Posts tagged "animal shelters"

A reality TV show about stray dogs in Detroit, canceled after officials denied the Discovery Channel permission to film, may still help the Motor City's needy canines.

In frustration at the decision by Mayor David Bing's film office, two of the filmmakers have continued the fight -- online, on the airwaves and onto the streets of Detroit.

Executive producer Monica Martino and location scout Dan Carlisle -- a local rapper known as Hush -- began by posting a short but shocking video about the problem on YouTube on Jan. 31, shortly after the city's refusal to grant the permit.

The four-minute film has since drawn more than 70,000 hits and the pair claim to have received more than $7,000 in donations to their newly created animal rescue charity, Detroit Dog Rescue.

Martino, who appeared on MSNBC to highlight the issue earlier this month, has quit her producing job to spearhead the cause alongside Hush. The pair held their first town hall meeting in Detroit on Feb. 27 and are now aiming to raise $50,000 to build a no-kill animal shelter in the city.

Looking for your next furry friend? Start your search online -- just look at these adoptable, cuddly cuties featured as Petfinder's Adopt the Internet All-Stars!

Name: Riley
Shelter: Saving Paws Animal Rescue, Appleton, Wis.

This Treeing Walker coonhound mix is a fun-loving, eager-to-please 2-year-old who loves to go for long walks and runs. He has very good manners around the house and can be very cuddly. Riley is quite sensitive and eager to please and tries to do the right thing. He would do best with laid-back and fun people.


Name: Beverly
Shelter: Peninsula Friends of Animals, Sequim, Wash.

This adorable cat is a very sweet and lively gray, orange and white tabby mix. Beverly is very loving and demonstrative, and she can play all day long. She's about 2 years old, has put on a little weight at the shelter, and would love to find someone to play with to get fit again.

It was a chilly fall, and winter could hit even harder in many parts of the country. Animal shelters and rescues across the United States are preparing for the sneaking cold. And they need your help.

1) Holiday Issues and Opportunities
This time of year, animal shelters encounter two major problems: low funds and a need for fosters.

"Shelters face many issues throughout the year, but one that is amplified during the holiday season is a lack of funds," says Kim Saunders, vice president of Shelter Outreach for Petfinder.com. "While many people are looking for gift-giving opportunities during the end of the year, shelters have historically received the lowest amount of charitable gifts."

In addition, shelter workers who often devote long hours to the cause deserve a break this time of year, Saunders says. To bring attention to the issue, Petfinder.com started the Foster a Lonely Pet for the Holidays program among 1,600 of its shelters and rescue groups this year.

"The goal is to 'empty out the shelters' for the holiday season, ideally from Christmas Eve until New Year's Day, while spreading the joy to adoptable animals and giving shelter workers and volunteers a much-deserved break," Saunders says. Call your local shelters to see how you can help.

All over the country, shelters provide not only a safe haven for homeless animals but also offer critical veterinary care, rehabilitation and most importantly, love. In "Rescue Tales," we share with you the stories of these amazing organizations and some of the fortunate pets who have gone on to find permanent, happy homes.

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Calliope Rescue is a volunteer-based no-kill rescue organization based in Brookline, Mass. Named after one of the first cats they placed, the non-profit organization helps match rescue cats with perfect homes.



Luna, Isis and Stellina: Orphaned Kittens Get Lucky
A young, feral cat chose the right porch under which to birth her litter of three kittens. "The house happened to belong to a Calliope Rescue volunteer who cared for the mother and babies," says Calliope's Claudia Bruno. At just four weeks, the three kittens were placed in the shelter's care.

Named Luna, Isis and Stellina, the kittens were hand-fed from a bottle, and adjusted quickly to their new surroundings and family. "I spent eight hours with them until it was clear that I was going to be mom from now on," Bruno says. The mother had disappeared before the staff could manage to rescue her.

Fortunately, all three kittens were adopted as indoor-only cats in loving homes. Shortly after adopting her, Luna's new owner told the shelter, "I can't thank Calliope Rescue enough for saving Luna. My little princess is settling in so quickly! After only four days, she has decided she owns the house."

All over the country, shelters provide not only a safe haven for homeless animals but also offer critical veterinary care, rehabilitation and most importantly, love. In Paw Nation's newest column, Rescue Tales, we will share with you the stories of these amazing organizations and some of the fortunate pets who have gone on to find permanent, happy homes.

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Boxer Buddies Rescue Inc. is a Massachusetts-based non-profit organization devoted to finding foster and permanent homes for homeless boxers and mixes all over New England. Co-director Sue Stephens loves all types of dogs but says, "Boxers are the perpetual puppy and they live to entertain you. They are loving people dogs." She cautions prospective owners that the loyal breed is prone to separation anxiety, is very athletic, and needs steady companionship and training.

Bruce: A Menace Becomes the Perfect Pup
Stephens was the last resort for Bruce after he'd been returned from his seventh home because of being aggressive with other dogs. The all-white boxer wasn't doing well while kenneled and lost weight from stress and developed sores. That's when Stephens decided to bite the bullet and bring him home even though she knew it wouldn't be easy -- and it wasn't. Stephens had another dog, a big, dominant boxer/rottweiler female named Rudy and for six months, Bruce kept going after Rudy, trying to fight with her. But Rudy would never fight back.

