Interesting -and Sometimes Wacky- Dog Related Sidetracks

Nothing new on the foster front (Well, Chula got spayed, and Ren has an upcoming full-out adoption), but I haven't posted in over a week, so I thought it was high-time I posted something!

So here some dog-related sidetracks :)

My favourite recent quote, stolen from someone I don't know.
"The world is full of armchair rescuers who think they can do a better job than everyone else yet they never get off their duffs in order to do so. Instead, they hide behind the safety of their laptops and criticize everyone else who is actually trying to make a difference."

Been slowly compiling a list of neat dog-related sidetracks. Some that make your head spin, some very inspiring, and a few that might come in handy down the road.

First up, this very interesting group that saves only rescue dogs and trains them into companion/service animals for veterans or people with disabilities. SO COOL! You could spend a lot of time drifting through this site, so if you're going in, be prepared for a couple of hour adventure.
http://www.freedomservicedogs.org/about-service-dog-rescue/

Second, something everyone should know about. PET INSURANCE. Even if you've got some really heavy pockets, pet insurance should be a top priority. Along with the daycare, I've looked through quite a few different pet insurance places, and the cheapest/most coverage combination I've come across is from Don Cherry. http://www.cherryblue.ca/

For just over $10 a month ($120 a year), you have up to $10,000 of coverage, and 80% of injury is covered by insurance. So, if you get a wasp sting slaying your bank account for $600 or so, you're only going to pay about $200 (there's a deductible for small stuff). If you have an accident prone dog (or PUPPY), that can rack up fast!

For any of you with deeper pockets, how about getting the insurance, and donating the extra money from any accidents to your favourite rescue. And if you know anyone on fixed income or lower income, please, please, please, tell them about pet insurance. If you don't have at least a grand tucked aside for an emergency, you should have pet insurance!

Thirdly, although its not altogether a 'sidetrack', is the TUAPA site.
http://translate.google.ca/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-TW&u=http://www.tuapa.org.tw/&ei=zf1aToTLHq_ZiAL0mISoCQ&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCAQ7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dtuapa%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1249%26bih%3D592%26prmd%3Divns
Evee and Ren are both from Taiwan, and from this group that helps out the most helpless cases. With over a thousand dogs here -and thousands more in the local pounds-, the volunteers work tirelessly to try to bring these dogs up to North American homes because the reality is dogs in Taiwan are targets for severe abuse. Evee had a wire tired around her as a young pup. Ren was saved because she was too friendly with people, which would have ended up getting her killed.

And despite all the rescue politics of "imports" all TUAPA wants is for their dogs to live good lives. And why do they deserve less than the dogs in our own backyard? Because they got the short end of the stick and got born in a country that doesn't have any respect for animal life?

One of my favourite recent tidbits comes from Turtle Gardens, my first and foremost rescue, who rescues whoever ends up at their door in need of assistance. And unfortunately as they get SO many dogs they would never dreamof  -or even look online- for dogs over the border that need assistance. Their backyard is overflowing :(.

Yet, when a cry for help went out from Pawsitive Match in Calgary about Sasito, a Mexican dog who was saved and brought into rescue and was too feral to be placed in a home, who stepped up to turn him around but Yvette and Dave. Regardless that he's from Mexico, he had a place in their special group foster home set-up where he could learn (and is still learning) to be a good pet.

The initial TG blog entry can be found here: http://www.turtlegardens.org/2011/04/30/new-arrivals-at-turtle-gardens-5

Oh, and if you're in the mood for another good TG post, try this one out: http://www.turtlegardens.org/2011/02/02/who-says-sled-dogs-dont-make-good-pets-steve-jude-jim
Sled-dogs do make AWESOME pets for active homes. For the record, I haven't met a sled dog that isn't AWESOME, but I definitely have met a ton of ridiculously overbearing purebred huskies. To lump them in the same category is kind of like looking at a fruit basket.

Every day when I see a new blog post at TG, I have a quiver in my spine -and that unreasonably stupid hope- that a sled-dog, with that greyhound kind of frame, and mostly husky markings, shows up for me. How I crave to have a second sled-dog. Whether they show up before I fall in love with somebody else remains to be unclear! One rarely ever gets what they want, but they usually end up with what they need.

