Pets for Life: Smooches- An urgent girl that breaks and fills my heart- all at the same time!

Pets for Life: Smooches- An urgent girl that breaks and fills my heart- all at the same time!

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Smooches- An urgent girl that breaks and fills my heart- all at the same time!

Smooches- An urgent girl that breaks and fills my heart- all at the same time!

by Stubbs Mac Crossposting on Monday, September 26, 2011 at 4:01am

Smooches is no ordinary brindle girl.  She is a petite lady and has clearly been through past trauma with a partially amputated back foot. She clearly has had pups and was dumped by her owner at a shelter that euthanizes when the shelter has no other option.

She first caught my eye because she is in the back kennels that are seldom visited by shelter guests.  Then I noticed that where there should have been a back foot, there was nothing.  And a bad amputation at that.  Home-done?  Trap? Who knows?  Anyway, it must have been excrutiating.  Then to have had pups and dumped at a kill shelter should have been the last straw for this girl.  It sure would have put me in a hateful mood.
~~~
BUT the amazing thing about Smooches is that she is one of the most sweet, trusting, and loving dogs I have seen in a long time. SHE doesn't know she has a handicap either.  When I walked into her kennel and knelt down to greet her, I was showered with doggie kisses for at least 3-5 minutes.  Her whole body was wiggling with joy. She was so happy to have some attention an someone to love on her. When I took her out of the kennel, probably for the first time since she was put in (except to clean it) she immediately took the opportunity to relieve herself in the grass. She so enjoyed the smell of the grasses and the fresh sweet air.  She walks with a slight limp, but it doesn't affect her in a functional way.  I had the great idea of seeing how the foot affected her running.  She and I did a couple of laps up and down the fence perimeter.  She had no idea she couldn't run, but she shortly made me realize that I couldn't!

There was no aggression towards people or other dogs.  This sweet baby has the heart and soul of a lioness!  She is very loving, brave, and deserves a home that will love her as much as she will love you back. She loves kids and gave as many kisses to my 5 year old daughter as she did to me!

~~~~
I DO consider her urgent.  In the back, she will be overlooked.  Some will discriminate because of her "handicap", some will discriminate because she shows the temporary "anatomical signs" of being a recent mother, and some will discriminate because of the breed mix, but if they do, they will be missing one helluvadog! She can do anything that other dogs can do, even play in the pool!
~~~~
I am BEGGING someone to give this disguised angel on earth a good and loving home before it is too late for her.
She is located at the Montgomery County Animal Shelter in Conroe, Texas (just North of Houston).

Adoption and UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS can lead to death

I will start off by saying that I DO believe that most people who adopt a shelter dog do so with good intentions.  However, many of these people also do so while wearing rose colored glasses.  I make this statement due to the number of dogs, especially, that I have seen lately returned to the kill shelter (pound) after they have been in their new home for only one or two days.  If a dog is returned, there is an automatic assumption that something must be wrong with it, otherwise everything would have been just wonderful.  It is not the dog 99% of the time, it is those unrealistic expectations-and unbeknownst to you, you have inadvertently given that dog the kiss of death.. 

So, folks, I am asking everyone to take off those rose colored glasses and look at the reality of adopting a shelter pet or a pet from any source for that matter.

IF YOU REMEMBER NOTHING ELSE FROM THIS BLOG, REMEMBER THIS- THE PET YOU ARE ADOPTING IS TERRIFIED.  IT HAS BEEN LIVING IN A CAGE OR CRATE, HAS BEEN THROUGH AN UNKNOWN HISTORY, OR WAS BOOTED OUT BY A FAMILY IT TRUSTED AND THOUGHT LOVED IT.  TRUST IS SHATTERED, HOPE IS OFTEN SHATTERED, AND CONFIDENCE IS SHATTERED.  THIS MAY CAUSE ISSUES RELATED TO BEHAVIOR THAT YOU, THE ADOPTER, WILL NEED TO LOVINGLY WORK THROUGH.

So, here are some things to think about BEFORE you adopt:

If you RENT, make sure that your landlord will allow you to have a pet and if there are any breed/size limitations or limitations on the number of pets you can have.

If you do NOT have a fenced in yard or a secure place for the dog to relieve itself, you may not have a successful adoption unless you are committed to walking the dog on a daily basis.

Realize that if you get a young puppy- it will DEFINITELY not be housebroken. If you adopt a shelter dog, even an older one may not be housebroken.  Shelters often do not know the history unless the dog is an owner turn-in.  Be prepared to housebreak in a humane manner and understand that it can take weeks or months to successfully housebreak a dog. If you don't have time to housebreak, you may want to adopt an owner turn-in dog or a more senior dog where the history of house breaking is known.  Even then, be prepared for accidents as your new pet will likely be terrified and will not know the "law of it's new land".  Enzyme cleaner and a rug shampooer will be your best friends for the first month!

PLEASE, PLEASE understand that your new animal will be scared, very scared.  AND, over-whelmed. New people, new smells, new pets who have already established turf and may not be welcoming, new rules, new feeding times, new expectations about where they can and cannot be, new standards for where and when they go potty, new expectations and rules.  They cannot adapt and learn this all in a few days- it will be closer to a few months. Read books on training before you adopt and learn how to train in a humane manner with love and patience.

It takes AT LEAST a month, and sometimes longer for the new pet (and you) to work through the many issues related to owning a new pet. Commitment to make it work is key.  You may have to deal with "accidents", chewing, scratching, jumping, digging, unenthusiastic resident pets, training, etc.  Commitment to an animal means that you commit to working through these issues and do so lovingly and with patience.  I have many links on this blog site about dealing with various issues when adopting a pet.  Please use them to help you keep your new friend.

Here is the story of Stubb's adoption experience, from the persepective of a shelter dog:

I was sitting in my cage at Houston BARC when a lady pulled my out of that cage and took me home to the coast of Texas.  I had no idea she was a foster who had just pulled me off death row in the nick of time.  Life at her place was pretty cool.  I had two other bully dogs who liked to play like I did- kinda rough and tumble, and I could actually pee and poop on her porch!  Didn't have to step in wet grass or anything!  She let me sleep on furniture or any place I wanted.  DOG HEAVEN! 

THEN, my new family adopted me.  I could tell they loved me and they gave my lots of affection, but boy was it a different house.  It was a lot bigger and I had no bully buddies to play with- only a resident cranky dog who didn't want me there and nipped at me if my new mom tried to play with me or pet me. She played with him too, but he was quite happy being the only dog.  We had a few minor battles (always HIS fault), but gradually those became less.  We now, after 8 months, have a peaceable truce most of the time. He still tries to nip me once in a blue moon, but he gets in trouble for it (ha, ha Alex!). We bark at the door together, run in the yard together, and gang up on the cats together, but he STILL won't play with me!  Mom and my sis have to do that!

