DEAD ON!

Someone comment on my last post with this link.

WOW! I could have wrote this my self!

http://www.heroswaggintrain.com/pyrangel.htm

This shit aint easy!

Sometimes trying to juggle everything is darn impossible. I know people who aren't involved in dog rescue really understand how it all works and don't understand the work that goes into it but it takes everything in my power not to scream at them when they put demands on me. "I want you to bring this dog to my house tomorrow" Oh you do, good for you. ISN'T GOING TO HAPPEN!

My favorite line from people is "well I guess you just don't want dogs adopted do you?"
Yes, your right I should drop everything and forget about sleeping or eating which I barely do anyways and come to your beckon call.

I know it isn't their fault and I try to explain to people how rescue works. We aren't a shelter, we are a bunch of VOLUNTEERS (WE MAKE ZERO MONEY) who have dogs living in our homes until they can find THE RIGHT home, not just a home.

We work, we have families, we have pets of our own, some of us have children and/or grandchildren.

We do all this rescue stuff in between our regular life.

Every dog that we get in takes a lot of work. First shelters from ALL over Ohio contact me and ask me to take this dog or that dog. I get a KILL LIST (nice name huh?) of dogs who are in shelters and if they aren't taken out that week THEY WILL BE DEAD BY END OF DAY FRIDAY! How is that for having something hanging over your head? You can't save them all but you scroll through a list of a 100 dogs looking at their sad eyes praying that they won't die but you don't have room for another dog so it isn't up to you but another rescue who maybe has room.

IT IS NOT EASY!

Then if we do have room I have to look through the list and determine which dogs we can help. Usually what I like to do is pick the dogs I don't think anyone else will take and of course JRT's or JRT mixes. because that is our/my specialty.

IT IS NOT EASY!

Then once I figure out how many I have room for I have to figure out how they are going to get from the shelter to me.

IT IS NOT EASY!

Then once they get to me, I have to worm them, put frontline on them, collar with tag on them and settle them in to a kennel. Sometimes the kennel they are supposed to share with another dog they don't get along, sometimes they are sick when they come to me so I have to scramble to set up a crate separate from everyone else.

IT IS NOT EASY!

The next day I usually give them their shots and figure out when to get them scheduled to be spayed/neutered, rabies shot and heartworm test. Once I get an appointment set up I have to figure out how I am going to squeeze that into my schedule... between working and taking care of all my animals, my farm and oh yea normal stuff like groceries, laundry, etc.

IT IS NOT EASY!

In between waiting for the vet appointments I am getting their pictures, getting to know them, figuring out if they are good with cats, kids, like men, like women, personality, etc. I am getting them up on line for adoption and hoping that a foster home will step forward to take them.

IT IS NOT EASY!

Now doesn't forget I want each one of have enough attention while at my house so I try to spend time with them and let them play in the fenced yard at least a few hours a day. I also need to clean their kennels everyday, make sure they have fresh food and water everyday, getting any medication that they might need, make sure they have toys, treats and beds (sometimes they de-stuff the beds... LOL). Meanwhile trying to have a "normal" life....

IT IS NOT EASY!

And you know what makes it all just a little harder. When the dog is aggressive... either towards people or other dogs. IT DARN RIGHT SUCKS!

Last night one of the new dogs I got in attacked another dog so badly...I HAVE NEVER seen a dog act like that before. He ran up and attacked this dog on a leash for absolutely no reason. He grabbed a hold of his face and just wouldn't let go. No matter what I did, including taking the hose and spaying him.

I am not going to get into the details but it was BAD! And after I got them apart he was trying to still go after the other dog who at this point was in the corner shaking.

Needless to say this wasn't the first aggressive thing he had done since I got him in and he acted up one more time after that so he is being put to sleep today :-(

THAT JUST SUCKS!

Sucks even more because I have someone interested in him but there is absolutely NO way I can in good conscience allow that dog to go to a home. If a child was in the way of his "attack" mode that child would be toast.

IT IS NOT EASY!

