Gracie imitates Jackson's good habits

Gracie is doing wonderfully! She is such a joy to us and she is such a happy little dog. She thrives on attention and just wants to be held and loved. We clearly were very lucky in finding her. She has the sweetest disposition. We do have 2 other dogs- Jackson, an 8 year old dachshund who is her pal and Bailey, a 13 year old Australian Sheppard mix who is a little too old to do much other than lie around and watch the doxies. Gracie has learned a lot just by imitating Jackson. Potty training went really well. She still has a VERY infrequent accident (always right by theback door) because she still hasn't mastered the art of letting us know by barking or whining that she wants to go out.

If we don't notice that she is (quietly) waiting at the door, well...... But accidents are truly rare. She quickly learned to walk on a leash- again by imitating Jackson- when we go for walks, which she loves. I'm guessing she had another dog in her cage at the puppy mill because she would rather squeeze into Jackson's bed with him than sleep alone in her own bed. Jackson usually doesn't mind, in facthe seems to like it. Really Gracie has been a very quick study in terms of adjusting to her new life with us. She quickly learned to come when I call - something she actually does better than Jackson.

She is still afraid to climb up or down the staircase but I'm happy to carry her. I can't tell you how grateful we are to NMDR for rescuing Gracie. She is anamazingly happy and sweet little dog- especially amazing when you consider what her life was like for the first 5 years. And her happiness is contagious! My neighbor commented the other day that Bailey, who is almost 14 years old, looked better than she had seen him look in quite a while. I think Gracie has rejuvenated him a bit. It's hard not to smile when you look at Gracie. We are beginning to forget what life was like before Graciearrived. She is truly a part of our family.

Courtesy of National Mill Dog Rescue

Amazing Mayzie

We hadn't planned on getting another dog. Like so many times before, I was just going to pet the dogs at the adoption fair and leave. I sat down on the floor and was petting another dog when this skinny little brindle girl walked over, placed herself on my lap and gazed into my eyes with a look that said, "Hello there. I'm yours." It was like no other feeling I had ever experienced.

Three weeks later, we brought her home. She had been rescued from a bad situation where she was tied up in a backyard without food, water or shelter. So we've had a lot of work to do to help her past her fears of things like ceiling fans and stairs. But for everything we've given her, she's given back to us a hundred-fold. She has brought such humor, life and love to our house and we thank our lucky stars every day for our amazing Mayzie!

Amber Carlton
Colorado Springs, CO

Courtesy of The Animal Rescue Site

Rescue dogs are the BEST dogs, EVER!

We found our little rascal, Darla on petfinder.com! We had lost our two dalmatians the year before and felt we were ready for another dog in our lives. We had planned to look at several dogs and take our time to make this important decision. As soon as we met Darla, who was being fostered by the amazing people at Speaking of Dogs Rescue, we fell in love! She knew all her commands, was housetrained and was absolutely wonderful with the foster's dog, Logan.

I would highly recommend a rescue - all puppies are cute, but when you meet an adult dog and see their personality shine, that is the dog you will have for life and you have a huge advantage; knowing what you're getting into. Darla is our second rescue dog and I know we'll never buy or use a breeder again!

Yvette Langille

Toronto, ON, Canada

Courtesy of The Animal Rescue Site

We can dream, can't we?

Tax Relief for Pet Owners

Dear Animal Advocates,

Introduced by Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, H.R. 3501—known as the Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (“HAPPY”) Act—is a federal bill that would reward responsible pet parents by allowing them to keep more money in their pockets come tax time.

We all want to give our animal companions the best care we possibly can, but it seems that pet care costs are always on the rise—and these days, it’s harder than ever to stretch the family budget.

That’s why the ASPCA supports H.R. 3501, which would amend U.S. tax code to allow qualifying pet care expenses, including veterinary care, to be tax-deductible.

This means that when you prepare your income taxes, money you spent on pet care that year would count as non-taxable income—and you can deduct up to $3,500 per year!

