Dogs for the PAWS

" Join DFP Bark Forces...Mission Awareness"

2012-01-30T17:17:00.001-08:00

30/January/ 2012

From:
Dogs for the Paws-Central Bark Command

Location: Classified

A new era of the pet / art awareness site, Dogs for the Paws (DFP) has begun with a very unique 2012 awareness theme, "DFP Bark Forces...Mission Awareness". The

"Bark Forces" program will be engaging, educational and fun as well as using the popular pet themed art of national artist, Missy Johnson as a call to action to inspire others to help make a difference for animals in need. Through the "Bark Forces", fans will continue DFP's dedication to helping raise awareness for animals in need across the US and beyond by posting and sharing pets across social media sites and the DFP blog. Missy has created a unique custom military themed logo, badges and promotional materials that fans will be able to post, share and purchase to show their support of "DFP Bark Forces"and helping animals in need.

The Central Bark Command of the "Bark Forces", hidden away in their East Coast bunker will be posting challenges and interactive games to promote awareness as well as educating fans how they can make a difference for animals in need, whether it be rescue, fostering, donating, adoption, or volunteering. There are different virtual badges that fans will be rewarded with when they take part in the various challenges the "Bark Forces" will issue over the next year. Two very special fans, who go above and beyond the call of duty will be awarded a special recognition at the end of the year. Challenges have 3 levels of participation ranging from a simple act (Level 1) of donating old linens to a shelter to a higher level badge (Level 3) for fostering a homeless pet.

Here are the 3 Levels and badges explained:

Active Bark Status- Level 1 Badge
You will receive this badge if you post, share, and make as many people aware of animal(s) in need. If you raise awareness for a pet shelter/rescue organization that is doing a fundraiser or in need of donated items, such as towels, placemats,etc... that they can use for the animals to make them more comfortable. Monetary donations up to $75 dollars a year will also qualify for this badge level.

Woof Con Alpha- Level 2 Badge
The Woof Badge is awarded for Team members who regularly attend rescue/shelter events, make a monetary donations to a pet organizations in need over $100 a year and volunteer at a shelter or pet rescue in their local area. Members can also receive this badge for doing local transports for different pet organizations within their home town or state.

Active Paw Support- Level 3 Badge
This badge will be awarded to those Team Members who foster, adopt, take part in their local rescue/shelter groups and donate to pets in need over $500 or more a year. Members who exhibit creativity and dedication to helping animals in need through fundraising, organizing rescue/adoption events, and doing transports for rescue animals across different states. This badge is the top level awarded so at this level we hope to educate and inspire others to want to work toward this type of top level Bark Forces Team Member.

JOIN THE MISSION AND ADVERTISE WITH US!!!

The "Bark Forces" program offers a diverse fan base for advertisers as well as an active group of over 12,000 fans across Facebook, Twitter and this blog. Sponsors will be able to promote and share their products which Dogs for the PAWS fans are always asking for...new tips, giveaways, new products and ideas to having happy and healthy pets. All of this done through a fun and educational way that helps build a growing network to share and help rescued, abused, neglected and homeless pets as well as the dedicated groups that help them.

Are you and your pets ready to serve their country and help animals in need?

"Obey the Paw"!

"Henry Makes Me Happy"

2012-01-22T16:41:00.000-08:00

Some of us spend our entire lives never really finding what makes us happy. Creating art as a call to action, to educate and inspire others to help animals is my "happy place". It's strange and sometimes hard to comprehend that there are still people in the World who don't understand why I want to help animals in need. I attend many rescue and pet events where people still ask me "Why rescue?" This is one of the reasons I created Dogs for the PAWS, so that people can be educated as to the "why" they should help pets in need. Along with my artwork, shelter and rescue animals' stories are posted and shared across social media sites, so that they too may find their "happy place". Dogs for the PAWS is all about pets, rescue, awareness and love. Henry is one of the sweet dogs that has inspired my art and brings happiness to life.

Henry was found on a busy road as a stray puppy, was rescued by a good samaritan who took him to the local shelter. She couldn't get that sweet puppy out of her mind so went back and adopted him. The first time I met Henry, I was hooked! He was this long legged little brindle colored cutie with big brown eyes that just melted your heart. I am so fortunate to live close to Henry and his family so I have had the joy of watching this sweet boy grow up. Long before Dogs for the PAWS, I have wanted to paint Henry's portrait. Having the chance to catch his sweet personality and those amazing eyes on paper was a fun challenge. His eyes grab me every time he looks my way and steals my heart. It is so heartwarming to share in his life and see all the fun he brings to all he meets. He never meets a stranger and whenever I see him I love to give him a big hug! He's my "Sweet Henry"! The best part is he knows who loves him and he returns that love over and over again.

He enjoys going for walks, hanging out with his family, rides in the car and has fans from Facebook to Starbucks. He is a Rock Star! He makes you laugh out loud at all his crazy antics and his Mom dresses him up in all kinds of funny gear from hats to big red socks! All the while Henry is soaking up the attention. Oh yes, he's a "love magnet". His family says, "Henry has only one of volume of love, all the way up!" He knows nothing but love and shares happiness every day of his life. I am so proud of his family for giving him a "happy furever after" by stopping to help him on that busy road. Henry is the best example of making a difference in a homeless pet's life. And no one could look into those big brown eyes and ever say "No" to Henry!

So if you see a pet on a road, don't just drive past, remember Henry and be the difference for that animal. It will bring you happiness to know you helped. I am so glad Henry's road led him to be a part of my life as well as my art...the wag of that tail or the way he tilts his head to the side when you talk to him...he melts my heart...Happiness is Henry! Now go make a difference!

"Welcome to Missy's World"

2012-01-22T16:24:00.000-08:00

You may already know the widely popular and very unique artwork from artist Annamarie "Missy" Johnson. Her work can be seen during events with local pet rescues in California to media events in Indianapolis. She loves everything to do with animals and is a huge advocate of rescues and shelters across the country. Missy is a graphic designer and illustrator as well as the creative genius behind Dogs for the PAWS, a national pet rescue awareness site that is inspiring pet lovers to rescue, foster, adopt, volunteer and love pets in need. Dogs for the PAWS is an art and education project that started with 80 rescue dogs from all around the country. Missy paints the dogs' portraits and includes their touching stories of rescue and rehabilitation written by their companions and rescuers.

Being a full time professional graphic designer by day and the popular artist and pet advocate that everyone knows and loves on Facebook and Twitter in her free time, keeps Missy hopping. In "Missy's World" it's all about the animals. From posting about baby elephants in need in Malaysia to painting a 5 foot tall fiberglass turtle for the South Carolina Aquarium's Turtle hospital fundraiser, you will find Missy working and challenging herself to help in her unique way. She believes all animals deserve respect and love as well as awareness to their needs. With her variety of illustration and painting skills, she can speak out across the masses without saying a word. People are drawn to her colorful and creative style which is gaining national attention and creating a niche artist category all her own. When she puts paint brush to canvas, there are animals in need and Missy is there to help however she can. She and her husband Jim are pet parents to 5 dogs, 4 of which are rescues. They volunteer with the Carolina Basset Hound Rescue.

...Being an active advocate for pets and rescue/shelters, Missy has made a large group of friends and fans from coast to coast. Here is an excerpt from a guest blog post Missy's good friend, Ginny Tata-Phillips, author and pet rescuer, provided to Dogs For The Paws...

"Missy herself is a work of art (or a piece of work, if you will)! She is quite pleasant to look at with a cheerful smile and sparkling eyes. But put a dog in her lap or her arms or next to Missy and an aura seems to surround them. Wait! Is that a halo? Cuz this angel for the animals is beaming! She exudes a beauty that ain’t just skin deep, my friend. Put Missy and an animal in the same vicinity and their souls connect. Missy is stunning and the soul of the formerly neglected or abused animal just merges with hers and shines on through. Ask Chamberlain. Ask Nico. Ask Wyatt Earp, they will tell you about Missy, because they know. I always used to say I would not let my girls go out with any boy the dogs did not like. Dogs can see right through a shining exterior to a rotten core. What do they sense in Missy? A heart of gold, my friend, a heart of pure shining platinum even! Dogs For The Paws has a message and Missy has a vision. Her art expresses it and it is all about love. It is all about hope. Rock on Miss Annamarie "Missy" Johnson! YOU are the Rock Star and we are your most fervent fans! "

Painting the dogs of the "Paws Pack" as they are called, she captured the hope for the future in their eyes. With the World at her fingertips...through Facebook, Twitter and the blog, she can posts to all her local sites, as well as national sites, groups, events, etc... The project was first introduced nationally by DogTipper.com and it continues to gain popularity and fans. The PAWS PACK families, as they are fondly known, have written and contributed stories and posts to bring more attention to animals in need and the shelters/rescues that found these animals. More and more people are networking and the portraits and designs are becoming very well known across the country. She hopes to build on the different uses that the artwork and project offers through it's message from a Gallery show-Yappy Hour event to offering rescues and other pet groups programs that they can use to promote their animals in need.

Challenging herself to get back to painting, Missy had no idea what this special project would do to her heart and World. Nico the Dogo Argentino, captures your heart with his hazel and blue colored eyes. Missy admits she cried for over 8 hours as she painted Nico's portrait. Then there is Rosie the puppy mill basset hound, Pete the Pitbull who inspired his family to begin their own rescue and Chamberlin, the sweet black dog left tied to a tree and forgotten. Riley the 13 year old Lab mix who spent his entire life at the end of a chain til he broke free and was rescued. All these works of the heart, have become not just loves of their families and rescuers but a part of Missy's life. She jokes that she kept the Kleenex Company in business during the 503 days it took her to finish the original 80 portraits. She displays the paintings on her studio wall where they can keep motivating her to continue painting and working.

Dogs for the PAWS and Missy's stunning artwork have been featured in numerous printed and online publications From FIDO Friendly, DogTipper.com, Lowcountry Dog Magazine, Indy Tails, Wadsworth News, and PeoplePets Online. She has been a guest blogger for everyone from BlogPaws to FIDO Friendly. She is a contributing writer for Life+Dog Magazine. Her passion and love for animals is inspiring to everyone Missy meets. Dogs for the Paws has brought a huge following to her artwork and message of hope for animals in need. She offers affordable design and illustration that rescues and other pet organizations can use for their events, fundraising and social media promotion of animals up for adoption. Her work helps the groups stand out at events with unique tshirts and ad promotionals that are sold to raise funds. She is proud to say her unique designs, custom painted furniture and painted windows have helped raise thousands of dollars for homeless pets across the country.

Morton Is Keeping Our Paws Safe and Helping Animals In Need!

2011-11-29T21:09:00.000-08:00

We are so excited to bring you some of the great new products available and featuring all the wonderful companies working to make more and more of their products "pet safe". Morton Salt, yes the Morton Salt, has a brand new product under the Safe-T- Pet line called "Pet Friendly Ice Melt". For our friends who live in the colder climates, we know how dangerous snow and ice can be for humans and their pet companions. Veterinarians across the country are recommending Safe-T-Pet to keep pets' paws safe while keeping walkways, driveways and steps clear of snow and ice.

This is exciting news but the biggest news is that Morton is sponsoring "National Keep Pets Safe in Winter Day" on December 22nd and in support of the ASPCA, Morton is encouraging the country to like their Facebook page and they will donate $1 to the ASPCA to increase winter pet safety awareness and support the message to help all animals in need. We are asking everyone to join us in helping Morton in their project of good will and in return please go and LIKE their Facebook page and help animals in need with just a click. Let's help this purposeful campaign and continue to raise awareness to keep our fuzzy friends safe during the winter season. With our help, Morton will make a generous donation of $55,000 to our pet friends in need which helps the ASPCA continue their amazing work making a difference for all animals.

Through this campaign we also have the opportunity to win $500 for our cause. When you go and LIKE Morton's Facebook page(link below) please tell them that Dogs for the PAWS sent you so they can keep a tally of all who post and where they are from. We appreciate all your help DFTP Nation and with your help and a click you can make a difference for our homeless fuzzy friends in need too. It's one of the best gifts you can give a shelter pet this holiday season. So tell all you know and let's WOOF out to keep pets safe during the winter season.

Here are some tips to keep your pets safe this winter..

*Use pet-friendly (salt free and chloride free) ice melters such as Morton Safe-T-Pet.

* Make sure pets' identification tags are always current should they become disoriented or lost when familiar surroundings are covered in snow and ice.

* Please limit outdoor time for all pets when temperatures drop below freezing.

* Always check warm spots on cars, such as hoods, where animals might seek shelter from the cold.

Show your support of Morton, ASPCA and Dogs for the PAWS by clicking the link below and telling Morton that Dogs for the PAWS sent you.

WOOF!

https://www.facebook.com/MortonSalt

"Bissell is Pawsitively Keeping Us Clean!"

2011-11-04T19:50:00.000-07:00

It was so exciting when the new Bissell Pawsitively Clean Spiffy Steam Mop arrived at the front door! We have had a few Bissell products that have been staples of keeping our house clean but being a 5 dog family, keeping our floors clean is a constant frustration. But I can honestly say that this is not the case anymore with the Pawsitively Clean Spiffy. We have all hard wood floors as well as linoleum and the Spiffy tackles all my headaches that I had with regular mops. I would vacuum, then mop and still the floors weren't clean so would have to usually mop a few more times to get them clean.

The Spiffy comes unassembled but it only took about 10 minutes to assemble with the provided tools in the box and it was ready for action. It is very easy to put together and begin using immediately with the informative and easy to read instructions. It has a strain reliever handle that even after all the times I have used the Spiffy my wrist and arm don't ache as they have sometimes from a regular mop. The Spiffy is decked out with all kinds of conveniences and goodies not found in other mops. The steam on demand trigger, removable water tank and the water purification system are all packed into a slim designed shape. It is easy to pick up with the carrying handle and use wherever you need to mop. You can use the mop on all types of floors from marble to sealed hardwood. It isn't for every floor type so Bissell suggests you test it out on a small floor section before use to make sure it will be alright to use.

The best feature of the Spiffy, is that it is completely pet safe as far as there are no chemicals to use with your cleaning, just the steam of the mop. This is very important that I am not having to use a poisonous cleaner on my floors where the dogs walk and lay. Bissell recommends using distilled water in the Spiffy as well which really seems to clean better in my opinion. I also have some hard to clean areas and corners that I can maneuver the mop easily into. All of our problem areas I have used the Spiffy on, I have noticed they don't have the odor they did. It's a relief to know whatever messes my dogs will make I can get those areas really clean.

I have been using the Spiffy for almost a month now and when I don't use it I notice the house just doesn't smell as clean as when I do use it. So it's a big help and a much enjoyed new "family member"! Welcome to the Johnson Pack, Spiffy we are so glad you are here to keep us Pawsitively clean!

We were also excited to receive some extra goodies in our Bissell box. The new "Fur Get It", "Fur & Fuzz" and the very cool "Ruff Roller" are also must haves for your furniture, clothing and home.

The Fur Get It is a pet hair sweeper and great for all your furniture and pet bedding. It picks up hair from all furniture and fabrics. It has a plastic cover that captures the hair as you roll it across the area that you want to clean. Once the cover is full just pop it off and empty into trash container. We have always used the vacuum on our furniture but the Fur Get It works so much better getting hair off that we haven't used the vacuum since.

The Fur & Fuzz is a multi-surface tool that has rubber bristles on one side and a nubby texture on the other. It works great in hard to reach corners where pet hair collects as well as on upholstery and pet beds too. We used it in the car too where we can't pick up all the pet hair in the corners on the floor and under the seats.

Lint rollers are a must for all pet families and we think the Ruff Roller is the best one we have had. It will remove hair, lint and dust. It is quick and easy as well as using less refills as other lint rollers. It works great on couch pillows too.

We have enjoyed sharing all these great new pet related products from our friends at Bissell. Keeping up with our pooches and maintaining a clean home is our top priority and now with all the Bissell products we can spend less time cleaning and more time with our dogs having fun!

For more info on these products as well as the entire line of Bissell products click the link below...

www.bissell.com

"We Are WOOFSTRONG Against Canine Cancer"

2011-10-03T21:25:00.000-07:00

To show our support to raise awareness of the issues and animals affected with canine cancer, Dogs for the PAWS is going Pink and we are Barking an invitation to all to join us our pledge to be "WOOFSTRONG" Against Canine Cancer! We have quite a few of our PAWS PACK dogs that have suffered from cancer and our boy Nico who is currently fighting 4 different types of cancer in his body. So please join us to help make others aware of this very important cause and go make a difference by donating or helping an animal who is sick. Dog Bless!

