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Houston, I need a home!
By Lorraine Houston
Issue #108
Kismutt’s destined to eradicate puppy mills
Kimberly Thomas’ Kismutt Rescue saves unwanted dogs from being shot. Now the courts are taking aim at the puppy mills at the root of the problem.
By Lorraine Houston
Kimberly Thomas founded Kismutt Small Dog Rescue in 2005. The name is a clever but accurate pun on the word “kismet”, meaning fate or destiny. Accordingly, Kismutt’s mission is to alter the course of destiny for dogs in need, i.e. dogs that have been abandoned, neglected, or are at risk of being euthanized. They specialize in the rehabilitation and re-homing of discarded breeding dogs and unsellable puppies that Amish and Mennonite puppy millers would otherwise dispose of. All dogs rescued and offered for adoption have been spayed/ neutered, and received comprehensive medical attention, TLC and security. Finally, each dog is given an assessment to ensure the best possible match with future families.
In the Amish community where she grew up, Thomas was always known for her compassion and affection for animals and, in particular, dogs. Her first call from a Mennonite puppy miller came 11 years ago when she was asked to take a couple of ex-breeding females. The miller said that if she could not take them he would shoot them. He said there would be a charge of $20.00 for each one because the dogs were vaccinated. She jumped in her truck and drove to the farm to collect the dogs. Word soon spread that Thomas would not only come and take unwanted dogs but, if they were up to date on vaccines, she would pay $20.00.
Sometimes criticized as an enabler to the puppy mill industry, Thomas responds with her unique brand of candidness. “It’s simple,” she says, “either I take the dogs or they are shot. Most people have no idea that is what actually happens, but it does and if I am an enabler then so be it. To me, it’s about saving the dogs.”
Despite her best efforts to educate the public about the need to eradicate puppy mills – during
the adoption process, through her website and in letters written to local newspapers – the mill industry continued to boom. Instead of seeing fewer dogs needing her assistance, she was picking up more. She began to see puppies with serious genetic defects, female dogs near death from over- breeding, dogs covered in fecal matter and whose fur was matted to the skin. She has seen rotting teeth and untreated eye and ear infections in dogs so emotionally traumatized that they had totally shut down.
She couldn’t take it anymore.
Jeopardizing any future calls from millers, she called the authorities, thereby launching a number of visits to the unsuspecting puppy millers. One such investigation saw sixteen mills inspected simultaneously, with several dogs removed, orders written and, in one case, charges laid. “I had many a sleepless night worrying about the dogs I didn’t take in,” says Thomas. “But I knew the time had come when I wasn’t helping the bigger picture; I was just a band-aid.”
Potential buyers need to see the big picture too. If the puppy you see looks ill or neglected, or if you suspect it is from a puppy mill, don’t buy him. The reality is that your puppy purchase is what keeps the millers in business, which perpetuates the suffering.
In April 2013, two separate court cases will determine the fate and future of several Amish puppy millers. Thomas is encouraged that the outcome may see a few puppy mills shut down, but knows there are many more that will continue to operate.
Advice from Kismutt’s Kimberly Thomas to would-be puppy buyers:
· Ask to see the puppy’s parents, or at the very least the mother
· Avoid on-line puppy websites; they are a haven for puppy mill brokers
· Ask if the puppy has seen a veterinarian
· Ask to see where the puppy has been raised and housed
· Avoid purchasing a puppy from a flea market or pet shop
· If you visit a puppy and find poor living conditions, neglect or signs of sickness, call your local animal authorities
· Check reputable rescues and shelters for puppies and dogs available for adoption.
By Lorraine Houston
Kimberly Thomas founded Kismutt Small Dog Rescue in 2005. The name is a clever but accurate pun on the word “kismet”, meaning fate or destiny. Accordingly, Kismutt’s mission is to alter the course of destiny for dogs in need, i.e. dogs that have been abandoned, neglected, or are at risk of being euthanized. They specialize in the rehabilitation and re-homing of discarded breeding dogs and unsellable puppies that Amish and Mennonite puppy millers would otherwise dispose of. All dogs rescued and offered for adoption have been spayed/ neutered, and received comprehensive medical attention, TLC and security. Finally, each dog is given an assessment to ensure the best possible match with future families.
In the Amish community where she grew up, Thomas was always known for her compassion and affection for animals and, in particular, dogs. Her first call from a Mennonite puppy miller came 11 years ago when she was asked to take a couple of ex-breeding females. The miller said that if she could not take them he would shoot them. He said there would be a charge of $20.00 for each one because the dogs were vaccinated. She jumped in her truck and drove to the farm to collect the dogs. Word soon spread that Thomas would not only come and take unwanted dogs but, if they were up to date on vaccines, she would pay $20.00.
Sometimes criticized as an enabler to the puppy mill industry, Thomas responds with her unique brand of candidness. “It’s simple,” she says, “either I take the dogs or they are shot. Most people have no idea that is what actually happens, but it does and if I am an enabler then so be it. To me, it’s about saving the dogs.”
Despite her best efforts to educate the public about the need to eradicate puppy mills – during
the adoption process, through her website and in letters written to local newspapers – the mill industry continued to boom. Instead of seeing fewer dogs needing her assistance, she was picking up more. She began to see puppies with serious genetic defects, female dogs near death from over- breeding, dogs covered in fecal matter and whose fur was matted to the skin. She has seen rotting teeth and untreated eye and ear infections in dogs so emotionally traumatized that they had totally shut down.
She couldn’t take it anymore.
Jeopardizing any future calls from millers, she called the authorities, thereby launching a number of visits to the unsuspecting puppy millers. One such investigation saw sixteen mills inspected simultaneously, with several dogs removed, orders written and, in one case, charges laid. “I had many a sleepless night worrying about the dogs I didn’t take in,” says Thomas. “But I knew the time had come when I wasn’t helping the bigger picture; I was just a band-aid.”
Potential buyers need to see the big picture too. If the puppy you see looks ill or neglected, or if you suspect it is from a puppy mill, don’t buy him. The reality is that your puppy purchase is what keeps the millers in business, which perpetuates the suffering.
In April 2013, two separate court cases will determine the fate and future of several Amish puppy millers. Thomas is encouraged that the outcome may see a few puppy mills shut down, but knows there are many more that will continue to operate.
Advice from Kismutt’s Kimberly Thomas to would-be puppy buyers:
· Ask to see the puppy’s parents, or at the very least the mother
· Avoid on-line puppy websites; they are a haven for puppy mill brokers
· Ask if the puppy has seen a veterinarian
· Ask to see where the puppy has been raised and housed
· Avoid purchasing a puppy from a flea market or pet shop
· If you visit a puppy and find poor living conditions, neglect or signs of sickness, call your local animal authorities
· Check reputable rescues and shelters for puppies and dogs available for adoption.
Featured Dog: Lovie
Lovie is a 3-4 year old, ten-pound female toy Poodle from an Amish puppy mill. She is a special-needs girl. Because of poor nutrition and cramped quarters in the puppy mill, Lovie has very little muscle tone and needs to build body strength. She eats well, is very sweet and gets along with other dogs. She also likes cats. Thomas says “the best way to describe her is floppy because she often trips over her feet and tires easily”.
When picked up, Lovie feels like a newborn baby; she needs support as her muscles are atrophied. The good news is that Lovie has made huge progress since coming out of the puppy mill. “She can now climb and descend stairs,” says Thomas. “It takes her a little time, but she can go up a whole fight of 12 stairs.”
Now Lovie can walk and jog. She sometimes trips as she goes, but she is completely mobile. She is currently taking vitamins twice daily and doing physiotherapy daily to help strengthen her leg muscles. These exercises are simple and can be done at home.
Lovie will follow you wherever you go; she craves attention. She has become one of the favourites of the volunteers at Kismutt Rescue. She is appropriately named Lovie, because she is nothing short of a pure love.
If you are interested in knowing more about Lovie, contact Kim Thomas at Kismutt@sympatico.ca or visit their website at www.kismutt.com
When picked up, Lovie feels like a newborn baby; she needs support as her muscles are atrophied. The good news is that Lovie has made huge progress since coming out of the puppy mill. “She can now climb and descend stairs,” says Thomas. “It takes her a little time, but she can go up a whole fight of 12 stairs.”
Now Lovie can walk and jog. She sometimes trips as she goes, but she is completely mobile. She is currently taking vitamins twice daily and doing physiotherapy daily to help strengthen her leg muscles. These exercises are simple and can be done at home.
Lovie will follow you wherever you go; she craves attention. She has become one of the favourites of the volunteers at Kismutt Rescue. She is appropriately named Lovie, because she is nothing short of a pure love.
If you are interested in knowing more about Lovie, contact Kim Thomas at Kismutt@sympatico.ca or visit their website at www.kismutt.com
Issue #107 Daisy & Rudy
Daisy, Rudy and three other spaniels were surrendered to Toronto Animal Services West Region by their owner, who could no longer care for them either physically or financially.
Daisy is a spayed, six-year-old female Cocker Spaniel who is blind in both eyes and may have been that way since birth. TAS staff say that she certainly doesn't let her blindness interfere with her zest for life! Described as an extremely sweet girl, Daisy is not nervous or easily startled despite her visual disability. If you speak to her she will walk directly toward you. She walks very nicely (albeit slowly) on a leash but you have to be watchful because she will walk into obstacles if you don't help direct her. Daisy gets along well with other dogs and in fact comes with her very own personal seeing-eye pal, Rudy.
Rudy is a nine-year-old neutered male spaniel who is described as good-natured and a friendly fellow. He has been diagnosed with a heart murmur that may require future veterinary attention. He is not that keen on other male dogs, but is clearly devoted to Daisy. He will nudge her along on their walks together and encourage her when she’s dawdling just a bit too long. She walks much more confidently when she’s with her buddy and it gives her comfort to know he’s close by. They are being housed together at the shelter and love to cozy up for their beauty sleep. Their bond runs deep and, for this reason, staff is looking for an adopter who will open their heart and home to both Daisy and Rudy.
If you are interested in offering these two very special dogs a loving, caring home and life, please contact Toronto Animal Services West Region at 416-338-6271, or visit their shelter at 146 The East Mall in Etobicoke during open hours.
See Daisy and Rudy on the web at www.toronto.ca/animalservices
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Beautiful Bella
Bella was a stray, found in a rural area of Ontario in August. But when no one came to claim the unique tri-coloured speckled hound during the stray hold period, she was taken into the care of Gentle Jake’s Coonhound Rescue foster care program.
She arrived there underweight, frightened and confused. She was especially worried about eating and was nervous to eat the food offered by her foster mom. What could have happened to Bella that would cause her such trauma and stress around food? Her foster mom tried to entice her in different ways – hand feeding, feeding her alone, feeding her outside or at night, mixing her food with roast beef or chicken – but she continued to show signs of anxiety.
Some days she would not eat at all.
After several months of working on building Bella’s confidence, her social and physical rehabilitation and her eating phobia, she has had a great turnaround. She’s learned her new name and responds, knowing it has positive associations. She now runs and plays with her canine housemates and has a special feline friend she likes to cuddle with. She cleans her food bowl twice daily in her safe space – her crate.
Bella has made amazing strides, and her foster mom, Julie Valentine, believes that at some point she may have experienced indoor family life.
“As Bella settled in and overcame some of her initial fears, we realized that someone had done some training with her,” says Julie. “She was housetrained and had been taught to ‘sit’ and ‘give a paw’. As well, she gets so excited when the leash comes out that she must have an understanding from the past that a leash means a walk. She is quiet in the house and can be left alone without any chewing or housetraining incidents."
Bella is now spayed, microchipped and up to date on her vaccinations. Unfortunately, although she is a young dog (approximately 3 years old), her x-rays show that she has hip dysplasia on both sides and arthritis has already set in on one side. You might never notice her dysplasia when she is out playing, but it is evident in the mornings when she is a bit stiff. To help with any discomfort, she has been prescribed pain medication, which she takes once a day with her dinner.
Bella’s ideal home would be as a single dog or with one other dog or cat for companionship. The rescue would prefer a home without small children, given Bella’s hip condition. She is now about 40 pounds and needs to stay at a weight that does not put added pressure or strain on her hips. Surgery might be an option for Bella, as she is young and very healthy.
If you would like to learn more about Bella, please contact Julie from Gentle Jakes’s Coonhound Rescue at julie@coonhoundrescue.ca
About Gentle Jake's Coonhound Rescue
Gentle Jake's is a small, not-for-profit rescue organization devoted to helping displaced and abandoned coonhounds and foxhounds find loving and permanent homes as indoor pets. Gentle Jake's Coonhound Rescue is also dedicated to promoting responsible hound ownership. Many of the hounds that come into their care are abandoned hunting dogs that were not family pets. Gentle Jake's works to educate and inspire dog lovers to consider adopting a coonhound, a breed they tout as ideal family pets because of their sensitive and social nature. Learn more at www.coonhoundrescue.ca
She arrived there underweight, frightened and confused. She was especially worried about eating and was nervous to eat the food offered by her foster mom. What could have happened to Bella that would cause her such trauma and stress around food? Her foster mom tried to entice her in different ways – hand feeding, feeding her alone, feeding her outside or at night, mixing her food with roast beef or chicken – but she continued to show signs of anxiety.
Some days she would not eat at all.
After several months of working on building Bella’s confidence, her social and physical rehabilitation and her eating phobia, she has had a great turnaround. She’s learned her new name and responds, knowing it has positive associations. She now runs and plays with her canine housemates and has a special feline friend she likes to cuddle with. She cleans her food bowl twice daily in her safe space – her crate.
Bella has made amazing strides, and her foster mom, Julie Valentine, believes that at some point she may have experienced indoor family life.
“As Bella settled in and overcame some of her initial fears, we realized that someone had done some training with her,” says Julie. “She was housetrained and had been taught to ‘sit’ and ‘give a paw’. As well, she gets so excited when the leash comes out that she must have an understanding from the past that a leash means a walk. She is quiet in the house and can be left alone without any chewing or housetraining incidents."
Bella is now spayed, microchipped and up to date on her vaccinations. Unfortunately, although she is a young dog (approximately 3 years old), her x-rays show that she has hip dysplasia on both sides and arthritis has already set in on one side. You might never notice her dysplasia when she is out playing, but it is evident in the mornings when she is a bit stiff. To help with any discomfort, she has been prescribed pain medication, which she takes once a day with her dinner.
Bella’s ideal home would be as a single dog or with one other dog or cat for companionship. The rescue would prefer a home without small children, given Bella’s hip condition. She is now about 40 pounds and needs to stay at a weight that does not put added pressure or strain on her hips. Surgery might be an option for Bella, as she is young and very healthy.
