Archive for the ‘Pet Adoption’ Category

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 »

Lili and Her Puppies

March 28th, 2011 | Author: Valerie

Those of you who know me, know that I am a professional pet sitter here in Gwinnett County, specifically Lawrenceville and that I am a stray dog magnet. When you find a stray dog, proceed with caution. You never know if a dog may have rabies, aggression, or could be hurt. Legally, you should call Animal Control when you find a stray dog. Being a volunteer with an animal rescue organization, when I find a stray, I do have to take the dog to animal control to report them as found, but I let them know that I will foster the found stray and they will snap a picture and get the dog in the system.

That being said, last Saturday, 3/19/11, I was walking my client’s dog Maggie and noticed a very sad looking dog who had obviously had puppies sitting on the front porch of a house. She was looking as if she was waiting for someone. There was a little girl outside and I asked her if she knew who’s dog she was, but she wasn’t sure.

Lili on her abandoned home's front stoop

This was the first picture I took of mama dog, who we are now calling Lili. I was walking another dog and didn't want to get close, but had to snap a picture to see if she was a missing dog online.

I walked Maggie back to her house and gave her some love, playtime, treats, dinner and fresh water and then went back to the house where I saw mama dog. I keep dog food in my trunk, so I pulled some out and started walking toward her. Poor girl was pretty freaked out, so I approached very slowly, walking with my side to her, being silent so she could use her nose instead of her ears, and just being very conscious of my body language. I put the food down for her and I got her some water as well and decided to peek around the side of the house to see if I could hear or see puppies. Bad idea on my part, I guess I wasn’t thinking clearly…she came in an arc at me and never came close enough to bite me, but let me know that she didn’t want me over there. I bowed my eyes and moved away respectfully. I knew I had to find the puppies, but I also knew that I would be gaining her trust first.

I called my friends Penny Cogdill from Huffs Flowers and Carolyn Stewart from CS Baskets the next day, both huge animal lovers and rescuers that I knew would help this mom and babies. I also called Tom Wargo from Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen and Michelle Humphries from Georgia Humane Society and they immediately sprang into action in helping to spread the word about the situation. Tom filled my trunk with puppy food for mom to eat, and boy did she. We were feeding her 4 cans in the morning and a few cups of dry food, and 2-3 cans in the evening. She wouldn’t let me pet her the first night, but she would take a treat.

Please don't touch me yet! I don't know you.

Lili did a lot of submissive licking of her mouth at first, but didn't want me to pet her yet.

 

No petting, but I'll take a treat

I was pretty sure she would warm up fast because this picture was from the first evening, the second visit with her and she took a treat out of my hand. She wagged her tail a little between her legs, too.

In the meantime, we are worrying about the puppies. None of the neighbors have seen the puppies, or even heard the puppies. They said she had shown up around a month and half before. I was pretty shocked that no one had reached out to this dog. She’s only 25 pounds and adorable. That’s for another blog post, I guess.

After a few days of going over and feeding mama dog, she had really warmed up to me. Really. She was in my lap before I knew it, kissing me, and her entire body would wiggle when she saw my car pull up. I HAD to get her out of there. It’s not the best of neighborhoods; one man told us that the reason the Lawrenceville Police kept driving by was because there had been so much crime there lately.

On Friday morning, 03/25/11, I pulled up and Lili was very happy to see me. I grabbed her canned food and started to feed her, but she wouldn’t eat. That’s a first, because she had been chowing down for the past almost week. I started my usual hunt for puppies, as she followed me around with a “What are we looking for” look on her happy little face and and I noticed a hole in the fence to the house’s backyard, so I went across the creek and under the hole and started looking around. No puppies, yet again. I saw that she was pooping, and gross enough I knew I should look to see if she had worms or what not. There was blood in her poop, and I was worried, so I decided to take her to my vet, Woods Animal Hospital.

Well, this would be a new venture, seeing if I could get her in the car. Or, better yet, get her to want to be in the car. I had to go to my midday pet sitting and dog walking visits before I went to the vet. I also stopped off at home for some extra delicious treats to try to lure Lili into the car.

I got back to her around 3pm and started to give her the chicken outside the car. Then I sat inside the car and gave her chicken. Then, I put the chicken on the floor of the car. Then the seat and she was in. I sat in the backseat with her for a few minutes to make sure she was ok with this, all the while giving her little pieces of chicken. I climbed into the front seat, and off we went to Norcross to the vet.

 

Lili in the car

Lili wasn't too sure about the car at first, but by the end, she was looking out the window and sniffing the air

At the vet’s office, they looked her over, gave her the vaccines that she could get as a nursing mother and checked her out to see if they could tell if she had been nursing. The doctor told me that yes, she had definitely been nursing. I called Denny and let him know that there are definitely puppies to be found, and we were determined to find them. We decided that we would do a stake out all night if we had to.

I swung by our house on my way back from the vet, picked Denny up and we went back to the empty house that Lili was hanging around. Mind you, Penny Cogdill, Carolyn Stewart, Denny and I had looked for many hours and days for these pups, to no avail.

