Owner Surrenders Part 2 - "Will My Dog Be Put to Sleep"?

as i read through my last blog post, there was a critical piece of information that i left out.  it's a question we hear often in animal rescue, and one that there is no good answer for.


the man (men, boys...i'll call them) that dropped off the pit bull this weekend stopped me as i left for the day and asked "our dog won't be put to sleep, will she?".... well that's a loaded question if there ever was one, because the answer is, and was, very likely, YES!  you are dropping off a grown (not as desirable as a puppy), brindle (not as desirable as a cute white or grey or yellow, whatever pup), PIT BULL.  what do you think is going to happen?!


now granted, i will give these guys the (alleged) credit of the fact that they said they loved the dog, but it wasn't actually theirs.  it was a roomates' dog who bailed on all of them, and left the dog with them.  i'm not defending the people who dropped that sweet baby girl off, but in all fairness (if their story is true, and i do believe it is), it was not THEIR decision to get the dog, to pay for the dog, and to be responsible owners for the dog.  they truly seemed to have an affinity towards her, but claimed it was beyond their means to continue to care for her.


as i said, when i left, the two boys in the truck asked, and with a bit of fear in their eyes - "please tell us she won't be put to sleep?"  


this is the problem, one of many, with owner surrenders.  the owners somehow think that somehow they are doing the right thing, that THEIR dog among hundreds of others will be the one that finds the fun, loving, caring owners, and the forever homes they know their dogs deserve. everyone thinks that their dog is special, when the reality is many special dogs get put to sleep every day.  it's a cruel and heartbreaking fact.  in this situation specifically, i thought to myself, this girl has half a chance....at best.


i promised the boys to take her for walks and to love her, as long as she is at the shelter.  i promised to try and find a home.  so she, her name unknown, becomes one of many pit bulls that i will try my best to find place in this world.  if i succeed at half, i'm lucky...


i wanted to post a picture of this girl, but to tell you the truth, as sad as it is, it's all a matter of resources (and that includes volunteers which we NEED) at animal control.  so, i just checked the site and i don't see this sweet girl there.  what i do see is loads of puppies, likely all dumped too, but no brindle female pit bull.


i would like to hope for the best, but in case of the worst, i want to give that sweet girl a name.  Layla is what i'll call her.  Layla.  yes, that sounds good.  


i will say prayer tonight for sweet Layla and i hope you will too.  

The Sad Truth about Owner Surrenders & The Holidays

i don't know if it's the time of year or what, but it seems like there are many more dogs being surrendered right now than there are being adopted.

this is chance, an owner surrender.  chance is a youngfemale, loves people, dogs and children. she is a gorgeous lab/pit mix.  chance is adoptable and has been waiting on her forever family for over a year.

when I arrived at the shelter yesterday my first sight was a white van with a man pulling (and I mean dragging) four frightened, helpless puppies out of the back. the pups were about 5 months old so at least big enough to fight what was ultimately the inevitable- they were being surrendered by their owner, their person, their caretaker. and it didn't take a rocket scientist to know that these pups were scared to death and wanted no part of what was happening. they sensed exactly where they were going, and even worse, that the person who claimed to love them and whom they loved so much, was ABANDONING them. my heart broke a thousand times as I watched the four pups dragged in, clinging to the ground, looking up at their master as if to say "WHY? WHAT DID WE DO WRONG?"

the man saw me staring and yelled out that they were good pups, trained, socialized, and in his own words "just wanting to be loved"....well kind sir I thought 'why the heck are you dumping them here then, to be alone and terrified and certainly not getting that "love" they so enjoy'?

about an hour later a truck pulled up with a gorgeous brindle pitbull in the back. two young men tended to the while the older man went in to fill out the paperwork. i knew immediately tell me this is going to be another dumped dog, who was once loved but now...discarded like trash.

for me the holidays are a time to embrace and be grateful for all that you have, and in my house that includes both 2 legged and 4 legged family. my home wouldn't be the same- celebrating, praying and giving gratitude would mean nothing without ALL OF US.

to watch these loving beings ripped from the familiar and put into cages is a truly gut wrenching thing to watch. i am not sure what the holidays mean to others, but thought that they mean a "pass" to dump your dog is beyond me in so many ways.


