Archive for the ‘Dog Rescue’ Category

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A Look Back At Our Foster Dogs of 2011

December 31st, 2011 | Author: Valerie

THE FOSTERS WE FOUND HOMES FOR IN 2011….

 

PRINCESS BUTTERCUP, NOW GIGI…ADOPTED BY LINDA

 

LILI, ADOPTED BY RACHEL AND JIMMY

 

AND HER PUPPIES….WILLOW, TONKA, BERNIE AND MAIZIE MAE

BERNIE…ADOPTED BY MY SISTER, LAURA AND HER HUBBY AND KIDS

MAIZIE MAE, ADOPTED BY DIANE, LAURA AND ROC

 

TONKA AND WILLOW, ADOPTED BY CAROLYN AND ELORA

 

AND THE FOSTERS WE DECIDED WE COULDN’T LET GO OF….

BENJI AND MEMPHIS

I talk to him when I’m lonesome like; and I’m sure he understands.  When he looks at me so attentively, and gently licks my hands; then he rubs his nose on my tailored clothes, but I never say naught thereat.  For the good Lord knows I can buy more clothes, but never a friend like that.  ~W. Dayton Wedgefarth


Posted in Dog Rescue, Dogs | Tags: , | No Comments »

Update on Lili and Her Puppies: A Happy Ending For All!

October 5th, 2011 | Author: Valerie

Back in March 2011, I found Lili as a very frightened stray who had just had puppies. The thing is, she had hidden her puppies so well, that we couldn’t find them. Close to a week after finding Lili, we finally managed to find her puppies….hidden INSIDE a tree! Read the full story here:

Lili and Her Puppies

Below is an update on how each dog is doing in their new homes!

Lili

Lili is doing great in her new home! She was adopted by Jimmy and Rachel right here in Lawrenceville. Jimmy saw Lili while she was at adoption day at Red Bandanna in Suwanee. He took a picture of her and a Georgia Humane adoption application and went to show his wife, Rachel, the dog he wanted to bring home. She agreed and they haven’t looked back! Rachel says that Lili is now a “spoiled suburban dog.” She has a Jack Russell brother and a Chow sister and is loving life! She still has some of her street dog traits, but she is getting more and more used to the spoiled life and is very playful and loving. Below are a couple of pictures that Rachel and Jimmy provided me with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bernie

Out of all four of the puppies, Bernie stayed with us as a foster dog the longest. He is so sweet and loving, I wanted to keep him. The problem was, our dog Josie attacked him pretty badly once and I’m just not willing to take that chance. So, for months, we lived in a “divided home.” We had it down to a T and it wasn’t a big deal, we just took the dogs out in cycles instead of letting everyone out at once. We were taking Memphis, our Catahoula Leopard Dog (until we decided to adopt him), and Bernie (and Lili until she got adopted) up to adoption day at Red Bandanna in Suwanee and we had a lot of people oohing and ahhing over the dogs, but no one had filled out an application.

One day, I made a joke to my sister, Laura, after her foster dog Skipper got adopted, that she could take Bernie. Our nieces, Maddie and Grace already knew and loved Bernie from spending time with him here at our house with Denny and me. Laura, who never fails to surprise me with her easy going attitude, said “Okay, cool!” A week or so later, I took Bernie to Laura’s house. He started as a foster dog, but Laura, her husband Chad and the girls were pretty sure that he was a perfect fit as a permanent furry family member. They adopted Bernie officially and have not regretted it for a minute. He is just as sweet and wonderful as I knew he would was! Pictures of Bernie below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maizie Mae

I was doing my best from the get-go to make sure these puppies and mama were getting as much attention as possible. I posted them on Facebook, Twitter, and anywhere else I could think of, and of course, we had the awesome Georgia Humane Society backing us as a foster home, providing the dogs with vet care, blankets, etc. and Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen helping us with food when needed. A fellow pet sitter Facebook friend of mine knew that a good friend of hers had recently lost their beloved dog and that they were considering adopting a new dog. She shared Lili’s and her puppies’ story and Diane, her husband Roc, and sweet daughter, Laura gave me a call and set up a time to meet the puppies when the pups were only 5 weeks old or so. They came over and immediately took to Maizie, filled out an application and waited patiently until she was old enough to get all of her shots, get spayed, heal and come home with them! She is doing really great in her home, and is extremely spoiled and happy and loved on. She is scared of her own shadow, which seems to be a trend with these puppies, but loves to play with her human “sister.”  Below are a couple of pictures that Diane provided me with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tonka and Willow

