Not so little white dog

I got an urgent message from a women pleading I go pick up her sons dog from people who had her.

I will save you all the details because most of them are lies.

She is a 120lbs Scotts American Bull Dog 2 years old

She deserved a better start to life.

Little miss came from a backyard breeder who bred their male to get a female they could use for breeding.

Sweet miss was only kept to use to make money. Sweet miss never got training, socialization etc

At 120lbs she wants to kill ALL dogs. She can not be walked because as soon as she sees a dog even across a park she tries to attack. 2 muzzles later we rotate my poor dogs with her. She even tries to kill them though the gate.

Fighting a 120lbs to prevent her from trying to kill the neighbours asshole of a dog is no easy task.

People think that its okay, just put her on a farm. Well here is the thing is there a 100% chance that she will never encounter another animal for the next 12 years? No, if someone with no experience tries to break up a dog fight they could be seriously injured even though she wouldn't mean too. If a child got in the way? That child could be seriously injured or worse. If she kills or seriously injuries another animal?

These are the questions we have to ask ourselves it isn't fair to the little miss to live like this either. The high alert and anxiety she is feeling breaks my heart. She deserved better from the start some might say and I 100% agree but at the same time she might just we wired this way.

When she came into care her ear were like leather, black inside, red and swollen from not being cared for properly. She is on special meds and food for allergies and of course daily ear care, even with all that she has wounds from itching 24/7.

I was her fifth and final stop in her short life. I healed her ears, cared for and loved her but in the end that wasn't enough to help her over come her severe dog aggression. She ripped Bosscos ear to chin twice and Bossco loves ALL dogs.

People please train your dogs, socialize your dogs and work with your dogs from day one because at 120lbs they become a risk that is not only a liability but the guilt I would feel if she killed or hurt a human or another would kill me.

In the end the person who kept her just for breeding gets off with nothing and my wounds from breaking up dog fights are healing and my heart is breaking from having to say good bye to yet another furry friend who didn't have the life they deserved because of irresponsible breeders!

You bred to have her
You kept her to bred her
You sent her to 4 homes
She met me
She knew kindness
She knew Love
You will do it again
I cry into lifeless fur

We can not save them all but we can at least make their goodbyes as painless as possible.

SPAY, NEUTER, SOCIALIZE, TRAIN, RESCUE, FOSTER, ADOPT

Maybe your not cut out for this!

Maybe you are not cut out for this if your going to act like this every time one dies. Thats a first for me, I don't think anyone has ever said that to me.

The moment losing a foster, a fur baby, a life no matter how small doesn't get to me is the moment my life will end. No one should ever take losing a life be it human or a furbaby as “oh well”.

To many I appear cold, but those who truly know me, know that EVERY effects me. I hold it all together because I have to. Every dog I can not save, every child who is hurting because of others, I feel it ALL. Yes we can't save them all and yes there are worse things for these furbabies than death but it still hurts and you still feel it.

In rescue you see so much everyday, the lowest of humans and what they do to these furbabies. You see death, sorrow, pain, defeat and heartbreak.

Then you see the BEST of humans, you see everyone break down when they lose a furbaby or leave the shelter knowing they can only take so many, spending every last penny they have and begging for funds to help with the mountains of money to cover the cost of saving these babies. You see us holding that furbaby tears in our eyes, holding together just long enough to be strong for them as they cross the bridge then breaking down.

You see the furbabies come from dying defeated by humankind to loving life, learning to trust again and making leaps and bounds. You see a rescue person in tears of sorrow from losing one to tears of joy for one taking their first new steps or giving kisses for the first time.

When you are at your lowest you see the rescue people who stand behind you, to show a love and compassion that we normally only show to a select few humans and the furbabies, you see us show it to those who walk beside you in this mixed up world of animal rescue. You see them come together to support each other in the best ways they can.

What you will NEVER EVER see is us give up, you wont see is quit ( but maybe a break), you wont see us turn away a furbaby, you wont see us not try, and you wont see us leave a furbaby alone.

You will see us be strong for the next one who needs us. You will see us LOVE with a heart that has been broken more times then anyone would think possible. You will see us give our all and when we feel like we have nothing left to give another furbaby will come along and you will watch us give it all again.

A close friend in rescue who is far away in body said to me “They take a piece of your heart when they go, but give you a piece of theirs when they come.” She is beyond right, they all bring so much into your life and give you the ability to keep going.

We keep going because this isn't about us, its about them, they need us to keep going for them. Because for every dog we rescue there are 10 more waiting in shelters, being beaten in homes. There is always 1 more that needs us.

We may appear to be numb to many things death will never be one of them.

2018 a year in rescue!

I figured I might as well do this now as Gus will likely be the last foster of this year that crosses my doorway. I whole heartly believe every dog enters my life for a reason.

Christy!!!

Christy was an owner surrender and my first foster in a long time. She was sweet, smart, full of life and energy! Her and Blaine were quite the pair getting into EVERYTHING all the time lol. She came into my life to remind me that I still needed to this, I still need to open my heart and door those animals that were not longer wanted by their families. Christy reopened my heart, my home and showed me Blaine need this too!