Speaking of CATS, soon after I arrived I got in trouble with the cats.  I'm sorry, but those critters still look like snacks to me.  Mom separated us, but I was pretty sneaky and determined to taste one of those things. I kept racing out into the garage where Mom hid the cats, but mom would grab my collar.  Since I am so strong, I drug her under the Ford Expedition three times before she could wrestle me back in the house. But, I AM persistent and managed to get that orange one twice. The second time Mom had to pull the orange CAT (not to be confused with SNACK, says Mom) out of my mouth, I found myself shipped off to doggie boot camp for two weeks.  Yup, back in a kennel again and had a professional trainer teach me some manners and how to walk on a leash!

My next drama was where to sleep.  I of course, being the great and powerful Stubbs, thought my rightful place was any where I wanted to sleep.  My foster didn't mind.  But certain members of my new family had other ideas (not naming names!).  I had to sleep on a dog bed on the sofa at the foot of the bed.  Not ON the bed, not ON all the other sofas- just that one.  I still am not liking that rule so much, but I'm used to it now.

Then came drama with my heartworm treatment.  Mom was trying the slow kill method, but freaked out the day I coughed up a teeny bit of blood (personally I thought that was less of a deal than the big poops on the carpet, but hey, I'm just a dog).  Mom got me into the vet within two days to do the real fast kill.  What this meant to me was two days at the vets office (they kept me in the reception area with them when I tried to bust out), shaved back, and shots.  And, oh yeah, for some reason it was VERY IMPORTANT that I be QUIET!  Hmmmm.  For a pooch like myself, that posed a problem, and since I couldn't be kept in a crate, the vet and Mom decided that super doggie tranquilizers were the answer.  Yep, I spent the next 6 weeks totally stoned.  Best six weeks of my life!

So, my new family had to deal with housebreaking, training, HW treatment, teaching me the house rules, teaching me how to interact with the resident pets, and not to scratch up and ruin doors and moulding in an attempt to escape (which was how I spent my first three days of terror in the "new house").  I get a hold of Mom's shoes now and then (3 pairs down so far), but I just like the smell (dogs like stinky things) and it's fun to get her to chase me! 

I'm used to my new place now.  I have lots of toys, get lots of love, tolerate my brother, have a new sis to play with (gently, says mom, or we get separated), a soft bed, two squares a day plus snacks when Alex and I put on our Mooching Faces, a yard to run and do my business in, and the run of the house.  Still don't know why I can't eat those blasted CATS though.  They even have their own room in the house now, but I'm not allowed in.  No fair.  But it sure beats a cage at Houston BARC in the Euth line!!!!

I'm lucky that I got a family who was so committed to making it work.  If I had gone back to the shelter, I know that I would not be here today.  Please, if you adopt a dog, try your absolute best to make it work.  Give us some time, understanding, love, and patience and we will be your BFF !

In Your Life, by PitBill Ziegler and Pit Crew Rescue

In your life, people will come, people will go.

In your life, people will love ...you, people will hate you.

In your life, people will help you, people will hurt you.

In your life, people will be your friend, people will be your foe.

In your life your Dog will ALWAYS, be there, love you, help you & be your BEST friend!

**RESCUE YOUR BEST FRIEND, YOU WILL CHERISH THIS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE & FRIENDSHIP FOR LIFE!

-PitBill Ziegler,PitBill Ziegler II,Pit Crew Rescue

The Child on the Chain

WARNING: This post will be disturbing on many levels.  I wrestled with whether to write it at all, but I feel it is important to drive the point home.  Here is a link to read after the post for more information on chaining.
http://www.unchainyourdog.org/FactsPhotos.htm

Billy was once very loved.  When he was small, young, and "cute".  His parents were, in the beginning, loving and kind. Then Billy got a little older.  When he reached the age of three, he was not as "controllable" anymore.  He ran around the house, knocked over tables with precious antiques, and got into cabinets he wasn't supposed to.  His parents were not patient, nor did they attempt to educate him in basic skills of behavior and manners.  They became more and more frustrated, but instead of trying to teach Billy, they decided to replace him.

One day, Billy's parents came home with a lovely puppy with long floppy ears and a long waggly tail.  Billy was fascinated with the puppy, but his parents would not let him near it as they were afraid that "uncontrollable Billy" would hurt it.  They didn't bother to try to teach Billy how to interact with the new puppy.  The puppy soon received all the attention.  Billy was left alone most of the time, except for meals.  Billy did everything he could think of to get his parents attention- he cried, jumped up and down on the beds, hid their shoes, and ran around and around the house thinking, "surely they will notice me now!"  They DID notice, but it did not have the effect Billy wanted- instead he got hit with switches and rolled up newspapers as punishment for his behavior.

Then one fatal day, Billy was left alone with the puppy.  Having never been taught how to interact with the puppy, Billy pulled one of her big floppy ears.  HARD.  The dog screamed in pain.  Billy's parents came running into the room, saw Billy pulling the puppy's ear, and immediately grabbed Billy.  "How dare you hurt the baby!" his parents screamed. One parent kicked him in the ribs and he fell to the ground in pain. Then they threw Billy out into the backyard and locked him out of the house.  Billy wandered the yard, watching his parents play with and comfort the baby.  Tears rolled down his face as he remembered that once HE was the baby.  He beat on the door, screamed and cried, but there was no response to his pleas. 

Billy looked at the fence then noticed the gate.  He had never opened a gate before, but he was sure that this was the way out of captivity.  Since he could not dig under the fence, that gate held the key to his freedom.  After hours of working on the latch, it popped.  He was FREE!  Billy wandered through the neighborhood, looking for a home with people who would love him.  After several hours, he was seen by a well-meaning but uninformed neighbor who knew him and was returned to his parents.  Since Billy was young and could not communicate well, he could not make the neighbor understand what was happening to him.

His parents were furious that Billy had dared to escape.  They locked Billy in the laundry room, and he could only hear activity in the back yard that went on for several hours.  Billy sat in the corner, clinging to himself in fear with tears running down his cheeks.  "What did I do to make them stop loving me?"  He had no idea how he had been THAT bad.

Then he heard stomping through the house.  The parents burst into the room with fury in their eyes.  Billy cowered against the wall.  One of them held him down while the other wrapped a thick, heavy chain around his neck- tightly.  The 12 foot chain weighed almost as much as Billy did.  He wailed and cried, but all that earned him was another kick in the ribs.  Billy doubled over in pain as his parents drug him with the chain into the backyard and affixed it to a tree.  When Billy was able to breathe again, he sat up and noticed a shack beside the tree with three or four of his old baby blankets carelessly tossed into it.

That night, he was brought some table scraps and water in metal bowls. He crawled into his shack with the hated chain tightly around his neck.  He made himself as comfortable as possible in the pile of thin baby blankets that had been tossed into the shack.  He curled himself into a fetal position as insects bit him and the heavy chain hindered his ability to move.  The next day, he ventured out of the shack and curled up in the grass under the tree, crying miserably and wondering what he had done to deserve such a fate.  This became Billy's life day in and day out.  He howled, cried, and yelled but to no avail.  No savior came for him. His parents still ignored him except to tell him he was "bad" and to toss him scraps of food and change his water every few days. Billy became filthy, his clothing torn and smelly.  His thin blankets became infested with fleas and lice.  Billy was miserable and wondered when his punishment would end.  He soon learned it was only to worsen.

