!

The lost pups in my last post were found mere hours after my blog was posted on Facebook and Twitter. They are safe at home tonight because of the power of social media. Yet we fail to realize the good that sites such as Facebook and Twitter can do. Obviously there is potential for bad as well, but such can be said of any new inovation.

We people of the 21st century are not content to sit back and absorb only what the news channels feed us. We want to know what is going on in the world around us. We now have the ability to instantly broadcast newsworthy stories to millions via sites such as Youtube.  We that dabble or work in animal rescue now have an outlet previously unheard of, we have the ability to get our information out to thousands upon thousands of people worldwide in a matter of minutes. When an animal goes missing we get the word out immediately. This is why I always urge pet owners to keep up to date photos of their pets. As with human missing persons cases the first 48 hours are crucial. If you have a current photo of your pet you can broadcast it immediately, and stand a better chance of finding your pet and bringing them safely home.

URGENT!!!! HAVE YOU SEEN THESE PUPS!!!!!

Have you seen these pups? They were last seen in Sunnidale Park, Barrie, Ontario. They had just had sterilization surgery when they went missing and may need medical attention. Should you know of their whereabouts please contact me. Please crosspost.
(The light colored one on the left is female.)

(The darker colored on is the male)

Both still have stitches from their surgery and could become infected. It is URGENT that these pups be found. They may have been stolen from their owners. If you have seen them or know who has them please contact.

Busy Day

I truly don't have much time this morning I have to run very shortly. I have to go to a full day seminar on fundraising on behalf of a local charity I am involved with. The dogs will not be happy when I arrive home late tonight. I have to meet a friend for a concert at five this evening. This is the first time I will have left them alone for this length of time, and now I am wondering if it is such a good idea. Then I realize, I am projecting my human emotions onto my dogs. They are going to react the same way when I return home whether I am gone for five minutes or five hours. Time means nothing to a dog!

They will lounge about the house chew on their bones and take naps on the furniture. They know I will return because I always do. Sure someone may get into the garbage and someone else may have an accident on the floor, but for the most part they will be just fine.

RESCUED: Through the eyes of a six pound poodle.

Hello Everydoggie!

My name is Pebbles. I am five years old. I am a six..no wait seven pound (I gained a whole pound since I got here! Can you believe it? Time to sign up for doggie pilates!) anyway, I am a little white Toy Poodle. I was born in the home of a BYB* who did not believe in taking his dogs to the dogtor! He cropped my tail with a round stretchy thing my human Mom says is called a rubber band. He wrapped the rubber band around my tail so tight it made it fall right off! Can you believe it?!?! I was very scared of the man. One day a human lady came and took me home with her. I was afraid to go and leave my brothers and sisters. What would happen to them? Oh my goodness! What was going to happen to me?

I tried to hide behind the lady when the man got mad at me, but the lady wasn't always there to hide behind. Sometimes the man kicked me when she wasn't there. It hurt and I would run and hide behind the couch where the man couldn't see me. I would stay there until the lady came back but I was a very scared little doggie. I used to shake all the time. One day the lady went away, and I hid behind the couch for a very long time. When the lady came back she brought a girl puppy of her own with her. Things were good then because the lady stayed at home all the time and the man stopped kicking me. Soon the lady brought home another puppy, this time a boy. Everything was fine again, for a while, then the boy puppy grew up and he started to kick me! He even kicked me down the stairs. The lady tried to make him stop, but he kept kicking me. He was a bad puppy who didn't listen to his mother.

I was a very sad doggie because I always hurt and no one loved me. Then one day a lady I had never seen before came to my lady's house. She didn't look at me or make a fuss and scare me the way people usually do. I ran up to her and jumped on her leg. "Hello Pebbles" she said, but she didn't touch me. This was interesting, I pawed at her leg. She ignored me! My lady went into the house and came out again with my bed and my bowl in a bag. She gave the bag to the new lady. The new lady took it and then my lady handed her my leash. What was this? The new lady bent down and clipped my leash to my little pink collar. "Are you ready to go home Pebbles?" she asked me. I wasn't afraid.  For the first time in my life, I left that backyard. I wasn't scared of the world on the other side of the fence anymore, it was where the new lady had come from. I trusted the new lady who is now my Mom.

