WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: ANGELS WITH PAWS

THERAPY DOGS ARE......

..........ANGELS WITH PAWS!!!

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Stray Cats in the 'Hood Driving You Crazy? TNR 'em!



Cats howling in the middle of the night, fighting, marking in your yard, breeding litter after litter?  If this sounds like your neighborhood, you probably have a feral cat colony.  These are groups of unsocialized stray cats that live and breed among themselves, forming colonies.  They typically prefer not to interact with humans, even when those humans leave food, toys or treats out for them.  They are skittish around people and don't consider humans to be potential companions.

A feral kitten at my sister's house.  She named him Jake, but later found out Jake was a girl!

Feral cats can quickly breed, becoming a large colony, and a nuisance in the neighborhood.  People used to round them up and drop them at the nearest shelter where they would be euthanized, because they are considered "unadoptable".  It's very difficult to convert a feral cat into a domesticated pet.   It has been discovered over the years that if you remove feral cats from an area, other feral cats will move right in to take their place!  Therefore, removing feral cats isn't a good solution. 

The best way to control a feral cat colony is to Trap, Neuter, & Return (TNR) feral cats one by one.  Feral cats are trapped, usually by residents in the neighborhood, by leaving food in an animal cage trap.  Then they are brought to a shelter or participating TNR Veterinarian to be spayed/neutered, and then returned to the area where they were living. This helps prevent the colony from growing out of control.  It also curtails unwanted behavior such as fighting and marking their territory.  Kittens need to be about 2 pounds in weight before they can be spayed/neutered, which is approximately 12 weeks of age.  Most TNR programs will refer you to a shelter or Vet who will spay/neuter feral cats at no cost to you, however some programs offer a low cost spay/neuter program instead.

Little Jake sitting right at my sister's front door like he owns the place!

My sister recently discovered that a beautiful cat started hanging out on her front porch.  Being the animal lover she is, my sister started feeding the cat, whom she named Cashmere.  Cashmere found a male companion and quickly ended up having 4 kittens in my sister's yard.  Now they had a dilemma, they didn't want the cats to start multiplying.  She worked with a local animal welfare agency to help her trap and neuter each of the cats, and then let them return to living in the yard.  It wasn't easy to get all 6 of the cats, it took most of the Summer, but she did it!  I'm really proud of my sister for chosing to do the responsible thing by TNR-ing Cashmere, her boyfriend, and their 4 beautiful kittens!



Jake actually got to the point where she seems to want to come into the house!  We hope she will eventually come inside, because everyone loves this sweet little kitty!

My sister and her husband love their feral kitties!  They recently bought an outdoor cat house from Amazon.com so they can get warm on the front porch over the Winter.  The cats have investigated the new cat house but haven't yet gone inside it.  Little Jake is the only one that comes close to the family, but they're hoping all the kittens may get to a point where they can be pet someday.  Until then, they will all have a home on my sister's front porch!

Check out the web site  Alleycat.org.  They provide lots of news and information about feral cats, and how to make life with feral kitties easier and more pleasurable!

Have you had any experiences with feral cats in your neighborhood?  What did you do about it?

OCTOBER IS ADOPT A SHELTER DOG MONTH: 2 Pups Have Been In A Shelter Far Too Long!

OCTOBER IS ADOPT A SHELTER DOG MONTH!! 

October is a very special month because the entire month is dedicated to helping dogs in shelters everywhere find Furever homes!  In the spirit of Adopt A Shelter Dog Month, I'm dedicating weekly posts to helping some Pawsome dogs who are in need of loving homes.

Today I'd like to introduce you to 2 wonderful dogs who have been in the shelter for quite some time.  Perhaps you or someone you know has room in their heart and their home for one of these beauties? They are both long term shelter pups at Maricopa County Animal Care and Control (MCACC) in Phoenix, Arizona where I have been a volunteer for the past 5 years.

Khalua smiles brightly during a Day Foster outing from the shelter!

5 year old Khalua has been at the shelter since March 5th!  She was surrendered to the shelter because she wasn’t good with other animals.  MCACC’s staff believe that even though Khalua needs to be the only pet in a home, it doesn’t mean she shouldn’t be given a chance!  Despite being at the shelter for seven long months, Khalua is still happy and energetic!

Khalua loves being in the water - any water!

 Khalua has gone on several outings with our Day Foster volunteers – special trips where dogs who have been at the shelter for a while get the opportunity to spend time outside of the shelter. It was on one of these outings that volunteers discovered Khalua LOVES anything water related – baths, swimming, or just lounging on the shores of a local community lake.  If you are interested in adopting Khalua, she is currently at MCACC’s East Valley Animal Care Center in Mesa, AZ (2630 W. Rio Salado Parkway/Loop 101).  Her adoption fee has already been sponsored by a kind donor!  Khalua's Identification number is A2878505.