"Keepin' it Clean with Purina ProCare"

2011-10-02T10:45:00.000-07:00

My name is Gun Johnson. I am a rescued basset hound from South Carolina. I have 3 fuzzy brudders and 1 fuzzy sister. We are a pretty active family and keep our parents hopping! Being a Basset Hound, I am always getting into stuff and making a mess so my Mom is always looking for new products that can help keep our house clean and tidy. My Mom met the nice people at Purina and they were telling us about their cool new line of ProCare products which they said we could try and tell them what we think. Well, I was on top of that and volunteered to help my Mom with the review. I love to try new things and my Mom calls me her "Little Helper"

I love to see the mailman and greeted him at the door when he brought the cool red Purina ProCare box! We opened it and went to work trying out the items included…Inside we found the new Ultra Dry Training Pads and a big spray bottle of the Pet Stain and Odor Eliminator.

You may not know this but Basset Hounds, now I am not saying me, do not like to go outside when it is raining! Well, come on there is just something not right with rain and some of us don't like getting wet. Any woof, Mom put the Training Pads quickly to work right next to our pet door to see how they would do. I gotta tell you, I liked them a lot. I usually can't hold it quick enough to jump through the pet door so to know if I do something on the pad it will catch it all. And I won't be put in doggy time out for making a mess on the floor. And boy did they do a grrreat job!!! It was raining cats and milk bones but we were good to go having the training pads right there to keep the floor clean. I saw my brudder Lake, quickly catch on to using the pads too and all was good. Who knew we wouldn't get in trouble for a floor accident. WOOF THAT!!!

This is my big bro Wy helping us with the review of the Training Pads

Now some of you may be wondering if they are Training Pads, aren't they only for puppies to use? AbsoWOOFley not! They can be used for all types of situations from old senior doggy beds to under a kitty's litter box. Would be great if you are traveling with your pets too. Really versatile like in our case being used at the pet door since some of us don't go out when it rains. They also have this super leak pawtection and we have even been using them by our back pet door to catch dirt and mud we might track in from the yard. They also absorb a lot faster than some other products too. And let me tell you, when Mom came home and saw we had used the pads she was so happy! Yeah, I said happy! All she did was pick up the pads and throw them away. No muss, no fuss!

We don't have carpet in our house but we do love to lounge on all the furniture. So our friends at Purina ProCare were smart to have created the handy Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator product too. My brudder Schooner is always leaving paw prints or dirt on the couch so Mom just sprayed some of the Eliminator on the area and it cleaned it right away. Lake had something smelly he rolled in outside and came right in and rolled it all over Mom's chair so with a quick spray of the Eliminator, a little scrub with a paper towel and the spot as well as the smell were gone. Sometimes, I wish I could spray the Eliminator on Lake and make him go away!!! Just Woofin' with you! Anywoof, another grrreat product that everbuddy should keep on hand for all those misc pet stains and odors. Works great on carpet, rugs, furniture and floors!

Hope you enjoyed our Procare review and we sure had fun trying out these grrrrreat new products from our friends at Purina. Yeah, they are pretty pawsome to think of cool new ways to help pet parents keep their homes odor and stain free. And with Purina Procare products you won't have to worry about accidents, odors or pet stains so go and stock up on these must have products. You can find them at your local pet stores.

Check out their website for more information on the ProCare products...

http://www.purinaprocare.com

"Our 2nd Year Celebration Has Begun...With a Gift"

2011-09-18T11:17:00.000-07:00

It is so crazy to think we are about to celebrate our 2nd year anniversary/birthday! I had the idea in my head the Summer of 2009 and knew I wanted to do some type of rescue/shelter awareness project but had no idea where it would lead or what it would become. Funny to think about how all the random pieces and parts fell together as DFTP began. It took me a little longer than the 80 dog portraits in 80 days but now after almost 2 years I am continuing to paint new dogs and hopefully some other animals as well and watching the blog, Facebook and Twitter fan pages growing
daily. So is this a dream and I will have to keep pinching myself to make sure it is really happening?

And now that we are gaining some national attention and growing our social media across the World, we are finding and meeting fans we didn't even know we had. We've met people from Hamiliton Humane Society in Indiana, our friends at the Golden Gate Basset Rescue to people we didn't even know at BlogPaws coming up and saying how they loved our art and message. Thousands are flocking to the blog and our fan pages and are inspiring us to keep moving forward! So we will! But to begin the Big 2nd Year Celebration we have already begun to receive "gifts".

This sweet 'gift" comes from Ginny Tata-Phillips, one of our many great friends and supporters of DFTP and helping animals. She herself is a huge animal advocate and Mama to 5 fuzzies, 4 of which are basset rescues. Ginny is a published author of many books and she is known coast to coast for all of her great work helping homeless bassets and others in need. She sent this wonderful gift of prose about me your DFTP artist and creator. So we send out a BIG WOOF to Ginny and her family at the Basset Plantation for all their love and friendship to myself and Dogs for the PAWS!

Rock On

Ginny Tata-Phillips

My friend, Missy(Annamarie) Johnson calls me a Rock Star. She is a crazy woman. I have written a few books, published a few pictures in magazines back in the dark ages. This Rock Star wants to hitch her wagon to the up and coming Star from Dogs For The Paws.

There is nothing cold and prickly about Missy. She is all about warm fuzzy feelings. She is the kind of person you want to befriend. She is the kind of friend you always want in your corner or on your team. She is a forever kind of friend.

Missy is all about the animals. She believes they all deserve loving forever homes, free from fear and hunger. Just take a peek at her Paws Project to see how she feels about animal abuse. See, Missy has a God given talent to express what she believe through her art.

Look at the eyes. Missy captures the hope for the future in the eyes of each of her dog paintings. Despite the neglect and abuse, the pain and sorrow these animals have suffered, they all have a spark of hope, and Missy captures that spark in her art.

Missy herself is a work of art (or a piece of work, if you will)! She is quite pleasant to look at with a cheerful smile and sparkling eyes. But put a dog in her lap or her arms or next to Missy and an aura seems to surround them. Wait! Is that a halo? Cuz this angel for the animals is beaming! She exudes a beauty that ain’t just skin deep, my friend. Put Missy and an animal in the same vicinity and their souls connect. Missy is stunning and the soul of the formerly neglected or abused animal just merges with hers and shines on through.

Photo courtesy of BKW Photography

Ask Chamberlain. Ask Nico. Ask Wyatt Earp, they will tell you about Missy, because they know. I always used to say I would not let my girls go out with any boy the dogs did not like. Dogs can see right through a shining exterior to a rotten core. What do they sense in Missy? A heart of gold, my friend, a heart of pure shining platinum even!

Dogs For The Paws has a message and Missy has a vision. Her art expresses it and it is all about love. It is all about hope. Rock on Miss Annamarie Johnson! YOU are the Rock Star and we are your most fervent fans!

We love you Missy and Happy 2nd Year to Dogs for the PAWS!!!

Our great friend, Basset Plantation Mama, and author Ginny Tata-Philips and Missy in Spotsylvania, VA

From all of us at the Basset Plantation, Ginny and The Colonel, Rudy, Duffy, Hannah Lee Gurl Dawg, Sweet Pete and Bruno Giuseppe!

To check out more of Ginny's blog direct from the hub of Spotsylvania, VA, her great books and publications, as well as all the Basset Plantation's fun...follow her blog and go send her a WOOF on her Facebook page...

http://gspotsylvania.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/my4hounds

"Mikki...You Opened My Heart and Eyes to Others in Need"

2011-08-13T23:06:00.000-07:00

Mikki- Conneticut

"Paws Pack" Member #84

Ten years ago, late at night, while my husband was working, I decided, out of the blue, that what our family needed was a dog! So, I went online and stumbled upon Petfinder.com where I could search for animals in our state in need of a home.
I stopped when I saw the cutest 'lil face staring back at me with the word ‘URGENT’ next to her picture. I KNEW I had found OUR DOG. I was able to get in touch with someone that night who was able to provide additional info, etc. I was told that the dog was a 3-4 yr old hound mix and that her name was Mickey (which we later changed to Mikki because we thought it just sounded more feminine). Apparently, she was given that name because the splotches on her back resembled the Mickey Mouse ‘ears’. The woman mentioned to me that this dog had actually been featured on the local news as their Pet-of-The-Week as well as having been to several Adopt-a-thons. Because the dog was so sweet (not to mention, cute!) she didn't understand why she hadn't been adopted. I like to think she was waiting for us
That night, when my husband came home from work I hit him with the news. Initially he told me 'We're not getting a dog". Through tears, I showed him her picture and told him that, although I had'nt even met her yet, I loved this girl! We went to see her the next day @ the New Haven (CT) Animal Shelter and, as soon as I walked in, I told the people there that I was there for 'my dog'.
They brought us down to meet Mikki.

Poor thing was underweight, had conjunctivitis in both eyes, and the tip of her tail was a raw mess from all the wagging she did at the shelter. We were told that because it was a holiday wknd, we couldn't bring her home that day. They had to verify residency, etc...
This allowed us time to go to Petco and get everything we needed (and a few things we didn't). We felt like first-time parents! Our youngest son (3 1/2 at the time) and I went to pick up our girl. I paid the $35 (the best $35 we've ever spent) and was handed her paperwork. While they went to get Mikki, I looked at her rabies certificate and under breed it said 'hound/pit mix'.

I have to admit, at the time, I, like so many others out there, saw the 'pit' and panicked. I said "Pit....as in pitbull?" I thought what the heck am I doing, I've got two small children.....But, in the end, I went with my gut instinct. So glad I did because, for 9 1/2 years, we were blessed to have this sweet girl in our lives.
We now make it a point to advocate for the pitbull breed, educating people, etc.
Mikki was a sweet, gentle soul, there was not a mean bone in her body! She was an absolute love!
Over the years, Mikki had many chronic health conditions, procedures, surgeries, etc. throughout which she was so tolerant and brave!
She was my baby and I took care of her just like I would with my two-legged kids.
Four years ago we decided that our family needed another furbaby. So, I went back on Petfinder and found our Sammy, a beagle/basset mix that we got from a local rescue.. Sammy and Mikki were great buds. Mikki was Sammy’s ‘sissy’.

It was hard watching Mikki’s health deteriorate as she aged. There were pills to be taken twice a day but, even with those, she suffered.towards the end, stairs became very difficult and she would often trip/fall. On Oct. 15, 2010, she took a particularly bad fall down the flight of stairs. She could barely walk, let alone stand. Although she was not crying or moaning we knew she was in pain...We told our boys, as they left for school, that we weren't sure, but we thought we'd have to put Mikki to sleep that day. After giving it much thought, my husband and I decided to make that very difficult, selfless decision. A decision no pet owner ever wants to have to make.
I placed a call to the vet and, a few hours later, we found ourselves driving (tearfully) to the vet. My husband and I stayed with her, we had to! The moment the vet listened with his stethoscope and told us that she had passed is a moment neither one of us will soon forget! That was a hard day!
We had Mikki cremated and her ashes returned to us. She's back where she belongs, with her family, albeit in an oak box on our mantle

Our Mikki Girl will forever be in our hearts. Not a day goes by that we don't think of her
Although, there is no way to replace our girl, we knew we couldn't wait to open our home and hearts to another rescue dog. Plus, Sammy was missing his ‘sissy’. So, back to Petfinder.com I went.

We ended up finding our Molly, a 3 yr old beagle mix that was being fostered down in Arkansas. She arrived in CT on Saturday 10/30. She is a sweetheart and we love her to pieces! It's as if she's been here all along. Funny, she reminds us a lot of Mikki , when she was younger. I think, in a way, maybe Mikki was responsible for bringing Molly to us.

It’s really because of our girl, Mikki that I do what I do.
I am now a volunteer with a wonderful rescue as well as the admin. for a Facebook page dedicated to promoting animal rescue/adoption.

Thank You, my sweet girl, for opening my heart, and eyes, to all of the other Mikki’s out there……

**********************************************************************************

After we put Mikki to sleep, that same night I was on Petfinder. I knew we could never 'replace' our girl but I thought what better way to have Mikki's memory live on than to open our hearts & home to another animal in need. Molly was being fostered in AL and arrived here in CT on Oct. 30 (15 days after putting Mikki down). LOVE this girl to pieces. I really think Mikki had a hand (paw) in this.....

"Stacey Mae...is a Big Teddy Bear"

2011-08-06T18:30:00.000-07:00

Stacey Mae Mountain- Colorado

"Paws Pack' Member #83

" Lulu the Gentle Spaniel"

2011-08-06T18:29:00.000-07:00

Lulu- New Zealand

"Paws Pack" Member #82

Lulu is a kind gentle english springer spaniel, who ended up in our family when we found out she was going to be "destoyed" as her family were moving overseas, once we took her we discovered she had a huge fear of men and later discovered she had been beaten. She would fall to the ground and urinate if a man came near or or raised there voice. With lots of time and love being shown to her, Lulu is now rehabilitated and trusting. She is a wonderful and special member to our family.

" A Simple Idea Can Inspire Others"

2011-08-03T22:44:00.000-07:00

So hard to believe August is upon us already. With the summer flying by I will be getting ready to attend the pet social media conference BlogPaws and will be celebrating DFTP's 2nd year at the end of September. So to kick off August with a WOOF, I wanted to continue the quest to reach as many people across the country as possible to inspire and educate them on the need of shelter and rescue pets. Since I am able to create any type of design or artwork I want, I decided a cool simple graphic series was the perfect choice. I am a big fan of artist's Shepard Fairey's work, you might best know him from the famous Obama HOPE poster that Shepard created and then was arrested for plagerism of the photo he worked from.
I picked out some simple words and phrases such as Rescue, Adopt, Love a Senior, Chaining dogs etc...to work into the different designs. Shepard has a very cool, clean style that I used as the design base. The finished pieces are really fun and pop off the page.

Using a simple palette of red, grey, black and browns I've created a series of images I am calling the "WOOF and MEOW Series". Believe it or not, we have a big following of kitty lovers too so wanted to give them something to enjoy as well. I used some of the Paws Pack dogs from the project along with a couple of Facebook dog Buddies too. I want this series to engage and draw attention to the issues of helping animals in need. I hope with the bold graphics and colors they will draw attention to the different issues related to helping pets in need...from chained pets to the plight of senior pets being dropped off at shelters on a daily basis.

I wasn't sure how people would react to them since they are illustrated so differently from the Paws Pack. But to my surprise, they are catching peoples' attention and others are posting and sharing them on their sites and blogs. So keeping it simple is a good rule to follow when you want to make a statement and engage your audience. I hope you will stop by our Facebook Fan page and check the series out and all the great people who post and share our project. It's a wonderful group and we have a really good time working to make a difference for animals in need. Enjoy!!

You can come and WOOF with us on our Facebook Fan page

http://www.facebook.com/Dogsforthepaws

"Nico's Happy Wagging Tale"

2011-07-31T16:50:00.000-07:00

"America's Dog"

I was so excited when the email came over that asked if I still wanted to go to Indiana to visit our Paws Pack boy #19, Nico Swangarris, the now famous rescued and adopted deaf, Dogo Argentino. I couldn't believe that I was really going to meet this special boy in person but thanks to the generous donation of a plane ticket from our friends at the Golden Gate Basset Rescue this wish was coming true. I was going to spend a long weekend with Nico and his family in Indy and couldn't wait to meet them.

"The Happy Family"

***Photo courtesy of Shirley Ann Photography

Nico's Mom, Bridget met me at the airport and off we went to meet this amazing dog I only knew from painting his portrait, his DFTP project story and all the time I have spent "talking" to Nico on his fan page. He is brother to Brisby (a Pittie/Dalmation mix, they call the "Hot Mess" who is also deaf) as well as Mia and Max the cats. His Moms, Bridget and Melissa are wonderful and I could tell from all our chats on the phone and thru emails, that they are huge animal lovers and supporters of helping shelter pets and because of Nico being a Dogo Argentino they are especially passionate about bully breeds. They are so loving and dedicated to Nico and Brisby who were both adopted from the Humane Society of Hamilton County. They help promote and support HSHC by attending events sponsored by them throughout the year. Nico has a huge network of fans from the shelter including their Executive Director, Rebecca Stevens and during my visit we were given a complete behind the scenes tour of the entire facility and all it's residents. They care for so many animals but each one is cared for daily and loved on all the time. They are very resourceful and have a huge volunteer group that makes sure every dog and cat is either walked or visited with everyday. They also have the most unqiue cat room, complete with recycled reptile enclosures with different tiers for the cats to hang out on. The World needs more shelters like HSHC and Rebecca Stevens who really are making a difference in the lives of homeless pets.