Guilty people get so angry

In the last few days I have encountered some pretty interesting situations with people. For example my rescue friend received an application and something just didn't sit right with her. She forwarded it to me and said "what do you think about this" I read over the application and you could almost tell the person was trying to "hide" something. She talked about having a kennel run, a dog house with a tie out but said "it is only used for potty breaks" Hmmm why do you need a dog house for potty breaks? The thing is about applications sometimes you have to read between the lines. There were a few other things on the application as well that just smelled fishy but I won't bore you with those details.

Anyway, I told her that I thought the application read like people who have been turned down before and that she should call them and see what they say. Ask them questions like "why do you have a dog house?" and see if they will give you a neighbor as a reference. That way you can ask the neighbor "was their last dog tied up outside a lot?"

So my rescue friend called them and just talked to them about the daily routine and what activities they planned with the dog, etc. The people live on farm so lots to do for a dog. She then asked the applicant, what is the dog house used for? The women WENT OFF she got a huge attitude and starting saying how they take excellent care of their animals and blah blah blah. Never really stating what the dog house was for just IMMEDIATELY getting mad when asked the question.

WOW GUILTY MUCH? So, clearly you tie dogs up outside unattended. Ok, so that is a NO on being approved.

Come on people, really? You really think that a legitimate rescue is going to think it is ok to take a dog and tie it up on a chain outside and never talk to it again. If you want something that is more self sufficient and doesn't need as much attention GET A CAT!

WHY WHY WHY do people think it is ok to tie a dog to a dog house? WHY? I don't understand the purpose of having a dog if you just tie it up and walk away.

DOGS ARE SOCIAL ANIMALS THEY CAN NOT BE LEFT ALONE FOR DAYS AT A TIME THEY WILL BECOME AGGRESSIVE. DOGS ARE PACK ANIMALS AND NEED A PACK (for example A FAMILY).

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

It makes me crazy. I honestly would rather see a dog dumped on the side of the road to run free to taken to a local kill shelter then put on the end of a chain and left there.

I would rather humanely euthanize a dog then see it suffer on a chain. I think there is nothing more cruel then putting a dog on a chain. The dog suffers every day for its ENTIRE life. That is horrible.


Sorry soap box I will get off of it now.

I had two more people get all nasty with me when one I called them out on needing to take responsibility for their actions and another person for asking them "are you sure that is what happened" The person screamed at me ARE YOU CALLING ME A LIAR?!! I said No, I am just making sure you told me everything, wow!

Why get angry if you didn't do anything wrong? Act shocked it is less obvious don't just start yelling at me about how it isn't your fault or that you are telling the truth. In both cases not angry, not mad just asking a question or telling the person something so they understand the results of their actions... calm down guilty conscience.

Just amazes me that people can't own up to their mistakes. We all make them and you are never going to grow as a person if you don't learn from them. If you are consistently blaming other people for the outcomes for your ACTIONS or jumping up and down saying it isn't your fault then NO ONE wins and everyone looses. Now that is just stupid.

I am not saying I am perfect, I have done many stupid things in my day and I think about them a lot. If I would have not stayed at work last year but gone to the vet and stayed with my dog would he be dead right now? If I would have realized that my Aussie didn't have kennel cough but something worse and I wasn't busy at work would he be dead right now? If I would have not adopted the dog to those people who I had a funny feeling about and then returned him would he be in a loving home right now? Should I have gone with my gut?

I mean you can go on and on.... What you need to do is learn from your mistakes and NOT make the same mistake next time.

Women beaten, raped and her dogs need help

I can't even begin to tell you how much the email below has upset me.
#1. How horrible that there are that many asshole families in this world. Your family member is dieing and you are too selfish to take on a pet. REALLY!! Karma baby Karma!
#2. This nice wonderful women took in all these animals and did a darn good job taking care of them and the families didn't see anything wrong with her taking on THEIR responsibility.
#3. I hope they catch the men who did this to her and they throw away the key FOREVER (but you know it won't happen)
#4. She is clearly a good hearted women, I wish the animals could help her get through this hard time. I wish she wouldn't have tried to kill herself. CLEARLY the world needs her. I hope someone has told her that!

