Foster puppy updates: Annie, Smoochie, and another abandoned puppy

Since September I have been consumed with Noir's health, caring for her, worrying about her, taking her to the vets, and finally saying that painful goodbye.

As soon as we found out she was ill, we suspended fostering puppies so we could focus on her. We also didn't want to bring any illnesses into the home that she might be susceptible to.

I have written a blog about every foster we've had, but neglected to talk about Annie. We had her about 10 days, she stayed with us when she came out of the shelter and until her next foster home was ready to take her. Annie was a sweet little girl, a black and brown basset hound. She was hilarious, cute, playful, funny, and a joy to have around. Soon after she moved into fostering with my friend Alex, she was adopted to a great family and now Annie has a little girl all her own. Another happy ending. Aren't those ears something?!

The week before Christmas, 2 weeks after Noir went to the Rainbow Bridge, Jim and I decided it was time to start fostering puppies again. We had heard about 3 little stray puppies, Jack Russell mixes, that needed help. My friend Fara had them, and I offered to help with one of them. She kept the little boys, and I brought home the little girl. She was 4 pounds, skin and bones, full of worms.

Fortunately Fara had taken her to the vets for her first shot and worming, and had given her 2 baths. (Thanks, Fara!!) She seemed to be a JRT/Chihuahua mix... not real zippy like a JRT would be, longer legs like a chihuahua would have. She is as sweet as can be, full of puppy kisses, so we named her Smoochie.

We've had her 10 days, and yesterday took her to an adoption event at PetSmart in Blakeney. A wonderful woman met her, fell in love and applied to adopt her. Today I did the home visit, and tomorrow she'll go home to her new mom and all the love and attention she deserves. She's going to have a great life! As you can see below, she's Santa's favorite!




Saturday my friend Pat got a call from some people who were on holiday in the mountains and came upon an abandoned puppy. She told me about the pup, they texted some photos to me, and Jim and I decided to foster her. Smoochie will leave Monday evening, and the new puppy will move in on Tuesday.

My private Christmas tradition

Many years ago I started a little Christmas tradition. Sometime during the Christmas season, I would turn off the lights except for the Christmas tree and curl up beneath the tree with my dogs and take a nap. When I lived in New York, Spock and Floyd were with me. Since 2002, Noir and Casey were with me.

This December has been rough. Noir left us on December 8th. Much as I have tried, I couldn't find enough Christmas spirit to even think about decorating a tree or shopping for presents. On Wednesday I came home from work to find that Jim had set up a tree and put lights on it.

Later that afternoon Noir's ashes were brought to us and placed in the urn we had purchased. Obviously a very sad afternoon for me, to hold the urn and feel the weight of it, knowing this was how Noir would be with us for the rest of our lives.

Christmas day came and Jim and I spent it at his son's house with his grandson and his son's mom. It was enjoyable, and the nice part for me was Bailey, the son's golden retriever kept coming to me, licking my face and sitting with me. I think she knew I was upset, and was trying to comfort me. Bailey was Noir's first friend when we adopted her, so perhaps she knew her friend was gone. Sometimes I think dogs can sense everything. Maybe she was just thanking me for the toy I brought her. My only Christmas shopping was for her and Casey.

Late in the evening back at home, I remembered my Christmas tradition.

I turned off all the lights except for the tree and carefully took Noir's urn off the mantle and set it on the floor beneath the tree. I laid down on the floor and talked to Noir and wept for a long time. I told her I was ok, that I missed her terribly, but wanted her to run along to the Rainbow Bridge and play with the other dogs, especially Spock and Floyd, and that someday I would come for her and we would be together again. I think I even napped a little, comforted that I could feel her love and feel that she heard me.

Merry Christmas, Noir. You'll always be in my heart.

"I'm Still Here"

Friend, please don't mourn for me
I'm still here, though you don't see
I'm right by your side each night and day
and within your heart I long to stay.

My body is gone but I'm always near.
I'm everything you feel, see or hear.
My spirit is free, but I'll never depart
as long as you keep me alive in your heart.

-Unknown

This was in a greeting card from some neighborhood friends, Lou and Pati. Beautiful card, wonderful friends.

Agony

This photo was taken on November 6th at a Holiday Pet Photos fundraiser. The photo says it all: agony.

My friend Michelle from Phartblossoms was taking the photos and asked me to give Noir a kiss on the head. I did and I broke down, knowing my days with her were numbered. I didn't know then just how small a number we had left.

Today, 3 days after Noir went to the Rainbow Bridge, I am still in pain. My eyes and sinuses burn, my brain can't focus on anything else. I have so much work to do but can't bring myself to even think about it. Hopefully that will change soon.

Meanwhile I miss her in all the little daily things that we take for granted. The clink of her tags as she walked. Waking up in the middle of the night and reaching out to pat her on the head. Now my hand falls on her empty blanket and the ache rips through my heart.

Today Jim and I are talking about taking in a foster dog. Casey is lonesome for her buddy. She walks from room to room looking for her. We can't replace Noir, but we know she would want us to give our love to one who needs us.

The end came much too soon

My sweet Noir was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver three months ago. This week she hadn't eaten for a few days and wasn't drinking. In spite of all the efforts of the wonderful Dr. DeHaan, there was nothing more to do for her but give her a quiet day without shoving things down her throat.

This afternoon she ate and drank a little, then took a blissful nap curled up with me, a memory I will treasure forever. A little after 4PM, Dr Lisa Shaw from Indian Land Animal Hosp came and helped her cross over to the rainbow bridge. Later her body was removed by Marlow and Brown for cremation.