Carolyn‘s name has been mentioned several times in my blog articles because she is as crazy as I am when it comes to animal rescue. No, crazier. She was there for me when I was driving over to where Lili was a stray and feeding her until we found her puppies; we couldn’t take Lili out of there knowing that puppies were there somewhere. Carolyn went to feed Lili and look for the puppies when I was out doing my Spring Break pet sitting visits. She also came and helped with them when we found the puppies and brought them to our house. Her daughter, Elora, knew that one of these puppies was going to be hers, but I’m not sure Carolyn knew that from the beginning. Well, after knowing and loving them all, they decided to adopt Willow (the black female pup) and foster Tonka (the brown with black muzzle pup). I don’t think it took that long before I got a text from Carolyn saying that they decided to adopt Tonka as well. Both dogs have been through obedience training and are as spoiled as can be. Tonka, like Maizie Mae, is afraid of his own shadow, but Carolyn is a pro when it comes to socializing dogs and is doing a fantastic job!  Below are pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog.” – George Graham Vest

Posted in Dog Adoption, Dog Rescue, Dogs, Kids and Pets, Pet Adoption, Spay and Neuter | Tags: , , , | No Comments »

Pet Rescue and Adoption Groups, Humane Societies, Animal Controls, and Shelters in Georgia By County, O-Z

September 20th, 2010 | Author: Valerie

Pet Rescue and Adoption Groups, Humane Societies, Animal Controls, and Shelters in Georgia By County, O-Z

Oconee County

Oglethorpe County

Paulding County

Pickens County

Pike County

Polk County

Putnam County

Quitman County

Rabun County

Rockdale County

Screven County

Spalding Counding

Stephens County

Sumter County

Talbot County

Taylor County

Terrell County

Thomas County

Tift County

Toombs County

Treutlen County

Troup County

Union City

Upson County

Walker County

Walton County

Ware County

Wayne County

Wheeler County

White County

Whitfield County

Wilkes County

Worth County

If you have men who will exclude any of God’s creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.  ~St. Francis of Assisi

Posted in Bird Rescue, Cat Rescue, Dog Adoption, Dog Rescue, Pet Adoption, Pet Rescue, Reptiles, Small Mammals | Tags: , , , , , | No Comments »

Pet Rescue Groups, Humane Societies, and Shelters in Georgia, Counties F-N

September 2nd, 2010 | Author: Valerie

Pet Rescue and Adoption Groups, Humane Societies, Animal Controls, and Shelters in Georgia By County, F-N

Fannin County

Fayette County

Floyd County

Forsyth County

Franklin County

Fulton County

Gilmer County

Glynn County

Gordon County

Grady County

Greene County

Gwinnett County

Habersham County

Hall County

Haralson County

Harris County

Hart County

Heard County

Henry County

Houston County

Jackson County

Jasper County

Jeff Davis County

Jenkins County

  • City Of Millen Animal Control- 912-982-4211

Jones County

Lamar County

Laurens County

Lee County

Liberty County

Lincoln County

Lowndes County

Lumpkin County

Macon County

Madison County

Marion County

McDuffie County

McIntosh County

Meriwether County

Miller County

Mitchell County

Monroe County

Montgomery County

Morgan County

Murray County

Muscogee County

Newton County

If we cut up beasts simply because they cannot prevent us and because we are backing our own side in the struggle for existence, it is only logical to cut up imbeciles, criminals, enemies, or capitalists for the same reasons.  ~C.S. Lewis

Posted in Bird Rescue, Cat Rescue, Dog Adoption, Dog Rescue, Pet Adoption, Pet Rescue, Reptiles, Small Mammals | Tags: , , , , , | No Comments »

Pet Rescue and Adoption Groups, Humane Societies and Shelters in Georgia, Counties A-E

August 26th, 2010 | Author: Valerie

Pet Rescue and Adoption Groups, Humane Societies, Animal Controls, and Shelters in Georgia By County, A-E

Athens-Clarke County

Augusta-Richmond County

Baldwin County

Barrow County

Bartow County

Berrien County

Bibb County

Bleckley County

Brantley County

Brooks County

  • City of Quitman Animal Shelter-(229) 605-9810

Bryan County

Bulloch County

Burke County

Butts County

Camden County

Candler County

Carroll County

Catoosa County

Chatham County

Chattooga County

Cherokee County

Clayton County

Cobb County

Coffee County

Columbia County

Columbus-Muscogee County

Coweta County

Crisp County

  • Cordele Animal Shelter- (229) 276-2547

Dade County

Dawson County

Decatur County

Dekalb County

Dodge County

Dougherty County

Douglas County

Early County

  • City of Blakely Animal Shelter- (229) 724-7474

Effingham County

Elbert County

Emanuel County

  • City of Swainsboro Animal Shelter- (478) 237-4040

Evans County

Adopt me through Georgia Humane Society!

Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight.  ~Albert Schweitzer

Posted in Bird Rescue, Cat Rescue, Dog Adoption, Dog Rescue, Pet Adoption, Pet Rescue, Reptiles, Small Mammals | Tags: , , , , , | 2 Comments »

AJC Story: Counties Killing Dogs, Cats by the Thousands

May 3rd, 2010 | Author: Valerie

The story below was found on AJC.com and it really wrings my heart. Each and every one of our seven pets that we enjoy our lives with have their own stories of being homeless and not altered. Now they are living in the lap of luxury, being showered with affection and attention, are spayed and neutered, and only leave the house on a leash. It’s hard to imagine that they could have become one of the statistics, and be euthanized just because some person let his unaltered dog run free. It’s puppy season right now and any unaltered dog has a large chance of running off if they catch a whiff of the opposite sex. If you don’t have your dog spayed or neutered, please ask yourself why and then why not. There are MANY low cost spay and neuter clinics around Georgia. Here is a list of about 30 of them: Low Cost Spay/Neuter, Vaccinations and Veterinarians in Georgia

Here’s the AJC story:

Counties killing dogs, cats by the thousands

By Patrick Fox

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Troubled times are dooming more dogs and cats in metro Atlanta, and the same poor economy that puts animals in the pound ensures that many won’t get out.

Counties are cutting budgets at a time when animal shelters are putting down a growing number of animals. In the past two years, the number of cats and dogs destroyed at animal shelters in the five core metro counties has risen 24 percent. Last year, the counties killed almost 30,000 cats and dogs in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett.

Gwinnett County led 2009 with 7,588 cats and dogs put down, almost half of them because the shelter could not house them.

Elissa Eubanks, eeubanks@ajc.com (From left) Kenya Grace, Khristrie Smith and Ronnell Bass visit with a pit bull they are considering adopting at the Gwinnett County Animal Control and Welfare facility in Lawrenceville.

“We are trying to help citizens who are having financial trouble and can’t feed their animals by giving them food donated to the shelter by local merchants,” said Gwinnett police Lt. Mary Lou Respess, who is director of the county’s animal shelter. “The shelter also helps sponsor events at local pet supply stores to promote adoptions and is planning a free spay and neuter clinic this spring for pit and pit mixes, the most common breed at the shelter.”

All the adoption promotions in the world will never solve the problem, said Virginia Keller, president of the Spay Neuter Action Coalition of Georgia.

“These people just don’t get it,” she said. “There will never be enough homes for all the animals that are produced at today’s rate. Never. The answer to this problem is strictly spay and neuter.”

Madison Bragg, 8, of Lawrenceville looks in on the dogs that are up for adoption while she waits with her family for their spayed cat at Gwinnett County Animal Control and Welfare.

Keller said she has seen people repeatedly drop off puppies or kittens at the shelter with no thought that they could end the cycle with a simple operation on their dogs. Others, she said, get a $1,000 pure-bred puppy and think they’re going to get their money back by breeding it. But instead, it wanders down the street and produces some mixed-breed pups that the owner has to try to give away, she said.

“They think animal control is an adoption center,” Keller said. “No way. I don’t know how you get this idea across to people, unless they want to come and watch it happen.”

Another tack many animal rights groups take is offering to volunteer at shelters. Several groups in Gwinnett have said they would drum up volunteers, but Respess has said there are liability issues to consider when working inside the kennels.

There are some things volunteers can do. Gwinnett’s shelter has begun a program to get volunteers to walk the dogs. Gail La Berge, who heads the county animal advisory council, said the staff has found the dog-walking program improves the animals’ disposition and makes them more adoptable. She also said volunteers can sign up online and commit to times of their choice.

The Gwinnett shelter has also explored expanding hours into evenings to allow working families more time to visit and shop for a pet. Statistics show a noticeable increase in adoptions when the shelter remains open late, La Berge said, but budget cuts won’t allow for overtime, so the shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

Luis Burgos rescues his runaway boxer Drago at Gwinnett County Animal Control and Welfare. All of the animals are at risk of euthanasia, as troubled times are dooming more cats and dogs.

The lean budget prompted the advisory council in mid-March to recommend increasing fees. The council, which recommends policy changes to the county commission, voted to double the charge for daily boarding to $10 and for quarantine to $200. But members balked at a suggestion to more than double the owner surrender fee from $20 to $50, fearing owners would abandon their animals on the streets. The fee was increased to $25.

Respess said the shelter offers reduced rates of $60 for spaying and neutering for animals that are being reclaimed, in lieu of the reclaim fee and subsequent boarding fees. The service includes rabies, DHLPP shots and microchip.

Other animal assistance groups operate on fewer dollars but with as much devotion.

“I think the increase is due to people losing their jobs,” said Samantha Shelton, founder and president of Furkids, the largest no-kill shelter in Georgia. “Yet there are so many resources out there that are available to people.”

Furkids operates a 5,000 square-foot facility for cats near Doraville. It also runs seven full-time adoption centers and has 20 active foster homes for dogs and kittens.

Over the past two years, the organization has seen donations plummet, yet it still offers free food and medical care to help owners keep their pets during tough times.

“I wish we could keep more of these pets in their homes, rather than people turning them over to animal control,” Shelton said.

