The Sanctuary Animal Rescue in Clewiston, FL has a new family member.  Teddy Bear is six weeks old,  born with twisted front legs the breeder contacted the rescue to see if they would take him. The sanctuary didn’t even hesitate to make arrangements to get Teddy Bear.

Palena Dorsey started the Sanctuary in March 2004.  Her mission was to help those animals that were considered fearful and aggressive, or who were old and ill and about to be put to sleep because of the overwhelming influx of animals at local shelters.

The Sanctuary of course said they would take him. Teddy Bear had a very long trip and it took 30 hours to get there. He was very tired and  was coughing too. He was given fluids and put on antibiotics.

Palena is the Executive Director and Teddy Bear lives in her room and stays with her 24 hours a day. He has to be fed often and helped to go potty, but he’s happy.

The Sanctuary Animal Rescue is trying to raise money so Teddy Bear can have surgery to help him, hoping he can eventually  get adopted and have his very own home.

What a wonderful woman Palena Dorsey is, stepping in where others may have turned away. If you would like to help you can make a donation directly to Teddy Bear,  or for any of the Sanctuary’s residents.

Winter weather is here, at least in many areas of the country, bringing with it biting cold and snow.

There are a few things to keep in mind as the temperatures drop when it comes to the safety of your dog.

The Humane Society has some provided some helpful tips to keep away the winter woes.

* Don’t leave dogs outdoors when the temperature drops. Most dogs, and all cats, are safer indoors, except when taken out for exercise. Regardless of the season, shorthaired, very young, or old dogs and all cats should never be left outside without supervision. Short-coated dogs may feel more comfortable wearing a sweater during walks.

* No matter what the temperature, windchill can threaten a pet’s life. A dog or cat is happiest and healthiest when kept indoors. If your dog is an outdoor dog, however, he/she must be protected by a dry, draft-free doghouse that is large enough to allow the dog to sit and lie down comfortably, but small enough to hold in his/her body heat. The floor should be raised a few inches off the ground and covered with cedar shavings or straw. The house should be turned to face away from the wind, and the doorway should be covered with waterproof burlap or heavy plastic.

* Pets who spend a lot of time outdoors need more food in the winter because keeping warm depletes energy. Routinely check your pet’s water dish to make certain the water is fresh and unfrozen. Use plastic food and water bowls rather than metal; when the temperature is low, your pet’s tongue can stick and freeze to metal.

* Warm engines in parked cars attract cats and small wildlife, who may crawl up under the hood. To avoid injuring any hidden animals, bang on your car’s hood to scare them away before starting your engine.

* The salt and other chemicals used to melt snow and ice can irritate the pads of your pet’s feet. Wipe the feet with a damp towel before your pet licks them and irritates his/her mouth.

* Antifreeze is a deadly poison, but it has a sweet taste that may attract animals and children. Wipe up spills and store antifreeze (and all household chemicals) out of reach. Better yet, use antifreeze-coolant made with propylene glycol; if swallowed in small amounts, it will not hurt pets, wildlife, or your family.

For those Dogsters wondering if your dog needs a coat, I went to Dogster’s vet blog and checked with  Dr. Eric Barchas.   So, do dogs need to wear coats?

It depends on the dog, and it depends on how cold it is.

As a rule, smaller dogs are more likely than larger dogs to need extra warmth. Their small bodies cannot hold heat as well.

Likewise, dogs with short, thin coats are more likely than those with long, thick coats to need extra warmth.

Therefore, a Chihuahua who lives in Los Angeles might need a sweater if it dips below 50 degrees (Fahrenheit). A husky who lives in Fairbanks might never need a sweater.

Also, remember that pets, like people, warm up with activity. I may take off my jacket when I am hiking a trail up a hill, but put it on again when I reach the top. A dog playing fetch usually won’t need a coat. A dog being carried in a purse usually will.

Given the complexity of the situation, your best bet is to use common sense and pick up on your pets’ cues. If they are reluctant to go outside, or if they show signs of being cold (such as seeking warmth or shivering), then you should consider bundling them up.

According to The Humane Society, the happiest dogs are those who are taken out frequently for walks and exercise but kept inside the rest of the time.

* The snow cutie above is Dazzle.

In Our Hands Shelter in Brooklyn, NY is in desperate need of foster parents to help care for loving dogs whose time will be up without immediate intervention.

Dear Friends,

The lists of URGENT dogs at Animal Care and Control have been especially awful during the past couple days, and as a result, we have committed to placing the following NO CONCERN dogs and others. In order to SAVE THEIR LIVES, we are asking you, our faithful supporters to stand and offer to foster a shelter dog who would otherwise meet the same unhappy fate of millions per year.

