HoundsGood: Chronicles of a Virtual Volunteer

Warren, Michigan is contemplating a Pit Bull ban, or more technically known as Breed Specific Legislation.   The reasoning is that if there were no Pit Bulls, there would be no attacks involving Pit Bulls.  Actually, when you look at statistics, dog attacks involve a large sampling of breeds.  The most common Pit Bull attack involves a male, unneutered dog, and typically an irresponsible owner.   The answer is not to remove the right of every person to own a pit bull, but to crack down on animal welfare, to prosecute the rotten apples that are ruining it for the responsible dog owners, and to also encourage people to consider what breed best matches their family.

Once a trusted friend to children, the pit bull in the past two decades have been demonized, chiefly because of overbreeding and greed.   A Pit Bull is a sturdy dog that needs a high amoung of exercise and mental stimulation.   Tossing them in a small pen day in, day out does not satisfy their need.  Of course, some Pit Bulls are couch potatoes, but many need long hikes with their owners, or running in the yard with their people.  The ban will hurt families, forcing responsible owners to uproot their family to another town in order to keep their beloved pet, or an influx of good family pets will end up in shelters.  Some towns with bans euthanize the dogs on the spot, regardless of temperment, or if they truly are the breed in question.

A long while back, I invited people to Spot the PitBull.  Most people could not do it.   It only proves that when bans go into effect, it can be a veritable witch hunt for any dog that people THINK resembles a pit bull.

Let your voice be heard.  If you are in Macomb County, Michigan, please contact a member of City Council and let your voice be heard.   I encourage also cool headed people whose towns found benefit from not enacting a BSL to contact them also.  I ask that if you live on the other side of the world and are not a constituent in the area to mobilize your friends that are.   A council is more likely to listen to their constituents than folks who are in another country.

If you can volunteer your time to write a letter or make a phone call, here is a list of individuals to contact.

Mary Kamp
Council President
586-698-2614 (H)
586-863-8616 (C)
mkamp@cityofwarren.org

Donna Kaczor Caumartin
Council Vice President
586-243-9812
586-573-3900 (alternate number)
mcaumartin@aol.com

Keith Sadowski
Council Secretary
586-216-6377
ksadowski@cityofwarren.org

Scott C. Stevens
Council Assistant Secretary
586-486-4438
scs425@wowway.com

Robert Boccomino
Councilman
586-850-5221
boccomino2007@wowway.com

Patrick Green
Councilman
586-524-1315
pgreen@cityofwarren.org

Mark Liss
Councilman
586-558-8767
mark@markliss.com

Kathy Vogt
Councilwoman
586-268-9452
kvogt@macomblawyers.com

Steven Warner
Councilman
586-296-9894
sgwarner1@yahoo.com

An urgent request for help came across my desk.   Are you in or traveling through Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, or Pennsylvania this weekend.  A young and pretty Great Dane/Catahoula mix of the tender age of 11 months old needs your help.    Puzzle, aptly named for her markings I would imagine, was picked up by animal control with a very embedded collar.   What is an embedded collar?  Usually what occurs is that someone buy a puppy a collar and doesn’t bother to loosen it or get a new one as she grows.  The puppy “grows around” the collar and skin ends up starting to grow around it as the pup’s neck has nowhere else to go.

Puzzle is going from someone who grabbed her from death, and now she is going to a real foster home, where she will have the chance of being adopted.

If you have never participated in a transport before, it is very rewarding.  You will get “paid” with the satisfaction of saving a life, and perhaps even get paid with dog kisses.  If you have ever taken your own dog on a ride, you are pretty much qualified.  Sometimes, the dog may be nervous or scared because he/she is unsure about the whole situation, but in that case, reassuring words, and sometimes a dog crate usually take care of any jitters.

Here is the run sheet.  If you can take more than one “leg” or parts of two, don’t let that stop you from contacting Robin at Robin_Post @yahoo.com!  Puzzle is 70 lbs, so the size of a medium to large lab or other retriever, so not to worry if you have a smaller car and you wonder if she will fit.  The back seat should be just fine!

