My Foster Cat Was Adopted Today

This morning, a young couple came to meet my foster cat, Kirby.


In a couple weeks, it will have been a year since a scraggly, scrawny black cat wandered his way into my backyard. He looked rough. He was skinny, and he had an eye infection in both eyes so bad that his eyes were almost sealed shut. At first, I thought he might be a feral cat. But, when I went outside, he ran right up to me, flopped over, and asked for a belly rub. He purred and rolled around on his back, begging for some love. I wondered how long it had been since he'd been touched by a friendly hand. This little guy had no collar and no tags, of course, and he was in pretty rough shape. I wondered if he had gotten lost, or if someone simply dumped him off in our neighborhood. It was clear that he'd been on his own for a while, but he was so friendly, obviously he had a home at some point in time. As much as I wanted to feed him, since he was so skinny, I resisted the temptation, and let him go on his way. We asked everyone in the neighborhood if they were missing a black cat, and of course, no one was. For a couple days, he'd show up in the backyard to stop by and say hi and get some love and attention.

Knowing what typically happens to sickly black cats at animal control, I contacted Second Chance Animal Rescue to see what I should do with him. And so began my journey as an animal foster. We'd considered fostering in the past, but always decided the timing wasn't just right. Well, when Kirby showed up in our backyard, he made the decision for us. Second Chance Animal Rescue agreed to allow us to foster Kirby under their organization.

It took a while for Kirby to learn house manners, since he was on his own for so long, and he was a little wild at times, but over the months, his awesome, unique personality developed more and more. His eye infection cleared right up, he underwent hernia repair surgery, a healthy diet gave him a gorgeous shiny black coat, and he put on five or six pounds. He learned what toys are and learned to play with gusto. He is such a cool cat with cute habits and tricks and he adores attention.

We took him to monthly adoption days, but unfortunately, he didn't do well. The car ride to PetCo freaked him out, sitting in a cage freaked him out, all the strange noises and commotion freaked him out. He acted like a feral cat in his adoption cage. His adorable personality just didn't come out when he was at adoption days, and potential adopters over looked him every time.

I was starting to think that poor Kirby was never going to get adopted. We knew that if an adopter met him in our home, where he acted like himself, he'd get adopted in a heartbeat. But after almost a year, I was starting to think that nobody would ever want him, and I'd end up adopting him myself.

When I first decided to foster Kirby, I was determined not to become a "foster failure." I guess most fosters "fail" and end up adopting a foster at some point in time, but I didn't want to "fail" on my first foster pet. If I ended up adopting Kirby myself, I couldn't be a foster for any other cats. In animal rescue, foster homes are worth a million bucks. They provide a safe haven for an animal in desperate need, and often it's a life or death situation. Rescues can only save as many animals as they have available space for. As much as I love Kirby, my job is to provide him a wonderful temporary home until he finds a permanent home.

I got the call last night that someone was interested in meeting Kirby, and had passed the screening process with flying colors. The young lady and her boyfriend were going to drive over an hour to meet him this morning and fill out an adoption application. After I got off the phone with her, it really hit me: Kirby's getting adopted.

I'm not even sure how to describe the feelings I have right now. On the one hand, the thought that Kirby's not going to be with us anymore absolutely breaks my heart. I love him as much as I love my own cats. On the other hand, I'm so excited and thrilled that he's finally getting adopted! I knew that giving him up was going to be difficult because I love him, and he's been with me for almost a year. But, I am so happy that he's getting adopted!

When his potential adopters drove up to our house this morning, Kirby ran right up to greet them at the door. He immediately started tossing a toy around and acting like a goofball. Then he ran over to the couple and asked them to pet him. The couple watched him and interacted with him for about two minutes before saying, "We're sure!" We went through all the paperwork, and this couple is wonderful! They had already gone through the screening process and passed with flying colors. It's going to be an awesome home for Kirby! I was kind of surprised that I wasn't sad at all during this process. I was just excited and happy that Kirby was getting adopted!

Since Kirby's been with us for almost a year now, he's due for his updated shots, so he's going to be at our house for another day or two so I can bring him in to get his vaccines updated so the new adopter doesn't have to worry about that. I have a couple more days with him, then he's moving on to his new life. That's the part that makes me sad: not having Kirby in my home anymore. I'm taking pictures, and spending time with him. Kirby acts like I'm crazy, fawning over him, taking pictures, and getting all emotional. It's like he's telling me, "Mom, it's cool. Don't be sad. You took great care of me, and now I'm finally getting my own home." Kirby will move on, and will have a great new life, and I will always have wonderful memories of him. Kirby's adoption is bittersweet, but in all honesty, it's more sweet than bitter. I've done my job as a foster, and because of me, Kirby will have a wonderful life.

So, will I do this again? You bet! There are always cats in animal control running out of time. Because I foster, and because a wonderful young family decided to adopt Kirby, I can help save another life.

This poem kind of helps explain why we fosters do this:

Dear Foster Mom

There I sat, alone and afraid.
You got a call and came right to my aid.
You bundled me up with blankets and love.
And, when I needed it most, you gave me a hug.
I learned that the world was not all that scary and cold.
That sometimes there is someone to have and to hold.
You taught me what love is, you helped me to mend.
You loved me and healed me and became my first friend.
And just when I thought you'd done all you do,
There came along not one new lesson, but two.
First you said, "Sweetheart, you're ready to go.
I've done all I can, and you've learned all I know."
Then you bundled me up with a blanket and kiss.
Along came a new family, they even have kids!
They took me to their home, forever to stay.
At first I thought you sent me away.
Then that second lesson became perfectly clear.
No matter how far, you will always be near.
And so, Foster Mom, you know I've moved on.
I have a new home, with toys and a lawn.
But I'll never forget what I learned that first day.
You never really give your fosters away.
You gave me these thoughts to remember you by.
We may never meet again, and now I know why.
You'll remember I lived with you for a time.
I may not be yours, but you'll always be mine.

- Author Unknown

A couple weeks ago, the adoption coordinator for Second Chance Animal Rescue sent out an email asking for help in finding people interested in fostering cats, particularly kittens and pregnant cats. If you are involved in cat rescue, you know that spring means kitten season, when hundreds of litters of unwanted kittens are born, and there's not enough homes for them all. Every humane society, animal control shelter, and rescue organization gets inundated with requests to take surrendered or found litters of kittens in the spring and summer. There is simply not enough room for them all. It's a sad fact that in the Twin Cities metro area, hundreds of cute, adorable, healthy, perfectly adoptable kittens will be euthanized in the coming months because there's not enough homes for them all, and not enough shelter and foster space to save them all.

If you have a spare room and some spare love, you can help save the life of a cat or kittens. While it took almost a year for Kirby to get adopted, it doesn't typically take that long for fosters to get adopted, especially kittens. Fostering is such an awesomely rewarding experience! If you are interested in fostering, please contact Second Chance Animal Rescue at 651-771-5662 for more information.

Minnesota Puppy/Kitten Mill Bill

Sadly, Minnesota has become a haven for large-scale dog and cat breeding facilities, due in large part to Minnesota's lack of regulation of such facilities.

Animal welfare organizations and concerned citizens throughout the state came together in an effort to promote legislation to regulate such operations, in the hope that fewer mills will come to the state, and that those already here will clean up their acts.

Senate File 7, introduced by Senator Betzold and House File 253, introduced by Representative Tom Tillberry, if passed by the Minnesota Legislature, would be an awesome step in the right direction toward eliminating the horrors of puppy and kitten mills.

To read the text of the bills check out these links:

S.F. No. 7, as introduced, The Puppy and Kitten Mill Bill

H.F. No. 253, as introduced, The Puppy and Kitten Mill

From AnimalFolksMN's website, the highlights of this legislation include:

• Licensing
Requires dog and cat breeders in Minnesota to be licensed. A “breeder” is defined as “a person, other than a hobby breeder, who possesses animals and is engaged in the business of breeding animals for direct or indirect sale or for exchange in return for consideration, and who possesses six or more adult intact female animals for the purpose of breeding."

NOTE: The above is often misinterpreted. This legislation applies to breeders who “possess six or more adult intact females for the purpose of breeding.” If a breeder has 5 or less adult intact females, it does not apply to them. If a breeder is not in the business of breeding (i.e. dogs used for mushing or a hobby breeder who breeds for show) and possesses 5 or less adult intact breeding females, this legislation does not apply to them. Hobby breeders are exempt.

REASONING: There is no licensing of dog and cat breeders by the State of Minnesota. As a result, the State does not and cannot know if animals in breeding facilities are properly cared for.

ALSO: The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), per the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), does license some breeders — those with more than three intact females who sell wholesale. Note the word 'wholesale' — breeders who sell directly to consumers through websites, parking lots or classified ads are not required to be licensed by the USDA. This is a loophole in the Animal Welfare Act, considering the fact that many breeders are now using websites. It's also another reason for state licensing of dog and cat breeders.

• Inspections
Gives Minnesota the authority to inspect dog and cat breeding facilities, including both USDA-licensed facilities and totally unregulated facilities.

NOTE: There are 2.5 USDA inspectors in Minnesota to inspect and regulate approximately 220 USDA-licensed facilities throughout our State. These inspectors inspect USDA-licensed breeders and dealers (dogs, cats, exotics and other animals) as well as exhibitors, zoos, research laboratories, circuses and animals transported via commercial airlines. Due to limited staffing and from reviewing inspection reports (available through the Freedom of Information Act), the number of inspections are infrequent. Also, as stated above, the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) does not license breeders who sell directly to the public through the Internet, classified ads, parking lots or other means; therefore, there are no inspections of breeding facilities that are not required to be USDA-licensed. Commercial breeders are aware of this loophole; some have chosen not to re-new or apply for a USDA license, so avoiding inspection.

REASONING: This bill will close the AWA loophole. It will allow for additional inspectors and inspections of all USDA-licensed and non-USDA-licensed breeders (except "hobby breeders") by the State of Minnesota, and will, for the first time, inspect facilities that have gone unchecked.

• Enforcement
Gives Minnesota the authority to enforce both State and USDA laws, standards, rules and regulations.

NOTE: There is no State law that gives Minnesota the authority to enforce breeding and care standards.

REASONING: This bill closes the enforcement gap. Upon receiving a complaint, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, a local animal control authority, peace officer or humane agent will be given the authority to investigate the complaint. Correction orders can be issued, requiring a breeder to correct a violation of federal and state statutes, rules and regulations governing breeding facilities. An order may also be issued to cease a practice if its continuation would result in an immediate risk to animal welfare or public health. The State would have the authority to refuse to re-issue a license, suspend or revoke a license if the breeder fails to act on certain orders (i.e. doesn’t comply, doesn’t pay, commits felony cruelty), as defined in the law.

• Penalties
Imposes civil and criminal penalties for violations.

REASONING: This bill creates misdemeanors for specific violations committed by unscrupulous dog and cat breeders. It also imposes administrative penalties.

On January 27, 2009, S.F. 7 was heard in the Minnesota Senate Agriculture Committee which lasted two and one-half hours. Senator Don Betzold (the author of S.F. 7) spoke on behalf of the bill — showing a video and passing around pictures of inhumane breeding conditions, stating the basic problem, and explaining the key points of S.F. 7.

After approximately one and one-half hours of people testifying in support and in opposition to the bill, the Committee voted to “table” S.F. 7. This means a final vote for or against the bill was not taken at this hearing. Instead, it was laid on the table waiting for further action, which means it will need to be called back for another hearing in the same Committee in order to finish the discussion.

For all Minnesotan animal lovers, your telephone calls, e-mails, and letters to your senators and representatives are needed. To find out more information about who to contact, when to contact them, and what to say, visit Animal Folks Minnesota. To receive updates on the status of this legislation and how you can help, please visit Animal Folks Minnesota, and sign up for their mailing list.

Beautiful Penny Needs a New Home, Fargo, ND

Just look at this gorgeous dog! Penny is a female American Pit Bull Terrier who is in need of a new home. She's about 10-12 months old, weighs about 40 lbs., and is up to date on vaccinations and spayed.

From 4 Luv of Dog Rescue:

Penny is a sweet, sweet dog. She is shy at first, but once she knows you are a friend she warms up quickly. Penny loves to play with other dogs, big or small. She walks well on leash and seems to listen well. We think Penny would do fine with cats, right now they scare her but we think she would do fine getting to know them. Penny is a stunning dog, she has a rich chocolate coat and beautiful eyes.

This sweet dog almost didn't get her second chance at a loving family. Her owner was sent to jail and Penny and 2 other doggie friends were sent to the pound. On her last day we took Penny in and now she is waiting for her forever family.