Euthanasia counts at metro county shelters

2007 2008 2009
Clayton
Cats 1,867 2,095 2,258
Dogs 3,095 3,715 4,099
Cobb
Cats 3,394 4,058 4,000
Dogs 3,095 3,715 4,099
DeKalb
Cats 1,077 1,895 1,843
Dogs 2,751 3,390 3,619
Fulton
Cats 464 400 565
Dogs 2,664 2,573 1,958
Gwinnett
Cats

Dogs

 3,169

2,763

 4,025

2,966

 4,588

3,020
Totals 23,874 28,091 29,612

The everyday kindness of the back roads more than makes up for the acts of greed in the headlines.                – Charles Kuralt

Posted in Cat Rescue, Dog Rescue, Gwinnett County, Lost and Found Pets, Pet Adoption, Pet facts, Pet Rescue, Pet Safety, Spay and Neuter | Tags: , , , , | No Comments »

Cars are Furnaces, Even In the Spring

April 30th, 2010 | Author: Valerie

This article was written by The Sunbear Squad and is very important for everyone to know. I learned in my Pet Tech First Aid Class how quickly a car gets hot. Please read this and pass along.

It’s already happening: dog deaths due to heat stroke in hot cars

I had another tip prepared for this week, but after reading four news articles this week about dogs dying of heat stroke, I changed my plans. It’s only April but spring is early this year. And as I learned, even the most dedicated animal rescue volunteers can lose track of time with deadly results.

Nine rescue dogs were waiting in the back of a closed truck without air conditioning while two animal rescue volunteers readied their adoption setup in a Georgia Petsmart on April 2, 2010. It was an unseasonably warm sunny day. When the volunteers returned to the truck to bring the dogs inside, they found unimaginable hell.

They found four dead puppies, one dead adult dog, one adult dog in extreme distress from heatstroke, and the three dogs suffering and deteriorating. They attempted to revive the dogs and then went the vet clinic, where the adult dog in extreme distress was euthanized. Three dogs lived. The volunteers and the rescue operator (who was not present) were devastated and suspended their rescue operations. The two volunteers are each charged with nine counts of animal cruelty. (Staged photo—no animal was harmed.)


Be prepared to take action to help save a dog from dying of heat stroke

What can you do if you see or hear an animal stuck in a hot vehicle? First, observe the situation carefully but quickly. Walk all around the vehicle, looking at all window openings, and notice if the motor is running with air conditioning on. Is there some shade? Is the dog or cat panting heavily and continuously? Or is the panting intermittent and related to the stress of your approach? Look for signs of drool or spittle around the mouth that might indicate prolonged panting.
If the animal doesn’t appear to be panting heavily and the air conditioning is running, leave, taking note of the time. Return in 15 minutes to check to ensure that the air is still running.
If the animal isn’t panting heavily, and the windows are generously open or the vehicle is in shade, leave, taking note of the time. Return every so often to check that the panting has not increased.
If the animal is already laying down, panting heavily and unable to rise, you must spring into action immediately. Act like a rescuer would, because heat stroke will kill this beloved pet in a few minutes. Enlist a passersby to witness your actions and quickly break a window with your elbow or a heavy object. Ask the witness to dial 911, and ask another one to RUN to the store service desk to insist on an immediate public address to the owner (describe the car and animal). Remove the suffering animal from the vehicle to a shady spot on nearby grass if you can do it safely, and fan the air overhead with anything handy. Ask if anyone has a water bottle; if so, dribble water into the animal’s mouth, and wet his ears and neck to speed cooling. Wait for the authorities and owners to arrive. Ignore any theft alarm; you are not a thief. You are a rescuer saving the life of someone’s pet.
If the animal is standing or sitting upright and panting heavily, you have more time. Write down the vehicle make and model, color, and license plates. Enlist a passerby to go to the service desk to request a public address to the owner. Stay with the dog or cat until the owner returns. If the owner doesn’t return in 10 minutes, and the animal is panting more heavily, call 911.

Why is heat so deadly to dogs?

They can’t perspire to exhaust body heat like we humans can. The only way they can rid their bodies of excess heat is through panting and limited perspiration through their paw pads. Heat stroke is quick to kill, and very young or old, obese, or unhealthy animals are more susceptible. What are the symptoms outside of heavy panting and drooling? Look for signs of restlessness (laying down and rising again and again), lethargy, dark tongue, lack of coordination, and even vomiting.
If you see dogs playing sports or running with their owners on hot days, be sure to say something! Veterinarians will tell stories of how quickly a happy dog can become overcome with heat stroke and die on a hot day. They will play or run until they drop. Vet clinics see them rushed into care by distraught owners, but only some can be saved.



Please forward to animal lovers you know, and reproduce freely. Please credit Sunbear Squad.

