HoundsGood: Chronicles of a Virtual Volunteer » saved!

Beagle Update

houndsgood — Mon, 11 May 2009 23:57:19 +0000

All of the Beagles I previously have written about that are on “death row” have been spoken for! This sweet boy is at Heard County Animal Control still. However, someone is coming to get him. He is a very, very lucky boy. Many other dogs were not lucky this week across the country at various county pounds. It is always wonderful when people come together and are able to spare a life of a very, very deserving dog.

One can’t save them all, but it is such a shame where an older, trusted companion faces the end of their life dying with a needle or in a gas chamber. They deserve to live to a very elderly age, with warm blankets, and people who adore them, around them.

All Funds Raised for Sylvia

houndsgood — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 01:28:20 +0000

All funds have been raised for sweet Sylvia, the wonderfully awesome Redbone Coonhound. There is already a rescue that can definitely place her, and on top of it, they have a very nice couple in mind who would probably be just the perfect match for her! Way to go, sweet girl! I am hoping that someday I will have a better and larger picture of her so you can see how she takes the good news, and also how pretty she actually is. It is hard to tell from the photo.

Below, is a better picture, not of Sylvia, but another Redbone, so you can get an idea of how stunning the breed is with a clearer picture. Coonhounds are very much people dogs, and not to mention last but not least they have the floppiest and most awesome ears. They are scent hounds, so you have to make sure that they get enough exercise and have a secure fence. If introduced to them early on, they can be good with cats, but if introduced late and life, they may think your cat is a ‘coon and go after him/her. So if you have nine cats, the breed may not be a good choice for you, but if you are looking for a generally even tempered, great family dog, look no further! There are thousands of great hounds like this at shelters. People just don’t think of them as a “housedog” but they will ever be thankful if you give them a second look!

A Little Girl’s Christmas Wish

houndsgood — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 06:07:16 +0000

Saving Shelter Pets, Inc., recently learned about a puppy who had wandered up to a kind person’s house. The little girl at the house immediately loved the pup, but her family couldn’t keep the pup. You see, the little girl has leukemia and because of her frail immune system, she cannot have a dog. Not only that, but the family is financially strapped by her treatments. The only alternative for the family was to take the puppy to the pound and hope for the best. SSP was approached by a vet to please help the puppy, and make the little girl’s wish come true. If she could not have the pup, she would know that her new friend was safe and warm and had a family for Christmas.

The little pup had ringworm and a few other minor and treatable things. Generous supporters of SSP provided the funds to make the pup well and a promise to a little girl was able to be kept. One more life has been saved from an uncertain fate and will be going home for the holidays!

Encore: GiGi, a Christmas Story

houndsgood — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:29:59 +0000

A few readers have written in about the story of GiGi from Christmas a few years ago. Since it seems to be popular, I thought I would rerun it today to get you in the Christmas spirit

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We always tried to keep the spirit of Christmas, but the stress somehow got in the way. Last year was the start of a very new trend.

It all started on the type of day, many weeks before Christmas morning, where you just can’t get rolling. By the time we were ready for breakfast, it was already past the time where most places stopped serving and we didn’t feel like cereal. Surely, IHOP would let us order corn pancakes and eggs all day long. There is no IHOP in our town, so we took the ride down a seldom travelled road to one over half an hour away. Well, at least our intent was to go there.

We went through town and passed the mini horse farm, the greenhouse that was damaged in a tornado but they had never seemed motivated to rebuild and countless little homes with statues out front that were a bit ungainly for the size of their estate. Everyone with more than an acre thought they owned the O.K. Corral.

My husband stopped short when the car in front of us swerved. Sitting at the side of the road was a beautiful, tri-color dog. Of course we had to stop.

She just sat there, looking hopeful yet confused, not really quite sure what she was waiting for. There were no cars driving slow looking for her, there were no houses nearby. Where had she come from? The lady at the farm across the street said she wasn’t hers. We waited a little while. Another car pulled up and loaned us a collar he had happened to have. Then more waiting with the three of us looking at eachother, knowing that the answer was obvious: I guess we weren’t going to IHOP.

