The Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley

Is Your Dog a Smarty Pants?

2012-01-13T11:58:00.006-07:00

About five years ago, my dad told me he was ready for another dog. So, after putting some feelers out, I found him a one year-old Griffon who was looking for a new home. Though getting Sassy to him proved to be a bit of a challenge, as I was in Idaho and he was in NY. In the end, I kept Sassy for about four months before driving her to my dad’s, her forever home. It was incredibly hard to part with Sassy after having her so long, but my Dad repeatedly tells me that she is the best dog he has ever had, so I know it was worth it.

When Sassy saw me on my recent visit home, she was so excited. After jumping all over me, she ran to my car and starting looking for Stella, her best friend while she lived with me. I know she could smell Stella on me and she couldn’t figure out why Stella wasn’t there with me, ready to run in the fields with her. It amazed me that Sassy not only remembered me, but also remembered Stella, a dog she hadn’t seen in almost two years. When I mentioned this to my Dad, he responded by saying “Isn’t it amazing how they don’t forget? She is a smart dog.”

It was interesting to me that he equated memory with intelligence. And it got me thinking. How do we really tell if a dog is intelligent? I am known to brag about my dog Stella’s intelligence, but I also admit that my dog Squirrel is pretty dim (in an incredibly loving way.) For me, intelligence means that your dog is a good problem solver, can pick up on social cues and understands language. This is called adaptive intelligence. There is a test to measure your dog’s adaptive intelligence, created by Dr. Stanley Coren, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia and author of the book, “The Intelligence of Dogs and Why We Love the Dogs We Do.”

After reading over the test, I decided to test both my dogs to see if they were really as intelligent (or not) as I had thought. The test was fun to perform and provided lots of treats for my dogs so they were totally game.

And the results? Let’s just say there is a reason Stella rules the roost, and thank goodness Squirrel is so sweet, because she isn’t going to get by on her smarts.

If you’d like to try the test out on your own pooch, try it out here: http://www.abc.net.au/animals/dogtest/default.htm

But just remember, smart or not so smart, your dog provides you with unconditional love during your not so bright moments, and you’ll love them regardless of their doggie IQ….

The Reluctant Foster

2011-10-01T13:21:00.006-06:00

I'm not really a cat person. Well, not compared to how much of a dog person I am. I like cats, and love my cat, but I can imagine my life without a cat in it, whereas I can't say the same about being without a dog.
So, I guess that is why it is shocking to me that I recently took home an ornery cat who no one had adopted in over a year. A cat who had become so grumpy, people couldn't even enter her cat condo safely. While I am taking her home as a foster, and not a permanent resident, I needed to come to terms with the fact that she'll probably be living with me, with this attitude, for quite a while.
Penny is a large cat. I can't imagine owning a long haired cat, as I hate pet grooming. So, why I have Penny, a cat with beautiful, long, thick calico fur, is beyond me. I now look forward to brushing her weekly. I don't even brush my own hair that often. At the Shelter, Penny didn't enjoy the company of other cats. She would take her aggression out on her condo residents by scratching, hissing and being grumpy around any person who entered her space.It was clear Penny wasn't happy. But how would she be if removed from that stressful situation? She had been in foster care before and done well, but that was more than 6 months ago. She may have reached her limit and there was no turning back now.
So, reluctantly, and only because I couldn't think of a really good excuse not to, I packed Penny up in a crate and took her home.

This ornery, angry, Shelter cat made herself at home right away. First and foremost in Penny's world is food. She loves to eat and she is most affectionate when it is feeding time. I noticed that she has lost weight recently, and she actually looks really good. Her long, thick coat makes her look larger than she is, and she will always be an imposing presence. She actually seems to enjoy me petting and brushing her, and she is incredibly tolerant of my dogs who want to make sure there aren't any kibbles she may have missed on the floor. I'll admit that there is no love lost between Penny and my cat. But they just ignore each other and do their own thing. Penny has not created any drama by moving in, and at the Shelter, there was lots of drama surrounding this cat!
So, here's the thing. I like Penny. She is a nice cat. She deserves a home. But she isn't going to find a permanent home with me- I have enough animals right now. She's been homeless for too long, and much like Murphy, another overdo for a home Shelter resident, I'd like to think that Penny's time has come, and this is the month she finds what shes been looking for!

Thinking About Adopting

2011-06-29T14:32:00.007-06:00

When I adopted my first shelter dog, I went in blind. I had no breed preference and no real idea of what I was looking for. I had grown up with all sorts of mutts, and while I knew I wanted a large to medium size dog, I didn’t know much else.
I walked the hallway, looking at all the homeless dogs and ended up pulling the cage cards of three, hoping that after meeting them I would know who was right for me. One was a Boxer; I wasn’t able to meet him because he was on a bite hold (I really know how to pick ‘em huh?). One was a Beagle, who spent our entire time together sniffing the room and totally ignoring me, but man was he cute. And the third was a German Shepherd mix. She sat at my feet calmly and allowed me to gently pet her.

I returned the next day eager to adopt the Beagle! Sadly, someone else had already taken him home, so I decided on the German Shepherd instead. Montana ended up being the most wonderful dog. She was as perfect and well behaved as a dog could be, and it seems I ended up with her completely because of luck. I am scared to think what would have happened if I had gone home with the Beagle!
Now, working at a shelter, I laugh at my naïveté. Like many people, I wanted the dog who was the cutest, not necessarily the one that was right for my lifestyle. I was a college student when I adopted Montana, I didn’t have time to train a dog, and my landlord certainly wouldn’t have appreciated having a dog who tore apart the carpet or howled all day while I was at class.
At the Animal Shelter, we understand that people are naturally drawn to a particular look. I wholeheartedly admit that I love Griffons. I will always have a rescued Griffon or Griffon mix, so I cannot fault people who love a particular breed or look. What can be challenging, however, is when people adopt only for the look, and not the personality or needs of the dog. I may love the look of a Griffon, but I also know they need a lot of exercise. I plan most of my day around when I can exercise my dogs. If my lifestyle and employment didn’t allow for this, I wouldn’t be happy and neither would my dogs.

At the Shelter, we have a system of matching potential adopters with available animals. We ask people to fill out a short survey and assign them to certain categories based on their responses. We recommend that they then choose a dog within their same categories. By providing this guidance, we’re helping make lifelong matches, rather than potentially temporary placements based on snap decisions from incomplete information, like I did many years ago. We pride ourselves on knowing our dogs well and are grateful to share that knowledge with those considering bringing a new companion into their home.
For more information on adopting an animal at the Shelter please email us at info@animalshelterwrv.org or check out www.animalshelterwrv.org. We’re always happy to give you any information we have on our many adoptable pets.

Shake's Big Adventure

2011-04-27T14:45:00.014-06:00

On April 24th, I left the Wood River Valley to begin my new life at Best Friend's Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. At first, I was really sad to be leaving the Wood River Valley and all my friends at the Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley, but I really want to find a home, and I was told my chances would be good for finding a forever home at Best Friends.
Before I left, Nadia took me on a hike up Carbonate. There were lots of people and dogs, and I was so happy to see everyone. I was feeling good, so I trotted up the hill in front of everyone. I wasn't sure why they were going so slowly, but I was sure to check in on them!

When we were almost to the top, Nadia wanted to take my picture with the town of Hailey in the background.

That's all fine and good, but I wanted to keep moving! We got a bit further up, and low and behold there was some snow!!! I was SO excited to see snow that I immediately started doing my happy dance, running around and being silly. I think the other dogs thought I was a bit whacky, but I didn't care, I was HAPPY!!!!

We made it all the way to the top! I took a good look out the valley at the community who loves me so much. I really loved it here and was so lucky I ended up coming to the Animal Shelter.

Nadia wanted one last picture of us together. I obliged, but only if my friend Beau could join us!

The next day, we were off to Utah!! Nadia set up a super cozy spot for me in the car. I like to ride in the front seat, as close to the driver as possible, but Nadia didn't think that was very safe, so she gave me a fluffy bed and my very own squeaky stuffed animal to keep me happy!

As you can tell, I was pretty happy back there!

On the trip, we stopped a couple times to go potty. One time we found a dirt road with no one around. Nadia's dogs took off and we couldn't see them anywhere!

Don't worry though, I was right there, being as sweet and perfect as ever!

That night we were in a hotel! It was super fun! I guess Nadia's dog wasn't feeling so good, so we stayed up all night and kept going for potty breaks. When we actually tried to sleep I got as close to Nadia as possible and got some major snuggling in. It is my favorite activity! Nadia kept saying what a good dog I was and I think she meant it because she didn't say it to her dogs very much... ;)
And then we arrived at Best Friends!

It is really pretty there and the people are SO nice. They were really excited to meet me. I was scared at first, and clung to Nadia, but I knew I had to be brave. After a tearful goodbye (on Nadia's part) I went with my new friend Meghan. She was going to take care of me on my new adventure. I miss all of you who took such good care of me, and I'll be sure to give you updates on how I am doing. And when I find my new home, we can all celebrate!!
Love always!
Shake

Volunteering-The Time is Now

2011-02-24T16:36:00.004-07:00

The animals are lucky. Almost everyday, at least one volunteer comes to spend time with them. For the kitties, this means being brushed, pet and loved on. For the dogs, it means going for hikes, have snuggle time,learning their basic manners, or, if they are really lucky, spending a few nights in a home. While our on site volunteer program isn't huge, there are a lot of different options for getting involved with the animals. Here are a few things some of our volunteers do:
Working one on one with a dog teaching it basic manners, helping it become more confident and more adoptable. Taking dogs for off leash hikes so they can get some much needed exercise. Brushing the cats and giving them some one on one attention. Taking a dog or cat into your home and becoming it's foster parent. Taking a dog to off site adoption events so potential adopters can meet them.
There are a lot more ways in which our volunteers help the animals, but these are the ones that seem to be the most exciting for people who want to volunteer. And while it is certainly true that we couldn't be the shelter we are without our volunteers, we are always looking for new faces! So, if you'd like to help the animals, please contact us! We're having a volunteer orientation March 12th, so now is a great time to get involved! The animals would love to meet you, and we'd sure appreciate you helping us make their lives the best they can be while here at the Shelter!

Fabulous Shake

2011-02-02T12:51:00.004-07:00

I'm not sure what it will take for Shake to get adopted. I was just scrolling through some pictures of past events and there he is, at every single one. He is our "go to" dog for events because he is so great at them. He loves the attention and is always well behaved. He does still have EPI- but it is well managed, and he still has nearly $3000 to help pay for his meds. This will last well over a year. But, he's still here. It truly breaks my heart.
One of our employees recently took him home for an overnight and he was great. He is crate trained, housebroken and was great with her horses and other dogs. Sure, he needs to learn some house manners, but he is far better behaved than many dogs his age. And he just loves people and receiving love. I took him skate skiing and in the car he just gently rested his head on my shoulder. I am not sure if he could be any cuter.
So, lets all hope that this is Shake's time. That he'll find his forever home SOON. He is one of the most wonderful dogs to ever pass through our doors.