When we got back to the empty house, I went ahead and fed Lili since she apparently wasn’t going to leave our sides. I went to my car to put the garbage in a bag in my trunk and got a tennis ball out. I tossed the tennis ball to Lili to see what she would do and she ran happily over to it, grabbed it in her mouth, and ran over to a big tree that was between her house and a neighbor’s….and disappeared. Denny followed her and found a hole in the base of the tree and called out to me, “We have puppies!”

I couldn’t believe it. I walked over and there was Lili in a tree. You could barely even see her; the tree was hollow on the inside and they were way down inside it, nursing. I called Penny, who promptly brought a crate over. I put Lili on a leash and led her to the other side of the house, so not to upset her with Penny and Denny around her babies. Denny is a tall guy (6’5) and had to lie on his back and put his arm all the way in the hole to get the four puppies out.

 

Denny saves the day

Here's Denny reaching into the tree hole to pull out the four very healthy puppies

We put the puppies in Penny’s crate and brought them back with Lili to our house.

 

Four healthy puppies

And, here they are!

The puppies and Lili are now Georgia Humane Society foster dogs. They and their sweet mama will be available for adoption in about 4 weeks. If you are interested in applying to adopt or foster, please go to www.georgiahumane.com and fill out either an adoption application or foster application.

 

Adorable

This guy has a stubby tail.

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.  ~Ben Williams

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Dogs, Pet Adoption, Pet Rescue, Spay and Neuter | Tags: , , , , | 5 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 »

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 »

Do You Know What A Puppy Mill Is?

April 9th, 2010 | Author: Valerie

It’s amazing to me how many dog loving people that I meet who don’t know what a puppy mill is. If you buy a dog (instead of adoption or rescue), and the breeder doesn’t want to come to your home or at least ask you a million and one questions, you need to question THEM. In fact, you need to question them anyway. You need to ask to see where the puppies were born, to meet the mother and father (at least the mother), what health tests have been done on the mother and father, is the breeder active in any breed clubs, what temperament testing and socialization has been  done,  what food have the puppies been receiving, what inoculations have been given, ask for references from previous puppy buyers, can you have your own vet check the puppy out before committing, and well, you get the point.

At these puppy stores, the breeder isn’t even present. In fact, most of them will tell you they can’t even give you the address to the breeder’s home. This should be a HUGE red flag. The article below is something that I got from the Humane Society of the United States. I hope that you read this and think about adoption or at least a very reputable breeder before going to these puppy stores. We need to take a stand against this cruelty.

Puppy Mills

Can you imagine forcing your pet dog to live his or her entire life in a small wire cage with no human companionship, toys or comfort, and little hope of ever becoming part of a family? That is what life is like for a puppy mill breeding dog. Help us stop this cycle of cruelty that contributes to pet overpopulation and the suffering of countless dogs.

Puppy mills have been around for decades. They continue to thrive because they prey on unwitting consumers who are smitten by too-cute-for-words puppies in pet store windows and on legitimate-seeming websites. Puppy mills house dogs in shockingly poor conditions. After their fertility wanes, breeding animals are often killed, abandoned or sold cheaply to another mill to try and get “one more litter” out of the dog. The annual result of all this breeding is millions of puppies, many with behavior and/or health problems.

Buying A Puppy

Questions to ask yourself, and how to prepare for a new pup

The first step on the road to pet ownership is to ask yourself some tough questions: Why do you want a puppy? Can you afford one? Are you prepared to take care of a dog every day for his entire life?

If you’ve decided you’re ready for a dog, follow The HSUS’ top five puppy buying tips and you’ll be far more likely to secure a healthy, well-socialized dog who doesn’t drain your emotions or your pocketbook. One, in other words, who doesn’t come from a puppy mill.

1. Consider adoption. Adopting a dog instead of buying one is one of the surest ways to strike a blow against puppy mills. To find the perfect match, you’ll want to choose the right one for you and your lifestyle. Animal shelters have dozens of dogs, many of them purebreds, just waiting for homes. There are also breed specific rescue groups for every breed of dog, including “designer” or “hybrids” like Labradoodles and Puggles. Mixed-breed dogs also make wonderful pets. Read more about adopting a puppy through a shelter or breed rescue group »

2. Find a responsible breeder and visit their premises. Responsible breeders provide a loving and healthy environment for their canine companions, one that they will be proud to show you. Never buy a puppy without seeing where they and their parents are raised and housed with your own eyes. Read more on how to find a good dog breeder »

3. Don’t be fooled by common claims made by pet stores when pushing their puppies. Despite what they may tell you, pet stores do sell puppy mill puppies. Read more about the false claims commonly made by pet stores at the Pet Store Doublespeak page »

4. Don’t be swayed by a great website or ad. Just because a website says great things about their “home raised” or “family raised” puppies doesn’t make it true. Many puppy millers pose as small family breeders online and in newspaper and magazine ads. For many years The HSUS has aided local authorities in the rescue of puppy mill dogs across the nation. In almost all cases the puppy mills sold puppies via the Internet using legitimate-looking ads or websites that made claims that couldn’t have been farther from the truth.