If you would like to learn more about Bella, please contact Julie from Gentle Jakes’s Coonhound Rescue at julie@coonhoundrescue.ca
About Gentle Jake's Coonhound Rescue
Gentle Jake's is a small, not-for-profit rescue organization devoted to helping displaced and abandoned coonhounds and foxhounds find loving and permanent homes as indoor pets. Gentle Jake's Coonhound Rescue is also dedicated to promoting responsible hound ownership. Many of the hounds that come into their care are abandoned hunting dogs that were not family pets. Gentle Jake's works to educate and inspire dog lovers to consider adopting a coonhound, a breed they tout as ideal family pets because of their sensitive and social nature. Learn more at www.coonhoundrescue.ca
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Freckles
Our featured dog in this issue is Freckles, who is currently in the care of Rat Terrier Rescue Canada (RTRC). As you will see by her picture, a Rat Terrier she is not; however, when volunteers read about her story and her dire need, they decided to take her in and make her an “honourary terrier”. Freckles has been in foster care for over a year and, although there has been some interest, her forever family has yet to surface.
Freckles was removed by shelter officials from a trailer where she lived with several other dogs in squalor amongst filth. She was stressed, scared and emotionally shut down, and the shelter staff knew she would not cope or show well on the adoption floor. Adding to her challenges is the fact that she is approximately 10 years old. Her story, along with a plea for her adoption, were put out to rescue/shelter lists and on Facebook in hopes of finding suitable alternate adoption opportunities. When the good folks at RTRC read of her plight, they agreed to bring her into their care. Arrangements were made to have her transported and admitted. When volunteers went to meet her, they saw an emaciated, wide-eyed waif looking at them from the back of the large transport kennel. They had been told by the shelter coordinator that Freckles would be frightened, stressed and confused and to expect weeks, if not months, of rehabilitation time. What the RTRC volunteers didn’t expect was to hear the sound of her tail beating eagerly against the crate and a faint glint of hope and anticipation in her deep chestnut eyes.
“Over the months, Freckles has really blossomed, and although she is about 10 years young, that doesn’t stop her from participating in a good play session,” says Ethel Britton, home visit coordinator and board member for RTRC. “This is something she has recently learned to do, thanks to the help of a younger foster dog who encouraged her.”
Freckles is being fostered with a family who live in a rural setting and she gets along well with all the other animals. She has not chased the chickens, cats or goats and quickly made friends with the resident dogs. She is a very polite dog and sits back waiting her turn for a treat. Freckles enjoys being outdoors catching some rays and fresh air, and, when inside, she loves to be around people and is so happy when she finds an available lap to curl up on – not always possible when there are only two laps up for grabs and four dogs. She is not a barker but will give warning when someone drives in the yard or knocks on the door. Freckles has been fully checked out by a veterinarian, with no indications of health issues and weighs in at about 30 pounds. This is a gem of a dog who has been through many challenges in life. How she has been overlooked for a year is baffling! Won’t you consider offering her your love and your lap? If you are interested in knowing more about dear Freckles visit www.ratterrierrescue.ca
ABOUT RAT TERRIER RESCUE CANADA
Rat Terrier Rescue Canada Inc. is a charitable, non-profit, volunteer organization that rescues and fosters Rat Terriers in private homes. They are dedicated to the welfare of Rat Terriers. Their purpose is to find new, permanent and loving homes for these dogs that have been abused, neglected or abandoned.
Rescued dogs are originally from puppy mills, pounds, shelters or unwanted owner surrenders. They are placed in foster homes for assessment, vetting and to prepare them for their adoptive families.
All Rat Terriers coming into rescue are spayed/neutered, vaccinated and tested for heartworm. As a non-profit organization, Rat Terrier Rescue Canada operates solely by donations and fundraising and all funds are used for the rescue, rehabilitation and placement of Rat Terriers in need.
Inquiries about Freckles can be made through RTRC at ratterrierrescue.ca. To see more photos of Freckles, visit Dogsdogsdogs.ca.
Lorraine Houston is the Director of Speaking of Dogs, an organization dedicated to education, outreach, and rescue. She and her family have fostered hundreds of dogs and found home for thousands of others. She recently launched an online basket and gift store featuring ‘all things dogs’ to celebrate the relationship shared with our canine companions. A two-time Maxwell award winner from Dog Writers Association of America, Lorraine can be contacted through speakingofdogs.com.
Freckles was removed by shelter officials from a trailer where she lived with several other dogs in squalor amongst filth. She was stressed, scared and emotionally shut down, and the shelter staff knew she would not cope or show well on the adoption floor. Adding to her challenges is the fact that she is approximately 10 years old. Her story, along with a plea for her adoption, were put out to rescue/shelter lists and on Facebook in hopes of finding suitable alternate adoption opportunities. When the good folks at RTRC read of her plight, they agreed to bring her into their care. Arrangements were made to have her transported and admitted. When volunteers went to meet her, they saw an emaciated, wide-eyed waif looking at them from the back of the large transport kennel. They had been told by the shelter coordinator that Freckles would be frightened, stressed and confused and to expect weeks, if not months, of rehabilitation time. What the RTRC volunteers didn’t expect was to hear the sound of her tail beating eagerly against the crate and a faint glint of hope and anticipation in her deep chestnut eyes.
“Over the months, Freckles has really blossomed, and although she is about 10 years young, that doesn’t stop her from participating in a good play session,” says Ethel Britton, home visit coordinator and board member for RTRC. “This is something she has recently learned to do, thanks to the help of a younger foster dog who encouraged her.”
Freckles is being fostered with a family who live in a rural setting and she gets along well with all the other animals. She has not chased the chickens, cats or goats and quickly made friends with the resident dogs. She is a very polite dog and sits back waiting her turn for a treat. Freckles enjoys being outdoors catching some rays and fresh air, and, when inside, she loves to be around people and is so happy when she finds an available lap to curl up on – not always possible when there are only two laps up for grabs and four dogs. She is not a barker but will give warning when someone drives in the yard or knocks on the door. Freckles has been fully checked out by a veterinarian, with no indications of health issues and weighs in at about 30 pounds. This is a gem of a dog who has been through many challenges in life. How she has been overlooked for a year is baffling! Won’t you consider offering her your love and your lap? If you are interested in knowing more about dear Freckles visit www.ratterrierrescue.ca
ABOUT RAT TERRIER RESCUE CANADA
Rat Terrier Rescue Canada Inc. is a charitable, non-profit, volunteer organization that rescues and fosters Rat Terriers in private homes. They are dedicated to the welfare of Rat Terriers. Their purpose is to find new, permanent and loving homes for these dogs that have been abused, neglected or abandoned.
Rescued dogs are originally from puppy mills, pounds, shelters or unwanted owner surrenders. They are placed in foster homes for assessment, vetting and to prepare them for their adoptive families.
All Rat Terriers coming into rescue are spayed/neutered, vaccinated and tested for heartworm. As a non-profit organization, Rat Terrier Rescue Canada operates solely by donations and fundraising and all funds are used for the rescue, rehabilitation and placement of Rat Terriers in need.
Inquiries about Freckles can be made through RTRC at ratterrierrescue.ca. To see more photos of Freckles, visit Dogsdogsdogs.ca.
Lorraine Houston is the Director of Speaking of Dogs, an organization dedicated to education, outreach, and rescue. She and her family have fostered hundreds of dogs and found home for thousands of others. She recently launched an online basket and gift store featuring ‘all things dogs’ to celebrate the relationship shared with our canine companions. A two-time Maxwell award winner from Dog Writers Association of America, Lorraine can be contacted through speakingofdogs.com.
Lady Gaga Sings the Blues Looking for Love
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If you are keen to know more about Lady Gaga in St. Thomas, please contact All Breed Canine Rescue at loisjackson@sympatico.ca or call 519-633-6226 or visit website at www.allbreedcaninerescue.petfinder.com
This Lady Gaga is in St. Thomas, Ontario (much like the Bill Gates in Windsor seen on recent commercials for a retirement savings company) and just can’t seem to find lasting love despite her good looks and superior talent. Little Gaga was actually found abandoned at the city pound, left at the shelter doorway without a second thought or backward glance!
Thanks to All Breed Canine Rescue (ABCR) volunteers she was taken into their care and they’ve made her a solemn promise – never again to be abandoned or treated with disregard.
“Gaga certainly is a distinguished little dog, being a mix of Chinese Crested and English Bulldog. She is 6 months old, fully vetted and waiting for her forever home” said Lois Jackson, founder and director of ABCR adding, “The name “Lady Gaga” came to us because of a comment made by our veterinarian. While at the clinic for her exam we all marvelled at her appearance but wondered if perhaps she had a medical or genetic condition that needed treatment. However, our veterinarian assured us that was not the case and said there was nothing to worry about, ‘She was just born this way.’ Thus the name Lady Gaga aptly stuck.”
Lady Gaga needs a special home. Her physical appearance and her spunky personality combine to create a unique dog. Her hairless skin needs protection from the sun and the elements. Because she is hairless she needs to have sunscreen applied which isn’t on her list of top faves to have done. She does, however, love to be dressed up so she wears a coat or dress when out in the hot sun or the cold of winter.
Says Lois, “Gaga will be a 35-45 pound dog when fully grown; not a purse puppy as many people seem to think from her pictures. You can hardly say she is delicate. She’s is a busy little girl who does not stop moving all day and literally does not nap for more than a minute. It will take an active person to keep pace with this young mover and shaker of a dog”.
She loves to play with the foster family’s dogs, and keeps herself busy chewing on a puppy-safe bone in the yard. Her favourite treats are Cheerios and carrots. We admit that the children in the foster home are smitten with Lady Gaga and lather her with love and attention. She will curl up with her favorite humans and is happy when snuggling in a blanket.
“As much as we call her the Diva of Cuddlers, Lady Gaga is spirited and has seemingly endless energy. When she is happy, she doesn't just wag her tail, she wags her whole lower torso. When there’s attention to be had you’ll find her right in the thick of the action.”
Lady Gaga would do well with a session or two of doggy classes so she and her new guardian can learn to communicate together as a team. She is a typical puppy that has a wonderful curiosity about her and takes in the world around her with great interest. Her deep brown eyes will melt your heart while her charm and character will tickle your funny bone and keep you in smiles.
Thanks to All Breed Canine Rescue (ABCR) volunteers she was taken into their care and they’ve made her a solemn promise – never again to be abandoned or treated with disregard.
“Gaga certainly is a distinguished little dog, being a mix of Chinese Crested and English Bulldog. She is 6 months old, fully vetted and waiting for her forever home” said Lois Jackson, founder and director of ABCR adding, “The name “Lady Gaga” came to us because of a comment made by our veterinarian. While at the clinic for her exam we all marvelled at her appearance but wondered if perhaps she had a medical or genetic condition that needed treatment. However, our veterinarian assured us that was not the case and said there was nothing to worry about, ‘She was just born this way.’ Thus the name Lady Gaga aptly stuck.”
Lady Gaga needs a special home. Her physical appearance and her spunky personality combine to create a unique dog. Her hairless skin needs protection from the sun and the elements. Because she is hairless she needs to have sunscreen applied which isn’t on her list of top faves to have done. She does, however, love to be dressed up so she wears a coat or dress when out in the hot sun or the cold of winter.
Says Lois, “Gaga will be a 35-45 pound dog when fully grown; not a purse puppy as many people seem to think from her pictures. You can hardly say she is delicate. She’s is a busy little girl who does not stop moving all day and literally does not nap for more than a minute. It will take an active person to keep pace with this young mover and shaker of a dog”.
She loves to play with the foster family’s dogs, and keeps herself busy chewing on a puppy-safe bone in the yard. Her favourite treats are Cheerios and carrots. We admit that the children in the foster home are smitten with Lady Gaga and lather her with love and attention. She will curl up with her favorite humans and is happy when snuggling in a blanket.
“As much as we call her the Diva of Cuddlers, Lady Gaga is spirited and has seemingly endless energy. When she is happy, she doesn't just wag her tail, she wags her whole lower torso. When there’s attention to be had you’ll find her right in the thick of the action.”
Lady Gaga would do well with a session or two of doggy classes so she and her new guardian can learn to communicate together as a team. She is a typical puppy that has a wonderful curiosity about her and takes in the world around her with great interest. Her deep brown eyes will melt your heart while her charm and character will tickle your funny bone and keep you in smiles.
HOUSTON, we need a home!
By Lorraine Houston
In this instalment you will meet Kiah a deaf border collie looking to find her forever home.
Also, learn what steps to take should your pet ever become lost or stolen.
Start the summer
season with Kiah!
Kiah (which means ‘start of the season’) is a one year old blue merle female Border Collie. She came into rescue at the age of 8 weeks and, sadly, is still waiting to find permanent placement. Kiah is the result of what is referred to as a ‘merle to merle’ breeding. “What does that mean? With this type of breeding, 25% of the litter could end up deaf or blind” explains Ginette Wilson, founder of New Beginnings Rescue. In Kiah’s case, she was born deaf, but that has not stopped her from achieving the same goals and social skills as a hearing dog. Ginette says that Kiah is a quick learner, has been taught hand signals for sit, down and wait. She is crate trained, house trained and walks well on leash. Kiah loves to run and play with her dog pals, gets along with cats and embraces all humans, including children. Ginette and Kiah have even dabbled in sheep herding and, because Kiah has been taught to make eye contact through positive reinforcement, she did her herding run with hand signals and did extremely well! “Her little butt never stops wiggling and her tail never stops wagging,” says Ginette who can’t believe it has taken so long for Kiah to find her special someone. Kiah needs an active and stimulating home, someone who will continue to work with her and keep her mind and body busy and challenged. For more information on Kiah or the adoption process, please contact New Beginnings Pet Rescue at dogs2rescue@mail.com or visit website www.4verhome.petfinder.com
Kiah is fully vetted and spayed.
HeLP, I’ve lost my pet!
“If your pet has ever gone missing, you know the instant panic. It can happen to anyone. Even well-trained dogs can be spooked and run in fear.” says Rob Goddard, founder and President of Helping Lost Pets adding “It is a fact that 1 in every 5 pets will be lost some time in their life”. Knowing what to do, who to contact and how to make those contacts can save you precious time and energy – and hopefully get your pet back home safe and sound. Before I offer a list of helpful tips on finding a lost pet, please know that visible ID tags and having your pet micro-chipped have been proven to be the most effective way of reuniting people with their lost pets. So ensure the information on tags and the microchip database are always kept current!