Of course, the thought briefly crossed our minds wondering exactly where we would keep her in an open concept home with no utility rooms or back hallways in case she didn’t get along with our dogs, but that didn’t seem important at the moment . She happily hopped into the back seat. We drove her to our vets in hopes that she was microchipped. Strike two. Relegated to the fact that she was definitely coming home with us, I lassoed a leash around her neck and walked her into the store to buy a collar.

When we arrived home, I walked her around the perimeter of the house when something seemed to have fell from the sky and her nose went curiosuly to it, but not daring to grab it. I held her collar and kneeled down and at my feet was a very young squirrel that had fallen from a tree and was dragging his/her leg. We always have thought that somehow animals who are in trouble always find us, but now they were falling out of the sky! (The story of the flying squirrel I will save for a later date).I had found the worried owners of all the other dogs we found, so placed a ”found” ad the next day and scanned the “lost ads” from three counties everyday for weeks. I faxed in to or called all the vet office in a 20 mile radius just in case someone was looking for her and called the shelters as well. The weeks went on and it was pretty clear to us that she had been dumped or no one was otherwise looking for her. She was a young girl of 9-10 months old and it is very common for people to dump dogs who “get too big” at farms thinking “the farmer will take care of them.” We started calling her “Good Girl.” She was the second Good Girl that came into our lives that year.I contacted people involved in rescue who were either friends or whose rescues we donated to or volunteered for and our request for help was all the same. Nobody wants big dogs, even a pretty one. No room at the inn, not even a wait list. When we had first started our search, everyone unanimously told us to “take her to animal control” even though they always preached what a horrible place it was and never take a dog there. I could see how people with less knowledge of how things work or fewer options than we had would have taken their advice and joined the ranks of “the terrible people.” There was just no way we were going to. She was found on the county line intersecting three counties with the animal shelters being on the far sides of each county. So, if someone was sincerely looking for her, they may never pick the right one. And if you are a large, mixed breed dog, three day stray hold runs out very quickly, particularly during the holidays.Frustrated, I posted ads on the internet, putting my feelers out there for a new home. Everyone who called seemed to want a companion dog for their “outdoor dog.” That was just no life for her. And then the email came from a man who had told me that he stumbled across my posting. They lived a little ways out but not all that far, and the situation would involve her having a teenage boy of her very own. The man had a sister, a brother-in-law and a nephew that had been waiting for the right dog to love after their faithful companion had died of old age. After further investigation, I knew that this family had to be the “one.”We arranged to meet on Christmas eve. It wasn’t set out that way, but it was the way it ended up. The family had said that “its not up to us, its up to HER if she wants to live with us.” To summarize how the meeting went, she took to the boy instantly and dropped us like a cold potato. I tossed a toy, but she kept bringing it back to him instead. We stayed for a few hours, talking like old friends. There was just no question that she seemed to have always been part of their family. When my we went to leave, I was a little worried, thinking that she would try to follow us. But as the family waved goodbye and went into the house, she followed her boy and barely looked over her shoulder at us.

Sometimes it seems like a dog has always been a part of someone’s family, but it takes someone else to find them. That was the best Christmas ever for my husband and I. No gifts could have possibly replaced seeing a family finding its missing piece. Most of the time it works the other way around…one doesn’t rescue a dog, a dog rescues you.

By the way, they named her GiGi – the “pronunciation” of G.G. = Good Girl. That describes her very well.

50+ More Pups saved through SSP’s Puppy Promises Program

houndsgood — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:32:58 +0000

Saving Shelter Pets, Inc.’s Rescue effort #58 is complete. Over 50 puppies were saved this month through the Puppy Promises program thanks to generous donors and volunteers.

The Puppy Promises program intercepts puppies who would otherwise be dumped at a shelter where they could be euthanized, or get infected with parvo and die.

From a recent bulletin:

We have shown you many pictures of the puppies hoping for a ride on Transport 58. There are so many cute faces, but what you may not know is, although the puppies are all signed up for our Puppy Promises Program, they are by no means safe, yet.