If you are located in the Fargo/Moorhead area, and are interested in adopting Penny, please contact:

4 Luv of Dog Rescue
Email: info@4luvofdog.com
Phone: 701-205-0190

4 Luv of Dog Rescue
c/o Natural Pet Center
3037 13th Ave. S.
Fargo, ND 58103

Letting Go of a Foster Pet

When I first considered fostering a pet, one thing I wondered was whether I'd be able to let my foster go when a good adopter came along. I still struggle with that question. I've had my foster kitty, Kirby, for about 5 months now. Every day, it gets a little bit harder to think about giving him up. But, if I would keep Kirby, that takes away a save place for another cat in desperate need of rescue. That's why I know when the time comes, as difficult as it will be, I will give Kirby to his new adoptive family.

When I talk to people who are considering fostering, one of the comments they make time and time again is that they don't think they'd be able to give the pet up. I think one of the best ways to think about it is that by adopting your foster, that's one less safe place for an animal in need of rescue.

On the other hand, all fosters are bound to "fail" at some time and adopt their foster pets. Some pets are just meant to be with you.

I ran across this fantastic article about letting go of a foster pet on PetLuvr.com. If you are a foster or if you are considering fostering, I strongly recommend reading this article. Here's an excerpt:

As we discussed in my last post, “So You Want to be a Foster Home,” the hardest part of fostering is letting go. For every foster pet, there comes a time when she has gained all she can from foster care, and needs to find a permanent, adoptive home. It’s bittersweet, knowing that you’ve done a great thing by giving an animal a second chance, but having to allow a pet you’ve come to love to move on. It’s important to allow yourself time to grieve, and to celebrate your foster pet’s new home.

Read more here.

Help Feral Cats in Burns Flat, Oklahoma

Feral cats need our help and protection. As you may know, feral cats are domestic cats that have reverted to a wild state. They are afraid of humans, and live in the shadows in urban and rural areas, scrapping out a bare existence. Sadly, many communities deal with feral cats by trapping them and destroying them, which is hardly a humane solution. A far better and more humane solution to control feral cat populations is trap, neuter, return. To learn more about trap, neuter, return (TNR), please visit Alley Cat Allies.

I recently received an email regarding a colony of feral cats located in the rural community of Burns Flat, Oklahoma. These cats are located on private property, and the property owners have demanded that the cats be removed, or they will be killed. A local rescue organization has teamed up with Forever Friends Humane Society to help these cats.

Forever Friends will trap, neuter, and relocate all the cats to barn homes, and take any adoptable cats into their adoption program. They have been offered a great deal with the VAW SPOT clinic to neuter all these cats. There are approximately 50 cats, and all can be neutered/spayed and vaccinated for rabies for about $750.00.

Forever Friends Humane Society has set up a campaign on Fundable. If you're not familiar with Fundable, donors pledge a certain amount of money. If the campaign reaches its goal by the deadline set by the organization, the money is then collected. If the goal is not reached, no money is collected. Foreover Friends and the feral cats desperately need you to pitch in to help reach their goal of $750.00. The deadline to raise this money is November 5, 2008. Foreover Friends is a 501(c)3 charity, so all donations are tax deductible. Please click here to donate!

I pitched in, will you??

Great Cats From Second Chance Animal Rescue, White Bear Lake, Minnesota

I'm a foster mom for Second Chance Animal Rescue, based out of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, just outside the Twin Cities. My sweet foster kitty, Kirby, is currently available for adoption, as are some other wonderful cats.

Lately, very few cats have been adopted from Second Chance Rescue. Perhaps it's the bad economy...

In any event, here's a few of the wonderful cats available for adoption from Second Chance Animal Rescue. If you live in or near the Twin Cities, please consider adopting a Second Chance kitty!


GORDY is approx. 4 years old and a cute black & white boy with a beard and moustache. He's a real sweetie, very friendly and likes to be where the activity is. He loves to hang out in his cradle perch and watch television with you. He likes to play with his interactive toys or he's fine just watching the activity out the windows. Gordy is a silly guy yet mellow. He gets along very well with the foster's cats and needs to be adopted into a home with another cat companion. Gordy has his own cute personality; after you finish your shower, he will help get the water drops out of the tub! Gordy would be best in a home without kids or dogs. He is neutered, FeLV & FIV negative, and distemper and rabies vaccinated. His adoption fee is $95. If you're looking for a real pal, call us at 651-771-5662.






DUNCAN is approx. 1-2 years old and a strikingly handsome black and gray cat with white feet and chest. He is shy at first and needs a kind voice so he feels brave . . . and then he warms up and becomes your best friend. Duncan is an active and affectionate boy, and he likes to head but and rub against his foster mom. He loves running through the house and playing with balls and toy mice and climbing the cat scratching tree. He likes being up hightand watching the bird activity out the window. Duncan loves attention and playing with interactive toys with his foster mom. He also entertains himself by playing ball - he carries a small rubber ball around, drops it and then chases it - very smart guy. Duncan also throws his fleece toy in the air and chases that. He’s a big sweet (and often clumsy) boy who likes to talk to you and rub up against you when he's happy. He should be adopted into an adult home without other animals.
Duncan is neutered, FeLV & FIV negative and distemper vaccinated. His adoption fee is $100. Call 651-771-5662 if you have a quiet, loving home and are looking for a great friend.


HI – my name is CISCO and I'm approx. 2 - 2 1/2 years old and a cute black/brown tiger. Both of my ears were frostbitten off so I look like one of those funny breeds called a Scottish Fold. I am a very happy, social, and affectionate cat. I LOVE sitting on your lap while you read, watch TV, or work on the computer, and I purr happily to let you know. I'm a good cuddler at night and want to be part of the family. I also love to play with those toys with feathers on them, furry mice and sparkle balls. I really like my scratching tree and enjoy hanging out on the top level so I can keep an eye on the house and watch out the windows. Sometimes I like to talk to you. I would like a home without other animals so I can have all the attention; I might be okay with another playful cat if slowly introduced. And a home without young kids is preferred too. I am neutered, FeLV & FIV negative and distemper vaccinated. You can adopt me for just $95. Please call Second Chance at 651-771-5662 to see adorable me.


FRAZER is approx. 5 years old and a WONDERFUL orange/white boy with pretty green eyes. He is such an affectionate, friendly, social, loveable guy – he LOVES to be carried around and will hang over your shoulder (and gives little kitty kisses). Frazer is a good cuddler, likes to sit on your lap, be petted, sleep with you and just be part of your world. He will follow you around and tell you all about his day - and he comes when he is called; he's a good conversationalist. Frazer enjoys catnip toys, furry mice toys, his scratching post and watching the activity out the windows. When he wants to be held, he will reach out for you with his front paws or will try to jump to your arms. Frazer enjoys laying in the sun and taking long naps. He would prefer a home without other animals or young kids running around. Frazer is neutered, FeLV & FIV negative and distemper vaccinated. His adoption fee is $100. Call 651-771-5662 to see this friendly lover boy.


SYLVESTER is approx. 2 years old and a handsome black/white tuxedo with beautiful green eyes and long whiskers. He is a friendly, social boy who comes running when you call him, and he will jump up on your lap purring happily. Sylvester likes to snuggle and sleep with you and is a good companion while you're watching TV. He likes to follow you from room to room and, when you come home, he will greet you with a cute meow. He also likes to greet company when they come to the house. Sylvester likes his catnip toys, watching the activity out the windows and being petted. He is fine with the foster's cats and likes to be part of the whole family. A home without dogs would be preferred and older kids would be fine. He will need routine brushing to keep his coat nice. Sylvester is neutered, declawed, FeLV & FIV negative and distemper vaccinated. His adoption fee is $110. Call 651-771-5662 to adopt handsome, wonderful Sylvester.

Call 651-771-5662 to apply to adopt one of these beautiful cats, or any of the other pets available through Second Chance Animal Rescue. Or, you can visit some of the cats and dogs at Petco in Roseville, Minnesota, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. located at 2575 North Fairview Avenue (North of Highway 36 off Fairview Avenue) on November 8, December 13, January 17, or February 14.

Second Chance Animal Rescue is an all-volunteer, nonprofit 501(c)(3) animal rescue organization dedicated to rescuing, caring for and providing homeless dogs and cats with a second chance at life and companionship. We don't have a shelter but instead house animals in volunteer foster homes until permanent, loving adoptive homes are found. We rescue dogs and cats from animal control facilities and from a wide range of other situations before they are put to sleep or, in some cases, sold for research. Each animal is vet checked, heartworm or feline leukemia checked, wormed and spayed or neutered. The adoption fee includes a free ID tag and free vet exam.

Second Chance Animal Rescue
P.O. Box 10533
White Bear Lake, MN 55110
Phone: 651-771-5662
Website: secondchancerescue.org

I PASSED!

Just a quick note....my three years of hard work, plus three months of studying, then two months of waiting all paid off! I passed the Minnesota Bar Exam!

Another Contest! Help Your Favorite Shelter Win!

The Animal Rescue Site, in partnership with Petfinder, is sponsoring a $100,000 Grant Contest! Simply go to the Animal Rescue Site, click on the Purple button, then click on the button that says "Vote Now." Then you select your favorite shelter or rescue organization! In addition to a $25,000 grant prize, weekly prizes of $1,000 will be given away to deserving shelters and rescue organizations. There is simply NO reason not to participate! You can click every day!

Vote for Your Favorite Shelter and Help Them Win a Grant!

I LOVE getting to post about these great contests! Just the other day, I posted about Petfinder.com's contest. Unfortunately, Petfinder had to discontinue it's contest because some "enthusiastic" supporters figured out how to cheat the system. Instead, Petfinder will be giving away random prizes.

Anyway, Care2.com, in conjunction with 1-800-Adopt-A-Pet.com is sponsoring a GREAT contest called "America's Favorite Animal Shelter." All YOU have to do is VOTE for your favorite shelter! The organization with the most votes wins a $10,000.00 grant. In addition, each week, a random shelter will win $1,000.00.

Not only that, but the people who get the most other people to vote, i.e., the best "recruiters," will earn $50.00 gift certificates.

There's absolutely no excuse not to do this. All you have to do is vote.

Please click on the button below, then spread the word far and wide!

Once you've taken a moment to vote, email your friends and family, and start posting these buttons and banners on your website! Also, if you're not already a member of the Care2.com community, consider joining. It's a wonderful place where caring people network to make the world a better place.

Senor Chow Fletcher Needs a Home

It always breaks my heart to see senior dogs dumped at shelters. After giving years and years of their loyalty, they are discarded like trash to die alone in a concrete run. With the economy in crisis, shelters are seeing more and more pets abandoned or turned-in when families lose their homes. Maybe this is what happened to this poor senior guy, Fletcher.

Fletcher A0953629 is a senior male Chow-Chow mix. He's currently located at the City of Los Angeles West LA Animal Shelter in Los Angeles, California. While the shelter works hard to find homes for all pets coming in through its doors, there simply are not enough homes for them all. Sadly, senior dogs like Fletcher are often overlooked by people looking to adopt.

If you are thinking about adopting a dog, please consider a senior dog. Seniors are often a better match for families than a puppy or young dog. Plus, you know you are helping a dog that needs your help the most, at a time in his life when he deserves a nice warm bed and a gentle hand.

If you are interested in adopting Fletcher A0953629, or know of a rescue group that has room for him, please contact the City of Los Angeles West LA Animal Shelter immediately. Fletcher's time is not unlimited!

City of Los Angeles West LA Animal Shelter
11950 Missouri Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Phone: (888) 452-7381
Hours: 8AM to 5PM, Tuesday though Saturday, 12PM to 4PM Sunday

http://www.LAAnimalServices.com
Email: Petfinder@ani.lacity.org

Vote to Help Your Favorite Shelter or Rescue Win a $5,000 Grant from Petfinder!

Petfinder.com has a really awesome program going on through October 1, 2008 to assist shelter and rescue organizations with disaster relief. Petfinder is giving away $1,000,000, yep that's ONE MILLION DOLLARS, worth of power generators to shelters and rescue organizations to help prepare for disasters.

In addition, Petfinder.com is also giving away two $5,000.00 grants to two partner shelters or rescue organizations, and WE get to choose! Simply go to Petfinder's Pet Disaster and Emergency Preparedness Contest, select your favorite rescue organization or shelter, and VOTE! You can vote every day between today through October 1, 2008, so be sure to visit every day.

Kudos Petfinder and Honda!

Please help spread the word far and wide!

Now, off you go to vote! :)

Special Offer for Shelters, Rescues, Fosters...Discounted Foster Dog T-Shirts

I've had this "Adopt Me, I'm a Foster Dog" dog t-shirt in my store, Reekoe's Room, for quite a long time, but today, I've decided to offer it at a special discount price to shelters, rescue organizations, and pet fosters.

I'm offering this foster dog shirt at BASE price, with no mark-up, in an effort to help rescue organizations, shelters, and fosters "advertise" their foster dogs. The price is $16.99, exclusive of any tax and/or shipping. This special price is ONLY available through this link.

Please feel free to pass this offer on to anyone you think might be interested.