Helping Lost Pets (HeLP), brings new technology to assist in getting more lost pets home. HeLP is a central, online database where lost or found pets can be posted. It’s map based, so you can see where the pet was lost or found. The database can be searched by breed, colour and other parameters. A central database that can be accessed by shelters, rescues, veterinarians, trainers, dog walkers, day cares, pet stores and those that have lost or found a pet, means more pets will find their way home. Consider listing your pet on their site at www.helpinglostpets.com on SAFE mode. Currently, HeLP has 15,000 pets registered. Should your pet go missing you can quickly change the status to LOST and an alert will go out automatically.
Here are the steps you should take the moment you know your pet is missing:
Search the immediate area for your pet. If your dog has escaped from your home or yard, start by walking the route you and your dog take on daily walks and bring a leash, treats, his favourite toy and your other dog, if applicable. As you go, alert neighbours that your dog is missing.
Contact your local animal shelter and file a lost report. It is best if you can go in person to provide a picture for their records; check the lost pet rooms. Contact local veterinarians and your own vet if s/he is not in your area, as rabies tags will track back to your personal veterinarian as the contact. Contact local groomers, pet supply stores and doggy daycare centres; many people who find a lost pet will look for the closest pet-related facility to take him to.
If you have listed your pet on Helping Lost Pets, you can print a poster right from the website. Make bigger signs though. Keep them simple; “LOST DOG” or “LOST CAT” on bright paper with an up to date colour photo of your pet and your contact information. Advice differs on whether or not a reward should be offered. Some say that offering a reward results in more prank calls which can take the search off course, while others say offering a reward is an incentive and more people will help search. Cover the immediate area and stretch to a 5 km radius around where your pet was lost. Hand out fliers and post signs in local businesses; alert dog walkers and letter carriers. Go to the local dog park and hand out fliers and post a sign.
Use social media to spread the word about your missing pet. The power of social media and networking has helped many pets find their way home. Emails that are forwarded, Facebook and Twitter are ways to get the word out and keep people current about the status of your lost pet, as well as any sightings. Social media is also helpful when it comes to organizing search parties.
Don’t give up! Many pets have been found weeks, months and even years later. A good source for more prevention and search information including AMBER ALERTS for missing pets can be found at http://www.c4panimalrescue.com/get_informed/
Also, learn what steps to take should your pet ever become lost or stolen.
Start the summer
season with Kiah!
Kiah (which means ‘start of the season’) is a one year old blue merle female Border Collie. She came into rescue at the age of 8 weeks and, sadly, is still waiting to find permanent placement. Kiah is the result of what is referred to as a ‘merle to merle’ breeding. “What does that mean? With this type of breeding, 25% of the litter could end up deaf or blind” explains Ginette Wilson, founder of New Beginnings Rescue. In Kiah’s case, she was born deaf, but that has not stopped her from achieving the same goals and social skills as a hearing dog. Ginette says that Kiah is a quick learner, has been taught hand signals for sit, down and wait. She is crate trained, house trained and walks well on leash. Kiah loves to run and play with her dog pals, gets along with cats and embraces all humans, including children. Ginette and Kiah have even dabbled in sheep herding and, because Kiah has been taught to make eye contact through positive reinforcement, she did her herding run with hand signals and did extremely well! “Her little butt never stops wiggling and her tail never stops wagging,” says Ginette who can’t believe it has taken so long for Kiah to find her special someone. Kiah needs an active and stimulating home, someone who will continue to work with her and keep her mind and body busy and challenged. For more information on Kiah or the adoption process, please contact New Beginnings Pet Rescue at dogs2rescue@mail.com or visit website www.4verhome.petfinder.com
Kiah is fully vetted and spayed.
HeLP, I’ve lost my pet!
“If your pet has ever gone missing, you know the instant panic. It can happen to anyone. Even well-trained dogs can be spooked and run in fear.” says Rob Goddard, founder and President of Helping Lost Pets adding “It is a fact that 1 in every 5 pets will be lost some time in their life”. Knowing what to do, who to contact and how to make those contacts can save you precious time and energy – and hopefully get your pet back home safe and sound. Before I offer a list of helpful tips on finding a lost pet, please know that visible ID tags and having your pet micro-chipped have been proven to be the most effective way of reuniting people with their lost pets. So ensure the information on tags and the microchip database are always kept current!
Helping Lost Pets (HeLP), brings new technology to assist in getting more lost pets home. HeLP is a central, online database where lost or found pets can be posted. It’s map based, so you can see where the pet was lost or found. The database can be searched by breed, colour and other parameters. A central database that can be accessed by shelters, rescues, veterinarians, trainers, dog walkers, day cares, pet stores and those that have lost or found a pet, means more pets will find their way home. Consider listing your pet on their site at www.helpinglostpets.com on SAFE mode. Currently, HeLP has 15,000 pets registered. Should your pet go missing you can quickly change the status to LOST and an alert will go out automatically.
Here are the steps you should take the moment you know your pet is missing:
Search the immediate area for your pet. If your dog has escaped from your home or yard, start by walking the route you and your dog take on daily walks and bring a leash, treats, his favourite toy and your other dog, if applicable. As you go, alert neighbours that your dog is missing.
Contact your local animal shelter and file a lost report. It is best if you can go in person to provide a picture for their records; check the lost pet rooms. Contact local veterinarians and your own vet if s/he is not in your area, as rabies tags will track back to your personal veterinarian as the contact. Contact local groomers, pet supply stores and doggy daycare centres; many people who find a lost pet will look for the closest pet-related facility to take him to.
If you have listed your pet on Helping Lost Pets, you can print a poster right from the website. Make bigger signs though. Keep them simple; “LOST DOG” or “LOST CAT” on bright paper with an up to date colour photo of your pet and your contact information. Advice differs on whether or not a reward should be offered. Some say that offering a reward results in more prank calls which can take the search off course, while others say offering a reward is an incentive and more people will help search. Cover the immediate area and stretch to a 5 km radius around where your pet was lost. Hand out fliers and post signs in local businesses; alert dog walkers and letter carriers. Go to the local dog park and hand out fliers and post a sign.
Use social media to spread the word about your missing pet. The power of social media and networking has helped many pets find their way home. Emails that are forwarded, Facebook and Twitter are ways to get the word out and keep people current about the status of your lost pet, as well as any sightings. Social media is also helpful when it comes to organizing search parties.
Don’t give up! Many pets have been found weeks, months and even years later. A good source for more prevention and search information including AMBER ALERTS for missing pets can be found at http://www.c4panimalrescue.com/get_informed/
Potential pitfalls of purchasing puppies By Lorraine Houston
The three puppies pictured on this page came from an Amish puppy mill. They were subsequently passed on to an intermediary rescue organization because all three pups were born with umbilical hernias, and thus deemed undesirable by the brokers who buy puppies from the mills.
As part of its Pet Partnership Program, the pups were transferred to Toronto Animal Services (TAS) South Region shelter, located adjacent to the Horse Palace at Exhibition Stadium. The three are cocker spaniel and poodle mixes, often referred to as “cockapoos.”
TAS has had the pups checked, vaccinated, dewormed, microchipped, spayed/neutered and had their hernias repaired. The Pet Partnership Program, which was introduced in 2002, is an outreach alliance that has given hundreds, if not thousands, of dogs and puppies a new leash on life. For more information about these puppies contact Toronto Animal Services South at 416-338-6668 or visit their website at www.toronto.ca/animalservices
What is a puppy broker? For the answer, consider the disturbing information below, quoted from HSI Canada’s website:
Puppy mill operators will often sell through puppy brokers who distribute the puppies to pet shops. However, pet stores are not the only place where puppy mill pups are sold. They are sold through the Internet, at flea markets, advertised in local newspapers, and sometimes sold directly from the mill, although visitors are not usually allowed inside the facility to see the conditions in which the dogs are kept. The puppies are usually four to eight weeks of age when they are removed from their mothers and shipped great distances (for as long as a week at a time) to pet stores throughout Canada and the US in overcrowded, dark and dirty trucks, crammed in crates with other puppies. The puppies are so young because they are cute at this age and easier to sell, but they are also very susceptible to disease. Given the poor hygiene conditions and lack of medical attention, animals from puppy mills are often infested with internal parasites or contagious diseases. Puppy milling is a multimillion-dollar business in Canada, with at least 90 percent of pet store puppies coming from puppy mills.
Buying puppies online: Help! My computer screen is filled with puppies!
I just did an Internet search for “puppies for sale” and found 9787 ads in Ontario and 2853 ads in Toronto. Irrespective of the fact that most ads are for litters of puppies, that’s a lot of dogs!
The Internet has become a haven for puppy sellers, backyard breeders and brokers. What better way to operate than cloaked behind the curtains of an IP address, a disposable cell phone and an easily changeable email address? No one needs to know where you live because people have already fallen in love with the pictured puppy; you can simply set up a transaction meeting at the closest donut shop parking lot or strip mall.
Unfortunately, not many buyers care if they see the parents or the environment in which the puppy has been raised or even think to secure vetting records because the puppy in their arms is soft, cuddly and has puppy breath. Sold! It seems to be that easy – easier, actually, because dozens of websites are dedicated to instructing sellers on how to make puppy sales as simple and profitable as possible.
What you should know about online puppy sales Although most of the points listed below might seem practical, reasonable, perhaps even obvious, the evidence suggests that otherwise intelligent, responsible, caring people tend to lose all common sense when it comes to adorable, hard-to-resist puppies.
Beware of any seller who:
- Pushes you to buy the puppy online without meeting him or her; makes excuses why you can’t meet the puppy in person.
- Focuses more on your credit card number than the home you have to offer;
- Requests an advance payment; generally a Western Union transfer.
- Has a fabricated story for “free to good home” puppies, buyer just has to pay shipping (there is no puppy).
- Has multiple listings for a variety of breeds (flags as a broker);
- Refuses to produce veterinary records;
- Wants to meet you at a random location with a puppy;
- Knows nothing about the parents, has not met the mother (flags as a broker);
- Poses as a “rescue” or “sanctuary”, claims to have puppies from a hoarder or bad breeder. The scam will be revealed when the so-called “adoption” fee proves to be exorbitant, no questions are permitted, and seller refuses to schedule a preliminary meet-and-greet with the puppy and provides no adoption application or home visitation. Reputable rescue groups often do take puppies from the above scenarios but have adoption policies and procedures in place that will be explained when you email for more information about the puppy.
If you find yourself at a house or facility to meet a puppy and have concerns (i.e.: large numbers of dogs and puppies, unsanitary conditions, quality of care issues) report your findings to the local SPCA.
The Internet can be an invaluable tool to finding your new best friend. I can tell you it has been a godsend in helping shelters and rescues find good homes for so many dogs. Remember that like so many other areas in life, there are honest, ethical people and there are others who are scammers. It’s not the best note to end this article on, but until there is legislation and regulations in place that deal with the mass production of puppies and internet fraud it will be up to you to be ever vigilant.
How you can avoid being scammed ·
- Never buy a puppy sight unseen.
- Check references (e.g. others who have purchased puppies, a veterinarian);
- Ask what happens if for any reason you can’t keep the puppy.
- If you have your heart set on a particular breed, check with breed-specific rescues.
- Meet the puppy; ask to see the mother; observe the environment the puppy has been raised in; observe the way the puppy is handled; is the puppy fearful, lethargic?; ask to see the puppy with his/her littermates.
- Has the puppy been to a veterinarian? Has s/he been dewormed, health checked?
- The person you are dealing should ask you about your home, lifestyle and dog experience; they should ask YOU for references.
Houston, I need a Home!
Sango
By Lorraine Houston
Winter 2011/2012
This past July, handsome Sango was found as a stray, but no one ever called or came to claim him from the GTA shelter. Staff assessed him for adoption and, while he aced his personality evaluation, he was continually passed by once on the adoption floor. As the shelter began to fill with unclaimed and owner-relinquished dogs, the rescue coordinator posted Sango and a number of other dogs on a popular Yahoo group list to see if any independent rescues could possibly take one of them. When Nicole Moore of Milton Canine Rescue saw Sango’s picture and read his impressive assessment notes, she immediately responded that she would take Sango into her rescue program.
While in the shelter, Sango had become depressed but, as Nicole explains, things are looking up for this lovely Labrador mix. “Sango has lost some weight and gained back muscle and energy. He is in foster care with another dog and cat and he mixes well with both species. He is one of those dogs that is a joy to be with and is all-around well adjusted.”
Sango is a larger boy weighing in at approximately 75 pounds and his age is between 4-6 years, according to shelter and veterinary findings. Nicole is convinced that, at some point in his life, he had been well cared for; he is neutered, has a shiny, healthy black coat, pearly white teeth and has clearly lived with someone who housetrained him, took him for car rides and crate trained him.
“How do dogs like Sango end up homeless?” you may ask. Sadly, we see wonderful dogs like Sango come into rescue all the time - he’s not the exception by any means. Many potential adopters think that most rescue/shelter dogs have training issues, are unhealthy and/or don’t adjust to new lives with new families and this is just not the case. Displaced dogs are victims of human circumstances and, for every homeless dog we meet, there was, at some point, a person attached to that dog.
Common reasons for dogs losing their original homes are: getting a divorce, puppy grew too big, allergies to dog hair, moving to no-pet condo, no time to take care of anymore, we just had a baby, dog has become too much to handle, lost job and can no longer afford a dog, dog is not housetrained, dog needs training and exercise and we can’t provide either, original owner died and no one in family wants to take the dog, dog is not good with kids, dog barks when left alone and we are in an apartment, dog gets loose and doesn’t come back when called, dog is old and sick and I can’t afford veterinary bills and so it goes.
This as a quick reminder to those of you who are looking to add a dog to your family: please keep in mind that rescue/shelter dogs deserve a good look and a second chance. When you deal with reputable organizations, they will ensure that any history they have on the dog is forthcoming as well as foster family feedback and medical records. As ‘photographs’ of the dogs personality and health are added to his/her album you will get a more detailed overview of the dog you are interested in adopting.
Speaking of an overview, let’s get back to our big boy Sango and summarize his profile:
About Milton Canine Rescue (MCR)
MCR assists all breeds of dogs from puppy mills, shelters and some surrendered by their owner. MCR has been in operation for 3 years, with members who have been involved with rescuing dogs for almost 15 years. Visit their website at http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/ON295.html
Lorraine Houston is Director of Speaking of Dogs, an organization devoted to education, outreach, and rescue. She is an evaluator for Therapeutic Dogs of Canada, an Ontario SPCA Cruelty Agent for Etobicoke Humane Society, and a Maxwell winner from Dog Writers Assoc. of America. Lorraine can be contacted through speakingofdogs.com
While in the shelter, Sango had become depressed but, as Nicole explains, things are looking up for this lovely Labrador mix. “Sango has lost some weight and gained back muscle and energy. He is in foster care with another dog and cat and he mixes well with both species. He is one of those dogs that is a joy to be with and is all-around well adjusted.”
