A little over a year ago, RRR opened it's doors. Since then, it has been an amazing journey. In that time, we have rescued over 300 dogs and have over 15 service dogs in training. Some from high kill shelters, some as owner surrenders, some strays...every single one, I remember. I have touched all but one with my own hands. As they have passed through our doors, each animal has taught me something new.
In this time, along with the joy, have also been hard decisions. Dogs who, despite our best efforts, we could not save from themselves. Others may forget them, but I haven't. I still think of them often and wish their life had been different.
As another year draws to a close, there are times where I wonder how to keep going. This is a heartbreaking job most days. For every dog saved, another fills their spot at the shelter almost immediately. Some days, it seems that we are the only ones who care about these forgotten souls. I often try to be in ten places at once, and fail miserably. The worst days, those are the days I have to say no. I know that one simple word, that one 'simple' decision, could mean that a dog looses it's life. I know I have to though because the sad reality is, we cannot save them all.
I don't often talk about myself on RRR. I keep it strictly about the dogs. But, since the holidays are upon us, it is on my heart to share with all of our fans who have become like a family a little about my life and my self.
Someone made an assumption about me the other day. That these dogs that we save are 'just another dog'. I'm going to tell you about 'just another dog' and what it means to me.
For those who don't know, I am a single mother of a four year old son. I have been divorced once. My ex husbands time in the Army wasn't kind to our family, or to him, and after four years of spending more time apart than we did together, PTSD, TBI and anger at our situations as well as my own failings, our marriage fell apart. I suffer from TBI, as well as other physical issues, from a car accident in 2008 that almost took my life. To make ends meet, I train dogs outside of RRR and I work on other freelance projects as time permits. For RRR, myself and my son, have sacrificed plenty. I have missed many hours of time watching my child grow, I have had to say no to his simple requests more times than I would like, I don't always have the money to buy him the things he wants, I don't always have the time or patience for him that I should, and I don't always have the money to buy the things I need. I have sacrificed relationships, friendships, time in my life that I can never get back, and most recently, giving up my home to move in with family to save more money so that I can continue to fund RRR to the full extent that it needs to be.
I say all this not for pity but because for every thing that I have given up for RRR, there is something else that it has given TO me. It has given me the opportunity to help wounded veterans obtain a service dog that changes their life. It has given me the opportunity to travel for transports which take the place of 'vacations' we couldn't ever really afford, so every road trip has turned in to a 'fun' trip for us to sightsee along the route while saving lives. It has given me the opportunity to see the worst in people, and have my faith renewed by seeing those who come together to save a life and showing me the best this world has to offer. I have met many wonderful friends, people who I have never seen face to face, but who I find brighten my day with their belief that the cause I have dedicated my life to is worthwhile. It has given me the opportunity to feel an adrenaline rush and live on the edge with every aggressive dog we work to rehab (lol, only partially kidding here). Most of all, it's given me a purpose, and it's given me love.
There is NOT one dog whose name I do not know. There is not one whose face I cannot remember. And every 'member' of RRR, either adopted or still with us, remains in my mind when other simple details of life cannot. I have spent countless hours on the road bringing them to safety, or foster, or new homes. I have spent countless hours on Facebook, networking to save their lives, staring at their photos and thinking, can we make room for just one more? I have spent thousands upon thousands of dollars making sure they are fed, comfortable and their medical needs are met. I know every personality, every quirk, every mark on every body.
I am honored to work among America's heroes on a daily basis, both human and canine. I have been blessed to be able, through this work, to teach my son about the gift of giving to others, about putting the needs of someone else before yourself, about life, about death, about kindness, about caring for animals, about things others at his tender age will never know.
I am human, and like anyone else, I make mistakes. Every thing I do in this line of work is a judgement call. Sometimes I have made the right choices, others I have made the wrong ones. I am no better, and no worse, than anyone else. I am disorganized, usually late, half frantic most of the time....but I do my best and I try my hardest to help the ones I can. I have stayed up, at times over 36 hours, working on a save or a fundraiser or a project for the dogs. I have slept next to sick dogs, waking up any time they needed help. I have had the blessing of being able to help bring new life in to this world, and the sad task of deciding when a life must end.
Not many people understand why I do this. Often times, I don't really know the answer. It's hard work, it's stress, it's time consuming, it's difficult...but, I couldn't imagine doing anything else.
So when someone says to me that there is 'just another dog' or that RRR is 'just another job', they have no idea how wrong they are. I have literally invested my blood, sweat and tears in to this operation. I ask for nothing in return but for people to open their hearts to our Soldiers in need of a dog, or our dogs in need of a home or rescue.
This year, I am thankful for RRR, for our fans, for our friends and supporters, for every dog and every Soldier...
Thank you for helping us continue on our journey and may you have a wonderful Thanksgiving day.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Who could benefit from a service dog?
It has been a long while since I've had time to sit down and write a blog but tonight, I felt it was time to write again.
Many things have gone on at RRR since the last blog. Dogs coming and going, training, etc. and each day there is always more work to do. However, we are always learning, improving, and keeping close to our original goal- training service dogs for members of our Military with PTSD, TBI and other visible and invisible wounds.
Tonight I want to talk about what a service dog IS, what a service dog is NOT and who could benefit from having such a special canine on 'their team'.
When people think of service dogs, many people think of guide dogs for the blind (seeing eye dogs), dogs that assist with physical tasks, etc but not many people consider emotional service dogs. You might be wondering what this kind of service dog does. Their tasks are varied according to their 'person' but some of these tasks can include: tactile stimulation during a 'flashback', creating a barrier around a person in public to keep them from being accidentally touched or bumped, acting as a social lubricant by learning tricks, 'hugging' their person, sitting in the lap of their 'person' to trigger a release of 'happy chemicals' in the body (for dogs over 30 lbs), interrupting a person whose anger is quickly growing and reminding them to take a moment or walk away, 'patrolling' the house at night to ease their person, waking someone from a nightmare, etc. For those also suffering from TBI, these dogs can also help with things such as balance assist, retrieving dropped objects and medication reminders. Most importantly, what each of these dog provides is unconditional love and acceptance of their person.
It is however important to remember that a service dog is not an easy fix or a quick solution. They do not magically make problems disappear. They will always require constant training and touching up to continue working at a high level and must have a handler who is willing to put in the time so that their canine can continue to assist them. A service dog may not make problems disappear but they can help someone to work through them step by step, and with a caring canine partner at their side.
The next question is WHO could benefit from a service dog. First, those experiencing symptoms of PTSD, TBI, military combat trauma, military sexual trauma, etc can benefit from a service dog but not EVERYONE will work well with a service dog. This needs to be a decision made by the care provider of the person, the person themselves AND the service dog training organization. However, even those who may not be candidates for a full out service dog CAN be wonderful candidates for a well trained companion animal who can help them through daily life by simply being there for them.
HOW does one go about obtaining a service dog, especially from RRR? First, we like to talk with the person. Many other service dog providers ask potential candidates to fill out an application. In a way, we do too but we like to instead make it a little more personal by getting the answers to our questions through conversation. However, if someone is more comfortable filling out a paper application, we are happy to provide them with one of those as well. Secondly, we do ask for a care providers recommendation for the service animal. While we agree that almost anyone could benefit from owning a well trained companion animal, we do need to discuss the option of a service dog with a medical care provider for a few reasons. One, we want to make sure that the person applying for the dog actually has a NEED for the dog. Second, we need to speak with the provider to fully understand the effects of PTSD, TBI, etc on the person so we can train the dog properly to suit their needs. What a person might want and what a medical care provider deems necessary may be two different things though we are always happy to work with the wants as well, time permitting.
WHAT can you do if you know someone who might benefit from having a service dog or a well trained companion animal to assist them? Have them send us a message and let us know! We are happy to walk them through each step in a non confusing manner and help them to determine what would best suit their needs.
We are here to help and if we do not have, or cannot find, a dog to suit the persons needs, we will help them reach out to someone who can!
Many things have gone on at RRR since the last blog. Dogs coming and going, training, etc. and each day there is always more work to do. However, we are always learning, improving, and keeping close to our original goal- training service dogs for members of our Military with PTSD, TBI and other visible and invisible wounds.
Tonight I want to talk about what a service dog IS, what a service dog is NOT and who could benefit from having such a special canine on 'their team'.