Heart break comes like tea in the morning to those in rescue.

Donny and Cherry came to me so broken that Donny was only with us for a day. Cherry was with us until it was her time. These two tiny spirits showed me that I am strong enough to do this again. That I am strong enough to love them until they don't need me anymore. Strong enough to get through anything, including losing two sweet souls who only knew peace and love a short time but will never be alone alone again.






In December I lost my world, my heart dog, the boy who had been with me through everything! I swore I would never love a dog in the same again and its true I wont!

Lexi the Cat Dog who has so many face wrinkles she looks liek the stuffed toy "wrinkles" I had as a kid. EVERYONE suited up in their capes for this one. She came in a hurry and with her she stole my heart. She is tiny compared to what I am used to that is for sure but only in stature not in muscle, heart of brains. Lexi LOVES Blaine. She has stolen a place in my heart I didn't think I had left after losing ACE, she has shown me a I can love in a similar way again. No dog will ever replace Ace, but she sure is trying on his shoes. Lexi is still here and I haven't fully decided what I am going to do about her. She is a perfect dog minus having to have her lady bits washed 3-4 times a day, special stuff on her food and leaking when she sleeps. All because her lady bits are hanging out far further than what they should be. Poor sweet pie, but even with those issues she is still loved.


As most people will tell you, when it comes to animals I don't think I just react. Which is how I ended up with 8 fosters, pregnant and Richard working in Alberta lol.

Yes that is a dog in a field. You might not be able to see him but he was there. Gus was a post in a group that I was tagged in so of course I loaded up and went to get him. I will have a post about just him so I wont go into too much detail about his story here. Gus came into my to teach me patience and to show me that I still will never give up on an animal no matter how unhappy they are in that moment with me. To show me that waiting is just the beginning of the rainbow!!!


Every rescue teaches us something new, shows us something we didn't know was within us. From your heart breaking for those you saved past and what they have been though to your heart breaking once again to see them off to their forever home everyone in rescue knows by best that our hearts are our strongest muscle and will always heal despite the scars.


Those in rescue remember you are needed, you are loved and no matter how hard the day, week, month YOU have made a difference! YOU are making a difference!!

Product Review: Gorilla Wood Chews

Gorilla Wood, they sound amazing, long lasting, thick, natural and from sustainable trees. They are made from all the right stuff and the company says all the right things!!

Since starting to foster bullies I am a little bit out of my element. I am used to BIG NORTHREN breeds. Take my Akita/Shep he is 175lbs and now that he is 5 years old he has mellowed out and is relaxed, loves his walks/runs and the dog park. Now insert 40lbs of pure spun energy. I am used to the I am bored, I am going to dig up your entire yard, lets play, teach me something, come on lets run. I kept up no issues. Bullies seem to be unique, well the one I currently have is anyway lol. She can go for her morning 30 min run. Do her 20-30 min personal training on learning new skills, play with my 3 year old all day and go for her hour walk in the evening and STILL want to chew the wooden futon arm lol. Oh who I am kidding I love every minute of them.

Bullies chew like no other especially the young ones and where my northrens just chewed a little here and there my bullies seem to feel the need once they start a job they must finish it RIGHT NOW, so chewies don't last long around here. We have done raw bones from the market, pressed raw

hyde, bull penis, kongs stuffed with all the good stuff, kongs stuffed with frozen good stuff, nyabones, deer antlers, pretty much everything. My current foster loves to chew wood, sticks, branches, the whole tree, the futon arm so I figured these gorilla chews would be right up her alley. NOPE, she will chew it once in a while but aside from that she would rather chew the branch from outside, turns out I am okay with that! Man oh man do they stink when being chewed and I mean I can handle a lot from stuffed chicken feet that smell like rotten eggs to bullie farts that smell like they are dying from the inside out but these have a smell that gives me a headache. I have been told it is likely the sap from whatever tree they came from.

Gorilla chews are not cheap they range from $20.00-$40.00 each, we got ours at the local pet value because that was the only place that had them, my Akita/Shep has zero interest in them and hasn't touch one at all.

As you can see in the photos we have had them a few weeks and that is all they have been chewed. My option is that they were a waste of $50.00(total cost for 2 of them). Onto finding something else I guess.

What do your dogs like to chew that last longer than 5 mins?

Cherry

Cherry and Donnie came together, however their stories are slightly different. They both came from a shelter in Windsor. They both had the same story “ we picked them up on opposite ends of town but both had a microchip and there was only an email attached that traces back to a known sketchy back yard breeder”. Cherry came with a whole list of her own issues, she was scared of life, had to be carried in and outside barely left Bosscos crate which she had claimed as her own. At her vet appointment when I had built up the courage to finally take her in, about 4 days after Donnie had crossed the rainbow bridge. The vet gave her a good once over, her spay was a butcher mess, both ears were infected, both eyes were infected, she couldn't produce her own tears, she was completely blind, had dementia, was partial deaf, but man her nose worked great!!! She had pressure wounds all over her body from spending her life in a crate and used solely for breeding. Donnie and Cherry were likely a breeding pair.

