Happy Tails Publishing Searching for Submissions

Posted January 19, 2010 By aschae and has no comments yet.

Happy Tails Books publishes compilations of stories from people who have adopted dogs. Their breed-specific “Lost Souls: Found!” series showcases the love and joy these adopted dogs bring to their new homes in an effort to raise awareness of, and funding for dog rescue organizations.

Happy Tails Books is currently working on books about Chihuahuas, German Shepherds, Pugs, Boxers and mixes thereof, and they’ve asked me to share their information in case you’d like to submit a story about your adopted dog(s). Guidelines and a submission form are located at http://happytailsbooks.com/submit.htm. You can send in a complete story about your dog (600-1200 words), a paragraph about something sweet or funny he/she did, a training/health challenge and how it was solved, a poem, or a recipe. They are also looking for high resolution, professional-quality photos for the front and back covers. Be sure to list the rescue you are associated with in the submission form (if applicable – dog don’t need to be from a rescue, they just can’t be purchased from a pet store or breeder), as rescues earn points from each story submitted or book purchased, and then the points turn into a donation at the end of the year.

Contact Info: Kyla Duffy, Happy Tails Books, Editor In Chief. 303-807-0412, kyla@happytailsbooks.com Boulder, CO

Categories: Adoptable Dogs, Children & Dogs, Funny Dog Stories, General Training, Health, Herding Dogs, Human/Canine Bond, Products Worth Sharing, Puppy Mills, Recent News, Recommended Reading, Rescue, adoption
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Apparent puppy mill burns to the ground in Tunica County, MS

Posted January 17, 2010 By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: wlbt.com, Jan 12, 2010

A fire at an apparent puppy mill in north Mississippi resulted in a crisis Monday for a local humane society.

Authorities said a suspected puppy mill was inside a house trailer that caught fire Monday morning along France Road in Dundee, Mississippi.

Neighbor Charles Logwood said the fire started in the trailer’s laundry room, where many of the dogs had been brought in because of the cold.

“When I got there he didn’t know it was on fire,” Logwood said.

Jeffrey Hobbs was in the trailer caring for the dogs.

“They got out just in time,” Hobbs said. “He let them all out.”

Officials said two dogs died in the fire.  The bodies of eight additional dogs, which did not die in the fire, were found in a wooded area surrounding the property.

Sandy Williams, who heads the Tunica County Humane Society, helped rescue the dogs. She said the property appeared to be a puppy mill, and the dogs were not being cared for properly.

“Every one I picked up was malnourished,” she said. “They’re covered in fleas over here where the houses are. I saw no signs of food or water.”

The owner of the dogs and the trailer, Stacey Valentine, arrived in tears when she saw what had happened.

“I tried my best to take care of these dogs,” she said. “They eat good and they have medical care.”

Valentine said she sells some of her dogs and the rest are pets. She says the dead dogs in the woods froze to death.

Williams said workers were seeking aid from nearby agencies, including the DeSoto County Animal Shelter, to help care for the animals.

Categories: Abuse/Neglect, Health, Puppy Mills, Recent News, Rescue
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Locked up for weeks with kitten and Chihuahua, huge dog now ready for adoption

Posted December 31, 2009 By aschae and has 1 comment.

Source: MercuryNews.com, December 30, 2009

Only Leonardo knows what he’s been through. And the 108-pound mastiff isn’t talking.

He’s now up for adoption in Walnut Creek after having been locked in a bathroom for weeks with only a kitten and a Chihuahua for company.

In the other rooms of the vacant Central Valley house, there were two crates full of other Chihuahuas. None of them survived.

But Leonardo and his kitten and Chihuahua companions made it, likely drinking toilet water until being rescued by Kings County animal control officers. They had no food.

Their owners had moved to Las Vegas. Eventually, at the end of September, neighbors called animal control after seeing the driveway sit empty.

When Leonardo was found, he was so malnourished and underweight that he could not even be given his shots.

He had formed special bonds with the kitten and the Chihuahua, said Elena Bicker, executive director of Tony LaRussa’s Animal Rescue Foundation, where Leonardo is now.