Please help us support the HAPPY Act, H.R. 3501.

What You Can Do Visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center online to send an email to your U.S. representative and urge him or her to support and cosponsor the HAPPY Act, H.R. 3501.

Thank you for supporting this bill and being part of our team!

Leo the clown

Leo is comical, friendly to everyone and a big bed hog. In other words a big pain in the butt and very spoiled!! We also have an eleven year old Weim (Lucy) and an 8 year old Big Greyhound (Hayden). Lucy tolerates Leo, but Hayden is very kind and patient with him. Our neighbor dogs come over and play quite often with Leo and the 2 young neighbor girls love showing him off to their house guests.

He is a big hit in the neighborhood. Potty training is going very slow - he has several good days and a few days where he just doesn't get it. We took all the kids to the neighborhood dog park and let them play and got some good photos.

Courtesy of National Mill Dog Rescue

Three's company!

Each of our gang came to us via some kind of "rescue". First came Dubi - our big black teddy bear - adopted from a local shelter. Then came, Sheeba - our yellow blond bombshell - adopted from a family no longer able to care for her. Finally, Yaffa - our cuddly 'stuffed' toy - was adopted from our vet, where she had been abandoned ill and starving. We've all been together for several years now - and each of them brings us love and happiness beyond measure. We wouldn't have it any other way at home!

J Brown

Toronto, ON, Canada

A boy named Courage

We were on our way to The Villages here in FL to attend a rally. My daughter, who helps out the shelters in this area by fostering puppies on weekends, had visited the Seminole County Shelter, and called me excitedly on my cell phone, saying "MOM, you have to take this sweet little Corgi mix dog - He is quivering in his cage and is surrounded by big dogs." We had lost our sweet old Bassett Hound, Elmo, just months before and were still grieving, so I was a little hesitant. She persisted in telling me how cute he was and how frightened. So, we agreed to take him. He is now the light in our lives and we love him dearly. We renamed him Corky, and we take him everywhere!

Sue & Dave Evert
Deltona, FL

Courtesy of The Animal Rescue Site

Pet Poison Helpline said...

Thanks for spreading the word on pet toxicities like xylitol on your blog - so important for pet owners to be aware of the lurking household poisons in (and outside of) their house! Keep in mind that certain DESSERTS are made with it too! When in doubt, it's so important to call a Poison Control for peace of mind!

I wanted to make you aware of another important resource out there also - Pet Poison Helpline is an additional Animal Poison Control Center, and it's one of the most cost-effective animal poison ($35/case vs. ASPCA's new $60/case) controls out there nowadays.

Unfortunately, because animal poison controls are not federal- or state-funded, there is a fee to allow the service to be run 24-7. We provide a similar service, but have the added benefit of veterinary specialists (in internal medicine and emergency and critical care) as part of our staff. You can always call 1-800-213-6680 if you ever have a problem. Thanks for spreading the word!

Dr. Justine Lee
http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/
http://www.drjustinelee.com/

I copied the preceding comment provided by Dr. Justine Lee from the Pet Poison Helpline to make sure all visitors get the opportunity to benefit from the valuable information and resources. Thanks Dr. Lee.

Sugar-Free Gum and Snacks Can be Deadly for Pets

by Kirsten Taylor

Sep 8th 2009 11:00AM

Most pet owners know that chocolate is a big no-no for dogs. But here's something to chew on: a common ingredient in sugarless gum and snacks can cause a canine catastrophe. The culprit is a sweetener called xylitol. While you may never have heard of it, there's a good chance you have it in your house. Xylitol is common in sugarless gum and in sugar-free snacks, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Cases of xylitol poisoning in dogs have increased in recent years as the sweetener has been added to lots of new foods, Sharon Gwaltney-Brant, vice president of the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center, told Paw Nation. "There definitely has been an increase in the exposures of dogs to xylitol over the last several years, simply because there's more xylitol out there."