As we walked into the house Bridget said I would meet Nico first then they would bring Brisby in because she gets a little crazy with new people. Brisby runs up to you and growls but in just a little while she is your best friend. I walked into the house and followed them to the living room and looking straight at me laying on the end of the couch was NICO!!! He came up, tail wagging and sniffed and seemed to be alright with me as we said our "Hellos". He is much taller and bigger than the "virtual Nico" but so much better in person. They let Brisby out and she ran around and growled but they said that is how she greets people. I couldn't take my eyes off of Nico. His beautiful white coat is scarred here and there from his past life as a fighting dog most likely and a couple of surgeries he has had to remove tumors from his continuing fight with cancer.

He has the biggest, most handsome block head and beautiful pink gums which show off his filed down teeth, another trait of fighting and bait dogs. His now famous eyes, one the palest blue and the other a hazel color that in the sunlight glows looked me over and he just let me sit by him and pet him. He didn't bark or make a sound he just looked at me and we connected. The most amazing thing about Nico is, even through all of his life's journey from abuse and probably being a fighting dog, living on the streets, being transported across the country and ending up in Indiana...his tail still wags. It wags when he sees you, when he sees others and when his Moms look at him and "speak" to him thru his vibration collar that tail is always going. Bridget and Melissa communicate with both Nico and Brisby thru the use of vibration collars that they were trained on by their friends at Invisible Fence. It is not a shock collar, just vibrates like a tickle. They control and communicate with hand signals too. It's really fascinating to watch them interact with the dogs and how smart and well trained Nico and Brisby are. Melissa does this cute thumbs up signal when the dogs do something right and I found myself doing it to my dogs when I got home.

Brisby has the palest ice blue eyes...

Nico loves to lay outside in the yard but he can't be in the sun a lot due to the cancer on his ear.

In Indiana, Nico is known far and wide from his numerous TV and local pet event appearances. When Bridget and Melissa adopted him, HSHC had given him a red collar and a blue name tag and since he is all white he was dubbed "America's Dog" by all his fans and friends. They call him the "Ambassador for Bully Breeds". Did you know that "Nico" means Victory of the People and he has had quite an amazing life victory so far. Coming from the streets and a shelter in LA, having his well known picture taken in the shelter that went viral across Facebook and social media to his huge transport across the country to be rehabilitated and trained at HSHC and Invisible Fence to being a loving and happy family member of the Swangarris Pack. Life couldn't be any better except now once again cancer has reared it's ugly head and Nico is currently fighting the for his life. He has 4 cancers in his body and 1 of them is very aggressive so he needs constant care and medication to keep him comfortable. The cancer on his ear is not aggressive but it just an annoyance that he wants to rub and scratch all the time. So Bridget and Melissa have to bathe him regularly and keep his ear cleaned and medicated daily. Brisby is only about a year and half so is all puppy and loves to play and start stuff with Nico too. So they lead a busy life caring for the dogs and the cats who are both happy healthy kitties.

I hope you have enjoyed my recap of this special trip to visit Nico and his family. Along with Indiana and the US, Bridget mentioned he has tons of fans from Austrailia too, so the "Rock Star" is loved and adored across the World. And why wouldn't he? Nico is love. Keep waggin' your tail buddy....

If you would like to read more about Nico, Send him a WOOF, buy a cool Nico tee from his Zazzle Shop, make a donation to his medical costs, or just hang out with him on his Facebook Fan page click the links below...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nico-Swangarris/225531097488119

http://www.zazzle.com/Niconation

http://nicosfund.chipin.com/nicos-cancer-treatments

Get Prepared with the Wag'N Rover Respond"R

2011-05-30T14:23:00.000-07:00

With the current news of natural disasters occurring across our country can you definitely say that you are prepared for an emergency or accident that involves you and your pet? Do you consider how your pets will be affected should your home be damaged in a fire or you and your pet are involved in a automobile accident? Truthfully, this is something that many people don't consider but thanks to our friends at Wag'N Pet Safety Gear, your pet can now have all necessary medical and contact information quickly available during an emergency. Having an emergency action plan is part of being a responsible pet parent.

Wag'N has developed the Rover Respond'R Kit and the Pet First Aid Bandana for all pet owners to keep handy in your car as well as your home. This is NOT a pet first aid kit but an interactive tool that, during an emergency, provides first responders with important pet and contact information. The kit is great for many who travel with their pets and need to keep pet information together.

The kit comes complete with an assortment of great materials and features including:

-Mobile Emergency Pocket Folder(document carrier)

-Vehicle Alert Decals

-Home Alert Decals

-Animal Transport Forms

-Pet Passport(for 1 dog- If you have more than 1 pet you can order more on the Wag"N site)

-Interactive CD-ROM with Interactive Documentation Forms :

*Pet Owner Information Form

*Emergency Contact Forms

*Pet Profile Form

*Printable Emergency Wallet card

*Printable Lost Pet Poster

*Printable Stolen Pet Poster

The CD-ROM is very easy to fill out and will aide first responders with your pet's complete information so make sure you fill it our completely. The handy Pocket Folder is great and not too big to keep in the car as well as at home.

The Alert decals are available for both your automobile and for use at home so you want to make sure you fill them out so emergency personnel will be alerted that there is a pet or pets to attend to.

We really like the Pet First Aid Bandana which goes step by step how to help your pet in an emergency. This is one very handy item and lists every type of emergency from burns to an unconscious pet and walks you through the Dog and Cat ABC's of administering first aid to your pet.

With the ease that the Wag'N Rover Respond'N Kit offers keeping your pet's important information available in case of emergency complete your action plan TODAY so your pets are cared for too. Dogs for the PAWS is sending a WOOF OUT to all pet parents...."Are you ready for the UNEXPECTED?"

For more information or to order your Wag'N Rover Respond'R Kit today...

http://www.WAGN4U.com/rover

"We Love the Miracle that is Patrick..."

2011-04-02T20:07:00.000-07:00

Patrick - New Jersey

"Paws Pack" Member #81

Who knew just a few weeks ago when Patrick was rescued that he would be the most loved and talked about face around the World. He has grabbed hearts from Kansas City to Ireland and shows no signs of slowing down. At this writing, his Facebook Fan page, the Patrick Miracle has almost 80,000 fans and friends of the "Patrick Movement" as some have called it. You can really say that a picture has changed this sweet, starved for food and love boy into a huge "celebrity" in the fight against animal abuse and neglect. We looked in sadness at those first pictures of his frail almost a skeleton frame, and those sweet brown eyes that have captured our hearts! Everyday, thousands send him messages of love and hope, and of course we are one of those thousands that have jumped on the Patrick Train to cheer him on and wish him well everyday.

We are so impressed by his remarkable recovery and becoming an icon to speak out against animal abuse and making the abusers of animals be served with a much more serious level of the law in both jail time and the fines they are to pay. When Patrick's former owner was found, and the discussions began about what level of offense she would receive as opposed to what she SHOULD receive, Patrick's fans spoke out. This started a wave of outbursts from these thousands of people and believe it or not...she will be served a much harsher sentence, fine and community service time. It is just amazing how the power of pictures, Facebook and this pitiful, skinny, starved dog could inspire the public to stand up and speak out as they have! So proud, so proud!

With such strenth and will to live in his story as well as being inspired ourselves, we bring you our 81st Paws Pack rescue dog, Patrick the Miracle! Thank you Patrick and fans for all your support, inspiration, and love for a sweet, starved dog we have all come to know and support. We want to send a BIG WOOF OUT to Patrick's rescuers and caregivers at Garden State Veterinary Specialists or GSVS as it is fondly known. Thank you for helping and sharing this special "miracle's" journey with all of us.

http://www.gsvs.org/

Patrick we are so proud of you and are "United in the PAW" and here to work alongside you to make a difference helping other abused animals find their happy lives. Dog Bless You!

You can also join Patrick's Law Facebook page and read about his new law info and group at the link below.

http://www.PatricksLaw.com/

"Guest Blogger post on BlogPaws"

2011-03-26T21:37:00.000-07:00

Was so excited to be asked to write a "Guest Blogger" post on BlogPaws page. Such an amazing group they are so interested in sharing the work of pet bloggers all over the World. Since I started the Dogs project from an idea as well as my passion for rescue, BlogPaws wanted me to write about how that simple idea is becoming reality with a steady social media platform. Let's face it, if there were no Facebook, Twitter or Blogger , Dogs for the PAWS wouldn't be the growing group that it is. So remember if you have a passion and love for a cause, whatever that may be...don't hesistate to build an idea from it. It could be the best thing you ever did.

I included the link to BlogPaws site in case you would like to check it out or sign up to attend their annual event which will be this August 2011 in Vienna, Virginia. I am attending also.

"The Uniqueness of YOU"

Each of us is an individual...with our own thoughts, ideas and passions. Seldom do we discover that these passions for a "cause" can be the start of a new direction in our lives. I am one of those people who made that discovery. Some called me a "crazed animal activist"...simply because I wanted to do something that brought no monetary rewards at all, but exposed and promoted the work of animals rescue and shelters across the nation. I am not a celebrity or a public figure, just a regular person who had a passion for an idea that began from watching a movie, scribbling on a piece of paper, and a love for animals. I rescued and adopted a special dog I have loved for the past 10 years. That experience brought me to be a volunteer for a rescue group, many years later.

I am a professional graphic designer and illustrator. I wanted to do something with my art that would be engaging and also help to promote the dedicated effort that rescue and shelter people make, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This idea began in September of 2009. October and November are national adoption months so I planned to kick off this project then. For the past couple of years, I had wanted to get back to painting pet portraits. Everyone loves pet art. I decided to challenge myself and paint 80 rescue dogs' portraits and include the stories of their rescue, in 80 days. I work full time, so would have to do all of this at night, after work and during weekends. I decided to send out an email to all my rescue friends and see who might submit a dog to participate in my project. I wrote a simple press release, introduced my plans for the project, added the logo on a letterhead type email and sent it out. I received 35 submissions that first week. Knowing the work a pet portrait can take, I painted all the portraits 8"x9". This way they wouldn't take too long to paint. Well, that was the understatement of the year!! I never considered the amount of painting and the detail work required, to make each dog look the way I wanted him or her to look. I got a good start, but the 80 days I had planned to paint became 90 days, and day by day til it ended at 503 days.

I saw the movie, "Julie &Julia", about the writer who cooked her way thru Julia Child's cookbook and wrote a blog about it. This is what gave me the idea for the blog. It looked easy enough, but I am an artist , not a writer, so I planned to have the participating dogs' families write the stories. I would paint the portraits, post them on Twitter, Facebook, and the project blog www.dogsforthepaws.com. I did set up the blog , but not knowing a lot about .com and such, I just used the basic blogspot.com part of the blog address. It was not until recently I bought the domain and now it is a .com. So much easier for tweeting, posting, business cards, etc... The plan was coming together nicely, but from an idea you have to consider an image so that you can promote and have people recognize you. The project had a name but needed a logo. Since I was painting the portraits, I went with a simple but colorful image...the paw in a lot of colors. I picked a funky, trendy font and put it all together. If you are not an artist, there are many affordable designers that can help you with developing your image and logo. You can also use a great clip art site, such as iStock or Vectezzy to find an image to use. With a little work you can have a logo, plan and blog site set up and ready to go within a few hours.

As I continued painting, learning how to post on the blog, Facebook and Twitter, something miraculous began to happen. I was painting and posting and people were starting to join the blog, Facebook and Twitter pages. I would post a new dog and story, and have INSTANT comments from friends and followers. My little "art project" as I call it, was beginning to become a reality with a group of pet lovers just like me. People who want to do something to help animals in need. To learn how to use social media better, I took an online class. With Facebook and Twitter I posted to all the different pet groups, magazines online and published as well. Also, I posted to all my pet friends, current and all the new friends I was meeting along the way. Folks seemed to find the stories of these rescued pets to be inspiring and they loved the art presentation. It's that simple, friends. Take all the parts and pieces and present it in an engaging and unique way and your passion will drive you to success.

With the World at my fingertips...through Facebook, Twitter and the blog, I would post and share to all my local sites, as well as national sites, groups, events, etc... The project was first introduced nationally by DogTipper.com and it continued to gain popularity and friends. The project has been featured in many online and published magazines as well as FIDOFriendly, All Things Dog Blog and PeoplePets. The PAWS PACK families, as they are fondly known, have written and contributed stories and posts to bring more attention to the dogs and the shelters/rescues that found these animals. More and more people started sharing as well and the portraits began to get the attention of so many people. I spent about three hours every night, just working with the social media and interaction with fans. Also, there was painting every night of the week. I was excited! This project was being noticed all over the country and I was invited to paint all sorts of unique rescued dogs. My first portrait was of my own rescued dog, Wyatt Earp. However, this blog touched on every breed of dog and every subject that had to be addressed by the rescuing shelter or group...from fighting dogs to senior pets. From Nico, the Dogo Argentino, Faith, the very well known two legged dog, Rosie, from the Basset Hound puppy mill, Chamberlin who has sparked the WORLD with his amazing story of recovery and Target, the Afghan Hero dog who was named USA Today's Most Heroic Dog of 2010...the project dogs are all inspiring. I tack the paintings on my studio wall so that I can remember what I am suppose to do...inspire others to be the change for all animals in need. The group is not breed specific at all, which makes it fun to read about Azera, The Nova Scotia Tolling Water Retriever to Riley the Labrador mix senior who lived 13 years of his life on the end of a chain. The stories are heartfelt. I always joke that I have kept the Kleenex Company in business while working on the portraits and reading the stories, and crying through many days and nights.

After the idea first popped into my head and until I finally finished the paintings, people have wanted to share, post and talk about the project. They asked when the next painting or story would be posted, etc... Some hope that posting on the blog about a rescue group that needs to raise funds might get attention and support from other animal lovers. Pet lovers meeting other pet lovers, from all over the World...using the blog, Facebook and Twitter pages. Here I sit in Charleston, South Carolina, doing my art, and looking at the studio wall with the coolest "wallpaper" you have ever seen. This simple little idea of 80 dogs' portraits, with 80 stories or their rescues, has grown to almost 3000 fans from Twitter to Facebook and the numbers continue to grow daily. It really is a reality that is coming into it's own, with an active support group. I am truly amazed!

Just remember that not every idea will become reality but with your heart and passion for your idea, you can make a difference and find success, just by being the unique individual that YOU are. For my birthday my Mom gave me a sign that says...

"Uniqueness"
"Today You are You, That is Truer than True. There is No On Alive Who is Youer than YOU"

Now go make a difference!

http://www.blogpaws.com/2011/03/the-uniqueness-of-you.html

"Looking for a Furever Room Mate?"

2011-03-15T16:40:00.000-07:00

We are always working to bring awareness and inspire others to help pets in need, we like to share some of the great pets available through amazing rescue organizations. The Humane Society of Hamilton County is one of our favorite groups and great friends. We first met them when they contacted us about sharing a sweet, deaf Dogo Argentino's incredible rescue story. Yes, you are correct, that sweet boy was Nico.

Since that first meeting, we have featured and helped promote the wonderful works and the even more amazing pets they have rescued and helped over the years. So proud of HSHC and their dedication to helping all pets in need. For the next few weeks, until she gets adopted, we are featuring the very sweet and beautiful Pearl. If you or know someone who is looking to adopt a wonderful new family member, and you are close to Indiana stop in and meet Pearl. Just tell HSHC that Dogs for the PAWS sent you. HSHC's link is below Pearl's pictures so you can check out their site and all the other sweet souls looking for furever homes.