Sweet Butter came into the shelter via police escort on 11/11/08. This gentle girl hopped right in and got a ride, thinking they must be taking her home. But no, sadly they took her instead to an overcrowded city shelter. Now her life is in grave danger, for there is no cage space left, and Butter has been there too long. Can you help by fostering or adopting her?

THIS SWEET SWEET Boy is going to be DUST unless you can commit to ADOPTING/FOSTERING or Sponsoring IMMEDIATELY!!!
2 year old MARLON was wandering the streets as a stray. They scooped him up and brought him to the Shelter.

He was soooo thin … very emaciated. But he hadn’t been on the streets for long, because his nails were overgrown. That means that someone kept him confined, didn’t walk him, and didn’t feed him. The staff has been feeding him extra meals to fatten him up. All the while, he’s proved a loving animal: great with people and fine with other dogs. He arrived weighing only 38 pounds and should weigh a lot more.

Although Marlon has been let down by humans, he’s nevertheless sweet as sugar, well-behaved AND smart! He plays nicely, fetching a doll and returning it. He’s happy to rest his head on your lap (to stay warm during this cold weather, and he probably knew about the treats in my pocket). Please consider this fine, affectionate dog!

Sweet Butter and Marlon are just two of the dogs in desperate need, please contact the shelter to find out about the others.

If you’re looking to adopt, or are available to foster, please contact Emily today at emily@emilygear.com.

* The beauty above is Kane.

It is the 10th annual Iams Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption drive. Their goal is to find loving, lifelong homes for more than 1 million orphaned dogs and cats through the participation of 3,000 organizations.

The drive started October 1, 2008 and runs through January 5, 2009. The goal this year is 1 million adoptions.

How did Iams Home 4 the Holidays start?

Iams Home 4 the Holidays began in 1999 when Helen Woodward Animal Center organized 14 San Diego area shelters, finding homes for 2,563 orphaned pets. Each pet “went home” with a holiday meal of Iams food.

How did it become the largest adoption drive in history?

130 shelters in 5 states found homes for 20,000 pets during Iams Home 4 the Holidays 2000. In 2001 spokesperson Diane Keaton lead 450 shelters across the USA, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico, finding homes for more than 100,000 pets. Iams Home 4 the Holidays 2002 grew to 1200 shelters and rescues in 20 countries, completing 180,000 adoptions and breaking all previous records.

During the 2003 drive the 1,316 participating shelters and rescue groups completed 261,839 adoptions. Our 2004 campaign grew to 1,800 shelters and rescue groups and 313,123 adoptions. And in 2005 Iams Home 4 the Holidays not only found a home for our 1-millionth pet, the 1,941 participating groups again broke their own record by finding families for 328,777 orphaned pets.

To find out more you can call the Helen Woodward Animal Center at 858-756-4117 x-302.  Or sign up right now to be part of the largest and most successful pet adoption drive in history.

I just received an update from the Indian River Humane Society, here it is in its entirety.

Mystery of “unique” lost dog solved:

(Vero Beach, Florida) - The search for the family of “Jenna,” the lost dog at The Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County discovered to have had highly specialized surgery, has ended. The beautiful female Catahoula Leopard dog’s family was located after the animal shelter sought help from both the media and veterinarians across Florida.

According to a family member, “Jenna,” whose true name is Cocoa, was stolen twice before, adding that their property has been also vandalized by unknown individuals. Although the family has been able to locate and recover Jenna in the past, they gave up hope of finding her after conducting a search when she went missing last month. It wasn’t until a friend mentioned seeing Jenna’s story in the media that the family filed a lost dog report with the Humane Society.

Nicknamed “Jenna” by Humane Society staff, the 2-year-old dog was examined by shelter veterinarian Dr. Elizabeth Bybee who determined that she had previously undergone costly, life-saving surgery. Because Jenna had no form of identification, the shelter kept her medical information confidential to ensure she could be positively identified by either her family or the veterinarian who performed the surgery.

It was discovered that the family acquired Jenna through an acquaintance who had moved to Florida from Indiana. As a puppy in Indiana, Jenna had undergone extensive surgery after being hit by a car. The surgery left her with metal plates in both back legs.

Concerned for Jenna’s future safety, her family recently asked the Humane Society to place her for adoption. “It’s clear to us the family wants to do what’s best for her,” Animal Care Manager Maria Ramirez said. As a result, Jenna was placed with an Indian River County couple last Friday.

The couple read of Jenna’s plight in the media and called repeatedly to ask if she could be adopted as a companion for their Catahoula Leopard dog. By Friday evening they contacted the shelter to say, “How thrilled we all are with Jenna. She is a treasure.”

“It’s still a story with a happy ending for Jenna even if it’s not the ending we anticipated,” Janet Winikoff, Director of Education said.