Posted in Dog Health, Dog Rescue, Pet First Aid, Pet Health, Pet Rescue, Pet Safety | Tags: , , , , | No Comments »

When Neighbors Are Cruel or Neglectful To Their Pets

April 23rd, 2010 | Author: Valerie

I read the story below today and it got me thinking. This case of absolute cruelty and neglect took place right here in our backyard in Gwinnett County; Suwanee to be exact.  I believe it’s our responsibility to not even think twice before reporting neglect and cruelty to animals, but not everyone feels the same. Some people would rather not think about the dog chained to a tree next door, not even knowing whether or not the dog has food or water- the basic needs of all living creatures. I suppose this is because they don’t want to cause rifts with their neighbors.

There are many places that a person in this situation can contact for help. At the end of the story, which I found on CBS Atlanta, I’ll list a few places that can help if you know an animal in need of rescue from their humans.

Gwinnett County Man Arrested On Animal Cruelty Charges

Two Dogs Were Found Nearly Starved To Death

By Jennifer Mayerle, CBS Atlanta Reporter

SUWANEE, Ga. — Police are investigating a severe case of animal abuse in Gwinnett County. Two dogs were found so skinny they were near death. Police have arrested their owner, Jimmy Mixon, on charges of animal cruelty.The dogs were found in the backyard of a home on Cherokee Trail in Suwanee. Billy Hooper was working in a yard next door. The dogs were in the backyard. He had seen the dogs before, but not like this.“I knew the dog was in trouble ’cause it was laying on the ground. It didn’t respond, when I talked to it, it just laid there and it was jerking,” said Hooper.There was a Shepherd-mix named Beau, and a Boxer named Titan.“They were real skinny, the bones were showing real bad in the stomach area,” said Hooper.Hooper called police. Mixon didn’t answer when reporter Jennifer Mayerle showed up to ask the tough questions about his dogs. He did offer an excuse, according to police reports, “He and his wife just had a baby and it had been difficult. He was sorry but he was doing the best he could.”Animal Control Officer Joey Brooks says there’s no excuse. The dogs didn’t get that way overnight and Mixon had to know the dogs were suffering.“Both of them were severely emaciated, when we walk up and find a dog laying there almost unconscious, then that’s very severe,” said Brooks.Titan was so fragile, he didn’t make it. Beau is putting on weight, but he may have suffered brain damage because of the lack of food and water.“If you can’t take care of them, don’t get them,” said Hooper.Beau is being treated by a vet until he’s healthier, which may take a few weeks. He’ll then be put up for adoption at Gwinnett County Animal Control.

What You Can Do About Animal Cruelty

The Humane Society of the United States

If you witness or suspect animal abuse or neglect, please take the following steps:

  • Document: Take note of the date, time, exact location and the type of animal(s) involved. Video and photographic documentation (even a cell phone photo) can help bolster your case.
  • Contact Law Enforcement: Contact your local animal control agency or county sheriff’s office and present your complaint and evidence. You may wish to remain anonymous, but doing so may make successful prosecution of the case more difficult.
  • Follow Up: Be the squeaky wheel. If it seems like your complaint is not being taken seriously, keep calling back. Scheduling an in-person meeting with the law enforcement agency may have a greater impact. If all else fails, getting local media interested in the story is a sure-fire way of grabbing the attention of law enforcement.

    How are complaints investigated?

    An officer will look into the complaint to see if animal cruelty statutes have been violated. Some agencies have the power to obtain and serve warrants; other agencies work closely with local police who execute the search warrant on their behalf.

    If a violation has occurred, the officer may speak with the owner and issue a citation and give the owner a chance to correct the violation. This is more likely in cases of animal neglect.

    In other cases, animal neglect or abuse may be extreme and require the animals to be removed by a humane agency to protect them. The agency will present the case to the prosecutor’s office for further evaluation and possible prosecution.

    What role does The HSUS play in local animal abuse and neglect cases?

    The Humane Society of the United States works with the public on individual cases of animal cruelty by providing rewards to citizens who provide information on animal cruelty and animal fighting leading to a conviction.

    The HSUS also provides assistance and resources to animal shelters, animal control professionals, investigators and prosecutors around the country on issues involving illegal animal cruelty and animal fighting. We provide educational materials, training opportunities, recommended operations guidelines and other expertise.

    We also lobby at state and national levels to strengthen laws protecting animals, increasing the likelihood that animal cruelty will be taken seriously by the legal system. For more information on animal abuse and what you can do to strengthen animal cruelty laws in your state, please visit The HSUS’ Animal Cruelty Campaign.


    Who Do I Call to Report an Alleged Animal Cruelty Incident?

    For Companion Animals (e.g., dogs, cats, exotic birds, pet rabbits, pot–bellied pigs)

    • Report those persons holding an Animal Protection License issued by the Georgia Department of Agriculture (or those that should be licensed) to the Animal Protection Section at 1-800-282-5852, ext. 4914 or 404-656-4914, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Animal shelters, rescue groups and humane societies that house animals, pet breeders, pet dealers, pet shops, pet groomers, kennels, aviaries all require an Animal Protection License which must be prominently displayed at each licensed place of business.
    • Report all other persons to the local law enforcement agency and the animal control office, if one exists in the area.  Report to the municipal or county police department or county sheriff’s department using the non-emergency number, unless the alleged perpetrator is actively involved in an act that threatens an animal’s life. If you suspect that other crimes (e.g., illegal drug activity or gambling) are involved, be sure to report this as a part of the call.