She is gone, never forgotten. She was a rescue, she became a rescuer herself, and I found my inspiration for rescuing and transporting in her.

Please say a little prayer for my sweet girl, that she have only healthy, sunny, fun days at the Rainbow Bridge while she waits for Jim and I to cross over with her. We know we made the right decision for her, but are inconsolable nonetheless.

She is not gone, she has just run ahead to a better place and waits for us there.

Bye-bye Hershmeister

This evening I took our foster "puppy" Hershey on that all-too-familiar ride to his new home. He was restless on the drive over, as though he knew something was up, because his crate was in the car for his new mom and dad to borrow.

Once we got there he was pure unadulterated Hershey. He immediately started to play with his new sister Sadie, and tried to play with his new older sister Jessie. Like the true older sister she sat quietly watching them, and occassionally voiced her disapproval at their rowdy play.

In the short time I was there, Hershey had found every rawhide in the toybox, pulled the stuffing out of one toy, and had a game of tug-of-war with Sadie. He also showed his -ahem- "affection" for her. (Get over yourself, Hershey, you're neutered!)

Ruth and Marc, his new mom and dad, took it all in stride, laughed at him, and corrected him. I'm comfortable that they're going to do just fine with this little ruffian.

In the time I've known and fostered Hershey, he's more than tripled in size. At nine months old, he's just a shade under 75 pounds. He'll probably push 90 or 100 by the time he's done growing.
When I left, I didn't look back to see if he was following me. I imagine tonight he'll be confused and wonder why I sent him away. I hope he will somehow know that Jim and I did the best we could for him, we helped him learn, we gave him a safe place and all the love in our hearts. And now we have turned his life over to Ruth and Marc, and they will give him more love and attention than we could.

Still tonight I will lie awake and sob, hoping that my heart will come to understand what my brain already knows... that this is the right thing, the best thing for him, and his life just became infinitely better because two people liked him enough to adopt him, and will love and care for him for the rest of his life.

Update on Noir... The news isn't good

Noir spent the day at Carolina Veterinary Specialists. She had an ultrasound, blood draw, etc, etc. The diagnosis is that she has end stage cirrhosis of the liver. She could last 3 months, or a year.

I'm devastated. Cannot believe this. Noir has always been happy, healthy, athletic, trim, sweet... I thought she would live to a ripe old age. She isn't quite 8 years old.

It's just too painful for me to think about. I can't face the thought of life without her.

A rough day... for my dog Noir

Sunday morning I noticed my dog Noir looked pregnant. SHe's always been in great shape, and of course is spayed, so this was a shocker. She's nearly 8 years old but still young acting and active.

This morning we took her to our vet, Dr Lisa Shaw at Indian Land Animal Hospital. She did X-rays which were inconclusive, and a blood test which showed elevated liver enzymes. Tomorrow I'll take her to a specialist for an ultrasound.

She's such a sweet, loving, funny, intelligent dog, and of course she's my best friend. Fortunately she still acts like she feels ok. I can't bear the thought of her suffering, or the thought of losing her.

Please say a prayer for her... I hope I'll have good news to share tomorrow.

Hershey graduates!

We're so proud of foster puppy Hershey! He graduated from Beginner class at PetSmart training. Here he is showing trainer Ashley what he learned!

Hershey in his graduation cap:

You’ve got a HW+ dog? Don’t despair.

The following information was compiled by my friend Pat Shannon, dedicated animal rescuer

We’ve begun treating HW+ dogs with the “slow kill” method instead of the “fast kill” method. The fast kill method is the painful, and expensive, injections of Immiticide. The slow kill method is done with Heartgard and the antibiotic Doxycycline.



In deciding which method to use you’ll take into account the age of the dog, his activity level and the extent of the HW infestation. So long as the dog isn’t showing symptoms of the HW or the symptoms are very minimal the slow method of treatment is great way to go.

The info below is taken from this site:
http://www.dogaware.com/wdjheartwormtreatment.html
It is important to understand that heartworm infections are not detectable until about six months after a dog has been bitten by a heartworm-infected mosquito. (This is why it's not possible to have a heartworm test performed monthly and give the preventative only if an infection is found.) Blood tests generally will not detect heartworms in a dog until the larvae have matured into adult worms, which takes about six months following initial infection. Symptoms, such as coughing, lethargy and difficulty breathing, will not show up until the infection is advanced.

The info below is taken from this site:
http://www.dogaware.com:80/heartworm.html
Recent research has led to the discovery of a parasite called Wolbachia that lives symbiotically inside heartworms. Studies indicate that this parasite contributes to the adverse effects of both heartworm infection and heartworm treatment, including inflammation, embolism and allergic reaction. Treatment with Doxycycline to kill the Wolbachia parasite weakens the heartworms and makes them unable to reproduce, lessens their adverse effects on the body and greatly reduces the chance of adverse reaction during heartworm treatment.

Now, new studies published in late 2008 clearly indicate that treatment with a combination of weekly Ivermectin and daily Doxycycline given intermittently will sterilize the heartworms, prevent the dog from being infective to other dogs, speed up the death of the worms prior to (or in place of) Immiticide treatment, limit inflammation and damage caused by the worms presence, and reduce the chance of serious adverse reaction from Immiticide treatment. All of these effects are greater when the two drugs are used together than when either is given alone.



Three studies used a protocol of Ivermectin (Heartgard) given weekly at the normal monthly heartworm preventative dose (6 mcg/kg), combined with Doxycycline at the rate of 10 mg/kg/day for weeks 1-6, 10-11, 16-17, 22-25, and 28-33 (the end of the studies).

