What Should Be on The Answering Machine of Every Rescue and Shelter

Hello: You have reached… (713) 281-0000.

Due to the high volume of calls we have been receiving, please listen closely to the following options and choose the one that best describes you or your situation:

Press 1: If you have a 10-year-old dog and your 15-year-old son has suddenly become allergic and you need to find the dog a new home right away.

Press 2:  If you are moving today and need to immediately place your 150 pound, 8-year-old dog.

Press 3:  If you have three dogs, had a baby and want to get rid of your dogs because you are the only person in the world to have a baby and dogs at the same time.

Press 4:  If you just got a brand new puppy and your old dog is having problems adjusting so you want to get rid of the old one right away.

Press 5:  If your little puppy has grown up and is no longer small and cute and you want to trade it in for a new model.

Press 6:  If you want an unpaid volunteer to come to your home  TODAY and pick up the dog you no longer want.

Press 7:  If you have been feeding and caring for a “stray” for the last three years, are moving and suddenly determine it’s not your dog.

Press 8:  If your dog is sick and needs a vet but you need the money for your vacation.

Press 9:  If you are elderly and want to adopt a cute puppy who is not active and is going to outlive you.

Press 10: If your relative has died and you don’t want to care for their elderly dog because it no longer fits your lifestyle.

Press 11: If your cat is biting and not using the litter box because it is declawed, but you are not willing to accept the responsibility that the cat’s behavior is altered because of your nice furniture.

Press 12: If your two-year old male dog is marking all over your house but you just haven’t gotten around to having him neutered.

Press 13: If you previously had an outdoor only dog and are calling because she is suddenly pregnant.

Press 14: If you are calling at 6 a.m. to make sure you wake me up before I have to go to work so you can drop a dog off on your way to work.

Press 15: To leave us an anonymous garbled message, letting us know you have left a dog in our yard in the middle of January, which is in fact, better than just leaving the dog with no message.

Press 16: If you are going to get angry because we are not going to take your dog that you have had for fifteen years, because it is not our responsibility.

Press 17: If you are going to threaten to take your ten-year old dog to be euthanized because I won’t take it.

Press 18:  If you’re going to get angry because the volunteers had the audacity to go on vacation and leave the dogs in care of a trusted
volunteer who is not authorized to take your personal pet.

Press 19:  If you want one of our PERFECTLY trained, housebroken, kid and cat friendly purebred dogs that we have an abundance of.

Press 20:  If you want us to take your dog that has a slight aggression problem, i.e. has only bitten a few people and killed your neighbor’s cats.

Press 21:  If you have already called once and been told we don’t take personal surrenders but thought you would get a different person this time with a different answer.

Press 22:  If you want us to use space that would go to a stray to board your personal dog while you are on vacation, free of charge, of course.

Press 23:  If it is Christmas Eve or Easter morning and you want me to deliver an eight week old puppy to your house by 6:30 am before your kids wake up.

Press 24:  If you have bought your children a duckling, chick or baby bunny for Easter and it is now Christmas and no longer cute.

Press 25:  If you want us to take your female dog who has already had ten litters, but we can’t spay her because she is pregnant again and it is against your religion.

Press 26:  If you’re lying to make one of our younger volunteers feel bad and take your personal pet off your hands.

Press 27:  If you have done “everything” to housebreak your dog and have had no success but you don’t want to crate the dog because it is cruel.

Press 28:  If you didn’t listen to the message asking for an evening phone number and you left your work number when all volunteers are also working and you are angry because no one called you back.

Press 29:  If you need a puppy immediately and cannot wait because today is your daughter’s birthday and you forgot when she was born.

Press 30:  If your dog’s coat doesn’t match your new furniture and you need a different color or breed.

Press 31:  If your new love doesn’t like your dog and you are too stupid to get rid of the new friend (who will dump you in the next month anyway) instead of the dog.

Press 32:  If you went through all these ‘options’ and didn’t hear enough. This press will connect you to the sounds of tears being shed by one of our volunteers who is holding a discarded old dog while the vet mercifully frees him from the grief of missing his family.

Author Unknown, but much appreciated!

Please remember that if you can not commit to fur-always or at least the next 13-17 years, DON’T BUY A PET!   It is not a shelter’s or rescue’s obligation to take on your commitments.  They do so out of fear that you will kill them if they don’t, and dumping them anywhere, even alone on the side of a road is abuse!

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All Dogs Deserve a Second Chance, No Matter How Old They Are - Meet Bear, a 16-Year-Old Homeless Dog Who No One Wanted - A Family Took a Chance on This Sweet Dog, and The Results Were Amazing!

"Bear" was abandoned, 16 years-old and on the brink of death. No one in their right mind would adopt him from a shelter. However, one family did. The results were amazing.

His fur was either matted or missing and he was just a skeleton of a dog. But thanks to a little food, grooming and (most importantly) love... Norman transformed into an entirely different dog. Dog adoption not only saves lives, it makes them so much better.

Bear's information page at the shelter; a 16 year-old dog needing help.

Life is far from easy for older dogs at animal shelters.  Most people come in looking for a puppy and pass right by the senior dogs, who are usually more susceptible to health problems in the shelter environment.  Most people don’t realize that there are many advantages to owning a senior dog, like all the love and appreciation they have for their new parents who saved them.

Meet Bear, a 16-year-old homeless dog who no one wanted.  Bear was not always a stray, he was abandoned and found all alone with no identification.  This German Shepherd mix was dirty, and had matted fur or chunks of his coat missing.  He was malnourished.  He had no meat on his bones and was a skeleton of a dog.

One day, a family came in and walked past all the yapping puppies to the quiet, sad looking soul in the corner.  They decided to take a chance on this sweet dog who no one else paid any attention to.  This story proves that Bear, who is now known as Norman in his new life, only needed a little love to turn around his tragic past.

All dogs deserve a second chance, no matter how old they are.

His ride to freedom.

The first day home.

Norman (his new name) found a cozy spot for naps.

Lots of naps.

He started living the good life.

Eating and napping were his favorite past times.

Also, he loved to be loved.

After being rescued, he had an entirely different outlook on life... and look.

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Scooter, the Neutered Cat Says ‘It’s Hip to Be Snipped

There’s a cool new cat in Cincinnati – hitting the airwaves, movie theaters, billboards and the Net. His name is Scooter, the neutered cat.

Rocking aviator sunglasses, a turtleneck sweater and an irreverent sense of humor, Scooter is the star of a $2 million media blitz aimed at persuading Cincinnatians their kitties will stay cool cats if they’re spayed or neutered.

Scooter is the creation of Cincinnati-based marketing and advertising agency Northlich. The agency’s funny, urban hipster pitches his message in a radically different way than the typical tear-jerker approach employed in talking to animal lovers. Northlich’s creative team wanted to evoke 1970s movies like “Shaft” or TV’s “Starsky & Hutch.”

Giving Scooter a macho attitude is no accident. Northlich’s research revealed that a lot of pet owners hesitate to get their cats fixed over concerns it will change their pets’ personalities. Scooter billboards say it’s “hip to be snipped.”

“Some owners worry their cat will feel less manly or lose their sexual identity if they get neutered – the Scooter approach turns that idea on its head,” said Terry Dillon, a senior copywriter at Northlich.

Laura Gels, senior art director at Northlich, said the 1970s vibe also appeals to viewers’ pop culture memories.

“People remember those, and it automatically makes Scooter more approachable,” Gels said.

Other barriers for pet owners are cost and location. The campaign directs pet owners to a website that lists affordable spay and neuter services by location.

The campaign is funded by the Joanie Bernard Foundation that wants to stop the 1.4 million cats being put down each year due to the overpopulation of strays. There are 70 million stray cats in the U.S. – compared with 73 million that have homes.

Deborah Cribbs, chair of the foundation, said she was open to a new type of campaign. Several meetings at Northlich ended with hysterical laughter. The campaign, which launched April 28, is called “Ten” – a play on extending cats’ mythical nine lives. Ads also are being aired in Indianapolis.

“We wanted to be a little more in your face to get noticed,” she said. “We wanted something edgy and irreverent – but factual.”

One unsettling set of facts: The average female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 kittens in seven years. A female cat can get pregnant as young as six months and two weeks after giving birth to a litter.

In one ad that’s been viewed on YouTube 35,000 times, Scooter struts from his home in the city to the soundtrack of the jingle: “Other cats make babies, with him there’s no yes or maybe – Who’s your Daddy? Not me.”

The ad ends with Scooter comfortably perching on the hood of a vintage Cadillac. A voiceover tells viewers to go to GiveThemTen.org for a listing of low-cost spay and neuter services.

Early results of the social media campaign are encouraging.

So many owners promised to get their pets spayed or neutered and retweet the “Ten” message, that a free T-shirt offer was quickly overwhelmed.

The campaign is ordering new T-shirts after running out of its first batch.

Website: http://www.givethemten.org/frisk-and-fun/meet-scooter.html

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Bear Walking Upright Like A Human - (Video)

Some people are calling this video a hoax, and say that it is impossible for bears to walk upright. Below this video is another close up video of another bear walking upright.




This is not the same bear. This was on facebook.

Post by John Leyden.

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Washington, DC - DC's Most Beloved Dog, Romo, Moving Out of Adams Morgan Neighborhood

We are certainly in the middle of the dog days of summer right now. But in one Adams Morgan neighborhood, every day is a dog's day. And that dog's name is Romo.

This pooch has become a beloved local celebrity in D.C. He is so well known that he is often called “The King of Adams Morgan.” But sadly for many, all of that is about to change.

Tiffany Bacon fell in love with Romo the moment she met the 4-week-old pup. He was the only one in his litter to survive a puppy mill.

“We thought he was a boxer and then he just kept growing and growing, and 150 pounds later, we have biggest baby in the entire world,” Bacon said.

Bacon's fiancé Peter Scourby fell in love with her first and then quickly lost his heart to her giant bullmastiff and pit bull mix too.

“When I met Tiffany, obviously she's beautiful, successful, she was a cheerleader for the Redskins, but with every good woman, there is a catch,” Scourby told us. “And unbeknownst to me, the catch was she had a 150-pound rhinoceros living with her.”

This D.C. couple loves their dog enough to let him take over their bed and watch television when they are not home.

But they never realized that one day when they opened the front window of their Adams Morgan home that the rest of the city would come to love him too.

“He just kind of got up and nudged his little head underneath there [at the window] and just sat down,” said Bacon. “Of course it was petrifying. It's like, ‘Oh my God, I think he is going to jump out.' So we closed [the window] and kept it lower and he'd just nudge it open when we weren't looking and he's never even tried to jump out. He is just happy as can be.”

It turns out when you open Romo's window, the fans will come.

“There were just flashes of light -- ‘Pop, pop, pop, pop' -- and it was people taking pictures of Romo,” Bacon said.

Through the years, this pooch has developed quite a following. He has quickly become not just the top dog in the family -- but at their street, their neighborhood and even the city.

“He's absolutely priceless,” said one resident.

Maybe it is his fabulously droopy face and chill manner or it could be the way he seems to defy gravity and lean a good 100 pounds of his heft out the window so he doesn't miss a thing.

“Sometimes I think he's human, just sitting out window looking out, looking at neighborhood, looking at people go by,” said a FedEx driver in the area. “He's a cool dog.”

He is so popular that fans have created Facebook and Twitter accounts for him and his owners have discovered people selling pictures of him on everything from postcards to fancy framed art.

“It's really special and amazing and weird that what we love so much has become so loved by so many other people,” said Bacon.

Romo spends hours every day looking out of his window, so it is probably not going to go over too well when word gets out that he and his owners are moving to the suburbs in the fall.

Scourby promised to work like a dog to find just the right spot.

“We're going to try to find him a window,” he said. “I want to find closets. She wants to find a window Romo can hang out of.”

Bacon is just hoping they won't be in the doghouse with their neighbors.

“It's going to make me sad that we're going to take him from the neighborhood, but we'll bring him to Virginia and hopefully he'll earn a whole new following there,” she said.

If you are wondering about his name, Bacon is a former captain of the Washington Redskins cheerleaders and an ex-boyfriend of hers is a Dallas Cowboys fan who named him after the quarterback of the team. By the way, Scourby is a Giants fan.

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Rescue Dogs with Talent! - Double-Dutch Dog Breaks Guinness Jump Rope Record And 13 Dogs from 'Super Wan Wan Circus' in Japan Jumping Rope!

A 4-year-old rescue dog Geronimo held the Guinness World Record for most Dutch-style jump-rope skips in one minute with 113, and broke her record live on TODAY by jumping 128 times!

Four-year-old Geronimo has got some chops when it comes to hops!

The Border Collie and Kelpie mix showed off her jumping skills by breaking her own Guinness world record for the most double-Dutch-style jump-rope skips (128!) in 1 minute. She was on TODAY to take part of our week-long series, "Spring Breakers TODAY," where we'll try to break other Guinness Records.


"Look at that eye and paw coordination," Kathie Lee Gifford said in amazement on TODAY as Geronimo did her thing.

Geronimo first became famous when owner Samantha Valle posted a video on YouTube of her jump roping talents.

"I am mesmerized," said Hoda, who gave it a try before Geronimo had her big moment.
Hoda

Guinness World Records adjudicator Mike Janela confirmed the dynamic dog not only broke the record, but shattered it with 14 extra jumps than she needed.

"There's fried chicken upstairs!" an excited Kathie Lee yelled. "Let's get it for her!"

Dogs from Japan
Uchida Geinousha's 'Super Wan Wan Circus' based in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, offers a unique act for its audience; the incredible sight of 13 dogs skipping on a rope. All adopted from shelters.

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Happy Dogs in Australia - A Truckload of Dogs and a Cat Have the Time of their Lives at the Beach! - Music, Pharrell Williams' Happy

When you lookup “happiness” in the dictionary, there will now be a reference to THIS video! Posted 5 days ago on YouTube, this video is taking the internet by storm.

The story behind it is totally awesome! Apparently the Malibu Dog Training Company takes it’s students from their “off leash” program to the beach after graduation!

Afterwards they clean them up, trim their nails, and bring them back to their owners!

The sole cat that accompanied them is the well known Didga, aka the world’s best skateboarding cat. What an awesome group this is!

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You May Have Read an Article, in the Washington Post on July 17, 2014, Written By, Erin Auerbach, "Why I’d Never Adopt a Shelter Dog Again." - This is My Response to Her Article

As the author of this blog, I want to give those who are interested in adopting from an animal shelter, my view of  adopting from a shelter.

As an animal lover, animal advocate and pet owner, the first thing I want to say is that when you adopt an animal from a shelter…you are saving a life!

You may have read an article, in the Washington Post on July 17, 2014, written by, Erin Auerbach, a writer living in Los Angeles, 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?

These are my thoughts on her article:

1.  She says, "Rescue and shelter dogs are a crapshoot. Although it’s hard to track down reliable statistics, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals estimates that about 3.9 million dogs go to shelters each year and 1.2 million are euthanized. Generally, these groups know only how an animal came into their possession. Behavior issues, illnesses or a high maintenance cost usually only rear their heads after adoption."

My response:
Both of my shih-tzus', Sugar and Domino were both rescued in puppy stages, they both crossed over at the age of 12-years-old. Neither had behavior issues. What some people classify as "behavior issues" are only the dog getting use to you, and in puppy mode. They are in a new environment, and are a little scared. It is up to you, the adopter, to reassure, and reinforce good behavior.

Neither of my dogs were sick after adoption, only going to the vet for regular checkups. It wasn't until the age of 12-years-old that Sugar, developed heart decease, and Domino, developed cancer on his spleen. Just as we age, and get illnesses, it is expected that some dogs will develop illnesses in their senior years.

High maintenance? When you adopt from an animal shelter, the fees are usually low with some offering discounted fees, and in some cases waived fees. The pet has usually been spayed/neutered, microchipped and had their first set of shots. I don't know about other shelters, but the Washington Humane Society, gave me a listing of local vets for a free check-up within 30 days after adoption.

Does she mean food? Well, it doesn't matter if a dog is from a breeder, pet store or animal shelter. It has to eat, so that is an expected expense. My dogs went to the groomers approximately every 3 months for a cost of $100 for both, and had their yearly shots at the vet's for $ 95 each.  My maintenance for them including dog food was about  $830 yearly, this averaged out to approximately $70 per month, for two dogs. I guess this is considered the high maintenance cost.


2. She says, "As a lifelong dog lover, I know how to care for sick and struggling animals better than most. I accepted my dogs as they were, enjoying their sweetness and suffering through their problems. But just because I was willing to do that doesn’t mean it’s my life’s work to heal every sick, helpless animal."

My response:
"I know how to care for sick and struggling animals better than most?" Who is she comparing herself too…the millions of pet owners in the world? This statement really struck a nerve with me: "But just because I was willing to do that doesn’t mean it’s my life’s work to heal every sick, helpless animal." No, it's not her "life's work" to heal every sick, helpless animal. And, yes, if you adopt an animal, it is your "life's work" to take care of it. Adopting an animal is a lifetime commitment. It's sort of like the marriage vows…through sickness and through health!

3. She says, "Breeders seemed safer — they’ve had the animal since birth and know his or her temperament and medical history. They also know an animal’s bloodlines and family history. There’s no such thing as a crystal ball, but reputable breeders can provide a lot more information."


My response:
Wow, " Breeders seemed safer — they’ve had the animal since birth and know his or her temperament and medical history." And where did she come to this conclusion? What kind of medical history can a breeder possibly have if you adopt a puppy, only months old? And how can you determine what the temperament will be when they get older? It's like looking at a newborn, and saying, "Oh, he's never going to get sick, he will be a good child, and when he becomes an adult, he will be kind to everyone he meets."

Has she not heard of the stories of breeders who fail and end up as…puppy mills?

I know of two people who purchased dogs. One from a breeder, and one from a pet store. The one that purchased from the breeder, paid $2,300 for the puppy.  The puppy got sick, and she tried to return it, couldn't…and never got her money back! She found out later that it wasn't a purebred.

The other one that purchased from a pet store, found out a few weeks later that it had contracted parvo.


4. She says, "As I walked her through my complex the other day, neighbors stopped to pet her.“Is she a rescue?” one asked. My cheeks reddened."

My response:
It seems like the further I get in reading her article, the more my blood starts to boil! Her cheeks reddened? What out of embarrassment, to say that the dog was a rescue? People need to get down off of their high horses, and stop trying to impress other people. Is she to high-class to have a rescue dog? It's the same thing with people who say, "I want a purebred dog." Do they not understand that all dogs, no matter where they come from want the same things, love, a warm bed, food, attention and a backyard!

People sometime classify dogs like they classify cars. They want the expensive cars  because they cost more, and look better than a hoopty. When you suggest that they buy a used car, it's, "oh no, I don't want a car that someone else had"…then cringe when they make that car payment every month.

I have a rescue, Jonas, an 18-month-old shih-tzu/yorkie mix, that we adopted from the Washington Humane Society, Washington, DC, at 9-months-old, on September 24, 2013. We are coming up on our one year anniversary with him in September. He has no health problems, and is so adorable! He is the love of my life, and I am proud to say that I rescued him…and saved his life!

5, She says, " I know now that I don’t have to defend this choice to her, or anyone else. Adopting a shelter dog is a lot of work, and it’s a gamble, especially for those who aren’t responsible enough or don’t have the time and resources (emotional and financial) to devote to the animal. Rather than take that risk, I took on a dog I know I can give a good home to. And for me (and Pony), that’s good deed enough."

My response:
No, she doesn't have to defend her choice to me, however, I do want to know what makes her think that adopting a dog from an animal shelter is more work than one from a breeder? You need time and resources to devote to both. She said that she took on a dog that she knows she can give a good home too. Well, so did I. If only Jonas could talk, he would tell her what a loving home he has, a mom and dad that love him, and how grateful that he is that he was adopted!

Ms. Auerbach's article received two other responses. You can read them below:

Lisa LaFontaine, President and CEO, Washington Humane Society
You May Have Read Erin Auerbach's Recently-Published Column ("Why I'd Never Adopt a Shelter Dog Again") - Lisa LaFontaine, President and CEO, Washington Humane Society, Responds - ("Why I Would Always Adopt a Shelter Animal")

Nina Stively, Nationally Certified Animal Control Officer
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 would like to summarize by saying, Ms. Auerbach's opinions are hers, and she has a right to voice them. However, please do not let this sway you from adopting from an animal shelter. Please adopt and never shop for a pet.

If you are considering adopting, please visit your local animal shelters, you may just find your next best friend there!

I will always have an animal from a shelter in my life, as long as I am able to care for it. When you adopt an animal, they never forget what you did for them.



Please share, and remember, "Adoption is an Option!" and "A person is the best thing to happen to a shelter pet!"

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