Neighborhood bullies noticed that Billy was chained to a tree.  They gathered outside the fence and threw stones and sticks at him.  He tried to dodge the best he could, but the ponderous chain held him back.  With many bruises and cuts, Billy slinked into his shack, curling up in fear.  Being eaten by parasites and full of worms was bad enough, but now he was battered and bruised from the attack.  He curled up into a fetal position and cried for hours.  Slowly he ventured back out.  The bullies were gone for the day, but they returned every so often to torment Billy. His parents did nothing to stop them.  One day after Billy had been dodging stones, his chain cut deep into his neck and blood ran down his body.  He had been growing, despite the mal-treatment, but no one had bothered to adjust the chain. Despite the blood, no one noticed or cared. The pain was excruciating, but still Billy survived.

Through the winter, Billy managed to survive as infection set in and freezing temperatures almost took his life.  He could not eat much any more, and his water often froze, but he drank as he could and tried to use the tattered baby blankets to keep warm.

Summer came. It was miserably hot that year.  Billy could still see through the windows his parents playing with the cute young dog while he languished on the chain.  He was unable to eat, barely able to drink, and becoming more and more ematiated by the day. The parasites, worms, dehydration, lack of food, and infection was taking it's toll on Billy. He realized he would never be loved again.  The heat was causing the infection from the embedded chain to spread through his poor body.  Billy began going into septic shock.  Using his last bit of energy, Billy retrieved his favorite baby blanket from the shack, laid down under the tree, and put the blanket under his head.  He closed his eyes for the last time, desperately trying to remember and to dream of a time when he once was loved.  Billy's spirit left his tortured body that day and crossed over the rainbow bridge.  He had not even reached his 5th birthday.  Billy was now free of the tortuous chain and could run, jump, and play with the spirits who had gone before.  He never got the answer to what he had done wrong, but now he was free.

Would someone actually do this to their child? Unlikely, but it is done to dogs all the time. So, because it is a dog and not a child, does this make it any more acceptable?  My answer is a resounding "HELL NO".

Dogs are social animals- they are smart, loving, loyal, and learn quickly.  However, they must be taught how to assimilate into their new pack- YOUR family. They are pack animals and cannot and should never be kept in isolation.  It breaks their spirits, bodies, and can make them aggressive since they never learn socialization. Dogs are perfect family pets, but they require humane training, patience, love and supervision to learn the ways of their new pack.

Remember these things:

• Dogs are sentient beings.  This means that they feel pain and emotion just the way we do.
• Dogs are social animals.  When you commit to a dog, you must commit to bringing them into your home and family and making them an active and loved member of the "pack"
• Dogs are loyal to a fault.  If they are shown kindness and love, they will stick with you through thick and thin and become the family protector- yes, even of the baby!
• Treating a dog poorly is abuse- pure and simple. Neglect is abuse, putting a dog at risk is abuse.  If you are doing these things.  YOU are an ABUSER.
• Dogs kept on chains or tied up in the backyard are not socialized properly.  Don't blame the dog if it digs, barks, jumps, bites, has no manners, or howls.  It isn't the dog's fault.  It is YOUR FAULT.
• Chained or tied dogs are vulnerable to the elements, parasites, and predators- both human and animal.
• If you think it is OK to chain or tie up a dog in your backyard, DON'T GET A DOG.  You don't deserve the privilege of owning one of these magnificent creatures.

You wouldn't do it to a child, don't to it to a dog!!!!

Rollie- the pit bull who died a hero

Stubbs Mac Crossposting:
Rollie is a pit bull who died a hero.  This is a real-life situation about how a dog saved a child's life.  The credit for the photo and the story go to Pitbull Ziegler who is a pit bull advocate on facebook and one of my friends.  We want everyone to know that pit bulls are not bad dogs.  They are not mean, aggressive, or dangerous unless they are FORCED to be that way by owners who abuse them.  They are protective, energetic, and enthusiastic and require a loving but firm hand to control all that enthusiasm, but they were the favorite breed in the early through the mid 20th century and were known as "Nanny dogs" for their protectiveness of children.  Then criminals and media alarmists ruined the reputation of the breed. 
Here is what Rollie did.  Now judge for yourself if this dog was a dangerous animal in need of banning or extermination or an angel sent to save this child:

Rollie passed away the other day after protecting a child from being bitten by a Blue Diamond Back Rattle Snake.

She was bit in the lip & given 7 viles of anti venom at $1500 a pop but wasn't enough to save her. She SAVED a child's life!

RIP Rollie- you were a true hero.

Now we need to save others (pit bulls) so they can be seen for the TRUE HEROS they were born to be!

~Pitbull Ziegler

THEY Choose YOU

To understand this article, you first need to understand my spiritual inclinations.  I do not subscribe to any one particular religion, but have a very spiritual nature and believe that every creature in this world is a miracle unto itself.  Even the not so lovable ones have a purpose.  Although I do have to keep reminding myself of that with human beings, I seldom have to remind myself of that with members of the animal kingdom.  I also believe that animals, as sentient, cognizant beings, have souls.  The other belief I have is that souls attract souls- for a purpose although we may not be able to identify the purpose at any given time. 

I am teaching my five year old daughter to honor and respect life, even down to the reptilian and insect world. I do not allow her to engage in typical 5 year old pursuits such as ant stomping and bug de-winging, nor does she get to singe bugs with a magnifying glass!  None of this was taught to me.  I was an ant stomper, I sadly must admit.  As I became wiser, I realized that if God created these creatures, and they had a right to be here as much as I did.  I was doing myself no favors by intentionally inflicting harm.  Although the one prejudice I CANNOT get past is cockroaches--- I will still do one of them in if it is in my house!

Stay with me on this, I AM going to eventually make a point after the waffling...

The other day, poolside in our back yard, there was a lovely, small, delicate blue dragonfly flitting around the side of the pool.  I love dragonflies and have always been fascinated by them.  So is my daughter- to their misfortune.  She relentlessly chased this dragonfly around trying to capture it in her hand.  I explained to her that it was better to use her eyes to admire it than her hands to catch it.  I pointed out that it was so small and delicate that it could easily be crushed if she tried to grab it.  The dragonfly and my daughter played a game of chase for about 15 minutes before I asked her again to stop because if it became fatigued and landed in the pool, it would drown because it's wings would get wet and too heavy to fly out.  I took her hand, placed it about a foot away from where the dragonfly had lit down again on the side of the pool and told her to be calm, gentle, and patient.  I said, "If it is his choice, the dragon fly will choose YOU- you cannot choose him". Within 5 seconds the dragonfly lit down on my childs hand and she laughed with delight.  I smiled at her and said, "See, he DID choose you once you stopped chasing.  You have been blessed."  The dragonfly landed on her hand a few more times within the next few minutes and then flew away.  My daughter smiled.

