I just want to remind everyone that the official kickoff of American Humane’s Adopt-A-Dog Month has begun. It’s a great time to adopt a rescue dog or help out by volunteering your time at a shelter.

Send me in your dog’s rescue story, using the ‘Bark Back‘ form, and if I feature it on the blog you will win 50 zealies.

You can become a hero to a dog this October by observing and celebrating the American Humane Association’s Adopt-A-Dog Month® event. Millions of dogs in shelters are facing an uncertain fate, and many more are joining them each day due to the effects of the recession on pet owners. But there are simple steps each of us can take to make a difference in these dogs’ lives.

Save the day for a homeless dog — and find a faithful companion who will be at your side for all of life’s adventures — by adopting a dog from a shelter or breed-rescue group during October. It’s the perfect time to visit the shelter, meet potential sidekicks and discover how much fun and happiness a dog can add to your life.

Companionship, improved physical and emotional health, social interaction and devoted love are just a few of the super-size benefits of having a dog. Dogs also encourage people to exercise, enhance family and social relationships, promote laughter and act as a nonjudgmental audience and sounding board.

Bringing a dog into your home is a lifetime commitment (the dog’s lifetime, that is) and can require immense lifestyle adjustments for everyone in the family. If you aren’t ready to adopt, but still want to make a difference for homeless dogs, here are some other ways to celebrate Adopt-A-Dog Month:

Volunteer: Shelters and rescue groups are always looking for dependable people who can help in almost any way. Are you good at taking pictures or working on websites? Offer to take appealing photos of adoptable dogs and post them on the organization’s website. Do you have a way with words? Volunteer your time to help edit the organization’s newsletter or website. We all have something to offer; we just need to ask how we can help!

Support: While financial support is always welcome, your donation of blankets, toys, dog food and volunteer time are just a few of the things you can offer homeless dogs in your community. You can also make contributions to help fund grants that are available to community shelters and rescue groups through American Humane’s Second Chance Fund and its Foreclosure Pets Grant. These grants help abused, neglected, abandoned or relinquished pets and are funded entirely by donations, so your support goes directly to help these animals get the care they need to survive.

“Right now there is a greater need than ever for people to go to a shelter and find their new best friend,” said Marie Belew Wheatley, American Humane president and CEO. “The nation’s economy is negatively impacting community shelters and rescue organizations, filling them to capacity many times over. This October, we hope people will renew their commitment to help these animals that are so in need of forever homes.”

I want to thank Carol for letting me know about the situation Sabbath Rescue is dealing with. The rescue is about to be closed due to a zoning issue and their 150 dogs are at risk of being put down.

Here’s more details from The Pet Postcard Project website.

In light of the enormous foreclosure problem we are experiencing here in south Florida, the number of dogs rescued by Sabbath Rescue within the last two years has exploded. These abandoned dogs, most sickly and inhumanely treated, now have a home where they are cared for, loved, and have the possibility of being adopted. Sabbath has been rescuing dogs for the past 9 years.

And now, Miami-Dade County wants to close Sabbath down because of a kennel license violation. Animal Services director, Sara Pizano, has filed a $5,000 lien on the farmland on which Sabbath is located. Sabbath has been ordered off the farm within 12 days. We will fight this, but regardless, if Animal Services finds that we have not moved in time, it is their intention to forcibly take the 150 dogs to their slaughter.

We desperately need your help to convince the City officials to either immediately issue a kennel license to Sabbath, or, in the alternative, to grant a stay for 12 months in order for Sabbath to resolve this situation.

It would be a horrible tragedy if the rescued dogs who cheated death once got put down without a chance for adoption. Take a minute to sign the petition asking Miami-Dade County for an extension.

If there’s anyone who knows how to legally help Sabbath Memorial Dog Rescue and these 150 shelter dogs, please contact Danny Kresky via email or at (954) 929-2097.

* Sabbath, the inspiration to start the rescue.