WILSONVILLE, AL TO RIEGELSVILLE, PA SAT 4/18 - THIS SATURDAY!!!

FROM:
Wilsonville, AL
Contact: Nikki Hyatt
Email address:

TO:
Approved Foster Home
Riegelsville, PA
Catahoula Rescue
Contact: Robin Post
Email:Robin_post@yahoo.com

YOUR PASSENGER:
NAME: Puzzle
BREED: Catahoula/ Great Dane Mix
AGE: 11 months
SEX: Female
WEIGHT: 70 lbs
ALTERED: no
SHOTS: UTD
TEMPERAMENT: REALLY happy
WILL TRAVEL WITH: harness, leash, health certificate, original rabies certificate

Transport Coordinator: Robin Post at Robin_Post@yahoo.com
Ass’t Transport Coordinator: Janeen Jackson At JJ5@midrivers.com

Please respond DIRECTLY TO ROBIN with:
Name
Email address
Home town
Cell phone
Home phone
Description of vehicle (make, model, color)
Leg for which you are volunteering (NOTE. Please let us know if you can take 2 legs……)

This transport will be monitored by Robin 267-475-0541

Leg 1
Wilsonville, AL to Attalla, AL
72 miles 1 hr 40 min
6:00am to 7:40am
NEEDED:

Leg 2
Attalla AL to Chattanooga, TN
77 Miles 1 hr 20 min
7:45am to 10:05pm (time Change Included)
Filled: Thank you Jen (updated 1:25 PM - April 16th)

Leg 3
Chattanooga, TN to Athens TN
63 Miles 1hr 15 min
10:05am to 11:20am
Filled: thank you Ed!!!

Leg 4
Athens, TN to KnoxvilleTN
57 miles 1hr 10 min
11:20am to 12:35 pm
Filled: Thank You Stephanie (updated 1:25 PM - April 16th)

Leg 5
Knoxville TN to Greeneville, TN
80 Miles 1hr 30 min
12:35pm to 2:05 pm
Filled: Thank you Jennifer

Leg 6
Greenville, TN to Atkins VA
87 miles 1 hr 40 min
2:05pm to 3:50pm
Filled: Thank you Jennifer!

Leg 7
Atkins, VA to Salem, VA
85 miles 1 hr 30 min
3:50pm to 5:20 pm
NEEDED:

Leg 8
Salem, VA to Lexington, VA
66 miles 1nr 10 min
5:20pm 6:30 pm
Filled: Thank you Steph!!!

Leg 9
Lexington VA to Edinburg, VA
90 miles 1hr 40 min
6:30pm to 8:10 pm
NEEDED:

Leg 10
Edinburg, Va to Hagerstown, MD
83 Miles 1 hr 32 min
8:10pm to 9:40pm
NEEDED:

Leg 11
Hagerstown, MD to Harrisburg, PA
75 Miles 1hr 20 min
9:40pm to 11:00pm
NEEDED:

Leg 12
Harrisburg, PA to Allentown, PA
80 Miles 1 hr 30 min
11:00pm to 12:30 am
Filled: Thank you Michael

Leg 13
Allentown, PA to Riegelsville, PA
26 miles .45min
12:30am to 1:15am
FILLED: Thank you Amanda

Everyone is thawing out now in the north, and the urge to take a hike with the dogs or hop on a quad is very enticing. Sometimes, once you buy an ATV or similar vehicle, you park it in the fall and don’t think much about it. I need to let you know that if you have a Yamaha Rhino, there is a major recall due to the glut of Yamaha Rhino Rollover lawsuits.   The vehicle is considered a “side by side ATV” rather than a utility vehicle.

The problem has occurred due to the high center of gravity of the vehicles. While they may be fine for driving on an even road, if you take a corner a little two fast or encounter some bumps, you may have a hard time righting it. If the passenger instinctively sticks his/her leg out to right the vehicle, as there is no passenger door, they are in danger of rolling it and crushing their leg, or worse.  Some passengers have reported broken collar bones, and spinal cord injury as well.

