Posts tagged "adoption"

Kitten Born Without Feet Needs a Home

by Kirsten Taylor (Subscribe to Kirsten Taylor's posts): Jan 13th 2010 5:00PM Filed Under: Cats, Pet Adoption

When a litter of kittens was born in Boston recently, all quickly found homes -- except one. Nubbins, who was born without hind feet, was surrendered to the MSPCA-Angell Animal Medical Center.

Nubbins was placed in foster care for several weeks, where he learned to walk on his malformed limbs, according to an MSPCA-Angell press release.

Now Nubbins needs a permanent home. His ideal home will be fully carpeted, since hard surfaces would be hazardous to his tender back legs. And his future adopters will need to have regular visits with a veterinarian who can keep a close eye on Nubbins' legs as he grows.

MSPCA-Angell staff are optimistic he'll find a loving home. "We care for thousands of homeless animals every year and we frequently encounter those with special needs," Meagan Rock, director of the MSPCA Boston Animal Care and Adoption Center, said in the news release.

Despite his special situation, Nubbins is a typical kitten. "This was something he was born with," Rock told Boston's WHDH News. "It's a deformity that he has and he overcomes all the time. He loves to play."

Here's hoping adorable little Nubbins finds his new home soon.

Rescue Tails: Portraits of Dogs and Their Celebrities

by Polly Brewster (Subscribe to Polly Brewster's posts): Nov 4th 2009 6:00PM Filed Under: Dogs, Celebrity Pets, Photo Galleries

Fashion photographer Brian Nice spent three years and a lot of nights on friends' couches to put together Rescue Tails: Portraits of Dogs and Their Celebrities, available in stores today. The book is filled with photos of stars and their pooches, all of whom posed in an effort to raise money for the New York Humane Society and Much Love Animal Rescue in Los Angeles.

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Rescue Tails: Portraits of Dogs and Their Celebrities

Meet Buster, faithful companion to Brian Nice, the photographer and creative mind behind Rescue Tails. "I'm grateful to Buster for teaching me that a dog will rescue you, care for you, and love you right back." All proceeds from the book go directly to the New York Humane Society and Much Love Animal Rescue in Los Angeles.

Simon and Schuster

Rescue Tails

Simon and Schuster

The photographer behind the book, Brian Nice, walked up to actor Ed Burns at a coffee shop in Montauk and asked if he'd pose for his book. "Luckily, he said yes,'" says the photographer's wife, Courtney.

Simon and Schuster

In Rescue Tails, Brooke Shields says of her pooch, "Darla has been my quiet support during the worst times of my life."

Simon and Schuster

American Pie star Jason Biggs isn't shy about admitting how much his dogs contribute to his mental health: "My dogs help me relax and put a smile on my face. They have saved me thousands of dollars in therapy and Zoloft."

Simon and Schuster

The book's creator Brian Nice and his wife, Courtney, loved all the photos in the book, but admitted that their favorite pics were of House star Lisa Edelstein and her three dogs: Sandwich, Bumpa, and Wolfe.

Simon and Schuster

Actor Mickey Rourke's love of his pets is well known. His chihuahua, Loki, pictured here, died this past February. When Rourke accepted his Golden Globe award for best actor in "The Wrestler," he thanked his dogs saying, "Sometimes when a man's alone, all you got is your dog."

Simon and Schuster

"The way our house was designed, you have to climb a minimum of one steep flight of stairs to let the dogs out," director Kevin Smith says in the book, "which means [my dogs] Scully and Mulder are responsible for the only form of cardio I get."

Simon and Schuster

"Jack Johnson [the musician] was the first person who agreed to let me photograph him and his dog," says Brian Nice. "He started it off."

Simon and Schuster

"Dolores prepared me for motherhood!" actress Debbie Mazar says in Rescue Tails. "My faithful companion for ten years, before my children came into this world, she taught me patience and responsibility."