I created this channel on YouTube to save as many animals lives in overcrowded shelters across the country as I can through making these videos and uploading them here on YouTube. Public announcements if you will.

If you can’t see the video click here.

It actually started as an experiment. One day I got an email that had thumbnail pictures of about 33 dogs in a shelter in Ohio off their petfinder site. All were in danger of death due to available space at the shelter. After looking at the email I decided this was no way to feature these animals.

See I have over twenty years in sales and marketing. Using what I know I created my first video for this channel show casing these 33 dogs back on April 27, 2009. Their last day was suppose to be April 29, 2009. I called the shelter for an update and was pleasantly surprised to learn how far and wide the videos reached and that people were calling the shelter about their video they didn’t even know they had offering donations, rescue and even some private public adoptions. The video was a success. With less then two full days before the dogs would be put to sleep the shelter had received enough interest that NO ONE was put down this week. This has continued for the past four weeks at this shelter. All total in the first two weeks the shelter moved forty-eight dogs from death row. To date it has been four weeks and 56 dogs are rescued, adopted or reclaimed.

For almost two years now I have been trying to help animals in high kill shelters across the country by networking with rescues and shelters. I occasionally volunteer to transport as well moving animals out of areas where adoptions just rarely happen.

I finally decided since shelters are overcrowded and mostly underfunded and rescue groups are in the same shoes that it was time to bring the problem back to the public where it originates.

I just know there has got to be more animal lovers out there than the people I have met these past two years. I am hoping by bringing the pictures of these animals to the public, since many tell me they can’t bear to even walk through a shelter and this included people I’ve met who are rescuers, that more animals will get adopted and out of high kill shelters where many are put to death by gassing or heartsick for the crime of Just Being Born.

Times have changed, social networking is now a popular way to spread your message or get the word out about a cause. It’s been working For The Sake Of Animals and I want to help them by doing my part and sharing their message with you. Won’t you do the same?

]]> http://dogblog.dogster.com/2009/07/14/for-the-sake-of-animals/feed/ 10 http://dogblog.dogster.com/2009/07/10/dogs-on-death-row/ http://dogblog.dogster.com/2009/07/10/dogs-on-death-row/#comments Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:46:54 +0000 Horst Hoefinger http://dogblog.dogster.com/?p=18391

The dogs listed with URGENT only have until tomorrow, if you or anyone you know is interested please act quickly.

CROSSPOSTING PERMITTED AND GREATLY APPRECIATED!

Mahoning County Dog Pound, Youngstown, OH: Adoptable Pets: Petfinder

SEE ALL PICTURES AT PETFINDER.COM

FIRST:
Please call the pound to place your name on the dog (ID# of dog REQUIRED)
330.740.2205 (prompt 1 or 2)

SECOND:
Please email both contacts below:
CanineCrusader@yahoo.com
CanineCrusader@aol.com