Of course, one may believe that reckless driving has nothing to do with the way the vehicle is made, but these actions don’t constitute unsafe or inexperienced driving, but the vehicle rolling in normal situations.  It is very similar to the problems early SUV had with high center of gravity, and narrow wheel bases.  Countless people rolled them, as once they rocked a little, they could not compensate.

If you go on a trip this year and the cabin has similar vehicles, or even if you have one in your own garage, don’t ignore the recall notices.  In otherwords, let’s not have someone need to start a nonprofit organization because of the widespread injuries.  It could be the life of a friend, yourself, or your canine companion running alongside that you could save.

I recently reported on Grace’s Law, whch calls for a closure of the loophole that allows some Georgia animal shelters to continue to operate gas chambers.   It was named for a sweet tricolor hound who survived the odds and was alive, barey alive,  when the chamber door was opened and staff of Liberty County Animal Control understood the torture and horror that they had been putting dogs and cats through.

If you can make it to Atlanta monday morning, please read below. Even if you cannot, read also, because you can help spread the word. The more faces that are seen at the hearing, the more likely lawmakers will understand that constituents no longer stand for it.

Here is the very latest from Chamblee Abernethy:

It is likely that House Bill 606 to outlaw gas chambers in Georgia will be put to a vote at the conclusion of the hearing scheduled for Monday at 8:00 a.m. at the State Capitol, room 403.

It will be much more difficult for the Agriculture Committee members to vote NO to HB 606 if they are facing a ROOM FULL of Georgia residents who support the end of gassing. We need at least 50 people there!

PLEASE MAKE WHATEVER ARRANGEMENTS ARE NECESSARY TO BE PRESENT AT THE HEARING MONDAY MORNING!

I am supposed to be at work Monday morning, but I told my boss that this bill is extremely important to me and that I will arrive at work late on Monday following the hearing. He was understanding. Yours will be as well.

Parking is available in the two Underground Atlanta parking decks on MLK.

See letter below about the opposition of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, John Bulloch.

CALL HIS OFFICE to voice your support of Senate Bill 232 to ban gas chambers! (404) 656-0040.

From:
Subject: Senate bill assigned to Ag Meeting
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 17:21:13 -0500

Senate Bill 232 (SB 232) has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Agriculture. There may be a hearing on Monday at 9:30 a.m. However, the Chairman of the Committee, John Bulloch [(404) 656-0040] is from a county that has a chamber, so he is opposed to the bill.

Important notes: If the bill does not pass the Agricultural SubCommittee, it will be completely dead. It may be too late to call your representative, but it is not too late for us to reach across the internet and the phone line to get some bodies in those seats!

A friend of mine alerted me to a most heartbreaking tale in Georgia.   Two dogs are left chained outside with no food.  A puppy is inside a trailer (mobile home), and at least has shelter from the freezing rain, but has been alone for days.  It is unknown if there was enough food and water left for the little guy.   The outside dogs are VEry skinny so it is doubtful.  Even if so, water can be tipped over and food only lasts so long.   A local rescue is talking to the authorities, and it turns out that the man who owns these guys leaves for days at a time, leaving them behind with no one coming to check on them.   Since they are owned, the proper channels have to be gone through.

In the meantime, people have chipped in and purchased dogloos for the outside dogs, so at least they have some relief from the cold and rain until the owner returns.  Also, water and food will be provided.  I know it has been suggested before to not leave water and food because authorities could come by and see the water and food and make the assumption that the owner left it.  In this case, the authorities have been kept in the loop that people want to see these dogs kept alive.

The outside dogs are one female (with the ears partially standing up) and one male (in the second photo).  They allow people to approach them, as you can see.

If you are a rescue that can provide a warm place for these dogs, if it should come to pass that the owner surrenders them or authorities deem the person unfit if they do not comply, please contact Please contact Susan at Angel Dog Rescue at 229-334-2148 or Tammy at 860-543-4213 (leave message).