Flipper and Suzie from Adopt-A-Pet Fargo-Moorhead Need Your Help

Flipper and Susie have been together for 13 years, but their companion can no longer take care of them, as he has needed to move to a nursing home. They did get to wish him well at the local VA Hospital before they moved in to their new Adopt-A-Pet foster home. Flipper and Susie are in great health; however they both need to have their teeth cleaned as well as have some teeth removed. As many dog and cat owners know, teeth cleaning and/or removal is not cheap. Adopt-A-Pet is trying to raise $500 to help cover the costs of the dental work for Flipper and Susie.

Please consider "chipping in" by donating through the Chip-In Widget below to help Adopt-A-Pet offset the costs of caring for these sweet senior pets while they wait to find their new forever home.

If you are not able to donate, please consider helping spread the word on your web page, your blog, your facebook page, or your myspace page.




Adopt-A-Pet of Fargo-Moorhead is a non-profit, completely volunteer-run organization with the primary goal of placing rescued pets in loving and responsible homes.

I'm Baaack!

WOW! It has been FOREVER since I posted! The end of May through the end of July were pretty crazy for me. I finished up with my last found of finals for law school, and then graduated mid-May! Yay! Done...FINALLY! Then, I worked part time and took a Bar-prep course for the next two months. Some serious full-time studying for two months. At the end of July, I took the Minnesota Bar Exam. I'll find out whether or not I passed at the beginning of October. Now that I'm done with the exam itself, I think the worst part is waiting to find out the results....keep your fingers crossed for me!!

Anyway, the last time I posted, I talked about my new foster kitty, Kirby. His personality has really started to shine! He is an absolute goof-ball, and he seems to have endless amounts of energy. His favorite past-times include harassing my older (fatter) cat, who is about triple Kirby's size, watching Chippies (chipmunks) out the window, killing toys, racing through the house going 900 miles an hour, and playing with water. About a week after Kirby came to our house, we discovered that the poor guy had a hernia. Well, several months later, it got larger, so we took him in for hernia repair surgery. He's almost all healed up now. He slowed down for a couple days immediately following the surgery, but it didn't take him long to get back up to full speed :)

Here's his picture :)



Click on Kirby's photo to see his Petfinder profile.

If you live in the Twin Cities Metro area, Kirby can be adopted through Second Chance Animal Rescue. Second Chance will be having its next adoption day on Saturday, September 6 at Petco in Roseville. Kirby will be there up for adoption :) Visit Second Chance Animal Rescue's website to see the schedule of adoption events.

I'm a Foster Mom!

My fiancee and I have planned on getting involved in fostering pets at some point down the road, once I'm done with the bar, once my sister moves out, etc., etc. But, as luck would have it, a cute friendly little black kitty wandered into our yard the other day. I resisted the temptation to feed him, thinking that he was a neighbor's cat that had simply gotten out. But little black kitty kept coming back. One night, he sat by the back door and cried as we cooked supper. I couldn't help myself. I put some food out for him, and tried to figure out what the heck we were going to do with him. I contacted the rescue organization that we had adopted our second cat from to see what we should do, and they graciously agreed to let us foster the kitty through their program. I dropped little black kitty off at the vet on Monday, and he was neutered, treated for fleas and ticks, wormed, vaccinated, tested, poked, prodded, and pinched, and I picked him up today. He's settling in nicely in his "safe room" and he now has a name: Kirby. Right now all he wants is food and pets. He won't pose for a picture since all he wants to do is rub on the camera. I'll update with a photo as soon as I can get one :).

Beautiful Nicole Needs a New Home, Buffalo, MN

Nicole, a stunning black young adult female domestic long-haired cat in desperate need of a new home. Some terrible people tossed Nicole out of a moving vehicle, but luckily, some kind people picked her up and brought her to the Crossroads Animal Shelter in Buffalo, Minnesota.

Nicole is up-to-date on shots, she is spayed, and she is ready for a new home.

If you are interested in adopting Nicole, please contact the Crossroads Animal Shelter at 763-684-1234 as soon as possible.


Crossroads Animal Shelter
2800 10th St., SE
Buffalo, MN 55313
Phone: 763-684-1234
E-mail: crossroadsshelter@bwig.net

***Update 6/18: I am happy to report that Nicole has been adopted!

Doreen's Doggie Delights

Doggie Treats!

I ran across this lovely little website and just had to share. What better way to treat your canine best friend than with homemade goodies? Doreen makes all these wonderful doggie treats by hand, and they are made of human-grade food. All her treats are also corn and wheat free. Sadly, we know all too well that all pet foods are not created equal. You can be rest assured that Doreen's treats are healthy for your dog.

Doreen's Doggy Delights offers four varieties of treats, including Stu Biscuits, Wrigley's Pumpkin Surprise, Lucy's Cherry Chewies, April May's Carrot Cookies, and Thor's Sampler/Zipper Doodles. The ingredient list for each of these treats reads like a recipe for human cookies.

The best part is, Doreen donates a portion of the proceeds from all sales to help support various rescue causes.

Goodies from Mutts-N-Stuff

Whew! Been forever since I updated! Just a quick re-cap...I am now officially a law school graduate, and I'm studying for the Minnesota Bar which I take at the end of July.

Anyway, I recently bought a bunch of magnets from Cafepress to support animal rescue groups. Here's another one of my favorites from the Mutts-N-Stuff Shop.

Mutts-N-Stuff, founded in August of 2000, is an all-volunteer 501(c)3 organization of foster homes based in Missouri, set up to rescue and find good homes for unfortunate animals. Mutts-N-Stuff fosters puppies, dogs, kittens, and cats; and the occasional pig, chicken, and rabbit also.

The mission of Mutts-N-Stuff is to promote interest and participation in the rescue, foster, and adoption of animals from area pounds, from owners who are dying or who have died, or who are in need of the organization's help. Mutts-N-Stuff tries to match animals in need with good adoptive homes. In addition, Mutts-N-Stuff is a strong advocates of spaying or neutering pets.

Check out Mutts-N-Stuff's online store to find some great gifts, including mugs, t-shirts, stickers, and more. They have a wide variety of awesome designs, particularly promoting positive images of pit bulls. Here's another one of my favorite designs from Mutts-N-Stuff store.

Smiley Boy Needs a Good Home, Lawrenceville, GA

Look at this gorgeous grin! This dog is absolutely adorable! He looks like the happiest guy in the world. Unfortunately, Pen #136, an adult male pit bull, has somehow landed in an animal control facility. Despite his infectious grin, the fact that he was born a pit bull is a strike against this guy. He really needs someone special to bail him out!

The Shelter thinks that Pen #136 is a 1 year old black and white pit bull who is very playful, active, gentle, and super affectionate!!! He came in as a stray and is available for adoption, rescue or euthanasia beginning April 10th.

If you are interested in adopting Smiley Pen #136, please contact Gwinnett County Animal Control immediately at 770-339-3200.

Gwinnett County Animal Control
884 Winder Hwy (Hwy 29)
Lawrenceville, Ga 30045
or call 770-339-3200

Update 06/02: I am sad to report that Smiley Boy's listing has been removed, and I have not been able to determine his fate. If you are considering adopting a dog, please consider adopting a wonderful smiley pitbull!

Beautiful Glory Needs a Wonderful Home Where She Can Retire, McDonough, GA

It's just heartbreaking to see senior pets dumped off at animal control facilities. After giving years of utterly faithful devotion to their previous owners, they are simply abandoned, when the thing they deserve most is a warm bed and a gentle hand.

I saw a plea for this beautiful senior black lab through Saving Georgia Dogs. Glory 4/4-1036, a senior female black lab is located at the Henry County Animal Control Shelter in McDonough, GA. Sadly, at Henry County AC, a pet's time is not unlimited. Can you offer this beautiful, dignified senior lady a comfortable place to retire? Do you know a rescue organization that has room for this beautiful girl? If so, please contact the Henry County Animal Control Shelter at 770-288-PETS (7387) immediately!

Henry County Animal Shelter
527 Hamption Street
McDonough, GA 30253
Phone: 770-288-PETS (7387)

Update 6/2: I am thrilled to report that beautiful Glory has been adopted! If you are considering adopting a dog, please consider a "senior" or "special needs" dog.

Puppy Breath!

As you may be aware, the pet overpopulation problem in the Southern states is overwhelming. On a daily basis, hundreds of perfectly adoptable dogs, including puppies, are euthanized simply because there is no where for them to go. One of my favorite organizations, Saving Shelter Pets, Inc., has created an innovative rescue program called Puppy Promises. Through this program, Saving Shelter Pets intervenes when an owner wants to surrender a litter of puppies to a shelter. The owner of the puppies agrees to quarantine the puppies for several weeks, and Saving Shelter Pets spays the mother dog, as well as any other intact pets in the household. By keeping the puppies out of shelters, Saving Shelter Pets keeps these cute little guys out of shelter environments, where they often contract parvo or other deadly diseases. The litters of adorable puppies are then transported to adoption centers and no-kill facilities in the Northeast, where they are quickly snatched up by happy adopters.

As spring approaches, puppies and kittens are flooding into the shelters. Right now, Saving Shelter Pets has 22 Puppy Promises puppies waiting to hitch a ride to the Northeast. Each puppy needs $35.00 to cover their "fare" on their way North. Can you buy one pup his or her ticket to ride? Click here to donate!


Saving Shelter Pets (SSP) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) animal welfare organization. SSP facilitates rescues from high-kill animal shelters and promote spay & neuter, in an effort to give all pets the chance at life they truly deserve.

SSP is a small, all-volunteer organization with supporters and volunteers located throughout the country. SSP relies solely on donations to continue its rescue and spay/neuter efforts.

SSP is one of my FAVORITE rescue organizations. Through a group of dedicated online volunteers, SSP facilitates rescue from high-kill Georgia shelters. The group also has a WONDERFUL forum for pet lovers and anyone looking for ways to help shelter pets.

Help Shelter Pets While You Do Your Taxes!!

It's that time of year: TAX TIME!

If you use TurboTax, you can help shelter pets at no extra cost to you! All you have to do is sign up to iGive.com, and go to TurboTax through that site. TurboTax will donate a percentage of your total purchase price to your selected charity. TurboTax even makes a small donation if you do your Federal taxes for FREE!

iGive is an awesome program that allows you to shop online just as you normally would, except that your purchases through participating vendors help support your selected charity. This is a wonderful way to help your favorite charity with no extra cost to you. To make it even easier, iGive has a Shopping Window program that you can download. Each time you land on a site that is a participating vendor, you'll get a pop-up window to let you know that any purchases will help support your favorite charity. All purchases made by going through the vendor links at iGive or by using the Shopping Window program are automatically credited to your favorite charity.

Why not get started this weekend while you're working on your taxes?

Help Shelter Pets for FREE! Take Two Minutes and Write a Review

Insider Pages features an awesome fund-raiser program for charitable organizations. Right now, the Pet Rescue of Mercer is raising money through Insider Pages reviews. It's simple...simply sign up for an account with Insider Pages (I'm a member...no spam!), then write reviews of businesses you've patronized. Each review you write earns the Pet Rescue of Mercer either $1.50 or $0.50. If you think about it, that's a LOT of money for spending just two minutes of your time to write a review. PLEASE help this rescue organization out. This fund-raiser is over in just ONE DAY! Get on board right now and write a couple reviews! It costs you nothing but a couple minutes of your time.

Pet Rescue of Mercer is an all volunteer, not-for-profit animal 501 (c)(3) rescue group based in Mercer County, NJ. PRM rescues neglected, abused, and abandoned animals from local shelters by finding quality homes for them.

Foxy is just one of the beautiful pets awaiting adoption at the Pet Rescue of Mercer. Foxy is a senior female purebred Akita. She loves attention and is good with cats and dogs. Foxy is up to date on shots, spayed, and house-trained. If you are looking to adopt a pet like Foxy, please visit Pet Rescue of Mercer.

**UPDATE 4/9! FOXY WAS ADOPTED!**

Cool Magnets from PBRC

Awhile back I mentioned I went on a magnet shopping spree at Cafepress. You see, I had just moved, and I decided my new fridge needed a new look. I bought a bunch of magnets from various Cafepress stores, all of which help support animal rescue. Here are two I purchased from the Pit Bull Rescue Central Store.

I LOVE the magnet on the left! My fiancee has a buddy that refuses to have his adult black lab mix neutered, because "he just couldn't do that to his buddy." I think this magnet explains it well: "Real Men Have Their Own Balls -- Neuter Your Dog!"

The magnet on the right is just beautiful in real life. It poignantly points out the fact that we need remember that the blame for dog attacks lies with humans, not with the dogs.

Pit Bull Rescue Central website is a virtual shelter and resource for owners and caretakers of American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and pit bull mixes. The site features an absolute treasure-trove of information about "Bully Breeds" as well as a "virtual" shelter featuring adoptable "Pit Bulls" around the United States. As a bully-lover, I can't recommend this site enough. If you have a question about Pit Bulls, you will find an answer here.