Pearl is 3 years old and loves to play with toys and hopes her new home with have a big toy box just for her! She attended Wine, Wags &Whiskers event in a feathered boa collar with nail-pawish on. :)

In case you wondered if animals smile...well here' your proof!!! Happy girl and what a face!!!

http://www.hamiltonhumane.com/

"We Are Going to Be on The Pet Podcast Channel(TPPC.tv )Show"

2011-03-09T22:20:00.000-08:00

We are so excited to announce our interview with our new friends at the very popular Pet Podcast Channel or TPPC.tv, as it is known by friends and fans....They have a great program lined up and we are excited to be able to participate. It is this Thursday evening (March 10th) at 7:00 pm. Please come and join the show by clicking the link below as our creator and artist, Annamarie and the PAWS PACK 80 takes to the internet to discuss our Pet Art Charity project that is now receiving national recognition. Big Woofs to the TPPC.tv crew along with their hosts, Robbin and Joseph Everett. So come check us out and show your support of our special art project. To watch the show you can click the link below and Annamarie will be dialing in from South Carolina to chat. It's going to be a special segment so don't miss out on all the fun!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/tppctv

"Sharing the Love and Dedicated Work of CBHR"

2011-03-02T22:02:00.000-08:00

This sweet shot of rescue basset mom, Dolly and her baby just captures our heart. Dolly was rescued and rehomed due to the amazing work of the Carolina Basset Hound Rescue. CBHR as they are known works across North and South Carolina to help bassets in need. There are so many basset hounds rescued each year and thanks to groups like CBHR, even the puppies are rescued, cared for and also given every opportunity to find loving homes.

If you are interested in adopting a new family member or making a donation, you can contact them at the link below. Keep up the great work and dedication to helping houndies in need, CBHR!!!

http://www.cbhr.com

"Puppy Kisses"

"Winnie Woofs that We Are An AWESOME Blog!!"

2011-02-21T20:26:00.000-08:00

We woke up this morning to find a post from a Twitter friend that we were awarded this by Winnie's Dog Blog...What a great surprise and a wonderful way to start off the day! Big Woofs to Winnie and thank you for sharing us with all your friends and fans.

MONDAY, 21 FEBRUARY 2011

What a nice start to the week

What a lovely surprise when I was catching up on the news from my namesake - The Other Winnie Cooper - last night and found that she had very generously passed on to me the Awesome Blog award.

I felt very privileged and proud.

If you've not met the other Winnie yet - she's a Shih Tzu and very very cute and clever. So do stop by and say hello to her.

As is the way with these awards I now have to tell you a few things about myself that you might not know. Hhhmmm! Let me think.

1. My dad was an Australian greyhound called Hahn Bale who came over to the UK to sire puppies. I look a lot like him going by the picture on Greyhound-Data.com

2. His dad - my grandad - was Head Honcho who died in 2001 was one of the inaugural inductees in to the Victorian Greyhound Racing Hall Of Fame in 2009.

2. I love sharing Sunday roast dinner with the family - well they save some for me to eat after them - but it does mean some rather bad smells coming from the direction of my bottom on a Sunday evening which I pretend are nothing to do with me.

3. I like having my teeth brushed with chicken-flavoured toothpaste.

4. If we see people jogging on our walks I act like I want to join in (you can take the greyhound of out of the stadium but you can't stop her wanting to run).

5. My favourite toy at the moment is a squeaky plush reindeer that I had for Christmas - but that will change again soon.

Now for the blogs that I would like to honour by passing on the awesome award. This is really hard because I LOVE all my virtual friends who I follow. But here's who I have decided to recommend to you this time.

Presley the Lurcher (also known on Facebook as 'King Presley' - A Lurcher from Scotland with a lovely accent

A Scratch Behind the Ears - Always makes the LOTH feel peaceful and smile

Dogs for the Paws - Inspiring stories of rescue dogs

Finn's Dog Blog - He's a handsome bulldog

Granted Wishes Greyhounds - Greyhound rescue and training experiences

Hope you find some new blogs there that you perhaps didn't know about.

"Cuda...Ugly is the New Cute!"

2011-02-19T21:56:00.000-08:00

I'm an Animal Control Officer. One day, after work, I walked into a gas station and a couple had Cuda, a pit bull. At that time she was about 5 months old. Immediately you could see that Cuda had some issues. I jokingly said it was because she was inbred. Little did I know that a simple post on a pit bull "dog gaming, preserve the breed" type site would be such an eye opener.

I was told by breeders and then through further research of my own that her physical characteristics are associated with inbreeding and that mistakes like her are usually "culled" or exterminated. This happens when inbreeding is done to preserve a bloodline or create a new color. She is misshapen, has a malformed jaw resulting in a huge under bite, a tilted rib cage, a crooked spine, a fused neck , uneven looking ears- and, yes flat feet with her two front paws being different sizes.! The couple was trying to find someone to take the dog and although I had four more at home, I decided I was the only one qualified to have her! I kept on texting my husband until he caved. On the way home I decided to stop at the pet store with her and was stunned by the stares and whispers she received. Immediately protective, I decided to take her home and get a vet visit to make sure she was healthy and not in pain. Even my husband and son were initially repulsed when they saw her!

After a clean bill of health at the vet, Cuda became an integral part of the family. The dogs took to her right away as she took to them. She also fell in love with our cats. She's been with us nearly a year we can't imagine life without her! She is kind and clumsy and loves toys that squeak, although her first reaction is to run away from them!

Everyone who meets Cuda has the same reaction- stunned faces, dropped jaws and instant love!. There is no joking about why she looks the way she does. Over breeding and inbreeding dogs is unnecessary and cruel and not just limited to backyard breeders. We also decided to enter Cuda into the World's Ugliest Dog competition. We created a fan page for her and we now have more than 2800 fans! We are hoping that come June, Ugly is the New Cute and she wins. She has such an important story to tell...the dark side of breeding, the reality of pet overpopulation- the need for spaying and neutering, shelter and rescue dogs and mostly- pit bull awareness...people cannot believe she is a pit bull and when I tell them about the myths of pit bulls, it seems to quell their fears a little. Cuda has been on the radio twice and has met so many people in the last 10 months it's unreal! I love the expressions on people's faces when they see her..they whisper to one another until they cannot take it anymore and come over to ask us about her!

Thank you so much for reading her story. We have been accepting donations to get her to the contest but any monies in excess of those will go to rescue and education...

We are so proud to know Cuda and help share her heartwarming story. She has so much love and inspiration to give, let's help her with her quest to win the competition.

Please help our friend Cuda win the World's Ugliest Dog competition by joining her on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Help-Cuda-get-to-the-Worlds-Ugliest-Dog-Contest-June-2011/130963583605393

You can also join her on Twitter

http://twitter.com/#!/CudathePitBull

"Let's Make Some Art"

2011-02-17T21:13:00.000-08:00

This is our new client commission portrait of their best boy, Sanders. He is a Bull Mastiff and Sharpei mix and what a FACE!!! Thought you might enjoy seeing the steps while we paint. Watch out Bob Ross, here we come with our own "Painting Dogs the DFTP Way!" If you are interested in painting or getting back into painting, find what subjects interest you and have some fun!

This is a 12"x 12" canvas and started with a simple pencil sketch of the subject. Have your resource pictures ready and close to reference while you lay out the painting...Always remember that a painting is created in layers so take your time setting it up and the painting part of the project should go easily. After the sketch is done, start laying in the colors so you can see where you want what.
Work lightly with lots of water and then as you progress to the next layers begin tightening up the details and overall painting. But don't get discouraged and keep having fun!

Always step back from the painting to see how it is progressing. As long as you keep the paint light and watery you can go back and correct spots and change things around if you aren't pleased. We like to prop it up and look at a while. All the elements of the painting are laid in...eyes, nose, tongue, etc...now for the fine tuning and details...It's all about the DETAILS when you are painting portraits.

We use a variety of brushes and our paints are acrylics. They have the ability to look like a watercolor or an oil painting if you like. Really like the way it works on canvas also. Now you can see the details are starting to shine through. So much fun working on the eyes. Eyes are so important so remember to take your time layering and doing the details. Try some different kinds of brushes for the different parts of your painting. It's fun to experiment and see what works best!

Love working on the eyes. and all the fine details. With the right amount of tone and paint...you can really create something special that your client or painting recipient will appreciate and enjoy for years to come. It's like creating a memory on canvas. We love happy clients who tell all their friends about us!!!

Hope you have enjoyed our little painting session. If you are an artist please feel free to share your work with us on our http://www.Facebook.com/DogsforthePAWS page. We love meeting and chatting with other pet artists and fans.

"Chamberlin Gets His New Wheels"

2011-02-11T21:47:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of BKW Photography 2011

What an exciting day for our 80th PAWS PACK boy, Chamberlin. Today his new "wheels" arrived and he is getting used to them. What an amazing feeling it must be for him since he isn't able to walk and has to be carried in and out by his loving Team Chamberlin caregivers. So happy "New Wheels" sweet Chamb...we are so lucky to be able to share your special moments with you. Big Woofs!

His big day was also featured on television today so enjoy the video. And after being inspired all over again by this remarkable boy...go and make a donation to Susie's Fund so that Chamberlin and other dogs can continue to receive all the care and supplies they need. Keep up the great work, Guilford County Animal Shelter!!!

http://www.myfox8.com/news/wghp-story-chamberlin-110211,0,6748962.story

"Give That Special Someone a Simple Gift for Valentines...A Hug!"

2011-02-10T23:51:00.000-08:00

It's a great feeling to "hug" our pets and shower them with praise and love everyday. A hug is such a simple way to show a pet friend how much they mean to you. From Ireland to Austrailia, a hug is a gift that costs nothing and everyone enjoys receiving.

I come home to my dogs and it is such a joy to see them and get greeted with the best woofs, and kisses ever. Having a home with 3 young bassets and 2 older dogs, I always call out their names and look them in the eye so they know I am talking to them directly. I just like to make sure everyone gets lots of hugs, love and praise everyday for being such great gifts in my life.

It always amazes me when we take the bassets out in public, the way children and adults respond to them. We always have kids running up to us, excited to pet and hug the dogs. They get right in the dogs' faces but it's like the bassets and kids have this unspoken code of love between them. And to watch the way the dogs get excited to see the kids. It always makes me smile. I tell people that Bassets are like "kid magnets". It's always the bassets I see the kids run to at events. They get so much energy just having kids around. Through our rescue work and while attending events it is so wonderful to help show kids, that pets need love and kindness. Makes you proud to know you are helping to teach our youth that pets are to be loved and appreciated, not mistreated.

As I mentioned before, I love animals and enjoy meeting different people and their pets. This is my buddy Preston and we met at a social media event last year. He is so sweet. I asked him if he is exhausted all the time from being so ADORABLE? I mean, really how cute is he. Of course I hugged him and we took pictures too. It's funny how a dog that doesn't even know you, responds to a kind tone in your voice or a hug.

My husband is a notorious hugger and addicted to big dogs. If there is a big dog in the area he is going to hug it! Dog park, around our neighborhood, it just doesn't matter to him. If there is a dog it needs a hug! And this addiction does have a loophole where puppies are concerned...WE HUG PUPPIES ANY CHANCE WE GET!!!
Oh yes, we are captivated by puppies and have had the opportunity with our rescue work to photograph some different litters of rescue puppies. Jim says their feet smell like corn chips and it causes you to want to do nothing but hug these little creatures and love on them. Come on, you all know what we're talking about. This is nothing new. But what an experience to watch these blessed beings grow and become the sweet pets we all know and love. We're talking lots and lots of hug time here!

So to start your weekend off...go hug your pets whether they are horses, gerbils, spider monkeys, dogs or cats...everyone needs a hug. There are so many benefits to taking the time to show that special furry friend how much you care. If we take more time to share our lives with our pet friends, and remember they are not property to mistreat, it's all our lives that will be full and blessed. Remember hugs are good for your heart. So on this Valentine's month give your pet the best gift ever...a hug!

"Everybody Needs a Little Faith"

2011-02-09T21:04:00.000-08:00

What can we say about our "Paws Pack" girl Faith...she is just too cute!!! From therapy girl to cheering on our troops, Faith is one of the most amazing dogs we have met. Did we mention she does all of this good work without the aide of front legs.

You will have to go read Faith's inspiring story here on the blog and check out her website too. Her Mom says she goes out in the snow and since she doesn't have any front legs she just rolls around making her own version of a snow angel. Well, we think Faith is an Angel and we love getting to know her as well as her family. Have a great day and if you get a chance go make a snow angel in Faith's honor...she would love that!!!

All Photos are Courtesy of Jude and Faith

"In Target We Trust..."

2011-02-05T23:01:00.000-08:00

It was such an honor paint Target's Paws portrait and share her amazing story for the Dogs group. Target's Dad, Terry is wonderful person and we have enjoyed chatting with him about future projects with their new site and group...Target's Bunker. We also have met new friends at the Puppy Rescue Mission. They are the group that help soldiers bring their rescued puppies and dogs home to adopt. This is such an amazing organization that we donated this design to honor Target's legacy as well as helping PRM generate some much needed funds to continue their dedicated work.

You can order this design now from their online store and you purchase will help them continue to bring pets in need to the United States to happy and adoptive homes.

Enjoy shopping and helping rescue pets loved by their soldiers come to the US to live happy furever lives...

http://thepuppyrescuemission.onlineshirtstores.com/home

http://www.thepuppyrescuemission.org/

"Chamberlin's Light Shines Through"

2011-01-31T17:56:00.000-08:00

Chamberlin - North Carolina

"Paws Pack" Member #80

This is how my rescuers found me that day in the yard when I was rescued...

Hi! My name is "Chamberlin" I was forgotten in an overgrown yard and found while it was being mowed! There was no food, water or shelter for me as I waited for almost 2 months...I was finally found extremely weak, emaciated and my front legs do not function properly, but I've found hope because of the wonderful and caring people who saved me at The Guilford County Animal Shelter through "Susie's Fund" and I've begun on my long road to recovery, someday I will be better, but without you all I wouldn't have made it this far! Thank you for visiting my Dogs for the PAWS blog page and please share with all you know so that others like me won't have to suffer. BIG WOOFS!!!
My "Team Chamberlin" family at the shelter decided to make videos of my progress so I hope you enjoy watching me as I grow stronger everyday.

Chamberlin's Video

This was a great feature on me in the local NC news...

Greensboro, NC - Chamberlin endured neglect that no living creature should have to experience. The owners of the house that he was discovered at, Nellie Brock and Wilbert Morrison Junior, apparently abandoned their home, and in the process, their dog - Chamberlin.

Chamberlin was a dog forgotten - a dog that survived two long, grueling months without food, water, or shelter. Perhaps most heart-breaking to a loving, affectionate dog - denied human companionship.

The video clip shows Chamberlin's courageous fight to regain his strength. The emaciated dog has gained 8 pounds, is developing muscle mass in his rear legs, and is exhibiting surprising amounts of energy. Chamberlin has the will and spirit to survive.

According to the Guilford County Animal Shelter, Chamberlin undergoes daily physical therapy, including muscle stimulation and stretching exercises. X-rays have been taken to determine what type of surgery he will need to repair his legs. A specialist is reviewing them and an evaluation will be given soon.

Continue to hold Chamberlin in your thoughts and prayers as he struggles to recover from his horrific neglect. Celebrate his steps towards recovery and rejoice in the happy wag of his tail, as well as the new found sparkle in his dark eyes.

Kudos to the Guilford County Animal Shelter for providing such amazing care to Chamberlin. Surely the love and attention that he is receiving has as much to do with his recovery as his excellent medical care. (Article courtesy of the Greensboro News)

To help my Guilford County Animal Shelter Family continue their great work of helping pets in need please consider making a donation.

Guilford County Animal Shelter

I have such wonderful friends who are caring for me at Guilford County and one of my best friends is Marissa and she made this fun little cart for me to roll around in...you will see it in my video below...

Chamberlin's Physical Therapy

Thanks to my "Team Chamberlin" family at GCAS for sharing my story on Facebook and the internet, I am making so many new friends. That is how I met my friends at Dogs for the PAWS. Annamarie, her husband Jim and another friend of ours, Deborah came to visit me. We had such a nice time and they brought presents and lots of love and hugs. Annamarie had some very fuzzy and warm blankets embroidered for me with my name on them. I love my Dogs for the PAWS family and friends. Thank you for sharing my story and helping others like me get the help they need. WOOF!

So I am doing well and just found out that the State of North Carolina wants to name a law after me. We are all so excited to see the laws improve to help others like me who are in need. You can read about my law here....And thanks again to everbuddy for following me on Facebook, coming to visit me, and donating to help me with my recovery. I will also be receiving a wheelchair soon so I can move around a little more freely and not have to be carried. I am excited!!!

Chamberlin's Law

(Courtesy of news-record.com)

"Shuz was the answer to all our prayers..."