Cocoa’s family showed the greatest love of all, giving her up so that she could live in a safe home.  I can’t imagine that was easy, I applaud them for making such a selfless decision.

* That’s Cocoa on the right, she looks very happy meeting her new family member for the first time.

In Tampa, FL the PM Tinies breeding facility owner is facing criminal charges.

Two weeks ago the Department of Animal Services stepped in and seized over 30 dogs, of various small breeds.

Starting today at 11a.m. the Hillsborough County Animal Services, located at 440 Falkenburg Road in Tampa, will place approximately 30 of the dogs for adoption.

Those wishing to adopt dogs from the breeder seizure may be subject to special restrictions, home visits or other screening by Hillsborough County Animal Services.

Most of the dogs will require spay/neuter surgery and may not be available to leave immediately.

The dogs offered will range in age from 8 weeks to 14 years of age, and many suffer medical issues such as heart worms, heart murmurs and periodontal disease.

For the first  24 hours priority will be given to Hillsborough County residents.

Out-of-County residents (non-Hillsborough) are encouraged to consider other adoptable pets or visiting the shelter on Thursday, November 20th to check availability of these dogs.

If interested stop by the Hillsborough County Department of Animal Services, there you can get contact information and adoption paperwork.

Not just any wine, a wine with a cause.  Carivintas Winery has a special collection of wine in honor of the Pit Bulls taken from Michael Vick.

The wine labels feature beautiful paintings of  each of the dogs on front, with their story on the back.

It’s a tribute to what love and patience can do to turn a trained fighting dog around. A celebration of triumph for these dogs who beat the odds.

Best Friends Animal Society is commemorating its 25th anniversary with a special salute to 22 very special pit bulls taken from Michael Vick’s Bad Newz Kennels and now living at Best Friends.

From damaged souls to national sweethearts, these dogs inspired us to tackle the very dark world of illegal dog fighting and we could think of no greater tribute than to shine spotlights on each one of them.

So, we’ve teamed up with The Dog Lovers Wine Club to create a signature wine series - a special two case collection featuring fine portraits of each dog painted by Best Friends Founder and artist Cyrus Mejia.

Cyrus was already painting the Vicktory dogs for his latest art project, Pits and Perception, a collection of larger-than-life portraits of pit bulls, supported in part by the Culture and Animals Foundation.

“The idea behind this project is to have people confront their fears and perceptions on these dogs,” explains Cyrus. “When I was a kid, Dobermans were considered dangerous. Now it’s pit bulls. I thought if perceptions can change one way, maybe they could change back. This is my way of artistically trying to change the way people have come to think about pit bulls.”

The creation of the wine labels grew out of that undertaking. Ten percent of all sales from the Vicktory Dog Wine Collection will benefit Best Friends by funding community programs such as legislative campaigns to end dog fighting and combating breed-specific legislation.
To order from the Vicktory Dog Wine Collection, click here.

Key in VDOGS for a special 10% discount when checking out. Limited time discount ends December 31, 2008.

If you enjoy wine, or are looking for a gift to give this holiday season, here’s the perfect choice.  You get a great bottle of wine, and at the same time give a little something back to help go towards bringing awareness to the cause.

It’s hard to believe but the holiday season is officially here. A lot of people will be traveling by car to their destination, many with the family dog.  While some pets enjoy riding in the family car, others find it stressful.

The American Humane Society has provided us with a great list of tips, whether traveling by car or air, to help minimize stress.  Making this an enjoyable trip for both the two and four legged family members.

General Tips for Safe Travel With Pets:

Properly identify pets with ID tags and microchips — Make sure your pets have ID and current rabies tags and are microchipped. To be extra cautious, give your pet an extra tag with the address and phone number of where you will be staying for the duration of the trip, in case they get lost after you arrive.

Train pets to travel in their crates — Whether you’re heading to your holiday destination by plane, train or automobile, getting your pets used to their crates will make the entire traveling experience less stressful. Even when not at home, pets still view their crates as a safe haven from stressful situations.

With a crate, size does matter — Crates should be large enough for pets to stand and turn around in comfortably. Remember to keep water inside the crate or allow for breaks every 3 hours where your pet can drink and stretch. Stainless steel water containers that hook onto wire crates are easy to use and clean up well.

Never leave your pets unattended – Just as you would never leave a child unattended, never leave your pet alone in a car.

Bring their health records– Many of us can’t remember the last time we got a tetanus shot, let alone remember all the shots and medications our pets have had. Take your pet’s health records just in case he needs to see a veterinarian during your trip. Be sure to check with your veterinarian to see if they would recommend heartworm prevention or treatment for fleas or ticks for the area you are traveling.