Sango is a larger boy weighing in at approximately 75 pounds and his age is between 4-6 years, according to shelter and veterinary findings. Nicole is convinced that, at some point in his life, he had been well cared for; he is neutered, has a shiny, healthy black coat, pearly white teeth and has clearly lived with someone who housetrained him, took him for car rides and crate trained him.
“How do dogs like Sango end up homeless?” you may ask. Sadly, we see wonderful dogs like Sango come into rescue all the time - he’s not the exception by any means. Many potential adopters think that most rescue/shelter dogs have training issues, are unhealthy and/or don’t adjust to new lives with new families and this is just not the case. Displaced dogs are victims of human circumstances and, for every homeless dog we meet, there was, at some point, a person attached to that dog.
Common reasons for dogs losing their original homes are: getting a divorce, puppy grew too big, allergies to dog hair, moving to no-pet condo, no time to take care of anymore, we just had a baby, dog has become too much to handle, lost job and can no longer afford a dog, dog is not housetrained, dog needs training and exercise and we can’t provide either, original owner died and no one in family wants to take the dog, dog is not good with kids, dog barks when left alone and we are in an apartment, dog gets loose and doesn’t come back when called, dog is old and sick and I can’t afford veterinary bills and so it goes.
This as a quick reminder to those of you who are looking to add a dog to your family: please keep in mind that rescue/shelter dogs deserve a good look and a second chance. When you deal with reputable organizations, they will ensure that any history they have on the dog is forthcoming as well as foster family feedback and medical records. As ‘photographs’ of the dogs personality and health are added to his/her album you will get a more detailed overview of the dog you are interested in adopting.
Speaking of an overview, let’s get back to our big boy Sango and summarize his profile:
- Loves a good rub down
- Enjoys being around people
- Good with other dogs, good with cats
- Loyal companion
- Easy going, laid back nature
- Well-mannered in home and on walks
- Rides well in the car
- Loves to play fetch
- Not a big barker
- Enjoys being brushed
- No health issues to report; examined, neutered, fully vaccinated and microchipped
About Milton Canine Rescue (MCR)
MCR assists all breeds of dogs from puppy mills, shelters and some surrendered by their owner. MCR has been in operation for 3 years, with members who have been involved with rescuing dogs for almost 15 years. Visit their website at http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/ON295.html
Lorraine Houston is Director of Speaking of Dogs, an organization devoted to education, outreach, and rescue. She is an evaluator for Therapeutic Dogs of Canada, an Ontario SPCA Cruelty Agent for Etobicoke Humane Society, and a Maxwell winner from Dog Writers Assoc. of America. Lorraine can be contacted through speakingofdogs.com
Readers ‘Dogest’
- By Lorraine Houston
If you live with dogs and don’t have a keen sense of humour, you should “get out of Dodge” as the saying goes or as I say, “get out of Dogs!” Let’s face it, dogs are clowns whether they intend to be or not. I’ve asked our regulars for their input on a format taken from Reader’s Digest. These dog ‘tails’ will hopefully tickle your funny bone, confirm you are not alone with the ‘incidents’ you experience with your dog and highlight the profound ways dogs communicate, interpret and problem solve.
From Sharon M, founder of BARK Rescue: Shortly after we got our eight-month old Rottweiler puppy, we had arranged a visit from a woman who was considering giving our rescue a fairly substantial donation. I was telling her, before she arrived, how lucky we were to get such an incredibly well behaved puppy who had no training before we got him, had lived in a kennel for most of his life and yet was "perfect". We were sitting in my sun porch when the puppy flew in, chasing my Golden Retriever. He was terrorizing the poor Golden who knocked a lamp over trying to hide under a small table. Puppy then ran over and jumped into the woman’s lap, giving her countless kisses until we were able to drag him away. He proceeded to throw papers for recycling all over the floor, ripping them into tiny pieces. Abandoning that game, he jumped on a chair and began drinking the woman’s coffee. It spilled over onto her light pink sweater and, before we could corral him, he flattened himself on the floor and crawled under another table, knocking a plant over, spilling black soil all over her shoes. The woman got up, saying she had another call to make and was running late and would call us in a few days. On her way out, she commented on how different people's concept of well behaved was so diverse. Embarrassed to the point of agony, I escorted her out the door. Needless to say, we never heard from her again. Inside, Puppy Hugo lay, looking angelic and every inch the " perfect dog" I had described.
From Sue S, foster mom for Speaking of Dogs Rescue: My first dog Charlie, a Shih-Tzu, and I lived in New York City and were inseparable. Charlie came to work with me daily at the TV station and flew across the country with me on business. We developed such a bond we could actually ‘talk’ to each other. Charlie knew dozens of words. His favourite was ‘massage’. Charlie loved massage and every night at 11:00, Charlie received his Tellington Touch and Shiatsu massage. One night, I failed to listen to his mumblings at 11:00. I finally said, “I’ll be right there. Go to bed and get ready for your massage.” He darted up the stairs. Twenty minutes later, I went up and there was Charlie, lying on his back on the bed, spread eagle with his head on the pillow. He let out one deafening bark as if to say, “It’s about bloody time”. He was ready for his massage, so where was I? Yes, your majesty. I never missed a massage appointment again.
From Hilary D, Pug-A-Lug Rescue volunteer: As a pup, my darling Pug, Mei-Ling, was quite a handful. Her innocent brown eyes hid a mischievous spirit and a dry sense of humour. We often had Sunday dinners with my in-laws, visiting their grandchildren and grand-dog. Mei-Ling was being fed kibble and the words “roast beef” were saved for when we needed to really motivate her. No matter what she was doing, those magic words brought her running, drool a-dripping. For my mother-in-law’s birthday, I was going the extra mile - lace tablecloth, best china and crystal, butter cut into pats in little china dishes with butter knives at their sides. A crystal pot of horseradish graced the middle of the table. Red wine sat uncorked, breathing. While finishing the Yorkshire pudding and gravy, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck bristle and turned around to see Mei-Ling gingerly tiptoeing across the tabletop, intent on reaching the horseradish. The cry was almost out of my throat before I realized that, if startled, she would leap off the table, bringing the red wine and my prized china and crystal with her. So with all the reserve I could muster, I cut tiny bits of roast beef and calmly walked towards her, talking softly. As I approached close enough to touch her, I said in almost a whisper, “Mei-Ling – I have roast beef.” She looked up, eyes agog (and watery from sniffing horseradish) whereupon I gently held her, eased her toenails from the lace cloth and lifted her down. I smoothed the cloth and called everyone for dinner. Grandma fussed over the lovely table I’d set and told Mei-Ling that if she were a good girl, she’d get a few leftovers afterwards. Mei-Ling just tilted her head, as if to say, “You’re getting the leftovers.” And then she started sneezing. Horseradish can do that to a Pug.
From Nicole M, Old English Sheepdog Rescue: A family called looking for a rescue sheepdog. They’d had one ‘sheepie’ and were ready for another. I promised to keep an eye open for them. A few weeks later, I heard about a sheepdog that might be a fit. I took my two pooches over to meet the prospective adopters and do a home visit. Bosley and Dixie were both well behaved, and didn't jump on anyone. Bosley showed off his ball-fetching abilities and Dixie was just her sweet self. The family told me that they would easily steal either one of my dogs for themselves. But, there had to be an "incident"...
A beautiful, warm fall afternoon, the doors and windows had been left open for the nice breeze. As, my dogs are not used to screen doors, or glass patio doors, for that matter, I mentioned that it would be best to keep them closed. As the family went in and out of the house during the visit, Dixie and Bosley found it great fun to bound up the steps in and out of the house. At one point, Bosley came inside with me. He jogged around the main floor and bounded out towards the back yard. However, this time the screen door was closed. He ran right into it head first, punching a gaping, sheepdog head-sized hole in the screen. I was horrified! Their little girl started to cry, thinking he’d hurt himself, which he hadn't. The family assured us fixing it would be no problem. They did get the dog they had applied for, as they definitely passed the "reaction to a bumbling sheepdog" test!
From Eve L: We cleaned, dusted and vacuumed. We bathed the dogs because they were always jumping up on my mother-in-law’s new outfits and she wasn't much on dogs. At six months, the two puppies were at least house trained but still getting into everything! Driving us nuts, but at the same time, lots of laughs. I fussed over the tea...it had to be just so...she is my mother-in-law. The little tray of sweets was just perfect. The last room to tidy was our bedroom – putting yesterday’s laundry away so prying eyes would see nothing but a sunny room, window open, fresh breeze blowing in. Perfect! When the in-laws arrived, the puppies sat perfectly and waited until we sat in the living room before attacking them. My father-in-law loved them. I brought in the tea. It was going just so great! We were actually having a good time. Then, a look of horror on my mother-in-law’s face! Red in the face, doubled over with her face in her hands. “Oh my God she's choking! Ken; do something!” I screamed. From behind me I heard, "I can't get it out of his mouth!” came the frustrated response. I whirled around to see my husband on the floor in a tug of war with the dog! Ruffy had unearthed a pair of my underpants from the laundry basket - they were in his mouth and he refused to let them go! My mother in law wasn't choking, she was laughing! The last I saw was my hubby carrying Ruffy out of the room with my panties hanging from his smirking mouth with eyes a glaze! The rest of 'tea time' went great! It was the best visit I’d had with my in-laws. Every visit after that, they came with telling smiles on their faces. I just knew that's how they remembered their daughter-in-law. Ruffy’s antics had softened our relationship forever.
From Jocelyn D, Jack Russell Rescue: My newest foster, ‘Bob’, was an extremely busy 10 year-old boy, even for a Jack. Bob had many interests including walking, swimming, barking, peeing, digging and rock collecting. Bob became stressed when he was confined so, when camping, we put him on a tie-out, which gave him a lot of free range to wander. This also gave him the opportunity to collect rocks. Whenever he came upon a particularly delightful specimen, he would pick it up and put it in the van to be sure it didn't get left behind. By the time we left, we had a whole collection of Bob's rocks. Bob had one special rock and made a nest out of a coat, put this rock on it, and then went to sleep on top of the rock. He would frequently take this rock for walks around the campsite, but he was always careful to put it back in the van. Hiking along the Bruce Trail, was very exciting for Bob as he examined the many rocks along the way. Bob weighs a hefty 11 lbs, but many of the rocks that he tried to bring home weighed far more than that. At home, he had a collection of rocks picked up from our yard, which he stored safely under our bed. Fortunately, Bob was a very adept swimmer, so he was able to scope out desirable rocks in the water as well as on land. After an extremely thorough search, in which Bob picked up several different rocks and took them all for a walk, he finally found the perfect one. He decided to take his newfound treasure for a swim. However Bob accidentally dropped the rock, and it fell to the rock-covered lake bottom, but Bob never lost sight of his beloved. Without a second thought Bob dove to the bottom, pulled his rock up and brought it to safety. Bob rocks! When he was adopted, his new family inherited his rock collection.
From Jean K: Our Labrador puppy, Striker, was 70 pounds of uncontrolled energy and muscle so I enrolled him in the local dog obedience classes. During registration, the handlers were instructed to walk their dogs on a long line for a week prior to attending the initial class. This was back in the day when pop-and-jerk was the preferred method of training. When the dog strained at the end of the line, you were to give the line a yank, thus jerking the poor animal into compliance. When I examined qualifications for training this dog, strength, unfortunately, wasn’t among them and, before I could yank on the dog, I found myself face down in a snow bank. By the end of the week, however, I felt that I had my ‘beast’ under reasonable control and set off confidently for our first lesson. There are not too many distractions in our neighbourhood in January, a few falling snowflakes and the odd chickadee, so I was unprepared for Striker’s reaction to twenty strange dogs all in one place. Entering the building, he became overly excited and charged toward the entrance to the gymnasium. My feet began slipping and sliding and my muscles strained as I pulled on the leash with both hands while leaning backwards for more leverage. The dog picked up momentum as he forged toward the gymnasium door and we made our debut water-ski fashion into our first class. The instructor never forgot my name or Striker’s. With perseverance on both our parts, we managed to make it through, graduating and receiving the most improved dog award (let’s face it, there was no place to go but up).
From Bill W: Trying to paper train a dog in an apartment has its challenges, especially when you are planning to transition into a house setting. With this in mind, the balcony door became the "go-to" spot for Ivy, our young Border Collie pup. She quickly understood the purpose of the papers and notified us every time she had used them, waiting patiently for us to replace the soiled ones. She was well on her way to giving enough advance notice to get her onto the elevator, downstairs and out-doors. One night, after her evening stroll, I went to bed, neglecting to replace her newspapers. About 2 a.m., I awoke to a rustling and crumpling sound from the living room and walked groggily through, to see a trail of newly delivered Toronto Star leading from the mail-slot to the balcony door. Ivy had felt the call and, with no paper available, she took the initiative to grab a section for herself. Not happy using it where it had fallen, she dragged the paper to its "proper" location. As usual, she did her business, and let me know with a triumphant and satisfied "YAP!"
From Lorraine H: Our son, Stewart was about seven years old at the time and was working on some arithmetic homework at the kitchen table. The question was: “Jane’s dog had seven puppies. Three of them are black, two are white and two are mixed black and white. If Jane found homes for two blacks one, one white one and one mixed black and white one, how many puppies would Jane have left?” I looked down and saw Stew’s answer and the tea I was just about to swallow, almost ended up spraying across the kitchen. Stew had written – If Jane had spayed her dog she would not have to worry about finding homes for her puppies. There are too many dogs already with no homes.
Lorraine Houston is a feature writer for Dogs, Dogs, Dogs! and the director of Speaking of Dogs, an organization devoted to education, outreach and rescue. She is an evaluator for Therapeutic Paws of Canada, an Ontario SPCA Cruelty Agent for the Etobicoke Humane Society and a Maxwell Award winner from Dog Writers Assoc. of America. Lorraine is an advocate for humane training, rescue/shelter dog adoptions and relationships built on kindness and respect. She and her family have fostered hundreds of dogs and found homes for thousands of others. Lorraine lives in Don Mills with her husband, two sons and family dogs. She may be contacted at lhh4dogs@rogers.com or through www.speakingofdogs.com
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If you live with dogs and don’t have a keen sense of humour, you should “get out of Dodge” as the saying goes or as I say, “get out of Dogs!” Let’s face it, dogs are clowns whether they intend to be or not. I’ve asked our regulars for their input on a format taken from Reader’s Digest. These dog ‘tails’ will hopefully tickle your funny bone, confirm you are not alone with the ‘incidents’ you experience with your dog and highlight the profound ways dogs communicate, interpret and problem solve.