The chemical is completely safe for humans and most other animals, but in dogs, xylitol causes blood sugar levels to plummet. When blood sugar drops, Gwaltney-Brant says, "the brain isn't getting enough energy to do its job." After swallowing xylitol, dogs may vomit and become lethargic and disoriented. "If blood sugar drops low enough, they can have seizures," Gwaltney-Brant says. Without treatment, dogs can die. That's not all. Dogs that eat a lot of xylitol can also suffer from liver damage. Researchers aren't sure what causes the liver problems, Gwaltney-Brant says, but the results can be grave.

A little xylitol goes a long way. Just two sticks of sugarless gum can be fatal for a 20-pound dog, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune, and a single sugar-free pudding cup can spell trouble for a 90-pound pooch. But those numbers can be misleading, Gwaltney-Brant cautions. Some brands of gum or candy contain no xylitol, while others contain relatively large amounts. Even within a single brand, the level of xylitol can vary from flavor to flavor and batch to batch, she says. If you know or suspect your dog has gotten into foods that might contain xylitol, take him to the vet immediately, Gwaltney-Brant says.

Problems from blood sugar levels dropping can occur quickly -- "often within 30 minutes to an hour," she notes. Vets can monitor blood sugar levels and start treatment to get blood sugar back up to safe levels. If you're a fan of sugar-free products, check the labels to see whether they contain xylitol. And it should go without saying that you should do your best to keep Fido away from your gum. He can't blow bubbles anyway.

Source:
SignOnSanDiego.com

Our Dog Duke

We moved into a larger house in January, and always talked about getting a dog when we did. When we were all settled, we went to the local shelter looking for a dog that would get along with our cats and would be good with children. We decided a Labrador would probably be the best breed, so we focused on that.

We found Duke in one of the last rows. He looked so sad and confused. His paperwork said he was five years old and turned in the day before because his family was losing their home. We decided to keep his name. Today we've had him four months, and he gets along great with our cats, loves children, and makes our house feel like home.

Please adopt a shelter dog!

Virginia S

Las Vegas, NV

Courtesy of The Animal Rescue Site

Molly Malone

I adopted Molly in 2007 when she was about 10 months old. I was moving to a townhouse and wanted a friend to keep me company. I knew she was mine when they brought her through the lobby, and she pulled away from the handler and came and sat down next to me. She's been my baby girl ever since. We live at home now with my parents and their dog, and everyone loves her. She is very protective of all of us, as well as my nephew. She is so loving and I am so lucky to have found her. She is always ready to cuddle when times get rough, and her antics always have everyone smiling.

Rebecca
Dearborn Heights, MI

Courtesy of The Animal Rescue Site

Bryn - The dog who wouldn't bark

We found our lurcher (greyhound/collie cross) Bryn in an RSPCA shelter more than 10 years ago. He had been in rescue centres for so long that he was very depressed. Our son spent 45 minutes coaxing him to the bars of his cage and decided this was the dog for us.

For the first six months, Bryn would only eat outside and never barked. But, with love and attention, we won him over and he became a confident and faithful member of the family.
He's an old timer now but still enjoys his food and daily walk and, hopefully, doesn't even remember his time in "jail".

Graham and Janet Jones

Oxted, United Kingdom

Courtesy of The Animal Rescue Site

Rufus

Families that foster rescue dogs truly are special folks.

I would like to tell you about Rufus, our Brussels Griffon. Rufus came to us after 2 other foster families didn't work out. In some ways he seemed almost catatonic, in other ways he was so fearful. He wouldn't come in the door we had to go out into the yard and pick him up, he would't go out the door either, he would tear out like something was chasing him.

He would fall down stairs, 3 of them. So we went out and bought him a large bed and a blanket and he knows that is were he can go, we tuck him in at night and he sleeps all night. He only ate in the morning for Stephen. In the evening I would put the bowl down and walk away and never look at him. The best thing we have done for Rufus is to take him to the 21st street dog park. There he met other dogs and began to let other people touch him. He's been to the groomer now and was the best behaved of all my dogs. We still had a hard time putting him on the leash at the dog park so we left the leash on him and he would drag it all over the park.