Cutie Crystal Needs a Home! Georgia

Look at this cutie pie! What a unique mix! You can keep your puggles, I think I'll take this girl! She looks to be part beagle, part dobie. Does that make her a "beagleman" or perhaps a "dogle"?

Crystal 72778 is a 10 month old female beagle/doberman cross in desperate need of a new home. Her adoption fee is $110.00 which includes vaccinations, spay, rabies, and de-worming. Do you have room in your heart and home for this Georgia peach before her time is up?

If you can adopt Crystal, please contact Lowndes County Animal Services immediately!

Lowndes County Animal Services
337 Gil Harbin Industrial Blvd.
Valdosta, GA 31601
Phone: 229-671-2760

Update 6/2: Sadly Crystal's listing has been removed, and I have been unable to determine her fate.

Are You Midnight's Good Luck Charm?

Black cats, like black dogs, are much less likely to be adopted from shelters and pounds. Sadly, many people still associate black cats with "bad luck." Black cats in shelters also often get overlooked in favor of "flashier" cats like Siamese, long-hairs, orangies, Maine Coons, etc. Black cats and "plain jane" tabbies are usually the first to go down in high-kill shelters, who are starting to see a huge influx of cats and kittens as kitten season begins.

This guy really breaks my heart. Midnight looks exactly like my mom's cat, Max. I tried to convince her that Max needed a buddy, but considering the fact that my mom is in Minnesota and Midnight is in Georgia, it just doesn't work. Can you give Midnight a home?

Midnight 08-1259 is a black adult male domestic short-hair cat in desperate need of a new home. He just loves attention! If you can help Midnight, please contact the Lee County Animal Shelter immediately.

Lee County Animal Control
759 Hwy 32 East Leesburg,Georgia
P.O. Box 889
Leesburg, Ga. 31763
Phone: 229-759-6037
dcopeland@lee.ga.us or dmathis@lee.ga.us

Update 6/2: I am thrilled to report that Midnight has been adopted!

Check Out These Cool New Banners and Widgets from Petfinder.com

Many of our fellow pet-loving bloggers feature Petfinder.com "featured pet" widgets on their blogs. I just recently discovered that Petfinder now has dozens of other new cool banners and widgets to choose from. Please consider adding a couple to your website!




This new "featured pet" widget can be found here at Petfinder.com.

Here's another neat banner from Petfinder:

And my favorite, the "101 Reasons to Adopt" series of banners:



These awesome banners and MORE can be found here at Petfinder!

Awards! (and a little bit about me)

I apologize profusely for being absent for so long! Sometimes real life gets in the way of the fun stuff ;)

A little more about me, for anyone who is interested: I'm a full time law student in my spare time when I'm not trying to help shelter pets, so I've been super busy with school lately. I just got done with a mid-term and taking the MPRE (keep your fingers crossed for me-- I'll find out if I passed in a couple weeks), and I've been super busy at the law firm where I work. The good news is, I'll be graduating in May! After three years of working my butt off, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel! It will be weird after I graduate to be able to say "I'm a lawyer." Then comes the Bar Exam. Yikes!

I've also got a job lined up when I graduate, so that's a huge relief. Many of my classmates are scrambling to find some sort of job to help pay the gigantic student loan bills that are going to start coming in a few short months.

I started law school with all sorts of altruistic aspirations to do all sorts of good with my law degree. It was my intention to become a criminal defense attorney -- specifically, a public defender. During my second year, I came to realize that criminal defense work wasn't really what I wanted to do. Moreover, I also came to the conclusion that if you want to make enough money to pay back your student loans when you're done with school, you probably better look at private practice or a corporate law job. Ironically, it seems that public interest legal work is best reserved for those law students who come from wealthy backgrounds. Those jobs really just don't pay enough. Lots of people think lawyers are rich. That's not necessarily the case, I've discovered. The cost of education has gone up exponentially, while the pay scale for attorneys has barely risen over the last couple decades. We now graduate with much, much more student debt, fewer job prospects, and lower earning potential.

But, I digress. I worked for a solo practitioner law firm last summer doing personal injury and workers' compensation. It was just supposed to be for the summer, but at the end of the summer, my boss offered me a job. He decided it was time the firm brought on a second attorney. Yay!

Anyway, I'm so honored to report that Saving Lives One at A Time received two blog awards while I was absent from the blogging world.

First, we received the "Wonderful Site Award" from The Cat/Dog Log. We are so honored! Thank you!
We also received the "You Make My Day Award" from Kay's K9's. Thank you!!


We are proud and honored to pass these two awards on to Pet Rescuer Central. This wonderful blog always has awesome information about a variety of subjects related to animal rescue.

**UPDATE 4/10!***Just wanted to share...I passed the MPRE! Yay!

The Devastation of Parvo: Can You Help Save This Pup?

Parvo: Puppy Killer

Parvo is an absolutely devastating, highly-contagious viral canine disease. It most often strikes puppies, and typically, those infected with Parvo have only a 50% chance of survival. Puppies and adult dogs are usually vaccinated against Parvo, but shelter pups, who have often never received their puppy shots, are extremely susceptible to this terrible disease.

It is also extremely easy to spread Parvo, and the virus itself is extremely hardy. Most disinfectants don't kill it, and it can live in the environment for five months or longer.

In puppies, the virus usually takes about 7-10 days to incubate, which means that up to a week may pass after exposure before the puppy shows symptoms, or before the pup tests positive for parvo. The first symptoms of Parvo usually include a high fever, lethargy, depression, and loss of appetite. As the disease progresses, symptoms include vomiting and bloody diarrhea. Left untreated, the disease progresses to dehydration, shock and death. For more excellent information about Parvo, please visit the Working Dogs website.

Parvo Pup Needs Your Help!

Recently, I received an urgent plea for some pups at the St. Martin Parish Animal Control Facility. Three pups came in, and over the course of just a couple days, their physical health rapidly deteriorated. A kind soul brought the sickly pups to the vet, where they were diagnosed with Parvo. Unfortunately, as of this morning, two of the puppies have died. Their young systems just couldn't beat this devastating disease. One puppy is fighting to survive.

This little girl, 444518, is a baby rottweiler mix, and she's fighting for her life to survive.





Given the severity of the disease, the costs for treating the puppies, both the puppies that didn't make it, and the one puppy that is fighting for her life, are going to be enormous.

If you have a few spare dollars, please consider donating it to help offset the costs of treating the pups. Donations can be made to the St. Martin Humane Society. Please note that the donation is for the "parvo pups."All donations are tax deductible.

If you can't donate, please consider cross-posting this plea for help, or please send your prayers and/or good vibes to the one pup fighting for her life.

UPDATE 3/20: I'm very sad to report that the remaining "Parvo pup" has gone over the Bridge. She appeared to be doing a little bet better, and then she was gone. Thank you to anyone who donated, cross-posted, or sent prayers or good thoughts to the sick puppies.


In loving memory of the two babies who didn't make it. May you find love, health, and peace at the Bridge.

Sweet Pea is a Sweetie Pie! Adopt Her Today! Georgia

Look at this gorgeous orange-head!

Sweet Pea 9182 is an adult female orange tabby cat. From the looks of her profile photo, she loves to "sing." When she's not practicing her vocal scales, Sweet Pea loves lounging in laps and getting snuggles.

Unfortunately, Sweet Pea somehow landed herself at a shelter, and her time is not unlimited. As kitten season fast approaches, the situation may get dire for Sweet Pea if she is not adopted soon!

If you are interested in adopting Sweet Pea, please contact the Bainbridge-Decatur Humane Society immediately!

Bainbridge Animal Shelter
1300 Cox Avenue
229-246-0101
bainbridgedchs@bellsouth.net

***UPDATE 3/24: GREAT NEWS! SWEET PEA WAS ADOPTED!***

Did you know that most orange cats are male? From Watermark: A Poet's Notebook:

Like humans, cats have one pair of sex chromosomes. These are the ones that make them male or female and they play an essential role in determining a cat’s colour. In females, both sex chromosomes are X making girl kitties XX. Males are XY, the Y making them male. A kitten gets one chromosome from Mom and one from Dad. Moms only have X’s so the variable is given by the Dad, if he gives his X, the kitten is a girl, if he gives his Y, it is a boy.

The gene which makes a cat ginger (orange) is located on the X chromosome. The gene for ginger will override all other colours. Since males have only one X, they either are or aren’t ginger - no halfway about it. Girl cats have two X’s in each cell. As far as the cells are concerned two X’s is one too many, so each cell deactivates one of the X chromosomes in a fairly random fashion . . .

Since males only need to have the orange gene on one chromosome to become ginger, and females have to have it on two, ginger males outnumber females 3 to 1.

Nymphadora Tonks is Looking for Her Magical Person! Black Lab, Fargo-Moorhead

Nymphadora Tonks, or "Dora" for short, is a beautiful one-year old female black lab. She is currently fostered by my sister-in-law-to-be through Adopt-A-Pet of Fargo-Moorhead. Sweetie "Dora" was adopted when she was just a puppy, but she was returned to Adopt-A-Pet.

Are you that "magical" someone "Dora" is looking for?

From her foster:

"She is the sweetest dog I have ever met! Dora is quite mellow for a lab. She is the kind of dog that is excited when you want her to be excited, and lazy when you want her to be lazy. She will gladly go on a walk and then cuddle with you for a nap. She just wants to be loved! Dora thinks she is a lap-dog. One of her favorite things to do is be the "big spoon" when you sleep at night. Dora loves snow and will try to make her own snow-angels in the deep stuff. Dora is spayed and current on all her shots. Due to some unfortunate circumstances at her previous residence, Dora had trouble going to the bathroom as much as any other dog would, but she has not once had an accident inside. Dora is also very fearful of certain men but accepting of women and some men. Once she realizes you aren't going to hurt her she will try to lick your face off! Dora is sweet enough to be around kids and she loves to play with other dogs. Dora has never chewed anything she wasn't supposed to, but she does like to lazily pull apart her own toys. Right now she is about 10 to 15 pounds overweight but she should hopefully lose it quickly with a healthier diet and a few more walks during the day!"

If you are interested in adopting "Dora," please contact "Adopt-A-Pet" of Fargo-Moorhead.

Adopt-A-Pet
P.O. Box 865
Moorhead, MN 56561
Info/Cat Line: 701-232-5856
Dog Line: 701-232-5681

If "Dora" isn't right for you, but you live in the Fargo-Moorhead area, please consider adopting a needy pet from "Adopt-A-Pet." About "Adopt-A-Pet":

Adopt-A-Pet is a non-profit, completely volunteer-run organization with the primary goal of placing rescued pets in loving and responsible homes. We are dedicated to keeping our animals happy and healthy.

We receive no government financial support. Adopt-A-Pet relies solely on private donations to keep operating. Private donations, fundraising events, and our adoption fees help us pay for food, medical supplies, and the veterinary expenses we incur every month.

All of our animals are under our care until a permanent home can be found, no matter how long it takes.

Did you Know????
Each year hundreds of cats and dogs are euthanized. In 2006, 1291 cats were admitted to the Fargo, West Fargo, and Moorhead pounds, and 574 of them were euthanized. In 2006, 979 dogs were admitted to the pounds, and 112 were euthanized. These numbers do not account for the large numbers who die on the streets or are hit by cars. Please spay or neuter your pets.

Do you have extra room in your heart and home to provide temporary safety to a dog or cat in need? One of the greatest ways to help rescue organizations is to foster pets. For more information, please visit the Pet Foster Network, which has lots of great resources for people considering fostering.

I'm happy to announce that "Adopt-A-Pet" of Fargo-Moorhead is also to be the March recipient of proceeds from my Cafepress store, Reekoe's Room. 100% of the profits from every sale from my store through the month of March goes directly to "Adopt-A-Pet."

Update 6/2: I'm very happy to report that lovely Dora has been adopted!

Looking for a Perfect Dog? Look No Further!

"Perfect" Dogs

From Homeward Bound Dog Rescue:

Name: Perfect
Breed: Pug / Poodle / Doxie / Golden Retriever / Cavalier King Charles Spaniel / Bichon
Age: Puppy
Gender: Male / Female
Description: Are you looking for a dog who has perfect manners, never has an accident, doesn't shed, adores children (even toddlers who tug on his ears or stumble on him while he is sleeping), needs no exercise, doesn't bark, has impeccable manners, never chews, and needs no training? Perfect is just that and then some. Perfect requires no heartworm preventative, never needs to be groomed, and never needs to go to the vet. He gets along with all other animals, even rabbits, and never even so much as grumbles at another animal, even if another dog is eating out of Perfect's dog dish. He'd be perfect for someone with a very busy life who isn't home much. If Perfect sounds like the perfect dog for you, you may find more dogs just like him at your local toy store. If Perfect DOES NOT sound quite what you are looking for in a pooch, you'll be a great guardian for a real dog! As you can see, we have tons of other wonderful, perfect-in-their-own-unique-way dogs!