Hi Amy,
A friend of my sister is helping a neighbor trying to re-home some dogs. It's quite a sad story . . . This lady is a Hospice nurse, she was taking in her dying patients pets, when the families didn't want them. She was taking wonderful care of them, given the number if cats & dogs she had accumulated. 27 dogs, 15 cats. Three months ago she was jumped, beaten, and raped by 3 men, while visiting a patients home in a bad neighborhood. She was hospitalized for a while, this is when the situation for the animals got bad. Then about 3 weeks ago she tried to commit suicide, due to what happened to her. Her neighbor has been helping to care for and find homes for the animals. 15 of the dogs have been re-homed and amazingly all of the cats. There are 12 dogs left. 11 if them are small dogs, 1 med sized. Most of them are older, 2 of them including the med. sized one and a cute Bichon seem young, energetic and playful. There is a long coat mini dachshund, a chubby Italian Greyhound, some misc. Terrier mixes, 2 pekinese, etc.

I was wondering if you could help or know of any group who could. All of the dogs seem healthy, well mannered, appears she's been taking them to the vet, I saw Heartworm preventative, and frontline. Though I did find flea dirt on them. Appreciate any help you can give or suggest.

must re home immediately

My rescue friend received this email today)

I am writing to you to request your assistance in finding new homes for our two JRTs, ideally separate homes where they will be the only dogs in the family - one male (5 yrs broken coat & outgoing) & one female (7yrs smooth coat & reserved cuddler). Both are fixed and current on all shots. On their own, they are playful, lovable, wonderful dogs. They've had a good life & enjoy the finer points of dog suburbia: sleeping indoors, catching & killing squirrels/chipmunks, digging for moles, pulling down ivy to get at birds, etc. Unfortunately, as a pair they have terrorized our entire neighborhood and have become a liability for the family. To be clear, they have bitten a number of kids, dogs, and a coyote that wandered or ran across our property (approx. 1 acre with invisible fence). The final straw came yesterday as they attacked and wounded a neighbor's dog as the neighbor was taking a shortcut through our yard on a dog walk. Territorial behavior + pack mentality = a liability we can not manage.

Our decision has been made. The dogs need new & separate homes or farms, preferably with retired couples, where they can be the center of attention. We love our dogs, we're just not disciplined enough to give them the environment they need.

Thanks in advance for your consideration, recommendations, & support. I look forward to your response.

Regrettably,
XXXX

Can I just say OMG! Why is it that people think a farm is the place for every bad or unwanted animal? Do they think that a farm is a magical place where everyone gets along and there are never any issues and there is an endless amount of money??? Do you have any idea how much it costs to feed all the animals people leave on my farm?? I mean seriously?? Do they?

News flash people most farms... true farmer shoot or drawn unwanted animals. That is the old school method that still happens today so please don't "leave" your dog or cat or chicken (yes that happened to me) because an old school farmer is going to probably KILL THEM!

Sorry, I am tried an grouchy today but it is the truth.

Well the purpose of me sharing the email was not to rant about farms it was to another example of how people let their dogs be asshole dogs and then who suffers THE DOG! Seriously to me sounds like the dogs need training and the people need a CAT and shouldn't be allowed to have a dog.

These are the people that make JRT"s have a bad name. These are the people that treat their dogs like a child and NEVER discipline them and then wonder why they take over. Jack Russell need a strong pack leader and if you aren't one, don't own one because they will turn into HORRIBLE monsters.

UGH! I need a nap!

Is it really the dog?

Sometimes I really wonder is the dog a bad dog or is the person a bad dog owner or was it just a bad match?

As with any rescue organization or shelter you get returns. Sometimes people change their minds on the idea of having a dog. Sometimes life gets in the way and there is nothing that can be done but to re home the dog... loss of job, illness, child not expected... etc. I do feel sometimes people give up too quickly though. I mean have you truly tried to make it work or do you think it will eliminate some of your stress if the dog was just gone so bye bye doggie?