When people think of service dogs, many people think of guide dogs for the blind (seeing eye dogs), dogs that assist with physical tasks, etc but not many people consider emotional service dogs. You might be wondering what this kind of service dog does. Their tasks are varied according to their 'person' but some of these tasks can include: tactile stimulation during a 'flashback', creating a barrier around a person in public to keep them from being accidentally touched or bumped, acting as a social lubricant by learning tricks, 'hugging' their person, sitting in the lap of their 'person' to trigger a release of 'happy chemicals' in the body (for dogs over 30 lbs), interrupting a person whose anger is quickly growing and reminding them to take a moment or walk away, 'patrolling' the house at night to ease their person, waking someone from a nightmare, etc. For those also suffering from TBI, these dogs can also help with things such as balance assist, retrieving dropped objects and medication reminders. Most importantly, what each of these dog provides is unconditional love and acceptance of their person.
It is however important to remember that a service dog is not an easy fix or a quick solution. They do not magically make problems disappear. They will always require constant training and touching up to continue working at a high level and must have a handler who is willing to put in the time so that their canine can continue to assist them. A service dog may not make problems disappear but they can help someone to work through them step by step, and with a caring canine partner at their side.
The next question is WHO could benefit from a service dog. First, those experiencing symptoms of PTSD, TBI, military combat trauma, military sexual trauma, etc can benefit from a service dog but not EVERYONE will work well with a service dog. This needs to be a decision made by the care provider of the person, the person themselves AND the service dog training organization. However, even those who may not be candidates for a full out service dog CAN be wonderful candidates for a well trained companion animal who can help them through daily life by simply being there for them.
HOW does one go about obtaining a service dog, especially from RRR? First, we like to talk with the person. Many other service dog providers ask potential candidates to fill out an application. In a way, we do too but we like to instead make it a little more personal by getting the answers to our questions through conversation. However, if someone is more comfortable filling out a paper application, we are happy to provide them with one of those as well. Secondly, we do ask for a care providers recommendation for the service animal. While we agree that almost anyone could benefit from owning a well trained companion animal, we do need to discuss the option of a service dog with a medical care provider for a few reasons. One, we want to make sure that the person applying for the dog actually has a NEED for the dog. Second, we need to speak with the provider to fully understand the effects of PTSD, TBI, etc on the person so we can train the dog properly to suit their needs. What a person might want and what a medical care provider deems necessary may be two different things though we are always happy to work with the wants as well, time permitting.
WHAT can you do if you know someone who might benefit from having a service dog or a well trained companion animal to assist them? Have them send us a message and let us know! We are happy to walk them through each step in a non confusing manner and help them to determine what would best suit their needs.
We are here to help and if we do not have, or cannot find, a dog to suit the persons needs, we will help them reach out to someone who can!
Thursday, February 2, 2012
A Rescuers Work Is Never Done
It has been a long week already at RRR and it is only just now Thursday! Tired would be a good word to describe us right about now lol.
Our week started on Saturday afternoon while we were preparing to head to Mobile, AL. Many of you may have heard of the hoarding situation in Summerdale, AL last week. Well local rescues who already were loaded with dogs to care for now shouldered the burden of taking in many of the Summerdale survivors. Working with many of these groups before, I knew we had to reach out. What was intended to originally be a transport for two dogs, Ollie and Soldier, turned into a transport for more to take some of the adoptable and rehab dogs to RRR to make room for the victims of Summerdale.
SouthBARK, The SHACK and RRR came up with a plan to rent a cargo van and take what dogs we could back with us. So on Saturday we went to Nashville at noon and rented the cargo van for the trip. Preparations for us to be able to leave of course ran late into the night and we hit the road around 2:30 am bound for Mobile.
We arrived in Mobile the next morning and made our first stop to pick up a Doberman who had been abandoned by his owners and taken in by neighbors. This sweet boy was younger than we'd originally thought, probably only about 8-10 months old, and though he had put on a bit of weight after a week in very good hands, he still had a long way to go.
Later that night, while picking up a gas card donation from one of the awesome SouthBARK volunteers I got to see Macey. I had met Macey for the first time when we were transporting Van Gogh to his new home in Mobile and picking up Lucy exactly one month before. The day I saw Macey was only a day or two after she had been brought in to MCAS (Mobile County Animal Shelter). Her owner had originally asked for help with food for his dogs and I cannot remember if he then surrendered them or they were seized but Macey and her partner, a male boxer, were in BAD shape. They were EXTREMELY emaciated, had lost most of their hair, had swelling on many parts of their body including their feet and looked old beyond their years. They were pulled out of MCAS by Robbie Fitzgerald (an AMAZING rescuer in AL who works with SouthBARK and who founded The SHACK) and taken for vet care. While at the vet, Macey's companion passed away. His heart had literally exploded from heartworms. Macey was now left alone. Betrayed by her owners, without her four legged companion and friend, Macey fell into depression. That's when a wonderful volunteer/foster named Christina offered to take Macey into her home. Seeing Macey after just those few weeks in Christina's care I could not believe it was the same dog. Though she was still so skinny she had put on a LOT of weight since I first saw her. Her hair was starting to grow back, there was a pep in her step, she was sweet and happy. Christina was trying to place her fosters in forever homes so she could take in and care for some of the Summerdale dogs. After seeing how much Macey had improved in such a short time, and with Macey being a boxer (one of Rob's favorite breeds), I told Christina that Macey could come back to RRR where we would continue her heartworm treatment, put the rest of her weight back on, keep an eye on some growths she had that the vet said to just watch for changes and get her ready for her forever home.
After adding Macey to 'the bus', we turned in for the night and at 5 am started getting prepared for the day ahead. We'd be meeting with Robbie to 'tour' Mobile in our 'rescue whirlwind'. We met with Robbie at 7 and our first stop was a vets office to evaluate a dog now named 'Shaq'. Shaq is a young Staffordshire Terrier mix (probably some Boxer in there as well) with the most adorable ears you have ever seen. Though Shaq gained 15 lbs while in boarding with the vet he is still very underweight (hard to imagine what he looked like with 15 less lbs, they said he was very close to death when he was brought in). He is heartworm positive and started on his treatment and he needs to learn how to properly socialize with other dogs. I worked with Shaq for a few minutes outside the office to evaluate him and agreed he would do well at RRR. After getting his prescriptions, he was loaded on the bus and we continued on our journey.
Our next stop was another vet's office where there was a dog Robbie wanted me to meet. She told me he was not originally one of the ones she'd had in mind to come to RRR but she thought I might have some interest in him so she wanted me to see him. I have to admit, I wasn't ready for what I saw. 'Firefighter' stole my heart the minute he walked in the room. As he hobbled in (he only has full use of three of his legs) I was immediately taken by his sweet, curious personality. Scars from what we assume were burns, lined his thin frame. He had gained 17 pounds since being in boarding but he is still so thin. I can only imagine what he looked like when he had arrived just a few weeks before. I had told myself there would be no more black pitties coming in until Dee found her forever home but with one curious head cock, Firefighter had me at hello. While Robbie went to work out the details of his release from boarding I sat alone with him in the exam room for a few moments. It was then that the tears for this sweet baby started to flow. I wanted to hug those who had saved him right then and there. As I ran my hands over his scars, I promised him no one would ever hurt him again and that he had all of us on his side now. I have since spoken with his rescuer, Ashley, who relayed the story of his save in these words: "My fiancé is a firefighter in Mobile, Alabama. One day, two pit bulls showed up in the backyard of the firehouse. Both were emaciated, obviously abused and neglected, but despite all they went through, they were both sweet. (but not toward each other back then) The black pit had an obvious shoulder problem and scars all along his body. We think that whoever had him last poured hot grease or acid on him. The firefighters are all animal lovers and didn't want to see these dogs get put down at a shelter, since I'm a vet tech, they called me to see what they can do and if I knew any rescue groups that would take them. Since they couldn't keep them at the firehouse, one of the firefighters took care of the red nose pit and boarded him at the vet she uses, while my fiancé and I cared for the black one at my place of work. Since I work with the best ortho vet on the gulf coast, I had him take a look at his elbow. We got him into surgery and since the fracture was so old, there was no repairing it. So we placed a pin in his elbow and also had him neutered. He will probably never walk normally, but it doesn't seem to bother him much. He is the sweetest baby for all he has been through. I tried to spend as much time with him as possible without getting too attached! I am so thankful that the wonderful people that I work with helped me fatten him up, and get him on his long road to recovery." Firefighter is now at RRR starting his heartworm treatment, he will continue to gain weight AND he has even learned a few new tricks on his second day here! The best news is, his now friend, Copper (the red pit Ashley speaks of in her story) is here too!