After being with us for a short time she started to warm up to us and boy she was sneaky. She would steal things and hide them in “her” crate, man she was such a hoarder lol. She was doing great, loved Blaine and would even allow us to snuggle with her. You could tell when she would get lost or confused she would just walk in circles until you went and picked her back up.

One morning we woke up to her having pooped on the mat, pee was the norm with her every morning there would be pee in front of the door on the mat or she would pee in her crate. This morning was different, she had a rough night and had pooped on the mat. I tired to take her out of the crate like every other morning to take her to pee and get some food. This morning she growled and went to bite me, I tired again and same thing so I gave up and left her be figured it was just an off day or whatever. I messaged the rescue and let them know she was having an off day and that I would see how she was at end of the weekend. This happened all day that day. She refused to leave the crate and was bring mean, she had also started to have what looked like the shakes someone who MS gets. The rescue figures she had a stroke or seizure during the night. I called the vet and made her apt for the Tuesday. This would give her time to see if she improved for not. Which she didn't.

Sadly after being in care for a short few months we had to say goodbye to Cherry. This wasn't easy.

After losing both Donnie and Cherry I felt as those I had failed them both, that if I could have found them sooner, if I could have, I don't know done something else to help them they would have been able to feel love for even just a little longer.

In rescue saying goodbye to dogs and holding them while they cross the rainbow bridge, giving the most out of life for even a short while is an honor, it breaks you but it is an honor that not many can handle. The best part? Even though they are only with you for a short time you get to see them be free and happy in a way without you they would never have, you get snuggles and love that is beyond words. You get to comfort, spoil and show them love that they have never gotten in their little lives.

Once again as I write this and think of the amazing snuggles and Cherry trying to steal my shoes as I am wearing them lol or socks from the clean laundry basket as I mate them, I am in tears because though she was only here for a little while each animal touches your soul in a unique way that without being in rescue I would never experience.

Thank you for allowing me to be the one to help those who can not help themselves. Thank you for allowing me to care for those who need it the most and thank you for allowing me to make a difference one dog at a time.

Donny a big headed foster boy

A little bit ago I got asked if I would go and assess two dogs in a shelter in Windsor, Ontario. Of course my answer was yes and I went down right away. We got to the shelter and smell was horrid in even the admin area. The lady there explains where they came from “ we picked them up on opposite ends of town but both had a microchip and there was only an email attached that traces back to a known sketchy back yard breeder”We wait to be taken back to asses this too older dogs, we go back the food dish was moldy, both kennels were filled with shit and piss covered blankets and towels. They open Donny's cage up and out he trots with some gentle coaching. Cherry on the other hand had to be carried out. Neither attacked me lol so they were being sprung, they had them on allergy meds and Cherry had special ointment for her eyes. They tell me Donny has a hernia and can't poop right. I get them into the crates in the SUV not a peep out of either of them all the way to Sarnia, we stop once for pee breaks. Donny jumps out Cherry has to be carried. I notice that even in the crate it would appear Donny is literally bent over in the pooping position all of the time. This seems really odd. We bring them home they take well to my big guy and my son. Donny is leaking consent blood and stool. That means emergency vet visit for Donny. My amazing vet who is honest, down to earth and loves animals looks him over. He has spine issues from being in the poop position for so long. I explained where he came from as he was putting on a glove and lube to shove up Donny's rear end. He pulled at least a pound of poop from his rear and Donny relaxed big time. I was gagging so much blood and so much stool. He said that's all he could get for now. He checked him and then did something I have never in the 17 years I have been going to him do, he asked the young women vet who he has taken on at his practice to come do a second exam she did then went back and they talked. As I listened in to what they were saying. Him “Have you ever seen that before?” Her “No you?” Him “not outside of training” Her “Well I agree it is what we think it is”. My vet comes back in. He looks grim as he starts explaining “Donny should never have left the shelter and you should take him back there right now.!” I explained that it wasn't an option. Then he explained to me what was wrong “Donny's descending colon has separated from the rectum and is no longer lined up. The poop has created a sac inside the rectum that is filling with poop. He has been like this a long time. It could be caused by a long term hernia or something else but we have no way of knowing. There is a surgery that is $5000.00 that will likely not even fix the problem. We can try but it is rare that it will work. Unlike humans dogs can't wear a colostomy bag. I knew what the decision had to be. All the shelter down there had to do was a rectal exam and this dog would not have suffered a minute longer, but nope that's not what they did. I called the rescue and explained everything as I was trying to hold it together. I held Donny while he crossed the rainbow bridge. I told him over and over you are loved, you wont be in pain any more and your a good boy, no one will ever hurt you again. Blaine was with me. I was broken. Blaine said its okay mom he is with my brother Ace now. I cried harder.