unfortunately, I fear this trend is continuing and the dogs that are dumped will far outweigh the dogs we can adopt out. And we all know what that means. Death. to many many wonderful, adoptable dogs, with hope in their eyes and memories of thier past families in their hearts.


on a positive note, many people DO want animals as the holidays come around, as gifts as and as new beginnings.  so, i beg of you all to cconsider adopting this year. and if there's anyone on your list who wants or needs (and who doesnt really?) a forever companion and  lifelong friend, visit a shelter and make somone's dreams come true.

this is dexter (formerly axel), dumped by his family, likely for being deaf, dexter finally found his forever home and looks like he's pretty happy about all the newfound love he's getting.  and his owner seems pretty happy too!  what an amazing story!

sweet, sweet queen was also dumped by her owner though i for the life of me can't see how anyone could NOT want this beautiful, sweet and oh so gentle dog.  queen is currently in boarding and is adoptable.

this poor owner surrender, sunshine, is an older dog, which makes it even harder - both for her in terms of stress, and for those of us trying to adopt her out.  sunshine is a gorgeous dog and would make a wonderful addition to any home.  she is adoptable through FCAC.








if you are interested in helping or adopting any of the dogs in this posting, please contact me.  God bless you and yours this Holiday season.

A Little Love Goes a Long Way - Try It Yourself and See!

a lesson i learned tonight in how a little love comes back to you tenfold. 


a little background first: rescuing dogs comes with plenty of heartbreak, BUT the pure joy of saving just one life so far outweighs the loss from every dog that i can't save, every hurt from every criticism ("you let a PIT BULL around your kids?!"), and every hour of blood, sweat and tears that i put into what i do.  there's no way for me to fully explain that - though every other rescuer, foster, or volunteer certainly know the joy that i'm referring to.  saving lives is an amazing thing.


the inspiration for this post stems from a conversation i just had at the grocery store.  the woman who was ringing me up knows me, knows what i do, and was actually instrumental in me rescuing the dog who is now the love of my life, Rosie.  so naturally she asked how 'we' (me and Rosie) were and we chatted for a minute as i explained that we (me and a friend) now have 10 dogs in boarding, 10 dogs that were saved from death at animal control, but that now must wait patiently in a cage until their someone special steps up to the plate and adopts them.  10 dogs.  that's a lot.


anyway, i was walking to my car and a woman must have overheard the conversation and she simply stopped me and said "God bless you for what you do" - WOW.  i think that's the first time a human has expressed that sentiment to me in such a simple, honest way.  it brought tears to my eyes, and frankly, i'm still emotional just writing this.  it reminded me that there are people out there who care, who appreciate what i do, and who would probably do it themselves if given the opportunity.  i am moved and feel so blessed at this moment.


all the love, all of my heart, that i pour into saving these dogs always comes back to me in some amazing way - whether it be a kiss on the cheek from a now safe dog, who was destined for death, or a simple compliment.  there is truth in karma, and the love you put in is the love you get out at the end of the day.  always.


ok.  so on to the 10 dogs...it would be a little overwhelming for you if i posted all 10 but i'd like to tell you about a few.  all wonderful dogs, all up for adoption, all waiting to show you exactly the love i explained above. 

this is brodie at the pound...on his SECOND time back.  he was found as a stray and adopted by a seemingly loving home, but they got a little dog crazy and took home multiple pups only to realize they couldn't handle more than one.  so they ditched him.  didn't even bring him back in.  he was picked up as a stray, and as you can imagine, is surely feeling lonely and confused by this rejection.

this is brodie now, after being saved.  dogs on their 2nd round at the pound just don't make it very long.  as you can see, he is a gorgeous pit mix (male), and he is a total love bug.  one of his best features is his white belly, which he LOVES to have rubbed.  brodie is around 6 months old, is up to date on all his shots and will be neutered before he is adopted out.  

meet queen.  i cannot tell you how much i love this girl.  sadly she was an owner surrender, though from the moment i met her i cannot imagine how ANYONE could let this girl go!  her sleek face and adorable underbite are just too cute to bear!  she is simply gorgeous, with the personality to match.  whether someone took the time to work with her, i do not know, but i can tell you she is a gentle creature with a sweet soul and soft disposition.  she could be running 60 miles an hour to get to you, but the moment she gets close, she slows down and approaches you respectfully and with wonderful manners.