After meeting Firefighter our next stop was to evaluate Copper and Jake. Copper is the red pit that was abandoned with Firefighter and Jake is a wonderfully sweet Bernese Mountain Dog/Australian Shepherd cross. Jake was surrendered to MCAS when his owners discovered he had a piece of rawhide lodged in his intestine and they couldn't (or wouldn't) pay for surgery so they brought him to the shelter to be euthanized. Robbie pulled him and brought him to the vet where he underwent surgery for his stomach and a neuter. We knew Copper was a definite for RRR because he has so much ball drive. I knew that we could channel that drive and excitement into many things and that one day Copper could possibly be a working dog but at the very least, he'd be great for a child who loves to play fetch. However, I was certainly not expecting Jake and all of his wonderful fluffiness =) When we met Jake I told Rob it would be his decision on if he would come to RRR or not. Quite to my surprise, Rob said to load him on the bus. I had a bunch of pictures of Copper but for some reason they did not save to my camera so I have to take more but I do have some of Jake that I will post here. Copper is going to receive a lot of training while here and may one day be a service dog (only time will tell) but for now, he has some more weight to gain and heartworm treatment to continue. Jake is learning basic obedience and is ready for his forever home!
I also forgot to mention, after our stop to get Firefighter and before our stop for these two boys, we went to MCAS to have a look around. I found a few prospects that I considered pulling, after being in tears over seeing so many sweet babies in there, but knew I needed to hold off to see how many we needed to take for SB and The SHACK. However, while we were there, there were two ladies in the entrance getting ready to surrender two four week old pups who were 'weaned' and they'd been unable to find homes for. Robbie immediately took them into her arms and said she would find a home for them rather than them go into MCAS. So, they got loaded into her 'bus' and on we went =)
Anyhow, back to our day! So, after picking up Copper and Jake we headed on to our next stop which was where I would evaluate Rooster, a dog Robbie had pulled from MCAS. His reason for being brought to the shelter...he liked chicken. Fresh chicken. Our evaluation with Rooster took a while and we decided that he would need a lot of work and it would be best to include him on another transport. Rob and I worked with Rooster for about 30 minutes and evaluated him. He is a dog who underneath his sometimes tough exterior, wants to learn and be loved. I look forward to working with him in the future.
Our week started on Saturday afternoon while we were preparing to head to Mobile, AL. Many of you may have heard of the hoarding situation in Summerdale, AL last week. Well local rescues who already were loaded with dogs to care for now shouldered the burden of taking in many of the Summerdale survivors. Working with many of these groups before, I knew we had to reach out. What was intended to originally be a transport for two dogs, Ollie and Soldier, turned into a transport for more to take some of the adoptable and rehab dogs to RRR to make room for the victims of Summerdale.
SouthBARK, The SHACK and RRR came up with a plan to rent a cargo van and take what dogs we could back with us. So on Saturday we went to Nashville at noon and rented the cargo van for the trip. Preparations for us to be able to leave of course ran late into the night and we hit the road around 2:30 am bound for Mobile.
We arrived in Mobile the next morning and made our first stop to pick up a Doberman who had been abandoned by his owners and taken in by neighbors. This sweet boy was younger than we'd originally thought, probably only about 8-10 months old, and though he had put on a bit of weight after a week in very good hands, he still had a long way to go.
Later that night, while picking up a gas card donation from one of the awesome SouthBARK volunteers I got to see Macey. I had met Macey for the first time when we were transporting Van Gogh to his new home in Mobile and picking up Lucy exactly one month before. The day I saw Macey was only a day or two after she had been brought in to MCAS (Mobile County Animal Shelter). Her owner had originally asked for help with food for his dogs and I cannot remember if he then surrendered them or they were seized but Macey and her partner, a male boxer, were in BAD shape. They were EXTREMELY emaciated, had lost most of their hair, had swelling on many parts of their body including their feet and looked old beyond their years. They were pulled out of MCAS by Robbie Fitzgerald (an AMAZING rescuer in AL who works with SouthBARK and who founded The SHACK) and taken for vet care. While at the vet, Macey's companion passed away. His heart had literally exploded from heartworms. Macey was now left alone. Betrayed by her owners, without her four legged companion and friend, Macey fell into depression. That's when a wonderful volunteer/foster named Christina offered to take Macey into her home. Seeing Macey after just those few weeks in Christina's care I could not believe it was the same dog. Though she was still so skinny she had put on a LOT of weight since I first saw her. Her hair was starting to grow back, there was a pep in her step, she was sweet and happy. Christina was trying to place her fosters in forever homes so she could take in and care for some of the Summerdale dogs. After seeing how much Macey had improved in such a short time, and with Macey being a boxer (one of Rob's favorite breeds), I told Christina that Macey could come back to RRR where we would continue her heartworm treatment, put the rest of her weight back on, keep an eye on some growths she had that the vet said to just watch for changes and get her ready for her forever home.
After adding Macey to 'the bus', we turned in for the night and at 5 am started getting prepared for the day ahead. We'd be meeting with Robbie to 'tour' Mobile in our 'rescue whirlwind'. We met with Robbie at 7 and our first stop was a vets office to evaluate a dog now named 'Shaq'. Shaq is a young Staffordshire Terrier mix (probably some Boxer in there as well) with the most adorable ears you have ever seen. Though Shaq gained 15 lbs while in boarding with the vet he is still very underweight (hard to imagine what he looked like with 15 less lbs, they said he was very close to death when he was brought in). He is heartworm positive and started on his treatment and he needs to learn how to properly socialize with other dogs. I worked with Shaq for a few minutes outside the office to evaluate him and agreed he would do well at RRR. After getting his prescriptions, he was loaded on the bus and we continued on our journey.
Our next stop was another vet's office where there was a dog Robbie wanted me to meet. She told me he was not originally one of the ones she'd had in mind to come to RRR but she thought I might have some interest in him so she wanted me to see him. I have to admit, I wasn't ready for what I saw. 'Firefighter' stole my heart the minute he walked in the room. As he hobbled in (he only has full use of three of his legs) I was immediately taken by his sweet, curious personality. Scars from what we assume were burns, lined his thin frame. He had gained 17 pounds since being in boarding but he is still so thin. I can only imagine what he looked like when he had arrived just a few weeks before. I had told myself there would be no more black pitties coming in until Dee found her forever home but with one curious head cock, Firefighter had me at hello. While Robbie went to work out the details of his release from boarding I sat alone with him in the exam room for a few moments. It was then that the tears for this sweet baby started to flow. I wanted to hug those who had saved him right then and there. As I ran my hands over his scars, I promised him no one would ever hurt him again and that he had all of us on his side now. I have since spoken with his rescuer, Ashley, who relayed the story of his save in these words: "My fiancé is a firefighter in Mobile, Alabama. One day, two pit bulls showed up in the backyard of the firehouse. Both were emaciated, obviously abused and neglected, but despite all they went through, they were both sweet. (but not toward each other back then) The black pit had an obvious shoulder problem and scars all along his body. We think that whoever had him last poured hot grease or acid on him. The firefighters are all animal lovers and didn't want to see these dogs get put down at a shelter, since I'm a vet tech, they called me to see what they can do and if I knew any rescue groups that would take them. Since they couldn't keep them at the firehouse, one of the firefighters took care of the red nose pit and boarded him at the vet she uses, while my fiancé and I cared for the black one at my place of work. Since I work with the best ortho vet on the gulf coast, I had him take a look at his elbow. We got him into surgery and since the fracture was so old, there was no repairing it. So we placed a pin in his elbow and also had him neutered. He will probably never walk normally, but it doesn't seem to bother him much. He is the sweetest baby for all he has been through. I tried to spend as much time with him as possible without getting too attached! I am so thankful that the wonderful people that I work with helped me fatten him up, and get him on his long road to recovery." Firefighter is now at RRR starting his heartworm treatment, he will continue to gain weight AND he has even learned a few new tricks on his second day here! The best news is, his now friend, Copper (the red pit Ashley speaks of in her story) is here too!
After meeting Firefighter our next stop was to evaluate Copper and Jake. Copper is the red pit that was abandoned with Firefighter and Jake is a wonderfully sweet Bernese Mountain Dog/Australian Shepherd cross. Jake was surrendered to MCAS when his owners discovered he had a piece of rawhide lodged in his intestine and they couldn't (or wouldn't) pay for surgery so they brought him to the shelter to be euthanized. Robbie pulled him and brought him to the vet where he underwent surgery for his stomach and a neuter. We knew Copper was a definite for RRR because he has so much ball drive. I knew that we could channel that drive and excitement into many things and that one day Copper could possibly be a working dog but at the very least, he'd be great for a child who loves to play fetch. However, I was certainly not expecting Jake and all of his wonderful fluffiness =) When we met Jake I told Rob it would be his decision on if he would come to RRR or not. Quite to my surprise, Rob said to load him on the bus. I had a bunch of pictures of Copper but for some reason they did not save to my camera so I have to take more but I do have some of Jake that I will post here. Copper is going to receive a lot of training while here and may one day be a service dog (only time will tell) but for now, he has some more weight to gain and heartworm treatment to continue. Jake is learning basic obedience and is ready for his forever home!