Here’s what we’ve been doing: Start the dog on Doxycycline at 10mg/kg/day for 30 days. Then give the same dose for one week at the beginning of every month until the dog tests negative.

We’ve been giving the Heartgard twice a month, say on the 1st and 15th.

We get the Doxycycline at Walmart. Ask your vet to either write a prescription or call one in for you. It’s costs about $8 for a month’s supply.

The beauty of the slow method, aside from how inexpensive it is, is that you don’t have to keep the dog kenneled. Their activity doesn’t have to be cut back unless you start seeing symptoms. For example, if the dog starts coughing after running, cut back on his running. Regardless of which method of treatment you’re using, if you start seeing a lot of coughing or labored breathing get to the vet.

The slow kill method of treatment is much easier on the dog than the injections. The injections are extremely painful at the injection site and require a pain shot. If you’re going to use the injection method, hopefully your vet will give a pain shot a half hour before injecting the Immiticide.

On the slow kill method have the dog retested in about 6 months. After that, retest about every 3 months. You can adopt out a dog that’s on the slow kill method. Once it’s explained to the potential owner it’s very easy for them to follow this method. We’ve done it.

Gracie and Alice find new homes

Fuzzy little Gracie was adopted Friday by a really nice couple in Huntersville. She arrived in time to help her new dad celebrate his birthday. I heard from her new mom Saturday morning, she's doing great, slept through the night, and has stolen their hearts!

Congrats to proud mom and dad, Patrick and Courtney. (Thanks for the pics, Courtney!)

Saturday was our usual adoption event at PetSmart in Blakeney. We always have a great turnout and lots of successful adoptions there. PetSmart is a great partner!

I had received a good application for Alice and invited the gentleman to come meet her at the PetSmart event. He was there before we even finished setting up and he fell in love with Alice. He's a super nice person, and I know is going to be a great dad for her. She'll move to her new home on Friday. This morning she's at the vet's being microchipped.

Alice (above) and Gracie's brother and sister, Bonnie and Clyde, were at PetSmart as well. Both look exactly like Gracie! And both received good applications in fact Clyde is already adopted and is in his new home.

I can't describe the feeling of accomplishment when we successfully fullfil our mission to find permanent loving homes for our foster pets. And as a bonus, we've met some great people too!

Avoiding Heat Related Injuries in Dogs

By Nate Baxter DVM

The first thing that needs to be understood is that dogs and people aredifferent enough that most of the info cannot cross lines. Dogs do not loseenough electrolytes thru exercise to make a difference, but if the dog getstruly into heat stroke, the physiology changes will make them necessary. BUToral replacement at that point is futile, they need intravenous fluids andelectrolytes and lots of it.

Cooling: Evaporative cooling is the most efficient mean of cooling. However,in a muggy environment, the moisture will not evaporate so cooling does nothappen well. I cool with the coldest water I can find and will use icedepending on the situation. The best way is to run water over the dog, sothere is always fresh water in contact with the skin. When you immerse a dogin a tub, the water trapped in the hair coat will get warm next to the dog,and act as an insulator against the cool water and cooling stops. If you canrun water over the dog and place it in front of a fan that is the best.Misting the dog with water will only help if you are in a dry environment orin front of a fan. Just getting the dog wet is not the point, you want thewater to be cool itself, or to evaporate.

For MOST situations all you will need to do is get the dog in a coolerenvironment, in shade, or in the cab of the truck with the air conditioningon (driving around so the truck does not overheat and the AC is moreefficient). Up to a couple of years ago, I was very concerned about my dogsgetting too hot in the back of my black pickup with a black cap. New whitetruck fixed a lot of that problem. When I had one dog I just pulled the wirecrate out of the car and put it in some shade and hopefully a breeze. Buthaving 2 dogs and running from one stake to another, that was not feasible.So I built a platform to put the wire crates on, this raises the dog up inthe truck box where the air flow is better. Then I placed a 3 speed box fanin front blowing on the dogs with a foot of space to allow better airflow. Ipurchased a power inverter that connects to the battery and allows the 3speed fan to run from the truck power. It has an automatic feature thatprevents it from draining the battery. When I turned that fan on medium Iwould find that the dogs where asleep, breathing slowly and appeared veryrelaxed and comfortable in a matter of 20 minutes or less, even on very hotmuggy days.

Alcohol: I do carry it for emergencies. It is very effective at cooling dueto the rapid evaporation. It should be used when other methods are notworking. You should be on your way to the veterinarian before you get tothis point. We recommend using rubbing alcohol, which is propylene alcohol,not ethyl, for those of you not aware. So do not try to drink it. Alcoholshould be used on the pads and lower feet area where there is little morethan skin and blood vessels over the bones. Use a little bit and let itevaporate, you can use too much as some is absorbed through the skin. Thereare concerns about toxicity, but you have to get the temperature down.

I purchased those cooling pads that you soak in cold water, but found thatthe dogs would not lay on them. I would hold them on the back of a dog thatjust worked to get a quick cool, but have not use them for years. I alsobought a pair of battery operated fans but found them pretty useless. Spendyour money on the power inverter and get a real fan.

Watching temperature: If you feel your dog is in danger of heat injury,check its temp and write it down. Keep checking the temp every 3 minutes. Irecommend to get a "rectal glass thermometer. The digital ones for the drugstore I have found to be very unreliable, Don't forget to shake it downcompletely each time, sounds silly, but whenare worried about your companion, things tend to get mixed up. This is VERYIMPORTANT**once the temp STARTS to drop, STOP ALL COOLING EFFORTS. Thecooling process will continue even though you have stopped. If the tempstarts at 106.5, and then next time it drops to 105.5, stop cooling the dog,dry it off, and continue monitoring. You will be amazed how it continues togo down. If you do not stop until the temp is 102, the temp will drop waytoo low. I cannot emphasis this point enough.