Tennis ball anyone??

Even though Charon has been at MCACC since April, he still perks up at the sight of a bright yellow tennis ball!  The 6-year-old, neutered male came to the shelter as a stray and like most strays that enter MCACC, no one came to claim him.   He’s listed as  a Pit Bull mix, but staff and volunteers definitely think there’s some Labrador in this silly boy!  He loves water, playing fetch and spending time with people.  Charon was recently taken to a roller derby bout in the hopes of finding him a new family. Although he didn’t find a home, he enjoyed being with everyone and didn’t mind the fact that everyone around him was on rollerskates. 

Heads up, Charon!!

During a Day Foster outing, Charon was introduced to other dogs and seemed to get along with everyone, but he will chase cats – so perhaps a feline free home is best for this guy.  He does fine with kids. Charon is currently at MCACC’s East Valley Animal Care Center in Mesa, AZ (2630 W. Rio Salado Parkway/Loop 101).  His adoption fee has already been sponsored by a kind donor!  Charon's Identification number is A3450205.

PLEASE SHARE THEIR STORIES, AND HELP GET KHALUA AND CHARON OUT OF THE SHELTER AND INTO FUREVER HOMES!!

NOTE: If you are interested in adopting Khalua or Charon, please contact MCACC (602) 506-7387and provide the dog's Identification number above. It's possible that Khalua or Charon may have already been adopted by the time you get to the shelter, but there are hundreds of other wonderful animals in search of loving homes!

 

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WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: Snowdog Thinks She's Got a Sled Dog Team!

During our Leukemia & Lymphoma charity walk last weekend, Icy had a brainstorm.....

She'd put together the PERFECT Sled Dog Team!!!

You GO, Girl!!!!

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Dogs Walk Together To Fight Blood Cancers

Did you know that September is Blood Cancer Awareness month?  Last weekend, Icy and I participated in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Charity Walk in Farmingdale in Long Island, New York.  The event was held on Farmingdale’s Village Green on Main Street.

 

Dozens of dogs and their owners walked down Main Street together in support of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, raising awareness and donations.  Farmingdale is a quaint Long Island village, with lots of wonderful restaurants and shops.  We had so much fun meeting all the other dogs and their owners, and a few merchants as we paraded down Main Street and then hung out together on the Village Green.  It was an awesome event and a great way to show support for an important cause!

Lots of doggie lovin' went on all day!!

Icy did some shopping at Thomas Ellen along the way, then stopped for a brief rest at The Nutty Irishman, a popular Irish Pub.



We made lots of new friends!

It's was a beautiful day & a great time for everyone!

Icy is convinced she found her Mini-Me, a gorgeous puppy named Anya!!


The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services.

Blood Cancer Facts: Source: LLS

💖     Approximately every 3 minutes one person in the United States (US) is diagnosed with a blood cancer.

💖     An estimated combined total of 156,420 people in the US are expected to be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma in 2014.

💖     New cases of leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma are expected to account for 9.4 percent of the estimated 1,665,540 new cancer cases diagnosed in the US in 2014.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: Puppies In Prison

Happy Wordless Wednesday everyone!  And Happy Rosh Hashanah to those who celebrate it!

On Monday I published a blog post about puppies who are being raised and trained by prison inmates to be service dogs for Veterans, and as working dogs for law enforcement.  During my interview with Barbara Schwartz, a Puppy Sitter for the non profit organization Puppies Behind Bars (PBB), I had so many great photos but wasn't able to squeeze them all into Monday's post, Puppies Being Raised In Prison For A Life Of Service.  I loved all the photos so much I wanted to share them in today's Wordless Wednesday post - I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Max, a 14 month old PBB service puppy being raised and trained by a prison inmate. This was taken during one of his weekend Puppy Sitter outings with Barbara.

More photos of Max during his weekend outings away from the prison with Barbara:

Potential young service puppies cuddling together:


Click on this link to read my interview with Barbara and learn about the important work she does as a volunteer PBB Puppy Sitter, helping to prepare puppies for a life of service!

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Puppies Being Raised in Prison For A Life Of Service

Can prison inmates be trusted to raise and train puppies, and prepare them for a life of service?  Puppies Behind Bars (PBB) is proving they can!  Puppies Behind Bars is a non-profit organization in the New York area that utilizes prison inmates to raise and train puppies as service dogs for wounded war veterans, and as explosive detection dogs for law enforcement.