5. Avoid the temptation to “rescue” a puppy mill puppy by buying him. Even though your intentions may be good, don’t buy a puppy with the idea that you are “rescuing” him or her. Your “rescue” opens up space for another puppy mill puppy and puts money into the pockets of the puppy mill industry. Pet stores won’t leave their cages empty and websites won’t leave their pages blank. The money you spend on your puppy goes right back to the puppy mill operator and ensures they will continue breeding and treating dogs inhumanely. If you see someone keeping puppies in poor conditions, alert your local animal control authorities instead of buying.

What You Can Do to Stop Puppy Mills

Help stop the cycle of cruelty

Check out this list of things you can do to help stop puppy mills:

Get an education

Whether you’re thinking about getting a dog, want to educate others about puppy mills or just want to learn more, check out FAQs about puppy mills and puppy buying tips.

Kids and teens: help stop puppy mills with A Cause for Paws.

Go online

Stop puppy mills by visiting our pages on Facebook and MySpace.

Help make your local pet store “puppy friendly”

The Puppy Friendly Pet Stores initiative asks dog lovers everywhere to work with their local pet stores to encourage them to develop and implement “puppy friendly” policies by refusing to sell puppies in their store and supporting homeless pet adoptions instead. Stores that already do not sell puppies can sign up to show that they are taking a stand against puppy mills and to “make official” their policy of not selling puppies. Learn more here »

Be an advocate

There are many things you can do to help dogs in puppy mills. “An Advocate’s Guide to Stopping Puppy Mills“ is a good place to start with many ideas that can propel you into action. ”A Guide to Using Local Ordinances to Combat Puppy Mills” is designed to help you work for the passage of local laws in your own community that will improve the lives of dogs in puppy mills.

Download “An Advocate’s Guide to Stopping Puppy Mills” »
Download “A Guide to Using Local Ordinances to Combat Puppy Mills” »

Or, you may order the more extensive kit that includes the guide as well as everything you’ll need to start spreading the word about puppy mills in your community, including printed materials, letter templates, tips for developing legislation and activity ideas. The kit is designed to help you discuss the puppy mill issue accurately and intelligently, whether speaking to friends and family or the local media: $3 each. Download the order form »

Lobby for better laws

Contact your federal and state legislators and let them know that you’re concerned about the inhumane treatment of dogs in puppy mills and want the puppy mill issue to be a priority for Congress. Ask them to expand the reach of the Animal Welfare Act to include kennels that sell large numbers of puppies directly to the public.

Get “Stop Puppy Mills” stuff

Spread the word about puppy mills wherever you go with stickers, T-shirts, bookmarks, dog collars, and flyers, or download a banner or badge for your website or blog »

Speak up

Writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper is a great way to get the word out about puppy mills in your community. Write your own version—a short, polite letter is most effective—or download a Microsoft Word version of the template that you can alter.

Furnish your vet with flyers

Download and print these flyers and bring them to your veterinarian or groomer’s office: “Getting a Puppy?” and “How to Find a Good Dog Breeder” are designed to help potential pet owners avoid puppy mills.

Donate

Help The HSUS in our ongoing campaign to stop puppy mills. Please make a donation today.

I don`t hold animals superior or even equal to humans. The whole case for behaving decently to animals rests on the fact that we are the superior species. We are the species uniquely capable of imagination, rationality, and moral choice – and that is precisely why we are under an obligation to recognize and respect the rights of animals.
– Brigid Brophy

Posted in Animal Cruelty, Pet Adoption, Pet Stores, Puppy Mills | Tags: , , , , , | No Comments »

Gwinnett County Pet Rescue Groups

October 29th, 2009 | Author: Valerie

The following blog lists several of the pet shelters and rescues in the Gwinnett County area, including Lawrenceville, Suwanee, Dacula, Duluth, Snellville and Lilburn. Whether you are looking for a certain breed or just the “perfect” pet for you, there are plenty of rescue groups and shelters in the area to find the pet you are looking for… and you’re saving a life. 90,000 dogs and cats die in Atlanta area shelters every year! Please, consider adoptions instead of purchasing a pet. If I’ve left any shelters or rescues out, please let me know and I will happily add it to this list.

Dacula

Canine Pet Rescue

Duluth

Cindy’s K-9 Angels

Companion Animal Rescue League

Lawrenceville

Gwinnett County Animal Control and Welfare

Gwinnett Humane Society

Society of Humane Friends

Lilburn

Alcovy Pet Rescue

Atlanta Boxer Rescue

Pets To Be

Snellville

Hightower Farm and Animal Sanctuary

Stone Moutain

Boston Terrier Rescue

Suwanee

English Springer Rescue America

Georgia Humane Society

Georgia SPCA

Southeast Pug Rescue and Adoption

“He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.” – Anonymous

Posted in Bird Rescue, Cat Rescue, Dog Rescue, Pet Adoption, Pet Rescue | Tags: , , , , , | 1 Comment »
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