I also forgot to mention, after our stop to get Firefighter and before our stop for these two boys, we went to MCAS to have a look around. I found a few prospects that I considered pulling, after being in tears over seeing so many sweet babies in there, but knew I needed to hold off to see how many we needed to take for SB and The SHACK. However, while we were there, there were two ladies in the entrance getting ready to surrender two four week old pups who were 'weaned' and they'd been unable to find homes for. Robbie immediately took them into her arms and said she would find a home for them rather than them go into MCAS. So, they got loaded into her 'bus' and on we went =)
Anyhow, back to our day! So, after picking up Copper and Jake we headed on to our next stop which was where I would evaluate Rooster, a dog Robbie had pulled from MCAS. His reason for being brought to the shelter...he liked chicken. Fresh chicken. Our evaluation with Rooster took a while and we decided that he would need a lot of work and it would be best to include him on another transport. Rob and I worked with Rooster for about 30 minutes and evaluated him. He is a dog who underneath his sometimes tough exterior, wants to learn and be loved. I look forward to working with him in the future.
At this top we walked, watered and fed all of the dogs and then headed out to our next stop where I would evaluate Cain and Ollie. Cain is an Anatolian Shepherd cross who was abandoned by his owners at MCAS. He was pulled by SouthBARK. Cain developed a flea allergy while in boarding so we are going to be working on treating that, He is also a shy boy who needs to be socialized and receive some basic training. He will soon be ready to find his forever home. Ollie some of you may have heard of already. "He was pulled from MCAS by a member of SouthBARK and adopted out to what was supposed to be a wonderful family or so everyone was fooled into thinking. A year later they found Ollie in a kill shelter in Florida having never been told the owners were giving him up and he was not returned which is the policy. They pulled him again only to find Ollie returned with a whole host of issues he'd never had before. He was now dog aggressive and at times human aggressive. Ollie can not stay in boarding because of his behavioral problems so he has come here for rehab. Ollie is already neutered, UTD on shots and ready to begin his rehab =)" Ollie is one of the most intriguing cases I have seen. We ran Ollie through a series of 'tests' if you will during our evaluation and not one time did he show any aggression, even toward a dog he had previously attacked. (This was done carefully of course). However, I knew of his history and the pieces just weren't adding up. We had to purchase an extra crate because we had not intended on taking Jake so we were short. While Robbie went to the store to find us a crate (not an easy task since the Summerdale incident had occurred) we walked, watered and fed the dogs on the bus and prepared for the next leg of the trip. We were finally getting ready to head home! When Robbie came back we loaded Cain and Ollie into the van, said our goodbyes and headed out. We had one more stop left to make on the way and that was for Soldier and Charlie from Starting Over Ranch in Florida.
Cain
Ollie
About 2 hours later we made our final stop. We met with Jennifer who was kind enough to travel from Alabama to Ocala, FL to pick up the last two new residents of the ranch, Soldier and Charlie.
Soldier was pulled by Starting Over Ranch from a kill shelter in FL when they deemed him dog aggressive and he was only hours away from death. Melissa, our good friend at Starting over, has done a lot of work to rehab Soldier already but was limited in how much she could do because of a fracture in her hand. Soldier is here to continue his rehab and receive heartworm treatment as he is HW+. He also needs his neuter when his heartworm treatment is a bit further along. After all of that is done Soldier will be looking for his forever home. He is one of the SWEETEST dogs you will EVER meet.
Charlie is what we believe to be a Belgian Tervuren x Aussie cross. He has a sweet nature, is energetic and loving and LOVES to jump. Charlie is looking for his furever home! While he is here he will be learning agility =)
A funny story...when we were stopped to pick up Charlie and Soldier the poor Dobie made a mess in his crate. Rob went to the rest room and got a roll of toilet paper, some wet towels and a garbage bag to clean out the crate with. While Jennifer and I were walking some of the dogs, the gas station attendant came up to us, informed us he had just come on shift and that we had 'stolen' toilet paper from the mens room. Being tired (36 hours with an hour of sleep), I informed him that I had obviously not been using the mens room and kept going about our business. After standing there staring at the roll of toilet paper on top of a crate for about a minute, he finally turned and walked away. When we were done, Rob was going to return the toilet paper and throw out the garbage bag. I half jokingly told him that if the guy wanted to be like that, he should just give him back ALL the toilet paper, including what was in the bag, so that he couldn't say we stole it. To my surprise, Rob walked to the gas station door where the attendant stood and listened to the lecture about how stealing toilet paper was a felony (seriously?!?! lol) etc etc etc. Then, when the attendant was done, Rob handed him the roll of paper, the garbage bag and said well here you go, here is all of it back. The attendant thanked him and walked away only shortly after realizing what in fact he had just been handed LOL Now, normally, I would not have found this so amusing but the fact we were OBVIOUSLY trying to keep dogs clean and sanitary and were not running off with a roll of toilet paper would have been enough to prevent most people from even saying anything so silly. BUT since it didn't in this case, I felt we should make a point =) don't mess with dog people while they are caring for their dogs LOL
Anyhow, after Jennifer and I shared a laugh about the situation, we headed on our way back home. We finally arrived very early that morning and proceeded to check on all the current residents of RRR who had to be cared for by a volunteer and my mom while we were gone and unload, feed, water, walk and settle in all of the new residents. They were also each photographed and entered into our iShelter system along with their records. I uploaded some photos and slept for a bit and then it was more training, catching up, computer work, feeding and caring for the dogs and running errands.
I thought today we would finally have a break but we were called to help with an urgent situation with two Dobermans who were stuck in a kill shelter and could not be released to anyone in the area, including rescue, because of BSL (breed specific legislation which bans breeds 'known for aggressive behavior'). That meant that if the Dobies had any chance of not being euthanized, someone in another area had to pull them. Our friend Bridget, with an awesome group N2N (Numbers 2 Names) drove over two hours to pull the dobies from the shelter and meet us with them in Jackson, TN. We then had another long ride home and more settling in and caring for the dogs. I administered some antibiotic and sub cue fluids, gave them a bath, food and water and spent some time with them to settle them in for the night. They are doing much better already and will now visit the vet for shots, exam, fecal and heartworm test. I have named them Cerberus and Zeus.
Cerberus
Zeus
Now, as this week winds to a close, tomorrow we will be working on our weekly deep cleaning, catching up on filing paperwork, arranging a meeting with a lawyer for our 501c3 and training, videoing and photographing the rescues.
I can only imagine the things we will learn this week!
Until next time,
Nicole
Friday, January 27, 2012
The Aftermath
I sit here tonight stunned. There are no words to express my feelings. Earlier tonight I got word of a terrible situation near Mobile, AL. Hundreds of dogs and cats at a rescue/boarding facility left starving to death while the owners took off and CLAIM they left an employee in charge of the animals care. At least 50 are already dead. Some will probably not make it through the night. They have gone over 10 days with no food or water and not because there was none. As they sat and starved, to the point of some turning on and eating each other, they could glimpse full bowls of food right outside their kennels....just out of reach. I have been told by rescue friends working the situation first hand that the scene there was worse than anything shown on the news stories about this. Now, already overwhelmed and underfunded rescues will step up to help the dogs these monsters left to die.
I just can't seem to understand. It is beyond my comprehension how a facility with so many people in and out didn't have anyone notice the problem sooner. How do you just walk away?
I of course have reached out to our fellow rescuers in Mobile and offered them the help of RRR in any way we can. We already have a transport arranged there for this weekend and some of these dogs may replace others who needed us as their need is more urgent. I just can't wrap my head around any of this. Every day REAL rescuers clean up the messes left by others, and then one of our own (or someone who was supposed to be) does this. How does that happen? WHY?
I wish I could be in Alabama right now helping the volunteers, our friends, and rescue groups but I can't so I will have to wait until Sunday to do whatever small part I can, if any. The situation is overwhelming and chaotic. I'm watching friends struggle to place their healthy adoptable dogs quickly to make room for the influx of dogs that is surely to come. Even worse, we fear people who want to help the 'Purple Hearted' dogs but aren't ready for the responsibility will step up too quickly and the dogs will end up in yet again another bad situation.
Sometimes I am asked, and sometimes I ask myself, why I continue in rescue when it seems so overwhelming and so much easier to give up. THIS is why. As long as there are those out there without a voice, someone has to stand up and speak for them. This is also why there are times when I say 'no'. As heartbreaking as it is to be the last chance or lifeline for a dog, we cannot overwhelm ourselves either or we do no one any good. Wonderful things are happening at RRR made possible by other rescue groups we work with that are enabling us to save more lives but there is still that line that we must always be aware not to cross. Thankfully, adoption rates are on the rise and working together with other rescues is proving to be a great thing for all of us. We are able to save more lives and find more forever homes for the babies in need.