581 LESLIE   Shepherd  Adult

600 GLENDA  Labrador Retriever
Adult, F

601 GIDEON
Labrador Retriever
Young, M

602 DELANEY
Black Labrador Retriever

603 NICK URGENT!
Pit Bull Terrier
Adult, M

611EVAN URGENT!
Pit Bull Terrier
Young, M

612 DAISY URGENT!
Pit Bull Terrier
Young, F

613 RILEY URGENT!
Pit Bull Terrier
Adult

615 HARPER URGENT!
Pit Bull Terrier
Young

607 DUSTAN
Rottweiler
Beagle
Adult, M

608 DUDLEY
Pointer
Young, M

494 FULL SPONSOR!
Labrador Retriever
Adult, F

569 BLUE EYES!
Shepherd
English Bulldog
Adult

568 FULL SPONSOR!
Yellow Labrador Retriever
Adult, M

566 FULL SPONSOR!
Rottweiler
Young, F

565 FULL SPONSOR!
Shepherd
Adult, M

570 FULL SPONSOR!
Shepherd
Labrador Retriever
Adult, F

577 OTTO
Jack Russell Terrier
Adult

575 AVERY
Black Labrador Retriever
Young, M

585LAVENDER-PURE
German Shepherd Dog
Adult, F

584 OWEN
Black Labrador Retriever
Adult, M

583 BLACK BEAUTY
Black Labrador Retriever
Adult, M

594Maisie URGENT!
Pit Bull Terrier
Boxer
Young, F

589 JIM URGENT!
Pit Bull Terrier
Boxer
Adult, M

592 PETE URGENT!
American Bulldog
Adult, M

590 LEX URGENT!
Pit Bull Terrier
Adult

595 CHRIS URGENT!
Pit Bull Terrier
Adult

An unwanted Rottweiler who had been living outside tied to a tree was rescued by a Livonia, MI man. Boomer came to live with his new owner about a week before Christmas, he ended up being the best gift John Bates ever received. He rescued Boomer, now Boomer has rescued him.

Early Tuesday morning there was a house fire where Bates, his girlfriend, and her two daughters live.

The fire started in a living room wall in the home on Rayburn between Merriman and Middlebelt. The family had had a fire in the fireplace the evening before, and the fire may have spread to the wall space through a hole in the brickwork, Donnelley said.

The 2-year-old Rottweiler, Boomer, alerted owner John Bates at about 5:15 a.m.

“He kept putting his cold nose right into my face. He was bouncing around,” Bates said, adding that that was unusual behavior for Boomer. The family’s other dog, a 1-year-old bull mastiff named Princess, was right behind Boomer.

“I thought they had to go the bathroom real bad,” Bates said.
He got out of bed, let them out the front door, turned on the light in the living room and saw 4 to 8 inches of smoke on the living room ceiling coming from around the fireplace.

He woke up his girlfriend, Lisa Bowden, and her two daughters, Monica, 11, and Julia, 18, who got safely outside the house.

Bates moved into the residence in November, at that time he checked one of the smoke detectors but found the battery wasn’t working. He didn’t bother replacing it.  The fire marshall on the scene emphasized the importance of making sure all smoke detectors are in working order.

If it wasn’t for Boomer the family would have died.  I have the feeling he will never have to worry about being unloved again.  Way to go Boomer, you are Dogster’s dog hero of the day.

* If you’re looking for a lifesaver you can adopt Buck, he’s a handsome 2-year-old rottie mix. Adoptable w/in 50 miles of Lowell, IN.

I have read many animal abuse stories, but I must tell you this is one of the most disturbing cases I have seen.

I received an email message telling the story of Sammy, the picture attached was enough to make you physically ill.  It actually took me a few days to go to the site and read the story, it’s one that needs to be told.

I am constantly amazed at the undying spirit of animals, their unconditional love, and strength to survive. I am also amazed at man’s inhumanity to canine. Thankfully there are places like Noah’s Arks Rescue,  they help restore my faith in humanity.

Noah’s Arks Animal Rescue is a group of individuals working to end the senseless killing of innocent animals in our shelters all across the country. Our loyal companions have become disposable, throwaway pets. All animals are born with equal claims on life and the same rights to existence. Our loving companion animals have the right to complete their natural life span. Our wish and lifelong hope is that society becomes educated in the ethical treatment of animals. We focus on animals that depend on us to fight for their right to life. Please, help those that cannot help themselves.

Sammy was a stray in Rains, SC. who was brought to Noah’s Arks Rescue. This is his story. It is not for the faint of heart.

This is one of the worst abuse cases I have seen in a while. Just when you think you are getting a handle on some of the abuse in this country to animals, something like this happens. It just tears your heart up in tiny little pieces that someone could intentionally do this to one of God’s gentlest creatures.

Meet SAMMY. Sammy showed up as a stray in Rains, SC. The family there started to feed him and he came around more regularly. He was a great dog that began to trust them and was around all the time. Two months ago he disappeared and when he returned this is how he looked. He has been tortured and both eyes have been punctured. He was taken to a doctor that thinks he was beaten so badly that his eyes burst and to Marion County shelter to see if someone could help them. The shelter recalled that someone had called and reported a dog wandering around for the last two day with it’s eyes bulging. That dog was Sammy. How he found his way back to this same house without eyes, we will never know.