I think the same is true with companion animals.  My entire life, every animal I ever owned was a stray, and I can remember the name of each of them and difficult times they got me through in my life.  A few months ago, I was desperately working on saving a dog from a Georgia shelter and had contributed $400 so a rescue would take him.  The adoption coordinator said that he was her kind of dog too, but why would a person put so much money down on ONE dog when there were so many others in need. I could give her no answer except to say that something in that middle aged, scruffy dog touched my heart. He wasn't coming to me, but I knew that I was being called to save him.  For what, I had no idea, but I irritated my entire friend and group list for at least 6 weeks trying to save him as did a few others that jumped on the "save Truman" wagon. My husband would have throttled me if he had known about the money, so I had to sneak it away, but this dog HAD to be saved.  And he was.  Some wonderful Georgia folks coordinated his rescue and he went to foster for heartworm treatment.  When I inquired about him last week, I found out he was adopted, and was very loved.  He was just a plain brown doggy dog, and although his purpose was not to enhance my life, I believe it was to enhance someone else's.

With the two dogs I have now, both were adopted through rescue organizations and had been pulled from shelters.  As soon as I saw Alex and Stubbs, 6 years apart, both of them spoke to me and I knew immediately that they had chosen me.  My life is better because of them.  Alex has given me comfort for years through good times and some very bad ones.  He is a shoulder to cry on and is always by my side.  Stubbs, the big lug, follows me everywhere too.  He is my funny boy who makes me laugh and was the motivator for me to start this blog and my facebook page to save shelter animals and to promote responsible pet ownership and to help people love, keep, and enjoy their companion animals for life.

You don't choose them. Whether you know it or not, THEY choose you.  You have been blessed to have been chosen.  Now honor that blessing.

Owner offers $1,000 reward for missing dog - Lombard, IL - Lombard Spectator

This is more information about Suzie Q

Owner offers $1,000 reward for missing dog - Lombard, IL - Lombard Spectator

Children and Pets

I personally believe that no child should grow up without experiencing the joy of pets.  That said, there are a lot of issues that go along with children and pet ownership. 

The infancy stage is usually not a problem with pets and the infant.  Although supervision is always needed, the infant is of little threat or interest to the animal, because lets face it- infants don't do much except cry, pee, and poop. 

Once my dog got past the initial depression of not being the sole source of his momma's attention anymore, he switched to having a PURPOSE- guarding my baby.  He perceived my baby as an extension of me and would protect that baby from anyone or anything.

The problems came in when my baby became mobile and entered the toddler years.  Not really a "problem" per se, but a lot more careful watching and supervision was required.  Not the dog's or the cat's fault.  The bottom line is that toddlers have not learned empathy and compassion yet and only see the world through their own eyes.  So, let's face it, during the id phase, toddlers can be meanness personified on two fast little legs. This is the stage of experimentation to get a reaction- the tail pulling, ear pulling, eye poking, etc. I even caught my little angel trying to stomp on a puppy once and was mortified.  She didn't, and we had a LOOOOOOOONG talk about it regarding how to treat animals. But, it could have been disastrous IF I HAD NOT BEEN SUPERVISING!

The key to animals and young children is CLOSE SUPERVISION at all times.  If you don't have time to supervise, separate the child from the animals temporarily until an adult is available to keep an eye on things.  Even older children who have learned compassion need supervision with animals- they may try to pick them up and squeeze too tightly because they cannot judge pressure appropriately, they may try to rough-house with the animal who clearly does not want to participate, or may try to "ride the dog" if it is a large dog, dress the cat in doll clothes, etc. 

So, if all this sounds like a lot of work, it is.  But don't let it prevent you from getting a pet or let it cause you to get rid of your pet because a baby is on the way.  Just commit to making it work and use common sense.  Here are some tips:

1. Supervise.  If you can't for a period of time, separate the child from the animal.
2. Be alert for child behaviors that are harmful to an animal and correct these behaviors IMMEDIATELY.  Don't let your child try to take food from an animal or hurt an animal.  You can see this coming if you are supervising and prevent it.  This is usually when animals bite or scratch.
3. Don't allow your child to chase an animal. If an animal runs away from a child, that is a pretty good sign the animal has had enough.
4. Always allow the animal to have an "escape route". If your child corners an animal and the animal is afraid, the animal may strike out in fear or self-defense.
5. Use a stuffed animal for your child to "practice" on.  Teach the child how to hold and pet gently.
6. Talk to and teach your child that animals feel things just like they do. Animals feel pain, hunger, fear, lonliness, boredom, happiness, etc.

Once your child is older, they still need supervision, but the dog will likely end up being their best buddy.  The teaching and supervision are worth it because guess what, you have raised a compassionate child who appreciates the worth of animals and can see beyond his or her human eyes into the eyes and souls of man's best friends.

My inspiration for writing this piece came from a terrible facebook event that I read yesterday.  A chained dog bit an unsupervised toddler.  The toddler's father (a neighbor) jumped the fence and kicked and beat the dog to death with a baseball bat.  The dog died in the arms of the 12 year old son of the dog's owner.  Not the dog's fault- the toddler was not being supervised around a chained dog and the dog had no escape route.  The toddler was treated and released with non-life threatening injuries, but the dog was beaten to death.  Not a nice story is it?

It Takes a Community! The Missing Link.

FOSTERING- the missing link


There is a saying that it takes a community to raise a child, and I think that is true.  But I am taking this a step further and applying it to our animals in desperate need.  It takes a community to save them.  The shelters cannot do it alone, nor can crossposters and networkers, nor can adopters, nor can rescues.

I have thought about what the weak link is in the whole process from: animal goes into kill shelter to animal does or does not get out.  The weak link is presence (or lack thereof) of fosters. 

As I post hundereds of dogs, cats, (and sometimes horses and rabbits and even pot bellied pigs) in need, I know that about only 20%-40% are going to make it out.  And that percentage drops for the cats and the bully breeds.

There are all sorts of reasons that animals end up in kill shelters, but this article is not about that.  This is about what we, as a community, need to do to get them out.

Basically, the two options are adoption (which is low) or rescue.  The rescues I have contacted always say "we are full".  There is simply no more room at the inn.  I become distressed when people seem to think that when an animal is taken by a rescue from a kill shelter and "saved" that this is all that must be done and the job is done.  Well, folks, it ain't.  This is just the beginning.  The rescues need all kinds of support- supplies, financial support for medical care or boarding, and most of all FOSTERS.

I hear from EVERY RESCUE (in every state, city, municipality) that "we need FOSTERS!".  "We are being begged to take all of these dogs, but we have NO WHERE FOR THEM TO GO!"

So this is my plea to the community, if you have the ability to FOSTER, please contact your local rescues or shelters and VOLUNTEER TO FOSTER.  I have a foster sign up page on this blog where you can leave basic contact information for a shelter to contact you if you can foster.  I have only specified very basic information so as not to compromise anyone's security in the public domain.  It is safe to comment and sign up!  Charlie to the Rescue page has a foster sign up, but the list is currently pitifully short.

What is required to be a FOSTER to an animal in need?

• Time- if you work full time and travel a lot, it probably won't work.  If you are a stay at home parent, are retired, or work part time, fostering may be just for you!
• Patience- shelter dogs may not be house trained or socialized.  That is the purpose of fostering- to let the animal experience family life, learn basic socialization skills, and housebreaking if necessary.  To prepare them for a successful transition into a "furever" home.
• Transportation- reliable transportation in case the animal is ill or to take the animal to adoption events.  Some rescues may not require this.