However, what people can't forget, and the reason we need our fans, is because without donations from the public, rescues cease to exist. No one can support a rescue on their own. I know that money is tight for many people, I know everyone has their own debts and problems but I say this in the nicest way possible...for all the people who want to see rescues stepping up to help more, to save more lives, to continue the work they do...put your money where your mouth is. Rescues need funds, they need food, they need supplies. Even if you have old towels, send them to a rescue in need! We all can make use of anything we are given. There is NO GIFT TOO SMALL. EVEN if it just means clicking a share button to encourage others to help...PLEASE reach out and take a moment. It DOES save lives!
I look at the faces at RRR every day, the ones others had given up on, the hopeless and lost ones, the unwanted ones, the sick and scared ones...all getting better, all living in peace, all getting ready to find their forever...I can't turn my back on them. I have given my own time, money, supplies, knowledge, and literally blood, sweat and tears...Rob and I live rescue every day. THIS is our 'hobby', our 'work', our life. In light of that, is a dollar, literally $1 too much to ask? Is an old towel too much to ask? A bag of food? I know this sounds awful of me, but it is the truth. And this isn't just about RRR, this is for ALL the rescues needing support. This is for everyone like us who gives as much as we do. This is for every dog that people want saved but no one else will step up for. THIS is all for the ones without a voice.
With daylight we will know more of the situation for the dogs in Alabama, after 8 am we will know even more. It is likely we are going to be asked to take some and other rescues are stepping up to help us make this happen. We have the room, they have the resources but again, none of us are limitless. We all need your help. So tomorrow, take a moment to think about it before you buy a soda, a bag of chips, a snack at McDonalds and if you can find it in your heart take that money and instead give it to a rescue you see LIVING their work. It doesn't matter where they are, or how many they have saved (some can only do a few at a time)....the real rescues are forever greatful for knowing someone has thought of them, someone appreciates their work and someone is helping them to save lives.
Until tomorrow....
*Nicole
I just can't seem to understand. It is beyond my comprehension how a facility with so many people in and out didn't have anyone notice the problem sooner. How do you just walk away?
I of course have reached out to our fellow rescuers in Mobile and offered them the help of RRR in any way we can. We already have a transport arranged there for this weekend and some of these dogs may replace others who needed us as their need is more urgent. I just can't wrap my head around any of this. Every day REAL rescuers clean up the messes left by others, and then one of our own (or someone who was supposed to be) does this. How does that happen? WHY?
I wish I could be in Alabama right now helping the volunteers, our friends, and rescue groups but I can't so I will have to wait until Sunday to do whatever small part I can, if any. The situation is overwhelming and chaotic. I'm watching friends struggle to place their healthy adoptable dogs quickly to make room for the influx of dogs that is surely to come. Even worse, we fear people who want to help the 'Purple Hearted' dogs but aren't ready for the responsibility will step up too quickly and the dogs will end up in yet again another bad situation.
Sometimes I am asked, and sometimes I ask myself, why I continue in rescue when it seems so overwhelming and so much easier to give up. THIS is why. As long as there are those out there without a voice, someone has to stand up and speak for them. This is also why there are times when I say 'no'. As heartbreaking as it is to be the last chance or lifeline for a dog, we cannot overwhelm ourselves either or we do no one any good. Wonderful things are happening at RRR made possible by other rescue groups we work with that are enabling us to save more lives but there is still that line that we must always be aware not to cross. Thankfully, adoption rates are on the rise and working together with other rescues is proving to be a great thing for all of us. We are able to save more lives and find more forever homes for the babies in need.
However, what people can't forget, and the reason we need our fans, is because without donations from the public, rescues cease to exist. No one can support a rescue on their own. I know that money is tight for many people, I know everyone has their own debts and problems but I say this in the nicest way possible...for all the people who want to see rescues stepping up to help more, to save more lives, to continue the work they do...put your money where your mouth is. Rescues need funds, they need food, they need supplies. Even if you have old towels, send them to a rescue in need! We all can make use of anything we are given. There is NO GIFT TOO SMALL. EVEN if it just means clicking a share button to encourage others to help...PLEASE reach out and take a moment. It DOES save lives!
I look at the faces at RRR every day, the ones others had given up on, the hopeless and lost ones, the unwanted ones, the sick and scared ones...all getting better, all living in peace, all getting ready to find their forever...I can't turn my back on them. I have given my own time, money, supplies, knowledge, and literally blood, sweat and tears...Rob and I live rescue every day. THIS is our 'hobby', our 'work', our life. In light of that, is a dollar, literally $1 too much to ask? Is an old towel too much to ask? A bag of food? I know this sounds awful of me, but it is the truth. And this isn't just about RRR, this is for ALL the rescues needing support. This is for everyone like us who gives as much as we do. This is for every dog that people want saved but no one else will step up for. THIS is all for the ones without a voice.
With daylight we will know more of the situation for the dogs in Alabama, after 8 am we will know even more. It is likely we are going to be asked to take some and other rescues are stepping up to help us make this happen. We have the room, they have the resources but again, none of us are limitless. We all need your help. So tomorrow, take a moment to think about it before you buy a soda, a bag of chips, a snack at McDonalds and if you can find it in your heart take that money and instead give it to a rescue you see LIVING their work. It doesn't matter where they are, or how many they have saved (some can only do a few at a time)....the real rescues are forever greatful for knowing someone has thought of them, someone appreciates their work and someone is helping them to save lives.
Until tomorrow....
*Nicole
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The Forgotten Ones
Boarded up in a dog house with her puppies, starved and abandoned, used as a bait or fight dog, human aggressive, dog aggressive, emaciated, heartworm positive, neglected, unwanted....Looking down a list of dogs at RRR almost every one could have one of these labels attached next to their name.
Sometimes, even though a dog 'looks' fine and is healthy, it's the invisible scars that are the hardest to heal. We have dealt with our fair share of those too. I often compare these dogs to Soldiers who return with PTSD and TBI. On the outside, they 'look' fine. On the inside, they are anything but.
It is easy to forget the scars that don't adorn ones body but instead their mind. Many of the dogs we rehabilitate, even once they are back to health, are still fighting a long and hard road to recovery. We have had great success rehabbing dogs others have given up on, but it definitely is not easy and I know, there will be a dog we cannot save.
What is it that makes these dogs this way? How does a dog who was once a sweet puppy become a 'monster'? Usually, the answer is bad owners. Very rarely, it can be a genetic trait which is brought out by a bad owner. Sometimes, it's lack of training and sometimes it's just a set of circumstances the dog is living in that just don't fit. Those aren't the bad owners, they are just the owners who may not understand what that particular dog needs or how to be a strong enough leader to them.
When I look around every day, I see these faces with scars (visible and invisible) for whom we were their only hope. In every one of the dogs here, there is beauty. The sad part is, not everyone may see it.
For example, to many people 'Dee' is 'just another black pit bull needing a home' but to us, Dee is a survivor. Dee and her puppies were seized from a neglectful, awful owner who boarded her and her puppies INSIDE her dog house with no food or water, and still attached to the chain she led most of her life on. She landed in the local rabies control facility which is a VERY high kill shelter that euth's usually twice a week for space. Her puppies were saved by a rescue, but Dee was left behind with no interest from anyone wanting to save her. We stepped up. When we pulled Dee, she was vetted the next day and we discovered she had pyometra, a potentially life threatening infection of her uterus. Though severely underweight and high heartworm positive, Dee had to undergo emergency surgery to have any chance at life. We weren't sure she would make it through and I questioned our vet about his thoughts on if she would make it. I remember his answer to me too. He said, 'Look at this dog and all she's been through. A lot of other dogs would have been long gone already but she's a fighter. If she made it through that, she'll make it through this'. Sure enough, the next day Dee emerged from surgery no worse for the wear and came home to us the day after. She has learned to play, love and befriend other dogs. She is a survivor. I sometimes see in her eyes that she thinks about her past. I know that some people say dogs can't or don't, but I feel different. I know she does. However, that thoughtful sad look on her face lasts for only a moment and soon she is back to playing and having fun or cuddling up on the couch. Dee deserves her own family, though she is so much a part of ours. She deserves someone to pay attention to only her, to love only her, to spend all of their free hours with only her. However, we also know that the chances of Dee finding a home while still undergoing heartworm treatment, and being black and a pit bull, are not high. Still we hold out hope that one day, she will have a family that will be her own and treat her the way she deserves to be treated.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that some of the dogs at RRR may not be 'beautiful' or 'special' by others standards, but they are to us. Some have faces only a mother could love, and I do and I know someday, someone else will fall in love with some of them too. As many scars as they may have from their lives before or as 'scary' as they may look to some, to me, watching these forgotten ones happy and playing is a feeling I just cannot explain.