He is going to our vet in Greenville, SC today and is scheduled to have surgery to have both eyes removed on Friday.

Since the original post on Noah’s Arks Sammy has had surgery, he is doing amazingly well.  He has gone to a foster home for rehabilitation, is receiving a ton of love and care, and going on walks with his four-legged buddies. It truly is unbelievable.

Sammy’s surgery and rehabilitation have cost a tremendous amount of money. Noah’s Arks Rescue survives on donations, they could desperately use some help. When I was reading Sammy’s story I actually stopped and sent in a donation. I know how tough times are, but even if you can only donate a few dollars it could make a huge difference.

The monsters who did this have not been caught.  I urge anyone who may have information to notify the proper authorities.  I can guarantee whoever did this will not stop with a dog, they will go on to even worse (if that’s possible) crimes. These types of crimes are exactly why the law that was passed in Arkansas needs to be passed in every state. It makes torturing a dog, cat, or horse a felony on first offense.

Thank you in advance to all the Dogsters who generously give a donation to Noahs Arks Rescue.

On January 16th you can check-in at your local movie theater and watch Hotel For Dogs. It’s the story of two foster kids who have a dog they need to keep hidden, and the lengths they go to do so.

The movie is about unconditional love, showing it doesn’t always take a family in the traditional sense to make a home.

“Hotel for Dogs,” Andi (Emma Roberts, niece of Julia) and her younger brother, Bruce (Jake T. Austin) live in a strictly no-pets household and are fast running out of ways to keep their perpetually hungry dog, Friday, under wraps.

When they accidentally stumble on an abandoned hotel that is already home to a couple of resourceful strays, Andi has an idea. She taps Bruce’s mechanical genius for turning everyday objects into mechanical marvels, and, with the help of their friends in the neighborhood, transform the down-and-out hotel into a magical dog paradise – not only for Friday, but for every stray they can find.

But when the barking dogs make the neighbors and the suddenly out-of-work local dog catchers suspicious, Andi and Bruce have to use every invention at their disposal to prevent them from finding out “who let the dogs in.”

There were many dogs used in the making of Hotel For Dogs.  When you see a film with animals you  may recall the  “No Animals Were Harmed” disclaimer, that’s part of the American Humane Film & TV Unit. They make sure that when animals are involved everything is done in a safe and non-stressful environment. Have you ever watched a movie where there is a stunt that looks like an animal was harmed ?  That’s called perception vs. reality, it looks so real, but it was done in a safe manner with a lot of prep work.  The American Humane is there to document this so that there is no doubt everything was done properly.

I had the pleasure of doing a phone interview with Jone Bauman, Head of Communications for the American Humane, and Beth Langhorst who is a Senior Certified Animal Representative. Beth has a very impressive background, graduating from Moorpark College with a degree in Exotic Animal Training and Management. She was on the set of Hotel For Dogs for three months during the filming overseeing everything that involved the dogs: stunts, make-up, special effects.

One of the neat things I learned from the interview is that approximately 75-80% of the dogs you see in movies are rescued animals. After the movie many are adopted by the cast and crew, the rest go to other forever homes.

The American Humane provides this service free of charge which is great, plus they can never be accused of making a decision based on who’s paying them. They work on over 1,000 productions a year with only 11 full-time  and 25 part-time safety reps.

So, go enjoy the movie and know that “No Animals Were Harmed” thanks to the wonderful work of the American Humane.

* Photo courtesy American Humane.

Here is a rather strange story about a woman who lives in Sparks, NV.   Colleen Spalioni was devastated after losing her two-year-old Pointer Barney, he was killed by a car  in November.