When Leonardo was in pet therapy, they would bring in the kitten and he would immediately cheer up, Bicker said.

The kitten and Chihuahua were adopted in Kings County. But Leonardo’s time there had expired — he was to be put down until ARF brought him to Walnut Creek earlier this month.

His adoption sheet says he is mellow and “likes to snuggle.”

“He’s just such a big lug,” Bicker said, adding that she hopes whoever adopts him has a big couch. “He’s a couch potato.”

The Animal Rescue Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive in Walnut Creek, will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and will be closed Friday for New Year’s Day. Call 925-256-1273.

Categories: Abuse/Neglect, Adoptable Dogs, Recent News, Rescue, adoption
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Shelter helps rescue 18 dogs from puppy mill

Posted December 8, 2009 By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: The Daily Herald, Dec 7, 2009

A passion to rescue dogs from the hands of questionable breeders and the power of social networking combined to create one of the largest and quickest fundraising efforts in Save-A-Pet history.

More than 250 people donated nearly $8,000 to buy dogs at an auction in Missouri this past weekend.

An urgent plea for money from Save-A-Pet board President Karen Rappaport went out via e-mail and Facebook, and was quickly shared via other social sites.

“The response was phenomenal,” said shelter Director Dana Deutsch. “We got responses from Canada to New Jersey. One person saw the notice on his vegan Web site.”

The Grayslake shelter got word of a puppy farm that was going out of business. Hundreds of dogs were up for auction. The animals that weren’t purchased were to be destroyed.

Dog auctions are common, but this was the first attended by Save-A-Pet. Shelter leaders say they don’t want to contribute to what they say is a profit-driven cycle of abuse.

The breeders, though legal, typically force adult dogs to breed continuously in filthy and dangerous conditions, Deutsch explained.

Save-A-Pet leaders made an exception in this case because the breeder was going out of business. There were Pomeranians, bulldogs, boxers, Maltese and toy poodles among the 232 dogs on the block. Deutsch attended the auction and returned with 18 dogs that will be available for adoption.

Conditions at the Missouri farm were better than most, Deutsch said, but some of the dogs had missing limbs that were chewed off by other dogs in the cramped conditions. Most were dirty and dozens had lice. Attending the sale was an emotional experience.

“At one point, I was really overwhelmed and had a hard time being there,” she said. “There were three long rows of wire cages, like chicken coops, just packed with dogs. They were jumping and barking as their paws were pushing through the bottom of the wire cages. They were looking at me with that ‘Please help me,’ look. It was hard.”

Near capacity and low on funds, the intake of the dogs comes at a tough time for the shelter. Ten staff members were laid off this past October. The recession has affected donations at the same time the number of cats and dogs entering the shelter has tripled, officials said.

This weekend’s purchase couldn’t have happened without the emergency drive, Rapport said.

The dogs will be available for adoption once they receive medical care and are spayed and neutered. Those interested in adoption should call (847) 740-7788 or visit save-a-pet-il.org.

The power of the Internet continues to impress Rappaport.

“It’s just amazing how quickly this all came together,” she said. “So many people have stepped up and most of them weren’t our regular supporters.”

Categories: Abuse/Neglect, Adoptable Dogs, Health, Puppy Mills, Recent News, Rescue, adoption
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Pet shelter offering foster program during holidays

By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: mywebtimes.com, Dec 4, 2009

Brenda Leake wants to find a heartwarming and loving home for her “kids.”

Leake, the shelter director of Just Animals in Seneca, is partnering with Petfinder.com, hoping to foster some of its dogs this Christmas season.

“We’ve been talking about how great it would be to get our pets into homes for Christmas,” Leake told The Times. “This is the first time we’ve fostered for the holidays. We probably have about 20 dogs right now.”

The current dog population ranges in age from five months to four years.

The program runs from Wednesday, Dec. 23, through Saturday, Jan. 2. There is a $25 fostering charge to cover licensing fees, and if the family decides to adopt, there is a $195 to $250 adoption fee, but the $25 fostering charge would be deducted from that fee.