From Sharon M, founder of BARK Rescue: Shortly after we got our eight-month old Rottweiler puppy, we had arranged a visit from a woman who was considering giving our rescue a fairly substantial donation. I was telling her, before she arrived, how lucky we were to get such an incredibly well behaved puppy who had no training before we got him, had lived in a kennel for most of his life and yet was "perfect". We were sitting in my sun porch when the puppy flew in, chasing my Golden Retriever. He was terrorizing the poor Golden who knocked a lamp over trying to hide under a small table. Puppy then ran over and jumped into the woman’s lap, giving her countless kisses until we were able to drag him away. He proceeded to throw papers for recycling all over the floor, ripping them into tiny pieces. Abandoning that game, he jumped on a chair and began drinking the woman’s coffee. It spilled over onto her light pink sweater and, before we could corral him, he flattened himself on the floor and crawled under another table, knocking a plant over, spilling black soil all over her shoes. The woman got up, saying she had another call to make and was running late and would call us in a few days. On her way out, she commented on how different people's concept of well behaved was so diverse. Embarrassed to the point of agony, I escorted her out the door. Needless to say, we never heard from her again. Inside, Puppy Hugo lay, looking angelic and every inch the " perfect dog" I had described.
From Sue S, foster mom for Speaking of Dogs Rescue: My first dog Charlie, a Shih-Tzu, and I lived in New York City and were inseparable. Charlie came to work with me daily at the TV station and flew across the country with me on business. We developed such a bond we could actually ‘talk’ to each other. Charlie knew dozens of words. His favourite was ‘massage’. Charlie loved massage and every night at 11:00, Charlie received his Tellington Touch and Shiatsu massage. One night, I failed to listen to his mumblings at 11:00. I finally said, “I’ll be right there. Go to bed and get ready for your massage.” He darted up the stairs. Twenty minutes later, I went up and there was Charlie, lying on his back on the bed, spread eagle with his head on the pillow. He let out one deafening bark as if to say, “It’s about bloody time”. He was ready for his massage, so where was I? Yes, your majesty. I never missed a massage appointment again.
From Hilary D, Pug-A-Lug Rescue volunteer: As a pup, my darling Pug, Mei-Ling, was quite a handful. Her innocent brown eyes hid a mischievous spirit and a dry sense of humour. We often had Sunday dinners with my in-laws, visiting their grandchildren and grand-dog. Mei-Ling was being fed kibble and the words “roast beef” were saved for when we needed to really motivate her. No matter what she was doing, those magic words brought her running, drool a-dripping. For my mother-in-law’s birthday, I was going the extra mile - lace tablecloth, best china and crystal, butter cut into pats in little china dishes with butter knives at their sides. A crystal pot of horseradish graced the middle of the table. Red wine sat uncorked, breathing. While finishing the Yorkshire pudding and gravy, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck bristle and turned around to see Mei-Ling gingerly tiptoeing across the tabletop, intent on reaching the horseradish. The cry was almost out of my throat before I realized that, if startled, she would leap off the table, bringing the red wine and my prized china and crystal with her. So with all the reserve I could muster, I cut tiny bits of roast beef and calmly walked towards her, talking softly. As I approached close enough to touch her, I said in almost a whisper, “Mei-Ling – I have roast beef.” She looked up, eyes agog (and watery from sniffing horseradish) whereupon I gently held her, eased her toenails from the lace cloth and lifted her down. I smoothed the cloth and called everyone for dinner. Grandma fussed over the lovely table I’d set and told Mei-Ling that if she were a good girl, she’d get a few leftovers afterwards. Mei-Ling just tilted her head, as if to say, “You’re getting the leftovers.” And then she started sneezing. Horseradish can do that to a Pug.
From Nicole M, Old English Sheepdog Rescue: A family called looking for a rescue sheepdog. They’d had one ‘sheepie’ and were ready for another. I promised to keep an eye open for them. A few weeks later, I heard about a sheepdog that might be a fit. I took my two pooches over to meet the prospective adopters and do a home visit. Bosley and Dixie were both well behaved, and didn't jump on anyone. Bosley showed off his ball-fetching abilities and Dixie was just her sweet self. The family told me that they would easily steal either one of my dogs for themselves. But, there had to be an "incident"...
A beautiful, warm fall afternoon, the doors and windows had been left open for the nice breeze. As, my dogs are not used to screen doors, or glass patio doors, for that matter, I mentioned that it would be best to keep them closed. As the family went in and out of the house during the visit, Dixie and Bosley found it great fun to bound up the steps in and out of the house. At one point, Bosley came inside with me. He jogged around the main floor and bounded out towards the back yard. However, this time the screen door was closed. He ran right into it head first, punching a gaping, sheepdog head-sized hole in the screen. I was horrified! Their little girl started to cry, thinking he’d hurt himself, which he hadn't. The family assured us fixing it would be no problem. They did get the dog they had applied for, as they definitely passed the "reaction to a bumbling sheepdog" test!
From Eve L: We cleaned, dusted and vacuumed. We bathed the dogs because they were always jumping up on my mother-in-law’s new outfits and she wasn't much on dogs. At six months, the two puppies were at least house trained but still getting into everything! Driving us nuts, but at the same time, lots of laughs. I fussed over the tea...it had to be just so...she is my mother-in-law. The little tray of sweets was just perfect. The last room to tidy was our bedroom – putting yesterday’s laundry away so prying eyes would see nothing but a sunny room, window open, fresh breeze blowing in. Perfect! When the in-laws arrived, the puppies sat perfectly and waited until we sat in the living room before attacking them. My father-in-law loved them. I brought in the tea. It was going just so great! We were actually having a good time. Then, a look of horror on my mother-in-law’s face! Red in the face, doubled over with her face in her hands. “Oh my God she's choking! Ken; do something!” I screamed. From behind me I heard, "I can't get it out of his mouth!” came the frustrated response. I whirled around to see my husband on the floor in a tug of war with the dog! Ruffy had unearthed a pair of my underpants from the laundry basket - they were in his mouth and he refused to let them go! My mother in law wasn't choking, she was laughing! The last I saw was my hubby carrying Ruffy out of the room with my panties hanging from his smirking mouth with eyes a glaze! The rest of 'tea time' went great! It was the best visit I’d had with my in-laws. Every visit after that, they came with telling smiles on their faces. I just knew that's how they remembered their daughter-in-law. Ruffy’s antics had softened our relationship forever.
From Jocelyn D, Jack Russell Rescue: My newest foster, ‘Bob’, was an extremely busy 10 year-old boy, even for a Jack. Bob had many interests including walking, swimming, barking, peeing, digging and rock collecting. Bob became stressed when he was confined so, when camping, we put him on a tie-out, which gave him a lot of free range to wander. This also gave him the opportunity to collect rocks. Whenever he came upon a particularly delightful specimen, he would pick it up and put it in the van to be sure it didn't get left behind. By the time we left, we had a whole collection of Bob's rocks. Bob had one special rock and made a nest out of a coat, put this rock on it, and then went to sleep on top of the rock. He would frequently take this rock for walks around the campsite, but he was always careful to put it back in the van. Hiking along the Bruce Trail, was very exciting for Bob as he examined the many rocks along the way. Bob weighs a hefty 11 lbs, but many of the rocks that he tried to bring home weighed far more than that. At home, he had a collection of rocks picked up from our yard, which he stored safely under our bed. Fortunately, Bob was a very adept swimmer, so he was able to scope out desirable rocks in the water as well as on land. After an extremely thorough search, in which Bob picked up several different rocks and took them all for a walk, he finally found the perfect one. He decided to take his newfound treasure for a swim. However Bob accidentally dropped the rock, and it fell to the rock-covered lake bottom, but Bob never lost sight of his beloved. Without a second thought Bob dove to the bottom, pulled his rock up and brought it to safety. Bob rocks! When he was adopted, his new family inherited his rock collection.
From Jean K: Our Labrador puppy, Striker, was 70 pounds of uncontrolled energy and muscle so I enrolled him in the local dog obedience classes. During registration, the handlers were instructed to walk their dogs on a long line for a week prior to attending the initial class. This was back in the day when pop-and-jerk was the preferred method of training. When the dog strained at the end of the line, you were to give the line a yank, thus jerking the poor animal into compliance. When I examined qualifications for training this dog, strength, unfortunately, wasn’t among them and, before I could yank on the dog, I found myself face down in a snow bank. By the end of the week, however, I felt that I had my ‘beast’ under reasonable control and set off confidently for our first lesson. There are not too many distractions in our neighbourhood in January, a few falling snowflakes and the odd chickadee, so I was unprepared for Striker’s reaction to twenty strange dogs all in one place. Entering the building, he became overly excited and charged toward the entrance to the gymnasium. My feet began slipping and sliding and my muscles strained as I pulled on the leash with both hands while leaning backwards for more leverage. The dog picked up momentum as he forged toward the gymnasium door and we made our debut water-ski fashion into our first class. The instructor never forgot my name or Striker’s. With perseverance on both our parts, we managed to make it through, graduating and receiving the most improved dog award (let’s face it, there was no place to go but up).
From Bill W: Trying to paper train a dog in an apartment has its challenges, especially when you are planning to transition into a house setting. With this in mind, the balcony door became the "go-to" spot for Ivy, our young Border Collie pup. She quickly understood the purpose of the papers and notified us every time she had used them, waiting patiently for us to replace the soiled ones. She was well on her way to giving enough advance notice to get her onto the elevator, downstairs and out-doors. One night, after her evening stroll, I went to bed, neglecting to replace her newspapers. About 2 a.m., I awoke to a rustling and crumpling sound from the living room and walked groggily through, to see a trail of newly delivered Toronto Star leading from the mail-slot to the balcony door. Ivy had felt the call and, with no paper available, she took the initiative to grab a section for herself. Not happy using it where it had fallen, she dragged the paper to its "proper" location. As usual, she did her business, and let me know with a triumphant and satisfied "YAP!"
From Lorraine H: Our son, Stewart was about seven years old at the time and was working on some arithmetic homework at the kitchen table. The question was: “Jane’s dog had seven puppies. Three of them are black, two are white and two are mixed black and white. If Jane found homes for two blacks one, one white one and one mixed black and white one, how many puppies would Jane have left?” I looked down and saw Stew’s answer and the tea I was just about to swallow, almost ended up spraying across the kitchen. Stew had written – If Jane had spayed her dog she would not have to worry about finding homes for her puppies. There are too many dogs already with no homes.
Lorraine Houston is a feature writer for Dogs, Dogs, Dogs! and the director of Speaking of Dogs, an organization devoted to education, outreach and rescue. She is an evaluator for Therapeutic Paws of Canada, an Ontario SPCA Cruelty Agent for the Etobicoke Humane Society and a Maxwell Award winner from Dog Writers Assoc. of America. Lorraine is an advocate for humane training, rescue/shelter dog adoptions and relationships built on kindness and respect. She and her family have fostered hundreds of dogs and found homes for thousands of others. Lorraine lives in Don Mills with her husband, two sons and family dogs. She may be contacted at lhh4dogs@rogers.com or through www.speakingofdogs.com
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Special People Required for Special Dogs
By Lorraine Houston
I grew up with a younger sister who had epilepsy. If anyone asked if she was healthy, the answer was unequivocally “yes, she is healthy as long as she takes her medication which controls her seizures”. There was never any question that she was an ‘unhealthy’ girl, she just had epilepsy, but to many she was looked upon as special needs and someone who had health issues.
Defining ‘healthy’ can be subjective and can lead to confusion when it comes to dogs. Most potential dog adopters look for a ‘healthy’ dog and, while this seems like a fairly reasonable request, that often means an expectation of assured long term health, which is something no one can guarantee.
It would be like asking if you are healthy – at this particular time you are, but does that you are going to remain healthy? How many of us know of a ‘perfectly healthy’ human – from birth to golden years? Someone who has never had surgery, does not have high cholesterol, a thyroid condition, an allergy, sustained an injury, wears glasses or contracted a virus and become ill? It seems we sometimes have this rather skewed expectation when it comes to dogs; they have to be ‘perfectly healthy’ to be considered adoption candidates. No one really knows what the future holds for our dogs, dogs we may plan to adopt or us. Genetics, quality of care provided (or not) diet, physical exercise, emotional wellness, viral/bacterial exposure, accidents or incidents that may cause injury and a host of other variables come into play.
Although reputable rescues ensure their dogs are fully vetted prior to adoption, this does not guarantee the dog will not be diagnosed with a condition six months, a year or three years from now. Reputable rescues provide full disclosure regarding any and all medical findings as part of the adoption process and, in fact, such medical information should be posted on their webpage along with the dog’s picture and profile. The best a rescue/shelter can do is to provide an accurate picture of the dog’s health at the time of adoption.
Just as a human with medical needs can have a long and happy life, so can a dog. It is unfortunate that many ‘special needs’ dogs are overlooked for adoption, when their needs are not all that “special”. Let’s face it; rescues/shelters don’t get a lot of folks asking for epileptic, one-eyed, three-legged, diabetic, hypothyroid or arthritic dogs. However, if you see a dog whose personality, energy level, breed/mix, size and age are compatible with your lifestyle and adoption criteria, and that dog does have a special medical need, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to “skip” to the next dog and by-pass that ‘special needs’ dog. Spend the time to understand what those needs are and if you are physically, emotionally and financially in a position to consider such a dog. In most cases, these dogs have come into the rescue/shelter because their current caregivers were unable or unwilling to address the health issues of the dogs. Generally speaking, to be considered “adoption ready” by the rescue, the conditions have been determined to be treatable and manageable or they have already been attended to by the rescue and are now resolved. The rescue can also provide realistic information on any ongoing care the dog is likely to require. Then, you can make an informed, responsible decision on whether or not you would be a good adoption candidate.
I recently posted a message regarding special needs dogs to our chat forum about featuring a few of these gems and was overwhelmed with responses. Below, I introduce you to some of our ‘special’ friends so you have the chance to become acquainted with them.