• A SAFE place to keep the animal - inside is best, with a fenced yard or commitment to walk the animal (if a dog) for exercise and "relief". 
• And most important of all, a sense of selflessness and a love for animals and willingness to help an animal in need.

More fosters = more animals saved...

If you cannot foster, please consider supporting rescues in other ways.  Many of their dogs end up in boarding because there is no where else for them to go.  Boarding eats up a budget fast, and we all know that in this economy that is not a good thing.  For example,  Angels-n-Paws has about 19 dogs currently in boarding and no more funding to support them.  If they cannot raise funds or adopt out the dogs (and the adoption rate has been very low), it is possible that some will have to be returned to kill shelters.  They are desperately trying to avoid this, but the owners are not getting sufficient community support and funding to help.

Like I said, getting an animal out of a kill shelter is only the first step, let's not forget them once we don't see their faces labeled "urgent" anymore.  They may be out if immediate danger, but if they cannot be adopted or placed in a foster home, the rescues cannot take more animals and have significant difficulty keeping the ones they already have saved.

PLEASE CONSIDER FOSTERING.  You can save lives and you may just find that you are the one who gets "saved".


Thanks for listening,

Love,   Stubbs- a shelter dog who someone cared enough to FOSTER until I found my forever home!

Introducing a new pet to your resident pet

I am just writing about my own experience- this is all subjective and there are points that you may or may not find helpful.

My resident dog has been with us for over 6 years.  He was about 1 1/2 years old when we adopted him at a Petco adoption event.  I was pregnant at the time and knew I had to housetrain and break in the "new guy" before the baby came.  When I saw this lovely cinnamon brown adult dog in the last cage with the gooey dark brown eyes, I knew he was the one.  As soon as my husband and I took him on a short "introductory walk", we knew he was IT.  When we sat down with him, he leaned into me and gave me a big doggie kiss.  We were sold and picked him up after we had done all the paperwork and been thoroughly investigated!

He quickly became my best friend and buddy, but had many fears to overcome.  He would not initially leave his crate except to do his business, which generally ended up in the house before we could get him out the door.  We gradually lured him out of his crate by moving his food and water dish from inside his crate to just outside his crate and inched it a little further away day by day.  After about a week or so, we had success and he started exploring the house.  We had to teach him how to ascend and descend stairs and even had to teach him how to play- he had never learned, which I found to be quite sad.  We soon found out that our guy had a penchant for FOOD!  Despite the walks and going on lite dog food, he became quite plump, and still is.  I refuse to say he waddles, but he definitely sashays!  Well, I became his personal human and he became my velcro dog.  He looked like he was being taken to the executioner when the baby came home, but he quickly learned that he was not going anywhere- he was part of the family.  He saw the baby as an extension of me and never left our side.  He guarded my baby continuously. 

So what does all that have to do with the new dog, the intruder, the competition?  Just a background on the family bond.  Now all the sudden 5 years later, "Mom" decides she wants to save another life.  I saw a picture of an irresistible boy on Petfinders- a Shar Pei- Bully breed mix named Stubbs.  I fell in love all over again and knew he was the dog for us. Again, after the paperwork, investigation, and home inspection, we were finally able to bring in the invader. 

I introduced them in the fenced in back yard since Alex is a pure house dog and I thought he would be more accepting if it was on more neutral ground.  After lots of circling and sniffing, we brought them both into the house.  I made sure to praise both Alex and Stubbs, "the invader", so that no one felt left out. 

In interactions with them, Alex always came first as I wanted him to maintain his status in the pack as the "lead dog".  Stubbs is a wildman and likes to play, run, and romp.  Alex is a pygmy hippo who loves to eat and cuddle.  Hmmmmm....   What to do?  I tried playing with both at the same time- tug of war with the wildman and fetch with Alex.  Didn't work too well- resulted in a few dog fights over my attention.  I also tried to encourage bonding between Stubbs and my daughter and husband so that Alex felt less threatened.  That kind of worked, but Stubbs still wanted his new mama, just like Alex.  During the first month, we had a few doggie fight skirmishes which I had to break up- always over who was getting more of mama's attention.  After a month or so, that stopped.  Oh yes, and it also helped that Stubbs was shipped off to doggie boot camp for two weeks to learn some basic commands and leash manners.

Once he was back, we established a consistent routine at feeding time.  Stubbs was not food aggressive, but Alex became food aggressive (after all, that IS his favorite thing next to mama pets).  We fed them on separate sides of the breakfast nook and gave them both the commands to "sit" and "stay" while the dishes were being placed.  Alex gets to go to his bowl first, "OK, Alex!", closely followed by "OK, Stubbs!".   I have seldom had a problem with food since except that when Alex failed to follow the commands on a few occasions and I attempted to pull him away from his bowl to start over, he nipped me.  This was a shocker because he had never nipped anyone in his life, not even at our five year old daughter's birthday party when he was being mauled by 10 little girls!  This happened three times before I caught on that he felt he needed to protect and gobble down his precious food so the "invader" didn't have a chance to get it.  Now I just block him until I give the comand if I see him sneaking forward!

It has been almost 6 months now since we brought the invader home, and although I cannot say they are best buddies, they do tolerate each other.  They have each established their own turf and repect each other's space.  They get equal attention and mooch together.  They don't play together, but they do enjoy chasing squirrels together in the back yard. 

I guess the point I am trying to make is that introducing a new dog takes a lot of patience and time and you must NEVER ignore the resident dog and coddle the new one, otherwise there will be a lot of resentment.  The resident dog should feel that he is the head honcho, and the newbie is the one joining the pack.  Treat them equally. Mine probably would have bonded better had they been closer in age (they are about 5 years apart), but at this point I am settling for them tolerating each other, bonding while squirrel chasing, and maintaining a peaceable kingdom.

Planning for your animal in the event that they outlive you

This is not a pleasant topic to broach, but as many of you know, I have a facebook page dedicated to animal crossposting. I have been very distressed in recent months to see so much "senior dumping". Older dogs from 4-17 have been dumped at kill shelters by their owners or by other family members. These dogs are dumped for various reasons- illness of owner, demise of owner, owner goes into a nursing home, owner can't afford vet care for seniors.

Well guess what the chance of one of these Senior pets is of making it out of an animal control shelter- slim to none. Oh, sure, a few lucky ones get adopted or picked up by rescues, but this is the vast minority.

Shelters euthanize 3 to 4 million because of limited means to care for them. A shelter usually chooses older dogs for euthanasia before younger ones, according to the ASPCA.


If you love your animal, it is imperative that you develop a contingency plan for the animal in the event that it out-lives you or your ability to care for it. An animal, if adopted as a kitten or puppy, can mean a 12-18+ year commitment.


So, what are things that YOU can do to make sure your animals are taken care of and not "senior dumped" if you are no longer there or able to care for them?


1. Frist, lets talk about the seniors who are dumped becasue owners can't afford care:

• Make sure you feed the animal high quality food and keep up with routine check ups and immunizations.
• Keep your pet(s) indoors.  Indoor pets tend to be healthier than outdoor pets.