Donny was only with me 24 hours but I made him feel as loved and comfortable as possible during his time with me. There was no investigation done into cruelty, there was no charges laid, these “sketchy breeders” have been left to do it over and over and over again.

As I type this the anger all comes back the heart break all comes back.

Good-Bye Ace

Ace was my forever dog, he was my heart and soul. This past year was a hard one on him, well harder than normal. Ace knew me, everything about. Reminded me when I forgot to eat, helped me find the truck when I got lost on the trail, comforted me when I was in pain or sick. No dog will ever be like him, no dog will ever replace the bond I had with him.

We got ace when he was 4 months old. He had come from a puppy mill outside of London that had been shut down and the first owners couldn't handle him. It must have been fate or something along those lines because a week before we were going to adopt a beagle named bagel from the Sarnia Humane Society but she was adopted the same day we went in to adopt her. So we found Ace (moo moo). In his new home he spent most of this time in a crate and when out of the crate he had little exercise and mental stimulation and if you know anything about northern breeds you know that they crave that and when they don't get it they become destructive. I put my everything into Ace. Everything that I would have put into Owen I put into him.

He loved to learn right from the start and in no time learned 30+ commands. At about a year old we found out he had neurological issues that caused seizures and other neurological issues but other wise he was happy and healthy. About a year ago the seizures were getting closer together he was having many a day and he was having issues with his back end. It turns out he had spinal degeneration and arthritis in his hips. Come June (6 months after this) he could barely walk, no more hiking or even walking more then a block. The vet gave him anti-inflamatories and told me this would likely be his last winter.

Even with the medications he was still having a hard time with his back end and getting around. It came to the point where he would lay there and cry. I was told giving him CBD cookies would help him so we did this but it got to the point where he had to be drugged in order to even just lay without crying. The decision had to be made for him, I needed to stop being selfish and trying to hold on to him longer just for my sake. I made the call in tears and brought him in. My vet is amazing I couldn't ask for a more gentle kind man. I held him and cried into his fur as he passed. He was no longer in pain anymore but my heart broke in two.

When we got home Bossco knew the moment we came in without Ace he was upset for weeks, even refused to eat and just moped around. Blaine lost his brother and he went over the rainbow bridge and would no longer be hurting. For weeks after Blaine would ask for moo moo or tell me he missed him.

I can't even explain the connection I had with Ace but I do know my life and my heart will never be the same.

That day in that office a part of me was lost forever.

Bossco update July 2017

Bossco also known as Butthead in our house and it is said in the most loving way. He is smart, huge, hairy and full of energy.

Being an akita/shepherd he is triple coated, long haired and beyond smart. He knows many commands and I have barely had a chance to work with him one on one. He is an odd dog though loves other dogs but not a fan of people. He is scared of most men and will bark and growl. He is laid back but at the same time on edge. Bossco loves being outside, going for walks and hikes. Hes not a big cuddlier by any means but wants to be near you at all times.

Protector of the house and children, my goodness this dog will protect us no matter what it seems which is good and bad. He barks at everyone who walks by or comes near the house, which is a good thing because that is what a dog is supposed to do and he has even scared off a feel people from stealing things from our cars at night.

Prey drive in both of his breeds is really high, and he has it! He will catch any small animal that moves. Ace has taught him to a very good hunter. Food driven is not the word for it lol. Before I had Blaine I could leave a whole pizza on the table and neither him nor Ace would touch it. Fast forward to Blaine eating food and now they eat everything. You can't leave it for a second, once Blaine learns not to share his food with the dogs they will be retrained not to touch our food. I lost half a sandwich today to bossco because I forgot to put it up.....sigh he didn't even eat anything but the bread.

He is great with Blaine and just likes to chill but is always on alert for sounds or anything happening. He loves to play, him and Blaine chase each other and have a blast. They are quite the pair together.

He is only 4 so he has lots of years and life left in him which is awesome, him and Blaine can grow up together being the pair that they are.

He likes water although I haven't taken him to a beach before, I am thinking this summer I would like to. It is hard to take only him but Ace hates water and freaks out whenever we are in it.

Bossco is a "nanny dog" whenever Blaine has no clothes on he must "groom" him. It is how we are getting through potty training with keeping his clothes on him, Blaine hates it when bossco licks his butt. When we first started if Blaine had an accident bossoc would "clean it up" soooo gross I would go and get cleaning stuff come back and mess gone. My stomach turns at the though. YUCK!!!

Let me see all your fur babies in the comments!!!

Ace July 2017 update

Moo Moo or resident asshole as he is lovely called, is now 7 years old and my heart. I can't explain it. I love every foster that comes through, I love every dog we adopt but Ace I just love differently. He hikes with me, he knows all my moods, when something is wrong, when I need something, when I get confused and lost, he has just become my soul.

We went for our first big hike this year and afterwords I felt like the worst doggy mom in the world. It was a 12KM beautiful hike and he was having the time of his life, showing no signs of pain or anything else. Towards the end of the hike, I was lost and wondering for about 2 hours pretending I wasn't lost, attempting to find my way back to the truck. Well after 2 hours of wondering I finally said to Ace find the truck I put all my trust into him before I had to call the park rangers to come find us. I let go of his leash and followed him, within 45 minutes he led me back to the truck.

