Adopt Rocky: Dog Surrendered Due to Active Military Service

Rocky   Photo: Nathan Gray 

The world turned upside down recently for a dog named Rocky.  His owner, a serviceman from Anderson, South Carolina, is being deployed.  And Rocky is left behind.  He needs a home.  FAST.  He's got only 21 days to find that home.

Inside a cage at Anderson County’s animal shelter, the shy tan and white Labrador-shepherd mix does not compete with his neighbors for the attention of visitors. He won’t run up to the door of his cage and stand on it, begging to be let out. He won’t whine or wag his tail, at first.

But he does appreciate a visitor who will take time with him. And after a few minutes of gentle encouragement, he will burrow his head into the nearest person’s lap.

Rocky was surrendered to the staff at Anderson County’s animal shelter three weeks ago, when his owner, whose name is kept confidential under shelter rules, found out that he would soon have military orders to leave the country.

But the 3-year-old dog could not be put on the shelter’s adoption floor at first; it was already crowded.

This week, Rocky made it to the adoption floor, with his own cage and a bright yellow mat to stretch out on. If he is not adopted, he has 21 days left to live.

Brande Kupfer, who handles day-to-day operations at the shelter, said the staff typically gets at least a dozen dogs a year that are surrendered by military families.

“There are foster programs that are out there for military families with pets,” Kupfer said. “But most of the time, what we hear from families is that they don’t know how long they’ll be deployed, how long they’ll be gone. It might be six months. It might be a year or even longer. They don’t want their dog to get used to living with another family for a year or two, and then suddenly, their owner comes to reclaim them. It’s a shock. They would rather leave their pet at the shelter and hope that another family adopts it.”

The reality is that most of the dogs and cats that come in to Anderson County’s animal shelter don’t get adopted. Of the 14,000 animals that come in every year, 70 percent of them will be euthanized instead of adopted.

This week, the animal shelter advisory committee briefly discussed the possibility of creating a county policy that any pet surrendered by a military family would be fostered until the deployed could come home. Rocky’s arrival was the catalyst for that discussion.

If such a program did exist, officials said, no dog or cat that belonged to a military family would be fostered without its owner’s consent.

But so far, the program is just an idea; it would have to receive the blessing of the county council to become a reality.

In the meantime, Rocky is up for adoption, wearing a red cloth collar, and a separate tag that identifies him only as animal No. 1103448.

Contact the Anderson County PAWS animal shelter at 864-260-4151.  The adoption fee is $65 which includes vaccinations and neutering.

A Big Day for Rudy: Getting Neutered

Rudy, totally unaware of his upcoming surgery. 

Snip and Clip.  Nip and Tuck.  The Conehead Cometh.  All titles I considered for this blog post.  I decided to keep it simple:  Getting Neutered.

It definitely is a big day for Rudy, our yellow Labrador Retriever pup.  Rudy is almost 7 months old now.  After doing quite a bit of reading about the best age to neuter dogs, especially big dogs, we've decided to follow our vet's recommendation.  So, Rudy is getting neutered today.

All our dog-boys are neutered.  Tucker at 6 months because that's the age all of our male canines have been neutered in the past.  Jeffie at 8 weeks because the shelter we adopted him from does it that way.  Though we know there's a lot of controversy about the best age to have this surgery performed, we've experienced no bad outcomes in the past.  Even though we think 8 weeks - so far before puberty - is iffy (and we had no choice about that)  Jeffie, now 5, seems fine.

We are big believers in spay and neuter.  Shelter euthanasia is the number one killer of companion animals in our country.  Millions of dollars are spent each year by our communities dealing with stray and unwanted pets.  Even though animal advocacy organizations are doing a great job educating the pet owning public and low cost spay / neuter organizations have sprung up all over the US, there simply are not enough homes for all those unplanned litters of dogs and cats.

Do I think any of our pets will end up in a shelter?  No.  And though it's pretty doubtful any of our dogs could produce any offspring, never say never.  All I have to do is think about Rudy's Labrador Retriever mother who managed to escape a yard just long enough to rendevous with a neighboring chocolate Lab.  'Nuff said.

At For Love of a Dog we subscribe to that old adage:  If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

So, later today Rudy will be home from the vet, sporting one of those crazy collars, getting sniffed like crazy by the rest of the dog pack, and he'll be minus his family jewels.

Missouri Puppy Mills: Euthanasia Plan - Club the Dogs

Background:

Late last year, researchers at The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) spent weeks poring over state and federal inspection reports, investigators’ photographs, and enforcement records to compile a list of some of the worst puppy mills in Missouri, known as “Missouri’s Dirty Dozen.” The report included direct quotes detailing horrific care violations documented in the facilities’ federal and/or state kennel inspection reports The violations included thin-coated breeds like Italian greyhounds found shivering in the cold in temperatures as low as 9 degrees, dogs with open, oozing or bleeding sores, underweight dogs with their entire skeletal structures showing, and sick or dying puppies who had not been treated by a vet.