Those interested must fill out application papers as if they were going to adopt so the shelter can verify the animal is going to a good home.

Leake said people choose to foster for various reasons.

“Some of them are not allowed to have pets on a long-term basis, some people can find out a lot more about a dog by fostering,” Leake said. “It’s a great opportunity to give back. A lot of people aren’t quite sure if they’re ready for a pet and this helps them make that decision.”

Leake said the fostering process normally works well.

“It works out wonderful for people,” she said. “We try to pair up animals that will fit into the home. We have a lot of great dogs right now.”

Interest in the program has been growing.

“I have been getting calls for a few weeks,” Leake said. “People are very interested in this and are hoping to get their family interested as well.”

Leake said the shelter does get stray animals, but the hardest part has been getting animals through house foreclosures, leading to a family that cannot support the dog or cat anymore.

“It’s heartbreaking,” she said. “So many of them are great animals and it just rips your heart out. It’s very hard to see a dog with a good loving home and lose it. It’s very hard on the families and they cry along with us when they have to give up a part of their family to us.”

Pet Project, which is moving from Grand Ridge to Marseilles, is not currently offering fostering services.

“We’ve done it in the past, but it’s difficult because folks who want to foster often have other animals, and they don’t always get along,” said Sue Tonielli, president of the Pet Project board.

The Times was unable to reach Illinois Valley Animal Rescue in Peru by press time to see if they offer similar programs.

In Streator, PAWS to the Rescue, a canine rescue group, offers a foster program year-round. The group was founded in 2008 in response to a growing need for animal control assistance in La Salle County. For more information on PAWS or to donate, go online to www.pawsttr.org.

“I imagine coming in Christmas morning to do chores at the shelter and having the entire ‘Dog Room’ empty, all our ‘kids’ with a human to love, a soft place to sleep and a cuddle just for a bit,” said Leake. “Now that would be my perfect Christmas dream.”

Interested in fostering a dog or cat during the holidays?

Contact Brenda Leake, shelter director at Just Animals in Seneca.
Address: 2996 26th Road (E. Union St.)
Phone: 815-357-1223
e-mail: adopt@justanimals.org

Categories: Adoptable Dogs, Children & Dogs, Events, Recent News, adoption
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Dog Rescued after Passersby Hears Whimper, VA

Posted November 9, 2009 By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: wset.com, Nov 6, 2009

A dog has been rescued after being stuck in the mud for more than 24 hours. Danville Humane Society officials found him on the Riverwalk trail near Dan Daniels Park after walkers reported hearing the dog whimpering.

The humane society knows this dog. They say a woman came to the shelter on Wednesday to drop off the dog, but when she took him out of the car, he got scared and ran away.

Meko Purdue was out walking on the Riverwalk trail with family, when she heard something strange.

“I heard the whimpering and the crying and we looked over we saw the dog,” Meko said.

She and her sister, Chablee, called 911.

“I looked over the ledge and I saw his face, and I was like it’s sitting there and I kept hearing it and hearing it and then that’s when everyone came over police and everything and they were like ‘we don’t see it at all’ and I’m like ‘it’s still under there’,” Chablee said.

Animal Control and Humane Society officials found the dog down a steep bank.

“You could just see his head through the branches and leaves and everything stuck in there, he was hiding underneath the tree,” Linda Cottrell with Animal Control said.

Rescuers were able to get him out. Paulette Dean with the Humane Society is sure he was out there overnight. She says a woman tried to bring this dog to the shelter on Wednesday.

“When she got him out of the car he got scared and he ran and she let go of the leash so she told us that this dog was now running towards the river,” Dean said.

If it hadn’t been for Meko’s call, they might not have found him.

“I’m glad we walked back through here, because a lot of people have been walking back and forth and I can’t believe no one heard him. It was pretty loud. I just feel like we were in the right place at the right time,” Meko said.