Some owners are very thankful to be a part of this program, and do everything they can to make sure the puppies stay safe and healthy until they leave. Some puppies are not so lucky.

Our program focuses on rural areas where it is not uncommon for people to “dispose” of their pets. Even after signing up the puppies, some people have allowed them to run loose in wooded areas, or to roam the streets. Puppies have been lost through antifreeze poisoning, taken by wild animals, and in one case all three puppies in one litter were “accidentally” run over by the owner’s car.

To contribute to future rescue efforts:

You can’t keep a good horse down

houndsgood — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:08:09 +0000

Molly is a hurricane Katrina survivor who really illustrates what I believe. Just because a horse has a bad leg…or no leg…does not mean they automatically should be euthanized. Dear Molly’s leg was gnawed, and her new guardian took her to Louisiana State University, where they almost rejected her case

“But after surgeon Rusty Moore met Molly, he changed his mind. He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different sides so she didn’t seem to get sores, and how she allowed people to handle her. She protected her injured leg. She constantly shifted her weight and didn’t overload her good leg. She was a smart pony with a serious survival ethic.”

Molly’s new job is going to hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers to give hope to others who are overcoming illness and adversity.

Wherever Molly walks, she leaves a smile behind:

Now, she even has her own website so you can keep up to date with her.

http://www.mollythepony.com/

Shadow comes out of the shadows

houndsgood — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:47:56 +0000

We have been following the progress of Shadow, the little 10 week old Lab Pup that, when out of “prison” at animal control turned out to be a 5 month old spaniel mix pup. He looks so sad with his Elizabethan collar.

I thought you would all like to see an updated photo, as many of you were worried about him or had donated to Saving Shelter Pets for his medical care. Shadow is feeling fine now. The drain has been removed from his infected foot and he is ready to be transferred to rescue and then find a loving home! Can you imagine that a friendly little guy like him was just cast aside?

Way to Go, Megan!

houndsgood — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:29:20 +0000

Not too long ago, Megan Casto of HomeZookeeper and Casto Creations, asked the blogosphere for advice on a situation. Her coworkers neighbor had a dog that she witnessed being abused. Read more about it HERE. The poor dog was beaten with a rake, shot with a BB gun, and other unthinkable things. It was hard to know what to do. Megan was hoping that the coworker reported the abuse, but at the same time, there was frustration both over Animal Control doing NOTHING, and then I was worried as well as others over what would happen to a mixed breed, large dog once there.

Many people just “wish something would do something,” but Megan did something amazing! The abuse was reported, and fearful that the dog would be a statistic at the shelter, she showed up bright and early when the dog was available.

Meet Rambo, now named Timber, newest member of the “Home Zoo!”

He doesn’t know what dog food is, and probably isn’t housebroken because he lived an outdoor life but he’ll learn! Read more about Timber’s first adventures in his new home HERE. Let’s give her all the support she needs adopting a sweet guy that needs to learn how great life can be.

Megan, you deserve more than a gold star!! Thanks for caring and giving a great home to this guy.

This Little Pittie Went All The Way Home (Almost)

houndsgood — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:15:18 +0000

A Saving Shelter Pets volunteer went to Dekalb County Animal Control a couple days ago. She finds it very hard to walk past the pit bulls knowing that it is very hard to find rescues for them. We can only save who we can find a place to go.

A small voice caught her attention. It was coming from the prettiest and wiggliest pit bull she had ever seen. She made little noises seeming to say, “Please come Pet Me!” And so she did.

And this Pit Bull girl, just 6-8 months old was so kissy, the volunteer let her son hang out in the cage with her. The Pittie girl gave her son a face wash. She was so happy to have a visitor. She took this beauty outside to get some good pictures.

She knew it was a long shot, but she just had to ask if there was any way we could help this beauty. You see, what is extra tragic is that the Animal Control is not allowed to adopt Pit Bulls out to local residents. We truly are this girl’s only chance. There is no chance of adoption. That being so, she would be euthanized. We convinced them to give us a chance to take her away from the shelter and give her a chance to live.