I do not know Gina personally, but really think she deserves to get her sweet dog back.  This is a reminder to everyone to keep their dog in their supervision while they are outside, to knock on the nearest doors first if you see a dog that you think is a stray. Also, keep an id tag on your dog, and also consider microchipping so you can be reunited in case the unthinkable happens. Unfortunately, it is possible that if the dog was taken to a shelter, she is long gone. the best case scenario is that she was adopted, the worst case if she was euthanized, especially over the Thanksgiving holiday. If you have adopted Rosie, please contact her mom.

Hello,

My name is Gina Lunsford, and my dog Rosie went missing on 11/22/2008 from Bald Eagle Road in the Bold Springs Area of Franklin County, Georgia. She’s a red miniature dachshund, full blooded. Spayed female, 9 lbs (when healthy and full, it’s been over a week now), and has short hair. She has some extensive scars on her left side and back from some stitches over the summer and the fur has not grown back. When she disappeared, she was only wearing a flea collar, since her other collar was dirty and I was going to wash it before putting it back on her, and unfortunately she’s not microchipped. She’s very friendly and likes to ride in cars. I believe she was possibly taken by someone driving along my road who may have thought she was a stray since she wasn’t wearing her regular collar. I’ve attached a flyer with her photo, where you can see some of the scars if you look closely—I don’t have a better photo of the scars, but I’m also attaching the photo itself, larger so you can see better. I thought it’s possible she would end up at an adoption agency. Please let me know if you come across her. I love and miss her very much. I am offering a reward for her return! You can email me or call my cell number which is 706-540-6437.

Thanks for any help you can give me!

Sincerely,
Gina Marie Lunsford
(706) 540-6437 (cell)

It looks like that is near Carnesville, but as, you know, dogs can travel far if they were picked up by someone.

View Larger Mapcrolling=”no” marginheight=”0″ marginwidth=”0″ src=”http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Bald+Eagle+Rd,+Carnesville,+Franklin,+Georgia+30521&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=47.483365,102.919922&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FeA3CwId_O4I-w&ll=35.371135,-82.76001&spn=6.316577,12.86499&z=7&output=embed&s=AARTsJoQ2GQA5Vrp2kIbYebpXVcN2vzbwg”>
View Larger Map

This weekend, when thinking about all the holiday preperations, please take a moment to think of the shelter animals.   Shelters will be closed Thursday so there is one less day this week for a shelter animal to be adopted or get a reprieve.  Some small shelters may even be closed Friday, or at least a lot of people will forget about them this weekend.  Usually, the holiday time is not a good time to get a pet, because of all the plans and commotion.   However, if you have been thinking about adding a new family member for quite awhile and your holiday will be quiet if all the family is in another state, or will be quiet after the big meal, consider taking time away from shopping to visit a local pound or shelter.

It is not just the lack of adopters, but the influx of pets.  There are many people who have been considering parting with their pet, and with boarding kennels full, and their holiday trip coming up, they make the final decision and surrender their pet to the shelter.   It is also close to the end of the month when leases are up.

Dome shelters euthanize many right before a holiday because of the smaller staff that will be able to take care of them with holiday closings, and also in anticipation of the others that will be surrendered.

I urge you, if your heart has been ready for awhile and you have done your homework, to go to your local shelters TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25th.  If there are enough adoptions, perhaps it will give shelter managers a sign that they do not need to euthanize or euthanize as many because of the holiday closing.  Or maybe perhaps, the new friend meant for you will be waiting there.  Check the shelter websites or call for operating/visiting hours before you go to make sure they are open.   If you don’t find a dog or cat suitable for your family, go to the next closest shelter.

Of course, if you are reading this late, leading up to Christmas is also a deadly time for holiday closures if you have long been considering a new family member and have what it takes to give an animal that needs to be shown how to love again a great home.