Puppies and Kittens and Small Dogs Oh My!

2011-01-26T17:09:00.004-07:00

At the SPCA where I worked before moving back to the Wood River Valley, we would have meetings with our adoption counselors before putting certain animals on the adoption floor. Any small dog (under 15 pounds), or puppy or kitten would FLY out the door. We would have to warn the adoption counselors that the dog or cat was available so that they could handle the mobs of people clamoring for them. Ok, so maybe this is a slight exaggeration, but we did have one miniature Poodle who lasted 5 minutes. In the year and a half that I have been back at ASWRV I have NEVER had that happen. This morning, we placed up for adoption an adorable litter of puppies. One got adopted within the first half hour it was available by a lovely couple who had been patiently waiting for the puppies. The rest, 7 hours later, haven't even been looked at. Sure, we haven't advertised them much yet, but they are on facebook, and for the few people who call to see if we have puppies, we've told them these will be arriving. I am just astonished how slowly puppies and kittens get adopted here. We have two kittens who have been here for WEEKS. I think we are one of the few shelters in the country that struggle with this. I think it is fabulous how many adult dogs and cats get adopted, but where are all the puppy and kitten lovers? And small dogs? We have a purebred Miniature Pinscher and a Chihuahua/Dachshund mix that have also been here for weeks. People don't even ask about them. Any ideas or thoughts on why our puppies, kittens and little ones don't get adopted quickly would be greatly appreciated. In the meantime, I'm going to figure out ways that our puppies can continue to get socialized and little dogs get plenty of enrichment. As for the kittens, it may be their lucky night to have free reign of the place!

Foster For Success!

2011-01-14T15:05:00.004-07:00

One of the areas in which our Shelter could greatly improve is in gaining more foster homes for our residents. I am constantly reminded of how important foster homes are when I interact with our residents who are lucky enough to live in them. We have two consistent canine foster homes and two consistent feline foster homes. The problem is, I need about 10 more for each species. The dogs and cats we do have in foster are blossoming. A lot of their stress and anxiety that they exhibited here is non existent in a home. And here's the really great thing, most of the time, the additional pets aren't much trouble for their foster parents. We find out that the dogs are housebroken and crate trained and the cats are a lot less likely to hide out all day.
Recently it seems like puppy palooza here at the Shelter. We get one litter adopted and another comes in. Our most recent litter is an adorable group of puppies who were only about 4 weeks old. They would not be available for adoption for an entire month, and if I couldn't find a foster home for them, they would be living in a kennel for 4 long weeks. After a few pleas on Facebook, and trying to network some resources at the Shelter, we were able to place the litter in a home. This was a first time foster parent, and taking on a litter of puppies can be quite a task. Lucky for us, this particular home also runs a daycare, so she was ready for anything! I went to visit the puppies today, and they are doing great. Their individual personalities are shining through, they are happy and social and look fabulous. It is amazing to me the difference in their personalities since they have been in a home, rather than isolated in a kennel. In addition, their foster mom almost has them all housebroken- at 7 weeks old!!
To say that foster homes are important to our animals is an understatement. They are a vital resource for us, and vital for the adoptability of our animals. There is nothing worse than seeing a dog suffering severe kennel stress, or a cat so overwhelmed by the Shelter that she stops eating. I encourage anyone even remotely interested in foster care to give us a call. We can pick an animal to suit your lifestyle, and we know it will be an incredible experience for both foster parent and foster pet!

Timmy Finds A Home!

2010-12-15T17:38:00.003-07:00

It was a happy day Friday when Timmy found his new home. So, while his blog with us may end, his happy ending is just beginning. Timmy was very excited to meet his new mom, but he was even MORE excited to meet his new canine sister!!

We'll miss you Timmy, but we are sure happy you found a home that will love you for all your years to come!

Timmy's Adventure Continues

2010-12-09T08:43:00.006-07:00

To everyone's amazement, Timmy is still with us here at the Shelter. He is settling in well and seems to love every bit of attention he gets. Timmy starts his day with a wagging tail, excited that someone has arrived to give him breakfast! He eats the same food as the other dogs, but because he is small he gets "small bites" food, which he really enjoys. After breakfast it is time for a potty break. Timmy loves to prance around and he is great about keeping his kennel clean over night. Don't believe me? Here is a picture of Timmy's kennel.

Yes, he sleeps in a cat bed, but he likes it that way. It is very comfy and cozy! After going outside it is time to play with Mocha in the office. Well, not before some more cuddle time with his friend Hillary!

The routine of the Shelter is great for Timmy, knowing what to expect decreases his anxiety and makes temporary housing a better living situation.
Timmy is still hopeful he'll find his forever home soon, but in the meantime, living here isn't so bad!

The Shelter Through Their Eyes

2010-12-04T11:07:00.009-07:00

An idea was recently brought to me about tracking an animal through its time here at the Shelter. From the moment it gets here to the moment it gets adopted, I would give updates on how it is doing, what it is learning and hopefully giving the good news when it finds a home. I've decided to try this idea and see what happens.
So, now to pick a resident....
On November 16th, as the staff were headed home, a car pulled into our parking lot and a man stepped out holding a frightened Chihuahua mix. He was holding the dog as if he might catch a disease from it. Arms outstretched gave the small dog to a staff member, claiming he had found the dog and didn't know who it belonged to. We set Timmy up in a kennel, providing him with a bed, water and food, and told him we'd be back to see him in the morning.
The next morning, amidst all the barking dogs, Timmy was pretty frightened. But, when we went to get him out of his kennel he greeted us with a rapidly wagging tail. I took him into the surgery room,weighed him (a whopping 8.8lbs!) and gave him his vaccinations. We would give his owners 7 days to come get him, and then he would become ours and go up for adoption.
After 7 days, when no one came for him, we temperament tested Timmy. He did really well, which meant that his next big adventure would be to get neutered and microchipped. Surgery went without complications and Timmy was now ready for adoption! Because of all the snow we have been having Timmy hasn't had much outisde time. Other than potty breaks, he's been hanging out inside. He hangs out with families who come visit, or acts as the Shelter ambassador in the front office. Today, Timmy had a playdate with his new girlfriend Mocha.

They get along great, and Timmy seems super happy.
So, as he waits for a new home, Timmy is playing with friends, learning new things, and keeping his spirits up. Hopefully his wait won't be too long....

Why We Are Different

2010-11-10T14:56:00.004-07:00

On my list of things to do for today I have written down: Take Jerry for a run. Create treatment plan for Annie, Jerry and Chico. Spay/Neuter clinic (6 animals). Meet with dog trainers to discuss treatment plans, how dogs are progressing. Set up Canine Good Citizen tests for residents.Temperament test new dogs. Check in surrendered dog.
The list gives a few examples of how our Shelter is different than most shelters across the country. For one thing, our dogs in particular seem to receive more enrichment and training than dogs in any other Shelter of our size. We have treatment plans ranging from teaching dogs their basic obedience to teaching dogs to sit, rather jump when meeting people. We teach our dogs to be quiet when someone approaches their kennel rather than to bark madly with excitement. We are so fortunate to have two staff members who work on making our dogs even MORE adoptable. We work on having our long term residents take their Canine Good Citizen tests-helping them stay mentally healthy and ensuring they are safe when adopted.
We want adopters to be happy with the animals they adopt from us, and we want our dogs to have good behaviors in place when they go to their new homes so the transition is easier. We are also dedicated to getting our dogs plenty of exercise. A dog like Jerry needs daily exercise in order to keep his sanity. So, we take him running. I feel we are to blame if dogs deteriorate here, we need to keep their quality of life good, especially since they are welcome to stay as long as it takes them to get adopted.
We also serve our community in many ways. The way I am most directly involved is with our spay and neuter clinics. These clinics are FREE to Blaine County residents, meaning there is NO reason you can't get your animal altered. Our vet and I work incredibly hard to keep our wait list short so that animals can come to us when our services are needed. The best way to reduce pet overpopulation is to spay and neuter all pets.
We're also committed to adopting out safe, healthy animals. Therefore we temperament test all our dogs prior to placing them up for adoption. The temperament test enables us to assess what kind of home is appropriate for the dog, what training it needs, and what we need to do while it is here to help keep it adoptable.
We're different because of the programs we have in place, how committed we are to the welfare of our animals, and how committed we are to helping our community. I feel that we are truly one of the most progressive shelters in our country. So, continue to support us, and know, your time and money are truly helping the homeless animals in your community.

Overlooked Cats Who Really Need a Home

2010-10-23T15:14:00.007-06:00

Mookie is one of those cats who the staff cannot believe is still here. Honestly, this cat has got it all. Looks, personality and whatever other things people look for in a cat. I think we all love Mookie because she is laid back and happy. No matter what cat room we put her in, she adjusts beautifully. I imagine she would adjust just as well in a new home.
Snorkel is the type of cat who everyone comments on when they enter the Shelter. He is so handsome and quite personable as well. In fact, we all thought he would be adopted the first day he hit the adoption floor. And yet somehow he is still here.

Captain Disco may have a questionable name, but there is nothing questionable about his personality. He is easygoing and loves people. He would make a great family cat-the more attention the better! he is fine with other cats, not phased by dogs and an all around wonderful cat.

So, honestly, come by and adopt. These are truly deserving kitties!!

After a Blogging Vacation, I'm Back!!

2010-09-04T13:42:00.008-06:00

Yikes, over a month since my last blog...I figure we all get a summer vacation of sorts, so now I am re-freshed and ready to get back to the Shelter blog and keep you informed of all our happenings.

Probably the biggest news is that we had Kelley Bollen, an animal behaviorist from Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine Shelter Medicine Department come and consult with the Shelter as well as work with staff, volunteers and give a community presentation. I was fortunate enough to work with Kelley back in NY and I personally learned so much from her, but I knew that she would be able to teach me even more if she came out to Idaho and saw our Shelter here, as it is so unique from anything back in NY. Kelley's visit was amazing, not only for me, but for all the staff, volunteers and our animals! We now have new programs in place to make life better for our animals and also make them more adoptable. It was great seeing her work with staff and volunteers and getting them inspired to do even more with our animals. Some of the things she taught us were so simple-like how to get the dogs not to bark when you approach their kennels, and some things will take a bit more work, but in the long run will be well worth the effort. We're hopeful that Kelley can come visit us annually, and I think she will-if only for her Idaho was easier to get to!!

Kitten Crazy

2010-07-29T16:24:00.003-06:00

Recently the Shelter was inundated with kittens. We got 3 litters in at the same time, adn they were all about the same age. What this means for us is: lots of kittens all at once! While not ideal, I must admit it is pretty cute to see a bunch of kittens acting like maniacs together. Our litter of 6 kittens are learning from some older kittens how to be well mannered. Ok, no they're not, they're learning how to be crazy kittens, which is probably for the best. Essentially, if you are looking to add a new kitten to your home, we'd appreciate it if you would come down and adopt. As cute as these little felines are, we'd be much happier if they were in a home...