Bruce was also having a tough time emotionally. He was so anxious that he chewed through walls and broke windows. "But each day got better," Stephens says. "It was a matter of structure, calm and patience." One day, finally, Rudy had enough of Bruce's aggression and pinned him to the ground. After that, Bruce made a surprising turnaround. The two dogs became best friends, and Bruce started taking his cues from Rudy. Ultimately Bruce became the model dog: no more aggression or separation anxiety and even bonded with a little Yorkshire terrier that Sue later adopted.

All over the country, shelters provide not only a safe haven for homeless animals but also offer critical veterinary care, rehabilitation and most importantly, love. In Paw Nation's newest column, Rescue Tales, we will share with you the stories of these amazing organizations and some of the fortunate pets who have gone on to find permanent, happy homes.

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Furry Friends - Vancouver, Wash.
Furry Friends is a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter that helps provide medical care, foster care, and permanent homes for homeless and abused cats in the Pacific Northwest. They also are dedicated to providing animal therapy for the elderly in nursing homes and assisted-living centers. Furry Friends works with Petco and PetSmart adoption centers throughout the area. Their suggested adoption donation is $80.

Lilly and Ms. Nibs - Two Sisters Reunited
These two tabbies had grown up together, but were abandoned when their owners passed away. Last April, neighbors brought the pair to Furry Friends, and Lilly was quickly adopted by a loving family. Six months later, Ms. Nibs -- shy and a little overweight -- was still having trouble finding a home... until Lilly's new family noticed that Ms. Nibs was still at Furry Friends, and decided to adopt her. But would the two former playmates remember each other? The family says that when she was brought home, "Ms. Nibs came out of the carrier and they touched noses. Right away they were running through the house and talking to each other." The two remain inseparable. Once shy, Ms. Nibs -- "is more vocal, and calls from one side of the house and Lilly runs to see what she is doing." Furry Friends' volunteer Linda Rader calls it a "circle of love complete."

The German Shepherd Rescue of New England - Wayland, Mass.
GSRNE is volunteer organization dedicated to finding homes for German shepherds in shelters and pounds throughout six different states. Prospective owners must meet certain qualifications, visit the dog at least twice before adoption, and receive a home visitation from a GSRNE volunteer. The adoption donation is $250, or $150 for senior and special-needs dogs.

In a group of animal lovers or "The Price is Right" hosts, it's easy to see a passion for adopting homeless pets and controlling the pet population. But thanks to a national survey commissioned by PetSmart Charities, we now have an insight to the overall national perceptions and opinions about pets.

Among 1,000 new pet owners (those who acquired a dog or cat in the past year), the study found that only 24 percent were adopted from shelters. This means a whopping 76 percent of pets were received from sources other than shelters, with the primary reason being a desire for a specific purebreed.

Interestingly, when those who purchased pets were asked what might motivate them to choose shelter adoption instead, knowing that "millions of purebred animals end up in shelters" was found to be the least motivating factor.

Despite Bob Barker's tireless encouragement, the study also found that nearly half of people who have acquired unsterilized pets in the last year haven't fixed them. As a result, more unwanted pets are being born into the world. Owners reported that more than half of the litters born to their dogs and cats were unintentional.

Other interesting findings from the study are that people earning $55,000 or more per year are more likely to adopt from shelters, and southerners and the under-35 set are the least likely to sterilize their pets.

"We hope that by providing this data to others who share our passion for saving the lives of homeless pets, we can break down the barriers to pet adoption and spay/neuter that survey respondents identified," said Susana Della Maddalena, executive director of non-profit PetSmart Charities, Inc. "We can all use the data to develop new practices and messages based on what we now know to be key motivators and barriers."

While you're purchasing holiday presents this year -- whether for human or pet -- there's an easy way to make a difference in the lives of shelter animals at the same time.

At Bring Pets Home, you can shop from approximately 140 online stores, including retail giants like Amazon.com, Macy's, Walmart and Sephora. Do your regular online shopping through Bring Pets Home, and a percentage of your total tab will be donated to the site's foundation, which provides immediate financial assistance to shelters nationwide.

Even better: Sign up for a free account at Bring Pets Home and you can choose the participating animal shelter that will receive your donation. You'll also have a shot at the site's holiday sweepstakes, for $5,000 to you and another $5,000 to your favorite shelter!

Bring Pets Home was started by the microchip pet-recovery company HomeAgain. "We love this program and we're really hoping it hits its stride," HomeAgain marketing director Linda Block told Paw Nation. Besides providing shelter funding, Bring Pets Home -- which you can use year-round -- aims to educate animal lovers about how shelters work. "There's a lot of misconceptions about animal shelters, even with pet lovers or people who work in the animal-health field," Block says.

For example? "A lot of people think shelters receive the majority of the funding from the government, which is not true," Block explains. "And with the economy, shelters are having a really hard time, as donations are down and people in need are relinquishing their pets."