2011-01-23T18:22:00.000-08:00

Shuz - South Carolina

"Paws Pack" Member #79

Shuz was the answer to our seven years old daughter Aspen’s prayers. We lost the only dog Aspen had ever known, our 15 year old Samoyed Kehla, after a short illness. Aspen was, as could be expected, devastated. Obsessed by all animals, but specifically dogs, Aspen insisted on visiting the John Ancrum SPCA (the animal shelter now known as the Charleston Animal Society) in order to spend time with dogs. Over time Aspen’s pain of her loss dissipated as her love of dogs grew. She became a volunteer at the shelter and spent hours exercising and playing with the dogs (as did her parents as minors had to be accompanied at all times) and we knew it wouldn’t be long before one of the shelter dogs would become a member of our family. We had parameters for the potential new dog. We preferred a non-shedding dog (the wife’s allergies) but that didn’t work out. We thought a breed that wasn’t too high energy would be nice (uh, that didn’t work out so well either). We also thought we should wait for our daughter to mature a bit (strike three!).

Aspen, on the other hand, had guidelines that somehow were met (could it be a coincidence?). She wanted a dog that could fit in her lap, that would be energetic and friendly, and lastly one that could swim so she could take him to the beach. Though many dogs passed through the shelter during Aspen’s visits, it wasn’t until her cousin Tobias (another volunteer) called to say that a perfect fit had just arrived. We hustled to the shelter to find the cutest puppy ever. We stood there and watched our daughter fall in love for the first time as this six-week old Border Collie – Springer mix bounded out of the kennel and into our lives As the puppy gnawed on my “shoelaces,” we welcomed Shuz into our hearts and into our family. (An addendum to this story: we continued to visit the Charleston Animal Shelter long after Shuz’ admittance into our family. We subsequently adopted a one year old cat – also black and white – with white paws. Alas, we now have a matching set: Shuz and SoxJ)

*Just for fun Shuz' family are big Pittsburgh Steelers fans so we honored that with a special reflection in Shuz' eye if you look close enough...

"Thank you Luther...for everything"

2011-01-22T22:32:00.000-08:00

Luther - California

"Paws Pack" Member #78

I am fairly certain my liver-spotted Dalmatian Luther arrived on my doorstep in a spectacularly unique way. During prayer at my church a woman turned to me and blurted out: "I'm not sure why I'm seeing this image? It's of a spotted dog and there are dice - with brown spots - falling down out of the sky!" I was, to say the least, perplexed. Another friend asked, "does a spotted dog and dice mean anything to you?' We all kind of giggled.

When I got home there was an email message; one I'd normally delete, but given the spotted-dog message, it caught my attention. It said DALMATIAN LEFT AT DOG PARK IN LOS ANGELES. NEEDS A GOOD HOME. I clicked it on and there was my boy Luther, just waiting for me to bring him home.

I am completely convinced that animals choose us, find us and bring us to them. I'm also convinced that animals, and especially our pets, teach us and not the other way around. They must think: Can I really teach this old human some new tricks?

Luther Buddha Freckleman is his full name [in fact, one of my People magazine editors said when she heard his name: "If you just put a 'Bin' in front of Freckleman you'd have all the world's major religions covered!"] and he has taught me plenty. He's the sweetest, most sensitive, stubborn, loving, independent, know-his-own-mind, gentle, non-dominant, unruffled, child-loving creature I've ever met. He's slept by my side for seven years now and follows me everywhere and snores under my desk while I work during the day. What am I going to do when he's no longer there? I shudder to think about it.

Luther had a tough time of it when he first arrived. He’d been shoved out of a white van and dumped into a dog park; then taken home by a good guy who didn’t want to see him swept up by animal control and killed. After a couple months I hired an animal communicator to help us figure out what was going on inside Luther’s mind. We learned many things: He was bi-lingual – he spoke both Spanish and English; he was an outside-only dog so he loved this amazing thing he termed the ‘Cold Box’ [refrigerator] as treats came from it all day long. He was also quite steamed that we were all stealing something ‘big, round and dark’ from him ‘as they were clearly his’ and it took a couple days to figure out he meant his found fallen avocados which we routinely grabbed from him so he wouldn’t get sick. We worked through all his stuff and now he’s the happiest boy on they happy block.

He's nearly certified as a therapy dog and is going to look extra-snazzy in his bright orange therapy dog vest and scarf. He's been invited to help kids at the Reading to Rover program where nervous children read to dogs and improve their reading skills and confidence – kind of like when kids who stutter no longer stutter when they talk to animals. Luther's going to be great. Each Saturday I take him to the local Petsmart as it gives him a chance to socialize with other dogs; inevitably kids swarm around him like he’s a rock star and there he is with his tail wagging wild - how he loves attention!

Luther's helped many dogs too, though he doesn't know it. Prior to adopting him, I wasn't attuned to the plight of rescue/shelter animals in this country; since then, my consciousness has been raised. Many stories later on animals and animal abuse, countless dogs have been helped.

Thank you Luther. For everything.

"Salsa and Rhea...My Home is full of Laughs and Noise!"

2011-01-22T22:24:00.000-08:00

Salsa & Rhea - Georgia

"Paws Pack" Members #77

About 4 years ago I lost my 16 year old beagle. I wanted to give myself some time to grieve her loss before I brought another pet in the house. I only lasted about three months and began searching web sites for another dog. It was much too quiet in the house and Alex, my other dog, needed a play mate. I discovered Salsa on the web site for Save A Pet in Forsyth, GA. I fell in love immediately! I took Alex with me to meet Salsa to be sure they would get along. The caregiver brought Salsa out of her pen and introduced them. They checked each other out but there were really no sparks. I remembered that Salsa had a sister staying there and asked if I could meet her. When Rhea was brought to us there were fireworks! With her in the mix everyone started to play and run around with each other. I decided to adopt both that day! Salsa is very timid and terrified of men. I tried to bring her out of her shell by taking her to basic dog training classes. She was the star of the group, but still runs for the furthest point away whenever a man comes near. Unfortunately, no one could tell me any history about her. She had been at the shelter for over six months and was almost a year old when we met. The first day I brought them home they discovered a large pile of leaves I had raked in the corner of the yard. They ran through it, dug into it, chased each other around it, and dove through it. I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes. I was witnessing unbridled joy! The first time I walked up the stairs in my house Salsa sat at the foot of the stairs and just looked at me. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do; she had never seen stairs before! I carried her up the stairs the first night; no small feat as she weighed almost 50 pounds. Now she tears up and down the stairs in a flash. Salsa has a bit of a wild streak in her. She has dug under the fence on several occasions to chase deer that live in the woods behind our house, taking Rhea with her. They run until they drop from sheer exhaustion. But she has never left her sister's side when she simply can't run any more. I can always find them together and receive lots of doggie kisses when I do. Because of her markings I think of her as my Egyptian princess. She's beautiful, but in stark contrast to her timid nature she is full of mischief.

Rhea is the magic that makes my house so much fun. She has a playful nature that always engages others to play. I met Rhea about 4 years ago when I was looking for a companion for Alex, my oldest girl. Rhea was staying at the Save A Pet rescue organization in Forsyth, GA with her sister, Salsa. When I met them I could not break them up and decided to adopt them both. No more quiet house for me. With three dogs it was full of life and noise! She comes to me when I'm working at my desk during the day and lays her head in my lap when she needs attention or thinks that I do. She believes I work too much and always reminds me when it's after 5:00 and that I should end my work day. I took her sister to basic dog training classes. When I came home I would spend time with Rhea and teach her the same lessons. She was a quick study and learned her lessons with enthusiasm. She knows no strangers and makes friends easily with everyone. I have had dogs all of my life and am constantly amazed by her. When I look at Rhea I am overwhelmed by a feeling of calm and peace. She has the most gentle spirit and loves unconditionally.

"Target's Legacy of Love will Live On..."

2011-01-09T01:37:00.000-08:00

Target "The Hero Dog" - Arizona

"Paws Pack" Member #76

In the Fall of 2009, while stationed at Dand Aw Patan, Afghanistan, just a couple hundred meters from Pakistan, I had the priviledge of becoming friends with the most unlikely of comrades in a war zone. Target, along with two other strays, Rufus and Sasha made their way into our lives on that little Afghan Border Patrol compound we called "home". Target was a gentle and kind soul, you could tell this as soon as you spent a couple of minutes with her. The living conditions on Dand Patan were anything but civil, as we scraped by on little food the first couple of months there and we were constantly on guard. On the night of February 11th, 2010 a suicide bomber walked onto the compound and proceeded to make his way towards our sleeping quarters. Target, Rufus and Sasha could sense something was not right with this man and attacked him thwarting his plans of walking straight into the sleeping quarters and detonating himself while people rested and called loved ones back home. Target being the resilient creature she was not only survived being shot, ran over, beat and being blown up, are you starting to see how she "earned" her name, she gave birth to puppies just two days after the attack.

Target was rescued just a couple of months after we left Dand Patan and I volunteered to take her in and give her a loving home. Target came to the United States with much fanfare as she was rescued with a joint effort put together by Hope For Warriors foundation, Puppy Rescue Mission and Nowzad Dogs. CNN, ABC, CBS all did immediate national stories about Target and Rufus coming to America and the heroic deeds of the dogs. Target arrived at my home in Arizona on August 1st, 2010 and her story was spread across the country as we did TV interviews in New York City on the Mike Huckabee Show. The biggest moment was getting to take Target to be on the Oprah Winfrey Show in Chicago, that was amazing and Target handled it all in stride which was definitely her nature. The celebration culminated when Target was selected as a "Pet Hero of The Year" by FACC of Maricopa County in Phoenix, AZ. The FACC gala was formed to help raise money so one day there would be no "kill shelters" in Arizona.

It did not take long for Target to completely win our hearts and become a huge part of our family. Target was unusually easy going and very loving, especially with our 4 year old son, Tavius. Tavius and Target would spend day after day playing together or just hanging out watching TV. Unfortunately, in November of 2010, tragedy struck when Target got out of the backyard of our home in San Tan Valley, AZ and was turned over to the Pinal County Animal Care and Control which is where Target met her end, when she was erroneously euthanized by an officer working at the shelter. There has been a huge outcry for change in the shelter system and Target's Bunker is determined to make positive changes in a way to honor her legacy.

Target has been named the "Most Heroic Dog" of 2010 by USA Today, Fans and Friends.

Dogs for the PAWS is so honored to have Target and her family join our special project. Though, as her Dad, Terry said Target has left us all with her loving legacy to help other pets in need. Thank you Target for your heroic service and love you have shared with all the World. Because of your inspiration we will be the change for pets in need. Dog Bless you.

You can visit www.TargetsBunker.org to find out more information or to make a donation.

"Faith inspires so many to have Hope and a little Faith..."

2011-01-02T21:14:00.000-08:00

Faith - Oklahoma

"Paws Pack" Member #75

Faith is an incredible dog. She was born just before Christmas in 2002, and we were lucky enough to have her in our family just 3 short weeks later. She was born to a mother dog, believed to be nearly full blooded Chinese Chow Chow, along with several other siblings. Faith wasn't the only puppy born with deformities, but because "Princess", her mother, was not our dog, we are not sure of the exact number of puppies she gave birth to. It is certain, however, that Faith was the only puppy with deformities to live.

Faith was rescued by my son Reuben on January 21, 2003, when he and his friend Johnny, the owner of Princess, jumped over the fence of the flea market area that Princess was raised to guard. Princess isn't exactly the mothering kind. She was literally terminating Faith's life because she knew instinctively that Faith was unable to battle the other puppies for a place to feed. Faith was weak, small, runtish, and mostly she was nearly dead. Reuben grabbed Faith out from under Princess and smuggled her under his jersey. He wore #63 for the Putnam City Pirates football team.

When Reuben brought Faith to us she had 3 actual legs, but the left front leg was badly deformed, placed backward, upside down, and it had more toes on it than normal dog legs. The leg was removed when she was 7 months old when it began to atrophy. People ask me if it was easy to teach Faith to walk upright...the answer is NO! It was not easy, and it was not natural. It was SUPER natural, and therefore, we have to give all of the credit to Jesus. Of course, it took a little....Faith as well.

* Dogs for the PAWS is so honored to have Faith in the PAWS PACK. She is an amazing gift to all and we are so inspired by her great work!!! She does therapy work as well as taking time to visit our military men and women to thank them for all they do. Big WOOFS to you, Faith!

To find out more info or to read about all the great things Faith does, check out her official website...

http://www.faiththedog.info

"Oliver...A Retriever Family Adds a Pocket Pup"

2010-12-31T12:20:00.000-08:00

Oliver - Florida

"Paws Pack" Member #74

A Retriever Family Adds a Pocket Pup

In early 2008, a nearly two pound Papillon puppy arrived at a local pet store in sad condition. Upon the doctor’s exam, he was declared not likely to make it, having a severe upper respiratory infection and pneumonia.

When the store’s owner reported the ill puppy to the breeder, who was expected to request his return, there came a surprise response. This caring breeder, concerned about the puppy’s ability to make the trip back to her facility safely, donated the puppy to the store, with the agreement that he would be adopted out to a loving family.

A teenage employee of the store, my daughter, fell in love with this small, young patient, checking on him daily and giving him regular, much needed affection. She even bathed him, when given permission by the doctor.

Learning that the little fella would remain at the store, my daughter began plotting her plan to convince us to take on yet another rescue dog. Knowing that, with 2 large dogs, our dog food and healthcare expenses were already considerable, she saved her salary, tucking away every extra dollar to assure she could handle his care. Then she made her move.

First requesting to add her beloved Pap to our pack, she received a less than desired response. Again she tried with more ammunition, explaining her plan to take full responsibility for his healthcare, daily walks, and training. She even impressed on us the extensive list of needed supplies that would come with the little package—a crate, neutering, shots, dishes, toys, collar, and a leash.

Our concern about a 2-pound companion for two Retrievers, many times larger than this fledgling, was downsized when she showed me a few passages in dog books about both breeds’ ability to accommodate other breeds, as well as being friendly companions for various household members. Reality would later confirm this information when the puppy befriended our rabbit and our cat.

Still getting negative replies from her pleas to adopt this puppy, she played her last card. At nearly 18, she had gained a degree of assertiveness that sometimes surpassed her maturity. Asserting her intention to bring home a puppy, one evening she pointedly insisted she would adopt a less social dog on the very next day.

Bluff or not, we played her game. Little “Oliver” came home a few days later, after an unusually intense shopping expedition to assure he had a couple of warm coats. After all, when you adopt a sick child in winter, you have to pay extra attention to his warmth.

Never again would this little guy have to worry about being cold or having a loving family. Toni now has her Papillon. Although she attends college nearly a two hour drive from home, she regularly visits for her catch up time, when he enjoys sleeping in her room to bond with his girl. I suppose that makes her one of the “Bond Girls.” Perhaps we should have named him 007.

"Tiki is the reason I started 4TheLuvOfDogz"

2010-12-22T23:33:00.000-08:00

Tiki- Colorado

"Paws Pack" Member #73

Tiki, a Blue Heeler/Husky mix, all of five pounds eight ounces, found on Petfinder.com September 22, 2005, changed my life forever. She is the most intelligent, caring, expressive persona, always offering an open paw and heart. Tiki led me to feeding raw as she has allergies to ‘normal’ dog food and eats only human food I cook along with raw turkey, chicken and green tripe.

As Tiki is so intelligent, at the age of 4 months we began training in Agility, guiding me into the wonderful world of Agility where I am now an Agility instructor, with Tiki by my side always. Tiki is the reason I started 4TheLuvOfDogz and left high tech after 15 years. I went back to college, became a Certified Canine Massage Therapist, an Agility Instructor, a Treat Chef and a Dogz Nanny. Tiki and her sisters are always by my side, traveling to clients, helping dogs become social and offering kisses to all who say hi.

"Our Road Trip to Meet Chamberlin"

2010-12-22T23:21:00.000-08:00

While the last year has brought the Dogs project such wonderful, heartwarming stories we continued to receive more and more stories for consideration as we are reaching the last dog paintings. Chamberlin was one who really jumped out from some of the others and his story just grabbed us and we decided to make him our 80th and final dog since that spot hadn't been filled yet.

We won't be sharing his story until his portrait is painted but we decided to go on a "Team Chamberlin Road Trip" and meet this special boy and his amazing Guilford County Animal Control family who is caring for him during his recovery from abuse and neglect. We met with our new friends(from left to right) Deborah, a new friend of the project and Marsha the shelter director. We went on a Saturday and the Team Chamberlin staff took time to show us around their wonderful facility and spend time with us as we visited with Chamberlin.