I didn't know it when I left the yard, but my new Mom has lots of dogs just like me! There is even a little boy dog named Hercules who looks just like me, he's a toy poodle too! Diva, she's my best friend. We run and play together all the time, she's something called a Shih Tzu. They come from China you know, Mom calls Diva her little foreign boarder. Mom calls me Princess, and she took me to something called a furdresser for a doggie makeover (we even did blogs with before and after photo spreads and everything!). I have my own bed right beside Mom's big bed and I get brushed every day. Me and all the other little dogs have breakfast with Mom every morning. The big dogs have their breakfast in the other room. I don't know why they can't eat with us but Mom says it is important to have rules at meal time. I think it is just because Mom thinks that some days the big dogs are so hungry they might eat us tiny guys by mistake!

We go outside lots during the day and run around in the big yard and play. Sometimes I stay on the porch with Mom and watch the other dogs run and run. I don't know how I got so lucky, but I am not afraid anymore! Mom loves me and she will take good care of me.

I am Pebbles. I am a good dog, and I am home!

*BYB(back yard breeder; a person who owns dogs to breed them for profit. These people generally do not care about the animal just the money it's offspring can make them.)

Is Your Pet Protected?

Good morning y'all hope everything is great in your neck of the woods. The dogs are restless today. It is the day we start the yearly rounds of flea and tick prevention. I can not stress enough how important it is to protect your dog and cat from flea infestation. Fleas can cause severe skin conditions in pets, but they can also infest your home and become a serious problem. All pets should be protected for their sake and yours. There are many products on the market to help prevent flea and tick infestations on your animals. However I recommend seeing your vet for prescription flea medication.

Has your dog had their heartworm screening yet this season? Another thing that is very important to make sure and have done. Here in North America the mosquito is one of summers most annoying pests. But did you know that mosquito's can be deadly to your dog? They carry the heartworm virus. If your dog is bitten by a mosquito carrying this virus the result could be fatal. Take your dog to the vet for a checkup and while you are there make sure they do a heartworm screening. Your vet can also prescribe medications that when administered on a regular once a month basis can prevent heartworm in your pet.

Some vets will prescribe one medication to take care of both problems. This is what we use on the pack. It is easy to administer, and is only given once a month. It comes in a liquid form and is applied between the shoulder blades to the skin. Simply separate the dogs fur and squeeze the product onto the skin. We usually do this just before bed when the dogs are quiet as it is recommended that you not touch or pat your dog for 8 hours after applying. We bathe the dogs before administering the medication because they must not be bathed for at least a week after the dose is given. It's quick and easy and our dogs are protected from fleas, ticks, and heartworm.

Your pet is your best friend, don't you want to protect them from disease the same way you do your children? Make an appointment with your vet today and be safe rather than sorry.

The Rainbow Bridge (In Memory of Keci who got a second chance at life and loved it!)

Just this morning I was sending a note of condolence to an acquaintance in Europe. They had lost their dog, a rescue they had adopted 8 years ago. In sending them my condolences I included as I always do, the story of the Rainbow Bridge, I thought it might ease the pain of their grief a little.

Keci's story is here:  http://blog.myletsadopt.com/2010/04/24/in-memory-of-keci/

It occurred to me that some of you may not know it, although I can't imagine in the internet age that that is so. However, on the slim chance that some animal lover out there has not heard it, here it is:

Just this side of heaven is a place called the Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to the Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown... 

It's the Weekend and I Just Realized...

Hello Everyone! It's Friday, the end of the week, time to kick back and relax with the dogs. Plans are in the works to take giant puppy Samson on a visit to Petsmart. It is our favorite place to train our dogs to behave properly in a social setting. For my domestic readers, bear with me for a moment while I explain the Petsmart concept to my foreign friends overseas.

For those of you who read the above and are wondering what Petsmart is, picture a department store that carries everything you could possible want or need for your pet! You'll find food and treats, collars and leashes containment fencing, crates, cat litter... you get the picture. Best part of all? You can shop with your dog! Want to check out what Petsmart has to offer?

petsmart.ca

But back to Samson's Petsmart outing and why we like to take our dogs there to help socialize them. I don't know if anyone will agree with me but I like to socialize my dogs in a controlled environment where there are actions taking place that mimic what he/she will encounter outside of the home on a daily basis. Walking the aisles of this giant pet department store gives me this in an indoor environment that is more controlled. Shoppers (and their doggie companions) provide distractions that enable me to correct and train my dog to behave properly in a social environment. Once they learn to behave properly inside I can then be assured that no matter where I take my dogs, they will behave accordingly.