Miko and Debi are two of seven dogs surrendered by the owner when it became evident she was unable to care for them properly. All seven dogs were taken in by the local animal services shelter and rescues were called to assist, due to the physical condition and emotional state of the dogs. Tiny Paws Dog Rescue took four of the dogs who needed to be shaved right down in order to relieve distress and assess their medical conditions. All the dogs were encrusted with mats, urine and feces and all had severe ear and eye infections; none had been altered. Debi was in horrific shape and suffered an enlarged infected uterus, was blind in one eye from a long standing, untreated eye infection and her ears were laden with dirt build up. The canals of Miko's ears were lined with scar tissue from never being cleaned or treated for his infections; he also had growths that covered the canals. The veterinarian was able to remove most of the growths, and, after seven courses of antibiotics and various ear medications, he is recovering well. Miko also has an enlarged heart and liver, a result of obesity. All of the dogs were carrying far too much weight which can cause those conditions. Miko has lost about eight pounds, and will benefit from losing another five pounds. All health issues aside and many resolved, Miko and Debi are happy, loving dogs, who love belly rubs, going for car rides and walks. Both dogs are between eight and 10 years old, spayed/neutered, vaccinated, microchipped and now housetrained. Website: www.tpdr.ca Phone: 519-326-4710
After being picked up as a stray Twiggy came into Jack Russell Terrier Rescue. Despite the fact that she is an extremely friendly, outgoing dog, no one claimed her. She was alarmingly thin when she came into the shelter, and did not seem in particularly good health, so the shelter staff sent her for tests to try to determine what the problem was. It was soon discovered that Twiggy is diabetic. She was put on insulin, and her blood sugars were monitored regularly. She is now in extremely good health and her diabetes is very well controlled. Twiggy will need to go to a home that will be diligent about giving her insulin injections twice a day and feeding her a specified amount of food at the same time twice daily. She is very good about taking her injections, and sits quietly while they are being done. Twiggy is approximately eight years old which is middle age for this breed -- they frequently live to be fifteen or more years and remain active all those years. She has been spayed and vaccinated, and is just waiting for her new home. She is an exceptionally outgoing girl and loves everyone, whether they are young, old or in between! She is great with other dogs and loves to play with any kind of dog toy. Twiggy has mastered all of the behaviours that adopters most want in their dogs -- she is completely house trained, walks perfectly on a leash, sits quietly and waits for her meals, does not suffer from separation anxiety, isn't destructive when left alone and is crate trained. Her favourite past time is snuggling under the covers with humans and loves to bury herself under any blanket or cover – watch out for lumpy blankets – it’s Twiggy! Jack Russell Terrier Rescue will help the new adopters with information and demonstrations with insulin shots and will provide any ongoing support that is necessary. Website: www.russellrescue.org Phone: 416-266-4769
Tammy Jean came into Canadian Hound Rescue due to the owner’s unforeseen personal circumstances. She is a very sweet, and loving eight year old, petite Bloodhound who has had a lifetime of uncertainly and her fair share of hard knocks and bad luck. She is totally blind due to glaucoma and came into rescue with one eye removed. In December, she had to have the other eye removed, due to the glaucoma. Despite her blindness Tammy Jean is one of the most lovable dogs you will ever meet. She gives gentle kisses but doesn’t bombard you with them. She likes to be petted but is not overly attention seeking. She is quite comfortable to rest on her bed and sometimes you wonder where she is because she’s so quiet. She will, however, let you know when someone is at the door with that unmistakable hound “bay”. She would be most comfortable with another dog because they act as her ‘eyes’ and she can follow them. Currently, in her foster home she and her buddy play and sleep together. Tammy Jean is also on medication for bladder control, which is quite a common condition with older, spayed female dogs. She has been around children and has shown gentle, appropriate interaction. She shows no food or toy possession and her foster family says she is very easy and a pleasure to care for - she does, however….snore. It is a very fortunate family that adopts Tammy Jean. A secure, fenced yard is a requirement. Website: www.petfinder.com/shelters/ON143.html Phone: 705-476-9603
Rocco came into Border Collie Rescue Ontario from a family that found him too energetic and ‘busy’. He exhibits mild obsessive-compulsive behaviour with lights and shadows but, with enough of a physical and mental outlet, this now seems to be minimal. While the rescue had him in for his neuter surgery they asked for a complete physical examination, including x-rays. What was discovered was that he has bilateral hip dysplasia and a patellar luxation on his left side. Due to this instability, he stretched his knee ligaments. The rescue contacted a company called Pawabilities which makes prosthetics for dogs. They created custom knee braces for Rocco so that he can be a normal pup. These braces will stabilize his knees and minimize further damage. Rocco will need a home that will keep him active and fit, and maintain the use of the braces (which will help him long term). Border Collie Rescue Ontario recommends that his adopter look into swim therapy and physiotherapy to help build his hind end and keep him strong. Rocco is about a year old, has an unbelievable temperament and is wonderful with other dogs and loves people. He will be an exceptional active companion for someone. Rocco has an overshot jaw but it doesn’t stop him from eating every last morsel of his dinner. Website: www.bordercollierescueont.com Phone: 905-579-2291
About two weeks before Christmas 2007, Big On Beagles (B.O.B.) received a call from a rural shelter north east of the city about a Beagle who had come into their care as a stray. He had quickly touched everyone’s heart with his warm winning ways but they knew he needed extended medical attention. His nose was cracked and dry, his eyes and nose were constantly weepy and runny and his teeth were in a state of decay. Aptly named St. Nicholas, he was taken into the rescue and vetted in Toronto where, after several months of tests, it was determined he has treatable immune mediated disease. His prescribed meds can be purchased over the counter at a human pharmacy and run approximately $40.00 per month and he’s worth every penny! This sweet boy loves life and lives it to the fullest. He’s known as the King of Cuddlers and even crawls into the foster mom’s lap for his eye drops! He’s about eight years young, has been neutered and fully vetted, including his dental. He’s housetrained, gets along famously with other dogs and adores people. B.O.B says they’ve sorted out his medical issues as best they can and conclude he will always need his medication but they are thankful it is not life threatening and he can lead a normal happy life which includes hunting for laps to lie in! Website: www.bigonbeagles.ca Phone: 416-693-5590
Gidget is from a puppy mill where dogs are produced and sold for profit. She is a small, female yellow Labrador retriever about five to six months old. By the age of seven weeks, she and her brother had not been sold and were deemed too old to be ‘marketable’. When she arrived at the shelter, Gidget was underweight and was diagnosed with a birth defect of her foot. One of her toes separated and appears as an extra appendage. It does not seem to bother her and she has full mobility. Several veterinarians have examined her and they feel the foot should be left as it is. It is possible that, as she grows, it could need attention, but right now it is not a hindrance. Gidget has been kept in a barn and did not receive an adequate puppy upbringing. As a result, she has not been socialized to all the things she should have been. She requires a home with some dog knowledge and a patient adopter who will socialize, love and train her. She is very loving, playful and curious. Despite her beginning, she is outgoing and loves to learn new things. She is very intrigued by toys and runs to chase a ball, though she isn’t too sure what to do once she gets to it. Gidget is doing well but isn’t in the main adoption room because it is overwhelming for her. She is not at the point where she would be comfortable in a really busy home, so one with no children or only one or two older children would be best. Living with another dog who is well adjusted could potentially boost her confidence and she could learn from him/her. Gidget can be seen at the Oakville and District Humane Society at 445 Cornwall Rd. in Oakville. Those interested in seeing her can ask at the desk and staff will bring her out for a visit. Website: www.oakvillehumane.ca Phone: 905-845-1551
Defining ‘healthy’ can be subjective and can lead to confusion when it comes to dogs. Most potential dog adopters look for a ‘healthy’ dog and, while this seems like a fairly reasonable request, that often means an expectation of assured long term health, which is something no one can guarantee.
It would be like asking if you are healthy – at this particular time you are, but does that you are going to remain healthy? How many of us know of a ‘perfectly healthy’ human – from birth to golden years? Someone who has never had surgery, does not have high cholesterol, a thyroid condition, an allergy, sustained an injury, wears glasses or contracted a virus and become ill? It seems we sometimes have this rather skewed expectation when it comes to dogs; they have to be ‘perfectly healthy’ to be considered adoption candidates. No one really knows what the future holds for our dogs, dogs we may plan to adopt or us. Genetics, quality of care provided (or not) diet, physical exercise, emotional wellness, viral/bacterial exposure, accidents or incidents that may cause injury and a host of other variables come into play.
Although reputable rescues ensure their dogs are fully vetted prior to adoption, this does not guarantee the dog will not be diagnosed with a condition six months, a year or three years from now. Reputable rescues provide full disclosure regarding any and all medical findings as part of the adoption process and, in fact, such medical information should be posted on their webpage along with the dog’s picture and profile. The best a rescue/shelter can do is to provide an accurate picture of the dog’s health at the time of adoption.
Just as a human with medical needs can have a long and happy life, so can a dog. It is unfortunate that many ‘special needs’ dogs are overlooked for adoption, when their needs are not all that “special”. Let’s face it; rescues/shelters don’t get a lot of folks asking for epileptic, one-eyed, three-legged, diabetic, hypothyroid or arthritic dogs. However, if you see a dog whose personality, energy level, breed/mix, size and age are compatible with your lifestyle and adoption criteria, and that dog does have a special medical need, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to “skip” to the next dog and by-pass that ‘special needs’ dog. Spend the time to understand what those needs are and if you are physically, emotionally and financially in a position to consider such a dog. In most cases, these dogs have come into the rescue/shelter because their current caregivers were unable or unwilling to address the health issues of the dogs. Generally speaking, to be considered “adoption ready” by the rescue, the conditions have been determined to be treatable and manageable or they have already been attended to by the rescue and are now resolved. The rescue can also provide realistic information on any ongoing care the dog is likely to require. Then, you can make an informed, responsible decision on whether or not you would be a good adoption candidate.
I recently posted a message regarding special needs dogs to our chat forum about featuring a few of these gems and was overwhelmed with responses. Below, I introduce you to some of our ‘special’ friends so you have the chance to become acquainted with them.
Miko and Debi are two of seven dogs surrendered by the owner when it became evident she was unable to care for them properly. All seven dogs were taken in by the local animal services shelter and rescues were called to assist, due to the physical condition and emotional state of the dogs. Tiny Paws Dog Rescue took four of the dogs who needed to be shaved right down in order to relieve distress and assess their medical conditions. All the dogs were encrusted with mats, urine and feces and all had severe ear and eye infections; none had been altered. Debi was in horrific shape and suffered an enlarged infected uterus, was blind in one eye from a long standing, untreated eye infection and her ears were laden with dirt build up. The canals of Miko's ears were lined with scar tissue from never being cleaned or treated for his infections; he also had growths that covered the canals. The veterinarian was able to remove most of the growths, and, after seven courses of antibiotics and various ear medications, he is recovering well. Miko also has an enlarged heart and liver, a result of obesity. All of the dogs were carrying far too much weight which can cause those conditions. Miko has lost about eight pounds, and will benefit from losing another five pounds. All health issues aside and many resolved, Miko and Debi are happy, loving dogs, who love belly rubs, going for car rides and walks. Both dogs are between eight and 10 years old, spayed/neutered, vaccinated, microchipped and now housetrained. Website: www.tpdr.ca Phone: 519-326-4710
After being picked up as a stray Twiggy came into Jack Russell Terrier Rescue. Despite the fact that she is an extremely friendly, outgoing dog, no one claimed her. She was alarmingly thin when she came into the shelter, and did not seem in particularly good health, so the shelter staff sent her for tests to try to determine what the problem was. It was soon discovered that Twiggy is diabetic. She was put on insulin, and her blood sugars were monitored regularly. She is now in extremely good health and her diabetes is very well controlled. Twiggy will need to go to a home that will be diligent about giving her insulin injections twice a day and feeding her a specified amount of food at the same time twice daily. She is very good about taking her injections, and sits quietly while they are being done. Twiggy is approximately eight years old which is middle age for this breed -- they frequently live to be fifteen or more years and remain active all those years. She has been spayed and vaccinated, and is just waiting for her new home. She is an exceptionally outgoing girl and loves everyone, whether they are young, old or in between! She is great with other dogs and loves to play with any kind of dog toy. Twiggy has mastered all of the behaviours that adopters most want in their dogs -- she is completely house trained, walks perfectly on a leash, sits quietly and waits for her meals, does not suffer from separation anxiety, isn't destructive when left alone and is crate trained. Her favourite past time is snuggling under the covers with humans and loves to bury herself under any blanket or cover – watch out for lumpy blankets – it’s Twiggy! Jack Russell Terrier Rescue will help the new adopters with information and demonstrations with insulin shots and will provide any ongoing support that is necessary. Website: www.russellrescue.org Phone: 416-266-4769
Tammy Jean came into Canadian Hound Rescue due to the owner’s unforeseen personal circumstances. She is a very sweet, and loving eight year old, petite Bloodhound who has had a lifetime of uncertainly and her fair share of hard knocks and bad luck. She is totally blind due to glaucoma and came into rescue with one eye removed. In December, she had to have the other eye removed, due to the glaucoma. Despite her blindness Tammy Jean is one of the most lovable dogs you will ever meet. She gives gentle kisses but doesn’t bombard you with them. She likes to be petted but is not overly attention seeking. She is quite comfortable to rest on her bed and sometimes you wonder where she is because she’s so quiet. She will, however, let you know when someone is at the door with that unmistakable hound “bay”. She would be most comfortable with another dog because they act as her ‘eyes’ and she can follow them. Currently, in her foster home she and her buddy play and sleep together. Tammy Jean is also on medication for bladder control, which is quite a common condition with older, spayed female dogs. She has been around children and has shown gentle, appropriate interaction. She shows no food or toy possession and her foster family says she is very easy and a pleasure to care for - she does, however….snore. It is a very fortunate family that adopts Tammy Jean. A secure, fenced yard is a requirement. Website: www.petfinder.com/shelters/ON143.html Phone: 705-476-9603
Rocco came into Border Collie Rescue Ontario from a family that found him too energetic and ‘busy’. He exhibits mild obsessive-compulsive behaviour with lights and shadows but, with enough of a physical and mental outlet, this now seems to be minimal. While the rescue had him in for his neuter surgery they asked for a complete physical examination, including x-rays. What was discovered was that he has bilateral hip dysplasia and a patellar luxation on his left side. Due to this instability, he stretched his knee ligaments. The rescue contacted a company called Pawabilities which makes prosthetics for dogs. They created custom knee braces for Rocco so that he can be a normal pup. These braces will stabilize his knees and minimize further damage. Rocco will need a home that will keep him active and fit, and maintain the use of the braces (which will help him long term). Border Collie Rescue Ontario recommends that his adopter look into swim therapy and physiotherapy to help build his hind end and keep him strong. Rocco is about a year old, has an unbelievable temperament and is wonderful with other dogs and loves people. He will be an exceptional active companion for someone. Rocco has an overshot jaw but it doesn’t stop him from eating every last morsel of his dinner. Website: www.bordercollierescueont.com Phone: 905-579-2291
About two weeks before Christmas 2007, Big On Beagles (B.O.B.) received a call from a rural shelter north east of the city about a Beagle who had come into their care as a stray. He had quickly touched everyone’s heart with his warm winning ways but they knew he needed extended medical attention. His nose was cracked and dry, his eyes and nose were constantly weepy and runny and his teeth were in a state of decay. Aptly named St. Nicholas, he was taken into the rescue and vetted in Toronto where, after several months of tests, it was determined he has treatable immune mediated disease. His prescribed meds can be purchased over the counter at a human pharmacy and run approximately $40.00 per month and he’s worth every penny! This sweet boy loves life and lives it to the fullest. He’s known as the King of Cuddlers and even crawls into the foster mom’s lap for his eye drops! He’s about eight years young, has been neutered and fully vetted, including his dental. He’s housetrained, gets along famously with other dogs and adores people. B.O.B says they’ve sorted out his medical issues as best they can and conclude he will always need his medication but they are thankful it is not life threatening and he can lead a normal happy life which includes hunting for laps to lie in! Website: www.bigonbeagles.ca Phone: 416-693-5590
Gidget is from a puppy mill where dogs are produced and sold for profit. She is a small, female yellow Labrador retriever about five to six months old. By the age of seven weeks, she and her brother had not been sold and were deemed too old to be ‘marketable’. When she arrived at the shelter, Gidget was underweight and was diagnosed with a birth defect of her foot. One of her toes separated and appears as an extra appendage. It does not seem to bother her and she has full mobility. Several veterinarians have examined her and they feel the foot should be left as it is. It is possible that, as she grows, it could need attention, but right now it is not a hindrance. Gidget has been kept in a barn and did not receive an adequate puppy upbringing. As a result, she has not been socialized to all the things she should have been. She requires a home with some dog knowledge and a patient adopter who will socialize, love and train her. She is very loving, playful and curious. Despite her beginning, she is outgoing and loves to learn new things. She is very intrigued by toys and runs to chase a ball, though she isn’t too sure what to do once she gets to it. Gidget is doing well but isn’t in the main adoption room because it is overwhelming for her. She is not at the point where she would be comfortable in a really busy home, so one with no children or only one or two older children would be best. Living with another dog who is well adjusted could potentially boost her confidence and she could learn from him/her. Gidget can be seen at the Oakville and District Humane Society at 445 Cornwall Rd. in Oakville. Those interested in seeing her can ask at the desk and staff will bring her out for a visit. Website: www.oakvillehumane.ca Phone: 905-845-1551
Do Dogs Go To Heaven?