March 9, 2011, the HSUS released an update to this report.  The majority of the Missouri Dirty Dozen kennels are still state licensed and in operation.  On the same day, the Missouri Senate voted 20 - 14 to repeal Prop B, the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act.  The Missouri House will vote on this issue soon.

If there is any doubt in your mind that MO Prop B, as written and passed by voters last November, is needed and provides essential protection for dogs, please read below for details from the Dirty Dozen update.

 Walnut Creek Kennel, Jesse and Sonja Miller, La Monte MO

The Millers no longer hold a current USDA license, but still have an active Missouri state kennel license.  In fact, Walnut Creek Kennel still has ads listed on "breeder club" classified advertising sites such as BreedersClub.net, a front for various sellers which claim to have a "no puppy mills" policy.

In their BreedersClub.net ad, the Millers claim, "We are a family who enjoys raising puppies on our farm.  We specialize in raising well-socialized, well-loved, and well-cared for puppies!"

Yet, as reported in the 2010 Missouri's Dirty Dozen report, the HSUS shared what a USDA inspector noted during a pre-license visit to Walnut Creek Kennel in August 2008:

"The Program of Veterinary Care stated that the applicant would be euthanizing the dogs at the facility by clubbing the dogs."

The Millers were also cited in 2010 and 2009 for "attempted inspection" violations - instances when they were not available during stated business hours to allow inspectors to conduct their visits.  They subsequently cancelled their federal license, yet are still licensed by the state of Missouri in 2011.

Spay and Neuter Your Pets: Spay Day 2011

Every day about 70,000 puppies and kittens are born in the United States.  Every year 4 - 6 million are euthanized because there are not enough home for all of them.

Our communities spend millions of dollars to control and eliminate unwanted animals.  Our animal shelters are overburdened with unwanted animals.  Irresponsible breeding contributes to the problem.

Here are the top ten reasons to spay or neuter from the ASPCA:

1. Your female pet will live a longer, healthier life.  Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breat cancer, which is fatal in about 50% of dogs and 90% of cats.  Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases.
2. Neutering provides major health benefits for your male.  Besides preventing unwanted litters. neutering your male pet prevents testicular cancer, if done before six months of age.
3. Your spayed female won't go into heat.  While cycles can vary, female felines usually go into heat four to five days every three weeks during breeding season.  Ibn an effort to advertise for mates, they'll yowl and urinate more frequently - sometimes all over your house.
4. Your male dogs won't want to roam away from home.  An intact male will do just about anything to find a mate.  That includes digging his way under the fence and making like Houdini to escape from the house.  And once he's free to roam, he risks injury in traffic and fights with other males.
5. Your neutered malewill be much better behaved.  Neutered cats and dogs focus their attention on their human families.  On the other hand, unneutered dogs and cats may mark their territory by spraying strong smelling urine all over the house.  Many aggression problems can be avoided by early neutering.
6. Spaying or neutering will NOT make your pet fat.  Don't use that excuse!  Lack of exercise and overfeeding will cause your pet to pack on the extra pounds.  Not neutering.
7. It is highly cost effective.  the cost of your pet's spay or neuter surgery is a lot less than the cost of having and caring for a litter.  It also beats the cost of treatment when your unneutered tom escapes and gets into fights with the neighborhood stray.
8. Spaying and neutering your pet is good for the community.  Stray animals pose a real problem in many parts of the country.  They can pray on wildlife, cause car accidents, damage the local fauna and frighten children.  Spaying and neutering packs a powerful punch in reducing the number of animals on the streets.
9. Your pet does not need to have a litter for your children to learn about the miracle of birth.  Letting your pet produce offspring you have no intention of keeping is not a good lesson for your children - especially when so many unwanted animals end up in shelters.  There are tons of books and videos available to teach your children about birth in a more responsible way.
10. Spay and neutering helps fight pet overpopulation.  Every year, millions of cats and dogs of all ages and breeds are euthanized or suffer as strays.  These high numbers are the result of unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering.

Be a responsible pet owner.  Spay and neuter your pets.

Congratulations to DogTime - Finalist in the Pepsi Refresh Challenge

The results are in and DogTime has been named a finalist in the Pepsi Refresh Challenge.  DogTime's project is now a go!

They will soon be helping to find homes for at-risk pets affected by the BP oil spill.  Gulf region families continue struggling to make ends meet and record numbers of pets are still being surrendered to local shelters.  Because these facilities are at maximum capacity, some animals will spend days or weeks in a lonely kennel - after already enduring the trauma of losing their families - only to face euthanasia.  For at least 500 of those pets, DogTime wanted to ensure a happier fate.