When the dog is so heated that it is panting severely, only let it have afew laps of water. Water in the stomach does not cool the dog, you just needto keep the mouth wet so the panting is more effective. Do not worry about hydration until the temp has started down. A dog panting heavily taking inlarge amounts of water is a risk of bloat. Due to the heavy panting they will swallow air, mixed with a large amount of water they can bloat. Once the temp is going down and panting has slowed to more normal panting then allow water. The dog will rehydrate it self after temp is normal. If the doghas a serious problem and even though you have gotten the temp normal, getthe dog to a vet, as it can still need IV fluids and some medication. Also,a case of heat stroke can induce a case of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (notparvo), with a ton of very bloody diarrhea and a lot of fluid andelectrolyte loss. These cases need aggressive treatment.

The best method of treatment is prevention. Learn to watch your dog, and seethe changes in the size of the tongue, and how quickly it goes down. Learn your dogs response to the different environments, and be careful when youhead south for an early season hunt test or trial. I have been to Nashvilleat the end of May, only 5 hours away, but the difference in temp andhumidity did effect the dogs as they were used to more spring weather inOhio. Try different things in training to help the dog cool and learn whatworks better. Another very important point=> Do not swim your hot dog tocool it then put in put in a box/tight crate. Remember, evaporation can nottake place in a tight space, and the box will turn into a sauna and you willcook your dog. Carry a stake out chain, and let the dog cool and dry beforeputting it up. I demonstrated this lesson this spring with my 10 month oldpup. After doing a 15 minute session in yard drill on a warm 70+ degree day,she was panting pretty hard and was pretty hot. She was OK but it was timeto stop. Just for the heck of it I took her temp. She was 103.6, abovenormal but too bad for a dog that had just finished working. In my back yardI have a 300 gallon Rubbermaid tub filled with water. I took her to it andshe jumped in and out 3-4 times. She appeared totally improved, tongue wasmuch smaller, and eyes brighter and her full spring was back into her step.So I re-took her temp and it was 104.2, so even though she looked better shewas hotter. This is < /SPAN>a perfect lesson to show not get a hot dog wetand then put them in a box. The water on her skin caused the blood vesselsto constrict, decreasing blood flow to the skin. Therefore the hot blood wasshunted back to the dog's core and retained the heat. You may have felt thesame thing, after exercising but still being very warm, take a shower andget cooled off but as soon as you turn the shower off you start sweating again.

I know this is a bit long, but hopefully this is easy to understand andhelps provide some useful information.

Remember: Prevention, learn your dog. It is worth the time and effort

Nate Baxter, DVM

Bye-bye Arlo! Helloooooo Alice!

Arlo is adopted! He has 3 doggie buddies, a big backyard and a wonderful mom and dad who will love him and take care of him. I love a happy ending!!

Tomorrow morning I'll meet him and his new mom at our vet's where he will be getting a puppy shot, and we'll take care of the contract paperwork.

Arlo is such a furry little guy that they named him Bear. :-) Cuuuute!

As soon as we knew Arlo was adopted, we took in another of the Fast Food puppies, and named her Alice. Alice has short brindle fur, and is a real cutie! She's feisty and loves to play with her sister Gracie.

ALICE:

Arlo and Gracie move in

Our new fosters moved in Monday, June 22. They were born under the floor of an abandoned house in Waxhaw. There were 8 in their litter. Mom is a black lab mix who our group is still trying to catch. The other siblings are in other foster homes and doing well, except for one who seems to have some health issues.

Since mom frequented the dumpsters at fast food restaurants, we named this litter the "Fast Food Puppies" and at first they had names like Bojangles and Big Mac. We named the two we took in Arlo and Gracie. Arlo looks like he's paid a few too many visits to the buffet line at Alice's Restaurant! (Note: you have to be over 50 to get that one!)

Both went to PetSmart for an adoption event with a rescue group on Saturday and everyone loved them! We got a great application for Arlo and did a home visit that afternoon. The next day he went for a week's trial and today I received the message that they want to make him a permanent part of their family! YAY! He has a puppy pool, a big back yard, 3 doggie friends to play with and learn from, and a wonderful mom and dad. He new name is Bear!

Gracie is a sweet little girl, full of fun and all dressed in black. We're having fun with her, and she's doing very well, sleeping through the night, and behaving in her play pen. She probably won't be with us for long!

Here are their photos:

ARLO


GRACIE

My Story - by Magnolia

I was picked up as a stray on Cloverleaf Circle in Rock Hill, SC on May 4th, 2009, and taken to doggie jail. The jail was really full so I couldn't even go to the adoption floor. On May 9th I was listed as a "rescue only pull" and my picture was sent out to rescue groups in case someone could help me. There were 8 other puppies in the same dire circumstances as me. We only had until May 15th at 5:00PM to be pulled or we would be sent early to the Rainbow Bridge, and never have the chance to fulfill our promise as loving family members.

Fortunately at 3:00PM that day, my foster mom came and got me, and another puppy. She took us home, but I barked and cried all the way home cause I was so scared. I didn't feel well, and I really smelled bad which I didn't like. I had fleas driving me crazy, and a few ticks in my ears. They only gave me one shot at the jail because they weren't going to keep me for long.