• Call around and ask vets for their pricing structure. It can vary significantly and maybe a neighboring town has a much more cost effective vet.
• Take advantage of low cost immunization and spay/neuter clinics.
• Many vets or organizations offer discount pet care to senior citizens. Seek these out.
• When you first get your animal, start a "savings" account for medical expenses.  A few dollars every week adds up.
• HSUS and ASPCA have great resources on their web pages for senior animal care
• Resources from the HSUS for people who can't afford medical care: 

  National organizations that provide financial assistance to pet owners in need

  Please keep in mind that each organization is independent and has their own set of rules and guidelines. Therefore you will have to investigate each one separately to determine if you qualify for assistance:
  IMOM Inc.: IMOM.org
  Help-A-Pet: help-a-pet.org
  The Pet Fund: thepetfund.com
  Good Sam Fund: goodsamfund.org
  United Animal Nations LifeLine Fund: uan.org
  Angels for Animals: angels4animals.org
  Brown Dog Foundation: browndogfoundation.org/home 
  Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program: fveap.org
  Feline Outreach: felineoutreach.org
  Cats In Crisis: catsincrisis.org
  The Perseus Foundation (cancer-specific): PerseusFoundation.org
  Canine Cancer Awareness: caninecancerawareness.org
  Cody's Club (radiation treatments): codysclub.bravehost.com/
  Diabetic Pets Fund: petdiabetes.net/fund/
  The Mosby Foundation: themosbyfoundation.org
  Magic Bullet Fund (cancer-specific): themagicbulletfund.org
  The Binky Foundation: binkyfoundation.org
  God's Creatures Ministry Veterinary Charity: http://www.all-creatures.org/gcm/help-cf.html
  Jake Brady Memorial Fund: http://www.myjakebrady.com/memorial_fund.shtml
  GiveForward (set up a personal fundraising page): http://www.giveforward.org/

2.  Now lets talk about what you can do if you can no longer take care of your Senior pet(s) due to your health or demise:

• PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!  Have a network of relatives or friends and talk to them about the possibility of taking care of your dog or cat if you can no longer take care of them yourself.
• Make sure your animals are mentioned in your will - if you have funds available, designate some for their care and find someone who is actually willing to care for them.
• You may desire to establish a trust for the benefit of your pet. Although approximately half of the United States do recognize trusts that name an animal as the beneficiary. While it is not possible to create an enforceable trust solely for the benefit of an animal, it is possible to establish an enforceable trust for the benefit of the animal’s caretaker.
• http://livingtrustnetwork.com/estate-planning-center/261.html?task=view
• Leave SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS about the care of your pet and who you want to assume ownership.  Make sure you select someone who will honor your wishes.
• Write out important information about your dog and instruct someone where this document may be found. A file folder should include medical records, licensing information, special food needs, etc. But perhaps even more important, write a personality profile of your pet - its likes and dislikes, its good and its bad habits, its favorite playtime activity, the fact that it loves to chew ice cubes! Give the new owner all the information possible to facilitate your pet's transition to a new home. (http://www.grca-nrc.org/if_something_happens.html)
• If you have no one to take care of your pet(s), contact no-kill rescues who may be able to help place a pet if you can no longer care for it. 

• REMEMBER- THIS IS ALL ABOUT PRE-PLANNING!   IF YOUR INCAPACITY OR DEMISE ARE SUDDEN AND YOU HAVE NOT PLANNED FOR YOUR PETS, THE OUTCOME IS OFTENTHAT THEY SUFFER THEIR DEMISE OR ARE ABANDONED!

Reasons to keep your dog INSIDE!

Dogs are pack animals, and like it or not, when one or more come into your life or family- you are their pack. So why should I keep my dog inside rather than outside in a doghouse or run?

1.  As a pack animal, your dog will be very unhappy being isolated from the pack and will not understand- he will see it as rejection or punishment

2.  Isolation of a dog can cause depression, boredom, and behavioral problems

3.  Outside dogs are not as well socialized as indoor dogs and more prone to behavioral issues

4.  Outside dogs can escape more easily and become lost

5.  Outside dogs are accessible and vulnerable to predators

6.  Outside dogs are vulnerable to animal abusers

7.  Outside dogs are vulnerable and prone to theft

8.  Outside dogs are vulnerable and prone to the elements and exposure to extreme weather conditions

• Just because a dog has fur, this doesn't mean that it can tolerate cold weather.  I read MANY stories this year of dogs freezing in their dog houses, on their chains, and in their runs
• Dogs have fur and don't sweat like humans to regulate body temperature- they can suffer heatstroke and death as easily as humans.

9. Outdoor dogs are more susceptable to parasites and mosquitoes which can mean heartworm and other diseases if they are not medically protected

10.  An indoor dog is a happier, better behaved, and better protected dog. 

PLEASE DON'T MAKE YOUR DOG(S) VULNERABLE- KEEP YOUR PETS INSIDE!

What I did (and learned) when two strays wandered into my life

Last October, shortly aflter my husband had returned from Afghanistan, it was near dusk.  It was a three day weekend, and we had just finished playing with our daughter outside when my husband came running in the house shouting to close the garage doors because there were two "vicious and nasty looking" dogs wandering around in our driveway. 

After closing the doors, being the animal lover I am, I had to go out the front door and eyeball these "vicious, nasty looking dogs". Two dogs, a large tan and a medium size tan dog came running towards me with their tails wagging furiously-  Total "wiggle butts".  Once we went through the petting and licking ritual, I checked their collars for ID- none.  So I enlisted my husband's help to get them both around to the back yard into our fenced area.  I told him we couldn't let them wander on the busy street or they would be killed.

The first night, they were given water and food and stayed outside in the fenced area around the pool.  When I went out the next morning, I noticed that the older and larger one could barely get up.  Not knowing their health/immunization history, I did not feel comfortable bringing them in the house with our other dog, but I made a comfy nest for them on our screened in porch consisting of an old comforter and blankets so they had a soft place to sleep and were protected from the elements.

The first thing in order was to give them baths.  I don't know what they had rolled in, but it smelled like something that had been dead for quite some time.  After three washes, they smelled marginally better.  They were great with the lathering and hosing- gave me no problems at all.  At feeding time, they sniffed at the dry kibble that I give my own dog and looked at me as if I had just served them a plate of brussel sprouts.  Next day, I had to get some canned food to mix with it, which they devoured.  I knew I had someone's beloved pets on my hands.  Everytime I went outside, they literally jumped in my lap, showering me with doggie kisses.

I took photos of the dogs, but did not display these on the "found dogs" posters I made.  I did this for several reasons, the primary one being that I wanted to make sure that whoever called my number could DESCRIBE the dogs so that I knew that it was the actual owner claiming them and not someone wanting them for fighting, research sale, or bait, or to case my house.  On the posters I listed that two dogs were found on my street, the date they were found, and my cell number along with a request to call and describe the dogs.  My daughter and I spend several hours posting signs all over our neighborhood, particularly on stop signs, and community mail boxes where people would pay attention.