The call for help went out, and donors contributed the $250 needed for her spay, other vetting, quarantine, and transportation within an hour or two. Her angels were definitely watching over her that day for the volunteer to hear her cries among all the other dogs, for the shelter to agree, and for those that cared to make her rescue possible.

Her new name is “Blue” and her second chance is about to begin.

For more information on Saving Shelter Pets, please visit http://savingshelterpets.com

Rosie Says “Thank You”

houndsgood — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:39:48 +0000

Earlie I reported on Rosie, the sweet black dog that was overlooked at the pound. Black dogs, expecially if there big, often get overlooked. Saving Shelter Pets, Inc., has raised all funds needed to fully vet this beauty and transporter up to rescue. She is one lucky dog! If you were thinking about donating but did not, there are still opportunities to help others. Your donation will go to the next dog in need that is waiting in the wings for a chance.

Saving Shelter Pets, Inc., is a 501(3)c charitable organization. To donate, please click the banner below. To learn more about SSP, cruise around their site after you click the banner or click on the HERE to check out previous blog posts from HoundsGood.

Welcome to New York, Miss Molly Kaylene!

houndsgood — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:29:00 +0000

Today’s story is a guest post by Debbie Winchell, of New York, who adopted a sweet kitten across the miles. Read my previous post about the matter HERE. Congratulations all around! Have a great life, little girl! Inspired? Click Here to find another life that needs saving.

Shortly after 7 pm, I picked up Miss Molly Kaylene, formerly of Heard County, Georgia. She is much prettier than in the photo and very small. She is very scrawny and seems to be mostly ears at the moment. Matt said she didn’t say anything during the trip, but she started talking to me almost right away. No, southern cats don’t seem to have an accent.

Emily has surprised me by being very curious about the kitten, but maybe a little jealous. Midnight isn’t very impressed right now. She’s probably worried Molly will be another hyperactive dynamo like Emily was. I don’t think so. When I held Molly in the car in the rest area, she settled down nicely under my chin and watched the traffic. Emily never would’ve done that at that age. Molly is very uncertain about the big cats. She arched her back, raised her fur and hissed and growled at them. She retreated to the carrier for a while. She does like being held and petted and likes to rub her little cheek against me. I’ve missed that! She sort of looks like Emily’s little sister. Hopefully someday that’s how they’ll both act.

A Great Week for Cats!

houndsgood — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:15:47 +0000

Pretty soon, I will be posting another list of animals in need, but I thought you could all use a bit of good news. Previously, I reported about a little calico kitten in need that was posted on the Holy Cuteness blog. After the post went to press, I found out that another little kitten was also adopted!

The other calico kitten was adopted by Debbie. The blurry photo, I am positive, doesn’t do this little one justice. Her pattern is gorgeous. It was really a leap of faith, as she lives a number of states away in New York. There are a couple leads on getting this pretty kitty a ride, but I also thought I would toss it out to my blog readers as you are all a very helpful bunch.

Are you a cat lover who is taking a flight or a drive to visit your relatives in the NorthEast? Did you know that you can fly with a small dog or cat in a carrier under the seat in front of you and you can provide an escort for a little one who is waiting to meet their new family? Most airlines offer that service for a fee. If that sounds like you, pipe up and let us know, please!

Congratulations, Debbie, on your new family member, and thank you!

A “Ready Made” Dog

houndsgood — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:37:46 +0000

What is a “Ready Made Dog?” In the rescue community, or at least among the people I know, it describes a dog who is looking for a home who is already leash trained, housebroken, or it is otherwise evident that someone has taken some care and put some time into. They can easily fit into a new home with very little effort.

So may times I see ads on the internet or get requests from people seeing a posting about a dog on deathrow, and the first thing some people ask is “Are they trained? Will they have accidents?” My reply is always: “I don’t know.” Dogs who are reliable in the house will have accidents at the shelter. It is just not a normal place to be and dogs get scared. Sometimes dogs who are not housebroken will be perfect model citizens at the shelter for those same reasons. They might “hold it forever.” A dog that is in a new home may have a couple accidents in the beginning while still figuring out what is expected of them, or learning the household routine.

In otherwords, the “perfect dog” is few and far between.