Simon and Schuster

Beth Ostrosky Stern writes in her foreword to Rescue Tails, "My family only rescued pets. Our first rescued mutt, Suziedog, brought every one of us unconditional love..." Of her current dog (pictured) she says, "Bianca has taught me that nothing in life should be rushed, and take time to just enjoy each day."

Simon and Schuster

Shelter Cats: (Kat)Rena Survives the Storm

by Rose Martelli (Subscribe to Rose Martelli's posts): Nov 4th 2009 9:00AM Filed Under: Cats, Pet Adoption

Rose Martelli

In honor of National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week, we've asked our bloggers to share stories of adopted shelter cats and dogs.

My Himalayan cat is named Rena. I adopted her from Louisiana during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

A "cat" named "Rena." Kat-rina. Get it?

Even before I took Rena home for the first time, I knew I wanted to pick a name that honored where she came from. I remember those horrible days in September 2005 that I spent glued to the television, watching the news coverage of Hurricane Katrina. Like most Americans, I felt outraged and helpless, wishing there was something I could do, some tangible way I could make it just a little bit better.

Then I got an e-mail from Stray Rescue of St. Louis, one of the best stray rescue groups in the country. I had adopted my dog, Duke, through Stray Rescue about three years prior, and had received their e-mail alerts since. Stray Rescue was planning to send a caravan of vehicles down to the New Orleans area to bring back as many cats and dogs as they could carry, and to keep doing so for about two weeks. Could I help by taking one of them into my home?

Shelter Pet Story: Atticus Found Me

by Eliot Glazer (Subscribe to Eliot Glazer's posts): Nov 3rd 2009 9:00AM Filed Under: Dogs, Pet Adoption

Eliot Glazer

In honor of National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week, we've asked our bloggers to share their stories of shelter animal adoption.

After finally transitioning into a career that would give me the opportunity to own a dog (without having to depend on doggy day care or dog walkers), I knew exactly what I was looking for: a medium-sized, playful dog who was already housebroken and in need of a loving, caring owner.

But when Wilma of Wilma's Orphans in Hempstead, New York introduced me to Cindy, the lab mix I'd found via Petfinder, I was surprised to find that the dog was absolutely terrified of me. It took literally half an hour before she would let me go anywhere near her, and I took it as an obvious sign that she wasn't meant to be mine. On a whim, Wilma figured she might as well introduce me to some of the other dogs she had rescued. She began to let them come barreling out of her house, two at a time. One after another, each dog was equally adorable, but none felt like he was mine.

And then out of the house came little Atticus, a 4-year-old, 16-pound Schnauzer mix with saucer eyes and surprisingly nimble little legs that leaped directly into my lap. He lay on his back, looked up at me, and he's been begging for belly scratches for more than a year now.

Cash for Horses: A Growing Number of Horses Being Sold to Slaughter Houses

by Kim Jack-Riley (Subscribe to Kim Jack-Riley's posts): Sep 30th 2009 9:00AM Filed Under: Pets News, Pet Adoption

Photo: Kim Jack Riley

If you think caring for a dog or cat during a recession is financially challenging, try owning a horse. Home foreclosures and the escalating costs of equine veterinary care, transport, and feed have driven many horse owners to abandon their beloved animals, or even sell them for cash.

According to a recent survey published by the Unwanted Horses Coalition, over 100,000 horses -- unwanted because of age, injury, sickness or financial strain -- are being sent to processing facilities in the US, Canada, and Mexico each year. The horses are slaughtered and their meat is used in a variety of ways, including human consumption in countries like France, Italy, Belgium and Japan.

The study also found that financial burden is the most commonly cited reason for horse unloading. But selling a horse for meat isn't the only option for cash-strapped owners.

Karen Johnson, owner of One Horse Farm in Texas, tells Paw Nation that "maintenance of a family horse will average $200 a month if it's on your own property. If you have plentiful pasture, you save a ton, but you will still have veterinary maintenance, not to mention the emergencies, wear on the land, etc. If you board, expect it to average about $400 a month."