Due to health issues Chamberlin is unable to use his front legs so he can't walk but that doesn't seem to slow him down. He rolls and wiggles all around and is completely comfortable being held and hugged. He gives the cutest kisses by "bumping" you face with his. We had some embroidery done on a couple of blankets and he seemed to know they were his. So adorable and such expression in those eyes. He loves to play and was quite fond of the cute stuffed plush pig that Deborah brought him.

Chamberlin is a total love bug and just loves being held and talked to. Deborah is so fun and a new friend to the Dogs project and had just purchased her Chamberlin hoodie. We had such a laugh how Chamberlin's ear matched the design's ears.

Dogs for the PAWS is so proud to know the Guilford County Animal Control and Chamberlin. He is such an amazing dog and what a special gift he is. We took donations and made a monetary donation from sales of the different Chamberlin designs we have offered for sale in our Zazzle store. We are so proud of our DFTP friends and fans for helping us raise funds for Chamberlin and GCAC's great works helping pets in need.

"Barkanomics for all..."

2010-11-18T16:55:00.000-08:00

As the Dogs project continues we are always excited to share new information or products with all our friends and here is a must have for all pet families. Our friends at DogTipper.com have a wonderful and very helpful new book, "Barkanomics, Tips for Frugal Fidos". It also features our very own Paws Pack girl, Tiki on the front cover. Tiki's parents, Paris Permenter and John Bigley just happen to be the creators of DogTipper.com the very popular and informative site for people and pets. So Paris and John set out to create an informative book that is fun to read and useful to other pet owners. It is all about the different ways you can save money but still provide toys, treats and care economically for your pets.

Being a 5 dog household, I excitedly tore open the postal envelope and started reading it standing in my dining room! The subjects range from affordable pet insurance to making your own dog toys. It is very well researched and I like the way they use their own tips and ideas from their actual experiences with their dogs. I have 3 younger dogs and 2 seniors and have already started using their suggestions and ideas for cleaning my home and using safer products around the dogs. We also go through a lot of dog toys so Paris and John suggest shopping at the local thrift store for toys as well. Great idea especially for the furkids who enjoying tearing up stuffed toys and ripping the stuffing out of them before you can blink an eye!

For everyone who goes through pet beds a lot, they suggest buying a former child's sleeping bag, which makes a great dog bed and is also easy to wash and dry.

There are so many helpful tips and ideas in this book, you will want to highlight and mark many of the pages for everyday use. It really gets you looking and thinking creatively for ideas to help you be economically smart and provide for your pets. With Barkanomics, being frugal isn't being cheap, it's being a smart and creative pet parent. Once you become a "Barkanomic" parent you'll want to share all these great ideas with your friends and families. So don't wait, go and purchase some copies to give for howliday gifts. Your friends and families will be excited to receive this must have book for all pet owners.

"Barkanomics" is available on Amazon.com for $13.95. At this very reasonable price you will want to purchase more than one copy...Enjoy!!!

This is Tiki and her sister Irie....both girls are members of our Paws Pack

Big Woofs to Paris, John and their furkids for this wonderful book! We are going to make the peanut butter treats for Thanksgiving...

"Miss Margaret Woo Woo..."

2010-10-30T22:21:00.000-07:00

Margaret Woo Woo - South Carolina

"Paws Pack" Member #72

Maggie's story will be posted soon...

"If it hadn't been for rescue we wouldn't have Bastian..."

2010-10-14T21:23:00.000-07:00

Bastian - South Carolina

"Paws Pack" Member #71

Bastian was born with a life-threatening condition that affects 10 - 12% of Dalmatians - deafness. You wouldn't think that deafness would be life threatening, but the official Dalmatian Club of America position is that "Deaf pups should ALWAYS be humanely destroyed by a veterinarian". His breeder didn't follow that recommendation and opted to give him to a coworker rather than have him euthanized. After a few short months the coworker realized she'd taken on more than she could handle; not so much Bastian's lack of hearing, but just his general "puppy-ness" when added to her already large and complicated family. From her home, he ended up in a Dalmatian Rescue organization (Dalmatian Rescue of North Miami Beach FL). He was one of the lucky ones in that he was only in rescue for a few short days - long enough to get him transported to Miami, neutered, and then transported up to me (I had lost my girl Sapphire the month prior and contacted Dal Rescue to let them know I was interested in a puppy). He was five months old when he arrived in our home, and every bit a puppy- every bit of joy!

He picked up on new sign language signals (since we had no way to know what the previous owners had used with him) very quickly, and has been an absolute joy to train (with the help of a professional dog trainer - I knew better than to try to tackle him by myself!). He is magnificent with his siblings (a 5 lb and a 10 lb cat), good with children, well socialized with other dogs, and just an amazing addition to our family. Deaf dogs are definitely not for everyone. We don't have children, I'm an experienced Dalmatian owner, and we were prepared to make the time and effort to learn sign language and take the extra steps for a deaf dog's safety - all reasons that led Dalmatian Rescue to allow us to adopt him. I just can't imagine this loving, intelligent, beautiful dog's life having been ended or him being bounced between homes who did not know how to care for him - which would have been the likely outcomes had it not been for Rescue.

"Bella, thank you for thinking I am worthy to be loved..."

2010-10-05T16:21:00.000-07:00

Bella - North Carolina

"Paws Pack" Member #70

BELLA’S STORY

Hello Rescue Angels, my name is Bella, named this by you... at least those of you who worked so very hard to save my life and the lives of my unborn babies. Let me be honest. I was very confused at first about all the fuss over me. I never had that before. I could hear the other dogs talking in the County Shelter where I was waiting. They all seemed to be anxious for someone to come along and give them a second chance, and I hope they got that. I really do. But their endless chatter confused me too. I suppose I should explain as I am sure angels like you have no clue about the things I have seen in my life. You are good people and for me, up until I went into the shelter, that was an oxymoron – “Good” and “People,” that is. I have seen the face of evil, though I thought it was normal until the shelter. And today I learned that evil is not normal. And I learned that there are very good people in this world... people who do not want to hurt me and people who do not laugh at my pain. They yapped and barked and some grumbled about second chances. And they all deserved it. But me... NO... I had never had a first chance so I kept quiet about it all. When they would ask me about wanting a second chance I would ignore them. I found the best spot I could to lay down and thought about my little babies growing inside me. The floor was hard, but there was food to eat and water to drink, and no one was trying to hurt me, so I laid there waiting. I must admit I sort of hoped my babies would get a chance at life. And hearing the others talk, I sort of hoped they would get one of those rescue things that the others were yapping about. But I knew my days were numbered and I did not mind so much. I was not afraid to die. In fact, if my babies had to go to the place where I came from... well... there are worse things than death.

When you have looked evil in the face you know these things. So I was just sort of waiting and wondering what would become of my babies. So many nights and so much pain with other dogs being ordered to attack me and hurt me, but always being stopped before they finished the job, and I never blamed the dogs. They were just doing what they were told. Had I been the one ordered to attack, I certainly would have done it. When evil wants you to do something, you do it or you get hurt in ways that angels like you could not understand. That kind of evil cannot live in the heart of someone so kind. I know you are wondering why I did not fight back. All I ever really wanted was to be loved, but that was not my life. See, my life was that of a Bait Dog, also known as a Clown Dog. And in my circle, in that world of evil and evil doers, I am not one that is worthy of love. So my scars are bitter reminders of the fact that I was never to be loved and never to be cared for. I would not get a bone to chew on like the fighting dogs that brought the master a lot of money. I was lucky to get a bowl of kibble. I was given just enough to sustain my life. Perhaps had the hunger pains not been so great, I would have had the courage to end it all then. I would have just not eaten. But the hunger was always there and was always so hurtful so I could not refuse the small amount of food I was given. So my pain continued with each auction. Auctions are where the fighting dogs are sold for those who may not know. And the worse they can hurt the bait dog ... and still leave her alive ... the more money they bring. The attacks are very deliberate and are meant to inflict damage that is almost fatal ... but not quite. The bait dog is not allowed the mercy of death. But oh how I prayed for it on many of those nights as the dog would tear at my flesh until I was blinded by my own blood. Then when it was over, when the “hero” was sold, the laughter would begin as they would point to me and talk about what a ferocious girl I was. And I forgot to mention: I was always thrown into the pit hog tied with wire like a sacrificial lamb being lead to the slaughter. I do not know how I ended up as a Bait Dog. Perhaps it was that my mother had not been spayed and her owners did not want puppies, so they sent me away where those seeking a bait dog could find me. Well after so many nights of hurting I decided I would fight back.When the vet examined me, he could only guess that this is what happened. I heard him say the findings on my exam were not so uncommon on Bait Dogs who may have had a little spirit at one time. He speculated that my “spirit” had come after many nights of torture because the evidence of that was fresher than many of my scars. I listened as the man called “Vet” told the woman and man what he thought had happened to me.

For the first time in my life I learned of good people and of love in that County Animal Shelter. Oh... it felt so good. While all the others were talking about getting a second chance, I was learning that I might actually get a first chance to be loved, and my babies might have a chance. Then one day I met Dustin and Jessica. They came and took me from the shelter and for the first time I felt love and respect. Whatever came after that did not matter because feeling it once in my life would have been enough. And I met the Woman and Man, Beth and Jerry, at Eagle’s Den. Once again there was that wonderful feeling of being loved and respected. There was a gentle touch and food to eat that did not hurt my mouth. There was lotion for my sore legs and clean water. There are other animals too, and they really scared me. I am still very much afraid of other dogs for now, but I know I am safe. But this fear that washed over me when they learned of my shame... I cannot describe it. I thought they would not love me any more. But instead, the woman took my face in her hands as she had done so many times today and she whispered to me: YOU NEVER HAVE TO BE AFRAID AGAIN. YOU ARE SAFE NOW. And I saw something else. I saw that people can cry too. Jessica cried today when she saw me, and I felt such overwhelming love from her. I learned what it means to have respect from Dustin, her son. When he carried me so gently from his car to Beth’s van, I have never been treated so gently and well. And tonight... for the first time in my entire life I am inside a house. I have a nice kennel that is a good place to have my babies when the time comes. There is clean water and a bowl that always has food. The vet told them when these babies are born I will be very skinny so they are giving me vitamins. They have given me my own bed and a soft spot to lay my head and my weary body. They do not let the other dogs near me just now as they know I am afraid. But I have made one friend here that is my kind. Her name is

Pee Wee and she is so very tiny. I do not think she will hurt me. I also met a girl named Hope who greeted me when I first arrived. I could tell she was as scared as I was, but she came up to me and licked my face. I wet myself a little and she must have wanted me to feel better about it because she wet herself too. But she told me that she had been through some hard times too, and she said this is a safe spot to land. She told me we can play later, after I have been here for a bit. So I guess that means I am staying and I am getting that first chance. I hope those other guys get their second chance. And I thank all who played a part in giving me this chance I have. I will make the most of it and you will not be sorry. Thank You so much.I am going to need a lot of care in the next few weeks. My babies will be here soon and the Vet said we are going to have to keep a close eye on this as I have not been fed properly and my body is so weak and tired. I cannot ask more of you guys than you have already done because you have given me so much. And my new “Mom and Dad” (I like the sound of that) promised me I will have every chance now and will get what I need. Still, if you can and you want to, I know they can use all the help available as there are so many here in need.

If you want to help us, you can make a donation here:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=CF7XNPKP9QFWE

And I have my own Chip In now:

http://eaglesdenrescue1.chipin.com/bella-and-unborn-pups

Thank You all so much... and thank you for thinking I am worthy and loving me. My Mom and Dad say I am a beautiful girl, teeth or not, so I gave them a huge smile for the camera.

Bella

**Bella update- The puppies were born, but due to the abuse Bella sustained while pregnant, most of them passed away. She does have 2 surviving puppies and is currently caring for some orphaned puppies as well. We send out prayers and love to you Bell and your babies...

Celebrating our 1st Year!!!!

2010-09-28T20:41:00.000-07:00

Well, time does fly when you are having fun and what a year this has been! I never realized what a challenge painting 80 portraits would be but what an amazing "Paws Pack" we have. We are so proud to have been able to paint and share some of the most incredible dogs I have ever seen. When you read the blog you start to realize that it touches on every subject which rescues and shelters have to deal with on a daily basis from abuse to chained dogs but they keep working towards saving as many animals in need as they can. It is so important to help them by volunteering your time, adopting a pet in need or making a donation to help them continue their great works helping pets. This was the main reason the project was created so we could get others inspired to go out and help.

We met our boy, Nico the Dogo Argentino who's whole life changed from a volunteer taking a random shot of him in the LA shelter where he was picked up as a stray. He was given a new life and found his family in Indiana and is quite the celebrity on Facebook. We love being able to "Woof" with him and know he is loved and happy with his family. Then there is Sheridan the 3 legger from Indiana who finally did find her "furever" home as well. We have also lost a few of our friends during the project but are so honored to be able to share their "Legacy of Love" that continues on through their families. There are numerous breeds of dogs too, from Boston Terrier to a Nova Scotia Rolling Water Retriever. There's Snoopy the basset hound, who underwent heartworm treatment and he developed white spots all over his body. His family metioned not too long ago that the spots have almost gone away and he is tri-colored again. Everyone of these dogs' stories will grab your heart and I have on occasion cried while painting their portraits. You just look into their eyes and they almost speak to you.

Of course we have our precious friends and seniors like Riley the lab mix who was chained all his life, broke free, got hit by a car, rescued and lived his last months with his foster family learning what it is like to be loved. He passed away recently but his foster family says his spirit is watching over them and he will never be forgotten. Napoleon, or PoPo as he is known by his family passed to the Rainbow Bridge due to complications from cancer. Sadie Jean the pretty basset girl has gone to the "Bridge" as well but her Momma continues to rescue dogs with Sadie's spirit by her side always. Our friend Hobo just passed not too long ago but his love continues on through his family who have just welcomed a new foster dog into their home.

We have just welcomed a couple of new "friends" to our pack. Bella is a very sad soul who has just been rescued from a life as a bait dog for fighting dogs to practice on. She has new puppies, but because of the trauma of being abused, all the puppies have passed except for two. Her rescuers, Eagles Den are doing amazing work helping dogs like Bella realize that not all humans are to be feared.

Chamberlin is another of our new "family" members. His people left him chained in a backyard and moved away leaving him alone for almost 2 months. The yard was being mowed when they found him, emaciated and not able to move. He is now working on his recovery and has a long road ahead of him but we are all cheering him on. His spirit and will to live is very strong and he a true inspiration. When his portrait is finished we plan to go visit him and present his portrait and Pack Certificate to him in person. So stay tuned, Chamberlin is our 80th dog so we will celebrate the conclusion of the project with him.

So to all of you, our friends and fans thank you for following our "little art project" and sharing all these heartwarming dogs with your friends and families. We hope that all the stories have brought inspiration to your lives and you stop to remember and love the precious gifts that are our pet companions. These dogs represent a very small group of pets who were rescued and adopted and without people making an effort to help, shelters and rescues will not be able to continue their work. Remember to donate when you can, volunteer, adopt and share some time with a homeless pet. Also remind yourself, it's up to us to BE THE CHANGE FOR PETS IN NEED!

Dog Bless
Annamarie Missy Johnson

"Tristan is making HUGE progress..."

2010-09-26T19:34:00.000-07:00

Tristan

"Paws Pack" Member #69

Tristan came to BROOD (Basset Rescue Of Old Dominion) from an abusive situation in KY with his three siblings who were just as fearful as he was.

Jamie found him on the BROOD website and knew we were to foster him, even though he was VERY afraid of men. He used to run out of the room any time Jamie entered for about 9 months.

Tristan was also afraid of EVERY kind of noise, garage door, bag of chips opening, ice maker, newspaper crinkling - everything. He instantly fell in love with Debbie (his new mama) - following her everywhere, always.

Long story short, he ate a bee and was stung in his throat which almost killed him. The thought of him leaving Debbie and maybe never knowing any other true love in this life was more than we could stand - so we made this his forever home a couple months after bringing him here.

That was almost 2 yrs ago and he is making HUGE progress. He is no longer nearly as fearful as before, loves Jamie and our girls and his rescue sister Ginger who was saved from death row when found on Petfinder.com

"Cookie...You may be gone but you are not forgotten."