By Lorraine Houston
For those of you who share, or have shared heart and soul with a dog, you will no doubt agree that they inspire, delight, humble, teach and touch the human spirit like no other being can. Courage, devotion and the ability to adapt are qualities that immediately come to mind when we think ‘dog’. I’ve been privileged and blessed to have met many, many dogs along my life’s path and each one has possessed these traits. That said, there are times when a particular dog comes along who, like a thunderbolt, reminds us just how remarkable dogs really are.
This is the story of a dog, named Atomic, who came into the world about seven years ago. When Anne Marie Lorusso went to see the litter of tiny Italian Greyhound puppies, she was immediately drawn to the friendly male who enjoyed being handled and cuddled. “He really chose me. He kept climbing out of the pen to be with me and when I held him he would smother me with kisses. It was clear that he was a real character,” recalls Anne Marie. When he was brought home, the wee mite almost fit in the palm of her hand; weighing just a couple of pounds and only a few inches tall. As he jumped and bounded around Anne Marie’s apartment like a whirling dervish, a friend said “this guy is full of atomic energy” and the apt name “Atomic” stuck.
When he was just 10 weeks old, Atomic was already receiving individual puppy sessions from a local trainer. Anne Marie wanted to ensure he grew up to be well socialized and mannerly, and she had read that early training was a good idea. At 12 weeks, he started puppy classes where he enjoyed playing with other pups and learning more new things. By two-years of age, Atomic had a wide repertoire of behaviours. Aside from the traditional obedience - heel, sit, down and stay, he had mastered signature moves like waving hello and good-bye (with both paws), dance, spin (both ways), crawl, speak, quiet, ‘have a stretch’ and ‘take a bow.’ After completing several levels of obedience and trick classes, he dabbled his paws in agility and freestyle activities and, further still, became a Therapeutic Paws of Canada (TPOC) certified therapy dog.
“I had seen stories about therapy dogs on TV and thought it would be a lovely way to volunteer our time. He had always been a friendly dog and loved to be the centre of attention with people, especially children”. Atomic delighted in showing his routine of tricks to anyone who would watch and clap for him. Nothing seemed to really scare or bother him, and he was happy to meet anyone in any circumstance – a superb quality for a good therapy dog.
“He’s like a sponge and just loves learning and interacting with people. He’s great with other dogs and thoroughly enjoys the social aspect of any and all activities. Contrary to popular belief, he’s not as delicate or breakable as he looks, he’s a hardy, well built little man,” said Anne Marie.
Tragedy struck when Atomic was about three-years-old. “Vision problems,” recalls Anne Marie. “I wasn’t sure what exactly was going on, but I knew he was having trouble seeing. My veterinarian referred me to an ophthalmologist for dogs and we had tests done to determine the cause. I was devastated when I was told Atomic had sudden onset of Glaucoma and Vitreous Degeneration.”
Over the next three years, Anne Marie did everything humanly possible to battle his diseases but, despite surgeries, expensive treatments and prescriptions, nothing they did could prevent him from slowly going blind. Last Christmas the medications seemed to completely stop working and Atomic started to incur pain from the increased pressure behind his eyes. His eye specialist said there wasn’t much more that could be done for Atomic because he was already on the maximum dosage of medication for his small size. Anne Marie was faced with two choices; have him euthanized or remove both his eyes.
“Other than his eyes, I knew that there really wasn’t anything else wrong with him and he had so much life left in him. How could I possibly consider euthanizing my best friend - my sweet boy who loved everybody and everything that life had to offer? I opted to have his eyes removed, signed the consent form and prayed that he would adapt to life without sight.”
Now that he was going to be completely blind, there were many unanswered questions. Would he have to totally re-learn the life he once lived? Would he have to be restricted in his social activities? Would he remain a social butterfly or would he now be frightened and confused, living in a world of darkness? As Anne Marie pondered Atomic’s future, a realization dawned. Atomic had already begun the adaptation to blindness process. “For the last three years, he had very limited vision and seemed to use his other senses anyway. I took him to work at my office every day throughout the three-year decline of his vision and he would walk up the stairs, through the office, around my desk and into his crate without missing a beat. He would only bump into things like chairs or obstacles if they were out of their usual place. Other than that, co-workers and clients would ask me if I was sure he was really going blind?”
Miraculously, once Atomic recovered from the physical aspects of the surgery, he was back to his spunky, social self and seemed to be even happier than he was before. An additional advantage of the surgery was that there would be no more pills, drops or doctors visits with medical instruments poking about his eyes. Anne Marie confesses that the deterioration of his vision and subsequent removal of his eyes was harder on her than him.
Anne Marie reflects, “It’s been about a year now since the surgery and Atomic continues to flourish. Not a day goes by without someone asking, ‘Is your dog blind?’ We also get a lot of stares now wherever we go. Atomic still walks well at heel and is happy to march along without a fear. He marks all his usual spots and walks up to greet as many people, especially children, as possible - whether he knows them or not. Whenever I take him on street walks or to visit stores, people are shocked at how confident he is, even when he’s in a new environment. If he bumps into something, he just backs up and picks a new route. He knows the words careful, which means slow down, wait means to stop, and step means there’s a step up or down ahead. He’s not anxious or fearful at all and starts wagging his tail as soon as he hears people around him, especially if they say ‘awww’”.
Atomic was retested as a therapy dog and passed each component of the evaluation without any trouble whatsoever. When he went back to his visiting facility the staff and patients were elated to see him again. “I can see the faces of the patients and family members light up when Atomic enters the facility. We often have people waiting for us in the lobby. Despite his complete loss of sight, Atomic knows where the people are and senses which ones need his therapeutic touch. I have no idea how he does it – it’s a gift he ha,s” said Anne Marie.
Last summer Anne Marie decided to have Atomic evaluated as a TPOC Child Certified Therapy Dog. His love for children had been clear and constant since he was a puppy and she thought it would be an idea to share her ‘Atomic Star’ with the children at the Hospital for Sick Children.
(Note from author) I had the pleasure of experiencing Atomic firsthand that day as his evaluator and was simply awestruck by his exceptional abilities and character. He undoubtedly knew where everyone was situated and after navigating his way through the circle of children flawlessly, he sat quietly and politely while a child read to him and was gentle, engaging and charming throughout the entire evaluation.
What I found most interesting was that he continually gravitated and seemed to want to spend additional time with one of the young girls who had volunteered to be part of the evaluation test group that day. There seemed to be an uncanny, unspoken connection between the two. After the test, the girl’s mother approached and I commented that Atomic was clearly very fond of her daughter. She too had noticed and said it would mean a great deal to her daughter and, despite her autism, she had been very aware of Atomic’s special attentiveness to her.
There is no question that dogs have capabilities and senses beyond our comprehension. What they are or how they work is not for us to know, just to appreciate and embrace.
Serendipity Strikes
By Lorraine Houston
There are countless tales to tell of dogs who have found their way to the hearts they were meant to be united with; hearts that heal, embrace and ultimately develop a lifelong bond. Working with dogs from shelter and rescue organizations for so long, I have witnessed firsthand the extraordinary, almost instantaneous connection between a dog and human. I have also experienced other incredible events that cause the paths of humans and dogs to cross quite unexpectedly, almost mysteriously. Is it fate, some kind of divine intervention or is it just meant to be – or not? Personally, having seen far too many ‘coincidences’, I believe there could be divine dabbling. Do we choose our dogs or do they choose us? Is there some kind of planned path that leads us in a specific direction to find the dogs we are meant to share our heart with? And once found, do they continue to show us the way or do we show them? Do they change our lives or do our lives change because of them? Perhaps a bit of everything all rolled together, but who would know if they weren’t part of the equation?
I know I have told this story before and you are probably tired of hearing it but here goes. My husband and I still look back 25 years and thank our lucky stars that our first dog (as a couple), ‘Bingo’, came into our lives and completely changed the direction of our future. Bingo was a Whippet mix who I had become attached to while working at the humane society. He had developed kennel cough and needed to get out of the shelter so we adopted him. Not the best laid plan, I know, but that’s the way it went. At the time we were renting and before we even made it through the door our landlord, who had two dogs himself, questioned us about the little blonde dog who looked happily about. We assured him there would be no trouble and he agreed to the ‘new tenant’. Unfortunately, our assurances became null and void when Bingo barked when we weren’t home, pooped and peed, and chewed everything he could get his pearly whites into. Within six weeks of adopting our boy, we received a notice on our door that read “Either you go, or the dog goes”. We were in panic mode and quickly tried to find another place to rent. Along with Bingo we also had three cats and the rental search was a challenge. We had only one option - we had to buy a house. Pooling our savings together we scraped up just enough for a minimum down payment and started looking for a house to buy. Within a week we found the perfect bungalow with a lovely fenced garden. We asked for a quick closing date and moved in the very next month. Of course we were house poor for several years, but it really didn’t matter - we had our Bingo boy. To this day, we wonder how different our lives would be had we not purchased that house in 1984.
Sharon McKeil, Director of BARK rescue in Ottawa believes dogs come into our lives as blessings and guidance. “The call came on a Friday night. A Rottweiler mix desperately needed a place to go; her owner had vanished. Leaving this dog where she was wasn’t an option. Her entire life (five years) had been spent chained to a doghouse. My husband and I had just lost our Rottweiler and, while not ready for another dog, we decided we could at least foster her until a permanent home was found. When we arrived to pick her up, we learned that the dog’s owner, who had committed murder a year and a half earlier, had recently been incarcerated, thus explaining his sudden disappearance. The dog sat looking at us from her 10-foot chain attached to a doghouse in the middle of a huge sandpit. She was desperate for attention, painfully thin and filthy. How do you tell a beautiful dog with eyes as big as saucers, shaking like a leaf, that her life is about to change dramatically? How do you explain to her that she will never again be chained, have to live a lonely existence and that she can sleep on a bed, will be loved, walked, played with and adored? The next six months were very difficult for all of us. She had never lived in a house, never walked on a leash, never been taught the very basics like sit, stay, down, off the counter, out of the garbage, never had a toy or bone. The saddest thing she did was to hide her food all over the house, instead of eating it right away, in case she didn’t get fed her next meal. Her protruding ribs told the story of many missed meals. She cringed when you reached out to pat her and hit the floor immediately if anyone raised their voice even slightly. We quickly learned to talk at the same level at all times. Her name was Princess but we renamed her to reflect her new life - Princess Leia, later shortened to just Leia. Of course we knew we couldn’t give her up; how could anyone ask this amazing dog to relocate when she finally began to trust us? The fear, neglect and abuse are deeply rooted so she will never be the dog she could have been, however, the average person meeting her finds a happy, social, very sweet dog that clearly loves life. She is indeed a grateful dog. Leia is now the BARK media dog, attends TV interviews and events as a goodwill ambassador for our organization and is a wonderful example of how dogs can learn to trust, despite their past. We know she had a horrific life before we got her and we cannot change that but we can make sure she never has another bad day. She has given us back 100 times anything we have given her. We can’t imagine life without her.”
Karen Langill, of Helping Homeless Pets says that if dogs could talk, the stories they could tell would be incredible. “Robbie arrived at my home as a foster on a cold January night. He and six other Dachshunds had just completed a 72-hour journey from a puppy mill in Missouri to start new lives in Toronto. Life in a puppy mill must be unimaginable. Robbie was a breeding dog, confined to a cage for all of his nine years. The miller had agreed to release the dogs to Canadian Dachshund Rescue and they were transported to Toronto via a relay team of volunteers. When Robbie first arrived, his beautiful red, longhair coat was matted and encrusted with feces, his ears were infected and the smell from his mouth was rancid. He was in such pain, it was a wonder he could wag his tail at all. Robbie had to have all but two of his teeth removed. Robbie didn’t know how to be a pet. He didn’t know how to eat treats and preferred to lay on newspapers and the cold floor instead of his nice, comfy, yet strangely foreign bed. He was afraid of squeaky toys, going outside, and was petrified of walking on a leash. He barked and cried each night. His life had turned upside down but despite his confusion and uncertainness there was a sparkle of life in his soulful brown eyes. Although it took him some time to adjust, my dachshund and I had already fallen in love with him that cold January night and he has been part of our family ever since. Robbie recently passed his certification with Therapeutic Paws of Canada and now visits hospitals and nursing homes, helping others. He has truly come full circle.”