Then, I see dogs like Soldier, who is a beautiful, physically healthy young pit bull. He will be coming this week for his rehab to begin. Soldier appears to have never missed a meal. He is a happy, people loving, wonderful dog who is gorgeous in every physical way. To most people, he 'looks' fine. However, because of Soldier's behavior, it is believed he was raised and trained to be a fight dog and this prevents him from having a normal life and interacting normally with other dogs. Some people don't feel that Soldiers need is as 'urgent' because he looks okay. However, Soldier was almost put to sleep because of his invisible scars and has no chance at a normal life, in a normal family, until those scars are healed.
While we often pull or save dogs that look physically bad, no one should misunderstand that the need is just as urgent for the ones whose scars don't show. They stand just as small a chance at a happily ever after as the emaciated dog in a shelter that people fear to adopt because of the potential need for care and in the wrong hands, they can be deadly until trained, to not only others but to themselves as well. They need us just as much since there are not many rescues who can or will rehabilitate dogs with severe behavioral problems.
Every dog here deserves a chance. They deserve the best possible. They deserve having someone look at them and find the beauty beneath the surface. It is my hope, that someday, all of them will find their happily ever after. Maybe, for a dog here, that happily ever after could be you.
Until next time,
Nicole
Sometimes, even though a dog 'looks' fine and is healthy, it's the invisible scars that are the hardest to heal. We have dealt with our fair share of those too. I often compare these dogs to Soldiers who return with PTSD and TBI. On the outside, they 'look' fine. On the inside, they are anything but.
It is easy to forget the scars that don't adorn ones body but instead their mind. Many of the dogs we rehabilitate, even once they are back to health, are still fighting a long and hard road to recovery. We have had great success rehabbing dogs others have given up on, but it definitely is not easy and I know, there will be a dog we cannot save.
What is it that makes these dogs this way? How does a dog who was once a sweet puppy become a 'monster'? Usually, the answer is bad owners. Very rarely, it can be a genetic trait which is brought out by a bad owner. Sometimes, it's lack of training and sometimes it's just a set of circumstances the dog is living in that just don't fit. Those aren't the bad owners, they are just the owners who may not understand what that particular dog needs or how to be a strong enough leader to them.
When I look around every day, I see these faces with scars (visible and invisible) for whom we were their only hope. In every one of the dogs here, there is beauty. The sad part is, not everyone may see it.
For example, to many people 'Dee' is 'just another black pit bull needing a home' but to us, Dee is a survivor. Dee and her puppies were seized from a neglectful, awful owner who boarded her and her puppies INSIDE her dog house with no food or water, and still attached to the chain she led most of her life on. She landed in the local rabies control facility which is a VERY high kill shelter that euth's usually twice a week for space. Her puppies were saved by a rescue, but Dee was left behind with no interest from anyone wanting to save her. We stepped up. When we pulled Dee, she was vetted the next day and we discovered she had pyometra, a potentially life threatening infection of her uterus. Though severely underweight and high heartworm positive, Dee had to undergo emergency surgery to have any chance at life. We weren't sure she would make it through and I questioned our vet about his thoughts on if she would make it. I remember his answer to me too. He said, 'Look at this dog and all she's been through. A lot of other dogs would have been long gone already but she's a fighter. If she made it through that, she'll make it through this'. Sure enough, the next day Dee emerged from surgery no worse for the wear and came home to us the day after. She has learned to play, love and befriend other dogs. She is a survivor. I sometimes see in her eyes that she thinks about her past. I know that some people say dogs can't or don't, but I feel different. I know she does. However, that thoughtful sad look on her face lasts for only a moment and soon she is back to playing and having fun or cuddling up on the couch. Dee deserves her own family, though she is so much a part of ours. She deserves someone to pay attention to only her, to love only her, to spend all of their free hours with only her. However, we also know that the chances of Dee finding a home while still undergoing heartworm treatment, and being black and a pit bull, are not high. Still we hold out hope that one day, she will have a family that will be her own and treat her the way she deserves to be treated.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that some of the dogs at RRR may not be 'beautiful' or 'special' by others standards, but they are to us. Some have faces only a mother could love, and I do and I know someday, someone else will fall in love with some of them too. As many scars as they may have from their lives before or as 'scary' as they may look to some, to me, watching these forgotten ones happy and playing is a feeling I just cannot explain.
Then, I see dogs like Soldier, who is a beautiful, physically healthy young pit bull. He will be coming this week for his rehab to begin. Soldier appears to have never missed a meal. He is a happy, people loving, wonderful dog who is gorgeous in every physical way. To most people, he 'looks' fine. However, because of Soldier's behavior, it is believed he was raised and trained to be a fight dog and this prevents him from having a normal life and interacting normally with other dogs. Some people don't feel that Soldiers need is as 'urgent' because he looks okay. However, Soldier was almost put to sleep because of his invisible scars and has no chance at a normal life, in a normal family, until those scars are healed.
While we often pull or save dogs that look physically bad, no one should misunderstand that the need is just as urgent for the ones whose scars don't show. They stand just as small a chance at a happily ever after as the emaciated dog in a shelter that people fear to adopt because of the potential need for care and in the wrong hands, they can be deadly until trained, to not only others but to themselves as well. They need us just as much since there are not many rescues who can or will rehabilitate dogs with severe behavioral problems.
Every dog here deserves a chance. They deserve the best possible. They deserve having someone look at them and find the beauty beneath the surface. It is my hope, that someday, all of them will find their happily ever after. Maybe, for a dog here, that happily ever after could be you.
Until next time,
Nicole
Friday, January 20, 2012
What's So Wrong With Breeding?
I want to write today about a topic that is somewhat controversial in the rescue world, and that is breeding. Emotions run high among rescuers whenever this topic is raised. Many people don't understand why and unfortunately too few understand what breeding really is or should be.
The term 'breeder' has become an ugly word in the rescue world. To most people, it's just something you should not do ever, for any reason and for MOST people, that is true. But to me a TRUE breeder is totally different than the person pawning off dogs to the first person to arrive with cash.
A TRUE breeder is someone who should be BETTERING their breed and caring about the dogs they bring in to this world as if they are their own children. This person should be well versed in the appropriate breed standards, care, training, and genetic testing needed to produce a dog of outstanding quality, conformation, temperament and ability. A TRUE breeder doesn't produce litter after litter. They research, study, select the best of the best and create one litter a year, IF that. A TRUE breeder will have homes lined up for the pups WELL before they are ready to be weaned, and sometimes even before they are born. Most of the time a TRUE breeder will have those homes fill out a question and answer sheet to know exactly which puppies will be suited perfectly to that home and they will only choose homes from that pool of applicants. A TRUE breeder will have as rigorous a process involved in buying one of their dogs as an adoption agency would have in adopting out a rescue. A true breeder has parent dogs genetically tested and screened for any diseases that are prevalent in their breed and chooses lines where the incidences of these diseases or faults are not prevalent or have not existed. Finally, the most important part...a TRUE breeder rarely, if ever MAKES money producing a litter. That is not to say they give their dogs away for free, quite the opposite. However, when proper care, training, testing, etc is done, the money 'made' off of the litter rarely equals what was spent in producing it. A TRUE breeder does what they do as a labor of love, not just to make cute puppies.
I always hear the argument that no one should breed a dog while there are still so many dogs in shelters and that those dogs would get adopted more if there weren't breeders out there producing more dogs. Well, the fact is, as sad as it may be, that not EVERYONE wants to adopt a dog. Not EVERY shelter dog, or even most, can fit every purpose that a dog sought from a breeder might fit easily. Now, don't mistake what I'm saying here. I think shelter and rescue dogs are some of the most amazing dogs out there. I think there are quite a few who exceed their purebred counterparts on many levels. However, the sad fact is that not all can and not all do and to some people, when they are intending to invest time, money and training into a dog for a specific purpose they are not willing to take a chance on unknowns. Do I think that shelter dogs get passed over MORE because there are people breeding? No, I don't. Furthermore, the argument that many dogs from breeders end up in shelters is inaccurate as well. Dogs from BACKYARD breeders end up in shelters. Dogs from less than caring or reputable breeders end up in shelters. In all the time I have been doing this, do you know how many dogs that were from reputable, reliable, and caring breeders, or even dogs who were imported by those breeders, I have seen end up in a shelter (and this is talking about those who vet the families these dogs go to beforehand)? NONE. I have yet to see a tattooed, well bred, papered dog from a breeder who may charge thousands of dollars and has gone above and beyond to ensure their dog is well placed, end up in a shelter. MOST of the dogs that end up in shelters were impulse buys, dogs whose breeders would not take any of their dogs back at any point in their life or attempt to rehome them if the owners could not, 'gifts', dogs bred by someone wanting to make a quick dollar and dogs who were produced with little care. I'm not saying there are not purebreds in shelters, there most certainly are. BUT if these dogs were from a TRUE breeder, there would be a way to trace them back to that breeder be it through microchip or tattoo and that breeder would be taking responsibility for them long before the situation declined to the point the dog ended up in a shelter. This person would be checking in with the family and dog on a regular basis and be there to support them through their ownership process and to step in if a situation turned bad. And of course, I'm not talking about a dog who goes to a shelter as a stray, although the chances of that happening with a dog from a TRUE breeder are less likely too because the homes they have approved for their dogs would have the utmost safety and security of the dog in mind at all times and even if they did not, the dog would be able to be traced back to the breeder.