this is queen after being pulled from the shelter - doesn't she look SO much happier!? i just love seeing a dog like her smile!  She is so sweet, soft, and lovely......  she has stolen our hearts and wants a person to call her own!  she has been so personable in a crowd, remained very calm and admired by many when we have been out and about.  queen is also up to date on shots and will be spayed before she is adopted out.

if have made it through this...and even if you're in no position to adopt - can find it in your heart to share this blog post, and spread the word about these sweet babies who need homes?  i promise you, as i mentioned above, that the love you put in will come back to you in miraculous ways!

Take A Chance on Me?

chance: the absence of any cause of events that can be predicted,understood, 

or controlled: often personified or treated as apositive agency: 

Chance governs all.

Chance got her name at Animal Control, because frankly, she didn't have a chance. The one-two punch of being a black dog AND a pit bull (lab mix) was a death sentence waiting to happen.


One of my favorite bloggers (and rescuers), Ashley Owen Hill, explains black dog syndrome in the link below, it's definitely worth the read and will educate you on the cruel realities the black dog faces.   But, sadly, I think she sums it up well by saying: 


"When a family goes to a shelter to adopt a dog, they will undoubtedly walk through rows and rows of simple black dogs... because statistically, there are more large, black mixed breeds in shelters than pets of any other color. Many of these black dogs look very much the same... there's nothing seemingly special about them... there's nothing that makes them stand out in a crowd....In kill shelters... the black dogs don't stay as long... because they're among the first to be killed. Shelter euthanasia decisions are based on adoptability. Most black dogs are considered "unadoptable," and so, they're the first to die. It's sad. It's heartbreaking. It's wrong. But it's true."


http://luckydogrescueblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/black-dog-syndrome.html  

So back to Chance, luckily, a good friend of mine saved her from death...but she's been waiting for a home ever since. Unfortunately for Chance, she's been waiting a LONG time.  

Chance is a spayed young female, with a calm demeanor and a gentle disposition.  As she was 'rescued', she laid calmly at my friend's feet and didn't move a muscle as all the other dogs barked and lunged around her.  She has a very nice habit of sitting directly in front of whomever she meets and sometimes offers a paw to shake.  Someone obviously worked with her before she became lost, or abandoned, though we'll never know which.

Chance also goes by the  nickname "Chancey," like the character in the movie Being There:)


Sadly, Chance has been in boarding for around a year, and we all know that's no way for a dog to live their life.  Though loved and well cared for, Chance needs someone to, well, give her a Chance.  I can assure you she will gladly repay the favor.  


Could you be that person to give her the chance she deserves?


Please spread the word and help get Chance adopted.  In addition, please educate people about black dog syndrome and encourage them to give a black dog a second lease on life.


Contact me at cehowe@gmail.com or on Facebook - Rosie TheRedeemer or Catherine Howe Bryant if you can help sweet Chance.

Too many dogs, not enough of me

Dog rescue is exhausting, even when you're just a volunteer. Even when you have the biggest heart on earth, your home and your network are never big enough.

I've had four calls this week about animals in 'distress' - once you are known as a dog rescuer and advocate the calls come in all shapes and forms. Now these are legitimate claims but they are so different From what I experience at animal control- dogs that have a set amount of time, that we humans choose, on their LIVES. Can you imagine if that was you or if you were put in the position to make that choice???

Ok, moving on, the dogs in 'distress' (well this week at least) come in two forms- even though there are five dogs.

1- owner loves dog, owner is young and trying to pave her own way. Owner doesn't think she has the time to take care of said dog properly.
.
2&3- similar to dog 1 - owners have a young child and had the two dogs beforehand. Life with baby + two dogs has become overwhelming for all. Plus they're trying for another baby which means digs become an even bigger 'burden' - not to criticize but this is the reality of how they perceive their life.

4- a girl I knew in high school, she has had many obstacles in her life but, lovingly, she "saved" a pit bull last year. god bless her for doing so but now she can't handle him- not because he is bad- but because she is going to have another baby.