About Homeward Bound Dog Rescue

Homeward Bound is dedicated to rescuing homeless and unwanted animals. We are a non-profit, 501(c) 3-tax exempt, no-kill dog rescue and placement organization based in Minnesota. Although our focus is primarily on rescuing dogs, we also rescue cats, kittens, & other animals. We are an independent organization and depend solely on adoption fees, fundraisers, and donations to operate. We receive NO government support. Homeward Bound has been in operation since 1991 & has placed over 12,000 dogs in loving homes. We try our best to match the dogs with the needs, wants, personalities, and lifestyles of potential adopters to ensure a healthy, happy, & permanent home. All Homeward Bound dogs must live indoors. Dogs are social pack animals by nature and we want them to be able to have all of the companionship, love, & attention they deserve, as well as a chance to bond with the family.

We rescue all types of dogs, ranging from small to large breeds. Roughly 40% of the dogs we rescue are purebred while the other 60% are mixed breeds. The age of the dogs varies from puppies to adults. We will tell you about each dog's history, personality, & behavior, including whether or not they are good which children and other pets, their exercise needs, & other important information.

Each week, new dogs are rescued and we hold pet adoptions every Saturday at a Petco location from 11:30a.m. - 4p.m. in the Twin Cities area. Please see our Adoption Dates and Locations for more information.

If you live in the Twin Cities Metro area and are looking for a new furry friend, please check out all the wonderful pets available at Homeward Bound Rescue.

Are You An Artist or Graphic Designer? Donate Your Talents!

In trying to figure out ways to raise more money to donate to my favorite rescue organizations, I decided to experiment with Cafepress. If you're not familiar with Cafepress, it is an site that allows members to build an online store, hosted by Cafepress, to upload designs, and to sell hundreds of items featuring those designs to online shoppers. All hosting is managed by Cafepress, as is all order processing, and manufacturing. For the most part, all you have to do is set up your store, and upload designs.

You can set up a store for free, or you can pay a relatively small fee to have a "premium" store. After experimenting with a couple free stores, I set up my first premium store, Reekoe's Room. My store features over 100 pet-related designs, focusing on animal welfare, animal rescue, and spaying and neutering. Each month, I choose a deserving animal welfare organization, and donate 100% of my profits. My little "experiment" has turned out to be a huge success. Since I started my store about six months ago, I have been able to donate an extra $1,000 to animal rescue organizations. To see which organizations I'm supporting, please click here.

A Cafepress store can be a very lucrative fundraiser for animal rescue organizations. For tips on how to make your store a success, please visit Cafepress Tips for Animal Rescue Organizations. All it really takes is a little time and some effort.

For individuals wishing to help rescue organizations, starting a Cafepress store and donating a portion of your proceeds is a great way to help. If you've got some ideas for t-shirts or bumper stickers, start a free store, and donate your profits to rescue. If you've already got a Cafepress store, consider donating a portion of your proceeds to animal welfare organizations. Or, you could make a "special edition" design, the proceeds from which are donated to rescue. Finally, you could donate a t-shirt, or a mug, or some stickers to organizations looking for raffle items or prizes.

One other option is to create a design and donate that design to your favorite animal rescue organization if they already have a Cafepress store. Click here to find out size and dimension suggestions for your designs. Typically, your favorite organization's website will have a link to their store. Otherwise, check out this site for an extensive list of organizations with Cafepress stores.


As an example of how this works, I am offering this design from my store, free, to any qualified organization or individual who wishes to use it for animal-welfare related purposes. To get a copy of this design as high-quality, large-scale png. file, please e-mail me at jyackley01@gmail.com. Please include the e-mail address where you wish to have the file mailed, as well as what you intend to use the image for.

Chardonnay & Michelob, Senior "Pups at Heart" Need a New Home, Ohio

Did you know that shelters have a much harder time placing big black dogs? This tendency for adopters to by-pass large black dogs is known as "black dog syndrome." No one is quite sure why would-be adopters overlook large black dogs waiting for a new home. I'd like to thank Pet Rescuer Central for posting a link to this fascinating article about Black Dog Syndrome. If you are in the market for a new dog, please don't overlook those wonderful Big Black Dogs.

Here are two wonderful big black dogs that are in desperate need of new homes. Chardonnay and Michelob were turned in together by their owner who was diagnosed with a debilitating illness. Chardonnay and Michelob are now fighting for their lives. Both are scheduled for euthanization on March 22, 2008.






























These two dogs have been constant companions since they were puppies. They are now both 11 years old. Chardonnay is an adult female black labrador retriever. Michelob is an adult male shepherd mix. They want nothing more than a nice place to relax and retire. If possible, they'd love to be adopted together.

Both dogs have spent their entire lives as outside dogs, and would really love for someone to bring them home and let them live inside. Both Chardonnay and Michelob are already altered and are very sweet.

Chardonnay and Michelob also come with sponsorships for any qualified rescue that can save them.

If you can adopt or rescue these sweet pups, please contact the Stark County Dog Warden Department immediately!

Stark County Dog Warden
1801 Mahoning Road NE
Canton, OH 44705
330-451-2343
starkdoginfo@yahoo.com

***UPDATE 3/24: THIS "VINTAGE" PAIR HAS BEEN ADOPTED!!!***

Can You Find the Pit Bull?

Pit Bull lovers in Minnesota, my home state, are currently battling attempts to introduce Breed-Specific Legislation which would ban ownership of "Pit Bulls," Rottweilers, Chow Chows, Akitas, Wolf-Hybrids, or any mix thereof.

One of the many problems with Breed-Specific Legislation is that there is no such thing as a "Pit Bull" as a breed. Several breeds are commonly classified as "Pit Bulls," such as the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

However, dozens of different types of dogs are commonly mis-identified as "Pit Bulls." Herein lies the problem. Even pit-bull fanciers, and persons that would be classified as "experts" can have difficulties determining whether a dog is a purebred "Pit Bull." Yet, Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL) typically requires law enforcement officers or animal control officers to try to make on-the-spot determinations as to whether a given dog is a "Pit Bull."

Part of the problem underlying Breed-Specific Legislation is that is it usually based on the notion that Pit Bulls are somehow inherently dangerous. This idea is typically based on widespread media reports of "Pit Bull" attacks. The Merrit Clifton "study" and the Centers for Disease Control statistics are widely relied on by proponents of Breed Specific Legislation. The CDC freely admits that its statistics are unreliable, however, Clifton concludes that his study reflects that Pit Bulls are inherently dangerous dogs. Both the CDC study and the Clifton study rely on MEDIA reports of dog attacks. We all know the problem with that...a cocker spaniel attacks a child, and it isn't reported. A "pit bull" scratches someone and it makes national headlines.

Beyond that, given the fact that "experts" often have difficulty identifying "pit bulls" how on earth can one expect that victims of dog attacks would accurately identify the breed of the dog?

To illustrate this problem, please visit Pitbulls on the Web. Can you Find the Pitbulls? I consider myself relatively knowledgeable about dog breeds, but I was TOTALLY wrong! I'm sad to admit that I've seen this webpage many times before, yet I STILL can't pick out the pit bulls! Can you??

For more information on the battle against BSL in Minnesota, please visit A Rotta Love Plus.

For more information about Breed-Specific Legislation in general, please check out these resources:

The Merritt Clifton study so you can judge for yourself. Biased much?
The CDC study on dog-related fatalities.
Info on BSL from Pit Bull Rescue Central.
Understand-a-Bull: Great Resources about BSL.
Dog Bite Law, presents a balanced view of the issue of dog-bites.
Good summary of the issues from Dog-Play.
HSUS position statement on BSL.
More info from Bless the Bullys.
Good info from PitBulls on the Web.
From PitBulls: The Truth -- lots of great facts and resources.
StopBSL.com: really good info about BSL.
BADRAP's take on BSL.

Willy, Happy Black Lab Desperately Needs a New Home, Nebraska

Willy NE4 is an adult male purebred black labrador retriever in desperate need of a new home. He's a fun-loving guy that would make an awesome family pet! Willy's adoption fee is $30, which includes Parvo, Distemper, Hepititis, and Parainfiluenza vaccinations, a free vet exam, a $15.00 neuter coupon, and a $5.00 rabies coupon. Willy is located at the North Platte Animal Shelter in North Platte, Nebraska. The Shelter is an animal control facility, so Willy's time is extremely limited! In fact, he is scheduled for euthanization on March 3, 2008. Can you give this happy guy a new life?

If you are interested in adopting Willy, please contact the shelter immediately!

North Platte Animal Shelter
1402 N Sycamore St.
NORTH PLATTE, NE 69101
308-535-6780
Contact name: Staci Blake
Contact email: staciblake@yahoo.com

***UPDATE 3/7: WILLY HAS BEEN ADOPTED!!!***

Catnappers: Helping Feral Caretakers

I ran across a wonderful organization called Catnappers, located in Albany, Georgia. This organization is dedicated to helping feral cats by providing assistance, education, and resources to feral cat caretakers.

One of the major ways they are helping feral cats is through their low-cost spay and neuter program. Catnappers sponsors low-cost spay and neuter clinics, and clinics especially for feral cat caretakers. Through sponsoring T-N-R (Trap-Neuter-Return), Catnappers is assisting caring individuals to help feral cats.

So how can you help this awesome program? Sponsor a spay! Click here to donate to this wonderful cause! Feral cat caretakers can also apply for assistance from Catnappers directly through their website.

CatNappers
PO Box 71203
Albany, Ga. 31708
http://www.mystraycat.org/index.html

Why Shelters and Rescue Organizations Charge Adoption Fees

I'm honored to report that Jane at Pet Rescuer Central asked me to do a guest post on her site about why shelters and rescues charge adoption fees. She has kindly permitted me to repost the article here.

I often run into people that think they should be able to “adopt” or “rescue” a pet free of charge. After all, they’re saving the animal’s life, right? Why should they have to pay anything when they’re doing that organization a favor by taking the pet off their hands? Plus, giving away those pets, or reducing the fee will encourage more people to adopt, right?

These folks are missing the big picture.

Shelters and rescue organizations charge adoption fees for three basic reasons: 1) to attempt to recoup a small portion of the cost of rescuing pets, 2) to discourage impulse adoptions, and 3) to keep the bad guys away.

1. First, shelters and rescue organizations charge a fee to attempt to cover at least a portion of the costs incurred in caring for the pet prior to the adoption. Depending on the agency, the costs involved can vary greatly. Some shelters provide only food, water, and shelter before the animal is adopted, or more likely, euthanized. Other shelters and organizations, however, go to great lengths to save severely ill, injured, or neglected pets, and care for the animal until it finds a home, which can sometimes be for the life of the animal. Most shelters and rescue organizations fall somewhere in the middle. Often, these organizations are no-kill, which (depending on who you ask), means that a pet will be taken care of for the duration of its life if a suitable adoptive home cannot be found. In addition to providing the basic necessities of food, water and shelter to these pets, most organizations also spay or neuter, provide vaccinations, perform necessary veterinary care, and last, but not least, provide companionship, socialization, and comfort for the pet prior to its adoption. Non-profit organizations, such as most humane societies and rescue organizations exist and do their work supported solely by the generosity of donors. Once in a great while, these organizations receive grants, endowments, or other forms of funding, but not very often. And, contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of organizations receive absolutely no funding from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), or any other national animal welfare organization. Animal control facilities, on the other hand, often have contracts with local government to protect the public from stray, unwanted, or sick animals. However, the funding received by animal control facilities usually does not even come close to the amount needed to do a good job.

This is where the adoption fee comes in. Depending on the extent and level of care provided to the animal prior to its adoption, the fee is almost always dwarfed in scale to the actual expense incurred in caring for that pet.

Here’s a fairly common scenario: A rescue organization “rescues” what appears to be a purebred male black Labrador retriever that is about 1 ½ years old, from an animal control facility, where it has been slated for death because its owner cannot be found, and its “hold time” has expired. The animal control facility has most likely provided only the bare necessities, i.e., food, water, and shelter, to the dog during its stay at the “pound.” When the rescue pulls the dog, it often has to pay a “pull” fee, which is generally a reduced adoption fee. Let’s say the pull fee is $15.00 for rescue organizations at this particular animal control facility.

Now the lab is on his way to a new life. Let’s call him Buckley. The rescue organization whisks him immediately to the vet to determine if he’s healthy, and to determine whether he needs any medical treatment. Buckley’s was picked up as a stray, so he’s quite underweight. He’s also got a serious flea and tick problem. Buckley’s also got a bit of kennel cough from being housed with other sick dogs while at animal control. He’s also picked up intestinal parasites, or worms, along the way. And the rescue is devastated to find out that Buckley tests positive for heartworm. Sadly, heartworm is very common in shelter dogs in some areas of the country. Heartworm is extremely easy to prevent, but it is very difficult and expensive to treat.