Here's the deal, from my point of view. There are good and bad breeders, just like there is good and bad in every avenue of life. 90% of breeders are bad breeders and that 10% gets a bad name because of the 90%. What we need to spend time doing is not bashing the TRUE breeders but getting rid of and educating the other, or back yard breeders, so that they understand the damage they are doing by producing dogs they think should be bred because they are 'cute'.
TRUE breeders can be a GREAT resource to rescues and rescue workers as well as rescue dogs. These breeders are EXPERTS in their breed and have a deep love and appreciation for all that makes their breed what it is. Often times, they may hold the answer to a problem we are unsure about simply because we didn't know the traits of a breed. MOST true breeders also love their breed enough to agree that the majority of those who own their breed should be spayed/neutered and ensure that the same happens for their pups unless they are going to another TRUE breeder.
I think it's time we stop shunning TRUE breeders and having them help us to educate those who are not (and most real breeders are willing to do this) to spay and neuter their pets.
For almost all dog owners, you will have a more fulfilled, healthier and happier pet if they are spayed or neutered. On top of that, you'll know you never run the risk of contributing to the overpopulation of dogs in this country. Breeding, like so many other things, should be left to the experts! For those of you who truly LOVE your breed, want to improve it and watch that dog work and have a fulfilling life, I encourage you to be mentored by a TRUE breeder. STUDY bloodlines and breed characteristics. Go speak with judges of your chosen breed either in conformation or work and learn what they have to share about what makes the best of the best.
For those of you who wave this off and think that you'll breed any way, I want you to consider a few things....
1) Are you EXPERIENCED in medical care of dogs, pre and post whelp?
2) What would you do, and what could you afford to do, if there was a medical emergency with the bitch or one of the pups either pre or post whelp?
3) Do you know what the word whelp means?
4) Is your dog registered with a REPUTABLE registry such as the AKC and have you researched their pedigree until you are familiar with every name, and the offspring of those dogs, in the pedigree as well as whatever faults or defects they may have passed on? Have you studied other crosses of the lines you intend to mix?
5) WHY are you breeding your dogs? What purpose will the puppies serve? Who will be the main people attracted to buying one of your puppies? Do you feel they will give it a great home? Why or why not?
6) Are you willing and able to take one of the puppies you produced back at any time during it's life, or help to find another suitable home, if the person who bought the dog was no longer able to care for it or passed away?
7) How do you keep track of your puppies and where they go? What do you do to ensure that if one of your pups is lost or stolen not only the new owner, but you, will be contacted about the dog?
8) Can you name at least one genetic disease or fault that is prevalent in your chosen breed and the test used to diagnose that particular disease or fault? Has your dog been tested either genetically or physically to make sure they do not carry that trait and the likelihood of them passing it on is little to none?
9) Are you prepared to support new puppy owners by answering any and all questions they may have about their new pup and as time goes on? Are you able to assist in training with or for that pup to ensure it is a safe, healthy, happy dog?
10) Do you have a purchase contract? Do you frequently follow up on the pups you have produced? Do you require non-professional owners to spay or neuter their pup/dog?
11) Is your dog trained or do they specialize in some kind of 'work' or 'skill'? Are they, or dogs within 3 generations, titled? Have you carefully assessed and do you understand the temperament of your dog?
12) Has your dog been fully vetted? Vaccinated? Dewormed? Tested? Approved by an expert of the breed? Swabbed and free of diseases?
13) Are you aware that separating pups from their dam before 8 - 12 weeks can have a significant effect on the dogs behavior for the rest of their life and that having a mentally unstable dog raise a litter will often result in the pups having similar behavior problems?
If you answered NO to ANY of these questions...you should not breed a dog. If and when you do, it is likely if not guaranteed, one of your puppies will end up on an 'urgent' list, facing euthanasia at some point in it's probably all too short life.
It is proven that dogs who are spayed/neutered are healthier, calmer, happier dogs than those handled by the average person who breeds a dog. Litters that are not planned or researched are often loaded with health problems, sometimes occurring before they are even born. While genetic defects CAN occur in even the most carefully planned litter, it is far less likely. The same goes for behavior and temperament issues as well as home incompatibility.
Now, ask yourself, do you want to set up any puppies you bring into this world for success or failure? Do you want to be looked down upon by others for producing sub standard dogs that will serve no function or purpose to better their breed or enrich the lives of those who care for them? Is money, or the betterment of your breed or dogs, more important to you?
While everyone may not agree, and they are entitled to this opinion, these are my core beliefs about what makes breeding 'right' or 'wrong' and each breeder should be judged on a case by case basis.
I do NOT believe in breeding a rescue dog, an unstable dog, an unpapered/unproven dog and simply because a dog DOES have a paper saying 'purebred' does not mean they should reproduce. It is often MUCH easier, time and cost effective, to select a dog that fits what you are looking for than to try to produce one.
That being said, unless you are a PROFESSIONAL or are working to become one, your next amazing dog can come from the shelter down the street and should be spayed or neutered. For 99% of people, I agree that they should not shop, but adopt.
Thank you!
The term 'breeder' has become an ugly word in the rescue world. To most people, it's just something you should not do ever, for any reason and for MOST people, that is true. But to me a TRUE breeder is totally different than the person pawning off dogs to the first person to arrive with cash.
A TRUE breeder is someone who should be BETTERING their breed and caring about the dogs they bring in to this world as if they are their own children. This person should be well versed in the appropriate breed standards, care, training, and genetic testing needed to produce a dog of outstanding quality, conformation, temperament and ability. A TRUE breeder doesn't produce litter after litter. They research, study, select the best of the best and create one litter a year, IF that. A TRUE breeder will have homes lined up for the pups WELL before they are ready to be weaned, and sometimes even before they are born. Most of the time a TRUE breeder will have those homes fill out a question and answer sheet to know exactly which puppies will be suited perfectly to that home and they will only choose homes from that pool of applicants. A TRUE breeder will have as rigorous a process involved in buying one of their dogs as an adoption agency would have in adopting out a rescue. A true breeder has parent dogs genetically tested and screened for any diseases that are prevalent in their breed and chooses lines where the incidences of these diseases or faults are not prevalent or have not existed. Finally, the most important part...a TRUE breeder rarely, if ever MAKES money producing a litter. That is not to say they give their dogs away for free, quite the opposite. However, when proper care, training, testing, etc is done, the money 'made' off of the litter rarely equals what was spent in producing it. A TRUE breeder does what they do as a labor of love, not just to make cute puppies.
I always hear the argument that no one should breed a dog while there are still so many dogs in shelters and that those dogs would get adopted more if there weren't breeders out there producing more dogs. Well, the fact is, as sad as it may be, that not EVERYONE wants to adopt a dog. Not EVERY shelter dog, or even most, can fit every purpose that a dog sought from a breeder might fit easily. Now, don't mistake what I'm saying here. I think shelter and rescue dogs are some of the most amazing dogs out there. I think there are quite a few who exceed their purebred counterparts on many levels. However, the sad fact is that not all can and not all do and to some people, when they are intending to invest time, money and training into a dog for a specific purpose they are not willing to take a chance on unknowns. Do I think that shelter dogs get passed over MORE because there are people breeding? No, I don't. Furthermore, the argument that many dogs from breeders end up in shelters is inaccurate as well. Dogs from BACKYARD breeders end up in shelters. Dogs from less than caring or reputable breeders end up in shelters. In all the time I have been doing this, do you know how many dogs that were from reputable, reliable, and caring breeders, or even dogs who were imported by those breeders, I have seen end up in a shelter (and this is talking about those who vet the families these dogs go to beforehand)? NONE. I have yet to see a tattooed, well bred, papered dog from a breeder who may charge thousands of dollars and has gone above and beyond to ensure their dog is well placed, end up in a shelter. MOST of the dogs that end up in shelters were impulse buys, dogs whose breeders would not take any of their dogs back at any point in their life or attempt to rehome them if the owners could not, 'gifts', dogs bred by someone wanting to make a quick dollar and dogs who were produced with little care. I'm not saying there are not purebreds in shelters, there most certainly are. BUT if these dogs were from a TRUE breeder, there would be a way to trace them back to that breeder be it through microchip or tattoo and that breeder would be taking responsibility for them long before the situation declined to the point the dog ended up in a shelter. This person would be checking in with the family and dog on a regular basis and be there to support them through their ownership process and to step in if a situation turned bad. And of course, I'm not talking about a dog who goes to a shelter as a stray, although the chances of that happening with a dog from a TRUE breeder are less likely too because the homes they have approved for their dogs would have the utmost safety and security of the dog in mind at all times and even if they did not, the dog would be able to be traced back to the breeder.