Ace is trail trained this means he knows all of my cues without me saying a word. He knows he has to stop on top of hills or inclines and wait for me and the same for declines. He knows when I need to take a break, he never pulls even once on the trails. Ace understands right and left commands, "hup" command which means up onto whatever is in front of him. He knows how to check puddles for which ones I need to go around. I am pretty sure I will never, ever own a dog like him again.

You can say its all about training, etc, etc. Its not just that, not all dogs can sense issues, not all dogs do trails well or are as willing to learn trails. Our bond is something that is just indescribable.

After our trail hike he was acting funny in the truck so I was getting him to lay down but every few minutes he was back up again moving around on the seat and then would settle for a few minutes and repeat. We stopped to visit my grandmother and he couldn't get out of the truck, I helped him down the best I could and watched him walk, he was limping very badly. He didn't fall or trip or anything on the trail. All the way home he was acting funny, at home I had to get help to get him out of the truck he could barely stand. This was a Saturday, I decided to give him rest and no walks for a few days and see how he was if he wasn't okay still I would call the vet.

I took to my other rescue friends and akita/husky owners to see what they thought, to see if their dogs had any similar issues. I was suggested glucosamine for hip care, well getting Ace to take any sort of pills is near impossible he always knows and wont eat the pill. I went into Pet Food Ware House here in town to see if I could get treats with it in them, yes I could but they gave something that might work better as it was concentrated. You just put it on their food twice a day. So I decided that I would do the same for Bossco as he is a big big boy and just better safe than sorry.

Normally when I leave without Ace he yelps and cries for a few minutes until I leave the driveway. For 2 weeks he came to the door but didn't make a sound. It broke my heart to know he was hurting. By week 3 he was yelping to come with me, getting up on the bed and couch with no issues, even licking the left over bits off the kitchen table. Week 4 he has started to play with Bossco again and run and chase the birds in the back yard. He has thankfully come back.

Ace still favours the one side often or if he gets doing to much and we have only been on one walk since and it was hard on him. Unfortunately he is getting older for his breeds, I didn't want to believe it not for a second and when I finally came to terms that my MOO, my world, my best friend wouldn't be here forever it broke me and broke my heart. I turned to the women in rescue who knew exactly what I meant when I explained my love for Ace being different than my love for the others. They told stories of their "heart dogs" and how no dog would ever place them.

I will do everything I can for Ace, but I will never ever force him to live in pain and suffering. I would never want him to live a life that he couldn't live to the fullest. Moo Moo being the way he is, high energy, active and go, go, go he gets depressed when he can't for whatever reason and if one day it becomes like that for him I will hold him as he crosses over the rainbow bridge. I will not keep him alive for selfish reason, I will not force him to endure because I don't want to hurt, or I will miss him. I will do what is best for him and only him.

My heart dog is Ace and I couldn't imagine my life without him, but for his sake one day I will have to decide that is best for him and not what is easier or more comfortable for me.

A lot of people say that you can not love an animal the way you do people, or that when you have children you will replace your dogs. Not for me, never for me, my dogs are my children even if they are only fostered for a short time. Each one deserves the same respect and love that I give my children. Do I love my kids without a second thought, but I love my dogs in the exact same way.

New moms sometimes fear their child getting hurt, dying or kidnapped, dog moms have the same fears. Fears the collar will slip while out on a walk, trying to chase a bird and they get hit by a car, or get lost and you have to search for them. It is the same fears a mom of a human child has, it is the same love, compassion and commitment to their well being as moms of human children. I know I will catch flack for this and I do on a daily basis in the mom group and that's okay. I believe those people have no idea what real unconditional love it. The love of an animal is just as the love of a child.


Give your fur babies an extra squeeze tonight, hold them a little longer for they are not here forever.

Casi June 2012-March2014

This is something I have been avoiding blogging about, sadly in March we had to put foster dog Casi to sleep, she had been in care for almost two years. Casi came into care with her brother in June 2014 at just 5 weeks old, way too young to be away from their mother. They both were sweet as pie, Casi started to develop back end issues at about 4 months old, the vet said it was too soon to tell she might just grow out of it but is may also be something more serious. Great this sweet girl now had two strikes against her being adopted one she was black and two she had hip issues. Casi was the sweetest girl around but was protective of her bones and rarely played with the other dogs, when she did she was pretty much pouched for the day. This past winter she started to go down hill not being able to get up on the couch and other such things. She would cry when we came home from walks and not want to be touch so we reduced our walks to 20 mins tops.

We took Casi into the vet for x-rays to see what was going on, her one hip looked completely separated but it wasn't, there was severe arthritis, hip dysplasia and bone spurs. The vet said it looked very bad for her young age at this point we can keep giving her meds but she only had maybe a year left with any mobility in her back end.