It is wonderful that people want to adopt, but I admit, it is sometimes hard to hold one’s tongue when someone issues a laundry list of things a dog must already know and so

There is one dog right now who is at the shelter who knows “sit” and knows “heel.” In truth, they never asked her to “heel” at the shelter. She just does it on her own. She walks nicely with you right at your side. No one has come forward for this very nice dog. Of course, its impossible to know at the shelter if she is housebroken or not, but if she is not, she is highly intelligent and would learn quickly. She is a nice medium size, and because of her smarts and her coloring, they think she is a border collie mix.

Please give this loving and intelligent girl a chance. Out of area adoptions accepted! She only has until Friday at 4 to find a home or to be claimed by a rescue.

Heard County Animal Control Center
11818 Ga Hwy 100
Franklin, GA 30217
Phone: 706-675-3570

Blogger Saves Kitten’s Life

houndsgood — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 17:09:45 +0000

When I have some free time, I have stopped at Holy Cuteness to get my smile for the day. If you have not visited the blog, it is chok full of photos and videos of the most adorable animals that you have ever seen. Truly the antidote for a blue mood.

Most of the time, shelter photos are not that great. They are blurry, have bad lighting, or the dog or cat is so scared wondering where their people are that they just don’t photograph well. There was an exceptional picture this week from the pound of a kitten that really showed how adorable she was. I didn’t really know if Holy Cuteness accepted submissions like that, but I thought it was worth a try.

Linda could not have been nicer! She posted the kitten HERE. Not only that, but she had taken it upon herself to post the Kitten on forums she belonged to, etc. And, you know what? She found somebody to adopt the kitten!!

To me, this kitten was definitely being watched out for, as the people who adopted her just “happened” to be in Georgia on vacation!! What were the odds of that?

This little baby kitten is on her way home thanks to Linda at Holy Cuteness! If she was near you, Linda, this kitten would give you sandpaper tongue kisses for being instrumental in saving her life.

Visit Holy Cuteness! to get your dose of daily cute.

Want to give it a try and help a homeless cat or dog on deathrow find a home? Keep reading this blog for the latest scoop! You can subscribe by rss/add to your google reader or favorite me on technorati. You may just see a face that steals your heart.

Thank You to a Very Generous Reader

houndsgood — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:25:54 +0000

I was just informed that someone who mentioned my blog made a very generous donation to Saving Shelter Pets, Inc., earmarked for the very deserving puppies that were hoping to sign up for the Puppy Promises program. Whoever you are: I want to thank you for your genorisity. Thanks to you, everyone is now “enrolled.” This means that instead of being dumped at the shelter, they have the shots they need, are quarantined for an additional 14 days at home, and get to go on to a rescue. In addition, which is what makes the program so effective long term is that mom dog, and all the other pets in the house are also spayed or neutered.

In otherworfs, this uncertain little face is going to grow up safe, and get a wonderful home.
There will be more litters in the next couple weeks, as puppy season is in full swing. Funding for the Puppy Promises program is an ongoing need. If you would like to donate to the “Class of August 2008″ puppies, you may do so here. Just $45.00 saves a puppy. They are intercepted from being dumped at the shelter, given proper shots and transferred to rescue. Plus, the money collected for that puppy and their siblings goes towards spaying “mom” and any other dog or cat residing in the household or otherwise on the property. This was a blockbuster sized group, and it shows no signs of letting up.

The Big 5-0!

houndsgood — Thu, 08 May 2008 21:57:16 +0000

No, it’s not my birthday and I am not near 50, but someone has just turned 50.

Saving Shelter Pets Inc.’s 50th transport has successfully arrived at rescues! The last dog was delivered yesterday evening. Six adult dogs who were very deserving of a second chance, and 26 puppies who deserved a good start in life were the lucky passengers. The transport committee is taking a week after. After that, we’ll all be back in full force working on transport #51. I say “we,” because after being a supporter of SSP for quite some time and volunteering for this and that, I have joined the transport committee.

Right now, you can reminisce over Transports #1-42, with galleries and stories to enjoy on the Saving Shelter Pets site. Transports #43-50 coming soon.