Here's the deal, from my point of view. There are good and bad breeders, just like there is good and bad in every avenue of life. 90% of breeders are bad breeders and that 10% gets a bad name because of the 90%. What we need to spend time doing is not bashing the TRUE breeders but getting rid of and educating the other, or back yard breeders, so that they understand the damage they are doing by producing dogs they think should be bred because they are 'cute'.
TRUE breeders can be a GREAT resource to rescues and rescue workers as well as rescue dogs. These breeders are EXPERTS in their breed and have a deep love and appreciation for all that makes their breed what it is. Often times, they may hold the answer to a problem we are unsure about simply because we didn't know the traits of a breed. MOST true breeders also love their breed enough to agree that the majority of those who own their breed should be spayed/neutered and ensure that the same happens for their pups unless they are going to another TRUE breeder.
I think it's time we stop shunning TRUE breeders and having them help us to educate those who are not (and most real breeders are willing to do this) to spay and neuter their pets.
For almost all dog owners, you will have a more fulfilled, healthier and happier pet if they are spayed or neutered. On top of that, you'll know you never run the risk of contributing to the overpopulation of dogs in this country. Breeding, like so many other things, should be left to the experts! For those of you who truly LOVE your breed, want to improve it and watch that dog work and have a fulfilling life, I encourage you to be mentored by a TRUE breeder. STUDY bloodlines and breed characteristics. Go speak with judges of your chosen breed either in conformation or work and learn what they have to share about what makes the best of the best.
For those of you who wave this off and think that you'll breed any way, I want you to consider a few things....
1) Are you EXPERIENCED in medical care of dogs, pre and post whelp?
2) What would you do, and what could you afford to do, if there was a medical emergency with the bitch or one of the pups either pre or post whelp?
3) Do you know what the word whelp means?
4) Is your dog registered with a REPUTABLE registry such as the AKC and have you researched their pedigree until you are familiar with every name, and the offspring of those dogs, in the pedigree as well as whatever faults or defects they may have passed on? Have you studied other crosses of the lines you intend to mix?
5) WHY are you breeding your dogs? What purpose will the puppies serve? Who will be the main people attracted to buying one of your puppies? Do you feel they will give it a great home? Why or why not?
6) Are you willing and able to take one of the puppies you produced back at any time during it's life, or help to find another suitable home, if the person who bought the dog was no longer able to care for it or passed away?
7) How do you keep track of your puppies and where they go? What do you do to ensure that if one of your pups is lost or stolen not only the new owner, but you, will be contacted about the dog?
8) Can you name at least one genetic disease or fault that is prevalent in your chosen breed and the test used to diagnose that particular disease or fault? Has your dog been tested either genetically or physically to make sure they do not carry that trait and the likelihood of them passing it on is little to none?
9) Are you prepared to support new puppy owners by answering any and all questions they may have about their new pup and as time goes on? Are you able to assist in training with or for that pup to ensure it is a safe, healthy, happy dog?
10) Do you have a purchase contract? Do you frequently follow up on the pups you have produced? Do you require non-professional owners to spay or neuter their pup/dog?
11) Is your dog trained or do they specialize in some kind of 'work' or 'skill'? Are they, or dogs within 3 generations, titled? Have you carefully assessed and do you understand the temperament of your dog?
12) Has your dog been fully vetted? Vaccinated? Dewormed? Tested? Approved by an expert of the breed? Swabbed and free of diseases?
13) Are you aware that separating pups from their dam before 8 - 12 weeks can have a significant effect on the dogs behavior for the rest of their life and that having a mentally unstable dog raise a litter will often result in the pups having similar behavior problems?
If you answered NO to ANY of these questions...you should not breed a dog. If and when you do, it is likely if not guaranteed, one of your puppies will end up on an 'urgent' list, facing euthanasia at some point in it's probably all too short life.
It is proven that dogs who are spayed/neutered are healthier, calmer, happier dogs than those handled by the average person who breeds a dog. Litters that are not planned or researched are often loaded with health problems, sometimes occurring before they are even born. While genetic defects CAN occur in even the most carefully planned litter, it is far less likely. The same goes for behavior and temperament issues as well as home incompatibility.
Now, ask yourself, do you want to set up any puppies you bring into this world for success or failure? Do you want to be looked down upon by others for producing sub standard dogs that will serve no function or purpose to better their breed or enrich the lives of those who care for them? Is money, or the betterment of your breed or dogs, more important to you?
While everyone may not agree, and they are entitled to this opinion, these are my core beliefs about what makes breeding 'right' or 'wrong' and each breeder should be judged on a case by case basis.
I do NOT believe in breeding a rescue dog, an unstable dog, an unpapered/unproven dog and simply because a dog DOES have a paper saying 'purebred' does not mean they should reproduce. It is often MUCH easier, time and cost effective, to select a dog that fits what you are looking for than to try to produce one.
That being said, unless you are a PROFESSIONAL or are working to become one, your next amazing dog can come from the shelter down the street and should be spayed or neutered. For 99% of people, I agree that they should not shop, but adopt.
Thank you!
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Another Year Over
The end of 2011 is quickly approaching and every year at this point, I like to take a moment to reflect on the past year and all that has happened. This past year was filled with many memories good and bad, but more of the former than the latter.
The idea for RRR started with the arrival of Etta in July we have rescued and rehabbed over 50 dogs and pups. Many of these have gone on to new homes, others are still with us waiting for their happily ever after, some will live out the rest of their lives here.
I have learned so much, not only about dogs but also about myself in the time since this started. The journey has at times been hard, frustrating, exhausting and emotionally draining, but every moment has been worth it.
With the new year, we will be changing direction a bit. Heading more toward our original goal of training dogs to be service dogs for those who need them, but we will still take in a limited number of rescues once those here find their happily ever after.Mainly I want to say thank you to all of our wonderful fans and supporters.
First, I want to say thank you to those at PRM and Sasha's Legacy (Anna, Michelle, Jeannean and Rosine) who made it possible for Etta and Wiggles to be a part of our life and who entrusted me with the rehab of Whiskers. Those three dogs inspired us to create RRR and make it what it has become.
Secondly, a very special thank you to Denise and Stacey for all of their help, ideas, input and work to make RRR a success and help us share our stories.
Third, thank you to those in my life who have believed in this crazy journey and who have put up with the countless hours on the road, thousands of dollars spent and the time I have had to take away from my personal life for the dogs.
As we move forward into the new year, I want to assure everyone that in some way, shape or form, we will continue changing lives for the better, one paw at a time.
Thank you!
The idea for RRR started with the arrival of Etta in July we have rescued and rehabbed over 50 dogs and pups. Many of these have gone on to new homes, others are still with us waiting for their happily ever after, some will live out the rest of their lives here.
I have learned so much, not only about dogs but also about myself in the time since this started. The journey has at times been hard, frustrating, exhausting and emotionally draining, but every moment has been worth it.
With the new year, we will be changing direction a bit. Heading more toward our original goal of training dogs to be service dogs for those who need them, but we will still take in a limited number of rescues once those here find their happily ever after.Mainly I want to say thank you to all of our wonderful fans and supporters.
First, I want to say thank you to those at PRM and Sasha's Legacy (Anna, Michelle, Jeannean and Rosine) who made it possible for Etta and Wiggles to be a part of our life and who entrusted me with the rehab of Whiskers. Those three dogs inspired us to create RRR and make it what it has become.
Secondly, a very special thank you to Denise and Stacey for all of their help, ideas, input and work to make RRR a success and help us share our stories.
Third, thank you to those in my life who have believed in this crazy journey and who have put up with the countless hours on the road, thousands of dollars spent and the time I have had to take away from my personal life for the dogs.
As we move forward into the new year, I want to assure everyone that in some way, shape or form, we will continue changing lives for the better, one paw at a time.
Thank you!
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