Redford

2010-07-15T10:56:00.005-06:00

As many people in animal sheltering know, sometimes, the best thing for an animal is to end up at the Shelter. Sometimes pre-shelter life was stressful, or worse, filled with neglect or abuse. Many times, a dog's story prior to arriving at a shelter isn't as dramatic as the news stories you may read. Many times their home is just wrong for them. People get a puppy and then can't meet it's needs. They get a dog that needs way more exercise than they can provide, or it isn't already trained and they can't, or won't put forth the effort. So, the dog comes to the Shelter. And we work with the dog. And we care for the dog. And then, the dog begins to blossom. And then, an adopter who can meet the dog's needs, comes in and adopts the dog. And they are both happy. And so are we.
Redford, while still waiting for his happy ending, is certainly a dog who benefited from coming to the Shelter. When he arrived, he was scared, and so shy he didn't really want any human interaction. He was more comfortable with the company of dogs rather than people. So, with slow progression we began to work on his confidence. Small outings, small steps towards obedience work. He was slowly becoming more confident. And then we got really lucky. Redford got a great PetPal who came three times a week, if not more, and dedicated all her time to working with him. Soon, Redford was more confident. He was obedient. And going for walks downtown meant meeting new people who would give him yummy treats, and what dog wouldn't love that? Redford was blossoming. But then, his PetPal had to go away for the summer and we all worried Redford's blossoming had peaked. We all worried he would regress without the continued one on one work.
But that's the thing about blossoming dogs. Once they've begun, it is easier for them to progress than regress. So, even with once weekly or bi-monthly sessions, Redford still continued to improve. An adopter came to visit him recently and I gave them the "he's a shy dog" spiel. When Redford arrived, he jumped in the woman's lap and was anything but shy. She looked at me and asked if this was the dog I just described. Apparently not.
Yesterday Redford had his first outing with our Hikin' Buddies Program. Apparently he was a hit. Loved the kids, loved the other dogs, loved the attention.
Redford has blossomed.He's ready for a forever home. He has proven himself to be resilient, loving and worthy of a home that will love him forever. So, where is that home? What more are people looking for that Redford can't offer? That's the question on all of our minds right now...

Shake Fund Results

2010-07-10T13:04:00.004-06:00

I am surprised the national media hasn't picked up the story about the Shake Fund. I mean, we raised well over our goal, and thanks to the generosity of our friends and supporters, Shake now has over two years of medication paid for! My goal was to raise $1500. We ended up raising almost double that!! At last count our total was $2900! Incredible. And the really good news? We found a company who makes the meds at half the cost! Shake is doing great on the new meds, and now his fund will last twice as long. YAY!!
As for me, doctor's orders are to stop running. Apparently there really WAS something wrong with me. Anyway, I got the race done, Shake got his money and maybe now we can do a fundraiser for the hip surgery I might need???
I can't thank our supporters enough. Shake is such a great dog and I am glad that people were able to recognize that and help this good cause. I really love this dog and am hoping that a forever home is right around the corner...

Looks or Personality?

2010-06-30T10:46:00.004-06:00

We recently had a family come in that had two specific requirements for the dog they wanted to adopt. The dog must be good with kids, and he must, must, must, play fetch. Lucky for them, we had the perfect candidate! Not only is Larry our number one kids dog, he also will play fetch for hours, days, months even. After seeing his picture the family decided to walk around and check him out along with all the other dogs. They came back and had picked out a dog that was neither good at fetch, or particularly kid friendly. We had them take the dog out for a walk, and when they came back they agreed with us. This was not the dog for them. We explained how Larry WAS the dog for them, he had all the characteristics they were looking for. They ended going home with a different dog, and while this dog may be great for them, he certainly didn't fit the bill like Larry did.
So, clearly, since Larry had the personality they were looking for, he must not have had the look they desired. My question is, if you have children to worry about, and need a dog to fit a specific criteria, wouldn't the dogs personality far outweigh it's looks? In my last blog I spoke about how great Petey's adopters were for choosing him purely on personality. This time around, Larry didn't fair so well.
While I was disgruntled about this, I began to try and see things from the adopter's perspective. If I walked into a Shelter would I be able to pick a dog based purely on personality? My requirements would be: dog/cat friendly, active, adult, friendly with people (no shy dogs for me), and able to be home alone without jumping the fence. So, lets say the perfect dog was Larry, but they had a dog that looked like Stella, but that dog liked to jump fences. Would I disregard the fence jumping because I loved the fuzzy face so much? Sad to say, I kind of think fuzzy face prevails over perfection. Somehow, I would make it work. So, maybe I am just as guilty as the next adopter. Maybe I am asking for standards from our adopters that are higher than even I can achieve.
In the end, all that really matters is that the dog find a home where both participating parties are happy. The adopters are thrilled with their adoption, and the pet is in the best possible home for it. I think we do a pretty good job of achieving that balance, even if it means the dog we want to go home has to spend some more time here at the Shelter waiting for perfection.

Finally, a home for Petey!

2010-06-19T11:36:00.003-06:00

So, apparently someone out there agrees with me, because Petey is no longer homeless! He's now living the good life with a Mastiff and two adorable girls. He doesn't seem to mind the Mastiff slobber, in fact, I think he knows it is the dog's way of telling Petey how happy he is that he's joined their home! The kicker is that this particular home needed a dog who was good with other dogs, great with young children, wouldn't jump the fence, housebroken and fairly easygoing. When the list of requests were given, everyone thought of the same dog. Petey. And, as I knew he would, he's proven himself to be as great as we thought.
The best part for me, was how the adopters handled bringing a new pet into their life. This family had always had big, beautiful, purebred Mastiffs. Their dogs have excellent temperaments and are just as sweet as can be. When one died this past winter, they decided that this time around they would get a shelter dog. When they came to us we expected that they would want another large, Mastiff-esque dog. But, they didn't seem to care about breed one bit. They wanted a dog whose temperament would fit well with their life. Breed didn't seem to matter at all. And, because they were open to our recommendations, and didn't care about breed,or how the dog looked, they ended up with the dog that was the best fit. That just makes me smile.
So, yay for Petey, and yay for the fact that now I need to find a new animal to blog about!

Who is this dog?

2010-06-02T16:39:00.004-06:00

The race is a few days away, and I am feeling as ready as I ever will. People have been incredibly generous in their pledges, and it truly makes running this half marathon worthwhile.
This has been the greatest week of training thus far. That's because it's the taper week, and I don't need to run as hard or as long as I have been in previous weeks. Today I did 4 miles out Quigley Canyon and brought one of Stella's boyfriends along. I'm not going to tell you which dog it is, but instead, let you guess by my description. Whomever guesses correctly first will receive a little prize.
This dog has been at the Shelter for a while now. He is pretty amazing. He gets along with dogs, cats and LOVES people. On our run today he ran along with me, and when a car came, he moved right off the road and didn't try to chase the car or anything. I again found myself asking "Why doesn't this dog have a home???" He is incredibly obedient and well behaved. What else can I tell you to help you guess who it is.. Maybe he doesn't have a home because of his breed mix? Maybe he doesn't have a home because he is a little older? Or, maybe he doesn't have a home because despite the wonderfully amazing things I have to say about him, people don't believe it, or he isn't cute enough, or he is too big. Do any of those things matter when in the end you've got yourself an incredible dog? I have decided that after the race I'm going to foster him for a bit until I have to petsit. At least that way he'll get out of the Shelter for a couple of weeks...
Anyway, any idea who this dog is? My last clue is that his name was given to him after a famous dog who appeared on a television show in the fifties I believe. He even looks quite a bit like that famous dog, and ironically in that tv show the dog was part of a group of children, and our dog with the same name LOVES children too. Ok, enough hints. Start guessing. Then, lets find a home for this wonderful dog!!

Running, Running, Running

2010-05-18T12:30:00.007-06:00

It seems like everything I do these days revolves around preparing for the half marathon to raise money for Shake's meds. People have been incredibly generous, and the donations are rolling in. I can honestly say that these donations are what are keeping me going. If there wasn't a purpose for this run, I wouldn't be running it. For some people, 13 miles is not a big deal. For me, it is an enormous deal, I've never run more than 8.5 miles, and I only did that once. Plus, I've been plagued with injuries. My runs consist of me trying to figure out what is going to hurt the most and treating that. Then I just deal with all the other pain as it comes. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that I am not meant to be running long distances. But for Shake, I'll do it. He is definitely worth the pain.
And in case you think I am exaggerating, or being overly dramatic, let me tell you about a few of my medical issues. Perhaps if you see what I've been dealing with it'll inspire you to make a pledge if you haven't already.
I have two herniated discs in my lower back. Having herniated discs feels like you no longer have a core, because when you stand, there is nothing to support you, and it is so painful, you are frightened to move. My doctor told me to essentially stop horseback riding and running. I didn't listen. BUT, in my defense, I did start physical therapy and my back has been doing pretty well lately. In the 4 months that I have been training, I have only had one flare up. Granted it was so painful I could hardly stand, but it only happened once, so I consider that a good thing. I am used to back pain. And, if it is as irregular as it has been, it's livable. Lets just hope it stays away until after the race.
I always considered myself fortunate in that I have never had knee problems. Until now. About two months ago my knee hurt so badly after a run I actually went to a specialist later that week. He gave me some diagnosis I didn't understand. But, with his suggestion, I got one of those knee braces (they're REALLY sexy...) and am back in physical therapy. My therapist even remembers me from my back problems a few years ago! Honestly, my knee kills. The brace and PT help to a degree, but the doctor also said something along the lines of "I don't think you should be training for a 1/2 marathon until your knee is better." Again, I didn't listen. I mean, I have to raise this money for Shake, doesn't he understand that? I figured that there are anti-inflammatories for a reason so I began taking them. A lot of them. I got really good at self medicating, or so I thought. After a while of taking the maximum dose, day after day, my stomach couldn't handle it and that pain was almost worse than the knee issue. So, I cut back on the ibuprofen. Even though my knee still hurts I basically just run through the pain, and the physical therapy and knee brace do help a bit...
Pain in my back and knee are the biggies, but that doesn't mean I don't have your typical distance runner ailments. For instance, I still can't figure out why my toes fall asleep when I am climbing a hill. Sometimes I can't feel my feet for most of the run. That can't be good, right? The other day I ran with a water pack around my waist. It was mildly uncomfortable, but honestly, with all the other pains, not a huge issue. That is, until I took it off and noticed the straps had dug into my skin and now I have a line around my waist that is red, raw and sore.
The knee brace is great except that sometimes it is uncomfortable as well. Sometimes it feels too tight, other times too loose, and all the time sweaty and gross. I looked down at my leg the other day and there are bruises and cuts from the brace. Again, apparently that pain is nothing compared to the other stuff, because I hadn't paid much attention to it.
I'm sure there's more, and you could probably ask my friend/coach/other insane half marathon runner Bridget (shelter volunteer extraordinaire) what else I complain about on a daily basis. Bridget is a GREAT runner and she has kindly offered to run the race at my pace, with me, which is one of the nicest things anyone has ever done. Especially since, not only are we going slower than her average pace, but she also has to listen to me moan about all my ailments. I spent about 4 miles of one run lamenting on how it had all been uphill, how could it STILL be uphill??? Bridget just laughed (at me) and tried to change the topic to something more pleasant. She's the best. I definitely couldn't do this race without her. She makes running through all the pain worthwhile. She and Shake of course.
So, you may ask, if all I do is complain about the race, why the hell I am doing it? I think we all know the answer. Shake. At the end of a run, no matter how bad I feel, or whether I can walk or not, I know I am doing the right thing. Shake is such an incredible dog, and I love him so much. Unlike me, he never complains and is always happy to get a good meal, some love and a fun walk. And while I may complain about all the running, I do actually enjoy it, and consider myself lucky to be able to accomplish something like this. Now if only my attitude while training could be more like Shake's. Accentuate the positive..be happy with what you've got...enjoy the moment. I'll work on it. For Shake, and for Bridget, otherwise I'll be running running running all on my own....