I also went online and posted the dogs anywhere I could find a local site to post lost and found animals.  After a week and a half, my husband was insisting the dogs had to go and could not stay any longer.  I told him they were NOT going to a kill shelter.  If I needed to I would expand the brochure campaign.  At work that afternoon, I had a "duh, why didn't you think of this before moment" and it hit me that I should take them to my vet to look for a microchip.  When I decided that this was my after work project for the day, my cell phone rang.  It was a man saying that he was hanging up pictures of his missing dogs in a nearby neighborhood, when someone pulled up to him and told him about the signs they had seen in my neighborhood.  He described the dogs PERFECTLY, down to the collars they were wearing. 

Here is a picture of the reunion:

Of course he and the dogs were thrilled. 

I asked him what breeds the dogs were, and they were both pittie mixes.  That's what sold me on pitties- before, I had been somewhat cautious because of the media distortion of the breed, but these loving sweet wiggle butts were the best!  Additionally, the large older dog had hip dysplasia, so I was happy that I had been able to give her a comfy soft nest to sleep in.  The smaller one preferred my patio furniture!

So, in summary, what did I do and what would I do differently if this happened again?

1. confine the dogs so they cannot wander away again- preferably in a fenced yard.

2. you don't know their health history, so letting them into your house is a choice you need to make.  I was lucky because I had a screened in porch and could make them comfy beds and protect them there, while propping the screen door open so they could do their business at will.

3. take care of basic needs first- water, food, shelter

4. make signs and post them in places where people will see them- stop signs, mail boxes, parks.  If I had expanded the signs to grocery stores, other neighborhoods, and vet offices I may have found the owner sooner.  I recently learned that animals can travel MILES away from home, so the more you can spread out signs into different areas, the better.  REMEMBER TO PROTECT THE OUTSIDE SIGNS BY PUTTING THEM IN TRANSPARENT SHEET PROTECTORS OR IN LARGE SEALABLE BAGGIES SO THAT IF THEY GET WET, THE INK DOESN'T RUN AND THEY ARE READABLE.

5. describe dogs on the signs minimally so that any callers have to identify the dog and you KNOW it is the owner and not someone falsely trying to procure dogs or get access to your residence.

6. take the dog to your vet to see if they have been micro-chipped

7. post the dogs in online lost/found pet resources

8. call local shelters to find out if there have been any inquiries about missing dogs

9. be patient. You may have them for a while, but please don't take them to a kill shelter.  I would have put them on a rescue or no-kill shelter waiting list before I took them to a kill shelter



Yes, a happy ending! 

And I have to admit, a proud moment for me!  I felt like I had really done something worthwhile.

Why did my person abandon me at the kill shelter???

Stupid Reasons People Give Up Sweethearts like Me!

by Stubbs Mac Crossposting on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at 8:00am

 1.  "I have no yard"
Stubbs: " You didn't know that BEFORE you decided to get a dog?"  "You get the Duh! award"

2.  "I'm allergic"
Stubbs: "Yeah, that's a common one- Translation- I just don't want the responsibility."

3.  "I don't have any time for my dog"
Stubbs: "If you are busy and don't have time, why did you adopt inthe first place? Think about your lifestyle and next time get a stuffed animal instead!" 

4.  "I'm moving"
Stubbs: "we can move WITH you.  In this day and age, there ARE apartments or rentals that allow dogs- you just have to look for them. If you're moving to a house, no excuses!"

5.  "We had a baby"
Stubbs: "With love and care, we dogs will love and guard and love that baby like it's our own.  You just have to provide supervision and teach children to treat us nicely!"

6. "My animal is too old"
Stubbs: "OK, you heartless Prat- you'd better hope that you don't get turned in somewhere just because you get older and may need some special accommodations or care."

7. "This dog got too big"
Stubbs: "OK- you are just not too bright- RESEARCH THE BREED/MIX AND LOOK AT FOOT SIZE.  If you adopt a lab, pittie, or a mastiff, it is GOING to grow up big.  If you know you don't want a big dog, look at the Chihuahuas or the Westies!"

8. "This dog can't hunt, so I don't want to pay for his food anymore.  I'll just adopt a different hunting dog next year"

Stubbs:  "You're an %$&  %$#$"  (Rhymes with bass roll).

9.  "My dog chewed up my shoes and the cabinet!"
Stubbs:  "Ever heard of teething, separation anxiety, or boredom?  You can fix all of these issues if you do some research.  NOT a reason to throw me away!"



I MATTER!  I HAVE FEELINGS JUST LIKE YOU.  I GET ATTACHED.  I AM NOT A THROW-AWAY

Hi.  I WAS Woobie.  I'm gone now, crossed over the rainbow bridge because someone threw me away.  I didn't do anything wrong.  I was loving and sweet, but I ended up among the unwanted and unsaved.  PLEASE think before you turn in your dog. Use all the resources and links on this page to find ways to keep us or to make sure we get to a loving responsible home or rescue, not a kill shelter.



Free Dogs- BEWARE!

This is a very sobering link for any of you who have offered pets for free or seen pets advertised for free such as on Craig's List or other sources.  "Free" pets often meet a very torturous fate, and that is important for everyone to know.  If any of us have animals that must be re-homed, there is a "duty of care" to this living creature to thoroughly investigate where the animal is ultimately going.  Same applies to shelters.  If you get a bad feeling about someone, trust your gut and DO NOT give them the animal!  Ask the awkward questions- where do you plan to keep the animal?  will you allow a home visit?  what are your vet references and contact information?  do you have a fenced in yard?  do you agree to spay/neuter the pet?  does the whole family agree that they want the pet? will you keep the animal in your house? (outside animals are prone to theft or abuse).  do you have a valid drivers license so you can transport the pet for medical care when needed?  what is your plan if the pet doesn't fit well into your home?   DON'T BE AFRAID TO QUESTION!   Cats and kittens are just as vulnerable to bunchers and dog fighters.  Dog fighters often use cats and kittens to teach their dogs to kill.  Click on the link below "Free Dogs"  to learn more.

Free Dogs

The clear link between Animal and Human violence

The clear link between Animal and Human violence:  Why ANIMAL ABUSE Matters and should be a felony offense

by Stubbs Mac Crossposting on Friday, February 11, 2011 at 1:06pm

 FROM www.dontbullymy breed.com

ANIMAL VICTIMS / HUMAN VICTIMS: REPORTS FROM POLICE CASE FILES

Russell Weston Jr   tortured and killed 12 cats: burned and cut off their tails, paws, ears; poured toxic chemicals in their eyes to blind them; forced them to ingest poison, hung them from trees (the noose loose enough to create a slow and painful death.) Later killed 2 officers at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC.

Jeffery Dahmer staked cats to trees and decapitated dogs. Later he dissected boys, and kept their body parts in the refrigerator. Murdered 17 men.

Kip Kinkle shot 25 classmates and killed several in Springfield, Oregon. He killed his father and mother. Said he blew up a cow once. Set a live cat on fire and dragged the innocent creature through the main street of town.
Classmates rated him as "Most Likely to Start World War 3."

As a boy, Albert De Salvo, the "Boston Strangler," placed a dog and cat in a crate with a partition between them. After starving the animals for days, he removed the partition to watch them kill each other. He raped and killed 13 women by strangulation. He often posed bodies in a shocking manner after their murders.