For some fun insight (and the beginnings) on Beckett, see this post: http://www.turtlegardens.org/2007/10/07/turtle-gardens-rescues I'm pretty sure he's in picture #2 and he's down in the mix there -he's the only one with real husky style markings. A true Greyhound/Siberian Sled dog (which is little different from an Alaskan Husky who is a mix of the best sledders, regardless what they are). He was also Dog #32!

BEFORE: Rescued in October 2007                   AFTER: August 2011

P.S. How could a dude this HANDSOME hang around TG for 7 months!

Okay -Somebody (or thing) is Listening

And seems to have a lot of power. (BTW: please send money okay?)

Ren went for her second trial yesterday, and within 2 hours got away from the people. With a touch of dramatic irony, I forgot my purse and we doubled back later to find out (no cell phone to find out any sooner). We scouted the streets for a few hours for her, but darkness overtook efforts and eventually we went home.

I spent most of the night and part of the morning posting to websites, etc, that she was missing. Luckily, when I came home from work tonight, she was found safe and someone took her in for the night. The trialling family, although very nice, admitted that although they didn't mind working with a dog, that they didn't feel they had the energy to put into a dog -even one as calm as Ren-. Fair enough, and although I love the fact that retired people have lots of time and usually money to put towards their dogs, energy has a lot to do with it too. And just because you're active, doesn't necessarily mean you have the mental energy, or the willpower to really have a dog (unless its one of those Chihuahuas that are more like throw pillows :P).

ITS OKAY NOT TO HAVE A DOG!
---there, I said it.

So Ren's coming back, will be her usual low-key, happy-dog self again, and I'm going to wait a few weeks to look at any further applications. Moving a dog around isn't good, and this time, I want a full out adoption. None of this trial business, none of this 'maybe' type of business. I want someone that truly, madly, deeply wants to adopt Ren.

So, I guess I'll get to enjoy her for awhile yet. Which is fine by me. She definitely isn't my forever dog as she's just too easy (actually, thinking about it, it seems to be harder to find the perfect match for an 'easy' dog than a harder dog ---the people who apply for the harder dogs know better what they're getting into), but she's welcome for as long as needed to find THE ONE.

Okay ---so now I'll suck it up and enjoy the calm.

The Last Calm Day

Well, every single battery in the whole house seems to be out of power, so no pictures until I suck it up and buy batteries (they're so frigging expensive, and they don't last very long at all! And even the rechargeables I got the last time lasted maybe two months before the 4 of them went kaput.)

Ren is back -with the husband called to duty in Kuwait, there is no one to give a lunchtime peebreak!, but she has a homecheck tonight with relatives of the first applicant. She won the inlaws over! Homecheck tonight to make sure. For such a cute, easy-going dog, she sure has been sitting around here awhile.

Chula and Antoinette are doing well too, although this morning I accidently bumped Chula with my foot and she's been going around all day like I'm going to beat her. Luckily its not bad enough that she's stopped cuddling -there'd be something wrong with her then!

Beckett got in a fight with a slug the other day. Wandered into some bushes, and up the trail a bit I here rustling. My first thought was "Oh shit, cougar", but then I realized Beckett wasn't in his usual heel right beside me, so I doubled back for him.

He'd almost fallen into a creek, and when I grabbed him I found out why. For whatever stupid reason a slug thought Beckett had picked a fight with him, and was gummed up over his eye. His OPEN eye. And Beckett was being an absolute pansy about it all.

"Oh you sissy, I'll get it" -but that slug was not wanting to come off, and it was just oozing more and more of whatever it is that slugs ooze. Well, its a good thing I have pet insurance I guess.

So I had to carry Mr. Freakout home. We tried walking for a bit but he just kept clawing at his mangled face. So I walked the 3-4km home with my 50 pound sled dog in my arms. We live in a pretty quiet area, and it was work hours, so I think I passed maybe 5 seniors who looked at me as if they were hallucinating.

On the bright side, I got Beckett home, hosed his eye, and got the slug off, and threw him over the fence -less he try it again in the yard. Beckett was very thankful his momma beat that slug. What a big, tough sled dog!