5- another friend from way back who, I will say, has the best intent of all the above. She spotted a random pit bull who is running loose in her neighborhood and called to ask for help. She is keeping him in her backyard for now and says he is the friendliest guy possible. But someone ditched him and in the county she lives in, well, pit bulls don't bode too well at the shelter.

So in addition to my ongoing pleas to help shelter dogs this week my heart hurts times two. How can I possibly help them all?

I will give it my best as I always do. You will see pictures of all the above mentioned dogs plus my sweet dogs at the shelter, and I will give my whole heart to help them all. I may not have anything left to give at the end, but hopefully all my sweet pups who have done NOTHING wrong, will have homes.

If God blesses them that way, my job is done.

Pictures and profiles of the dogs mentioned above to come.

Dogs that Need OUR Help

every time i do my volunteer work at the shelter, i fall in love with at least 1 dog.  well actually, i fall in love with all of them, but it's quite overwhelming so i usually pick a few to focus my attention on, and to try and find homes for.

these are my dogs of the week, that need OUR help.

meet Trombley, he is a year old pit mix 

(i believe he must be mixed with an australian shepard or a 

catahoula because of his unique markings).  Trombley is an owner surrender,

and must be awfully scared to have been left by his beloved people,

only to sit in a cage and await his fate.  he is a sweet boy, and from what i know, 

walks well on leash, knows a few commands, and would do best with someone who 

can enjoy his energetic personality.

this is miss Devin, and she couldn't possibly be any cuter.

she was dumped at the shelter and is barely 8 weeks old, probably only 

weighs about 4 lbs.  she is simply precious, loves to be held and 

give kisses with her awesome puppy breath!  she also has a

little black brother at the shelter, who is looking for a home too.

since miss Devin is so young, she could be easily trained and learn to adapt

to most any household!

ahhh, sweet Jaz.  this dog is simply gorgeous - a perfect blue/grey coat with lovely white

markings on her chest.  she also has the CUTEST ears that stick straight up!

though she does appear to be a pit bull, her ears lead me to believe she may be a mix

because typically pits have a hinge in their ears so they can wear them folded OR straight up.
for Jaz, it's all the way up or nothing.  Jaz is also about a year old, an owner surrender,

and looking for a family that will cherish her the way her other family didn't.

she will love you to pieces in return.

if anyone can help any of these dogs, please contact me or come visit the Forsyth County Animal Control on Saturdays, when i am working.

God bless these sweet babies and all of you who try to help them!

we could all use a little help from time to time.....

Hunk A Hunk O' Burning Love: HOOCH

ok.  so i love dogs, duh.  and i love pit bulls in particular, a lot, and for a lot of reasons.  while i've recently found myself gravitating toward white pit bulls. Maybe this is because of Rosie; i've become so in-tune and attracted to little pink noses, and freckles, and pink faces...they're almost pig like lol.


but i also have a soft spot for BIG, GOOFY, CUDDLY male pit bulls that defy everything about the way they look and just want to love on you.  all the time.  they remind me of my Bunz.  

Hooch fits into camp number two, i honestly don't know if i've met a more goofy (looking and acting) dog than him.  i met him through Carolina Care Bullies, and have since become his home away from home when his owner travels.


having Hooch around is quite simply, joyful.  this big lug does not leave your side, he is so loyal and so wants to please.  plus he's REALLY easy to bust because anytime he does something 'bad' the look is so written all over his face.  it's kind of hysterical actually.  when he's not up to something (and he rarely is), Hooch is most content when he's laying around getting snuggled and cuddled by, well, whomever will snuggle and cuddle him.  he makes you smile, makes you laugh, and makes you feel so loved and needed.  ALL. THE. TIME.  this is just 
Hooch.

i've always been hesitant to having multiple pits in my house, mostly just worrying about how i'd manage my full time(+) job, my kids, my Rosie, and well all the other stuff that piles up that i have to "do".  but Hooch has always integrated so nicely into our home, he follows my rules and his manners are impeccable.   like i said, a joy.  


it must be something about that goofy face.  it's part pit bull, part something else, part gargoyle, but it's ALWAYS expressive.  sometimes i can't tell if he's constantly thinking, or if he's just thinking about CHILLING which is his most favorite thing to do.  or maybe he's just constantly confused.  ha.  i swear this dog would lay in a chair all day long, only getting up to get love, eat, and go out.  whatever it is, there is something magical about Hooch.  he is happy, charming, a wonderful pillow, he follows all the rules, and he lifts everyone around him UP.  he is a happy-maker.  and above all, a HUNK A HUNK O BURNING LOVE!

i'll be super sad when Hooch leaves us again, but my biggest hope for Hooch is that he finds a FUR-ever home soon.  he's been in foster over a year, and he lives in a wonderful home with his other pittie companion Rose.  But as happy as he is, his life will truly begin when he finds HIS family, HIS people.