About a week after we took Casi home she slipped badly and wouldn't let anyone near her, she couldn't get on the bed or couch at all and limped. She would barely get up to eat her meals and wouldn't let the other dogs anywhere near her. We had a hard decision ahead of us, it was fair for her to live in pain like that any longer. Richard took her to the vet and stayed with her while she was put to sleep. She passed away mid lick.

It broke my heart and still hurts when I think about her. This is the reality in rescue though we do whatever we can to save as many as we can but there are some that we just can't save or hard decisions have to be made. At least she lived two years loved and well taken care of.

After Casi's passing I decided to keep her brother Bossco and stop fostering for now, Jake is getting old and can't stand young dogs anymore or even really being bugged so we are going to let him live out his years in peace without the added pain in the butt fosters.

I am still very active in rescue just not fostering, there are many ways to help and fostering is a big one but still only one.

Casi's kick name was pretty miss and she sure lived up to it, loving being groomed all the time and lovins from kids and people she knew, although she was very timid of other dogs and adults.

OSPCA Cupcake Day 2013

The Sarnia Humane Society took part in the OSPCA National Cupcake Day this year!! It was an amazing turn out!

I was honored to be able to support them by donating a bunch of decorated cupcakes. I love being able to support where ever I can when it comes to animal rescue!

More and more people are becoming aware that adoption is the best option but at the same time there are still too many animals being dumped at shelters across the world.

I am not sure how many donations they were able to raise with this fundraiser but every little bit helps out and hopefully next year will be an even more popular success.

Joe the cat

Joe the cat, who is the poster boy for Sarnia animal abuse, and not by his own choice.

Joe the cat was found on the side of the road by a kind man to stopped to move what he thought was a dead cat off to the side of the road, as he was moving the cat it licked him, he was covered in blood and barely moving. The man rushed him to the Sarnia Humane Society who got him emergency vet care and the OSPCA was contacted. Joe was shot 17 times in the head with a pellet type gun. They were not sure if Joe would make it through the night, but he fought to live. After all this sweet boy had been through he still showed affections to all the humans he came into contact with.

A full investigation was launched, funds came in to help with Joes vetting care. The out cry from the community for justice for poor Joe who was forced to endure such cruel abuse. Many of us knew there at to be least two people involved as there is no way a cat would hold still to be shot over and over again.

After a short time (which felt like forever) a young adult was arrested, what felt like a great time later a second young adult was arrested. The police released the name of the first man arrested and then had to remove him name and a publication ban was put on the case as death threats and such towards the first young adult arrested. The public was angry that the second name was never released and all court information had a publication ban, but at the same time I understand so many people wanted to take justice into their own hands but by doing that we are making ourselves no better than the abusers themselves.

The court case is still on going and at every court date there are protesting demanding the full weight of the law be brought down on these two people.

There has been a lot of speculation on why they did this, there have been people say well its just a cat, etc, etc. Some one actually said "he shouldn't be charged with torturing an animal because his intent was to kill it, its just a cat"

Apparently Joe was a stray cat that the young adult boys found and then short with a pellet gun.

I hope in the end that they will be charged and given the max jail time in our province, which isn't nearly strict enough but until we can make the government see that we need stronger laws and penalties for people who abuse animals they will continue to get a slap on wrist.

Joe has since made a full recovery other than having to lose an eye, he had 100's of adoption applications come in for him and he has since found a wonderful home.

Article on Joe the Cat

Rescuing BEBE

I got an email from Susan at the Wallaceburg animal shelter that there was a female pit bull that needed rescue in Dresden. I spoke to the "owners" and went right away to get her.

This poor girl was in horrid condition from living in an out door kennel, the "owner" said she was never used for breeding but you could tell right away that she had been.

I picked her up and put her in the back of the car with me, the "Owner" says to me "oh I thought you would have brought a truck or something, she stinks why are you going to put her in the car." I had blankets set up on the back of the car to keep her warm and keep her wounds from oozing onto the seat. She was so thankful to be in the nice warm car she laid her head down on my lap and relaxed right away.

She was moved into a foster home with no other dogs. I took care of her wounds right away and save her food and water. She was not overly under weight but wasn't great either.

Bebe is about 10 years old and the "owner" said she lived in an out door kennel for at least two years with limited human contact.  She had a large chain around her neck.

She knows sit, down, stay, come and is fully house trained! Bebe is such a love bug she wants to be right with at all times and is a total bed hog. Most of her teeth were rotten and she only has shards of her front teeth left so she can't chew anything hard, but she loves her soft chews. She has ear mites and I think shes partly deaf.

Update: "Bebe" now known as lil momma went to the vet her mouth was full of infection, she had frost bite, she has five teeth removed and has lumps and bumps all in my mammary glands that I need a tummy tuck. Even with all the pain she was in while she was here she was the most lovable dog in the world!!! Poor baby girl, I am so glad she is in the loving hands of an amazing rescue and getting the proper care she needs!!

She has had her surgeries and is now fully cancer free. The poor girl was in so much pain but is now healing well and doing great in her foster home.  Bebe will be available for adoption in Ontario at the end of March. 