In other news, TG dogs soon (maybe), and boy do I need somebody to work with things on. Chihuahuas aren't Emily dogs. Even Ren isn't an Emily dog. Too easy! I like a good challenge.

And with all this time on my hands, I've been having a small daydream of heading up to TG sometime (when it isn't -40), and trying to help out more, and I'm sure some seriously messed up and lovely writing could come out of that experience. I'm sure I would mostly get in the way though, so that's usually the end of the daydream!

----oh, and the usual. Saying no to lots of California dogs, huskies, and $50 Chihuahuas.

Alright, now I've convinced myself to get the darn batteries. These blogs just aren't very interesting without them!

My California Rescue of Chula, Antoinette and Amelia

I suppose I should get around to writing the weird, twisted tale before I get too far removed from it that I don't remember a thing.

So, it started at probably 8:00-8:30pm, when I had a house full of dogs that were content sleeping, and if I dared turn on a light to read mass chaos would most likely ensue. I'd done all the usual computer things: e-mail, blog, check out the rescue sites, have a game of scrabble against a computer that usually kicks my butt. I'd finished my supper, and I had the sort of crew that any movement I did, they were right there in my face going "What now?"

So, although I usually give up after an hour or so of randomness on the computer, I kept surfing, and came around to the import pages of rescue. And its absolutely nothing new that rescues import. Some do it ethically, some to make a quick buck, but somehow I stumbled upon this facebook page with about 80 pictures of highly adoptable dogs. They had video, volunteers rallying for them, and at least 1/4 of those faces would never make it out of the shelter alive. And they only network the highly adoptable dogs, there's at least 200 more in the shelter that have an even lesser chance of getting out. ---There's suffering all over, but I poked my head onto some of the pictures, read bios, basically did the dog person's equivilant to weeding out boredom.

This started about a week or so adventure after hitting "Like". I saw who was getting adopted, sometimes who didn't make it out (its a very positive site, so they cheer up everyone with all the adoptions, but the ones that die, they just pull their picture out quietly and with as much respect as one can offer on the web, changed their videos to reflect their tragic passing with music.

Now, if you ever wanted a ChiX, a Pitty mix, or a Sheppard, there are OODLES of them at shelters like these. Although I'd like to help out a sheppard, we have to many in the province for me to bring any in -I'd just go find one to help with TG or whatnot. And although a few of the pitties really tore at my soul (especially one named Dolly, who everday I tracked her picture down until it just wasn't there anymore), I don't have the resources to effectively deal with the hoop-la of a pitty (basically, what everyone else brings to the table regarding a pitty) most of the time I quite like pitties myself.

And so I saw Antoinette's picture. A week passed (they usually have two if they're highly adoptable), and her picture was still there, and still there, and still there. So, I finally clicked on her video -the videos do me in, so I tried not to look at a lot of them-. And, I made my first turn when I posted on her picture that "this dog would find a home quickly in BC."

And opening my big mouth led to a shitload of people wanting money, or whatnot, but a small little message on my facebook said mountains. It said: "I would like to send Antoinette to Canada, I will pay her travels fees. Please do not contact me about any other dog, or money, or whatever a lot of these rescue freaks have done. I just want to save this one girl, and I will help you do it. If you are still a somewhat sane individual, please contact me."

This lady had done her research. She saw my post, found my blog, checked out the rescues I foster for, etc. And I guess she had been looking at Antoinette's picture awhile same as me, and she helped me get in contact with a few SOLID people that would help bring Antoinette up to Canada. So, Alanna (the rescuer) and I talked back and forth, and since two dogs could travel together, she asked me if I wanted to rescue a second dog -although I would be responsible for the fees-.

I said okay, as long as we find somebody healthy (the price to bring one dog up altogether was $400 -so I was DEFINITELY not making any money, but at the same time, pay it forward right? The plan was never to make money (although I've sure found out I can if I want to))

So we both went looking at pictures. Although there were a few in the videos section, by this time I had found the site where ALL of the dogs were, even the ones not priviledged enough to be networked.

And so I narrowed it down to three potential dogs, and Chula was chosen as Antoinette's travelling companion. (Ironically enough, the day before she was picked up, she was added to the highly adoptable list and given an extension on her sentence).