Hooch was an owner surrender at a nearby shelter, that luckily loves bullies and looks out for their best interests.  knowing what i do about the shelter world, he is lucky to have made it out alive.


now is Hooch's time to not only survive, but to THRIVE. in a home he can call home forever.  if you'd like more information on Hooch please go to https://www.facebook.com/carebullies?ref=ts&sk=app_191978024178524  


they are a great organization and he is a great dog!

Tuesday Morning Meditation

~ MORNING MEDITATION ~ credit to Positive(ly) Pits and Tyson Kilmer. 

I understand that our knowledge has brought change in our lives, and in the lives of our community, I send love and light out to those living in chaos and beckon you all that you hear our meditation, that you see us fly, that you find your ways too us, that you hear and embrace the light...For all Pits and parents in need...Kasha Fierce...

Ziggy- Part 2 (the clocks a tickin')

i had really high hopes this weekend of finding ziggy a home.  i even had a couple come out with their child to meet him at 2 on saturday. well...unfortunately for all of us ziggy probably hadn't been taken out of his crate for a week until i got there right before 2 on saturday.  the couple arrived and i went to get him to bring him out to meet his potential adopters.


here's where the not being taken out in a week comes into play...ziggy was so excited to be out (and as i mentioned he's a little spaz anyway) that he just wanted to jump all over all of us to get some love.  well, that translated immediately into him jumping near my face and scratching me with one of his paws.  i should add that they don't trim toenails at animal control either.  so here i am introducing him to this lovely family, when the father, anxious, tells me i'm bleeding all over my face.  way to go ziggy.  now this doesn't really bother me, i almost always leave my volunteer duty with scrapes scratches and bruises.  but for a potential adopter to watch me bleeding the first time they met him, well it didn't bode so well for ziggy.  and it truly wasn't his fault.  he just has long nails, and he was just excited.


a few minutes into the intro, while ziggy was still kinda spazzing, but also very gentle and welcoming to petting and love, they asked "ummm, can we see another dog".  DAMN IT!  my heart stopped and i wanted to cry. i wasn't necessarily surprised, but this was not the outcome i had hoped for.  i was hoping he'd steal their hearts the way he's stolen mine. 


ultimately, we got another round of dogs out and ziggy went back to patiently waiting in his crate.  waiting for someone who understands him, who is willing to train him, work with him, and LOVE him. i do believe that when (IF at this point) ziggy leaves the shelter alive, he will undoubtedly make a great pet and a loyal companion.

but time is running out.  so i will say a prayer tonight for sweet ziggy, and i hope you will too.


please spread the word for my baby ziggy.

Live or Let Die?

a friend contacted me a few days ago about a "friend of a friend" who had a lab/pit mix she'd 'inherited' from her ex husband that was 'acting up'.  right off the bat it sounded fishy, but you never know what's going on in someone else's life so i decided to at least listen and give my best advice.

the dog at hand was described as having killed several animals that got into it's back yard.  ok.  so lots of dogs have a small prey animal drive - but they didn't specify what kind of animals.  a squirrel is different than attacking a cat or another dog, in my opinion.  they also sited the dog as "unpredictable" around strangers.

well, my first thought (and bit of advice) was that this person, if they loved the dog, needed to take the time (and money if needed) and above ALL - EFFORT to rehabilitate the dog.  i do believe that 90% of problems dogs have stem from US, humans, not training/treating/disciplining them correctly.

i realized soon that ideas was not an option for this "friend of a friend" and they proclaimed 'they have to go to animal control.  the dog is too hard to handle".....well, ok. but no rescue or animal control (FOR SURE) has ever let an allegedly aggressive dog go up for adoption.  with that in mind, i made the suggestion that, again, if the owner was fond of the dog (AT ALL) to just take it to the vet and have it euthanized in peace, with someone it loves.  strangely, i got back a message that said that dogs at animal control are played peaceful music and given love before they die.  this was from someone who claimed to volunteer there. 