    For Equine (e.g., horses, mules, donkeys, zebras)

    • Report to the Georgia Department of Agriculture Equine Health Section at 1-800-282-5852, ext. 3713 or 404-656-3713, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. or to the local law enforcement agency and the animal control office, if one exists in the area.

    For Other Livestock (e.g., cattle, swine, goats, sheep, poultry, llamas)

    • Report to your local municipal or county police department or county sheriff’s department.

    For Captive Wildlife or Exotic Animals (e.g., whitetail deer, raptors, large cats)

    • Report to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division at 770-761-3044,Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

    For Circus or Zoo Animals (e.g., elephants, primates, circus dogs)

    • Report to the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Animal Care, Regional Office, Raleigh, N.C. at 919-716-5532, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
    • Posted in Animal Cruelty, Dog Fighting, Dog Rescue, Pet Rescue | Tags: , , | No Comments »

    Supreme Court Strikes Down Law Banning Dogfight Videos

    April 21st, 2010 | Author: Valerie

    This story is pure ridiculousness. I just have to keep hope that our system will grow up one day. Ugh. Story found on CNN.

    Supreme Court strikes down law banning dogfight videos

    The Supreme Court has struck down a federal law designed to stop the sale and marketing of videos showing dogfights and other acts of animal cruelty, saying it is an unconstitutional violation of free speech.

    The 8-1 decision was a defeat for animal rights groups and congressional sponsors of the unusual legislation.

    The specific case before the court dealt with tapes showing pit bulldogs attacking other animals and one another in staged confrontations.

    The justices Tuesday concluded the scope and intent of the decade-old statute was overly broad.

    “The First Amendment itself reflects a judgment by the American people that the benefits of its restrictions on the government outweigh its costs,” said Chief Justice John Roberts. He concluded Congress had not sufficiently shown “depictions” of dogfighting were enough to justify a special category of exclusion from free speech protection.

    The high court threw out the conviction of Robert Stevens, a Pittsville, Virginia, man who sold videos through his business, Dogs of Velvet and Steel. According to court records, undercover federal agents found he was advertising his tapes in Sporting Dog Journal, an underground magazine on illegal dogfighting.

    Among the products Stevens advertised was “Catch Dogs,” featuring pit bulls chasing wild boars on organized hunts and a “gruesome depiction of a pit bull attacking the lower jaw of a domestic farm pig,” according to the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based appeals court that ruled on the case earlier.

    Stevens was charged in 2004 with violating interstate commerce laws by selling depictions of animal cruelty. He was later sentenced to 37 months in prison, and promptly appealed. That sentence was put on hold pending resolution of this appeal.

    He argued his sentence was longer than the 14 months given professional football player Michael Vick, who ran an illegal dogfighting ring.

    It was the first prosecution in the United States to proceed to trial under the 1999 law.

    The video marketer is not related to Justice John Paul Stevens, who turned 90 Tuesday. The court made no mention of the milestone as it held a two-hour public session.

    Nearly every state and local jurisdiction have their own laws banning mistreatment of wild and domesticated animals, and usually handle prosecutions of animal cruelty.

    Several media organizations had supported Stevens, worrying the federal law could implicate reports about deer hunting, and depictions of bullfighting in Ernest Hemingway novels.

    Roberts agreed, saying, “We read [the federal law] to create a criminal prohibition of alarming breadth.”

    “Jurisdictions permit and encourage hunting, and there is an enormous national market for hunting-related depictions in which a living animal is intentionally killed,” said Roberts. “An otherwise-lawful image of any of these practices, if sold or possessed for commercial gain within a state that happens to forbid the practice, falls within the prohibition of [the federal law].”

    During oral arguments in October, the justices offered a number of wide-ranging hypotheticals over what the law could forbid, including: fox hunts, pate de foie gras from geese, cockfighting, bullfighting, shooting deer out of season, even Roman gladiator battles.

    Only Justice Samuel Alito dissented in the case, and he focused on one of the most disturbing aspects raised in the appeal, the marketing of so-called “crush” videos, in which women – with their faces unseen – are shown stomping helpless animals such as rabbits to death with spiked-heel shoes or with their bare feet.

    “The animals used in crush videos are living creatures that experience excruciating pain. Our society has long banned such cruelty,” he said. The courts, he said, have “erred in second-guessing the legislative judgment about the importance of preventing cruelty to animals.”

    Roberts suggested a law specifically banning crush videos might be valid, since it was narrowly tailored to a specific type of commercial enterprise.