So first we will take Samson for a long walk to drain his energy. We want a low energy dog when trying to put Samson in a motor vehicle. He does not like to travel in cars yet. When you are 9 months old and weigh 85lbs. and aren't really old enough to have seen much of the world then everything is a big deal. So we drain Samson's energy so that he just follows along and getting into the car is not such a big deal. Trust me this works much better for everyone involved than trying to wrestle an 85lb puppy into a little metal box he doesn't want to be put in. To Samson my Tracker is just a big crate on wheels, and he does not like crates.

Once we have drained his energy and gotten him settled in the car we will drive him to Petsmart. Then we will just basicially deal with the outcome of a walk through the store. Samson is a gentle soul, he's loveable as hell, as long as I can stop him from jumping up to kiss every stranger he meets. I'll let you know what happened with Samson's Petsmart visit in Monday's blog post.

Other than the adventures at Petsmart, the rest of the weekend will be spent working around the house and playing with the dogs. That's the plan but as you all know that could change at a moment's notice.

You never know when we will have to drop everything to run and help another animal in distress. I am on a first name basis with my vet. When my husband goes to work people ask him questions about dog behavior. We used to get so frustrated that everyone always wanted us to take in the dogs they had found. No one was ever willing to foster them until I found them a home, or adopt them themselves. Everyone used to call us to ask us to take in the strays they had picked up. Now they call us to ask us how to help the ones they have taken in.

Hey! It's the weekend, and I just realized...we ARE making progress, and you can too, simply by choosing to make your next pet a rescue. Already have a rescued dog? Then think about getting him/her a friend and adopt a second rescue. Not ready for two dogs on a permanent basis? Step up and foster a dog that needs a temporary home. Get involved and change will come. Besides do you know what it feels like to save a life? I do. It is the most amazing feeling you could ever experience! And let me tell you something else,

MY RESCUE DOG RESCUED ME!

Not the Right Home for Our Little Diva...

My last post was a while ago. Sorry about that I have been so busy with the new rescue I haven't had time for much else. Diva is still with us, and this is why. You all know how picky I can be when it comes to choosing a home for a dog. This time I thought I had the perfect home lined up for our little Diva. It would have been the perfect home too, if it weren't for one small detail. The prospective owner had lost her beloved poodle just three weeks prior to our adoption appointment. She met Diva and exclaimed how cute she was but lamented the fact that Diva was not a poodle. "Do you think perhaps you are not ready for another dog yet?" I asked her. She grudgingly admitted that "yes" it probably was too soon. She was trying to replace the dog she had lost with a new one. Not so uncommon when we lose a best friend. It leaves a hole in our heart we would give anything to fill if only to make the pain go away for even a moment. However, it is definitely not a good time to choose a new companion animal. I left that day with Diva riding shotgun as we pulled away from what could have been a wonderful home for her. Perhaps when she has finished mourning her beloved poodle this lady will be ready for Diva, but for now Diva shall remain here with us.

To anyone who has recently lost an animal friend. Take the time to mourn the one that is gone from your life, so that when the time comes you are ready to accept the next one who comes along for who they are.

A New Home for Diva?

It is a bittersweet day for me. This morning Diva and I will be travelling a short distance out of town to visit with her prospective new owner. I am happy that we have finally found a candidate that meets all our requirments for becoming Diva's new owner, however this little girl has been here with us for over a year and with her big eyes and calm demeanor she has wormed her way into my heart as they always do. Should she not return home with me today I will miss her deeply. At times like this I have to keep reminding myself that I can not keep them all for life. I know that should this placement work out for her I will leave there today without Diva, and with tears in my eyes, but I also know that I will do so because it is best for Diva, and I will always do what is best for the animal.

I remember how this little dog clung to me when she was first surrendered. She had never been properly socialized with other dogs, or people and was a bundle of nerves. Her fur was matted, and she had not been properly fed for a while.  She had never been properly house trained, and was unadoptable. The Perry Street Dogs changed all that, teaching Diva first how to be a dog, and then how to trust humans again. Our wonderful groomer Amanda Kindrat of The Urban Paw (see previous blogs for contact info) cleaned her up and made her feel proud of herself again, and now a year later Diva is ready to take on the world! We have also found what sounds like the perfect placement for her, an elderly woman with one other small breed dog, and an outdoor guard dog. This woman lives on a huge property outside of town, and her animals are her life. I am keeping my fingers crossed for Diva, and you should too!

Wish us luck we will let you know what happens in tomorrows blog post.