Shake Needs Help!

2010-05-04T15:30:00.004-06:00

For those of you who haven't met Shake let me tell you a little bit about him.
He's super friendly. He loves attention. He is great with other dogs. He is the most easy going and carefree dog. You can put him in any situation and he is just happy to be there. He should have had a home many months ago. But, instead, he's still homeless. Homeless but hopeful.
I guess I should also tell you why I think Shake doesn't have a home yet. He has a medical condition called EPI (exocrine pancreatic insufficency) which makes it so he can't absorb the nutrients in his food. So, he'll eat and eat, but is essentially starving because his food just goes right through him. The good news is that there is a medication which can make it so he absorbs the necessary nutrients, and he can live a normal happy life. The only problem is that the medication is expensive, and while we can pay for it while he is on our care, it's tough to expect a new adopter to take on his financial needs. People who are interested in adopting Shake become uninterested when they hear about his medical costs.
So, this is where you and I come in. For the past several months I have been training for the Sun Valley Half Marathon. I'm not a runner, and while I enjoy going for an easy 6 mile run, anything above and beyond that becomes less than fun, and my running buddy, Bridget, gets to listen to me complain about how unhappy I am. But, in my mind, I figure that enduring the hardship of this race is nothing compared to the hardship Shake has had to endure in not finding a home because of his medical condition.
So, I have decided to run the race as a fundraiser for Shake. I'd like to ask people to pledge a certain amount of money, and upon my completion of the race, make those pledges a donation. All money raised will go directly to the cost of Shake's meds, and all donations are tax deductible. Shake's meds cost approximately $1500 per year, so I am hoping that by having each person give a little bit, we can reach the goal of $1500!
Please consider helping Shake and giving me a reason to run this race. You can email me with your pledge at: nadia@animalshelterwrv.org and then donations can be made by check to ASWRV or you can pay with your credit card over the phone or in person at the Shelter.
Shake and I both thank you.I won't quit running until this sweet dog has a home.

Old Dogs, New Homes

2010-05-01T14:15:00.007-06:00

It seems like we've had an influx of senior dogs recently, and while any homeless animal is a sad thing, our senior pets especially pull at our heart strings. Senior dogs seem to have a much more difficult time adjusting to Shelter life than their younger counterparts. And for good reason. Many of them have never lived anywhere without their human companion, and for many of them they have been living a consistent routine for many years. Then, they come to the Shelter and their routine is thrown out the door, they're alone, and surrounded by exuberant barking dogs. They're expected to make new canine friends, go for walks with people they don't know, and sleep alone. Add to this the fact that many of them are arthritic, overweight or not in great health, and life at the Shelter can be a huge challenge for senior dogs. They had been faithful to their person for years, only to end up alone, having to start over.It's an unfair fate to say the least, and our hope here at the Shelter is that they DO spend their final days, months, or years in a home that loves them, not in a Shelter where, although they get lots of love and care, they aren't a family member. So, here's a reminder of who our wonderful senior dogs are. We have two more that I'll add once they officially become ours, we're still hopeful their owners will come take them home...

Murphy is 10 years young. He lived with his owner for 8 years until she moved to Alaska and left him behind. She described him as a German Shorthair Pointer, but we know he is definitely a GSP mix. Murphy is great with other dogs and loves everyone he meets. He seems to be in excellent health, and still loves to go for hikes. Murphy is a REALLY nice dog, and had his previous owner not told us his age, we would have thought he was years younger.

One of the hardest things for the Shelter is when we get in extremely overweight dogs. The dogs have a really hard time getting around, and with our looks obsessed society, most people do not want an overweight dog, especially when it is a senior as well. The good news is that Blueberry has been losing weight like a contestant on The Biggest Loser, and he is looking and feeling great! At 11 years old, we think he is finally feeling pretty good, and now all he needs is a home! Blueberry is a character that's for sure. He's easygoing, and sweet, and there's no more cherished time for him than mealtime!

So, overweight is tough, but what's heartbreaking is when we get in a dog that is so shy, we can hardly touch her. Thank goodness for her friend Blueberry, because otherwise Cubby Bear would have had a really hard time adjusting to Shelter life. Cubby Bear is 12 years old, and adorable. However, she'll need a special home where she can just hang out and be a dog. She is social and sweet with people she knows, but will not approach strangers. I guess our feeling is at her age, she should be able to do what she wants!

Oodles of a Poodle!

2010-04-22T14:31:00.012-06:00

Having an affinity for fuzzy faced dogs I was thrilled when I heard our newest arrival was a Poodle. However, when I went to go see him, it was hard to tell what I was looking at. Poodle? Labradoodle? It's certain he was some sort of "poodle" dog, but considering how matted and dirty he was, no one could know for sure. I can say I have never seen a dog so badly matted. From head to toe to tail, he looked like one enormous mat.

Paddington, as he was named, didn't seem too concerned with his mats. He wagged his tail and seemed happy to be here, somehow knowing life was about to get better for him.
We originally planned on having this boy professionally groomed, as it seemed too large a job for us to handle. After the groomer saw what condition he was in however, she realized she hadn't scheduled enough time for him, and asked to re-schedule for next week. Jo-Anne and I had the same idea: we couldn't let this boy go another day looking like this, perhaps we could tackle the job after all...
Um, so, Paddington had a LOT of matted hair. As we began to clip him it came out as one large section. It honestly reminded me of shearing a sheep.

So, we just kept going and going. He started to look better, but this was a serious job!

Paddington was amazing for the grooming session. He stood perfectly still and allowed us to work around his ears, face and other severely matted places. The one thing he wasn't fond of was us doing his feet. So, we figured we'd save those for when we had to sedate him to be neutered. Here's a picture of his feet after the rest of him has been groomed. They are literally one big mat, and make him look like he has club foot!

Once he was done he looked great. Well, great for being clipped by non groomers who had to shave him down almost to his skin. He was such a willing boy for the whole thing, we couldn't have asked for a better dog. Now that he's all shaved he is looking pretty much like a Poodle. I'm not positive, but I think he may be a Standard Poodle, rather than a Labradoodle or Goldendoodle. I'm happy to take any opinions about the matter...
The moral of the story is, don't get a Poodle or doodle dog if you can't afford to groom it. Because, no matter how great Paddington was for the experience, he didn't ever deserve to have to live with such bad mats.

Whose More Deserving?

2010-04-13T15:38:00.013-06:00

I come to work truly believing that every one of our animals will one day find a home. That said, I am realistic, and know that some dogs and cats are going to take longer to find that special person than others. However, there are some residents that I cannot believe are still here. So, I dedicate this blog to those deserving a home. Today. STAT. ASAP. These are the residents that for no reason then perhaps breed bias, color, or naughty kennel behavior have not found a home yet. It is perplexing to me. Lets get them out of the Shelter and into homes!

You all know Petey right? I mean,he's been here long enough that I would assume everyone in the Wood River Valley has met him at some point. Petey is GREAT. He's the dog we send out with anyone, because, despite what you may have heard, Pit Bulls are notorious for getting along with EVERYONE. Petey is a horrible watch dog. Unless you are looking for a watch dog that will say hello to everyone with a wagging tail.

Then there's Jimmy. If you want info about Jimmy check out my other blogs about him. He's GREAT. Ok, so he's a little shy. But really, get to know him, and this dog will spend every minute of the rest of his life trying to make you happy. What could be better in life than that???

Chato is cute, smart, great with dogs and LOVES people. Some people say he "doesn't connect" with them, so they pass him over for another dog. Well, Chato sees lots of people everyday, so please excuse him if he doesn't immediately connect with you. He just doesn't know that you may be "the one."

Oh Betty. You're the type of cat that gives a good name to all cats. You're always ready for some loving and you never make a fuss about all the new cats we put in your room with you. You're purr-fection.

Jasmine has endured a lot in her life. Near starvation,freezing cold temps and abandonment. No cat is more deserving of a home. Jasmine is affectionate and full of spunk. She's got personality, and would love to share her stories with you.
So, there you go. My top picks. Maybe if we can get these 5 adopted I'll tell you who my other top picks are...

Animal Shelter 411

2010-04-08T14:36:00.009-06:00

Sometimes it seems like the front door is constantly revolving. For every animal that left, one more came in. About 3 weeks ago we seemed to get numerous dogs each day, and while some of them did make their way back to their owners, others have stayed with us and are now in new homes, or still here waiting for their forever homes.
Here are some of our newest additions that are still here, hoping to find loving homes.

Snapple is a young male Golden Retriever/Chow, maybe Australian Shepherd mix. He's super sweet and affectionate.

Jersey came in with his friend Snapple. He's an uber affectionate, energetic Lab mix.

Dash, an adult female Cattle Dog mix, looks like she's seen some hard times. But, she loves people and is a wonderfully sweet dog.

We can't forget the cats! Tommy is a wonderful adult male cat who seems great with cats and dogs.
There are even more new dogs, you can check our website www.animalshelterwrv.org for more up to date pictures and bios....Hopefully one is right for you!

Hunter Lives Up to His Name...