Richard Allen Davis set numerous cats on fire. He killed all of Polly Klaus' animals before abducting and murdering Polly Klaus, aged 12, from her bedroom.

11-year-old Andrew Golden and 13-year-old Mitchell Johnson tortured and killed dogs. On March 24, 1998, in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Golden and Johnson shot and killed 4 students and 1 teacher during a fire drill at their school.

After 16-year-old Luke Woodham mortally stabbed his mother, killed 2 classmates and shot 7 others, he confessed to bludgeoning his dog Sparkle with baseball bats and pouring liquid fuel down her throat and to set fire to her neck. "I made my first kill today," he wrote in his court-subpoenaed journal. "It was a loved one...I'll never forget the howl she made. It sounded almost human." In June 1998, Woodham was found guilty of 3 murders and 7 counts of aggravated assault. He was sentenced to 3 life sentences and an additional 20 years for each assault.

Theodore Robert Bundy, executed in 1989 for at least 50 murders, was forced to witness a grandfather who tortured animals. Bundy later heaped graves with animal bones.

At 4-years-old, Michael Cartier dislocated the legs of rabbits and hurled a kitten through a closed window. He later shot Kristin Lardner 3 times in the head, before shooting himself.

Henry Lee Lucas killed numerous animals and had sex with their corpses. He killed his mother, common law wife, and an unknown number of people.

Edward Kemperer cut up 2 cats. He later killed his grandparents, mother and 7 other women.

Richard Speck threw a bird into a ventilator fan. Killed 8 women.

Randy Roth taped a cat to a car's engine and used an industrial sander on a frog. Killed 2 of his wives and attempted to kill a third.

David Richard Davis shot and killed 2 healthy ponies, threw a wine bottle at a pair of kittens and hunted with illegal methods. Murdered his wife, Shannon Mohr Davis, for insurance money.

Peter Kurten, the Dusseldorf Monster, tortured dogs, and practiced bestiality while killing animals. Murdered or attempted to murder over 50 men, women and children.

Richard Trenton Chase, "The Vampire Killer of Sacramento," bit the heads off birds, drained animals for their blood, killed animals for their organs, and later killed 6 people in random attacks. One police officer present at the scene of the first murder, confessed to having nightmares about the crime for months afterwards.

"The Kobe Killer", an as yet unnamed 15-year-old boy in Japan, beheaded a cat and strangled several pigeons. Decapitated 11-year-old Jun Hase, and battered to death a 10-year-old girl with a hammer, and assaulted 3 other children in separate attacks.

Richard William Leonard's grandmother forced him to kill and mutilate cats and kittens when he was a child. He later killed Stephen Dempsey with a bow and arrow. He also killed Ezzedine Bahmad by slashing his throat.

Tom Dillion murdered people's pets. He shot and killed Jamie Paxton, aged 21; Claude Hawkins, aged 49; Donald Welling, aged 35; Kevin Loring, aged 30; and Gary Bradely, aged 44.

At 9-years-old, Eric Smith strangled a neighbor's cat. At 13, he bludgeoned 4- year-old Derrick Robie to death. Smith lured the little boy into the woods, choked him, sodomized him with a stick, then beat him to death with a rock.

David Berkowitz, "Son of Sam," poisoned his mother's parakeet out of jealousy. He later shot 13 young men and women. 6 people died and at least 2 suffered permanent disabilities.

Arthur Shawcross repeatedly threw a kitten into a lake until the kitten drowned from exhaustion. Killed a young girl. After serving 15-1/2 years in prison, he killed 11 more women.

Michael Perry decapitated a neighbor's dog. Later killed his parents, infant nephew and 2 neighbors.

Jason Massey's killing resume began with cats and dogs; at 20 he decapitated and disemboweled a 13-year-old girl and fatally shot a 14-year old boy. He claims to have killed 37 cats, 29 dogs and 6 cows.

Patrick Sherrill stole neighborhood pets, tethered them with baling wire and encouraged his dog to mutilate them. He killed 14 co-workers and himself in 1986.

Keith Hunter Jesperson, "Happy Face Killer," bashed gopher heads and beat, strangled and shot stray cats and dogs. He is known to have strangled 8 women. He said: "You're actually squeezing the life out of these animals...Choking a human being or a cat--it's the same feeling...I'm the very end result of what happens when somebody kills an animal at an early age."

Carroll Edward Cole, executed in 1985 for an alleged 35 murders and reputed to be one of the most prolific serial killers in U.S. history, confessed that his first act of violence was to strangle a puppy under the porch of his house.

Robert Alton Harris murdered two 16-year-old boys, doused a neighbor with lighter fluid and tossed matches at him. His initial run-in with police was for killing neighborhood cats.


Animal abuse matters, for many reasons, but the link is clear.  It is up to us, as a community and nation not to tolerate animal abuse and demand that this become a felony offense with stiff and consistent legal penalties.

What makes ya qualified to adopt a critter?

So WHAT makes someone a QUALIFIED adopter or FOSTER?

by Stubbs Mac Crossposting on Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 9:24am

 I learned a lot about this subject this week working with a Georgia Shelter and a Georgia rescue.  What are they looking for?  In the spirit of Jeff Foxworty (for those of you not familiar with this southern comedian- he is well worth looking up!), I have decided to write this in a light-hearted but DEAD SERIOUS manner.

1. IF you do NOT have a safe place for your new dog to empty out (fenced yard or a plan for walking the dog in a safe place)- You just might NOT be a qualified apopter.

2.  IF you ain't prepared to pick up doody off your floor and use a rug shampooer to get puddles off your carpet- You just might NOT be a qualified adopter.

3. IF you don't have transportation available- YOU just might NOT be a qualified adopter.  What do ya do when your critter gets sick and needs to go to the vet?

4. IF you have other critters that are aggressive- YOU just might NOT be a qualified adopter.

5.  IF you don't have a record of VET references, YOU just might not be a qualified adopter.  How do we know you take care of the critters otherwise?

6.  IF you plan to keep the animal out in the yard or caged- YOU DEFINITELY are NOT a qualified adopter.

7.  IF you don't have much patience and think the new critter is going to fit in with the old critters right away without supervision- YOU just might not be a qualified adopter.

8.  IF ya ain't got the cash to cover unexpected vet bills, such as heartworm treatment, - YOU just might not be a qualified adopter.

9. IF you wear Jimmy Choos and carry Gucci handbags and aren't bright enough to store them out of reach of a teething puppy- YOU just might not be a qualified adopter.

10. IF you adopt a critter and he/she does not end up fitting in with your family AND you can't get him back to the original shelter or rescue and have NO safe back up plan- YOU just might not be a qualified adopter.


Many of these points also apply to fosters.  The point I am trying to make everyone, is that adoption and fostering are VERY serious commitments, and must not be taken lilghtly.  When you adopt a shelter pet, you must be prepared, able and willing to deal with all of the above.  Yes, they are loveable and cute, but there are practicalities that must be considered and this covers most of them.