Sometimes I think rescue "hurts" themselves in the fact that we take our dogs back no matter what... well at least I do and most reputable rescues / shelters do. People always have an out. Granted you don't get your money back but still it is no risk to the adopter... if I have a bad day or an issue with the dog I am too lazy to work on fixing I can just call the rescue and eliminate the problem. But there are way too many people out there who will just DUMP a dog on the side of the road like trash or take it to the kill shelter or God only knows do whatever with the dog. By rescues and shelters agreeing to take the dog back is truly the best thing for the dog but at the same time it is making people lazy.

Lazy because they don't have to work it out. They don't have to figure out how to find the dog a new home. They just dump back on the rescue. I sometimes wonder if it were harder to return a dog if they would make it work? I guess in a way I have answered this questions a few times with adopters... In my adoption contract it states if you want to return a dog you have to give me 5 days notice and I can only take the dog when I have room so you may have to wait a few days.

A number of times I have received the call of "I need to return the dog" after I talk to the people and find out exactly what has been going on and it is totally correctable I say to them well I can't take the dog back until XXXX day and in the mean time you have to do the following.

Then when I call them to say Ok XXXX day has arrived , they say "Oh well what you told us is working and the dog is much better and we ware keeping him/her. Can't stand to let him/her go"

OH REALLY! So, honestly you just had a bad day and were stressed out and thought giving up the dog would eliminate that stress. OK GOT YA!

Then there are times the dogs come back with a story behind them..... "This dog is NOT housbroken. It poops/pees in the house everyday." I then take the dog back wondering why the heck he/she is acting this way b/c the while in the foster home it never had an accident. I then get the dog back and it NEVER has an accident. I start to wonder was the person telling the truth? was the person not taking the dog out? was the person leaving the dog alone for too many hours? You really have to wonder why the heck the dog would be perfect in the foster home bad in the adopters home and then fine after it was returned.

THEN you have the people that say the dog is aggressive or in some case the dog did bite. And this is behavior that you NEVER expected from the dog. I then get these stories from the people on how the dog is aggressive towards the kids and she just doesn't understand why. The dog has been fine and the kids are always wrestling and playing with the dog. I get the dog back and he is 100% fine. You can do anything to him and I have him around kids and NOTHING. So was the person telling the truth or did the kids do something to the dog that made him fearful of them?

I had one person adopt a dog who was fearful. The dog was CLEARLY abused. The dog was wonderful with kids in the foster home and was just very sweet and loving. The dog would get scared if you reached for him really fast or made a loud noise. he was clearly hit often. he would never growl or snap. Very sweet dog. Anyway, so the dog gets adopted and about a week later... I get a call from the adopter the dog bit him in the face. OMG are you kidding me. This is not behavior I would have ever expected. I tell him I will make arrangements to have the dog removed from his home ASAP and after 10 day bite hold he will be euthanized. I FELT HORRIBLE!

Then I find out the story... the adopter was on the ground, eye level with this medium sized dog, in his face holding a toy and growling at him. WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?? You are going to get eye level with a dog you have only had less then a week and GROWL at him. WHY? The adopter said he wanted the dog to play with toys. SO YOU WERE FORCING HIM?? OMG! You get a stupid ass badge for that one!

I did not have the dog euthanized. I gave the dog to a family who LOVES HIM! They signed a waiver saying they knew he had bitten and he has been fine in the home ever since.

I just had another experience where was it the dog or was it the people trying to do too much in one day with a new dog?

Now I sit and wait and try to figure out what to do. Do I end a dogs life because maybe the people messed up? Or do I re home the dog with a bite contract? UGH! I just don't know. It isn't fair that a dog should suffer b/c a human screwed up but I am sorry I am not loosing my house and everything I own because I placed a biting dog. And I am not going to be one of those rescue people who has 12 dogs with issues. Sorry I might be a dog rescue person but I still want to have a normal life with only 3 dogs and ones that I can trust 100%.. I am just like everyone else I want a dog b/c it is fun to have a dog not a dog that adds stress to my life b/c every time someone enters the house he/she tries to eat you. No thanks!

I am ridiculous

I just have to point out that I am ridiculous. LOL I sent out the annual Puppy Party invitation... for those who don't know I have an annual party in September and invite all the people who have adopted from me to come to my house for food, raffles, check out agility courses, this year I have two trainers coming to give demo's and talk to people, I will be giving away 25 free microchips, we do a group photo, I have a boarding kennel there and this year will have someone selling home made dog cookies and home made soaps/shampoos. It is a lot of fun.

Anyway, so I am getting responses back from people YES, MAYBE and NO. I am like a kid at Christmas, I can't wait to open the email and get SO excited at the YES responses and get so sad at the NO responses. That is why I am ridiculous. My mind starts to wonder "why can't they come?" "Hope the dog is ok" "Hope they aren't upset with me" blah blah blah.. STUPID! LOL!

I know some of the people can't come b/c it is a far drive... I have adopters everywhere but I always invite them on the off chance they are going to be in the area or something. I don't want to leave anyone out.

Anyway, just thought I would share how ridiculous I am.. LOL!

MISSING IN GRAFTON OHIO

PLEASE HELP FIND HER

She went missing Tuesday Aug 16, 2011 around 3:30 p.m in the apartments behind / next to Convenient.

Hit or Miss

Adoptions are all over the place this year. I have had ZERO adoptions in weeks and then all of a sudden BOOM Ditto, Arthur, Etta, and hopefully this weekend Maverick and May will all go home.

It is so strange how that works out.

I am really really hoping to get some of the long timers moved into forever homes soon. Great dogs, just not sure why they aren't getting any hits. I am on a mission to get them adopted! I am cross posting them like crazy, putting them on line every place I can find and praying that they find a home soon.

I am getting in 4 new kids this Friday from Scioto County Dog pound. They were all scheduled to die today at 10:30 a.m.








No worries they have all been transferred to the local vet office where I authorized everything to be done on them... spay/neuter, shots, rabies, heartworm test, fecal, worming THE WORKS! I am getting them on Friday and it will be nice to have fully vetted dogs to come into the rescue so I don't have to run around like a chicken with my head cut off arranging everything. I am hoping the bill isn't too outrageous... I would ideally like the vet bills to be under $200 for each dog so I am not loosing too much money.

Oh that reminds me I need to call them and tell them to put frontline on everyone! Once less thing I will have to do.. hahahaha


Well Mr. Crazy is still crazy. I was being watched ALL day yesterday. Well all day meaning from the time I got home and put the dogs outside. He just sat there and watched the dogs and then me play ball with them. As soon as I put them away he went into his house. Wondering if he will do that again today. I seriously wish he would just leave me the hell alone. The guy is shooting himself in his own foot. I mean seriously if you weren't such a jerk my husband and I could help you with stuff, ass. Whatever!

Photo album lady I believe is finally out of my life forever. Her appeal didn't go anywhere. I keep thinking if I run across the book, should I give it back? With the way she acted I think NO WAY but if I run across we will see what I actually do.

Oh and let's see.. found out some REALLY interesting information about about the people who stole my dog. Oh man do I feel sorry for the poor family now... she has been so lied to and drug through the mud. Poor lady. Her and I would have been fine if the liar wouldn't have gotten involved. It is amazing you think you know people and SLAP right across the face you really didn't know them at all and then you start to think back on everything "was that a lie?" "what about that?" "did she steal too?" ugh! Horrible to think those things about someone you called a friend and trusted :-(

Well I have made a pledge to myself to #1. Not be a door mate, #2. Learn to say no and #3. do things for myself.

I don't want to sound selfish but it seems like I give too much and then get burned in the end. Case in point people that stole the dog... anyways, let's see if I can hold to my new rules. LOL!

It isn't going to do anyone any good if I get too stressed out and can't help dogs.

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Please don't keep found dogs!!

TUCUMCARI, N.M — A Maltese dog named Caesar who disappeared more than a year ago after a car crash that killed two members of his human family in eastern New Mexico is on his way home to Michigan.

The Quay County Sun reported Wednesday that Caesar was found by a volunteer looking for adoptable dogs at a shelter in Tucumcari. She was able to track down his owner, Monica Benson, after Caesar was scanned for a microchip.

Benson, who lost her husband and a daughter in the accident, said her four surviving children are very excited and have made "welcome home" posters for Caesar.

"This has been the best news we have received in a year," she said.

Caesar left Tucumcari this week for Clio, Mich.

The Benson family was traveling westbound on Interstate 40 near Tucumcari on June 15, 2010, when their 2001 Chevrolet minivan overturned.

Gary and Emily Benson died from injuries in the accident. One of the other children, then-18-month-old Benjamin, was placed in an intensive care unit.

"While Benjamin was in the ICU, we placed picture of him and Caesar on the walls," Monica Benson told the newspaper.

Benson said the family returned to the accident and tried to find Caesar.

"It has been so hard," Monica Benson said. "There are pictures all over the house, and Benjamin would point at them and ask, 'Where's Caesar?'"

Mike Martinez, animal control supervisor for Tucumcari, said a family dropped off Caesar on Thursday, saying they were moving and could no longer care for him.

Christina Flemming, a member of the Tucumcari Animal Rescue Group, found Caesar at the Tucumcari animal shelter on Friday.

After his chip was scanned, she said she called the number attached to the chip to find it had been disconnected. But she told the newspaper something didn't seem right, so she went online to try and find the family and found an article about the accident.

"I found the obituary and contacted the funeral home in Michigan," Flemming said. "A woman named Rhonda helped me to get in contact with Caesar's owners."

Adoption Applications

You might think it is easy to adopt out a dog.... I mean you just have to find a person that wants the dog, right?! WRONG! You have to have #1. someone who wants the dog #2. will complete the application #3. will pay the adoption #4. be a good pet owner #5. is a good match for the dog #6. have good references and have good history with dogs/animals... because you know the best way to determine if a person is going to be a good pet owner is to look at their past behavior with their other animals.

THE HARDEST part about the application process is when you have to tell someone NO. I just had this happen recently. The women had so so references but the husband, YIKES! Not a snow balls chance in hell would I allow him to pet one of my dogs... ugh! Not good.

I don't want to be one of those rescues that just NEVER responds and I don't want to be one of those rescues that lies and I don't want to just say no. I think as a rescue part of our "job" is to educate. So, I had to email the person... I didn't say your husband is a slim ball but I did point out the importance of spay/neuter, the importance of vaccinations every year, the importance of heartworm test and prevention and the fact that 6 million dogs are KILLED every year because of pet over population and breeding IS NOT A MONEY MAKER!

I was really expecting a NASTY note back but I actually haven't gotten one yet. I am surprised... lol usually I get nasty messages back.. like the crazy lady who breed her English Bull dog b/c the money really helped them while her husband was laid off. UGH!!

Adoptions are WAY down and the last few applications I have had are kind of well... they weren't approved to adopt. I am pretty forgiving to people and I don't paint everyone with the same brush like some rescues... can't tell you how many people have adopted from me b/c other rescues deny them b/c their last dog was hit by a car.... Oh come on there isn't a person out there that hasn't had a dog or cat hit by a car or knows someone that is a great pet owner that has had a dog or cat hit by a car. Sometimes it happens. I am not going to be that judgmental... but these last few applications that have been denied.... my goodness I would be setting my dogs up for a miserable life and I just can't do that.

I REALLY hate denying people... I don't want to upset anyone but sometimes there is nothing I can do. AND IT SUCKS!

The hardest part about owning a pet....

you know you will out live them.

Today my husband had to put to sleep his black lab. He got Disco when he was in college and it was my husband's very first pet..l. well besides the ones he had when living with his parents.