2010-04-06T10:50:00.017-06:00

After temp testing Hunter, Sabine came up to me and said "I think Hunter would be a good one for Gary and Rosemary." I told her to call them up, as Gary and Rosemary are two people we will always adopt to. Heck, they've already adopted at least 9 dogs from us in the 5 years that I've known them, and I am always ready to give them more. In fact, a part of me wishes they would take Stella, not forever, maybe just for an intense month of training.
So, who are these people and why do we hold them in such high regard? Gary and Rosemary make up Shine K9, an organization that trains dogs in narcotic detection, bed bug detection, gas pipeline leak detection and even how to find missing people! Almost all the dogs they train go on to police departments, but some go to private organizations that use them for things like searching out bed bugs or finding dangerous leaks in gas lines. There are two particular reasons I hold Gary and Rosemary in such high esteem (other than the fact that they are really nice people..) For one, ALL their dogs are rescues. Yup, every single dog that they hand pick, comes from a Shelter, or is a dog someone needs to give up. They do not breed their own dogs, and insist that all the dogs they've chosen are spayed and neutered prior to being placed. Secondly, they insist that all of these dogs live inside with their handlers. These dogs are much more than just working dogs, they're also, first and foremost, family members. Any handler that does not want the dog anymore (for example it has retired from active work)must return the dog to Shine K9.
So, this past Sunday I brought Hunter down to meet them. It took them about 2 minutes to decide that he would be great for their program. They test the dog's ball drive, as well as it's willingness to go into strange places. Hunter was not shy about climbing under the train car that was on display, and he worked hard to find the ball, not stopping until it was retrieved. Plus, Hunter is great with people, Shine K9 is looking for dogs with a lot of drive, but also dogs that will be fine working around people. Once Hunter became a Shine K9 dog I had Gary hide a ball for Stella to retrieve. I was curious if she would pass the test as well.. As one would expect, Stella was great, working hard to find her ball, it was just that her handler/owner kept interfering... Stella found the ball and dug to get at it. This behavior would make her good at avalanche work, but not great at working a crime scene, where sitting is the proper response to finding a scent.
It was a lot of fun to see Gary and Rosemary and I'm elated that another one of our dogs would be working his way to happiness. Below are some of the other dogs we have sent to Shine K9 along with brief bios.

Ginger Rogers is doing gas leak detection work in Texas.

Skipper, now Sniffer, is working as a narcotics detection dog. He was adopted by Shine K9 in 2006.

Fergie was adopted by Shine K9 in 2008. She is now a narcotics detection dog!

Flora was originally set to do bed bug detection, but is now doing narcotics work.

Kya, a personal favorite, is doing narcotics detection work in Emmett, Idaho.

Petey the Misunderstood Pit Bull

2010-03-25T15:21:00.005-06:00

I haven't spent much time with Petey, but from our limited time together, I've found him to be a really great dog. He's super social, obedient, athletic and great with other dogs. He is pretty much what people would expect from a Golden Retriever. Except that he is a Pit Bull. And, quite honestly, he's what people should expect from a Pit Bull too.
Yesterday I decided to take Petey with me for a run up Carbonate. We had to stop at home to pick up Stella and when we got there Petey hopped out of the car to say hello to a delivery man. It was more like, Petey bounded out of the car over to the gentleman. The man reached over and gave Petey some petting, then spoke happily to him until Petey came back over to the car with Stella. I was worried the man was going to be nervous about a Pit Bull running over to him, despite Petey's joyful nature. My first thought after the interaction was "appropriate action, appropriate reaction." Petey acted appropriately in his greeting and the gentleman reacted completely appropriately, despite what breed or size of the dog. I thought it would be fun to monitor all the people we saw today and see if their reactions were appropriate to Petey's actions.
Carbonate was packed. Annoying for running, but good for my experiment. The first people we ran into were friends of mine, so of course all went well. As we chugged up the hill on the narrow single track, people would have to stop and move out of our way, and there wasn't much room for dog or people interaction. We probably saw about 20 people and dogs, and I am pretty proud of our community. There was only one person who I could tell was visibly frightened by Petey's actions,(despite how friendly those actions were) and had an inappropriate reaction. I could tell that it was because Petey was a Pit Bull. The way he wagged his tail and goofed around would have been seen as friendly in any other breed. Sadly, there's still some prejudice out there, but fortunately, one out of 20 is something we can certainly work with!
The fact of the matter is that Petey is a dog. Four legs, two eyes one heart. He needs to be treated as an individual and not a stereotype. Appropriate actions on his part should illicit appropriate reactions on our part. Who can argue with that?

I Still Love Jimmy

2010-03-18T17:48:00.004-06:00

The short of it is that Jimmy is a fabulous dog. He just came back from an overnight with his favorite volunteer and she couldn't say enough good things about him. Housebroken, slept on his bed all night, and was great with all the dogs in the neighborhood. The best part about Jimmy? When he got back to the Shelter he was excited to see us and happily went into his kennel, jumped on his dog bed and ate his dinner. We know he had a fabulous time on his overnight, but he is so resilient, he's happy anywhere that people love him and give him great care. I love this dog. He is smart, eager to please, happy and well behaved. Why doesn't he have a home yet??? If someone has the answer please let me know. I'll do whatever it takes to find him a home. Maybe dressing him up like a Golden Retriever would help? A story in the paper of his courageous act to save a lost girl? Hey, I'll get lost in the woods and let Jimmy find me if it means he'll get a home out of the deal...

Being a Responsible Dog Owner

2010-03-10T16:36:00.000-07:00

Be prepared, this blog is going to be a bit of a personal rant...

On Monday, I went for a run with Stella and because of the strange weather we've been having decided to run with her through a neighboring subdivision rather than out one of the hiking trails where the conditions were a bit ankle twisting. I put Stella's Easywalk harness on, attached her leash and off we went. About a mile from my house we encountered our first dog. It trotted out into the road and followed us for a bit. I hollered to it to go home, and eventually it did stop and meandered back home. The next dog we encountered was not as friendly. It came running out of it's unfenced yard, barking and growling. It lunged at Stella, she screamed, and I began yelling at it. It stopped in it's tracks, apparently surprised to have someone correct it, and fell in behind us, barking at us as we jogged down the road. I stopped, turned, and I hollered at it in a deep voice to go home. It finally did. We encountered about 3 other loose dogs in about 2 miles. We then veered into town, and I was hopeful we'd be free from dogs running into the road. We weren't. Another dog came running into the street, nearly getting hit right in front of me. It then ran right towards Stella, she slammed on the brakes and I went flying over her. To say I was annoyed would be an understatement.

I think I was a bit oblivious to how bad the loose dog problem in Hailey was because I spend most of my time running on the trails in the area and not in town.What baffled me that day was that people apparently think it is ok to let their dogs outside without any containment. I'm not surprised that these loose dogs came running out at us, the road is just an extension of their yard, in their minds. Here I am, being a responsible dog owner by having my dog on leash and making sure I pick up after her, while other Hailey residents don't even contain their dogs on their property. Apparently, for these dog owners, it is everyone else's responsibility to deal with their dogs, not their own. I cannot tell you how crazy this makes me. I could go into length about this issue, but I won't. I must say however, that this is a serious problem and I can imagine it isn't only a problem in Hailey, Idaho. Being a responsible dog owner means that your dog is your responsibility. It is not the responsibility of the person running down the street, the car driving down the road, or the person walking their dog on a leash in front of your house. Why is that so hard for some people to understand?

PS I realize the photo placed to the left of the blog has nothing to do with the actual story. I just needed something cute to look at...

What's Been Going On

2010-02-21T11:35:00.000-07:00

There's been lots going on at the Shelter, so here's the 411....

Our cat adoption special for February has been going really well. We've had a LOT of cats get adopted. Some old timers like Smokey, and newcomers like Hydro have found forever homes as well as Enki,Chutney,Scooby,Soy and many more. It's been great to see our cats find homes. What's almost as great is how the stress level with the cats living here has really decreased. With the extra space the cats are getting along better, and seem much happier. Quite a few of our long timers are still here and we're really hoping they'll find homes shortly.

While our dog numbers are still good, we have gotten in a few really fabulous new dogs. Flirt and Barney arrived together. They had rope tied around their necks, so who knows what kind of conditions they were living in. Regardless, they seem happy to be here and we're happy to have them!

I know that I am not supposed to pick favorites, but that isn't working out so well for me. I mean, I just really appreciate a really good dog. And, that's not to say that I don't appreciate all our dogs, I just get to know some better than others, and well, they become my favorites.

My next statement is one I thought I would never utter. My new favorite dog is Tucker, the yellow Lab. While this is probably not a shocking statement in and of itself, it is a bit shocking coming from me. I do love Labs, and understand why so many people have them. I just never saw myself as a Lab person. I like mutts, especially ones with lots of facial fur. I have always pictured myself with two muttley dogs, but the other day, when I took Stella and Tucker running, I fell in love. He is SO great. Great with dogs, great with people, great recall etc etc. I mean, this dog needs a home NOW. Oh, he is even great in the car!! And did I mention he is handsome? SO handsome. So, please come adopt him. Otherwise I am going to become a Lab owner. And THAT is a shocking statement!

There's been lots more going on, but I can't remember any of it because I am still thinking about how great Tucker is.... So, come by the Shelter and visit the animals. Then, take Tucker home. You'll fall in love instantly, I promise!

Take A Chance On Me....

2010-02-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

When I sit down to write about one of our residents, it is usually about a dog or cat that I have spent a lot of time with and feel great affection for. Being that we house approximately 100 animals at any given time, I can't always get to know all the animals as well as I would like. There are two dogs in particular that I haven't gotten to know well, and perhaps it's time that I DO get to know them. Or, at least make just as strong an effort to find them a home as I would all the dogs that I know so well. The two dogs I am referring to are Harvest and Mazy, two of our longest residents, both of which need a home that will be mindful of their needs.

Mazy is a large Great Dane? Lab? Pit Bull? mix. While we may not be 100% sure about her breed, we are sure that she is a beautiful, unique looking dog. Mazy came to the Shelter as a puppy, and has basically grown up here. Mazy is SMART, athletic and eager to please. She has picked up on all the bad behaviors that manifest themselves in dogs at shelters, but with a dedicated staff member she has learned to correct those bad behaviors, and is actually a very well mannered dog. I think Mazy hasn't been adopted yet because she doesn't show well here. She barks at strangers (a learned behavior from being kenneled), can be a bit pushy (hey, she's smart and knows she's big), and while actually really fantastic with other dogs, greets them as if she is going to eat them. So, what's a shelter to do? We've placed Mazy on a strict behavior modification program and she and a staff member have lots of outings where she has time away from the kennel. She goes on hikes with her favorite volunteer and her dog, and even has the occasional overnight visit in a home. Mazy will need an adopter that will continue with her obedience training and make sure that she understands who the boss is. She is a sweet, lovable dog, and my gut tells me that she is going to make someone a wonderful companion.

It's easier for me to explain why I haven't gotten to know Harvest well. Harvest is incredibly shy and avoids contact with humans she doesn't know. Or, at least that is what I tell myself. Whenever I am around Harvest she moves away. So, I don't pursue getting closer, as I don't want to make her nervous. I've been told by MANY people that Harvest is incredibly affectionate and loves people once she gets to know them. In fact, here's a picture of her with Amy, and she isn't looking too shy is she?

So, apparently, all it is going to take, is me getting to know her. One hike with Stella and I and she would probably be my best friend. I just need to take her, but it seems I am always busy with another dog. Ok, Harvest, my promise to you is that we'll spend some time together this week. I do feel that Harvest would be happiest in a home where she could just be a dog. She wouldn't be expected to greet visitors or play with kids. She would do best where she could have another dog to play with, and could hang out and not be expected to be social.

So, there it is. Two wonderful dogs that you now know as well as I do. Hopefully that will change shortly. What would be even better is if I never got to know them well because they were adopted before I got a chance to...