When we got home, foster mom gave us baths. That felt good and I sat down in the warm water. She rubbed us dry and talked softly to us and told us she promised to find wonderful homes for us where we'd be safe for the rest of our lives, and that we had to promise to be good girls and love our new families forever because they are the true rescuers.

The first night I was really confused. There was a soft music, but I barked all night long. I was scared, and had never been in a crate before. It seemed big and scarey. The next night I had a smaller crate, and foster mom and put one of her t-shirts in there with me so I knew I wasn't really alone. I also had toys and she hid some little treats in my blanket so I would have to hunt for them. I did better, only cried a few times, and every time mom came out and talked softly to me and I was able to calm down and go back to sleep.

Over the next few days I got good food, medicine, and lots of belly rubs and got to play a lot with my foster sister. Her name was Meadow, and she's a border collie mix like me but we didn't look alike at all. She was younger than me too, which gave me a real advantage when we played! She was adopted about 10 days later and I missed her.

I have two foster aunts, too, named Casey and Noir. They play sometimes, but other times they just wanted to relax and chew their bones.

Every afternoon we go outside on the deck and I get to swim in the puppy pool. I love it! I snorkel for toys on the bottom of the pool, and sometimes just lay down in the water and cool off.
Last week another puppy came to live with us named Mulligan. He had been abused as a puppy and foster mom decided he deserved a "do-over". He was adopted and went to his new home yesterday. He was fun to play with too, and this morning I miss him. But foster mom says today is my "big day" and this afternoon I start living with my "furever" family.

My new sisters have already sent me emails and pictures and I can't wait to meet them. I know we're going to be best friends. It will be so nice to have someone to play with all the time!

I will miss foster mom and dad and aunts Casey and Noir, but I told them I will never forget them for helping me when I needed them most. I will try be a good girl, and fulfill my promise as a loving pet and best friend to my new family. Life is going to be a wonderful adventure and I am so happy to be here and part of it all.

Well..... DAMN!

I met Amy and Brian, a couple that applied for Magnolia, at Petsmart this afternoon and I loved them... Both very nice, genuine people and they fell in love with Magnolia. She said they had made a list of 10 dogs to meet, and said to each other "what if we fall in love with the first one? Oh, we won't." Yeah, right!

I told them she was a very special little dog, and is the one I would keep if I could, and that they would have to almost be God for me to let them adopt her.

Well, then they met Magnolia. And that was all she wrote. The home visit is set for Sunday at 2PM, but I've seen their neighborhood before, and they live on a golf course and at dusk run with their lab/border collie mix down the 5th fairway. I can already picture Magnolia running along with them and loving every minute of it. They also have a keeshond. They go boating and all their dogs have life jackets. The dogs go with them everywhere and sleep with them in the king-sized bed.

My stories of her laying down in her little pool pretty much did them in, then two little girls walked into the store. Magnolia sat down, bowed her head and looked up, smiled at them and lifted her paw, inviting them to pet her. Done. Case closed. Amy and Brian were so smitten they were almost weeping.

Later on I sent the pics of her in her pool, etc, and they loved them, said they're sending them to all their friends. They showed me pics of their dogs on their iphones. So digital pics will be no problem at all, and they said I can visit anytime.

So my days with my wonderful little darling are winding down and I'm already sobbing at the thought of parting with her. But visions of other little faces swim in my head, and I know if I can just get past my selfish desire to keep her and hug her forever, I can help so many more little ones get the start in life that they deserve.

The fact that I liked them instantly from the moment we shook hands helps me a great deal and will see me through this parting. Somehow I must get through this...

I don't know why you say goodby, I say hello

I guess it shows my age to have that old Beatles song running through my mind!

Three weeks ago we said goodbye to little Meadow. We didn't have her for very long before the little cutie was adopted by a great couple in Gastonia. I've received updates and pictures from them and she is doing very well. She landed in a very soft place, and I've had the good fortune to meet two more very nice inhabitants of the planet.

That left little Magnolia here as the only puppy. She has flourished in the past few weeks. SHe's doing well with house training. She's crate trained and behaves in her crate, never messes in it. She knows "sit" and "stay". Her favorite activity is getting toys from the bottom of the puppy pool, or just laying down in it to cool off.

She's sweet, affectionate, and is just as happy to sit on your lap and cuddle as she is to play with our older dogs, her foster "Aunts" Casey and Noir.

Magnolia is one of those special dogs... when you look into her eyes, you can see there is "someone home". She is bright and intelligent.

Her new family will have to provide not only love, but also challenge for her.

It will be difficult to give her up, but I want her to have the best possible life, a safe backyard to play in and other doggie friends to keep her company.

Yesterday a new little puppy came to stay with us. He is 10 weeks old and was removed from an abusive situation. I don't even want to think about what kind of monster could abuse a puppy. Anyway, we felt he deserved a "do-over" so we named him Mulligan.

We're not sure what he is, but so far our guesses are Bernese Mountain Dog, Saint Bernard, rottweiler, and spaniel. :-)

Mulligan is a beauty - black with a tan face and legs, some white on the chest and some of his toes. He's cute and sweet and is loving having a little friend to play with. The first time on the deck he marched right over to the puppy pool and walked right in to get the tennis ball that was floating in it.

He's starting to understand that being in the crate means be quiet and sleep. He hasn't messed in his crate, and only cries for a few minutes when he goes in it. He sleeps all night too. He has not yet messed in the house. He already knows to sit to have his leash taken off when coming in from outside.

All this and puppy breath too!!

It was just tooooo quiet here!