    Alito noted that would not help dogs forced to fight each other, where, he said, “the suffering lasts for years rather than minutes.”

    The government had argued a “compelling interest” in stopping people who would profit from dog attack tapes and similar depictions.

    If the law had been upheld, it would have been only the second time the Supreme Court had identified a form of speech undeserving of protection by the First Amendment. The justices in 1982 banned the distribution of child pornography.

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    Filed under: Supreme Court

    “Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages.”
    – Thomas Edison

    Posted in Animal Cruelty, Dog Fighting, Dog Rescue | Tags: , | No Comments »

    Happy Endings for 3 Dogs Yesterday!

    April 16th, 2010 | Author: Valerie

    If you’re like me, you get email after email of dogs and other pets in need of rescue…some are in high kill county shelters and only have hours to live. My Facebook wall fills up with pets in need every day. It’s great to hear a happy ending, but yesterday I was blessed to hear TWO happy endings for three different dogs. No picture available of the second dog.

    The first story, I got from Facebook and was passed from this person to that and I ended up with it and shared it on my wall. The second story was emailed to me. I will paste the original story of the dogs, and then an update. I hope you enjoy them!

    Pedro and Otto, abandoned best friends in Athens GA: A story of devotion:

    These two amazing dogs are available for adoption or rescue at Athens-Clarke County Animal Control in Athens, GA. Call 706-613-3540 between 10 am and 4 pm (open every day except Wednesday). Detailed contact info and links to read more, and to download adoption/rescue apps, are at the bottom of this Note.

    Pedro #30127 and his best friend Otto #31028 were found at a truck stop in Clarke County, northeast Georgia, abandoned. Poor Otto was penned inside a rusty cage. Though running loose and free to go find food and shelter, Pedro would not leave his best friend. He stuck by Otto’s side and made sure he was safe until Animal Control officers picked them up. See their individual details following comments. Though abandoned, they will be given the mandatory 5-day hold period.
    ***“Safe” time will be up at closing time on Friday, 4/16***—Please put in your adoption or rescue app now, before they become URGENT. Also please note that these guys are not rescue-only—they are adoptable, good-natured, social dogs. Sadly they are the two types most adopters pass by in a shelter: a “Pit Bull” and a senior, large-breed “Black Dog.” They need our help.
    •—•—•—•—•—•—•—•
    On Sunday April 11, I got to spend a bit of time petting, treating, and watching interactions between Otto and Pedro, who are sharing a run since they came in together.

    Pedro, #30127Otto, #30128These two have the most amazing bond. After observing them together, it appears that Pedro the Lab believes he is Otto the Pibble’s “mom.” Pedro would’ve already been an older guy when his humans brought Otto home as a puppy. It looks like Pedro “raised” Otto. Otto may be the only friend Pedro has ever had, and Pedro is fully dedicated to his buddy. Otto is a great, mellow, affectionate boy who still has some pup in his behavior because Pedro has mothered him so much. Otto is a naturally outgoing guy, and Pedro is naturally submissive, gentle and amiable. There is absolutely no friction between the two, but it looks like Pedro has always protected and deferred to Otto—including making sure Otto had the lion’s share of their food. Otto is in good body weight, but Pedro is very thin. When I fed the two treats, Otto was more eager to take them. Pedro would take a treat, but then would literally drop it in front of Otto, though it’s evident that he’s very hungry himself. I managed to get the two at opposite ends of their run, so I could encourage Pedro to eat some treats himself. Pedro seems afraid to eat in case Otto doesn’t have enough. There is NO food-aggression between the two. It’s just like a parent sacrificing for the sake of a child.

    When visitors came by walking other dogs, both these boys were friendly and interested in meeting both dogs and humans. Otto was again more forthcoming, but Pedro would step in and insert his nose next to Otto’s at the fence, just in case he needed to “protect” him. No aggression or even defensiveness, just, “Otto, I’m here if you need me”—the behavior of a gentle parent with a pup.

    I’ve never seen a relationship like this between two intact male dogs. Otto has really benefited from Pedro’s care, and has learned good social skills and a degree of mellowness you don’t always see in Pits. Pedro has been so self-effacing and sacrificing that his own health and well-being have suffered. Otto, being a dog, can’t realize that Pedro’s given everything he has to protect and nurture him. Otto doesn’t bully his submissive guardian at all, just accepts that this is the way their relationship is. Though Otto’s now perfectly capable of looking after himself, Pedro can’t realize this, and still views Otto as his baby.