Air Travel:

To fly or not to fly – As a rule, puppies and kittens, sick animals, animals in heat, and frail or pregnant animals should not travel by air. Animals that are “pug-nosed,” like pugs, boxers and Persian cats, should not fly in the cargo area of a plane. You should also plan ahead because many airlines have restrictions regarding pets and because your pet may need a health certificate to fly.

Tranquilizing pets is not recommended — Sedatives are not encouraged when flying because it’s difficult to monitor the animal’s breathing, which can be impaired by the combination of sedatives and high altitude.

Boarding is an option — If your animal is too large to fly in the cabin with you, staying at a boarding kennel may be a safer choice. Or you could hire a licensed pet sitter to take care of your pet in the comfort of its own home.

Car Travel:

Try to keep pets on the same “schedule” — Stop when you would normally let your animals out at home and at feeding times.

Plan lodging ahead — Research your route, make reservations and carry a list of pet-friendly lodging along the way. Also, ask for a room on the ground floor so it is easier to walk your pet. Don’t let your pet stay in the car.

Be prepared for emergencies or delays — Keep pet dishes in your car, as well as extra water and pet food, in case of car trouble or bad weather.

The American Humane Association wishes everybody safe and happy travels this holiday season. For more information about American Humane, go to www.americanhumane.org.

* The cutie above, Sophie Bean, is packed and ready for her holiday travel.

Jenna  was found hurt and limping in an area notorious for dog fighting.  She was picked up by the Vero Beach, FL Humane Society who  have been desperately  trying to find her owners.

She was named “Jenna” by the staffers,  who have quickly gotten attached to her.

She is a Catahoula leopard hound mix found in the Fellsmere area limping, scarred and scared.

Now Vero Beach Humane Society officials are hoping to locate the veterinarian whose unique operation helped give this dog her day.

The pooch was found limping in an area notorious for dog fighting, officials said. But after reviewing X-rays, shelter veterinarian Dr. Elizabeth Bybee recognized the pooch had previously undergone extensive — and expensive — lifesaving surgery.

“The surgery would have cost her family several thousand dollars,” Bybee said. “It’s clear that someone, or some family, really loved her.”

The details of the operation are unique and details are not being released, to make sure she is returned to the rightful family.

Humane Society officials speculate the dog may have been stolen and then used as practice for the fighting dogs.

“She’s too gentle to have been used as a fighting dog but our fear is that she may have been used as what’s called a bait dog,” said Janet Winikoff, director of education at the Humane Society of Vero Beach.

It’s horrible, and sickening,  to think that she was dognapped to be used as bait. If anyone has information about Jenna, or can help the Humane Society reunite Jenna with her family  please call (772)388-3331, ext. 31.

First off, for anyone wondering where Malta is, it’s an island located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea.

The story isn’t about where Malta is but what’s happening to resident Ronnie Scicluna, a man whose love of dogs has landed him in jail.

Mr Scicluna’s story goes back a few years. Unable to see sick or abandoned animals on the streets, he began to pick them up, housing them at the former Palm Beach Restaurant, now a derelict building in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq.

The number of dogs started increasing and so did the complaints from residents, who lived just metres away and could no longer tolerate the incessant barking 24 hours a day, or the fact the place had turned into a slum.

She roped in Noah’s Ark, an animal welfare organisation in Mellieħa, and together they re-homed some 40 dogs, relieving Mr Scicluna of his burden and getting the authorities off his back.

Residents’ grievances reached the authorities’ ears and Mr Scicluna was threatened with eviction. In 2006, Joan Baker, a retired English lady with a big heart, intervened to help Mr Scicluna.

Things improved for a while but then homeless and injured dogs started showing up again.  Mr. Scicluna couldn’t help but resort to picking them up and bringing them back to the original compound, resulting in fines.

Faced with pending fines and unable to pay them, Mr Scicluna was thrown in jail. An e-mail is now being circulated by his supporters who are claiming the authorities have abdicated their responsibilities.

However, animal organisations are not surprised that Mr Scicluna landed in jail, even though they are sorry to see him in such a spot.

“Rennie’s heart is in the right place, but he doesn’t have the know-how or the resources. He could not look after the animals properly and he kept big dogs with the smaller ones. We tried to help, but after a while we gave up,” said Brenda Swift, president and co-founder of Share Malta (Support for Homeless Animals, Research and Education).

Those in favor of Rennie Scicluna say he needs to be released from jail, he shouldn’t be there.  His opponents feel that he has been hoarding the dogs and consider that a form of animal cruelty.

I don’t know what kind of conditions the dogs were kept in, but isn’t anything better than a throw-a-way dog left on the streets because no one else would help?  If there was a system in place for homeless animals, which they say they’re now working on, Rennie Scicluna would never have been put in a position to break the law.

Give me a bark, let me know what you think about what happened to Mr. Scicluna.