2010-09-24T17:34:00.000-07:00

Cookie -

"Paws Pack" Member #69

Cookie joined our family in June 2005 shortly after we arrived in Tampa, FL. Chad was stationed at MacDill AFB. Cookie was a retired racing greyhound that we adopted through the Greyhound Gang of Florida. She was just three years old when she became part of family. We had gone to PetSmart to get some items for our beagle Samantha and the Greyhound Gang was there and Cookie walked up to Chad and I and leaned against us. We were not looking for a dog on that day but we filled out the paperwork and two weeks later Cookie was brought to our home. We were told by the Greyhound Gang that the animals are not allowed up on the furniture in their foster homes so that if we didn't want her on the furniture she wouldn't get up on the furniture, not 2 minutes later Cookie jumped on the couch and laid down next to me. The person from the gang just sat there completely shocked and I smiled and said Cookie had found her home. Cookie and Sam got along well and we would go for walks in the morning and at night and then we discovered the dog parks in town. Cookie would run all the other dogs until they were nearly passed out and she was just getting her second wind and was ready to go again. She was a very unique dog she would chase frisbees, balls, just about anything which was not common for Greyhounds.

You have never seen a big dog curl in to such a small circle but she could get herself small. She also would lay on her back, legs straight up in the air and you could see the front paw slowly lower and she would put it back up again. In October we found I was going to have a baby and we started preparing the house for the baby that was on the way. I knew that Cookie would be a great protector to our little one that was coming. On a trip to the dog park in May of 2006 Cookie was side swiped by a german shephard and while it didn't appear there was anything wrong she started having problems walking. Her back feet would drag and curl under her and she didn't know what was going on. We took Cookie to many specialists and vets trying to figure out what was wrong but nothing could be found. Our vet felt it was nerve related based on some tests she had done. It got to the point that Cookie could not walk, run, and she eventually lost her appetite. Four days before our daughter Mikaylah was born we made the very painful decision to put Cookie to sleep. Her quality of life was gone and you could see in her eyes that she wanted so much to run, get up and walk and do things on her own and it broke my heart every time she tried to get up and collapsed back down. The beads that Cookie wore on her neck for most of the year we had her still hang from my rearview mirror and bring me happy memories of the dog running all others at the dog park and their owners thanking us for tiring out their dogs. The Greyhound Gang says that when an animal passes they go to the Rainbow Bridge to play with other animals and wait for their owners to join them. So I know one day we will be reunited with Cookie but it gives me comfort knowing she is running in a big open field and is happy. Cookie you may be gone but you are not forgotten.

Thank you for letting me share Cookie's story.

"Hobo...Brings Joy to His Adoptive Family!"

2010-09-21T16:26:00.000-07:00

Hobo- South Carolina

"Paws Pack" Member #67

I had been volunteering with Wild Heir Lab Rescue for about two weeks when I got the call asking if I could take an emergency foster placement. My husband (Frank) and I have two very spoiled lab mixed “sistas” so we were not looking for anything long term. Enter Hobo!! He was an owner surrender with multiple health issues which the owner could not financially address. Hobo came to us 128 pounds of not so attractive dog. His coat was dry, coarse and reddish in color. He had no hair on his chest, around his neck or on his hind legs. Due to cataracts which were left untreated, the right eye had only a small amount of light vision and the left eye which had progressed to glaucoma was totally blind and protruding from the eye socket like a ping-pong ball. He had never been neutered, had one undescended testicle, and a full set of “man boobs.” So, are you getting the picture of a face only a mama could love ?

He was with us 48 long grueling hours (much to the disapproval of Millie and Emma). He left us for another foster home where he only stayed 24 hours. He was like a blind bull in a china shop, in constant motion never really settling down. With his medical and behavioral issues, I was not sure what hard decisions Wild Heir would be forced to make. The Vet who first saw him after his surrender, made a note in his chart that Hobo was “poorly behaved but friendly. Very unrealistic to imagine a “home” where hobo could be placed.” After many tears and much conversation with Frank to make sure he was on board, we decided to adopt Hobo. On April 17, 2009, Hobo officially came to his “furever” home (again to the disapproval of “The girls”). We refenced the yard, dividing it down the middle. Built Hobo a ramp off our bedroom deck and installed an extra large doggy door. The girls have a doggy door from the den to the yard. We kept them separated while we worked and got them together for family time after we got home. One year later, Millie loves Hobo, Emma tolerates him and even plays with him on her terms. The first week he was with us he was neutered and unfortunately was diagnosed with a Sertoli Cell cancerous tumor. This tumor secretes estrogen so therefore the “man boobs.” His prostate was so enlarged due to the cancer that a portion had to be removed resulting in permanent urinary problems. The next surgery (on his eyes) was at the N.C. State Vet School . The left eye was removed and cataract surgery was performed on the right eye with the knowledge that he had a 50/50 chance of regaining additional sight. He did have increased light vision for a while however the drops to control the pressure were irritating his eyelids and causing them to bleed. We chose to have an intravitreos injection in the right eye which permanently decreases the pressure but also takes away any vision. His sertoli cell cancer has spread and he has a tumor under his spine. Chemo and radiation are an option but there are few case studies or statistics to prove either will help so we made the decision for quality over quantity. Hobo is a big, beautiful, blind but joyful 119 pound shiny coated, dark chocolate lab with thick chest hair I can lose my hand in. We are treasuring every precious moment we have for as long as we have. To Wild Heir, our heartfelt thanks and to Hobo’s first Vet…where love is concerned, there is no such word as “unrealistic”!!!

Beth and Frank Cooke

Hobo’s mama and daddy

" Lady our Honorary Paws Pack Member"

2010-09-19T18:09:00.000-07:00

Lady - Indiana/Hamilton County Humane Society

Honorary Paws Pack Member

Usually there is a portrait to go with a blog bio but this week we are doing something a little different. We have joined the Be the Change for Pets group and are taking part in their week long event...Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet. They want us to post as many pets in need from guinea pigs to horses and get these great creatures a second look by potential adoptive families...We welcome this sweet girl with the biggest smile ever and her foster family at Hamilton County Humane Society in Indiana... Lady has been waiting for a furever family for 13 months! Well this week that is all going to change for her. We will be posting pictures and updates for Lady so she can have the opportunity to meet lots of new friends and fans. Please come join us on the Facebook page...www.Facebook.com/DogsforthePAWS so you can enjoy this event as well. We are also asking all our friends and fans to post, tweet, and share to as many of your friends and families so we can all see the variety of "less adoptable"pets. Please help us Be the Change for loving pets like Lady.

Lady—“She’s a LAADAY.” --Tom Jones

Lady is a fantastic dog. She nurses a blanket in her kennel to relieve her stress. It's her pacifier. :) She's loves long walks and is known for walking down our back hallway on her way outside and grabbing a stuffed toy from our "toy box". She carries her toy in her mouth during her entire walk. She is spayed and housebroken.

Lady is a 6 year American Staffordshire Terrier mix with a smile that can light up a room. Lady is very social and loves getting attention. She and her sister Zoe arrived at the shelter at the end of July when her previous owner could no longer keep her because of landlord issues. They did tell us that she is house trained and friendly with children and other dogs. They also said she had surgery awhile back on her back left leg and in the winter it can get a little sore, but with a little doggie massage, the pain goes away.

Lady has been under a lot of stress since her arrival; losing the only home she had ever known was hard and she became a little depressed and developed an upper respiratory infection. It took a couple of weeks, but with the love and support of the medical staff she finally got over the infection. So Lady is feeling better and her big happy smile is back. Lady is ready to start over in a new home with a new family to love. She is a bigger gal, so she would be best suited in a home with children age 10 or older.

Lady qualifies for our P.A.W.S. Program - Partnering Animals With Seniors. If you are age 55 or older, you can adopt Lady for a reduced fee.

"Hi I'm Sandy and I'm 8 Years Young!"

2010-09-17T22:54:00.001-07:00

Sandy - South Carolina

"Paws Pack" Member #66

Hi - I'm Sandy and I'm 8 years young! I'm what they call a purebred Labby and I have something called 'papers' if that's important! Best of all, I'm a really sweet girl. I lived with the same family for my whole life and then one day they took me to a scary place and just left me. I don't know why - something about the fact that they wanted to travel. I didn't understand because I'm so loving, all I want is to give kisses and be with my family. Now I'm a Daisy Dog and I'm with my foster mom and her 2 legged kids as well as my foster dog brother, a cat, and a bunch of tiny little kitties. The kitties love me and we all take naps together! I'm really happy being with people all the time and I'm getting a little bit spoiled! My foster mom says I deserve a little extra TLC! I like to curl up on the couch and hang out but I’ve also discovered that I love to go outside and run! I go bike riding with my foster sister – well, she rides and I run beside her, it’s so much fun! If you’re looking for a super sweet, well behaved older gal with a lot of pep in her step, I’m the girl for you! Please contact the nice people at Daisy's Place if you'd like to meet me! www.daisysplace.org or melissa@daisysplace.org

I had the wonderful chance to surprise Sandy and Daisy's Rescue Crew with Sandy's portrait and welcome her into the PAWS PACK...what a sweet girl...

"Harold...We are lucky he found us."

2010-09-12T13:25:00.000-07:00

Harold - Minnesota

"Paws Pack" Member #65

Harold lived on a farm in southern Minnesota with his family and horses. He had an older basset sister. He and his sister were brought to Basset Buddies Rescue because his family had to move. The owner had a difficult time giving them up, so she came back and said she could keep just one...and they chose his older sister. So, Harold came into the open arms of BBR. He had a twisted right leg, but could still walk on it. The Orthopedic specialist said he was born that way...a leg with a 45 degree angle...not much could be done. He was my first foster hound. When he came to us, he would not eat for 6 days. We called him Hungry Harold. All he wanted was to get belly rubs and ear rubs. He wanted to be close to someone. After a month, someone inquired about adopting him through BBR. As his foster mom, I knew is was already home. It was then, he became a foster failure. Harold # 848 found his forever family on 11/29/2006. He was 2 years old.

Today Harold lives with his new older basset sister, Angel. He still wants to be close and cuddle. He has a bed up on the computer desk so he can be nearby when I am working. He can run like the wind, despite his leg deformity. He loves taking 1 mile walks twice a day, sniffin' and followin' where his nose brings him. He has a baarootiful voice and loves to howl to opera music. His ears are like velvet and rubbing them comfort me after a stressful day. We have now fostered many hounds since Harold. He shows them the ropes, when they arrive. We are lucky Harold found us and taught us how important rescue and fostering are for hounds that have lost their homes and families. Harold is 5 now and lives in his forever home, with his forever family.

** This is an email we received from Harold...

Dear Dogs for the PAWS and Friends!
Harold here! I heard you are going to paint my picture! I heard you are a big supporter of hounds that have lost their famlies and their homes. I am what my mom calls a foster failure. I don't think I am a failure, despite what she says. I didn't fail at finding my forever family, now did I? I told mom I wanted her to send you some more pictures of me that show you what I really do. I know she told you that I have my own spot up on the desk by the computer and I wanted to show you it. Sometimes I go on the internet and look at at the hounds Basset Buddies has in rescue (you will see that pic too) and I am glad my mom picked me! I hope and pray every day that people look at the 114 hounds BBR has that still are looking for their new families. Sometimes we bring a new, scared foster here at my house and I tell them, it will be ok. I share my food, water, toys and bed with them and they get to stay here til BBR helps them find their family. There is one place here that they can't go though. That's when I put my paw down! It's my computer desk!
Harold

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"Baxter, is my friend and my welcome home committee..."

2010-09-05T17:54:00.000-07:00

Baxter - Florida

"Paws Pack" Member #64

Unlike many of the tales you’ve been told, the story of Baxter’s adoption was not dramatic in the least. I went to the Leon County shelter, saw a puppy and fell in love! He was the most adorable puppy I have ever seen and he did in fact, fill a space in my life; but, then, every animal I meet has that potential. Little did I know!

We guess that he is a mixture of Border Collie and Australian Shepherd which translates into the Energizer Bunny on steroids mixed with Einstein on 4 legs. Our problem has been we have no sheep, no goats, or any other like animals for him to herd or harass. I’ve spent the last 6 years trying to entertain and occupy a working dog in a non-working environment. The flip side of that...

Baxter B. Sobad has spent the last 6 yrs. being my soul mate, my friend and my welcome home committee. He is fun, he is funny, he cuddles, he reads my mind ……..and he loves me.

What more could a person want?

"Cooper...we are so lucky to have found him."

2010-09-05T13:36:00.000-07:00

Cooper - South Carolina

"Paws Pack" Member #63

We got Cooper March 1st of 2009 from the Charleston Animal Society in North Charleston. We had our nephew Mike living with us and he is dog and cat CRAZY (his parents have never let him have pets). Well, he was 24 years old and we told him that as much as he loved animals he should get a puppy. We didn't have to twist his arm very hard to get him to ride to the shelter with us so that he could see what was available. But after we walked through and looked at all the dogs, he said that there wasn't one that was really what he wanted. So I said, O.K., let's go. My Husband, Rick said "Wait a minute, I feel like I have a connection with this dog." He was stopped in front of one of the cages looking a young brindle colored dog. I thought, OH, NO! We already had two dogs (also rescues) and a cat, and I felt strongly that that was enough.

Rick convinced me that we should take him out to the fenced in area and just see what he was like. So, of course, we ended up taking him home (after I made Rick agree to expand the invisible fence out into the front yard). He had so much energy, it was amazing, and it took a while for Keller and Happy, our other two dogs, to accept that he was a member of the pack - but now, we couldn't imagine how we ever lived without him. We named him Cooper as we were crossing the Cooper River on the way home from the shelter.

When we adopted him, he was so skinny you could see all his ribs, but now, he's filled out and looks perfect. We feel so lucky to have found him.

"Apollo...led me to an "extracurricular" life of volunteering"

2010-08-29T17:02:00.000-07:00

Apollo - South Carolina

"Paws Pack" Member #62

Adopting Apollo was my first step into animal rescue in my independent life. I had been out of my parents’ home for around a year when I began looking for a dog. It was a decision I did not take lightly. Since I had grown up around dogs my whole life I knew it was more than fun – it was work too. I had resisted getting a dog of my own that first year for various reasons: I didn’t have time; I didn’t have money; I was gone at work all day. There were so many reasons not to do it. But I really felt like something was missing in my life. During my childhood and young adult life there was always a dog in our house. Buttons, a Lhasa Apso that we brought in after his owner died; Duchess a golden retriever/yellow lab mix that we saved from a friend of mine who did not have their female lab spayed; Jake a chocolate lab mix who was sentenced to death because he was proof that he wasn’t a full lab and someone had ‘dirtied’ the breeding line somewhere with a Doberman; Gretchen whose family moved to an apartment and ‘couldn’t take her’. My apartment seemed more and more empty every time I went back to it after a visit to my parents’ home or to a friend’s home where the doggy love permeated the atmosphere. Shortly after we lost Jake my heart really started to ache to have a dog in my daily life. I decided that there really was never the perfect time to make a change in your life but that when you wanted to make a change you learned to mold the rest of your life around that change.
I started my search on Petfinder.com. I knew I wanted a male and I knew I wanted a black dog – a male because I was still feeling the loss of Jake and black because I knew black dogs were statistically the last to be adopted. At that time in my life that was all I really knew about rescue: the dogs are out there and need homes and the black ones go last. How naïve that seems now! Nonetheless my search brought four or five fuzzy faces into the running but I kept going back to this dog named Apollo with his goofy grin and his perky Lab ears. Although Apollo really looked nothing like him, I saw Jake every time I looked at that photo.

The first time I met Apollo was at the CCA shelter on a sunny late-fall day. He was 60+ pounds of leaping Lab with the same stupid grin that I saw in the photo on Petfinder. He dragged me around the shelter grounds on his leash, wagged his tail furiously, and was completely passionate about taking in every scent, sound and sight he possibly could. I was smitten in less than ten seconds. Just before they were going to take him back in to his pen I crouched down in front of him and told him that I hoped he could come home with me soon. That little bundle of energy sat still, tilted his head to the side and then reached out with his tongue and swiped it across my arm. I guess he was smitten too!

Apollo has since taught me so many things about life and love and laughter. He also led me to Phoebe (PAWS pack member # 32) and to an “extracurricular” life of volunteering for Concerned Citizens for Animals. He saved me when I didn’t know I needed saving. In the end, I guess I was the one who was rescued.

"Lizzie...is my best friend"

2010-08-28T18:07:00.000-07:00

Lizzie - Ohio

"Paws Pack" Member #61

After losing my former rescue, Pepper, a toy poodle, I mourned for an appropriate time and then began my search on Petfinder.com. I honed in on Lizzie who had been rescued from a pound in a neighboring county by two animal lovers who consistently rescue and foster many dogs and find furever homes for them. They were told that Lizzie's former owner had turned her in. She was approximately 2 years old.

