Atlantic Small Dog Rescue Has Set Up a Veterinary Fund to Help Care for the Dogs From Puppy Mill in Virginia - Can You Help?

Atlantic Small Dog Rescue has received some dogs who were rescued from a Puppy Mill. These dogs have been kept and raised in deplorable conditions, and have not received proper veterinary care their whole lives.

Now that they have been rescued their new lives will begin! ASDR will bring these dogs in to care, bring them to the vet, and ensure any medical problems are addressed. We already know that a number of these dogs have dental issues and will need deep cleanings, and possibly extractions. These procedures cost hundreds of dollars each, but mean a great deal when it comes to the future comfort and health of these dogs. Every dog will also be spayed or neutered before being sent to their new home.

We are also taking in at least one dog who may be pregnant, so her puppies will require their puppy vaccines and a thorough health check.

Are you able to donate even a little bit to our veterinary fund for these pups? Every dollar counts and will make a huge difference to these little guys!

Keep an eye out for their adoption advertisements to be posted on our Facebook page!

If you want to help these Puppy Mill dogs on their road to recovery, please consider a donation to our GoFundMe campaign. Every one of them will require spaying or neutering which will cost approximately $2,000 alone, and many will also need dental work. Please visit http://www.gofundme.com/56n79c or email money transfer your donation to paypal@asdrescue.com every little bit helps! Even $1!

If you would like to donate to help these dogs, click HERE!

A full write up on the details of their rescue will be posted some time in the afternoon or evening for you all to see!

The dogs will NOT be available for adoption right away, but we will be posting photos of them as we can. If you are interested in adopting one, please be patient, and wait until we post the dogs as available. They will each have their own post in our "available dogs" photo album with as much of a writeup on them as we can manage. But remember, they are from a puppy mill, so their lives have not been the best before now. Thankfully most of them seem like nice dogs, and even a few are quite friendly! We will be doing our best to bring them out of their shells upon their arrival, but for some that may take a while!

Some statistics on the dogs coming in: of the 10 dogs who are coming to us 6 have known dental issues that will require treatment, 8 have skin issues including scabby ears and hair loss, 1 has a heart murmur, 1 is possibly pregnant, 1 has an eye infection, and 1 has a hernia! That's a lot of health issues for one small batch of pups! These dogs range in age from 1 or 2 years old up to possibly 10 years old, and approximately half of them are 5 or under. Just a bit more information to tide you over until we can give more!

The transport has been delayed by a week, which gives us a bit more time to get prepared! We're coming close to the $1,000 mark, do you think we can reach it today?
About: Atlantic Small Dog Rescue

Just in case anyone was wondering, not ONE person who does work for ASDR is paid for their time. In fact, board members and other volunteers often donate their own hard earned money to fundraisers to help the dogs we take in. 97% of all funds raised go directly towards helping the dogs in our care, the vast majority of which is veterinary bills. The remaining 3% of the money we take in is spent on administration (banking fees, promotional materials, etc). And of all of the money we take in, only 50% is from adoption fees. That means that in order to continue the work that we do we must fund raise! We just wanted to clear up some misconceptions about non-profit organizations in order to allow you, especially those who are new to us, to understand how we work!

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ISPCA Warns That Casual Dog Fighting Is On The Rise

Casual Dogfighting, or  “rolling” is on the rise, according to the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA).

The ISPCA this week released photos of an English bull terrier named Garth who was found bloodied and beaten after a suspected dog fight.

The ISPCA’s Conor Dowling says that Garth’s case is not an isolated one.
“It is definitely a problem,” Dowling told TheJournal.ie.

He said that there is two forms of the bloodsport, with the second form becoming a problem.

Though dog fighting has been illegal for 170 years, it has still gone on and is generally linked to criminal community.

“These events would have their own rules and regulations, but it’s difficult to infiltrate.

“Previously, the fights would have been fairly organised and had weight classes and rules. But what we’re seeing is people just putting two dogs together that they think will fight.

“It’s called street fighting or rolling.

It’s a problem in built-up urban areas and is often linked to gangs. It is used to increase the macho image of someone and has been used to settle gang fights, rather than having two people fight.

As Garth proves, the impromptu nature of rolling doesn’t lessen the impact and damage on the dog.

There is also the danger that dogs are stolen for the purpose of rolling.

“There is certainly anecdotal evidence that people see what they think is a violent dog and steal them.”

For that reason, among others, the ISPCA says that anybody who has a dog should be micochipping it.

Dog fighting carries punishments including an up to €250,000 fine and two years in prison. The ISPCA has been buoyed by changes to the law that made attendance at a dog fight and keeping dogs for the purposes of fighting illegal.

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You May Have Seen an Editorial in the Washington Post titled "Why I'd Never Adopt a Shelter Dog Again" - An Advocate Responds to that Editorial - What She Had to Say

I posted the editorial yesterday, by, Erin Auerbach, titled "Why I'd Never Adopt a Shelter Dog Again." If you missed it, you can read it here: Sharing This Story from The Washington Post (PostEverything Section) - Why I’d Never Adopt a Shelter Dog Again - What Are Your Thoughts?