Valentine's Cat Adoption Special

2010-02-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

We're still full of cats. As in, "if we get another cat I have no idea where I am going to put it" full. Our dog adoptions have been going great, but interestingly, cats don't seem to be a hot commodity right now. So, what's a Shelter to do? Well, our Shelter isn't going to sit back and do nothing. We've decided to run a Valentine's Day Special for cat adoptions. Cats are free of charge to approved adopters. All cats are spayed/neutered, microchipped, vaccinated and wormed.

Really, all they're missing is a home...
Here are a few of my favorite felines:

BETTY

SPAYED FEMALE

DOMESTIC SHORTHAIR

APPROX. 3 YEARS OLD

Ok, Betty is a GREAT cat. I never realized how great she was until she needed some minor medical care and I got to get to know her better. She is very affectionate, and very easygoing. In fact, she is probably one of the most easygoing cats we have. Betty loves attention, and she is actually a bit playful too. You won't see this side of her with all the other cats around, as she lets them take center stage, but get her alone, and her true personality appears.

ENKI

NEUTERED MALE

DOMESTIC SHORTHAIR

2 YEARS OLD

Looking for a cat with personality? Meet Enki! This cat is a total ham. He LOVES to explore, loves attention, and while a bit grumpy with other cats, is totally fine with dogs. Enki is a LARGE cat, and I must say he is really handsome. The staff really like him as he is sure to add some humor to our day.

STORM

SPAYED FEMALE

SIAMESE MIX

APPROX. AGE 3 YEARS

Storm is beautiful and has a great personality. She is a bit overwhelmed with all the cats here, which has resulted in her becoming a bit introverted, but get her alone and she becomes a playful, outgoing cat. Storm is great with other cats, and would be fine co-habitating with felines and canines. We even think she's got what it takes to be a great family cat.

MOTH

SPAYED FEMALE/DE CLAWED

DOMESTIC LONGHAIR

APPROX AGE 6 YEARS

Poor Moth. Because of her shy personality she gets overlooked time and time again. It takes Moth a little while to warm up to people, that's true, but it is really only because she has been here for quite some time, and doesn't realize that the person visiting her may be her new adopter! Moth is actually quite affectionate and is very easygoing. She seems fine with the other cats in her room, but because of her timid nature she may do best in a home without young children.

These 4 cats are just a sampling of what we've got. We also have a beautiful purebred Siamese named Soy, a gorgeous white male kitty with blue eyes named Scooby, a sweet elderly girl named Patty Cat and many, many more.

If you are looking to add a feline to your family, now is definitely the time!

New Love: Jimmy

2010-02-02T15:16:00.000-07:00

Perhaps Jimmy isn't new, but my love for him certainly is. Actually, Jimmy has been here quite some time, and I am not sure why it has taken me so long to realize what a great dog he is. Jimmy has been here since 4/19/2008. Wow, that is WAY too long. He is going to be here 2 years come April, and amazingly, instead of regressing, this dog continues to progress, and I think that is a testament to how wonderful he is. I have taken Jimmy out with me on runs and hikes before and he has always been good. But, honestly, I guess I took it all for granted, because he never stood out to me. This past week I decided to take him skate skiing. I honestly expected him to be a bit of a shy freaky dog around all those people, dogs, skiis and activity. Hmm, well Jimmy had a different idea of how to behave. He immediately bounded out of the car and greeted everyone (canine and human) with a big wagging tail. He came to me immediately when I called him, even though Stella kept running away from me towards the kid's play area. When we started skiing he was fantastic. He greeted every passing dog appropriately, and was not afraid of my skis. I know this doesn't sound like much, but I cannot tell you how many dogs are scared of the sound and motion of x-country skis. I just assumed that a naturally timid dog like Jimmy would be no different. I can honestly say that Jimmy was perfect. PERFECT. What a wonderful dog he is. And, of course, I began thinking "Maybe I should adopt Jimmy," but I know that right now I am a one dog gal, and I will just have to work hard to find Jimmy a GREAT home.

Here's my theory about Jimmy. Take a look at his picture and what do you see? A black, pit bull mix. Kinda non-descript. I think that if Jimmy had less of a pit bull head and was some color other than black, he would have been adopted by now. When people come to visit the Shelter they never seem to even notice him. I truly think he blends in and sadly, gets forgotten. Poor Jimmy. I'm going to make it my February mission to find this boy a great home. He deserved one months ago, but now, it is really his time!

PS The following picture proves how good Jimmy is. I instructed the dogs to sit and stay. Only one of them is following directions, and sadly, it's the dog without a home.

Public Outreach- From Us to You!

2010-01-28T17:33:00.000-07:00

While I spend most days working with our population of Shelter animals and making their stay as comfortable as possible, sometimes I forget that we also do quite a bit for the animals that have homes already. The ASWRV is involved in 3 really important public outreach programs. The first, our Spay and Neuter Clinics for the public is one that my heart is fully invested in. The Shelter will spay or neuter any Blaine County dog or cat at no charge. That's right, NO CHARGE. I am not sure people realize how amazing this is. We are so lucky to have the funds to provide this service to the community. While we do ask for a "donation" to cover our costs, we will still do the surgery without any fee, and if we get money for our services, we consider ourselves lucky and very thankful. Fortunately many people in the community are taking advantage of this service and we are getting lots of animals spayed and neutered.
This weekend we are also hosting a Rabies Clinic. The Rabies vaccination is free with the purchase of a Blaine County license. Did you know that it is the law to have your dog licensed within your county? In order to get a license your dog must be current on it's Rabies vaccination. In order to help people's dogs become legal beagles, we are covering the cost of the vaccination and all they need to pay for is the license. Wow, another amazing program!
Another program we are lucky to participate in is providing cat and dog food to people working with the Hunger Coalition. Anyone that is in the Coalition's database that needs food for their pets, can get some from the Coalition. It is food we donate to the Coalition in the hopes that animals can stay in their loving homes with a little assistance. This program seems to have really taken off and we are so thankful to the Hunger Coalition for assisting us with this.
So, while I may spend most of my time worrying about the 80 or so animals we have here, I still like to remember that there are lots of animals already in homes that also need our help. I'm so happy I work for an organization that is able to do so much for so many....

We Hope You Enjoy Your Stay

2010-01-19T16:41:00.000-07:00

Shelters across the country are faced with daily dilemmas about the dogs in their population. Many of the dogs that enter shelters have a tough time adjusting to life in that environment. For some dogs, it is the initial fear of being in a new place, while for others, it is the daily excitement and long hours alone that can make a dog show signs of severe stress. For many shelters, "kennel stress" as it is often referred to, can be a reason dogs are not deemed adoptable, and are put to sleep. The reasoning being that it is more humane to euthanize a dog than make that dog suffer the daily anxiety and stress of kennel living. Where we are similar to these shelters is that we, too, have a population of dogs that do not handle kenneling very well. Where we are vastly different however, is that when we see a stressed dog, we immediately place it on a behavior modification program to help it cope with life here until it finds its forever home.

We recently had a wonderful dog that acted completely differently at the Shelter than she did away from the stress and noise of kennel life. Honey was a true ambassador of her Pit Bull breed. She loved everyone she met, could play for hours with dogs, and was a quick study. Honey did not have a mean bone in her body. She was incredibly submissive with other dogs, and took her cues from the environment around her. Unfortunately, when the cues around you are dogs barking, jumping and acting crazy for human attention, it's hard to resist acting the same way. Very soon after she arrived Honey became a different dog. She would lunge at the dogs in other kennels, spend her day patrolling her kennel, running around barking at dogs on the other side of the fencing, and when she did get some human interaction she was a wild child, jumping all over people and never settling down. In short, Honey had become out of control, and sadly it was a result of the stress she was feeling in her environment. So, Honey was placed on a serious program. We isolated her kennel from other dogs and made sure she had daily play dates with dogs. This already made her happier. She got to interact with dogs in a fun environment, rather than a stressful one. We got her away from the Shelter as much as possible. She went skate skiing out Quigley, for walks around town and hikes out Democrat. Then we assigned her a Petpal who worked on her behavior here, because as great as she was away from here, most likely she would meet her new adopter here at the Shelter and she'd better be on her best behavior.

And guess what? It all worked! This past week Honey was adopted and went to a fabulous home where she will have a Pit Bull sister to play with and two humans that will dote on her all the time. Making the commitment to keep dogs for as long as it takes them to get adopted is a serious one. If we are going to be a no kill shelter, we owe it to all our animals to make their quality of life the best it can be for all their days until they find their new home.

Cats, Cats Everywhere

2010-01-13T16:59:00.001-07:00

As seems to happen when the weather gets colder, the Shelter has gotten an influx of cats. Some were pets, and some outdoor cats that need a better winter situation. We've gotten some REALLY pretty cats, some REALLY sweet cats, and some that are going to take some time to come around. If you're in the market for a new feline friend, we've got just about every variety. Here are just a few of our newest additions..

As you can see there is every color available. So, stop on in and see your new best friend!

I Love This Dog!

2010-01-07T14:06:00.000-07:00

Occasionally, when I am out with a dog, I have a mantra going through my head: "I love this dog! Should I adopt this dog?" Then I begin to imagine my and Stella's life with that dog in it. Today, as I skate skiied around Quigley with Honey, I repeated this mantra, questioning whether I wanted another dog, namely, if I wanted Honey. I haven't made up my mind yet, and Stella is definitely still on the fence, but let me give you some reasons why I love this dog enough to consider taking her home....

1) She is a true ambassador of her breed. The verdict is still out as to whether or not Honey is a purebred pit bull. But, when she comes trotting over to you with her big head and goofy grin, you can tell she is mostly pit bull. And that's just it. She greets everyone with a goofy grin, wagging tail, and lots of love. Dogs? She loves them! I have yet to see her show any sort of aggression with a dog. Honey loves life and every other being that shares it with her. What a great representative of her breed!

2)She is amazingly beautiful. This statement is coming from someone who likes dogs that resemble Elmo, however, I do think everyone would agree that Honey is a looker. I mean, red and white fur, with perfectly placed eyeliner that offsets the white stripe on her muzzle-it doesn't get any cuter!

3) She is SMART. Here's the thing about this beauty that she keeps as a bit of a secret-she's got brains too. Honey picks up training incredibly quickly. So quickly in fact, that if we don't reward her for her actions quick enough she gives us a little grunt, signifying that she knows she did what we wanted her to, and now it's our turn to do what we're supposed to do....

4) She came from tough beginnings. I hand picked Honey from a shelter that would have put her to sleep within the week had I not taken her. She was wild and full of young dog energy. She clearly had not had much training in life, and really, who was going to adopt an out of control pit bull? Honey may not have known anything when I freed her from that cage, but she is eager to learn and I swear she is thankful to be here where she was given a second chance.

5) It doesn't get any better than Honey. I have a friend that is a huge pit bull advocate, has a pit bull and will always have a pit bull. I have told her numerous times that my next dog will be a pitty. So, what am I waiting for? It honestly doesn't get any better than Honey, even Stella likes her!