Well, on Sunday, November 7, 2004, Dianna and Joan brought Lizzie to my home for a meet and greet session and also for the girls to check me out. She was very mannerly and docile - not nervous, got up on the couch with me and got acquainted. I walked her around the yard a bit and she loved the smells, as any normal beagle would. Needless to say, both Lizzie and I passed our examinations. Of course, she has lived here since that day. Who in the world would send her back? Fortunately, Lizzie has never shown any signs of being abused. So she's about 8 years old now and my vet has started referring to her as a senior citizen. My plans are for many more enjoyable years with her.

"Moose...I don't know where I would be without him"

2010-07-24T21:36:00.000-07:00

Moose - South Carolina

"Paws Pack" Member #60

My name is Tim Pallay and this is the story of my 1.5 year old lab/mastiff mix Moose. I adopted Moose November of 2009 from Pet Helpers in Charleston, South Carolina. From the moment I started my search things just seemed to fall into place with Moose. It all started with the day I went into Pet Helpers I was looking around the shelter and there were plenty of dogs but none that really caught, then one staff member took me behind the scenes to see 3 puppies thats were just brought in from a local vet. I wasn't suppose to be back there it turns out but it was too late as soon as I saw him (Athos was his name at first) I knew I found the dog for me. I had to wait one week until I was able to come back and adopt him and when I returned a week later this process was final.

My main reason for adopting a dog was that I had moved out here about 9months earlier to finish my degree at CofC while working full-time and just wanted something to come home to and spend my free time with, I learned that day that I was Moose(Athos's) 2nd chance for a forever home, it turns out his original owners turned him and his siblings into the vet with the intent of using euthanasia, which luckily the vet thought against and brought them in to Pet Helpers. Since bringing moose home that day we have been best friends. We have shared 12 hour road trips to New Jersey as well as many long walks and runs through downtown Charleston. He is truly a member of my family who I love more than anything and I don't know where I would be without him in it.

"Amber has graced our life..."

2010-07-17T21:51:00.000-07:00

Amber - South Carolina

"Paws Pack" Member #59

My husband Tom and I waited years for a dog. Too busy, not yet, want to travel, not ready, barking, not acceptable were the reasons and excuses. In January 2005 we grew up, contacted Grateful Goldens Rescue of the Low Country in Charleston, South Carolina and Amber came into our lives. There she was all ribs and mange, too timid to go upstairs, with soft brown eyes that had a far away gaze. In time, with security from soft toys and a recued cat sister, the routine of daily walks and weekend socializing over breakfast on Folly Beach at the Lost Dog Cafe, Amber flourished.

I can barely express how our lives have been graced by beautiful, golden spirit. Amber comforted my mother through the final stages of heart failure and me through the lonely end of my mother’s life. Months after, I proudly sent an e-mail to Kerry Mensching, founder of Grateful Goldens Rescue, to let her know Amber and I completed training as a therapy team with Therapy Dogs Inc. and were volunteering at a local nursing home. A few weeks later, in the sweetness of spring 2010, the world lost Kerry. For seventeen years, she was dedicated to finding second chances for homeless golden retrievers in loving, forever homes. Kerry had a lot in common with rescues, giving far more than she required. Thank you to Kerry and Amber for blessing my family with hearts of gold.

"Miracle Maggie"

2010-07-14T21:19:00.000-07:00

Maggie - North Carolina

"Paws Pack" Member #58

In 2005, my husband and I were in Winston-Salem and stopped by the pet supply store where they were having an adoption fair, just to have a look. We often did this even though we weren’t quite ready for another dog. We already had a 5 year old German Shepherd named Heidi, but had thought it would be nice for her to have a playmate someday. The first dog we saw was this puppy that looked exhausted from being held, but with the most beautiful face I had ever seen. We asked about her background and were told that she had been rescued from someone who had left her outside and was neglecting to care for her. She had been covered in fleas and ticks and her ears were infected. How could anyone ignore a face like that? They told us she was a corgi-dachshund mix, which made for a unique combination. My husband said, “Well, there are two of your favorite breeds rolled into one!” Deciding to adopt her was the easy part, but since we had a large dog at home and several other couples wanted her, we weren’t sure we would be chosen. After they observed Heidi and us along with her, we brought home the dog we knew was supposed to be ours.

The next year or two went just fine with Heidi once she realized she was still top dog. She even became a sort of mentor for Maggie and they have been best buds ever since. Unique turned out to be an understatement for Maggie; she’s stubborn, quirky, funny, frustrating at times, and not at all the lap dog we envisioned. She has an eye that wanders, a crooked leg, is always overweight, and her tongue is too long to stay in her mouth, but these things are all part of her uniqueness. As she grew out of her puppy stage and began to settle down a bit, we noticed she really loved older people and would even “talk” to them with what we call her “happy growl.” I had always wanted to do some type of volunteer work using a small dog and ended up going to visit one of our local nursing centers run by the hospital. I asked the activities director if she would like to try using Maggie with the residents and she was more than willing to give it a try.

Maggie never had any formal therapy training, but neither had the occasional dog coming to visit a family member. I was a little nervous, but the moment she waddled through the front doors, it was as if she knew exactly what job she was there to do. The first residents we met were immediately smitten by her sweet face and silky hair. They wanted to hold her, stroke her hair, and have her lay on the bed with them. Along with the smiles of the residents, which had been rare for some, came the miracles. One resident who had been allergic to almost everything her entire life, making her somewhat of a recluse, had no problems with allergies at all and has been devoted to Maggie ever since. She even fixes her bed with a sheet for Maggie to nap on while we talk about the current news. Another resident, a rather gruff old veteran of several wars and a former navigator for the USAF and Marines, refused to talk after being placed there. He rarely had any visitors, so I mustered my courage and went in with Maggie. I lifted Maggie up on his bed, all the while doing all the talking and asking him questions. He immediately began scratching Maggie behind the ears and after a few visits began answering my questions about the military, animals, etc. It was an absolute breakthrough. And these stories are just the beginning.

I know Maggie has brought happiness to so many of these lovely people, some of whom have had to leave their pets behind. She shows gentleness with them that we rarely see any other time. By interacting with such a diverse group of people and hearing their life stories, I have also benefited greatly. It has fulfilled a need in me that I never knew existed. For a little dog who didn’t much like being a lap dog, she seems to know exactly how much love each person needs and is content to be there for as long as she’s needed. Everyone should consider adopting their next pet; they may just find their “Miracle Maggie”.

"We adore Elsa and so glad she is in our lives..."

2010-07-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

Elsa -New Hampshire

"Paws Pack" Member #57

Elsa's the standard greyhound rescue. Born in TX somehow made it up to New Hampshire and was retired from racing at the age of 3. We were matched up with her at the local greyhound rescue kennel (greyhound placement service). We had just lost my first 2 greyhounds and had an elderly bichon. The kennel manager thought we needed a 'youngster' and she was right! Sshe told us Elsa is an 'insecure little baby' and she was absolutely right!

She's now almost 9 years old and is an only dog. She has lost interest in other dogs but loves people! She loves to be in the most comfy spots in our home and runs whenever she feels like it in our fenced in yard. We adore her and are so glad she is in our lives!

"Koji...He stole our hearts!"

2010-06-21T16:46:00.000-07:00

Koji - Maryland

"Paws Pack" Member #56

I was on my way to work in downtown Baltimore, early in the morning in June 2000. The night before had been a horrible thunderstorm with torrential rain and terrifying crashing thunder and blinding flashes of lightning. As I was turning onto one of the highway, I saw a flash of something moving very fast, coming out of an industrial park. Thinking it might be a motorcycle, I hit the brakes and to my surprise, there was a small black and brown dog running as fast as his little legs would take him, right down the middle of the four lanes. My first thought was “Oh no, he is going to get hit by a car.” I slammed the car in park, put on the brakes and opened the car door. I called the little guy and he came running and jumped right in my car, to my surprise. He was wet, dirty and very scared. I took him to work with me that day, and he spent the majority of the day curled up at my boss’ feet, under her desk. No one could believe that I found him running along the road like that but he won the hearts of everyone I worked with that day.

That evening I took him home with me and my daughter and I cleaned him up, introduced him to Tibbs,our lab/spaniel mix (which we had adopted at the SPCA two years earlier) and got him settled in. All the next month we looked for any signs of someone looking for a small black and brown stray dog. We checked the newspapers, the shelters, and all the local bulletin boards. Each day, I looked for signs of someone looking for the young dog, and dreading finding an owner, because this little guy had came in, taken over the household and stolen our hearts. After a month of searching for his owner, I took him to the vet to begin his shots. At that time, the vet informed us that he thought he was a pure bred Pekinese. A scan revealed, he was not microchipped, either. We had already decided long ago, that if his owner was not found, he would have a furever home with us.

Koji and Tibbs were best buddies until 2008 when Tibbs passed away. Koji has a new buddy, a rambunctious, ornery basset pup named Blossom that he sometimes tolerates, sometimes has no patience with, but also looks out for.

"Molly Bob Digger...Diva Extraoridinare!"

2010-05-31T20:32:00.000-07:00

Molly Bob - Montana

"Paws Pack" Member #55

Molly Bob came into rescue at the very young age of 7 months. Her first family, had to move to England and could not take her. She went to one home, where that family dog disliked her. Her second home, did not work out for reasons I do not know. Then at the tender age of 7 months, she went to the Basset Rescue of Montana which had a house full of Bassets and German Shepherds. Being so young, she must have had a tough time getting enough to eat. (Even now she hides a couple of bites.) At the age of 9+months I found her picture on the internet. I fell in love. After filling out the adoption form, getting all the pictures needed by the rescue, we had to then deal with the death of my Mother in Law. Two weeks and 554 miles later, we came home to a phone message that said, "If you want her, come and get her!". The next morning we drove another 125 miles (one way) to go get her. On April 2, 2005, Molly because Molly Bob Digger, Diva Extraordinare.

Two weeks later, we drove her 250 miles (one way) to have eye surgery to repair her eye lids. She had popped stitches, in both eyes from her surgery. Three trips later in April, all was better with here eyes. My husband loves this pooch, he won't admit it but he does.

Molly Bob has been a part of our family just short of 5 years. She will be celebrating her 6th birthday on June 11. She is the first female Basset Hound we ever had. Always had good luck with boys...Bassets have been our furkids of choice since July of 1980.

"Riley...He was a love and a blessing that nothing can erase"

2010-05-25T20:36:00.000-07:00

Riley-North Carolina

"Paws Pack" Member #54

Once upon a time there was a baby, a cuddly, soft precious ball of black fur just 8 weeks old and headed for his new home. You would expect welcoming arms and a warm bed to lie in but he was placed on the end of a chain, left outside in the backyard. And there he lived for 13 years.

He was forgotten. Forgotten in a way you and I cannot comprehend. He was hungry. His owner had "forgotten" to feed him for a few weeks, thirsty, desperate and even then in this weakened state, he broke free. Searching, seeking, he was hit by a car. His beautiful body now bore a 20 inch gash from his neck, across his chest down his right leg at least 2 inches wide. A blessing in disguise for now the embedded collar could be worked free from his hug starved neck. His hind legs barely able to hold him up, he had cancer and a tumor on his eye. He came to us. An angel in another state called and asked if we could help this broken and battered old man and we said we would. He arrived and moved in downstairs, needing constant medical attention and special feedings. He had surgery and began his road to recovery. Just a couple weeks later Riley could not stand up. A stay in the hospital revealed pancreatitis. The phone call with the vet was filled with my tears as we had to make the decision to assist Riley in leaving earth, he could not stand. The vet hung up the phone, went to get Riley and when he opened the door, there stood Riley! He called us back immediately and said, "24 more hours". Riley came HOME!

Riley blossomed, thrived and became the little, precious 8 week old puppy again. But, this time this life he was loved, cherished, cuddled, and played with every day. Two wonderfully Riley sized meals a day, lots of room to run and run he did. Riley never did walk again, he ran.

He ran chasing the boys, who could not play ball outside anymore because Riley took all the balls and all at one time in his mouth. He ran whenever he could be with his favorite boy as they did farm chores together. He ran and carried his favorite toys everywhere he went. To bed with him, to go outside in the morning, to go in the play yard...his bright yellow car and orange bear with him at all times...He was the happiest dog I have ever seen.

One Friday evening, as usual, his favorite boy played with him. Riley loved him so much...and they have a special friendship. After dinner, our son went out to give Riley his dinner. Riley was missing. A very small search began and we did not have to go far. We found our dear Riley, lying curled up by the fence, with his two toys. He looked like he was sleeping. Riley had peacefully left us. But, he will never ever be far. That is a love and blessing that nothing can erase. Riley was buried by his favorite place to be. He and his favorite boy's corner. You know, since dog time is so different than our time, I can happily say...Riley's last years (human months) were the grandest ever and I honor this baby for his strength, courage and the spirit that led him to a whole new life and to us!!!

We love you Riley...

"Beatrice took a part of my heart with her to the Rainbow Bridge..."

2010-05-20T20:48:00.000-07:00

Beatrice "Queen Bea" - Arizona

"Paws Pack" Member #53

Meet my Beatrice the Basset (AKA Queen Bea) who adopted me about 7 years ago when I met her at Bea’s foster home…soon she became a member of my family and was adopted from Basset Buddies Rescue in Wisconsin. Beatrice made the road trip out to Arizona with her mom and Grandma Bruck after 3 days of traveling from Wisconsin to Arizona. Beatrice was the sweetest Basset I’ve ever known and many others said the same. Beatrice was 9 years old when I adopted my sweet old lady and she loved her walks every night…7pm the barking and begging would start if I didn’t have her leash ready by then. Beatrice was my first Basset I adopted and the rescue for my passion and 6 years of volunteering for Arizona Basset Hound Rescue.

Beatrice went to the rainbow bridge 3 years and 2 days from the date I adopted her and I was traveling in Wisconsin when she got ill. Auntie Mo was with her when it was time to say goodbye and I cried on the phone as I said goodbye to her on the phone from Wisconsin…Mo said she lifted her head when she heard my voice and to this day I still cry when I think of her. Beatrice took a part of my heart with her to the Rainbow Bridge and is with Wrinkles the Basset I had when growing up years ago.

"Sadie Belle...the pretty basset girl from SC..."

2010-05-17T18:59:00.000-07:00

Sadie Belle - South Carolina

"Paws Pack" Member #52

After having KC bug for 9.5 years, we decided it was time to get another dog for the house. We wanted a young female, not a puppy….a dog that would learn from KC and that could easily blend into our family. We started looking for bassets because I , Sandy , had always wanted one. We found one and to our disappointment she had already been adopted. We were then asked if we’d be interested in Stella (Sadie’s name at the time )….we weren’t sure about her ,but said okay. The moment we laid eyes on her it was all over…Sadie never went back to her foster family..she has stayed with us every since. She has had battles with ear infections, post op surgery complications, malnourishment and heartworms. She is a survivor, a strong, stubborn little dog……much like a true southern belle. We named her Sadie after my beagle I use to have….we just loved that name, and belle seemed fitting for her. She has such a quirky unique and very affectionate personality. We love her dearly and are so glad she finally has a happy home that she deserves!

"Azera...the lucky pup from Illinois"

2010-05-15T20:19:00.000-07:00

Azera - Illinois

"Paws Pack" Member #51

I had just started volunteering for the Humane Society and was attending a Board meeting. Animal Control had just picked this pup up in a nearby small town. A Board member brought it to the meeting. When the Board found that I didn't currently have a dog (my previous Cocker Spaniel died over a year previously), they wouldn't leave me alone until I agreed to adopt him. So yes, I rescued him. He was a stray pup.

"Rosie...Rescue Pets are the Best!"

2010-05-03T18:13:00.000-07:00

Rosie - Iowa

"Paws Pack" Member #50

Rosie came to us from Pug Partners, Nebraska which I found through Petfinders.com. She and her brother Emmett were owner surrenders due to economic hardship for their former owners. I was looking for a playmate for my puggle who is VERY high energy. This would give my 17 year old pekingese and 9 year old pug a well deserved rest! She and her brother were best of friends and I couldn't bear the thought of splitting them up! She loves toys, food (of course!) and has an insane amount of patience allowing my 3 year old grand daughter to play dress up with her. Adopting this dynamic duo has injected such a joyful dynamic into our house!! Rescue pets are the best!!