Bebe in her hell

In her temp foster home poor swollen mouth :(

Wounds all over her legs, and her poor nipples

In foster home in Ottawa, loving life!

Everyone says she is lucky I was able to rescue her and find her a rescue to take her and give her the medical attention she sorely needed, but I am the lucky one, she is such a loving spirit even with what she has been through, I was the lucky one to be apart of her journey.

Wallaceburg Animal Shelter: Marlene Juttens

The shocking loss of an amazing women who gave so much to the community and the animals in Wallaceburg, shook so many within the animal community as well as with the many other organizations she worked with.

Marlene and her husband Larry bought the Wallaceburg Animal Shelter in 2005 they took a shelter that didn't adopt to the public, that killed every 72 hours and turned it into what it is today. The Wallaceburg shelter is no kill, offers a safe place for dogs to go when they are lost, when owners can no longer care for their animals and they also are the animal control for Wallaceburg and surrounding areas.

I can only imagine what her husband and family must be going through with her untimely death. My thoughts and prayers are with them in their time of need.
 
I have had the honor of working closely with the Wallaceburg Animal Shelter and was only getting to know the women who helped create this safe haven.

At this time things are business as usual at the shelter, I hope with the continued work at the shelter and within in the community we can honor her memory in a way that would make her proud.

This is the link to the Chatham Kent news paper article on Marlene.
This is the link to the Windsor Star article.

Dangers for Dogs: Heartworm

Heartworm, a preventable, painful and in many cases a deadly disease. Heartworm can be found in both dogs and cats.

Taking proper care of your dog(s) means heartworm preventative medication. This is bought at your vets office and comes in either chewy pills called heartgard or a liquid that you put on the back of their necks called revolution. I have changed to the revolution as it is cheaper for me when treating my two personal dogs and any foster that I have. Revolution deals with preventing fleas, ticks and heartworm.

One simple prevention not only saves your pet from a painful recovery or death and saves you an extremely high vet bill. In some cases if a  heartworm infestation is to advanced, the treatment will be infective and the dog will have to be put to sleep.

We recently had a dog at the shelter go into foster care as he had been at the shelter for a very long time and was showing kennel stress. He went to a great foster home where he was doing awesome and the kids just adored him. He went in for his neuter and heartworm test, while recovering at the shelter waiting to go back to his foster home his test results came back in, Butch/Baxter was advanced heartworm positive. With a heavy heart this little guy had to be put to sleep. The children in his foster home were heartbroken. A simple one pill or drop(s) a month could have prevented this from happening.

Baxter/Butch

Heartworm is passed to a dog through mosquito's. It is 100% preventable. When a dog in Canada is found to be heartworm positive and starts treatment it is a long and painful task. The dog goes in for weekly treatments and has to remain completely at rest between treatments. Treatments can go on for years. The cost in Canada is about $3000.00 to treat heartworm. Preventative is about $100.00 per season depending on how many dogs you have.

Please save your dog(s) and family heartache; use heartworm preventive every year!!

More information from the OSPCA on heartworm.

Annie Adopted

Miss. Annie, one foster baby that will always be in my thoughts and in my heart. Something about this sweet girl touched many people both across the water and here at home. Annie as you, my readers know, came to us in horrible condition both mentally and physically, in July 2012. She was found roaming the cemetery in Wallaceburg.

When she came in she was thought to be pregnant, when I got the news I knew she couldn't spend her pregnancy in the shelter and her pups didn't deserve to be born in a shelter. Most pups that are born in a shelter die. They either die from disease that is passed on to them or their mother refuses to nurse because of kennel stress or depression. I went to the shelter right away, picked her up and took her to my vets. My vet did an ultra sound to check and see if there were pups. Turned out none!!! Yes I was extremely excited about this because we don't want anymore pups brought into this world when there are so many dogs and puppies dieing in shelters everyday.

Susan asked me if I wanted to bring Annie back to the shelter as she was not pregnant. Right away I said no, Annie needed help and as much as they try at the shelter they wouldn't have the time to work with her one on one.

Over the year that she was in care Annie began to trust, show love, and be able to be a dog. Annie grew by leaps and bounds, she had turned into the most lovable foster dog I have ever had. The only problem she needed to find her forever home. Over the year she had very little to no interest in her. One man wanted to use her as a hunt dog, I could just picture how that would have gone. Gun shot either Annie would have taken off never to be seen again or crawled up his leg and peed on him. It just wasn't the right fit.

One of the hardest decision of my life was made she needed to go to the shelter for exposure. I am not going to go into details as I already blogged about Annie and The Shelter. After what seemed like a life time Annie was finally adopted. The wonderful group of ladies that I have the honor to work with help create a sharing spree on Facebook. By the next afternoon she had 3 approved adopters and was on her way to her trial home.

After just three days in her trial home they decided to adopt her. Annie is now in her well deserved forever home. I am hoping that they will send a picture or two so I can add it my blog. Until then I am adding the picture of Keira and her.