Horses and Goats Rescued in Andrew County Missouri

The Humane Society of Missouri's Animal Cruelty Taskforce has been busy the past few days.  On November 11 they received a request for assistance near Guilford, MO. 

Working in cooperation with the Andrew County Sheriff’s Department, they began the rescue of 32 horses, 4 mini-horses and 2 goats. The horses were severely underweight and had no access to food or fresh water. Six recently deceased horses also were found on the property  and another horse present was so desperately ill, an independent veterinarian recommended it be humanely euthanized on the spot.    Starving mares could no longer provide milk to their malnourished foals. Two of the horses were so unstable, they had to be taken to a nearby equine hospital for emergency treatment. One did not survive.

According to Andrew County Sheriff Bryan Atkins, an independent veterinarian who visited the property Sunday determined the horses were malnourished and would not survive the winter; he recommended removal of the animals as soon as possible. The Sheriff then contacted the Humane Society of Missouri’s Animal Cruelty Task Force to assist with the investigation and possible rescue of the horses and goats. Subsequently, the Andrew County Sheriff’s Department served a warrant to enter the property and, upon veterinary recommendation, removed the animals.

The rescued animals have been taken to the Humane Society of Missouri’s Longmeadow Rescue Ranch in Union, Mo. The animals will remain in the custody of the Humane Society of Missouri until the disposition hearing scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Nov. 29, 2010 in Savannah, Mo. If custody of the animals is awarded to the Humane Society of Missouri, as many of the animals as possible will be made available for adoption. Due to their poor condition, it may be several months following the disposition hearing before many of the animals would be available for adoption.

Colorado Wild Horse Roundup BLM Lawsuit Hearing

Animal advocacy groups trying to stop the removal of wild horses from northwest Colorado will make their case in court.  The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) says a hearing is scheduled Wednesday in U.S. District Court in New York on a lawsuit seeking to halt the roundup that started earlier this month.

The New York-based group, the Colorado-based Cloud Foundation and two Colorado residents have filed a lawsuit claiming the plan by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to remove an estimated 138 horses violates environmental laws and the federal Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. 

The Cloud Foundation also claims a horse was roped, kicked, dragged and then euthanized during the roundup. Makendra Silverman of the foundation said Friday that observers, including a Colorado veterinarian who is among those suing, reported the horse wasn't having problems before it was roped Tuesday.  Contractors roped the horse when it went around a net fence leading to the corral. The horse then fell and didn't want to get back up. The horse was rolled onto a truck and shot two days later.  Two more horses died Friday. A 7-month-old colt whose legs were broken when it was roped was euthanized. A 3-year-old mare also died after being roped.

The BLM has said the horses being rounded up are outside a 190,000-acre area of public land designated for wild horses. Horses not sold or adopted will be taken to long-term pastures in the Midwest.  So far, 28 horses have been caught and corralled. A helicopter is used to herd the animals.

Animal advocacy groups have filed lawsuits trying to stop wild horse roundups across the West, calling them inhumane and unnecessary.  The lawsuit claims the Colorado roundup violates the 1971 wild horse act's requirement to preserve the horses in their range and the requirement under federal environmental laws to consider reasonable alternatives.

Virginia is for Lovers and Dog Lovers

"No dog should be euthanized solely because of their breed."

That's what Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell is trying to legislate in Virginia. When he was Attorney General in 2006, apparently, he issued an opinion stating the same thing. Now that he's governor, he wants to mandate that no public shelter can kill an animal based only on breed. Virginians, you can contact your local assemblyman to let them know where you stand on the Governor's amendment and don't forget to thank Governor McDonnell too.

Spay NASCAR

Nope, you didn't read that wrong. Spay and NASCAR really do go together!

You, know I love NASCAR. What can I tell you? I'm a guy and I'm from southside Virginia. And we love NASCAR. My new favorite driver is Greg Biffle. Why, you ask? Well, here's something to woof about!

Greg Biffle is not only a NASCAR stock car racing superstar, but he's also the spokesperson for SPAY/USA, a nationwide network and referral service for spay and neuter services.

He's a passionate for animals and, of course, he's already spayed and neutered his won dogs. Greg believes that by raising awareness about the prevention of unwanted litters, pet owners will follow his lead and alter their pets. That's the best way to reduce the number of shelter euthanasias. Check out his public service announcement. Did you realize that right now euthaniasia rates are about 4 million a year?

Before I head out for a nap in the sunshine, I just want to remind you to spay or neuter your pets... and if you've got a dollar to two to spare, support a spay/neuter program in your area. The dogs of America will thank you!

And BARK if you love NASCAR!
Woof! woof!
Tucker