Her husband was out of town so Spalioni took a little road trip, to a nearby shelter. Actually, it was more like a 6 hour road trip to a shelter in Delano, CA. She ended up there after looking online trying to find a dog that looked like Barney and found the Dogsindanger.com website, they post photos of the dogs and how long they have left until being euthanized.

After finding her Barney look-a-like Spalioni took off for the shelter, things took a bit on an unexpected turn when she got there.

But when she arrived, her heart took over, and she ended up bringing home 27 dogs that were about to be killed, including 10 Chihuahua mixes, one purebred Chihuahua, a Jack Russell, a poodle, two shepherd mixes, two miniature pinschers and an Australian cattle dog mix.

“I didn’t realize so many animals were dying every day until I saw it with my own eyes,” she said.

She said animal control officers helped her and her traveling companion load the dogs in her pickup. Some fit in the cab, the others rode in the truck bed with a down blanket and a tarp over the top.

I can totally understand how she felt, there’s nothing worse than going in a shelter and only being able to leave with one dog. However, what were the shelter workers thinking when they were packing up her 27 new family members?  I realize they were probably happy the dogs wouldn’t be put down, but didn’t they find this situation a bit odd?  When we adopted Logan we filled out so much paperwork I think it would have been easier to adopt a child from China.

When Colleen Spalioni got home her neighbors weren’t nearly as excited as she was. They weren’t happy about the noise, and the fact she had 24 dogs over the local three dog ordinance. Her story got posted on a newspaper blog which helped her get all but four of the dogs adopted. She was trying to get the last four into new homes before her husband got back home. “I learned my lesson. I promise I won’t do this again,” Spalioni said.

They say things happen for a reason, and maybe so, if it weren’t for Colleen Spalioni all those dogs may have been put down.  Thanks to her most of them have new homes for the holidays.

* The pic is from a playdate Logan had with Dogster member Athens.

The Durham Region Humane Society Shelter in Oshawa, Ontario was destroyed by a raging fire.  Only 8 dogs and 2 cats were able to be rescued, tragically 150 animals were killed.

What a heartbreaking story, many of the animals were waiting to be picked up to go to their new homes.

“We could hear the dogs barking when we got there,” said Platoon Chief Neil Crouter of Oshawa Fire Services. “There were leashes inside the door so the firefighters grabbed them, then grabbed the dogs and handed them to police at the door.”

Crouter said the dogs were further away from the fire, which was raging in the front part of the building, and that firefighters had barely enough time to grab a couple of cats in cages, he said.

The other cats were “already gone,” overcome by smoke long before the flames reached them, he said.

“At least they were asleep and didn’t feel anything.”

Police officers comforted the rescued animals and kept them warm in their cruisers while firefighters battled the blaze, which broke out around 2:15 a.m.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated. Damage to the 2,400-square-foot facility on Waterloo St. is estimated at $250,000.

Two sobbing teenagers placed red and white carnations in front of the building’s charred remains as shelter employees and volunteers gathered to grieve the lost creatures.

A grief counselor was being brought in to help the shelter workers and volunteers deal with the devastating loss. The dogs that were rescued were taken to the Farewell Street Shelter, they got big hugs from all the animal workers.

One of the saved dogs, Bailey, is getting a second chance at life. He was just rescued a few nights prior when  found tied to a fence in freezing weather,  now he’s one of  just eight dogs that survived the fire.

Meanwhile, the Durham organization, which relies solely on donations, will temporarily have to work out of the Oshawa Animal Services’ Farewell St. office.

The humane society has been trying for years to find a decent shelter to replace the Waterloo St. building they occupied for 20 years.

“It was too small and crowded and not the best place for us,” said shelter manager Ruby Richards. “We’re desperate for land so we can build our own but nobody will sell it to us.”

Monetary donations can be made via their website, humanedurham.com, or by contacting the Ontario SPCA at 1-888-668-7722, ext. 323.

* Photo of Rocco, one of the rescued dogs, courtesy Colin McConnell/Toronto Star.