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Today is Less Adoptable Pet Day

by Sonia Zjawinski (Subscribe to Sonia Zjawinski's posts): Aug 12th 2009 3:00PM Filed Under: Dogs, Cats, Pet Adoption

Luckily Truman already has a home, but there are plenty who are still looking. Photo:cygnus921/Flickr

I have a thing for disabled animals. Ever since my dog became three-legged, I just love the heart and courage of any animal who deals with a disability. That's why today is so special.

August 12th has been declared "Adopt-a-Less-Adoptable-Pet Day."

Petfinder, one of the largest pet adoption sites with more than 12,000 adoption groups, has dedicated a section of its site to old, crippled, and mostly ignored animals in need. The purpose of today is to try and get the word out about these lovable pets looking for a place to call home.

Petfinder surveyed its rescue partners and found that almost half of the agencies have pets who have been in their system for over a year! Age, size, and medical conditions like incontinence and FIV seem to be the leading causes for amazing animals to be overlooked.

If you're looking to adopt, don't hesitate! Today (and any day for that matter) is a good day to look past the adorable kittens and find out just how rewarding adopting one of the underdogs (or cats!) can be.

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Man Saves Puppy Because Kids are the Worst (Sometimes)

by Eliot Glazer (Subscribe to Eliot Glazer's posts): Jun 9th 2009 12:00PM Filed Under: Dogs, Pets News, Pet Adoption

Photo: Petfinder

It's times like these when we're thrilled to have a dog instead of a kid.

Not that there's anything inherently wrong with kids (no, seriously, kids are awesome!), but could you imagine a group of puppies getting together, preparing to light a child on fire before killing him? Probably not, considering puppies don't have that kind of strength, but even still...

When Derek Blackmon of Maple Shade, New Jersey spotted a group of boys wielding baseball bats and a can of lighter fluid over a puppy caught in a net, he immediately stepped and grabbed eight week old Brody, a golden retriever-labrador mix. Blackmon's landlord wouldn't allow him to keep the pup, but Brody is now up for adoption at the Animal Sanctuary Society of Mt. Laurel.

How Far is Too Far? Couple Travels 4,000 Miles to Adopt Cat

by Helena Sung (Subscribe to Helena Sung's posts): May 18th 2009 2:00PM Filed Under: Cats, Pets News, Pet Adoption

The Rasmussens fell in love with this cat a continent away. Photo: Ryan Evon, Morning Sun

This tomcat really must be the cat's pajamas.

A couple in England became so enamored with a cat they saw on the pet adoption website Petfinder.com that they decided to adopt the feline. No matter that the black and white cat, named Sparky, was located nearly 4,000 miles away on another continent living at the Clare County Animal Shelter in Harrison, Michigan. He resembled the couple's old cat; they had to have him.

"I thought [the shelter] would say 'you guys are completely mad," admits Rose Rasmussen, who along with her husband Chris traveled from suburban London to Harrison (population 2,108 as of the 2000 census) to pick up Sparky. Preparing the cat for his relocation overseas was no easy feat and required a six-month quarantine, along with microchipping, vaccinations, a blood test, and a health certificate.

But the shelter didn't think the Rasmussens were crazy. "When people meet Sparky, and find he has a dynamic personality, they fall in love with him," Clare County Animal Control Director Dave Gendregske told the local Morning Sun newspaper.

No offense to Sparky and his oodles of charm, but isn't the whole thing just a little nutty?

Don't me wrong; the story is sweet. I, too, found my dog Jasper through Petfinder.com. He was with a rescue group in a tiny town in Ohio. I lived in Manhattan. After scouring local shelters and applying to adopt three different small dogs in New York City --- and being rejected each time in favor of someone else --- I decided to open up my search nationwide. That's when I saw Jasper's picture on Petfinder. His description fit what I was looking for in a dog: small enough to travel on a plane, playful but not hyper, and he was low-shedding. Plus, he had a stoic expression in his eyes I found endearing.