So the two girls were picked up. Antoinette with hours to spare, and Chula, with about a week or so. They bonded super quickly, got over their kennel cough in a home environment, and we made arrangements with another rescuer who is a West Jet employee to help with transport. They also become inseperable and still are a month or so later. (Which is why I'm glad they're being adopted together :) )

Last minute, Alanna and her rescue had a bunch of donations for another dog to hitch a ride to Canada. And this isn't your wishy-washy, throw a bunch of dogs in a truck type thing, it was a solid $350 saved to do all the vetting, and transport to Canada. A group of people that had also done their research and looked into my blog, and my pictures, and my assumed sanity.

So I said, okay, send somebody over. Female, spayed. And thus Amelia was found! She didn't even have an intake picture, and wasn't even considered by staff or volunteers for the highly adoptables posting. There are SO many like her, she in no way stood out.

PS: Here is Amelia (now Lexi) in her foster home! I think she's pretty cute ;)

And all of a sudden it dawned on me that I really didn't want to be my own rescue. All of a sudden I had people sending me weird e-mails, or even phoning me about saving Chis -one lady phoned me asking if I wanted to save Chis for $50 a piece, all vetting done already. Her site says she adopts them out for $450! Umm... although those lives are in no way any less than the girls I saved, I'm really not here to make a quick buck, or fill my house with Chihuahuas. So, with as much politeness as I could, I said "We're a full house here, sorry." (In happenstance, I really should have been more rough, as I think I've had 4-5 phonecalls asking if I would like to foster instead.)

So I went back and forth with Carol of VA. Although in total I spent $700 (paid for a plane ticket too), I saved three lives. Chula still has to be spayed however. Carol graciously said they could be VA dogs (I've fostered for her before), so that's gotten me out of a lot of sticky situations I'm sure.

So hopefully it'll round up even, or close to it. Any extra is going back to VA ---both for helping these girls out, and for being so helpful with posting our TG Dogs and such. But I doubt, if there's anything left, it won't be much! Sorry Carol -I know you have vet bills out the wazoo!

We'd Much Rather be on the Couch than Used for Cosmetics!

Oh, and for more on California rescue:

Disgusting reality. Most of the dogs that are killed in high-kill shelters, especially in CA, go to rendering factories, and eventually turned into the cosmetics many of us put on their face.

Their dead bodies are thrown in a big boiling pot together and their fat is what eventually is sold under glamourous labels. Many a person whose given up their pet in CA, has probably worn their pet on their face!

Although I don't wear much -or any- make-up anyway (time commitment, and the fact that the dogs will just mess it up!), please take a moment to look at this: http://www.bihartimes.in/Maneka/cosmetics.html

And, if you do wear make-up, (which is a reality for most women), please spend the extra money and get something that doesn't have you wearing a dog on your face! And if you can find something that doesn't do any animal testing either, all power to you!

A few of the faces/videos that are now unfortunately, going to be worn on somebody's face :( Although they are hard to look at, please take a moment to watch some of the thousands of faces that just don't make it. And, at the same time, there are just as many in our own reserves that, although don't turn into cosmetics, meet the same end.)
http://www.youtube.com/user/baldwinparkdogs (One of many seniors)
http://www.youtube.com/user/baldwinparkdogs#p/u/28/kf3XwkNZgw4 (Young and Purebred, doesn't mean you're safe)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqB9nj7wcV4 -One of the possible candidates for me to save. Gone now :(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2QtoGiWhW4 -Two days after my girls were pulled -or she would have been saved. However, that probably would have been at the price of one of my girls.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MPQ9qAhsdo -Retirement capital Victoria would have had LOADS of people interested in this guy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOlBM0qThgk -Another senior being turned into cosmetics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjA_dUuGsjM -Melody, another possible candidate for my 'second save' (IE: Two could fit in the same crate, so I saved a second one)

Although there are LOADS of pitbulls, this is the video I keep looking back at. If I had my own place, where I didn't have to worry about breed, size, etc, I would have saved this one. Unfortunately, she too has been throw liveless in a barrel, and then her dead body thrown into a boiling pot to make beauty products. I'm so sorry Dolly.

DOLLY: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl_BV7H4g3I

This is the sad reality of these dogs " - no one came for him until it was too late and he was taken to the back of the shelter and given a lethal injection of sedatives.  Their body was placed in a barrel of dead dogs inside a freezer and awaits shipment to a rendering plant where it will be boiled and the fat will be drained to produce lipstick and other cosmetics.|

And so, that concludes the story of the Chihuahuas. -Until their happy endings that is ;)

Happy Tail Pics :)

Okay, I haven't been keeping up super duper well with my happy-tails, but here are some of the latest :)

First happy tail is that Beckett has forgiven me for adopting out his buddies. He was actually happy to see me when I came home from work today and hasn't left my feet since I've gotten home. (After I feed him he'll probably be a big, sore loser again, but I'll take a few hours of devoted pooch :) )
Most latest Trunk (now Talia), living it up with her new brother in Tofino. Apparently missed me for a few days but has settled in well! She also quite likes her new brother Baloo :) Although I miss her so much, I'm SO happy she's found an awesome home.

And Toast (now Cree), who I found an awesome picture of from Jean B's reunion pics.

Cree and sister Noon. As always, love at first sight (or stick!) PS: Cree is OFFLEASH!

And a few of our cutest little foster. Dayo (Now Suhki-Dayo)

And a long-time friend, Tine (now Tye) in the flowers :)

I'm hoping to get a pic of Evee with her family soon. Ren is still on trial, and its a bit of a flip-flop I guess. So we'll see what happens there.

And in other news, hopefully a TG bus run not this weekend, but next weekend. As always, not sure who will really end up coming until they get on the bus, but with only two Chi mixes (who are awesome, but more like throw cushions ;) ), its time to get somebody who can actually go for a solid walk or wrestle, or you know, do big-dog things.

That's it for now! Off to take Beckett for his nightly walk -which is both a really nice thing to take him by himself, and a fairly boring adventure as he's no work whatsoever and goes off-leash in a heel for most of the walk anyway.

Can you tell I need someone to work on?

And We're Back to "The Calm"

Wow, what a whirlwind of a productive, working-vacation weekend. Dog barf, pee, and new families abound.

Did I mention Trunk gets car-sick. Well, she didn't do too badly, but poor Mr. Beckett was a yucky, slimy mess for the ride home :S.

But lets start in the beginning of the middle shall we?

We grabbed Mila and away we went, 6 dogs in the back of the car, and a 5 hour journey.
We dropped Mila off in Port Alberni, where although a little hesitant, found the teenagers fast, showed interest in playing with Sawyer (the current dog), and went sniffing around the yard. A quick signing of the papers and my usual "the first 3-4 days might be hell" talk and we were out of there.

---I find if people aren't ready for not quite a week of real chaos, they aren't ready for a new dog anyway. Usually it goes better than expected, but for anyone adding a dog (or second, or third) dog to the household, prepare yourself for the first week.

Just over two hours later, -around 9pm- we hit Tofino and Trunk's new digs (just across from the beach I might add). She was more just grateful to be a solid ground again, found a comfy spot under the table and crashed. We did a quick homecheck, quite a bit of talking -as Trunk is DEFINITELY going to need some time to adjust- and Trunk decided she'd warm up to the men faster (which is normal for her, I'm just her female person).

Baloo the lab had sexy ears, so I wasn't too worried about the two of them getting along!

With Trunk passed out on the floor, I left my baby in good hands. There were a few times driving back that both Jerrad and I just wanted to turn the heck around, burst into the house, grab Trunk and leave, but we didn't.

It was a quiet trip home, both of us knew she'd have the most awesome life there, that they were everything Trunk needed and more. But both of us were really quite attached at the same time. Even now, part of me still wants to be selfish. To want to keep her all to ourselves. And I've never felt that way before. I've never sent a foster off to an amazing home and felt regret.

Even now, I'm asking myself, did I make the right decision? ---and I keep telling myself "YES! You made the best decision for TRUNK." The best decision for Trunk isn't necessarily the best decision for you, you selfish little writer!

I know we did the best thing. Although Trunk would have had a fabulous life with us, she's got a stable life with a best friend, and a bunch of secret beaches all to herself. She's got one of the best set-ups imaginable. Who'd want to live here when there's all that over there!

So, after figuring out all of Trunk's paperwork, I quickly noticed when I sat down my seat was soaked. Ren, that bugger had pissed on my seat! And me, being the redneck SK girl I am, brought only one pair of jeans for the 2 day trip. UGG! So, the dark, the pee, and the time made us head straight home. Jerrad likes driving at night anyway, it was cool outside and the dogs after a quick pee break (in which only Beckett actually peed) we were on the road again. I fell asleep for the most part, and when I got home I was very thankful to be out of my pee-soaked jeans. The car still stinks to high-heaven, but such is life. You can get smells out -I think. Hopefully ??

And just now I dropped Ren off for her one week trial. I quite like Ren, but unlike Trunk, I dropped her off and didn't really feel much of anything except that Ren better not pee on her new mum's car seat! I guess the difference between them is I knew from the moment I saw Ren she would never stay. Trunk grew on me (when I first picked her out of the back of the TG van I NEVER thought she'd stay either).

We'll see if Ren lasts out her trial. The sticky tidbit is that Ren has never really peed on a leash before, so it might take her a LONG time to pee on a leash living without a fenced in yard. But if she can adapt to Canada from Taiwan, she can learn how to pee on a leash! ---Unfortunately, she also likes to pee on carpet, and her new home does have a LOT of carpet. So fingers crossed she figures that out!
PS: Scarlette from the previous post got adopted a few hours before my contacts would have been able to pull her. YES! Whoot! Now not to go looking for anyone else.

I'm down to three. (Beckett and the Chis) and for a week or two, I'm hoping it'll stay nice and peaceful. IE: The calm before the envitable, self-inflicted storm.

PS: Beckett is being a sore loser and hasn't come in at all the last two days without Trunk or Ren around. He sits in the yard looking all mopey, and when I bring him in when it gets too hot out, he just sits by the door until I let him out again. Rubbing it in much buddy!

My responses to Beckett as of late:
And the answer is: yes, you will eventually have a sibling. And no, it won't be at the expense of them not getting to live an AMAZING life elsewhere. And no, you can not be adopted to a home with a big kickass beach. You got the short end of the stick -but you get a shitload of exercise, so quit all the complaining.

Our conversation could go on for awhile until I bring somebody new home :S

Best,
Emily

Nutshell Blog

I promise you more later, but for now, a bulletpoint breakdown

• Missed Martha/Mila's transport time. Whoops (back coordination, too much summer, etc)
• Getting a homecheck for Trunk's best option has been difficult. So...
• Making a break for Tofino tonight. Dropping Martha/Mila off in Port Alberni on the way.
• Hopefully managing a double homecheck/adoption with Trunk in Tofino
• Camping the night with whoever doesn't still go smoothly. Which will hopefully be: Beckett, Ren, Chula and Antoinette. Which would be awesome, cause I can just leash them all to Beckett :) (mean mother, making my working dog work!)
• When we get back Ren starts her one-week trial!! No more having to share the comfiest spots in the house!
• Chula and Antoinette have an adoption pending! Together! Their new mum is a cat foster mum who is just getting her own house. Chula and Antoinette (now: "Nettie") will join their new family in a few weeks once their all moved in!
• I'm being drawn to another dog from California. Sept long weekend is painful. Over 40 highly adoptable dogs (that's only the ones they network extensively) through the shelter Chula and Antoinette are from have their last safe day on Tues.That's not included the hundreds that didn't make the "PERFECT" or "NEAR-PERFECT" classes that get the networking.

This is Scarlett. An Irish Setter mix. 1 year old. Mostly, her video got to me. (click the link under the picture to see the video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f28_vUaMS84

I wasn't going to open my big mouth again, but, this girl really does call to me -and she'd have to spend a week and a half getting ready for transport here anyway. The videos of these dogs really do me in. Although they won't take over my TG dogs, its a hard nut to crack that I might be this girl's only chance at living. Not only at a foster home, but her whole life.

I can't imagine how rescues do it. I've said no a lot (many other pleas have come my way in pictures/videos), but sometimes when you really want to say no, you grab some part of your inner idiot and say yes.

Here's hoping she's saved by someone else first, but don't be surprised if she lands here closer to October.

And for now, I'm going to go finish packing the car up. Tofino here I come!