Sugar is the typical type of dog you find in shelters, not small, not extra large, of unknown pedigree, but looks vaguely like she could have a little lab in her. Oh yes, and she is almost totally black. Dogs like this don’t survive at the shelter. They often get passed up for adoption because perhaps their lack of markings don’t catch someone’s eye, they are hard to photograph attractively on shelter websites if someone doesn’t bother to take them outside, and there are so many others that look like them that they don’t stand out.

Fortunately, Sugar isn’t at the shelter, but she is on her way there!  She and several other housemates are in the same predicament. Their owner has threatened to dump them all at animal control if Saving Shelter Pets cannot help them! The pound in question just hasn’t had a high adoption rate lately if you are a Heinz 57, so this looks like their only chance. Sugar and her housemates have not been in the shelter, so do not need to be quarantined before going on transport to rescue, but they still do need lots of vetting, not to mention being spayed or neutered. It will cost $225 for each dog to be spayed or neutered, transported, dewormed, given all necessary shots and other health care.

Please, if you can give even just a little to help Sugar and her three pals, it would be so much appreciated to save their lives. Click the banner to donate today. All donations are tax deductible.

Just a reminder:  There are twelve days left before election day. Not only will you be electing the next President of the United States, but many of you will be voting for Congress members, state senate, and everything on down to city council. Some of these folks are paid a salary and some are volunteer or receive a stipend that in no way compensates them for their service.

Many people have asked what my views are when it comes to politics. Most national politicians started out on a county commission or somewhere at the state or city level.  You should take care and make it a point to vote in the “little races,” otherwise you have no room to grumble when you feel blindsided that “there are no good candidates.”  A lot of people wish “the little guy” would get in the White House.  You never know…the very best President that ever could be  could have never been because people didn’t turn out to vote for them, even though they believed in them, when they were just starting out in the state house or the city council.  In otherwords….educate yourself and vote.  Don’t just randomly check boxes for your local judges and county commissioners.  Find out what they are about and what they are like.

This could be a needle in a haystack, but the power of the internet has come through before for information posted on this site.  There is a missing dog in Florida that needs your help.  He needs you to keep your eyes open, to contact your friends in the area, and to post elsewhere on the internet to increase his chance of coming home.

He is not a typical missing dog, as he didn’t run away.

A friendly husky mix was rescued from a Georgia kill shelter, and ultimately placed in a foster home in Florida.  It is believed that instead of contacting the responsible organization to move the dog to another foster when they were unable to fulfill their commitment, it is believed that they possibly surrendered the dog to the shelter, or have placed him in the custody of someone whose identity is unknown to the organization.  It is believed that the dog was moved quickly.   The dog was last physically seen in Oveido, Florida, and was known to have moved to a location in Daytona, Florida before the trail cooled.

Needless to say, there are many individuals who helped him along the way who are working around the clock to find him. If I had the means to drive over there, I would be knocking on doors myself.

The local animal control shelter in Daytona Beach has been informed of this dog, but we are contacting every shelter from Orlando to Daytona to Titusville.  If you live in the area, please alert your favorite rescue organizations, and neighbors. Also, if you can take a look at the bulletin boards at the pet stores/vet office or post his story, that would be wonderful.   I can send you the highest resolution photo that is available.

The dog is an adult Husky mix, and closest to what a lot of husky sites call “sable” in color.   His head and color pattern looks Siberian, but his coat and body look less so.  He is not as “compact” as a Siberian if that makes any sense. The fosterer started calling him “Tater,” so that may be what he answers to, but I am not sure if he would.  He will go into a crate or jump up on a car seat on command, and is friendly towards people and other dogs.  The dog is microchipped and registered to the name of a volunteer that helped rescue him, and used her name and phone number on the chip until a permanent home was found.

It is hoped that if the dog does end up at a shelter, he will be scanned for a microchip.  However, if the individual presented themselves as if they owned the dog and were turning him in, not everyone could be expected to check.

If you live on the West Coast from Jacksonville to Titusville or Central from Orlando to Daytona, please leave a comment. We can supply you with a photo to post if you would like to join in on the search and help some nice people who care about this dog.

This dog has a loving home waiting with a wonderful and responsible family.