I'll keep taking Honey out, giving her exercise and love until she finds a home-either with me or a wonderful adopter. She also has a dedicated Petpal that has taught her so much and makes sure she gets lots of love. So, life for Honey is certainly better than it once was, and I know that with each passing day it will get even better.

2010-The Year of No More Homeless Pets

2010-01-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

Ok, so maybe I am being uber optimistic, but I think (and hope!) that in 2010 we're going to see fewer homeless pets than ever before. There has been a huge shift in the public's attitude about where they should get their next pet. It's been a while since I have heard someone refer to an animal shelter as "the pound," or even worse "doggie jail." I think people are beginning to see their local animal shelter as an organization that helps find homes for homeless pets, rather than a sad, scary place that needs to euthanize a majority of its residents. So, with positive PR for shelters across the country, more people are adopting their next pet, rather than going to pet stores or backyard breeders. This is definitely a good direction to be headed in!

On January 1st, we sent a pit bull back to it's family after she had been brought in the night before while on a walkabout of the neighborhood. I figured this was a great way to start the New Year off! Returning a dog to it's loving family is always a good thing, especially when it is an adorable pit bull that was so excited to see them. I am hoping we'll be sending lots more animals into new families.

Happy 2010 everyone! Here's to a year filled with promise!

Happy Holidays!!

2009-12-26T14:55:00.000-07:00

It seems that Christmas has come and gone in a whirl and perhaps things will become more routine here at the Shelter. We had some wonderful adoptions over the holidays-our kittens, all but one, were scooped up and taken to their forever homes. It was great to have kittens available for adoption, it seems to always bring people in and if nothing else our kittens get lots of socialization! Alice and Abby also found their forever homes.

We've also got quite a few dogs out on foster with the intent of adoption. Hopefully things will work out for these canines.

It's been particularly cold these last few days, after a long spell of "warm" 30 degree and above days. Fortunately a wonderful donor bought our canines wonderful coats to keep them warm while outside in the winter. Most of the dogs love their coats, and fortunately not too many of them try to play tug of war with them.... Plus, they look really handsome with their outerwear. Don't believe me? Take a look at Buford:

Here's to a Happy New Year and homes for all our feline and canine residents!

Shelter Update

2009-12-18T14:00:00.000-07:00

Wow, we still have animals coming in left and right. This week we got in an adorable purebred Pomeranian named Arthur. He is SO cute and I am thinking he'll get adopted quickly. We also got a Husky mix in. She was returned to us because she keeps running away. Considering she is a Husky, I do not fault her for this! Perhaps we are at fault for not doing better adoption counseling on what Huskys are like...

On the cat front, 4 kittens and a mom cat. All very cute.

The temps have warmed up, lots of volunteers are out and all seems well for the time being. Oh, cutest Pitbull ever, Twinkie, got adopted. She will make her adopters very happy. And my sweet girl Viola got adopted too. Things on the adoption front have been pretty slow though...I am hopeful we'll have some good holiday adoptions!

Cold Temps Are Upon Us!

2009-12-10T15:51:00.000-07:00

This week the temps have plummeted. As I drive to work I watch my temperature gauge fall steadily. By the time I arrive at the Shelter I am looking at temps as cold as -13. So, what's a Shelter to do? It's too cold to have the animals outside, but we still need to clean and make sure the animals needs are met. This is where having a fantastic staff and volunteers committed to the animals really shows itself. When the staff arrive we feed the dogs then take them for a potty walk. We then place as many as we can together so we can clean properly. We get creative, placing dogs in the office, or other areas throughout the Shelter. Then, filled with hope, we look at the thermometer around 10AM to see if possibly it is warm enough for the dogs to go out. This week, our hopes have been dashed more times than not. It usually isn't until 12 or after that the dogs get to go out, and when they do, it typically isn't for more than an hour or two. This is where the great volunteers come in. Today we had a volunteer take out about 10 dogs on hikes. The two days prior two Petpal volunteers came out to make sure their dogs were worked with, despite the freezing temps. Amazingly, thanks to a great staff and committed volunteers, the dogs seem to be getting out regularly and don't seem to have too much cabin fever. It's supposed to warm up tomorrow-so perhaps that'll inspire a few new people to come out and help our animals get through this long Idaho winter.

Winter's Arrival Brings New Residents

2009-12-05T09:09:00.001-07:00

Wow, it has been a while since I posted, and I apologize. However, I was fortunate to get a bit of a break, and headed to Spain for a visit with family in an amazing country. I left the beach and 60 degree weather to return to the Shelter where snow was on the ground, my thermostat read 12 degrees and the Shelter was full of new arrivals. LOTS of new dogs, and a few cats too. Wow, it seems to come in waves, and it is amazing how many animals we can get in in just 10 days!

One of the dogs was actually an expected intake. Matilda was another canine from a shelter in Utah that needed our help. She was actually Honey's kennel mate there, and she has made lots of new friends here. She and Viola really like each other. She also likes to hang out in the office and greet visitors. She's REALLY cute!

Matilda is also joined by some other new canines. Odin,Twinkie,Bubba and Redford. Bubba is actually a return-he was adopted about 3 years ago. He is a very sweet old man and it always breaks my heart when the senior canines leave a home and are in a shelter environment. I hope that a loving adopter will take him home and let him live his senior years in the comfort of a home.
As for cats, Midnight Sam was returned because his owners were moving and couldn't take him along, and Calypso was surrendered to us as well. Sam is one of the friendliest cats EVER. He is so affectionate and outgoing. He is sure to make his new adopters super happy.

On the good news front, Speckles was adopted and is living with a family that appreciated what a wonderful dog he is. Yay for Speckles.

I'm off to go spend some time with our new residents and make sure they are all ready for the winter weather! Hopefully they'll all find their special homes soon.

ASWRV Awarded Grant for making the "Perfect Match"

2009-11-12T13:54:00.000-07:00

Animal Farm Foundation is one of my favorite organizations. They are a pit bull rescue that focuses most of their efforts on pit bull education. Their mission is "To restore the image of the American Pit Bull Terrier and to protect all dogs from discrimination and cruelty." They are so great at what they do, and I was fortunate enough to visit their facility, as they are only a few miles down the road from my parent's home. About two years ago the ASWRV was able to send one of our dogs to them, Cleo, who had been bounced from home to home through no fault of her own. Cleo now lives with a loving family that includes children and another pitbull for her to play with.
The grant I applied for was entitled "The Perfect Match Award" and it was awarded to organizations that made great matches between adopters and the pitbulls that they housed. When I read about the grant, I immediately thought of Kya, the pitbull we had that is now a trained drug detection dog. Kya is an amazing dog, as well as a serious working dog. Kya is the type of dog that loves everyone, and is also up for a good snuggle or play time. Thanks to our friends at K9 Shine, she was found a home where she would first and foremost be a member of the family, but would also have a serious job to do.

Here's a pic of Kya hard at work....
I love the fact that Kya represents her breed so well and everytime she goes out, whether for a drug bust or to do a demonstration at a school, she is helping people learn about the true nature of her breed. I'm thankful to Animal Farm Foundation for helping restore the image of this breed as well, and appreciative that they are able to award organizations that also believe that pit bulls can make wonderful companions. As I write this, HoneyBunny, our newest pit bull, is happily hanging out chewing her rawhide. Hopefully her home will become our next "Perfect Match."

PS- If you'd like to learn more about Animal Farm Foundation, visit their website: http://www.animalfarmfoundation.org/ or, become a fan on Facebook!

The Newest Arrivals

2009-11-10T12:23:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I drove down to Utah to pick up some new dogs. We typically don't take in dogs from outside our county, but there is one particular shelter in Utah whose animals desperately need our help. I don't want to get into the specifics of why, but I will say that this particular shelter is always overcrowded and when I went to get some dogs, there wasn't a blanket, bed or toy in the place. The dogs, mostly doubled up in small kennels, were laying on the hard floor, 24 hours a day. So, I took some adoptable dogs to bring up here and find forever homes for. It was hard not to leave with all the dogs I saw...

Anyway, these dogs are GREAT. They are super sweet and social and love playing with each other as well as the new friends they have met here. Since I had about 9 hours of driving time, I thought of names for them: Stanley, Alice, Honey and Fraggle. Fraggle obviously pulled at my heart the most-he looks like a mini Stella, (or a mini Griffon, for those of you not familiar with my dog) except he was so severely matted. When I saw him in his kennel my first thought was "No one is going to adopt that dog looking that way. But, if I take him with me, where he'll get groomed immediately, he'll find a home no problem!" So, in the van he went. Because he is so matted his whole body was shaved, and we'll have to make sure he stays warm with a doggy coat.

I've attached some before and after photos so you can see what a little grooming can do. Poor boy, I can't imagine that having all those mats could have been comfortable for him at all. I'm so glad he is here with us now and he'll get all the grooming he needs for all his years to come! Many thanks to Bonnie at A Dog's Tail Pet Salon in Ketchum for making our new boy into a handsome and debonair dog!

KC and Tanner Find New Homes!

2009-11-05T11:46:00.001-07:00

This past Saturday I got a call that KC had been adopted. It turns out a wonderful couple came in to the TC SPCA after having searched for a DIFFERENT shelter with no luck. Since they were close to the TC SPCA they figured they'd stop in and have a look around. What they found was their new dog. They immediately fell in love with KC. After taking him for a long walk they were sold, and KC went home with them that evening. The next day phone call confirmed that they were smitten-KC had slept in their bedroom that evening and was spending the day helping the gentleman with house chores.

Ironically, two days later we got an email that someone had seen Tanner on Petfinder and were interested in him. The gentleman came up to meet him, took him for a walk and was taken by how similar Tanner was to his 13 year old pit bull that had just passed away. He adopted Tanner that morning and was excited to take him home and start their life together.

KC had been here well over a year and it is amazing to me that he was adopted within a week at a new shelter! Tanner had been up for adoption for a few months in Ithaca, and was adopted within 10 days of being in Idaho. Truly amazing. Sometimes all it takes is a new location and some help from the universe....

Rescue Me

2009-10-31T14:05:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow we have three animals leaving us to go to "rescue" organizations. All three are going different places, but it made me think how lucky we are to have rescue groups that can take in animals for us. For those of you who aren't familiar with what rescue groups do, and how they differ from animal shelters, here's a quick summary: Rescue groups are typically breed or type specific. For example, a Springer Spaniel Rescue takes Springers from shelters, or from homes that can no longer keep them and usually sets them up into a foster home, posts them on the web, and tries to find them homes. This helps shelters on so many levels. It decreases the amount of animals in the shelter, and breed specific rescues can typically handle traits within that breed that are hard to deal with at a shelter. Many times a dog that may not be deemed adoptable in a shelter can be considered adoptable through a rescue because they have the time, knowledge and resources to work with that individual dog. Many rescues are not necessarily breed specific, but rather will rescue a "type" of dog. One of our dogs is going to a "small dog rescue". This rescue will be able to work with his resource guarding and make sure that they can find him an appropriate home. They don't take his resource guarding lightly, but they also know that within their network there is a home for Chewie and they are under no time constraints to find him that perfect home.