Keira misses her greatly and says that we will never have a foster that she will love as much as she did Annie!!

Adopt don't shop! Wallaceburg Animal Shelter

Dangers for dogs: Hot Cars

It has been cooler the past week or so here in Sarnia, but people still need to be aware of the risks to dogs inside of a parked car.

People tend to think that they are only running in a minute that the dog will be okay in the car, but he/she wont be.

It only takes a few minutes for the heat to cause brain damage to the animal that is left in the car.

How to report when you see an animal left in a vehicle:

• Write down the license plate number, car make and model.
• You can call the police, animal control or the humane society. 

Local Numbers:

• Sarnia Police (519) 344-8861
• Animal Control 519 332 0330 extension 3351 (After hours call Sarnia Police and ask for animal control)

• Sarnia Humane Society 519 344 7064. 
•  

Do the right thing and help save a life, it takes a couple of minutes out of your day.

I report all "hot dogs" and so should YOU!!!! 

Facts on Dogs and heat 

In the summer unless we are going to a dog friendly place my dogs are always left at home in the nice cool air conditioner. When we (and by we I mean all of us dogs left outside in the heat can get heat stroke) are outside I have the doggy pool filled up for them to play in while I cut the lawn or putter.

PLEASE don't leave your pets in a car.

Annie and The Shelter

Annie was a foster dog of mine, she had been in foster care with me for about a year. Annie is super sweet, loving and loves kids!!!

After being in care for a year with little to no interest we had to make a hard decision to take her to the shelter for more exposure. She was in the shelter for about a month, I hated every moment that she was in there I couldn't go to the shelter to get pictures and she was all I could think about.

A foster dog leaving is never an overly easy thing, but this was different. The shelter we work with is one of the good ones, she got walked everyday and lots of love and play time.

I cried all the way to the shelter, Susan (the shelter manager) pretty much at to force me to leave and I cried all the way home. I was physically sick knowing she felt abandoned.

From the moment she came into care she was a special little lady. She came leaps and bounds from the scared of her own shadow to a confident loving baby. Yes she had her issues with other dogs when it came to bones but that was pretty much it.

I had only planned to leave her there for a week and then bring her back home. We stopped at the pet store and got her tons of raw hyde and food to make through the week.
At the end of the week I went to the shelter with all intentions to pick her up. Annie was soooo happy to see me, Susan said she was doing fine at the shelter and should stay. I struggled with the decision but decided Susan new best and she stayed. She was out in the yard when I left and Annie tired to chase the car it broke my heart seeing the pain in her eyes that I left without her. Right then and there I decided that no matter how long I had a foster dog I would not send them back to the shelter no matter what.

I don't know how owners of dogs they have had 10 years can just drop them at a shelter without even looking back. Especially those who leave their dogs at high kill shelters knowing they will be killed.

 

Annie waiting for Richard to come out of the pet store.

 

Stay tuned for a wonderful update on Annie!!!!

 

 

Facebook Share Rant: Dogs in need!!!

In the dog rescue world there is always high emotions and strange poltics that have to be carefully navagated, but there is nothing that makes me more angry and upset then seeing a picture of a moose on facebook that says share me for no reason gets 5000 shares, but a dog that has hours to live only gets 3 shares.

We can share thounsands of usless pictures and videos on facebook without a second thought, but people can't take the couple of seconds to share a dog who is in need.

For those who doubt it, sharing works. Annie had been my foster dog for a year with little no interest in her for the entire year she was with me. I ended up taking Annie back to the shelter to get more exposre hoping that it would help her get adopted. That was the second hardest day of my life (next to Owens adoption day). I wanted to bring her back "home" so bad, but the shelter said she was having people come in and look at her. After a month and me sick almost everyday at the thought she was there (I couldn't even go to the shelter to get pictures), some of the most wonderful ladies that I have the pleasure and honor of working with in the rescue world went down to the shelter and got photos of the dogs there for the facebook page. Once the pictures were online they went on a, sharing and begging for people share her photo, frenzy. The next day, after hundreds of shares Annie had 4 people interested in her and went on a 10 day trail. With 3 other approved adopters in the wings I crossed my fingers and not prayed but begged that it work out for her. By Friday 3 days after her trial started her adoption was finalized. Annie found her forever because of that simple little share button that everyone can click for silly pictures.

If you think about it if everyone who shared that mousse shared a dog in need of a forever home we could have so many more happy endings. All it takes it a click of a button and you move along your news feed.

2 Shares and he is even CKC registered.

5000 shares, just because.

Dogs and hot sidewalks

Lets talk about our doggies feet, not to many people put much thought into their dogs feet when they take them for walks. Walking the dogs daily are important both to you and the dog for many reasons, but you need to keep your pets safe while doing this, their little/big paws as well.

My rule of thumb is if its too hot for me to walk on barefoot then the dogs walk on the grass. Most of the time mine walk on the grass anyway but for the pups and foster dogs who do not know better I keep on the grass or we go walking before or after sunset when things are cooler.

Photo of a dogs paws burnt by hot asphalt