In addition to the cost of the exam, the rescue organization also incurs $25.00 to treat his fleas, $25.00 to treat his kennel cough, $10.00 to get his rabies vaccination, $15.00 to get his other basic vaccinations, and $15.00 to de-worm him. The total bill is $140.00 for Buckley’s first visit. The vet gives a rescue discount, so this is a huge bargain!

Buckley goes to his new foster home who has to keep him isolated from her own pets due to his kennel cough, but he’s thrilled to be out of the pound. A couple weeks later, Buckley has gained a little weight after being on a good quality diet, which for three weeks, cost the rescue organization $30.00. Buckley’s also working on housetraining, which he’s picking up quickly. His previous owner apparently had never bothered to let him inside the house. Buckley also apparently has some food aggression issues and some slight dominance issues. Not major obstacles, but it will make him slightly more difficult to place in a good home. The foster will work on these issues while he stays in her care.

Since Buckley’s up to a healthy weight, its time to start his heartworm treatment. Being a generous vet, she offers to treat him for only $400.00. The treatment will take several weeks to complete, and during that time, his foster has to make sure that he does not exert himself at all! Tough job when you’re dealing with a young black lab! Finally, several weeks later, Buckley tests negative for heartworm. His total heartworm treatment cost the rescue organization $400.00. During the six weeks of his treatment, he stayed with his foster mom, and the rescue paid for his food, which amounted to $60.00. They also paid for a bed, a crate, some dog shampoo, a couple tennis balls, and a collar and leash. The total amount incurred by the rescue organization for these “extras” was $120.00.

Now that Buckley’s healthy, it’s time to get him neutered. His previous owner never bothered to do that. There are probably several dozens of litters of unwanted black lab mix litters fathered by Buckley scattered throughout the area. His neuter costs the rescue a discounted amount of $70.00. Finally, Buckley is ready to go to his new home!

But, after several weeks of attending adoption events and a few inquiries here and there, Buckley still doesn’t have a home. You see, big black dogs like Buckley are often overlooked for fluffy, small, light-colored dogs. The foster’s other dogs are adopted one by one, but Buckley is still there. The fact that Buckley has slight food aggression problems, and some slight dominance issues means that there are fewer potential adopters willing to take a chance on him. He’d probably be best in a home without small children, without other dogs, and with owners who have experience with these types of issues. They are not huge issues, but they make it more difficult for Buckley to find the right home. More weeks go by, and it becomes months. After eight months, Buckley still doesn’t have a home. Meanwhile, the rescue organization is still incurring the cost of caring for him. It costs about $10.00 a week to feed Buckley, so after eight months, the rescue organization has incurred a food bill of $320.00.

Finally, one day, a black lab fancier spots Buckley at an adoption event at a local pet store. He recently lost his black lab to old age, and is looking for a new buddy. There are no kids in the home, and no other pets. Perfect match! The adopter takes one look into Buckley’s big brown eyes and immediately knows he’s the one. He gladly donates the $200.00 adoption fee to the rescue organization, knowing full well that that amount doesn’t even begin to cover the costs of caring for Buckley. Buckley found his perfect forever home.

Total cost incurred by the rescue organization to find Buckley his perfect forever home: $1050.00 (this is an extremely low estimate), not including the volunteer hours spent on his care. Total cost to the adopter: $200.00. Who’s getting the bargain here?

2. Second, shelters and rescue organizations charge a fee as a way to avoid “impulse” adoptions. You wouldn’t buy that puppy in the pet store for $1700 on a whim, would you? Then you shouldn’t be adopting one on a whim, either.

If a person has to pay even a nominal fee prior to adopting a pet, it makes that person stop and think, if just for a moment, about whether or not they really want that pet. Impulse buys are one of the main reasons that pets are abandoned at shelters. People see the cute puppy or kitten, take it home, and then realize a short time later, that their impulse purchase was a bad idea. If you have to pay for the animal, it slows that impulse down just a little bit.

The logic is the same if I get something for free. Say I get a free TV. It’s used, it’s been around the block, its not perfect. I didn’t pay anything for it, so when it stops working, I just throw it away. On the other hand, say I paid $2000 for that TV. Do I throw it away when it stops working? NO! I call the repairman and get it fixed. Same goes for pets. It seems crass, but people tend to take the commitment more seriously when they have to pay for a pet.

In addition, if that adoption fee of $100, $200, or even $300 seems high, how on earth are you going to afford a pet? If all goes well, and your pet is fully vetted and in good health when you adopt it, it is still going to cost you upwards of a thousand dollars a year to care for it, including food, grooming, toys, beds, flea preventative, heartworm preventative, yearly vet exams and vaccinations. And that’s assuming nothing goes wrong. Pets can and do get hurt. They can and do get sick. They’re no different than kids. If you can’t afford the $200.00 adoption fee, what are you going to do when your dog or cat is hit by a car (although they shouldn’t be in the road in the first place)? What are you going to do if they eat something they aren’t supposed to? What happens when your pet gets older and age takes its toll?

3. Third, adoption fees also serve a screening function for shelters and rescue organizations. These organizations want the best home possible for the pets, and they want someone who is seriously committed to caring for the pet to the best of their ability. If someone really wants a pet, and is willing to pay the fee, it speaks to that person’s dedication toward that pet.

It also keeps the bad guys away. Shelters and rescue organizations also use a fee for the same reason that individuals that must rehome their pets should NEVER, NEVER give the animal way “free to a good home.” Offering a pet for free is an invitation for miscreants to “adopt” your pet and possibly do horrible things to it. Think that’s an exaggeration? Think again. One graphic example pops into my mind—a forensics student was adopting “free to good home” cats and kittens posted on Craigslist. By all accounts, he appeared to be a completely sincere adopter. Only later did those former pet owners find out that this “adopter” had been charged for several counts of animal cruelty after he was arrested for gruesomely shooting several cats at close range. He said he was studying the blood spatter patterns. Another grizzly tale involves an “adopter” feeding “free to good home” kittens to his pet snake.

A “free to good home” pet can also end up in the hands of a “buncher.” “Bunchers” are disgusting people who “gather” by whatever means they can, dogs and cats. From there, the bunchers sell the pets to people known as “Class B Dealers,” who are licensed by the USDA to “collect” pets to be sold as “random source” animals to research facilities. These “Class B Dealers” then turn around and sell those pets to animal research facilities. Shelters and rescue organizations obviously don’t want their pets to end up as research subjects, and neither do most well-intentioned pet owners to must re-home their pets for whatever reason. At bare minimum, an adoption fee should be $25.00 to discourage “bunchers.”

“Free to good home” pets are often used as “bait” animals for fighting dogs. With the publicity surrounding the Michael Vick case, the public has grown aware of the problem of dog-fighting. A sad by-product of this cruel activity is that pets are routinely stolen, or “adopted” and then used as “practice” or “bait” for fighting dogs.

While most non-profit shelters and rescue organizations spay or neuter their pets prior to adoption, some animal control facilities do not. Un-altered pets that appear to be purebred gotten cheaply can end up as breeding stock in a puppy mill. If you are unfamiliar with puppy mills, take a moment and do a Google search. You don’t want your pet to end up at one of these facilities, and neither do shelters. Un-altered purebred dogs should never be offered for adoption for less than $100.00. A puppy mill can make that $100.00 back off of one litter of pups from your pet.

Finally, well-meaning but sick individuals often “adopt” free to good home pets, or pets with extremely low adoption fees from high-kill animal control facilities. They mean to save the lives of the pets, but they usually don’t have the resources to properly care for all of the pets they “collect.” These people are hoarders. Occasionally, you see stories on the news about extreme examples of hundreds of pets in horrific conditions being seized from an individual’s home. Believe it or not, sometimes these people have been getting pets from animal control facilities or shelters who charge little or no adoption fee. More often, however, they “adopt” “free to good home” pets.

There are three primary reasons shelters and rescue organizations charge adoption fees: 1) to attempt to recoup a portion of the costs of caring for the pets; 2) to discourage impulse adoptions; and 3) to keep the bad guys at bay. If you are looking to adopt a pet, but think it is unreasonable to pay even a modest adoption fee, you probably should not have a pet.

Sadie is SAFE! Proof of the Power of the "Post"

Sadie is going HOME!

If you've been reading my blog for a while, or if you read Houndsgood, you're familiar with Sadie's story.

She had been dumped at Heard County Animal Control, a very small, rural shelter in Franklin, Georgia. Her owners claimed that she had nipped another small dog in the home in a squabble over food. For this, Sadie was abandoned and labeled as "dog-aggressive." Heard Co. AC does everything in its power to place pets before they are forced to euthanize for space, but things weren't looking good for Sadie. After a couple weeks at the pound, no one had expressed any interest in her, despite everyone's efforts.

Chris at Houndsgood has been keeping the blogging world updated on her story. After a week or so at the pound, it was apparent that Sadie didn't have dog aggression issues. Most likely, her previous owner blew the incident way out of proportion. Yet, Sadie still had no place to go and she was long past her "times up" date.

Amazingly, one of Chris's readers has stepped up and offered to adopt Sadie!!! She is going to a happy new life! Congrats Sadie!!

This story is TRULY a testament to the power of the internet. I've seen it happen several times now! Simply posting the photo and story about a pet in need on your site can indeed save lives!

Awards Galore!

I'm thrilled to announce that the Dog Log has awarded us with THREE, yes, count them, THREE blog awards. Thank you so much :) As a newbie to the world of blogging, it really means a lot when our fellow bloggers think of Saving Lives One at a Time when they're passing on blog awards.













We'd like to pass on these awards to the following blogs:

1. HoundsGood. I absolutely love this blog!
2. Rescue Me. This wonderful blog features the profiles of sweet dogs in need of homes.
3. My View of "It". This blog is utterly fascinating! You can't tell where I fall in the political spectrum, can you? ;)
4. Pet Monologues. Everything you could ever want to know about animals. Truly some great stuff!

TODAY ONLY!!! Shop at the Animal Rescue Site and Help Fund Spays and Neuters in Honor of Spay Day USA 2008

If you're a frequent visitor to this site, you are probably aware of The Animal Rescue Site. At the Animal Rescue Site, you can click a button for free and advertisers help fund food for pets in shelters. You can also make purchases through the Animal Rescue Site Store, which also help fund food for shelter animals.

In honor of Spay Day USA 2008, the Animal Rescue Site is offering a wonderful promotion! For every completed order TODAY ONLY, the Animal Rescue Site will help fund a spay or neuter, in addition to the animal food your order helps generate.

I always make a point to check out the Animal Rescue Site Store when I'm doing my Christmas shopping because they have such unique gift items, but I couldn't resist doing a little shopping today, just because I know my purchases are helping fund spays and neuters.

Here's what I purchased:

From the site: "Written by Elise Lufkin with photgraphs by Diana Walker, the book Found Dogs: Tales of Strays is a moving tribute to the power of love between people and dogs -- how that love has transformed dogs who were lost, and the people who were lucky enough to find them."

This purchase funded 14 bowls of food for pets in need and also helped fund a spay and/or neuter.







I needed a new night light for my bathroom and I thought these were so cute! I picked the white one.

From the site: Designed by artist Susan Watkin and hand-painted, this cartoon-styled cat is available in Black or White.

This purchase funded 14 bowls of food as well as a spay and/or neuter.




I also needed some new slippers for cruising around on my hardwood floors when it's chilly outside. I picked the black ones...aren't they cute?

From the site: Keep those toes toasty with these adorable Sly Kitty Slippers, featuring an embroidered white cat surrounded by floating hearts. "The Animal Rescue Site" is embroidered along with our signature purple paw in the heel of each slipper. Soft, feel-good slippers are made with low-maintenance polyester top, and high-grip rubber sole.

This purchase funded 14 bowls of food as well as a spay and/or neuter.
































Last but not least, I picked out this cute kitty wall hanger. I chose the one with the orange and black kitties, since I happen to be partial to orange ;). And this item was on SALE!

From the site: The friendly litter of kittens on our Feline Friends Coat Hanger will care for your coats while you're away. Handmade and hand-painted with a fun feline theme, this coat hanger is an ideal hallway addition for a cat lover.

This purchase funded 14 bowls of food as well as a spay and/or neuter.

If you have any gift shopping to do, or just feel like picking up a nice treat for yourself, today is the day to do it at The Animal Rescue Site Store! In honor of Spay Day USA 2008, the Animal Rescue Site is funding spays and neuters for every purchase. Pick up a great gift for yourself or someone you love, or help spread the word!

Rated E for Excellent

I'm proud and honored to report that Saving Lives One At a Time has been awarded the "Rated E for Excellent" Award by Pet Rescuer Central. Thank you so much for this honor!

Saving Lives One At A Time would like to pass this award on to:

1. Catnip Corner
2. The Dog Log
3. Dogz 'N' Catz
4. Rescue Dog Central

"Mr. Sweet Potato Head" Needs a Special Home, Georgia

"Mr. Sweet Potato Head"

This handsome orange kitty has seen the rougher sides of the street, as evidenced by the scratches on his face. Affectionately nicknamed "Mr. Sweet Potato Head," this guy absolutely loves to be petted! He purrs non-stop! Despite his rough appearance, all "Mr. Sweet Potato Head" wants is someone to love.