He really is a sweet dog. He was taken to the vet and expected to make a full recovery, and he’s available for adoption immediately.  If you live in Danville or Pittsylvania County, call the Humane Society.

Categories: Lost Dog, Recent News, Rescue, adoption
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Greyhound adoption groups plan for track closing, IL

Posted October 12, 2009 By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: ChicagoTribune.com, October 12, 2009

Greyhound adoption groups are preparing to place hundreds of dogs from the Dairyland race track, even though the final decision on closing the state’s only dog track has not been made.

Linda Cliff of Central Illinois Greyhound Adoption says she hasn’t talked to anyone who thinks the track will stay open.

Dairyland managers sent a letter to employees last week saying a decision on the track’s future will be made no later than Nov. 16. Attendance at the track is down 19 percent compared with last year. Wagering is down 29 percent.

Cliff Swenson of Midwest Greyhound Adoption says if the track closes, hundreds of dogs will need to be adopted quickly. Of 900 dogs at Dairyland, Swenson says between 300 and 600 dogs are expected to be available for adoption with the rest going to other tracks around the country.

Categories: Dog Racing, Recent News, Rescue, adoption
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Schaumburg couple killed in crash, left behind quartet of pooches, WA

Posted September 17, 2009 By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: DailyHerald.com, September 16, 2009

190474

Though a Schaumburg couple killed on their motorcycle on Labor Day had no children, a search is on to find adopters for the four dependents they left behind.

Mike Kelm, 55, and his wife Sue, 54, had taken advantage of the beautiful summer weather to go for a ride a couple days before Sue’s scheduled cancer surgery. They were struck by a car exiting a gas station just outside Palatine.

While family and friends grieve the loss of the much-loved couple, they’re also searching for a new home for the dogs the Kelms adored.

“They had no children of their own,” the Kelms’ niece Kim Mayer of Joliet said. “These were their children. And as much as people could spoil animals, they did.”

The family wants to honor the Kelms’ wishes that the four dogs stay together, while recognizing that might not be possible.

“They are their own pack,” Mayer said. “They really take good care of each other.”

The dogs are Anacortes, 6, a female lab mix; Cedonia, 3, a female husky mix; Tacoma, 7, a male lab mix; and Everett, 4, a male Australian shepherd-lab mix.

All named for towns in Washington state because of their owners’ love of the Northwest, the dogs have clearly been mystified by the Kelms’ absence, Mayer said.

“You could just tell they knew something was off,” she said. “After a day, they didn’t bark when other people came to the door.”

Just after the crash, Mayer made twice-daily trips to Schaumburg to look after the dogs.

But as she and her husband live in a townhouse and are expecting a baby in a month, they can’t take on the responsibility long-term, she said.

The dogs are now being housed at the Chicago Canine Club in Burr Ridge while the search goes on for a new permanent home.

Both Mike and Sue were ardent dog lovers who kept the maximum number allowed in Schaumburg.

But with the uncertainty that hovered over them after Sue’s cancer diagnosis last year, they seemed to have quietly concluded these four would be their last, Mayer said.

Sue had tumors in her lungs, which were treated with medication and radiation. But when the cancer spread to her brain and began to affect her vision, she had to schedule the surgery she’d hoped to avoid.

That brain surgery was planned for two days after the crash. Even so, her prognosis was uncertain.

Mike had been a service technician at Lincoln Meadows Apartments in Schaumburg for 10 years. His unexpected death leaves behind devoted colleagues who are also helping in the search to place his dogs.

All in all, the past 10 days have been a very trying time for all who knew and loved the couple.

“My grandparents are still alive,” Mayer said. “They’re trying to cope, but parents should never have to bury their children. But we also have a baby on the way, so there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. We’re all people of faith, and I think that helps.”

Anyone interested in adopting the Kelms’ dogs should arrange an appointment by contacting Kathy Deets at the Chicago Canine Club at (708) 542-8969 or Kathy@chicagocanineclub.com, or Mayer at (815) 272-4583 or mayerdnk72@hotmail.com.

Categories: Recent News, adoption
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