When it was time to go he would stand still and let you pick up the leash. It was like leaving the leash on him told him he was part of our pack. After Rufus walked around with the leash for a month I took it off and, voila, no more chasing at the park. I have a little Maltese/Poodle and Rufus attached to him from the very beginning, he followed Buddy everywhere. If we wanted Rufus to follow close, we would carry Buddy under our arm, and Rufus would follow.

Rufus has started playing with my dogs, but his tail wags still seem rusty. Rufus has vision loss in his right eye, and when the dog park gets crowded with people it's hard for him because he can't see well and he can't identify his pack. I've started using a clicker, the sound is something he knows is me and identifies it. All of this comes with liberal treats, chicken bits, pizza and especially steak on the fork.

Rufus now comes in with the pack and by himself. He sleeps on the pillow by the fireplace as close to Buddy as possible, but when he gets up he limps around for about 4 minutes, he has multiple bone spurs around each knee. Someday he will need rimadyl or something like that. He has started sitting on laps and will let you stroke him, but doesn't relax unless Buddy is on the lap too. Hopefully he'll have a forever home soon. He doesn't know what a cat is, but he likes kids so this is a plus. All of this really wears on you, but in the end it's all good!

Courtesy of National Mill Dog Rescue

"Sweet" Sadie

After our dog Samantha passed away at 17 years old I could not bear going home to an empty home. So I kept visiting a kill shelter which was about a 45 minute drive, looking for a new puppy. One day I came across a litter of pups that had just been dropped off but they were in quarantine until they got fixed, a check up and their shots. I kept going back daily until they were released to be adopted. I was first in line to adopt a puppy they named Sweetie, a 6 week Lab, Boxer mix.

I was so emotional waiting in line to do the paperwork people thought I was crazy. She and I hugged the whole way home where she was welcomed to our family. Our "Sweet" Sadie is now about 4 years old and brings us more joy than I can express, I only hope her brother and sisters got a good home too and are not tied up to a tree in someone's back yard.

Sadie is the queen of our home and enjoys sleeping in our bed while were are at work, when we come home we go for a walk then we usually swim together in the pool, she loves the pool. Sadie also loves boating, going to the beach and she is gentle with our cats too, all 3 of them.

To anyone who has lost pet I highly recommend jumping back in and getting a new one, I'm not sure who is luckier the pet that is saved from a shelter or the human who receives their love and companionship.

Jennifer Zulian

Port Richey, FL

Courtesy of The Animal Rescue Site

ASPCA Happy Tails: A Nose Ahead

Like so many other homeless pups, Wally, a young black Pit Bull mix, had been living the shelter life far too long before the tides finally started to turn in his favor. Sweet-faced and youthful, he arrived at the Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service (SCRAPS)—an ASPCA Mission: Orange partner shelter—earlier this summer with a strong personality that made him stand out from the pack. And yet, he still didn’t meet his match.

But thanks to the shelter’s selfless corps of volunteers, Wally wasn’t far from the minds of several Good Samaritan animal lovers, including SCRAPS volunteer Karen Allen. When Karen read an article about scent-detection dogs, like those who work with conservationists to study whales and their habitats, she immediately thought of Wally. Whale conservation dogs work from boats to locate whale scat samples, and many can detect it from more than one nautical mile away. These samples are key clues in determining why whales are disappearing from their natural homes.

Everyone at SCRAPS knew Wally had the drive and work ethic to make a successful working dog—and what better way to give back than by helping to preserve another living species? After receiving the go-ahead from SCRAPS staff, Karen contacted the head of a whale conservation program in western Washington. One of the program’s canine handlers came to SCRAPS to test Wally, who passed with flying colors and was considered a promising candidate. In late July, he made his way across the state to begin training to become a conservation dog.