    When I first wrote this Note, I speculated that it might be a good thing to get these two dogs adopted or rescued separately, thinking their codependent relationship might be impeding each from reaching his full potential. This morning, a volunteer who takes many of the terrific photos of our AC’s dogs wrote that even the brief time apart needed for her to take each dog’s picture caused Pedro great anxiety. Mia’s comment is below. Separation anxiety is terribly hard on a senior dog. Pedro doesn’t have too many years left to enjoy his life, and doesn’t deserve to lose his canine “security blanket.” So my plea is that an extraordinary family, individual, or rescue group step up and make sure these friends stay together. That said, Pedro needs to get enough food, care and love to be healthy. Otto needs a little bit of time one-on-one with humans so he can play and learn basic obedience skills—the intelligent, athletic bully dogs need such structure to thrive. An empathetic family could manage gradually separating them for feeding time, and teach them slowly to spend a little time apart each day, just so each could be an individual for a while.
    Both are real loves, and deserve better than life has given them thus far. If you have a big heart and an understanding of the bond and sacrifice these two boys share, won’t you please be their angel and give them a safe and loving home?

    This from Mia, who took Pedro and Otto’s photos: “When I separated them for their photo shoots Pedro was whimpering and crying as soon as Otto left his run. I felt so bad for him … When I took him out, he missed is brother again, but I agree that they need to spend some time apart so Pedro will eat more! The pound [Athens-Clarke AC] is full right now, so I don’t see this happening any time soon. Hopefully once all the [adopted dogs] leave to go to the vet and to their new homes, there will be more runs available.
    •—•—•—•—•—•—•—•

    Pedro is very thin and could use some good groceries, a fish oil supplement, and a cozy bed…close to his buddy Otto, of course.PEDRO #30127 (please refer to this number when calling about Pedro)
    * Age: 10 years
    * Breed: Lab/hound mix
    * Gender: Male
    * Weight: 51 pounds
    * Impound Date: 04/9/10 [mandatory hold is up 4/16]
    * Ledger #: 30127

    Shelter bio: “Pedro is a dog of incredible devotion. Though he could have gone off in search of food and shelter when his people dumped the two dogs, he never left Otto’s side. He made sure to keep his caged best friend company during the scary times. Pedro is underweight and needs to pack on the pounds again. His coat is sparse and dry, indicating lack of proper nutrition. Don’t let his gray muzzle and spectacles keep you from recognizing just how awesome this dog is! He is so sweet and has the most adoring eyes. Though he’s quiet, he still has energy and stamina to take walks and keep you good company. Pedro shouldn’t spend his last days stuck in the pound full of scary noises. Please consider noble Pedro as your new best friend soon.”

    Otto is in good body weight but has chunks of hair missing, as if he’s been trough some sort of hard times. His sunny nature hasn’t suffered, though.OTTO, #30128 (please refer to this number when calling about Otto)
    * Age: 3 Years
    * Breed: Pitbull Terrier
    * Gender: Male
    * Weight: 51 pounds
    * Impound Date: 04/9/10 [mandatory hold is up 4/16]
    * Ledger #: 30128

    Shelter bio: “Otto has an amazing disposition…he is really calm once outside of his run and just loves hugs and kisses. He was a very gentle and sweet dog…I scared him a little with my big scary camera, but he always came back for more treats. Otto has little pocks of fur missing all over his body…it’s not big patches of fur missing, but just little spots. Just like any dog, Otto needs a proper diet and regular vetting to make sure you have a happy healthy pup. He would make a great therapy dog or loving friend for any home. Come meet Otto soon!”

    UPDATE:

    Otto and Pedro have been rescued by a Michigan pet rescue group and are going into foster care together!

    Found lab mix – Gates Mill Subdivision at Sugarloaf and Hwy 20

    This is a very sweet older dog that we found in my subdivision last week (Gates Mill Subdivision at Sugarloaf and Hwy 20 in Gwinnett).  He did not have any collar or tags, but he is very well trained and immaculately groomed, so we know he must have a home somewhere nearby.  We have posted over 200 flyers in my subdivision and our neighboring subdivision, with no luck.

    Can you please take 1-2 minutes and forward and cross post this email to any/all of your friends and family who live in Gwinnett County and may be able to help us locate his owner?

    If we take him to Gwinnett Animal control, they will euthanize him within 24 hrs, because he is a slightly older dog (estimated to be about 10-11 yrs old).  This breaks my heart, because he has so much love to give and many more yrs left.  He is in excellent health.

    He is a mixed breed, but looks like he has a lot of golden lab in him.  He is great with children and other animals (he played with my 2 yr old grand daughter for 3 days!)  He is very sweet and gentle and has a great personality.  He understands and obeys all basic commands.  He really is a very sweet and a well behaved dog.  He is about 3 ft tall and mostly golden brown color, with white on his face and paws.

    If we cannot find the owner, do you know of anyone who may adopt or foster him?

    Thanks so much for taking a minute or 2 to forward this info to help this guy!!

    Update:

    This dog’s owner was found yesterday. They had been looking for him since April 5th!

    Don’t you just love a happy ending? Do you have any happy rescue stories that you can share?

    The wild, cruel animal is not
    behind the bars of a cage.
    He is in front of it.
    -Axel Munthe


    Posted in Dog Rescue, Dogs, Pet Adoption, Pet Rescue | Tags: , | No Comments »
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