"Mr. Sweet Potato Head" is already neutered and up-to-date on shots. This lover-boy is, however, FIV positive, and as such he needs a special home. His FIV-positive status is most likely the result of his life on the streets. It does not have to be a death sentence for him!

Many people, even cat people, shudder at the term "FIV," because often, FIV positive cats are euthanized and never even given a chance for adoption. FIV cats, or cats with Feline Immuno-deficiency Virus, can lead long, happy, healthy lives.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not necessarily mandatory to keep an FIV cat separated from non-infected cats. It is only spread through blood, such as the case of serious puncture wounds.

Here are some facts about FIV from the Best Friends Animal Society:

1. The Feline Immuno-deficiency Virus is a slow virus that affects a cat's immune system over a period of years.

2. FIV is a cat-only disease and cannot be spread to humans or other non-felines.

3. FIV cats most often live long, healthy, and relatively normal lives with no symptoms at all.

4. FIV is not easily passed between cats. It cannot be spread casually - like in litter boxes, water and food bowls, or when snuggling and playing. It is rarely spread from a mother to her kittens.

5. The virus can be spread through blood transfusions, badly infected gums, or serious, penetrating bite wounds. (Bite wounds of this kind are extremely rare, except in free-roaming, unneutered tomcats.)

6. A neutered cat, in a home, is extremely unlikely to infect other cats, if properly introduced.

7. Many vets are not educated about FIV since the virus was only discovered 15 years ago.

8. FIV-positive cats should be kept as healthy as possible. Keep them indoors and free from stress, feed them a high-quality diet, keep and treat any secondary problems as soon as they arise.

The biggest challenge to keeping an FIV cat is the necessity to be vigilant about any health issues. For more information about FIV, please visit this article from Best Friends.

Please don't let FIV scare you away from this wonderful kitty! If you are interested in adopting "Mr. Sweet Potato Head," please contact Heard County Animal Control immediately. Because "Mr. Sweet Potato Head" was picked up by animal control, his time is extremely limited!

Heard County Animal Control Center
11818 Ga Hwy 100
Franklin, GA 30217
Phone: 706-675-3570 (Ask for Kaylene)
Email: heardcountyanima@bellsouth.net

***UPDATE 2/27***

Great News! Winging Cat Rescue has rescued "Mr. Sweet Potato Head," and he will be making his way to a special-needs sanctuary a couple states away.

Using "Social Networking" to Help Shelter Pets

If you are a regular blogger, you are probably aware of several of the "social networking" sites. If you are a "social networking" newbie, Wikipedia describes "A social network service focuses on the building and verifying of online social networks for communities of people who share interests and activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others, and which necessitates the use of software."

There are hundreds of different social networking services out there, but here are a few of my favorites, and tips on how you can use them to help shelter pets.

1. Myspace.

For all of its faults, Myspace is an AWESOME networking tool for animal rescue organizations. My cats have had their own myspace page for a couple years, and I've seen first-hand the power of networking there.

If your rescue organization does not have a Myspace page, drop what you are doing, and create one right now! It allows you to connect with thousands of pet lovers across the country, and even across the world. It is just another way to get the word out about your rescue efforts, and to spread the word about your pets in need.

The "bulletins" feature is especially helpful for animal rescue organizations. You can send out a bulletin to your "friends" with photos of your neediest pets, you can use it to announce a fund-raising drive, and you can use it to share good news. Even if you have only a few friends, some of those friends will inevitably pick up your bulletin and re-post it. Several organizations I support use this as a very effective fund-raising tool. If your friend list includes 300 people, and 30 of those friends pass your bulletin on to their friends list of 300, and 30 of each of those people pass on the bulletin, you can imagine the possibilities.

If you are a pet lover, you can help the efforts of animal rescue organizations through your Myspace page. Here are just a few ideas:

1. Add a link or banner on your profile page to your favorite animal welfare organization.

2. Blog about your favorite organization using the "blog" feature.

3. Join "groups" dedicated to your favorite organization, your favorite species, or your favorite breed.

4. Add animal rescue organizations as your "friends!" This is critical! The more "friends" these organizations have, the greater the reach of their network.

5. Make your favorite groups your "top friends" and proudly display them on your profile page. People browsing your page may be inspired to check out your top friends.

6. Pick a shelter or rescue organization and post a bulletin about their urgent pets in need, or post a bulletin about their current fund-raising effort. Encourage your friends to pass it on!

7. PASS THOSE BULLETINS ON!!!! This is the single most important way to help on Myspace!

Don't have any animal rescue friends on Myspace? Feel free to add Reekoe & Eddie, my cats. If I accidentally deny your request for friendship, please send a short note and ask me to add you. Most of the time I deny requests from "humans" because 99% of the time they are spammer profiles. Reekoe & Eddie's page can help you get started in animal rescue networking on Myspace.

2. Facebook

Facebook is another social networking site, similar to Myspace, without most of the junk. Generally, you don't have random strangers attempting to befriend you on Facebook, unlike Myspace. This is another site that animal rescue organizations should consider. You can keep your supporters updated on your efforts and help spread the word about what's going on with your group. Facebook is more "intimate" than Myspace, so your "friends" are much more likely to actually extend their support than your friends on Myspace, who are often simply "friend" collectors. However, it is somewhat more difficult to spread your network on Facebook than it is on Myspace.

For Facebook users, you can help animal rescue organizations by joining groups dedicated to various animal welfare issues, or by befriending animal rescue organizations. You can also help by posting information about your favorite organizations or posting links to their sites.

3. Care2

Think of the Care2 as a less trashy version of Myspace for online activists. There's all sorts of networking tools available on Care2, and to be honest, I haven't fully explored them all. Here's a brief rundown of the tools I have used:

1. Care2 is home to one of the two major "click to donate" sites. You can click daily FOR FREE to support various causes, including pets in need, saving the rainforest, ending violence against women, and more. Click daily!!

2. Care2 also has a vast network of "groups" which you can join which focus on a wide variety of interests. Each group has a "mini-forum" for spreading information about particular causes. These groups are an awesome way to promote pets in need! Not only can you cross-post information about pets in need and fundraisers throughout the Care2 community--you can cross-post that information to other social networking sites.

3. It also has a blog feature, and each time you post a blog, your friends automatically receive a copy of your post. In fact, anytime you contribute anything to the Care2 community, your friends are notified. It's a great way to keep your supporters or friends updated on your rescue activities, or the causes you support.

4. There is a News Network that is an incredible tool! You can submit news stories which are "noted" by other community members. The more "notes" they receive, the higher up they appear on the news page. Sort of like "Digg" for a different community. And since you are promoting stories to other people with similar interests, you usually get a pretty good response! This is a great way to help shelters and rescue organizations. If your favorite group is having a fundraiser, or if there is a dog or cat that is in desperate need of help, submit it, and it will be quickly passed around the Care2 community.

Care2 is one of my favorite sites. I get most of my information about what's going on in the world of animal welfare from this site. One of the problems with Myspace and other large social networking sites is that if you send out a message on behalf of an animal rescue organization, you often miss your target audience, or those you do hit, don't know what to do with the information, or simply don't care. With Care2, you are hitting your target audience square on. The best part about it is that the community is comprised of like-minded individuals, trying to do a little bit to make the world a better place.

4. Squidoo

Squidoo is sort of a cross between blogging and social networking. When you join Squidoo, you can create a "lens," which is essentially a simple web page. It's very easy! You don't need to know any html, and the templates are already made for you. You can even add templates to earn a little bit of money from your lens (although you have the option to donate any money to a charity of your choice). From there, you can link to other "lenses" of interest, and it creates a network of mini-websites. You can also add your "lenses" to groups to network.

Here's a sample of a "lens" I built to promote one of my favorite animal rescue organizations.

You can make your lens about any topic, and pet lovers, you can create one about your pet!
Squidoo is also a good tool for animal rescue organizations. Consider it an off-shoot of your main site, and keep it updated with your current rescue efforts, your fund-raisers, or your pets in need.

For pet lovers, you can promote your favorite organizations by linking to their websites, writing posts about them, or adding their "lens" to your "lensroll."

5. Stumbleupon

Stumbleupon is sort of a social networking site. What you do is "stumble" random sites or sites within an interest category you select. Then you give them the "thumbs up" or "thumbs down," and you can also write reviews. You can also submit sites that you find interesting by writing a short review. By some magical formula, Stumbleupon occasionally decides to send a flood of traffic to the site you "discovered."

Stumbleupon is kind of hit or miss as to whether your submitted site receives traffic. But when it rains it pours. Stumbleupon has the potential to send thousands of "stumblers" to the site you submit. I've found, however, that "stumblers" tend to be a fickle bunch. They normally don't spend much time at the sites as they "stumble" through them, so you've really got to get their attention. They tend to be looking for "instant gratification," if you will.

Anyone with an animal-welfare related site should definitely "stumble" your site, as its a great way to get some extra exposure. For pet lovers, consider downloading the Stumbleupon tool-bar and start submitting your favorite sites! Simply by "stumbling" a site, you can potentially send thousands of viewers to take a look! And give a "thumbs-up" to the sites you enjoy as you are "stumbling." (Please note, "stumbling" through sites is quite addictive!).

I'm sort of torn about Stumbleupon. I use it regularly, but haven't had too much luck in directing traffic to the sites I'm trying to promote. Once in a while, though, one will really hit the jackpot and get several thousand hits. On the other hand, "stumbling" is quite fun (and addicting) and I've run across some really amazing sites through the service. Consider giving it a try!

Now you tell me! Which "social networking" sites are your favorites? How do you use them to help shelter pets? Are there sites to avoid? Thanks in advance for your input!!

Rescue Dog Central, Fantastic Resources for Animal Welfare Advocates

I ran across Rescue Dog Central, a blog focused on raising awareness about issues in animal welfare, the other day, and I was blown away. This site has DOZENS of fantastic and informative articles regarding all sorts of topics of interest in the animal welfare community. These aren't just re-posted articles...these are thoughtful, well-written articles about various topics from Tammy Grimes and Dogs Deserve Better to Animal Hoarding to Adopting a Senior Pet.

Most recently, Rescue Dog Central has been covering the emerging story of a huge pit-bull fighting bust, involving several arrests of top-level fighting dog breeders, as well as the rescue of 150+ pit bulls, in Tuscon, Arizona.

I can't recommend this site enough! Subscribe in RSS today to keep updated on what's happening in the animal welfare community!

Beautiful Brownie is Looking for a New Home, Georgia

Isn't Brownie a knock-out? I don't think I've ever seen a dog that looked like her before. Now Brownie is what I would call a real "designer dog." Brownie is a most likely an Australian Cattle Dog/Labrador Retriever mix. She's about 5 months old, so she is still just a puppy! She gets along well with other dogs, and she loves to play. One of Brownie's favorite past-times is to hang out in the grass and watch the world go by. Are you the special someone Brownie is looking for?

Sadly, Brownie is located at an animal control facility, which means her time is extremely limited! Douglas County Animal Control works hard to save its pets, but resources and space are always limited. Douglas County also recently received a huge influx of pets due to the eviction of a trailer park. If Brownie is not what you are looking for, Douglas County has all sorts of wonderful dogs and cats in need of new homes. If you live in the area, please consider adopting a pet -- you will be saving a life! If you can't adopt or don't live in the area, please consider cross-posting on behalf of these pets.

If you are interested in adopting Brownie or another pet from Douglas County AC, please contact them immediately!

Douglas County Animal Control
1755 County Services Rd.
Douglasville, GA 30134
Phone: 770-942-5961
Fax 770-942-5914

***UPDATE 3/4: WONDERFUL NEWS! BROWNIE WAS ADOPTED!!!***

How Much is that Doggie in the Window: The True Cost of Buying a Pet-Store Puppy, Part I

I know I may be preaching to the choir here, but please, please, PLEASE, do NOT buy a dog from a pet store, EVER! PERIOD! And, NEVER, EVER buy a puppy online.

Pet store puppies and internet puppies are one in the same. The are produced in puppy mills, which are giant puppy factories, where hundreds of breeding dogs are confined to tiny cages for their entire lives with little or no vet care, no socialization, and absolutely no love whatsoever. Their sole purpose is to produce as many puppies as possible before their worn out bodies break down, and they are tossed out like trash. These dogs live horrific lives. And by purchasing a dog from a pet store or online, you are directly supporting this industry and the cruelty endured by the parent dogs.

I'm always amazed by how often I run into people that don't know anything about puppy mills. And call me an "animal rights nut" or whatever you will, but I think the pictures of these poor animals make it more than evident that the puppy mill industry must be stopped.

CAUTION: This may be difficult to watch for sensitive viewers.