"I don't know if you adopt out of your area...," I wrote in an email to the lady in charge of the rescue group, explaining my situation. When, to my shock and delight, she picked me out of thirty adoption applications, I flew to Ohio, rented a car and went to meet my new dog.

My story sounds similiar to the Rasmussens' except for the extent of the miles traveled. I journeyed a few hundred miles for my dog; the Rasmussens a few thousand for their cat. How far is too far?

"I understand traveling to adopt a dog, since breed compatibility is so important," says a colleague. "But a cat? Based on a picture? That is bonkers, and I love cats."

What do you think?

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Pet Adoptathon 2009 is May 2 and 3 -- Don't Miss It!

by Helena Sung (Subscribe to Helena Sung's posts): May 1st 2009 2:00PM Filed Under: Pet Adoption

"Are you looking for me?" A handsome hound in need of a loving home. Photo by superfem/Flickr

Mark your calendars and set your alarm clocks. The world's biggest pet adoption extravaganza is coming to a shelter near you.

On Saturday, May 2 at 9 a.m. more than 2,000 shelters across America and around the globe will fling open their doors for the annual two-day event "Pet Adoptathon." The goal? To find loving homes for the hundreds of dogs, cats, puppies and kittens languishing in shelters all over the world. Held each year on the first weekend of May, the Adoptathon has helped place 300,000 homeless cats and dogs since its inception in 1995.

This year's spokesperson is none other than the "Dog Whisperer," Cesar Millan. The famous canine expert will preside over the festivities at the Adoptathon's headquarters at North Shore Animal League America in Portchester, New York. In addition to more than 700 kittens, puppies, cats and dogs available for adoption, there will be special performances by trained dogs, raffles, refreshments, a caricaturist, and a pet psychic.

Want to know what's going on at your local shelter? Search for a participating Pet Adoptathon near you.

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Miniature Dogs

Miniature Poodle
Miniature Poodles, like all Poodles, are excellent swimmers who originated as a water retrievers. All Poodles, Standard, Miniature and Toy are actually one breed, just different sizes. Miniature Poodles, who can be white, black, apricot or gray, are usually 15 inches or under, according to the American Kennel Club.

David McKelvey/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgmckelvey/3748491903/

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Dachshund
The Miniature Daschund, only 11 pounds or under, is not a separate classification of the Daschund -- it's just a smaller version of the Standard. The miniature dog, with its long bodies and strong sense of smell, are both hunters and lapdogs, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Schnauzer
The Miniature Schnauzer is of German descent and was originally bred to be a small farm dog. The most popular of the three Schnauzer breeds, the Miniature Schnauzer is a attentive, lively and a favorite among celebrities like Mary Tyler Moore and Bill Cosby. The strongly built miniature dog is between 12 to 14 inches, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Bull Terrier
Just like the playful Bull Terrier, the Miniature Bull Terrier, who originated in England, has a similar personality. Don't let its size fool you – the Miniature Bull Terrier is strong, energetic and audacious. Miniature Bull Terriers are between 10 to 15 inches and can be solid white or colored, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature American Eskimo Dog
The American Eskimo Dog is one of three separate categories of the American Eskimo Dog. Between 12 to 15 inches, the bright white dog is loving, protecting and sociable. Now a great companion dog, the miniature dog was once a circus dog, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Pinscher
Also known as the "Min Pin," the Miniature Pinscher is a German Breed whose ancestry includes the Daschund, Italian Greyhound and the shorthaired German Pinscher. The quick, curious dog is the perfect apartment dog. Despite its small size, the compact pooch makes a wonderful watchdog. The spirited miniature dog, about 10 inches to 12 1/2 inches, can be red, black, or chocolate with tan, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs