News for Dogs
and their People

Hello,

Rescue Paws is the monthly newsletter for dogs and their people published by Black Dog Rescue Project. Each month, Rescue Paws will be delivered to your inbox. You will find dog news, information on what’s happening at Black Dog Rescue Project and tips on how to better communicate with your dog

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In this Issue

Headlines : Local Shelters Explained
Black Dog Rescue Project : Great start in 2009
Favorite Things : Gourmet Treats for Valentines Day
Remy’s World : More about me and some about Remy too!
Dog Speak : Panting

Headlines

When the word spread about our Sparky having only a day left to live this week, we received overwhelming support from many of you. This was very heartwarming and touching to see that so many of people cared so deeply and would have done just about anything to save Sparky. This also brought to my attention that many people have misconceptions of the role of your local shelter and the problems that they are faced with on a daily basis. Because of this, I’ve decided to share what I have learned about this topic.

There is a big difference between a city or county animal control shelter and national organizations such as the Humane Society, the SPCA and even your local rescue groups that hold adoptions each weekend at your local pet stores.

The city and county animal services are run by the city or county and must follow laws and guidelines established by the city, county or state that they are located in.. These laws and guidelines as well as funding limitation (some operate with taxpayer dollars and some operation solely on private donations) often dictate day to day operations.

National organizations such as the Humane Society often have on site veterinary services and clinics. This allows them to more closely monitor the health of the dogs in their care and to provide preventive care, active care and spay/neuter procedures as needed. In contrast, your local shelters have the ability to administer basic vaccinations, but many of them do not have a vet staff or clinic on site. They often form relationships with veterinarians in the area to offer free or reduced cost check ups and services once the animals have been adopted, but they typically do not have the ability to diagnose or treat medical conditions or spay/neuter the animals on site.

Local shelters are often housed in small to medium size buildings warehouse type buildings with a certain number of kennels. The building size, funding and local laws dictate how many animals they can keep at any one point. Some shelters have room for as few as 5 dogs at a time and others may be able to keep over a hundred. There is an established number of days that animals must be kept before they become eligible for adoption. This time give owners a chance to find a lost pet and to help establish that the animal is healthy and able to pass a basic temperament test before being available for adoption.

Once the animals are available for adoption, there is also an established time frame that the animal is given to find a home. Once this time is up, the animal is humanely euthanized. These rules are set in an attempt to keep space available for the new arrivals and to give all dogs the same chance at finding a new home.

Typical time frames for the dogs are as follows:

Owner surrenders and Strays – held for 3-10 days before available for adoption to establish healthiness and temperament and to allow owners to claim a stray.

Available for Adoption – varies depending on the size of the facility and funding. I’ve seen anywhere from 3 days to a month. Average is probably 2 weeks. If the dog is not adopted within this set time frame, the dog is humanely euthanized.

Not all dogs become available for adoption. They may not be healthy, they may not pass the temperament tests, or they may be deemed un-adoptable because of age, breed, size, etc. In these cases, the dog is humanely euthanized without ever being available for adoption.

Also, the time available for adoption may be shortened if the dog becomes ill or too stressed or if there is a large number of incoming dogs or puppies. The adoption time may also be extended if space remains available and/or the dog is deemed to be a highly adoptable dog due to age, breed, etc.

You can see that every dog entering a local shelter faces an uphill battle. And we know that the black dogs face tougher odds than dogs of other colors. Conditions, time frames and success rates can vary greatly by state, surrounding population, number of rescue groups in the area and other factors.

If you would like to find out more about the shelter in your area, give them a call. They should be able to tell you their policies for the dogs in their care as well as let you know what you can do to help. Get involved with the dogs in your community. Volunteer to walk the dogs at your local shelter, help with fundraising efforts to provide needed items or repairs to the facility, find out what items they are in need of, and talk to your shelter about starting a Black Dog Walk.

It is very easy to criticize from a distance. But take the time to get to know the people at your local shelter and you will quickly see and understand the problems they face in an entirely different light. Make your New Year’s resolution to get involved and become part of the solution.

Rescue Dog Stories: No matter what your age, you can still make a tremendous difference and help save a life. Read Roxie’s story, submitted by Olivia, age 14, in Illinois. Olivia already has a tremendous passion for helping dogs in need and we are sure she will do great things for them in the future.

Favorite Things

Every dog we know goes wild for our What a Good Doggie Gourmet Treats. These wholesome homemade treats are perfect for sharing the love with your dog this valentine’s day.

Remy's World

This section is typically a story about my dog Remy and what is going on in his world. But to start the New Year, I’m changing it up for just this month. I’ve decided to share a bit more about my life and the impact that Remy and so many wonderful dogs have had on me throughout my life and in 2009.

Most of you are aware that I adopted Remy in June 2009 when I heard his horrific story on the news. Remy was my inspiration to start the Black Dog Rescue Project and you can read more about his story on our website.

What, you may not know is that in June of 2009, my daughters and I moved from Kansas City to North Ogden, Utah to live with my parents after I suffered 2 job layoffs in a year. It has been an adjustment for us, but I also know that my story is not a unique one in 2009. I am forever thankful for having wonderful parents that welcomed their grown daughter home with open arms. I am still unemployed and actively looking for work, but forever changed by having these months of unemployment that allowed me to create the Black Dog Rescue Project website.

For so many people in my situation, it becomes a struggle to remain positive and hopeful. It can seem like the hundreds of submitted resumes are getting swallowed by a black hole. Without the work we are doing at Black Dog Rescue Project, I too, may have begun to lose hope and sink into darkness. But dogs have always been my saving grace. in 2009, while my world was crumbling, dogs continued to bring me joy and purpose and sanity. No matter how much money I have in the bank, Remy still loves me. No matter how good or bad my day was, the dogs at the shelter, despite their own grim reality, are wagging their tails and ready to give me kisses.

I’m not sure what lies ahead for me in 2010. I do hope that solid employment is around the corner, but no matter what the future brings, the dogs will always be a big part of who I am and what keeps me going each day.

My parents adopted their 4 year old terrier mix Zenna several years ago. She and Remy have become the absolute best of friends. The picture below is of these two dogs that bring me joy every single day.

Dog Speak

Its winter and quite cold in many places, but that won’t necessarily stop your dog from panting.
You are probably aware that your dog will pant after excessive playing or exercising and in the summer months when the temperature rises. A panting dog is more or less like a human sweating. So why would a dog pant when he’s not hot?

The most common reason for a dog to pant other than heat and exercise is due to stress. New or unfamiliar situations may cause your dog to pant. Going for a ride in the car, having company over, rearranging furniture or packing for a trip are a few things that may cause your dog to pant as a way to cope with the stress.

Watch your dog and see what triggers him to start panting. There may be things you do that you never realized are causing your dog stress.

In most cases, a panting dog is not a cause for alarm and is not a reason to seek medical attention. However, if your dog continually pants as if he is having difficulty breathing, please have your vet take a look. This could indicate an underlying heart condition or other medical problem.

Spread the Word… Save a Life!
Black Dog Rescue Project