The staff and volunteers at PBB believe that dogs can change lives. They can change the lives of law enforcement agents whose job it is to search for hidden explosives, providing  them with a canine partner whose extraordinary sense of smell will help them keep the public safe.  They can change the lives of wounded war veterans whose transition back home has become both difficult and frightening.   They can change the lives of prison inmates, offering them an opportunity to give something to the community. 



14 month old Max, one of the puppies in the PBB program

Puppies enter a prison when they are 8 weeks old and live with their inmate puppy-raisers for about 2 years.  Inmates accepted into the PBB program as puppy raisers are given rigorous training to become skilled dog handlers.   A large part of the puppies’ training includes the PBB Volunteer Program, which provides the puppies with the vital socialization skills they will need once they are placed as service dogs for a veteran or as explosive detection dogs for law enforcement. 

My friend Barbara Schwartz has been a PBB volunteer Puppy Sitter for over 10 years, providing much needed socialization for more than 90 dogs!  Barbara graciously agreed to let me interview her about her role as a Puppy Sitter.  We got together at her place for the interview, which was especially fun because her current PBB puppy, Max, was there to join us!



Barbara with Max during Max's weekend visit with her

Dogs Luv Us And We Luv them:
Barbara, what first drew you to  the Puppies Behind Bars organization and why did you choose to volunteer there?

Barbara:  Their program fit with my schedule and lifestyle, and I liked the work they were doing.  I also liked the idea that it was a way for prison inmates to gain responsibility and confidence, and give something back.  I wanted to do some good and I wanted to have a puppy on the weekends!  I'm not able to have a dog of my own right now.

Dogs Luv Us And We Luv them:
What is your role as a volunteer and how does it help the dogs and PBB?

Barbara: My role as a Volunteer Puppy Sitter is socialization of the pups.  One weekend a month I bring a puppy home with me and work on socialization skills.  If the pups stayed in the [prison] facilities they would be very well behaved and very well loved, but they wouldn't be in a position where they would do well in the outside world.  From the time I pick up a puppy from the prison they are being exposed to things outside the prison environment; car rides, new people and places, grass, tile, carpeting, ringing telephones and doorbells, airplanes flying overhead, public places such as malls and eating establishments and more.



Sleeping pups take a break from training!

Dogs Luv Us And We Luv them:
Wow! I didn't realize how many things the pups need to become familiar with in order to prepare for life outside the prison, and how important it will be in preparing the pup to live in a home as a working dog.  What is a typical weekend like for you as a volunteer puppy sitter?

Barbara:  I go to the prison on Saturday morning and sign in.  The inmate who is raising the puppy that I'm going to take home for the weekend brings the pup to me.  She also provides a letter with information about the pup, and may include recommendations on what the puppy needs to work on such as mouthing or scavenging around for food.  I take the pup home and spend some 1 on 1 time together, then we go for a short walk.  I take the puppies to visit my mom (she loves dogs!), and introduce them to some of my friends and family.  I continue to socialize them, introducing them to different people, places, and noises until I have to bring the puppy back to the prison on Sunday. 

Watch this video to see how one of PBB's service dogs changed the life of an Iraq war Veteran: Video source: YouTube

Dogs Luv Us And We Luv them:What do you like most about being a PBB volunteer, and what do you find most challenging?

Barbara: The thing I like the most is being able to help so many people; veterans, law enforcement and prison inmates.  And.... I get to have puppies!  The biggest challenge is when a pup is difficult; not listening, super high energy, not staying off furniture, etc.  It's rare, but sometimes I get a puppy that is more difficult to work with.  When that happens, I've learned to keep them on leash while in the house to prevent them from displaying behavior that is not acceptable.  You have to be really patient and calm.



A bundle of puppies to be expertly trained for a life of service

Dogs Luv Us And We Luv them:

Tell me about the dogs; how they are selected and what happens if they don't successfully complete the program.

Barbara: PBB utilizes Labrador  Retrievers and Golden Retrievers obtained from high quality breeders.  Pups that don't make it through the program successfully, or who are determined not suitable for placement with a Veteran or as an Explosive Device Detection Canine, are released for adoption [there is an application process and adoption fee of approximately $3,000, but the fee can vary]

Dogs Luv Us And We Luv them:
Barbara, thanks so much for providing us with a glimpse into the Puppies Behind Bars program and what it’s like to be a PBB volunteer Puppy Sitter!  Thanks to you too, Max, it was a pleasure meeting you and playing fetch together!
 

I hope you enjoyed my interview with Barbara. You can learn more about Puppies Behind Bars and the great work they are doing, on their web site.

Congratulations! to Puppies Behind Bars for earning its seventh consecutive 4-star rating (4 out of a possible 4 stars) from Charity Navigator, America's premier independent charity evaluator!  Puppies Behind Bars is funded entirely by private contributions



Two pooped pups taking a break!