This is the response by, Nina Stively, Nationally Certified Animal Control Officer

When Misperceptions Cost Lives

I don’t know what possessed me to even read something entitled “Why I’d Never Adopt a Shelter Dog Again,” written by Erin Auerbach, who also wrote a story entitled, “I Hope My Dogs Die Soon ,” but call me a glutton for punishment.

I love shelter dogs. I also love purebred dogs (some breeds more than others). I don’t think loving one is mutually exclusive of the other — especially considering the frequency with which you can find purebred dogs in shelters and rescues. However, I know shelter pets need all the help they can get, so seeing someone in a high-profile publication stomp their feet and complain in circles, without taking the chance to educate people, is just plain sad.

Although reputable breeders screen for preventable diseases inherent in a breed, some ailments cannot be predicted.

What frustrates me most about these articles, is, when it comes to health, there are no guarantees. Not in humans, not in plants, and not in dogs. In an effort to create a healthy litter, a reputable breeder will screen their dogs for health problems that are common and inherited in that breed, before they plan the breeding. A French Bulldog, the type of dog the author chooses in this article, would at the very least, be screened for heart, eye, and knee problems common to the breed. Her first dog lived to be more than 10 years old and eventually succumbed to cancer; her second dog struggled with epilepsy. While I greatly value the importance of preventative screening, neither of these afflictions could have been predicted by a pre-breeding screen. The author herself claims her previous shelter dogs lived “extraordinarily long lives,” so, to me, this whole story seems like an unfounded rant taken out on a population who so desperately need someone to look their way, instead of swearing them off altogether.

Auerbach claims the 2-year-old dog she ultimately purchased was being sold because his color was not suitable for the show ring — even though most breeders state French Bulldogs develop their full adult color by 16 weeks of age. I have no doubt that the author loves her dog, but to suggest that a breeder did not realize the dog’s incorrect color in two years means perhaps, she did not do her research either. In which case, why are we listening to her?

There are no guarantees in life and there are no guarantees as to how any of us will die. I am very sorry Ms. Auerbach has chosen to use her public platform to decry the adoption of homeless pets when, without people fighting in their corner, millions will die each year for no reason other than for lack of a home.

If you are looking to buy a puppy and don’t want to check your shelter or purebred rescue, please consider responsible breeders, but just because saving a life is not what you choose to do, please don’t encourage others to do the same without doing your research. With 5 to 7 million pets entering shelters each year, we are their voices, and often the only ones they have.

Do you have an adopted pet who has changed your life? Let’s share some stories and get the word out there that adoption is an awesome option. Together, we can change misperceptions and save lives.

Nina Stively has worked in animal welfare for the past 10 years and is a Nationally Certified Animal Control Officer. She loves planning pet adoption events and is a closeted "cat person". She shares her home with two dogs, three cats, an assortment of foster animals, and one very patient husband.

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Does Your Cat Often Shake Their Head or Scratch at Their Ears? It Could Be an Ear Infection

Cats catch a lucky break when it comes to ear infections, since they get them far less than their canine counterparts. However, if your cat gets an ear infection it should be addressed right away to minimize pain and damage to her ear canal.

The main causes of ear infections in cats are:
Ear mites (parasite)—especially in kittens; highly contagious among cats
An abscess from a bite wound or scratch
Growth in the ear canal
Allergies

Symptoms
If your furry friend has an ear infection, you might notice the following:

Discomfort when the base of the ears are massaged
Self-inflicted skin trauma from scratching
Dark or crusty debris in the ear canal opening
A wet sound when the ears are gently massaged
Head tilt or incoordination
Uneven pupil size

Diagnosis
Ear infections can resolve quickly or become chronic, depending on the cause and seriousness of the underlying condition. To diagnose an ear infection, your veterinarian will take a thorough history of your cat. This is very important to determine if an underlying disease may be the cause. They will also perform a complete physical exam and take a good look at your pet’s ears, using an otoscope to look down the ear canal. Depending on what your veterinarian finds, other tests or procedures may be performed for an accurate diagnosis. Some additional tests they may recommend are:

• Cytology, which identifies if yeast, bacteria, or other microorganisms are present 
• A culture to determine which type of bacteria is present

If your cat goes outside, and/or if a bite wound or scratch is the underlying cause of the ear infection, your veterinarian may recommend testing your cat for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus. Both of these viruses are transmitted from cat to cat and are highly contagious.

Treatment 
Treating ear infections can be very tricky, especially if allergies are involved. Treatment will depend on the cause, nature, and severity of the ear infection. Your veterinarian will recommend the best treatment for your cat.

Treatment may include:
Antibiotic ointments, drops, sprays or creams for the ear
Oral antibiotics
Surgery (for cats with repeated ear infections or no response to other treatment)

Prevention
The best way to help your pet avoid ear infections is by watching for any signs of irritation. Keeping your cat indoors makes a huge difference if he has a history of recurring infections. In addition, keeping his ears dry will help prevent infections.

If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian – they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.

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