You had to know it wouldn't last. It's been a whole week since Jim and I delivered little Hershey to his furever home. A looooong, quiet week! Two days ago I got the usual weekly emails about the dogs that were scheduled for euthanasia at York Shelter, and there were loads of puppies. :-(

I picked two that would have been killed today. I watched for two days to see if anyone would rescue them. I checked at noon today and they were still there.

So I went and pulled them. I know I left others behind and they are probably gone to the Rainbow Bridge by now. That rips my heart apart, but I can only do what I can do. It was like pulling teeth to get Jim to agree to taking two.

I got them home, gave them each a bath and a capstar (to kill the fleas on them), pulled the ticks out of their ears, fed them, played with them, and now they are snoozing in the dining room in their crates.

They are adorable! One looks like an Australian shepherd mix and she's very mouthy. The other looks like a border collie mix and is quiet and calm. Both are females.

Here they are:

Magnolia...



Meadow...

I have done something...

I looked at all the caged animals in the shelter...the cast-offs of human society. I saw in their eyes love and hope, fear and dread, sadness, and betrayal. I was angry. "God," I said, "this is terrible! Why don't you do something?" God was silent for a moment, and then spoke softly, "I have done something," was the reply. "I created you."

~Jim Willis

WARNING: Dangerous Pet Products

Please review this video before even considering buying over the counter flea and tick treatments for your dogs and cats. Always buy these products from your veterinarian!

A Hershey kiss, then goodbye

This was a tough week. Last Sunday I did two home visits. Monday evening my foster puppy Gilligan went to his new furever home, leaving his little friend Hershey behind. On Wednesday Hershey was at the hospital being neutered, and on Friday afternoon he went to his furever home. That's a lot of goodbyes.

Hershey came to stay with us on March 23. He is one of a litter of 7 rottweiler mix puppies. His mom is a pure bred rottie, as calm and sweet as can be. Hershey takes after his mom. We don't know who dad was... apparently some opportunist.

His coloring isn't typical rottie... he must get some of that from his dad. He is a drop-dead gorgeous mix of brown, black, tan, and white.

For the first several weeks of life, he lived in an exercise pen with his 6 brothers and sisters. He didn't get outside much and hadn't had the opportunity to develope his muscles and coordination. When we got him, he couldn't sit and scratch himself without falling over! He didn't know what stairs were, and he tripped over his big paws. He was a big clumsy 10 week old puppy. And I do mean big!

He loved to play with our other foster puppy, Gilligan the hound mix, who would chase Hershey around the yard and play tug of war or wrestle with him. Gradually Hershey developed his coordination.

He got a nutritious diet, including Nussentials MORE and PET RESTORE added to his food. His coat became silky and shiny, and he started to fill out.

I took him to several adoption events, and people loved him, thought he was beautiful, but were scared off by the thought of this cute puppy turning into an 80-100 pound dog. Go figure! Finally last Saturday at a PetSmart adoption event, just when we were starting to get ready to go home, a nice woman stopped to talk and fell in love with him.

Hershey and I visited their home Sunday afternoon and on Monday we got the call: the family adores him and wants him to be a permanent part of their lives starting Friday afternoon.

I was so excited for him - 3 kids, a great mom and dad, a new grandma with a doggie named Mugsy, a super big fenced-in yard to play in, everything I had hoped for him to have. But I was sad for me to be giving him up so quickly. I spent as much time with him as I could over the next few days. He loved to cuddle and nap with me. We played catch and chase and worked on "sit", "shake" and "take it nice".

The week flew by, and before I knew it we were in the car, heading to his new home. He was so excited to get there and see everyone! He ran in, wiggling and wagging, and had to greet everyone with kisses. Such a sweet little boy.

His new mom and I completed the adoption paperwork, and then while he was distracted with his new dad, Jim and I slipped away.

We've heard from his mom that he's doing really well and they are having lots of fun with him. I'm looking forward to hearing how he's doing in months to come. They already have reservations for him to stay at Camp Bark in a few weeks, so I'll get to see him then.

I haven't slept well for a few nights. I keep waking up thinking I hear the puppies, but then realize they're both gone. I feel at loose ends, it seems so strange not to have the two crates in the dining room. They're cloroxed and in in the garage waiting for the next little one, as is the puppy playpen.

Noir and Casey are getting extra doses of attention, but even they seem to wonder where the little guys have gone. Casey will pick up a toy and wander around the house looking for someone to play with.

Hershey was a heart thief. All the things I look for in a dog: beautiful, killer eyes, sweet, calm, funny, and destined to be large.

I long for just one more Hershey kiss.

Gilligan leaves the island

He wasn't voted off the island, survivor style - he could have had immunity forever. But last Saturday we were at a PetSmart adoption event and a young couple fell in love with him. They passed every step of the adoption process; application, vet check, personal reference and my scrutiny at a home visit. We liked them and they obviously loved little Gilligan. So tonight at 6PM I took that awful drive... and left my little buddy with two people I hope will love him like I do, care for him, and give him the very best life they possibly can.

Gilligan had a rough start in life. He was born around November 20th, '08, and on December 29th his owner surrendered him to a Shelter. Happy New Yeah, huh? Usually owner surrenders are euthanized immediately, but they gave these puppies a chance. By early February no one had adopted them and Gilligan had developed a "cherry eye", so he was considered unadoptable and made available as a rescue only pull. That means if no rescue stepped up for him by the "euth date", he would be killed.

The day I saw the email with his listing, I had a recently vacated puppy crate. Jim and I agreed we should take him in as our foster, and on February 11th, a few hours before his euth date, I pulled him.

He was obviously scared in the shelter. Usually they take the dogs out of the kennels before they hose the concrete down, but if the animal is scared or refuses to come out, they leave them in there while they hose it down. Consequently everything that is on the floor is sprayed on the animal. A027007, as he was known in the shelter, was handed to me a sticky mess, with a thick film of urine coating his body. Why would they do this? Because they can. Though I'd like to think differently, I'm convinced that sometimes the workers torment the animals so they can feel power over something. And besides, he had a cherry eye, and they were going to kill him anyway.

But he was now mine. I took him straight to our wonderful vet, Dr Shaw at Indian Land Animal Hospital, and he got a checkup, puppy shots and dewormed. She said she would fix his cherry eye at a rate a rescue could afford. I took my little castaway home, with the new name, Gilligan, and scrubbed the indignity and filth off him and covered him in a warm towel, and lots of hugs and kisses.

Later that night, when looking at the listings on the shelter's website site, I discovered to my horror that Gilligan had a sister... and I had pulled her brother and left her there all alone. The next day I went back and got her. We named her Ginger.

And then we got to work, preparing them both for adoption. We took photos and listed them on Petfinder.com with cute bios. Ginger was adopted after the first PetSmart adoption event she attended. But week after week Gilligan was passed over, and the most frequently asked question was, "What's wrong with his eye?"

Finally he was old enough to be neutered and have his eye surgery. Unfortunately the first attempt to fix the eye failed. It happens sometimes. The cherry eye had become fibrous and was not going to lie down. So we waited a few weeks and he went back to surgery and this time it worked. A week later he was healing nicely and looking beautiful.

So how did I know this was the right couple to adopt him? They saw his puppy picture with the cherry eye and thought he was cute then, too, and the eye didn't bother them at all. They adore him.

It's been a long time, since Feb 11th, and Gilligan has gone through a lot. He grew from 15 pounds to 31 pounds, developed strong muscles and runs like a deer. He's had two surgeries, several urinary tract infections, lots of adoption events, lots of learning, and through it all he was an adorable little wiggle worm who loved to be held and give kisses as much as he loved to play with his foster aunts, Casey and Noir. Every morning he would whimper at 6:30 or 7am to go out, and when I opened his crate door he would stagger out half asleep and flop on the floor wiggling and wagging his tail, begging for a belly rub.

Tomorrow morning will be quiet. Our other foster puppy, Hershey, is sweet and calm, not at all a wiggler like Gilligan. Tonight I'll sleep in fits and starts, knowing that he is in a strange place, confused, and wondering why his world has been turned upside down. I'll sob, as I am now, and hope he knows that I fulfilled my promise to him, I loved him, cared for him, and found him a wonderful home and today he started a great life.

I hope he knows I will always love him. He took a huge chunk of my heart with him, and I will miss him for a very long time. But my work continues and there are other puppies that need our help. It seems the more chunks of my heart that I give away, the more of them I have to give.

Goodbye, little buddy.

I rescued your dog today (a rescuer's poem)

I rescued your Dog today...
The one you left at the pound,
The one you had for five years,
And then no longer wanted around!

I rescued your Dog today...
Do you know that he's lost weight?
Do you know that he's scared and confused
And has lost all of his faith?

I rescued your Dog today...
He had fleas and a terrible cold,
But don't you worry yourself -
You've unburdened YOUR load.

I rescued your Dog today...
Were you having a baby or moving away?
Did he suddenly get too big?
Or was there some other reason he couldn't stay?

I rescued your Dog today...
He doesn't play or eat very much.
He's very wary and depressed right now
But, with time, will learn again to trust.

I rescued your Dog today...
And right here he will stay.
He's found his forever home
And a warm bed on which to lay.

I rescued your Dog today...
I will give him all that he could need -
With patience, love, and understanding.
Hopefully, he forgets your selfish deed!

I rescued your Dog today!

Not enough time

In rescue we see this story played over and over, thousands of times every day. A new baby arrives, or a new job, a new boyfriend or girlfriend, the cute little puppy is now an adult, and suddenly there's "not enough time" for him. So their owners take them to the shelter to be killed. Owner surrenders can be killed before the owners even get back in their car. Here's one dog's perspective of "not enough time".

Dear Mom and Dad,

This is Blackie writing you. Betcha didn't know I could write, huh? Well, I can. Anyways I wanted to write you a quick email to let you know I'm not mad anymore and I understand. I was really mad when you brought me here to the Shelter. You told them you didn't have enough time for me. I was mad because I didn't think I took that much of your time. I mean I know the baby takes a lot of time, but really all you needed to do was give me food and water every day, make sure I get my heartworm medicine every month, and my shots once a year. I mean it was max 5 minutes a day. And when you had a few minutes to pet me and toss a ball for me to play with - well that was great. (You know you spent more time on me the day you took me to the Shelter than any other day I can remember.)

I was really really mad that day. See, I really didn't have a lot of stuff to do and no deadlines to meet so I really had no idea what "not enough time" means.

But I understand now. I have the same problem. See, I have just 24 hours to find a rescue. And I'm really scared that's not "enough time". After all, they don't know how good a dog I am. They don't know that I am a loyal companion - that I listen really great and that I love to walk in the dog park. And that more than anything else I want to have someone who will play with me, and tell me what a good dog I am. Did you know that I really love to have my ears brushed? And that I'm a spaniel? That's ok - I didn't either. I learned that here from a girl named Taryn. She's cool. She's even trying to get me some more time.

Well, I'd better hurry. I don't have "enough time" to really write this well. I have to really pray hard that God finds me a rescue. Because I don't have "a lot of time" left right now. My new friend in the dog run next to me ran out of time yesterday. I hope I'm not next.

Anyways I'm not mad anymore. I know what it means not to have enough time.

High Paws!
Blackie

The housing crisis: The innocent victims

Get a dog and live a better life

When Irish eyes are smiling...

...they're usually up to something!

With a maiden name like Houlihan, you have to know St Patrick's Day is special to me. So in honor of St Patrick, we led 55 dogs and cats out of Spartanburg and on to freedom! I hope you enjoy the little video I posted below. And check out the kiss I got from that beautiful boxer!

10 year old border collie returns to agility

Brewster, our 10 year old Border Collie, has been trained and performing agility jumps since he was a pup. In the last year, as a large dog (50+ lbs.) he has developed some arthritis in his hips, the vet says due to age and his athletic life.

His symptoms were hard to rise from lying down while on a smooth tile floor, and after 2 or 3 jumps on the hurdles, he would drag his back feet and knock the hurdle over.

We started him on Pet Restore and one pill a day of Run. After only a few days, his energy activity level picked up (if you can believe a Border can have an increased level) and he was taking his daily jump routine making 10 – 15 jumps with no problem or fatigue. He has also become more lively, such as rising in the morning and running for a toy to fetch with, similar to the way he behaved as a young dog.

The Pet Restore and limited Run tablets have really worked with him. Thanks for giving us our family athlete back!!

Rick Z.
Florida

17 common poisonous plants

From the ASPCA:
What flora should be forbidden in your home, pet parents? Dr. Steven Hansen, veterinary toxicologist & ASPCA Senior Vice President, shows you examples of the most common potentially dangerous plants.

Bye-bye sweetie pie

I took Gilligan and Ginger to an adoption event last Saturday at Petsmart. The first family that met her fell in love and filled out an application. I took Ginger over Sunday evening for a home visit and we decided on a weekend trial. So Friday evening I delivered my little sweetie to them along with her crate, toys, food, etc. By Saturday morning they had made their decision to keep her! Here's a photo of Ginger and I just before we left to go to her new family.

We still have Gilligan and he probably won't get adopted until his cherry eye is surgically corrected. He's a good boy, sweet and fun too. His eye surgery and neuter are scheduled for March 25th.

We're having fun playing with him He's a precocious little guy. He jumps out of the puppy play pen, and can jump up onto our bed, which is quite high. Poor Casey and Noir thought they could go get on our bed to escape the little monster, but not anymore!

It's snowing tonight. This is our third snowfall this winter. Last winter it snowed once, the year before not at all. It started about 5PM and it's still going strong now. Big fat flakes. When I was a kid in Buffalo, we used to say, "mother goose is shaking her feather bed," when the flakes were so big. I guess we have maybe two inches accumulated already. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools have already announced they'll be closed tomorrow. My friends in PA, NY and Canada are probably having a laughing fit over that!

Here's a photo I took of the front of the house. Just LOOK at all that snow! LOL In NY that would be considered a "dusting"!

Makes me want to put up the Christmas tree!

56 lucky dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens

This weekend a huge group of people transported 56 dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens from shelters in South Carolina. The pets were bound for Virginia, Baltimore, and all sorts of points North and East.

As usual I took a lot of photos in Spartanburg, SC, and Charlotte and Salisbury, NC and have assembled them into a little video. My favorite dog this trip was Gem. Poor boy was so scared he didn't want to come out of his crate and had to be carried to the next car. Thanks to Jeff Boyd for his tender care of Gem as he carried him to Judy's car in Salisbury. Gem is a sweet boy and I hope his receiving rescue knows they have a true Gem on their hands!

Adoptable dogs

I'd like you to meet three adoptable dogs currently in Animal Adoption League foster homes...

Calvin, a sweet red doberman:
ADOPTED!!
More about Calvin


Annora (honor), an intelligent Belgian Shepherd mix:
ADOPTED!!
More about Annora


Gilligan, a cute little beagle mix puppy:
ADOPTED!!
More about Gilligan

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

A prayer for dogs

"Dear Lord, as we start each day
There's just one gift for which I pray
Please watch over all dogs everywhere
And bless them with someone to care.

Watch over the pups with plenty to eat
And the hungry strays out on the street
Those getting treats each time they yap
And those who struggle for every scrap

Those that sleep on a nice soft bed
Those with hard ground under their head
Those who play with girls and boys
And those who never have any toys

Those kept clipped and brushed and clean
And scruffy ones that don't smell too keen
Those who get to ride in cars
And those that sit behind cage bars

Those that flunk obedience school
Dig up the yard, snore and drool
Chew up your stuff, chase the cat
And they're still loved in spite of that

And those that are as good as gold
But left out to shiver in the cold
Chained up and forgotten there
They long for a warm home to share

Please God, as we end each night
Help more people do what's right
For each dog they meet, to do their best
And send your comfort to all the rest."

~Janice Wolf~

This is a tale of castaways...

OK, cue the theme music... our new foster puppies are a brother and sister we named Gilligan and Ginger! I pulled Gilligan on Wednesday because they were going to kill him Saturday. They said he was unadoptable because of his cherry eye. But it's totally repairable and our vet is going to do it when she neuters him. He's a sweet little boy who deserves a good life.

Late Wednesday night I realized when we pulled him we left behind his sister. She wasn't in danger, but it broke my heart to think she was there all alone. I went back Friday morning to pull two other dogs and transport them so I adopted her to get her out of there. Ginger's very sweet too, and she and Gilligan play all the time. It's hilarious to watch them.

The shelter said they were "beagle mixes" which is pretty much what they call anything that has long ears. I have a few ideas of what they might be, but am waiting to hear from my resuce experts!