well i do volunteer there - every week.  and i am calling a big fat BS on that statement.  i have never been in the rooms, i am not allowed, nor would i want to be.  but i can tell you there's no calming music and no love or care whatsoever.  i mean, think about it.  a vet probably puts a dog to sleep on random occasions, with dogs and owners they love and respect.  that bond is not present at animal control...no offense intended, it's just not.  and if 5 million animals are put to sleep every year at these places, i'd say it's more like a factory line than a soothing, theraputic massage-like experience. 

anyway, i spoke my peace, suggested once again that they go to their vet and handle it privately, so that the dog wasn't scared and lonely out of it's mind in it's final moments.  but people get embarrased, don't want to be seen as the 'bad' guy...so ultimately i have no clue what happened.

i will assume the dog is at the rainbow bridge and i will say a prayer for him tonight.

friends - my question to you is - WHEN is it ok to let a dog go?  and WHAT is the responsible thing to do in that situation?

jasper is a dog we got to in the 11th hour.  he was set to be put to sleep any moment,

but we pulled him right before D-Day and he now thrives in a loving home

with kids and adventures all over the US.

Ziggy

well, ziggy is something special, i'll tell you that much.  ziggy came in as a 'stray' (also known as my owners dumped me) when he was just a tiny thing.  he came in with several brothers and sisters, who have all gotten adopted, yet ziggy is there so much later.  

why?  well...ziggy's brothers and sisters were all "pretty".  they are pit bulls/pit bull mixes but somehow ziggy looks different than the rest.  his eyes bulge.  his posture is not great.  he's a little bit of a spaz because he's LOOKING FOR LOVE!  all in all, ziggy's 'characteristics' have left him as the last man standing in a pack of 4 that all got adopted quickly.  but all his 'characteristics' are what make me LOVE him so much!  so what if he's not perfectly pretty?  so what if he runs in circles and chases his tail?  being confined at animal control can do that to the best of 'em...and even if that's not it...it's just ziggy!  

he is an amazing soul, so in need of love and so wanting to please.  

who cares if he looks a little funny?!  this boy is alright with me!  

Inspired

I have been inspired many times in my life.  By people, by places, by things.  But nothing ceases to inspire me the way dogs do.  So I've decided to start a blog....and even if no one reads it, it will help me to express the way I feel about these dogs and the way they make ME feel.  And the way they make me feel makes me want to give back to them....


Dogs share love like no other being in this world.  They don't hold back, they don't worry about being judged, they just want to SHARE love and to BE loved.  So simple and refreshing and amazing.  


I work a full time job.  I have a family, kids, and lots of to-dos.  It's a lot, and it's stressful.  I also volunteer at the local animal control.  I could have volunteered at the Humane Society or many other organizations, where I know the dogs don't get put down, but that's exactly why I DO volunteer at animal control.  Because these dogs are at risk, every day, by people and by 'laws' and 'rules'.  So these are the ones that need help most.  And these are the ones who inspire me....the helpless.  They NEED us, they need me, and YOU.  


If people would open their hearts and be inspired the way I have been, by these dogs, the world (or maybe just our little city) would be a much better place.


Here are a few of my latest inspirations.

this is scrambler.  he went from being too scared to walk 

to being adopted out to a very loving home.  love him!

this is my sweet chester.  i got a call about a pit bull locked in public housing 

and the family had left (moved out).  he had been there for days, all alone.

although he was nothing but a baby for me, my family, and my dog,

he ultimately was put down at animal control.  rip chester.

 ohhh sweet baby krystal.  when i met her at the shelter she was skin and

bones, cowering in a corner.  just a tiny, tiny, baby.  luckily, she

was adopted and recovered from all her trauma!

leroy brown is one of my FAVORITE stories!  when i met this pup he

was so deflated, so dejected, but so open to any love he could get,

he was just pitiful.  luckily, we pulled him from the shelter at the 11th hour

and he too was adopted by an AMAZING family!  this is him now

he couldn't be happier!