Lab lover Linda Quigley says she wasn’t ready for another dog when she met Chloe.
“Chloe is a yellow Lab who was used for breeding and had produced two litters before she was even two-years-old. The breeder didn’t want to keep her and sold her to an elderly couple who soon realized they could not provide her with enough exercise, since they both needed hip replacements. They called Labrador Rescue. I had lost my beloved dog only two weeks previously, was still in mourning and was not even considering looking for another dog. Then I got a call from a friend who had met Chloe and wondered if I would be interested in meeting her and giving input on her assessment. When I met Chloe at her home, she came to me immediately, climbed into my lap and ignored the owners and the person there to do the assessment. An hour later, she came home with me. We had a hard few months - she had terrible separation anxiety and was confused. She had been kept in a kennel with very little human contact, and then when she went to live with the elderly couple they were home with her all the time. We overcame that with time and patience. Chloe has been with me now for just over two years. She enjoys agility classes, and last summer, she learned how to swim. The first year, she didn’t know how and was afraid to go in past her chest but by the next year I couldn’t keep her out of the water. Now she beats every dog at the beach for the tennis ball. She no longer frets when I go out, although she is always glad to see me come home. She has bonded with her brother and sister and together, the four of us make a family. I don’t know what I’d do without them - life just doesn’t get any better than this.”
Kim Gladding says, “one dog has changed my world” and shares her story about a dog who seemed to need her as much as she needed him. “In the summer of 1999 I began looking for a second dog. I had read a lot about Samoyeds and had my heart set on sharing my home with one. The long hair and grooming were not a deterrent, since I already had an American Eskimo dog. I was also eager to adopt as opposed to buy, in order to provide a better life for a dog in need. I visited a number of shelters and contacted rescue organizations, but had no luck finding a homeless Samoyed (which is a good thing). Two short weeks later, however, Samoyed rescue received a call from a local humane society about a dog in their shelter. They felt he would be a difficult placement and wanted the rescue’s help. He was an unaltered male, approximately two years old. My husband and I went to see him. There he was with his yellow, matted fur, thin body, paws covered in feces, wagging his tail and barking to get my attention. We took him outside to get a better look and to meet our other dog. He had an ear infection, a coat that needed some serious grooming, and was underweight but his big Sammy smile melted my heart. We took him home and named him Montana. He immediately settled into our house as if he had been there all his life. Montana is my constant companion and loves to be near me. We've gone camping and to cottages where he enjoys hiking and swimming – he even skijored with me. Not everything has been perfect. A few months after adoption, he showed some behavioural issues, so I sought the assistance of a local trainer. She helped me understand him. I joined her classes and we both enjoyed them so much. After several sessions, she asked me to assist with teaching. I now have my own class and teach others basic obedience. In addition, I became actively involved at my local humane society. Because of Montana, a whole new world opened up for me. He steered me in a direction I would never have dreamed of going.”
“In 2001, I began volunteering for our local humane society”, says Cheryl Lamb of North Bay. “Until this point, my husband and I had only had cats in our lives but decided that we would like to add an adult large breed shelter dog to our home. In April of that year, “Blanche” a Retriever mix came into the shelter as a stray. She was picked up wandering down a main artery of the city dragging twenty feet of chain behind her. It was obvious that she had whelped several litters of pups and was rather dishevelled, but in our eyes, she was perfect – just who we had been searching for! Her amazing temperament with people and other animals won our hearts. She settled into our home as if she had always lived there – and was very respectful our cats. Blanche is one of the main reasons I became so involved with the humane society and rescue groups.” Cheryl Lamb has been orchestrating long distance transports for dogs across Ontario and Quebec for the past three years. She is often referred to as the “transport guru” and is responsible for saving hundreds, if not thousands of dogs via her large network of drivers.
These are but a few snapshots of how certain dogs and humans found each other in ways we can only assume were ‘meant to be’. One must admit, in many cases, dogs lead us to places we may have not gone otherwise. They teach us that when the going gets tough, the tough stay committed. They show us how far a little patience and understanding can go and each one shares the heartbeat within us.
Because we had such an over-whelming response to our post asking for dog adoption stories, our editor, Amy White has agreed to let me continue this topic in the next issue. If you have a story to share, please email LHH4DOGS@rogers.com
Lorraine Houston is a feature writer for Dogs, Dogs, Dogs! and an evaluator for Therapeutic Paws of Canada and St. John Ambulance Therapy Dogs. She is a member of the Etobicoke Humane Society’s dog adoption team and the director of Speaking of Dogs, an organization devoted to education, outreach and rescue. A Maxwell Award winner from Dog Writers Assoc. of America, Lorraine lives in Don Mills with her husband, two sons and family dogs. She may be contacted at lhh4dogs@rogers.com or through www.speakingofdogs.com
I know I have told this story before and you are probably tired of hearing it but here goes. My husband and I still look back 25 years and thank our lucky stars that our first dog (as a couple), ‘Bingo’, came into our lives and completely changed the direction of our future. Bingo was a Whippet mix who I had become attached to while working at the humane society. He had developed kennel cough and needed to get out of the shelter so we adopted him. Not the best laid plan, I know, but that’s the way it went. At the time we were renting and before we even made it through the door our landlord, who had two dogs himself, questioned us about the little blonde dog who looked happily about. We assured him there would be no trouble and he agreed to the ‘new tenant’. Unfortunately, our assurances became null and void when Bingo barked when we weren’t home, pooped and peed, and chewed everything he could get his pearly whites into. Within six weeks of adopting our boy, we received a notice on our door that read “Either you go, or the dog goes”. We were in panic mode and quickly tried to find another place to rent. Along with Bingo we also had three cats and the rental search was a challenge. We had only one option - we had to buy a house. Pooling our savings together we scraped up just enough for a minimum down payment and started looking for a house to buy. Within a week we found the perfect bungalow with a lovely fenced garden. We asked for a quick closing date and moved in the very next month. Of course we were house poor for several years, but it really didn’t matter - we had our Bingo boy. To this day, we wonder how different our lives would be had we not purchased that house in 1984.
Sharon McKeil, Director of BARK rescue in Ottawa believes dogs come into our lives as blessings and guidance. “The call came on a Friday night. A Rottweiler mix desperately needed a place to go; her owner had vanished. Leaving this dog where she was wasn’t an option. Her entire life (five years) had been spent chained to a doghouse. My husband and I had just lost our Rottweiler and, while not ready for another dog, we decided we could at least foster her until a permanent home was found. When we arrived to pick her up, we learned that the dog’s owner, who had committed murder a year and a half earlier, had recently been incarcerated, thus explaining his sudden disappearance. The dog sat looking at us from her 10-foot chain attached to a doghouse in the middle of a huge sandpit. She was desperate for attention, painfully thin and filthy. How do you tell a beautiful dog with eyes as big as saucers, shaking like a leaf, that her life is about to change dramatically? How do you explain to her that she will never again be chained, have to live a lonely existence and that she can sleep on a bed, will be loved, walked, played with and adored? The next six months were very difficult for all of us. She had never lived in a house, never walked on a leash, never been taught the very basics like sit, stay, down, off the counter, out of the garbage, never had a toy or bone. The saddest thing she did was to hide her food all over the house, instead of eating it right away, in case she didn’t get fed her next meal. Her protruding ribs told the story of many missed meals. She cringed when you reached out to pat her and hit the floor immediately if anyone raised their voice even slightly. We quickly learned to talk at the same level at all times. Her name was Princess but we renamed her to reflect her new life - Princess Leia, later shortened to just Leia. Of course we knew we couldn’t give her up; how could anyone ask this amazing dog to relocate when she finally began to trust us? The fear, neglect and abuse are deeply rooted so she will never be the dog she could have been, however, the average person meeting her finds a happy, social, very sweet dog that clearly loves life. She is indeed a grateful dog. Leia is now the BARK media dog, attends TV interviews and events as a goodwill ambassador for our organization and is a wonderful example of how dogs can learn to trust, despite their past. We know she had a horrific life before we got her and we cannot change that but we can make sure she never has another bad day. She has given us back 100 times anything we have given her. We can’t imagine life without her.”
Karen Langill, of Helping Homeless Pets says that if dogs could talk, the stories they could tell would be incredible. “Robbie arrived at my home as a foster on a cold January night. He and six other Dachshunds had just completed a 72-hour journey from a puppy mill in Missouri to start new lives in Toronto. Life in a puppy mill must be unimaginable. Robbie was a breeding dog, confined to a cage for all of his nine years. The miller had agreed to release the dogs to Canadian Dachshund Rescue and they were transported to Toronto via a relay team of volunteers. When Robbie first arrived, his beautiful red, longhair coat was matted and encrusted with feces, his ears were infected and the smell from his mouth was rancid. He was in such pain, it was a wonder he could wag his tail at all. Robbie had to have all but two of his teeth removed. Robbie didn’t know how to be a pet. He didn’t know how to eat treats and preferred to lay on newspapers and the cold floor instead of his nice, comfy, yet strangely foreign bed. He was afraid of squeaky toys, going outside, and was petrified of walking on a leash. He barked and cried each night. His life had turned upside down but despite his confusion and uncertainness there was a sparkle of life in his soulful brown eyes. Although it took him some time to adjust, my dachshund and I had already fallen in love with him that cold January night and he has been part of our family ever since. Robbie recently passed his certification with Therapeutic Paws of Canada and now visits hospitals and nursing homes, helping others. He has truly come full circle.”
Lab lover Linda Quigley says she wasn’t ready for another dog when she met Chloe.
“Chloe is a yellow Lab who was used for breeding and had produced two litters before she was even two-years-old. The breeder didn’t want to keep her and sold her to an elderly couple who soon realized they could not provide her with enough exercise, since they both needed hip replacements. They called Labrador Rescue. I had lost my beloved dog only two weeks previously, was still in mourning and was not even considering looking for another dog. Then I got a call from a friend who had met Chloe and wondered if I would be interested in meeting her and giving input on her assessment. When I met Chloe at her home, she came to me immediately, climbed into my lap and ignored the owners and the person there to do the assessment. An hour later, she came home with me. We had a hard few months - she had terrible separation anxiety and was confused. She had been kept in a kennel with very little human contact, and then when she went to live with the elderly couple they were home with her all the time. We overcame that with time and patience. Chloe has been with me now for just over two years. She enjoys agility classes, and last summer, she learned how to swim. The first year, she didn’t know how and was afraid to go in past her chest but by the next year I couldn’t keep her out of the water. Now she beats every dog at the beach for the tennis ball. She no longer frets when I go out, although she is always glad to see me come home. She has bonded with her brother and sister and together, the four of us make a family. I don’t know what I’d do without them - life just doesn’t get any better than this.”
Kim Gladding says, “one dog has changed my world” and shares her story about a dog who seemed to need her as much as she needed him. “In the summer of 1999 I began looking for a second dog. I had read a lot about Samoyeds and had my heart set on sharing my home with one. The long hair and grooming were not a deterrent, since I already had an American Eskimo dog. I was also eager to adopt as opposed to buy, in order to provide a better life for a dog in need. I visited a number of shelters and contacted rescue organizations, but had no luck finding a homeless Samoyed (which is a good thing). Two short weeks later, however, Samoyed rescue received a call from a local humane society about a dog in their shelter. They felt he would be a difficult placement and wanted the rescue’s help. He was an unaltered male, approximately two years old. My husband and I went to see him. There he was with his yellow, matted fur, thin body, paws covered in feces, wagging his tail and barking to get my attention. We took him outside to get a better look and to meet our other dog. He had an ear infection, a coat that needed some serious grooming, and was underweight but his big Sammy smile melted my heart. We took him home and named him Montana. He immediately settled into our house as if he had been there all his life. Montana is my constant companion and loves to be near me. We've gone camping and to cottages where he enjoys hiking and swimming – he even skijored with me. Not everything has been perfect. A few months after adoption, he showed some behavioural issues, so I sought the assistance of a local trainer. She helped me understand him. I joined her classes and we both enjoyed them so much. After several sessions, she asked me to assist with teaching. I now have my own class and teach others basic obedience. In addition, I became actively involved at my local humane society. Because of Montana, a whole new world opened up for me. He steered me in a direction I would never have dreamed of going.”
“In 2001, I began volunteering for our local humane society”, says Cheryl Lamb of North Bay. “Until this point, my husband and I had only had cats in our lives but decided that we would like to add an adult large breed shelter dog to our home. In April of that year, “Blanche” a Retriever mix came into the shelter as a stray. She was picked up wandering down a main artery of the city dragging twenty feet of chain behind her. It was obvious that she had whelped several litters of pups and was rather dishevelled, but in our eyes, she was perfect – just who we had been searching for! Her amazing temperament with people and other animals won our hearts. She settled into our home as if she had always lived there – and was very respectful our cats. Blanche is one of the main reasons I became so involved with the humane society and rescue groups.” Cheryl Lamb has been orchestrating long distance transports for dogs across Ontario and Quebec for the past three years. She is often referred to as the “transport guru” and is responsible for saving hundreds, if not thousands of dogs via her large network of drivers.
These are but a few snapshots of how certain dogs and humans found each other in ways we can only assume were ‘meant to be’. One must admit, in many cases, dogs lead us to places we may have not gone otherwise. They teach us that when the going gets tough, the tough stay committed. They show us how far a little patience and understanding can go and each one shares the heartbeat within us.
Because we had such an over-whelming response to our post asking for dog adoption stories, our editor, Amy White has agreed to let me continue this topic in the next issue. If you have a story to share, please email LHH4DOGS@rogers.com
Lorraine Houston is a feature writer for Dogs, Dogs, Dogs! and an evaluator for Therapeutic Paws of Canada and St. John Ambulance Therapy Dogs. She is a member of the Etobicoke Humane Society’s dog adoption team and the director of Speaking of Dogs, an organization devoted to education, outreach and rescue. A Maxwell Award winner from Dog Writers Assoc. of America, Lorraine lives in Don Mills with her husband, two sons and family dogs. She may be contacted at lhh4dogs@rogers.com or through www.speakingofdogs.com