“Our volunteers are always working hard to help find homes for our pets,” said Nancy Hill, Director of SCRAPS. “But this time they really went the extra mile to give Wally a very unique new home and hopefully a new job!”

Courtesy of
ASPCA

Labor Day Dangers to Avoid

Labor Day weekend marks summer’s unofficial end, and many families are heading out—with their companion animals—for end-of-season getaways. The ASPCA hopes you enjoy the last days of summer and reminds you to make sure your four-legged friends enjoy a safe holiday, too. By following these simple safety tips, you can rest assured your pet will remain happy and healthy during his last summer blast!

Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems.

Always assign a dog guardian. No matter where you’re celebrating, be sure to assign a friend or member of the family to keep an eye on your pooch—especially if you’re not in a fenced-in yard or other secure area. With all the festivities, it’s easy to overlook a dog on the run!

Made in the shade. Pets can get dehydrated quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water, and make sure they have a shady place to escape the sun. Be careful to not over-exercise them, and keep them indoors when it's extremely hot.

Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of paws’ reach. Certain types of matches contain chlorates, which could potentially damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing—or even kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter fluid can be irritating to skin, and if ingested, can produce gastrointestinal irritation and central nervous system depression. If lighter fluid is inhaled, pneumonia and breathing problems could develop.

Keep your pet on his normal diet. Any change, even for one meal, can give your pet severe indigestion and diarrhea. This is particularly true for older animals who have more delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements. And keep in mind that people foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, salt, yeast dough, grapes and raisins can all be potentially toxic to companion animals.

Keep citronella candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. Ingesting any of these items can produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression in your pets, and if inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia.

Never leave your dog alone in the car. Traveling with your dog means occasionally you’ll make stops in places where he’s not permitted. Be sure to rotate dog walking duties between family members, and never leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle. On a hot day, a parked car can become a furnace in no time, even with the windows open—not to mention it’s illegal in several states!

Make a safe splash. Don’t leave pets unsupervised around a pool—not all dogs are good swimmers. Introduce your pets to water gradually and make sure they wear flotation devices when on boats. Rinse your dog off after swimming to remove chlorine or salt from his fur, and try to keep your dog from drinking pool water, which contains chlorine and other chemicals that could cause stomach upset.

Courtesy of the ASPCA

A second chance for Chewie!

I found Chewie at Animal Welfare Association in NJ. He had been there a month and no one showed any interest in him. As soon as I seen him, I knew he was the one. His previous owner didn't want him anymore and admitted to keeping him locked in the basement for most of his life. Sure, he is a little odd to look at but he has A LOT of love to give! Now he is living the life, here in our home with our two other dogs and he couldn't be happier!

Monika

Philadelphia, PA

Courtesy of The Animal Rescue Site

Daphne

I got Daphne from the Camden County Animal Shelter in NJ. She was lying on a blanket in the cage but came right over to me when she saw I was looking at her. She is a very mellow pitbull-hound mix. She likes to hide her rawhide bone in the couch cushions when we leave her alone, and she likes me to find it when we get back. Best dog ever!

Stacie

Clementon, NJ

Courtesy of The Animal Rescue Site

Emma

Hi, my name is Emma, I am 8 yrs old and spent my life as a puppy factory in a puppy mill. I was rescued just as six other dogs and I were on our way to be euthanized. What a terrible waste that would have been. I was adopted about six weeks after I was rescued, and was so happy to go to my new home. When I got in the van I went to sleep and woke up only when we arrived home. I am as sweet as pie, and as good as I can be. I had several health problems like hookworm, ear and bladder infections, and Giardia, but now I am well and eating food I really like.

I am keeping my petite, girlish figure however. I love daily walks, looking out the storm door glass, rolling in the grass in my big back fenced yard, getting brushed, and most of all, laying near my people. I get pretty anxious when one of them is not in sight, but I am becoming more confident with time and am getting along fine with the two cats, Lilly and Lucy. This is the life I should have had all along. Thank you NMDR!

Courtesy of National Mill Dog Rescue