Here are just a few links to get you started:

The Humane Society of the United States, Stop Puppy Mills site
Prisoners of Greed
United Against Puppy Mills
Petstore Cruelty

Three FAST FREE EASY Ways to Help Shelter Pets Online

There are so many quick easy ways to help shelter pets in need using the power of the internet. If you are a pet lover, and have five spare minutes, please consider doing the following things:

1. Use Goodsearch every time you do an internet search. Using Goodsearch is simple. Just select your favorite charity, and then search as you normally would. Each search earns about $0.01 for your selected charity. It doesn't sound like a lot, but it really adds up. Consider adding a banner to your site to encourage others to use Goodsearch.

2. Shop through iGive. All you have to do is sign up and select your favorite charity, then, each time you make an online purchase through a participating retailer, a percentage of your purchase is donated to your charity of choice. This is totally free and easy way to help shelters. You don't have to do anything except sign up, and then shop online as you normally would.

You can also participate in the iGive Surfathon. All you have to do is surf participating stores to earn "entries" for your favorite charity. Each month, iGive gives away 5 - $1000 awards to charities every month through July 2008.

3. Add a DogsinDanger.com banner to your website. Help raise awareness about the grim reality facing thousands of shelter pets every day. By placing a banner on your site, a visitor may visit Dogs in Danger, fall in love with a death-row-dog, decide to adopt one of the dogs, and you will have helped save a life.

For more ideas on easy ways to help shelter pets for free, check out my previous posts:
1. Three Fast, Free, Easy Ways to Help Shelter Pets Online
2. Calling All Pet-Loving Bloggers

Isaac is Looking for a Family, Kentucky

Isaac is listed as a young male border collie mix who was picked up as a stray. Although Isaac is listed as a border collie mix, I'd venture to say that he looks much more like a lab/spaniel mix.

Isaac absolutely adores children and gets along well with other dogs. He's just a real sweetie. Unfortunately, however, Isaac's time is extremely limited. He is located at the Bullitt County Animal Shelter in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. Because the shelter is an animal control facility, Isaac's stay is limited due to space constraints. Isaac is scheduled for euthanization on February, 22, 2008.

Isaac would make a perfect dog for a family!

Isaac will be neutered, heartworm tested, and vaccinated prior to going to his new home. His adoption fee is $100.00.

If you are interested in adopting or rescuing Isaac, please call Nancy Barnes 502-543-8686 or email NancyBarnes@windstream.net immediately!

Bullitt County Animal Shelter
545 Old Clermont Rd
Shepherdsville, KY 40165
Phone: 502-543-8686

***UPDATE 3/4: WONDERFUL NEWS! ISAAC WAS ADOPTED!!!***

My Fur-Children

In case you're wondering, I do have fur-children of my own. Here's a photo of my hell-cats, taken by a neighbor while my cats were hanging out on the deck at our old apartment. Eddie is on the left, and Reekoe is on the right.

Eddie was adopted from Second Chance Rescue and is about 2 1/2 years old. He is extremely talkative, enjoys playing racecar, is obsessed with the feather wand, and likes looking out the window.

Reekoe was adopted from the Canby Humane Society and is about 3 1/2 years old. He's a huge cat, weighing in at 23 pounds. He enjoys catnip, napping, being petted, and eating wet food.

Reekoe & Eddie have their own Myspace page, where they work hard to encourage other cats to join the Orange Cat Revolution, and to promote rescue of other cats in need.

Art4Animals.Org Spay and Neuter Magnet

Art4Animals.org is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating, raising awareness and funding no-kill animal shelters and rescues. Art4Animals.org operates a Cafepress store with wonderful items, profits from the sales of which are donated to no-kill humane societies and animal rescues.

On my recent Cafepress magnet shopping spree, I purchased this cool refrigerator magnet which reminds us exactly why we need to spay and neuter our pets.

Every day, thousands of pets are needlessly killed in shelters simply because there are not enough homes for them all. If we stop producing kittens and puppies by spaying and neutering our pets, we will make huge strides towards reducing the number of unwanted pets in shelters. This magnet from Art4Animals.org is a great reminder that spaying and neutering has a direct impact on the number of pets killed in shelters.

The best part of this cool spay and neuter magnet is that the profits from its sale are donated to no-kill shelters and rescues.

Critical Cats

I manage another site called Critical Cats, hosted by Squidoo. On Saving Lives One at A Time, I feature a variety of pets, including both cats and dogs. I also offer information regarding rescue and adoption of shelter pets, and I offer information regarding interesting ways to help pets in need. The purpose of Critical Cats, however, is solely to promote the adoption of death row cats. Although I obviously cannot post every death row cat urgently waiting adoption, I try to update the site with new cats several times a week.

If you have room in your heart and home for a shelter cat, please consider stopping by Critical Cats to view the profiles of some special death row cats.

An Open Letter to Animal Rescue Groups

First, I COMMEND and THANK you for everything you do to help animals. I know that typically, your members are all volunteers who spend countless hours and dollars to save animals in need. My occasional donation here and there pales in comparison to what you do on a daily basis.

BUT, I have a problem. I am a member of several boards, mailing lists, forums, and communities. If one rescue group has a problem with another rescue group, PLEASE, FOR GOD'S SAKE, PLEASE STOP BASHING EACH OTHER IN PUBLIC!!! For those rescue groups that rely heavily on public contributions, you really need to stop the public accusations and back-biting IN PUBLIC. If you have an issue with the methods of another rescue organization, please take them up privately with that rescue. Unless the issue is serious enough to warrant a "Do-Not-Rescue," "Do-Not-Adopt," or some other such serious label, KEEP IT PRIVATE!

It does absolutely NOTHING for your public image as a rescue organization to fling around snippy, unwarranted accusations. In fact, whatever your goal may be in attacking another rescue, it makes you look ridiculous, petty, immature, and not worthy of my donation.

I support DOZENS of different organizations, and if I choose to donate, its because I believe the organization is doing good, regardless of what you think is the best way to conduct a rescue organization. If, as is the case I am currently frustrated about, I support both you and the rescue you are attacking, you are only hurting yourself. The more I read, and the more ridiculousness that goes back and forth, the less I want to support you. By wasting time needlessly making personal attacks against members of another rescue organization, you are turning off potential donors. KNOCK IT OFF! The sad fact is, you can't save them all. You can point fingers and say "I would have..." or "you could have..." but that really is irrelevant now, isn't it.

A word to the wise: most everything you post on the internet is available publicly, so if you accuse another rescue group of wrong-doing, make sure you really have a legitimate and serious gripe. Groundless accusations and personal attacks really hurt the image of YOUR OWN GROUP! Resolve it privately, or risk turning off potential supporters, new supporters, or even long-time supporters, like myself.

Thank you.

Pets in Need: Palm Beach County, Florida

Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control works hard to place all of its pets into loving homes, but it can't do it without your help. If you live in or near Palm Beach County, please consider adopting a shelter pet today.

Here are just a couple of the wonderful pets awaiting adoption at Palm Beach County Animal Control:

A1357486 is an adult male pit bull turned in on 1/8/2008. He is estimated to be about 4 years old.

Update 3/24. This handsome boy's listing has been removed. Unfortunately, I have not been able to determine his fate.












A1200865 is an adult female Rottweiler mix picked up as a stray on 02/09/08. Isn't she gorgeous?



Update 2/25. This gorgeous girl's listing has been removed. Unfortunately, I have not been able to determine her fate.










A1364395 is an adult spayed female orange and white domestic shorthair cat who was turned in by her owners on 2/9/2008. She is estimated by be about 7 years old.

Update 3/24. This gorgeous girl's listing has been removed. Unfortunately, I have not been able to determine her fate.











A1363702 is an adult female spayed white and tabby domestic shorthair cat who was picked up as a stray on 2/6/2008. She is estimated to be about 2 years old.





Update 2/25. This gorgeous girl's listing has been removed. Unfortunately, I have not been able to determine her fate.







The Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control Facility can only hold pets for a limited amount of time, so all of these pets are living on borrowed time. Please adopt or rescue them!

Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control
7100 Belvedere Road
West Palm Beach, FL 33411
(561) 233-1200

Help Shelter Pets for FREE by Playing Trivia! Experience Project

I ran across this cool social networking site called Experience Project. I haven't explored the site itself too much, but I did see this: You can play trivia, and for each correct answer, the Experience Project will donate the equivalent of one kibble of cat or dog food to the Rocket Dog Rescue and the Urban Cat Project.

You don't have to register to play, but registering will let you access the other features of the site, and helps you earn bonuses. Check it out -- have fun playing trivia, and help shelter pets at the same time, for FREE!

Cool Gifts from Saving Shelter Pets, Inc.

Saving Shelter Pets, Inc., is one of my favorite rescue organizations. They also have some of the coolest stuff in their online store. Here's a couple items I purchased recently:

A coffee mug I purchased for myself (but my fiancee commandeered it as soon as it arrived) with the cutest pink cartoon kitty design.

Here's a cute pink ladies' ringer tee that I bought for myself with the same design. It fits perfectly and has quickly become one of my favorite tees!






Finally, I got this nice 100% organic cotton t-shirt for my fiancee featuring a cute blue bulldog cartoon design. It's one of his favorite t-shirts!

Tips for Online Giving to Make Sure Your Money is Being Put to Good Use

I give tons of money online to various animal rescue organizations. Don't get me wrong...I'm not a rich person...I'm just a sucker for a cute fuzzy face in need.

Thus far, I have been fortunate enough to avoid giving money to an organization that I later find out is not legitimate. That's because I do my homework BEFORE I donate! Just a few extra minutes of your time beforehand to research the organization will pay off when you feel secure knowing your money is going to a good cause. The first thing I do before giving money to an organization that I haven't worked with before is to do a simple Goodsearch search.

Chris at HoundsGood has some other wonderful tips. From HoundsGood:

"Stay away from mass (print) mail and telemarketing. If you feel strongly about the organization, give in another way.

Large charities like the ASPCA and Humane Society of the United States send out mass mailings soliciting donations at various times of the year. The truth is that much of this is sent out by a third party and the charity only gets a small percentage. A telemarketer representing an organization contacted us and when pressed, we found out that the charity was only getting 10% of our donation, so we declined.

Please don’t get me wrong, there are many great organizations that send out mail to remind you or update you as not all of their supporters are tied to a computer. Some have had the fortune to have a benefactor who pays for their mailings or other fundraising that is earmarked clearly. But if you receive a letter with free mailing labels, think twice about sending something in the reply envelope."

This great tip is just one of Chris' ten great tips for smart giving. Be sure to check out Houndsgood for the rest of her tips!

Do You Need a Hunting Buddy? "Bird Dawg" Needs a New Home, Illinois

This handsome fellow, aptly named "Bird Dawg," is a 2 year old male pointer, either a German Shorthair Pointer, or an English Pointer.

"Bird Dawg" is currently impounded by Morgan County Animal Control in Jacksonville, Illinois. Due to space issues, "Bird Dawg's" time is extremely limited. He is scheduled for euthanization on February 19, 2008.

If you are interested in adopting or rescuing "Bird Dawg" please call Lisa Myers at 217-245-4015 or email dogs8@verizon.net immediately!

***WONDERFUL NEWS! 2/15! "BIRD DAWG" WAS ADOPTED!!!***

Morgan County Animal Control
202 W. Oak
Jacksonville, IL 62650
Phone: (217)-245-4015
Email: dogs8@verizon.net

Teddy Wants to Be Your "Teddy-Cat", Georgia

Teddy is an absolute cutie pie! Teddy is a young adult male orange and white tabby cat in desperate need of a new home. Look at his cute mustache!

Teddy is located at the Sumter Humane Society in Americus, Georgia. The Humane Society is not "no-kill," so Teddy's time is limited.

Teddy is already neutered, up-to-date on shots, and litter-trained. His adoption fee is $85, which includes his 1st FVRC P vaccination, Rabies shot, Micro chip, worming and negative FIV and FeLV test.

The Sumter Humane Society may also be able to help with transportation if you don't live near Americus.

If you are interested in adopting or rescuing Teddy, please call 229 924 0268 immediately!

Sumter Humane Society
702 Magnolia Street
Americus, GA 31719
Phone: 229 924 0268
Email: shumanes@sowega.net

**Update 9/2/08. Unfortunately, Teddy's listing has been removed, and I have not been able to determine his fate.

Kay's K9's: Handcrafted Miniatures

I ran across this site today while dropping entrecards, called Kay's K9's: Handcrafted Miniatures by artist K. Turple and I was blown away.

This artist creates miniatures of various dog breeds through a process called needle felting. It is a very involved process and produces incredible results.


Here's just one example of a miniature dog the artist is selling on etsy. Aren't these incredible??
Check out Kay's K9's to see more examples of her amazing work! You can even commission the artist to create a miniature of your own dog!

The best part is, the artist donates a portion of the proceeds from each sale to the Ontario SPCA.