Marley, on the other hand, is going to a completely different type of rescue. Marley is a gorgeous yellow Lab, that we knew people would fall in love with the minute they saw him. The only trouble with Marley is that he knows nothing, and is so wild and exuberant even our well trained staff have a hard time handling him. Without some serious obedience work, and a home dedicated to working with him consistently, Marley is just going to end up back at the Shelter, no matter how gorgeous he is. We've partnered up with a program called "Canine Connections." Marley will be paired up with a young man in a juvenile detention center who will work with Marley to make him a well mannered, happy, and adoptable dog. Marley will then be adopted out in the Washington area to a new family. The last dog we sent into this program is doing so incredibly well it is hard to imagine it is the same dog.

Lastly, Amberlee, our senior Siamese kitty, is also going to a rescue. She is going to a cat rescue organization that specializes in finding homes for senior kitties. This group feels that they can find Amberlee a great home, as they have lots of people looking for Siamese kitties, people who don't mind that she is a senior girl. Amberlee has been with us over 9 months, and if a rescue feels that they can find her a great home in less time than it has taken us, I am all for trying.

While I feel we do a great job finding homes for our feline and canine residents, I also feel that sometimes there are places that can really help, and it is worth looking outside the box to do what is best for the animal. In these three cases we will continue to stay in communication with the rescues and be as committed to our animals as we would be if they were still in our immediate care.

So, for Amberlee, Marley and Chewie, we wish you the best, and we give a heartfelt thanks to the organizations taking you in!

A Day in the Life...

2009-10-27T16:33:00.001-06:00

Many people ask me what it is like to work in an Animal Shelter. Many ask "How do you do it? Isn't it sad?" Actually, most days aren't sad, they're happy, because we are finding homes for the castoffs and homeless pets in our community. There certainly are sad days, but I think that in life, we all have sad days no matter what our career.

In case you are wondering what a day in the life of a Vet Tech/Operations Manager at the Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley is like, here's a quick look at today....

I don't even remember this morning, which I assume means I did not arrive to any emergencies. We had a great staff meeting, and got lots accomplished. We're going to try some new bed options for the dogs, I am hoping to make them as comfortable as possible. Around noon we got an orphaned kitten in. After checking him in and giving him some wormer I set him up in a house with some food and water. He was eating and drinking well, and I knew he was really healthy when she began to meow, and wouldn't stop. As I tried to work at my desk I would take him out and let him be with me, but it is really hard to get anything done when you have a 5 week old kitten walking all over your keyboard. So, I got to listen to his meowing, very loudly. Fortunately we have a great cat foster network, and Jane was willing to integrate him with the litter of 4 week old kittens she is taking care of. Thank goodness, because I was not getting much done.

In the meantime, the dog I am fostering, who is feeling quite spry these days, decided to start wrestling and playing with Stella. Then, after the play session was over they both plopped down on a shared blanket and litterally cuddled while they took a nap. Hmm...how many pictures can you take of two dogs cuddling? Apparently quite a few. The hardest part was that I didn't want to move because I was worried I would wake them. Oh, and I don't have my camera today so I took all the pictures with my phone which is basically worthless because I don't know how to then post them to my computer.

For lunch I decided to take Shake for a run. As we were running he ran too close to a hot wire fence and got zapped. It all happened so quickly-I heard him yelp and then he took off. So, I ran as fast as I could to try and catch him, but it wasn't nearly fast enough (duh!) and soon he was nowhere to be seen. Thankfully I ran into another ASWRV employee who was just starting her run and while I went one direction, she went the other, and she found him! Of course Shake is the one dog who is on meds and can't eat without them, so I had all these images of him going hungry if we couldn't find him. Fortunately he is home safe and pooped from his adventure.

Later on I heard from a breed rescue that is willing to take one of our dogs, so I co-ordinated transport with them and got that all figured out. Such great news!

A lot of my day was uneventful as well. I worked on the website, got our surgical suite a bit more organized, and set up some more spays and neuters for our clinics. I am sure tomorrow will be nothing like today, so this is not a very accurate job descripton. Nevertheless, you now have a glimpse into the life of a Shelter employee. On to the next adventure!

Sometimes Things Change

2009-10-24T12:48:00.000-06:00

So, remember in the last blog how I was so excited about Mira and Sedona coming to Idaho? Well, that isn't happening... It turns out Mira got adopted in NY, which is great! Sedona's foster home couldn't stand to part with her, so Sedona ended up getting adopted too! Wow! So, to keep with the trade we agreed to take in a dog named Tanner. He was a staff and volunteer favorite in NY, so how can we go wrong taking him in? So far he has been nothing but an absolute gentleman and he seems to have handled the trip well. We're excited to have him and excited to find him a home!

What's Going On?

2009-10-21T15:20:00.000-06:00

I think it's important that every once in a while I post a "what's going on" post to update those of you who aren't at the Shelter every day or even every week.

So, here's a heads up post, 'cause really, there's LOTS going on.

Where to begin...

Oh! our "Fall into Felines" Adoption Special is going really well! Last week we had 6 cats get adopted! I don't think we've ever had 6 cats get adopted in one week before. Ok, Maybe we have, but it was a big deal then, too. Beautiful Venti went home. I was happy about that as she has been here a while. Oh, and Albert went home too. He was certainly a staff favorite.

What else you ask? Well, there's big happenings abuzz.

On Friday, we're going to be receiving two dogs from my former SPCA, the SPCA of Tompkins County. We're taking two dogs in as a trade for one of our dogs. A lot of times a new locale is all dogs need in order to find their forever homes. We're taking in a really cute Lab named Mira, and one of my favorite dogs, Sedona, a black and white pitbull who was my running buddy and favorite dog while I was the manager there. In exchange for these wonderful dogs we'll be sending KC to New York to find a forever home of his own. KC has made huge strides here, but he continues to get passed up by potential adopters. I think sending him to NY will really help him find a forever home and I know he'll be a good representative from our Shelter. The best part???? All these dogs are flying in private planes! No commercial, checked as baggage, flying for them!! An amazing organization called Pilots N' Paws will help transport dogs around the country at no charge!! We're fortunate enough to have a pilot that lives in Sun Valley and Long Island, and she offered to help make this trip happen. Wow, it's not often that opportunities like that come along!

So, we're frantically getting KC ready for his trip and getting the Shelter ready for our new residents. Should be an exciting week and I'll be sure to let you know how everyone settles in to their new digs.

This is Mira, one of the new dogs... and this is Sedona, how cute is SHE?????

For the Love of Marcus

2009-10-17T14:37:00.000-06:00

When Marcus first arrived at the Shelter he was like so many dogs that we get in. Young, rambunctious and without a lick of training, he was tough for the staff to handle and tough to bond with. He was very mouthy and inappropriate, and we were sure he would be a tough dog to adopt out. We immediately paired him with Hillary, one of our staff members, in the hopes that she could teach him some manners. It didn't take long for Hillary to see his potential. Within just a couple of weeks he really started to make progress and it seemed like his whole demeanor changed. Marcus went from wild and rambunctious to obedient and, well, energetic. He has become a great dog all around. When he first arrived he was completely inappropriate with other dogs. After some time though, he learned to settle down when meeting new dogs and now he is great with every dog we have him meet. He is fabulous on off leash hikes and runs and has amazing recall. He is so eager to please and will continually "check in" when you are out running with him. He could care less about bikers, and greets all other hikers and dogs very appropriately. He also knows his basic obedience- he knows to sit before leaving his kennel, and can even do a down stay. Such a great dog!

Perhaps Marcus' biggest accomplishment is how great he is in the car now. When he first arrived he was petrified of getting in the car. You'd try to lift him in and he'd jump right back out. If you somehow managed to get him to stay in the car, he would cower on the floor and be shaking the whole time. With some patience and work Marcus now loves the car. He eagerly jumps in and is ready to go wherever the next adventure takes him. Marcus is a dog that I feel really benefited from coming to the Shelter and he is now ready to find his forever home. I am hoping this charming boy won't be overlooked much longer.

He truly is wonderful.

More Bunny News and Some Good Adoption News

2009-10-14T16:00:00.000-06:00

Ok, so I looked up my bunny breeds, and apparently I am more skilled at determining bunny breeds than I thought. She is a Mini-Lop. It is confirmed. Well, at least according to Wikipedia and their great collection of pictures... This is a photo of a Mini Lop from Wikipedia. Looks pretty similar.

Oh, and I think the Lop is the only breed with floppy ears. But, that might not be accurate, so don't use me as a reference...

Dr Dixon also confirmed that she is in fact female. Now, we just need to find her a home. Oh, and she still needs a name too.

We had some great adoptions this week too. Our two senior citizens, Kanga and Edgar found new homes! These wonderful dogs were certainly deserving of spending their final years in a loving home, and I am so glad that they will be able to do so. It is extra exciting to me when our senior dogs find homes. Yay for Kanga and Edgar and their wonderful new adopters.

Bunnys are welcome here too!

2009-10-10T13:01:00.000-06:00

While we specialize in finding homes for cats and dogs, it doesn't mean that we don't see other animals pass through our doors as well. Guinea pigs, ferrets, rabbits (and I even remember getting two ducks), are all animals we work to find new homes for. Currently we have an adorable bunny that someone found in their yard. I'll be honest, when people tell me they've "found a bunny in their yard," it is hard for me not to think that it is a wild bunny and should probably keep on living out in the wild. Well, not this adorable bunny! Using my best vet tech skills I have determined that it is a female. It could also be a neutered male though, I am really not gifted at determining the sex of bunnies. I am calling it a dwarf lop. I don't know if that is an actual breed, but it has lop ears and is really small. Maybe it is a mini lop?? Fortunately I still have a few days until the rabbit is ours, so I can have Dr. Dixon figure out it's sex, and I can look some breeds up on the internet. Whatever gender or breed, it is REALLY cute and REALLY sweet. The cats have really enjoyed having it around, they like to stare at it all day. That's probably pretty stressful for the bunny, so we put a blanket over it's cage at night so it can have some stare-free time. We're all pretty amazed at how much she eats too. I sliced up some carrots and she was just plowing through them, then on to the lettuce! We'll have to think of a name for her soon. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'll let you know her breed and sex for real when she is officially ours. Or, check out her picture and give me your best guess... All I know is she is really cute and definitely not a wild bunny...

Sioux

2009-10-03T13:44:00.000-06:00

Sioux was brought to the Shelter because her owner moved to a new home that wouldn't allow pets. Sioux's owner eluded to the fact that people had threatened to shoot the dog if we didn't take her in. So, Sioux came to be the newest addition to our group. Sioux looked to be a Cattahoula Leopard Dog, but her owner claimed she was an Australian Cattle Dog with some Hound and Lab thrown in. Honestly, she wasn't my "type" of dog. While I think Cattle Dogs are incredibly intelligent and highly trainable, I've just never wanted one, and see far too many that get into trouble when not placed in the right homes. But there was something about Sioux that I liked enough to take her running with Stella, Chato and I.

I have a few things I require of the dogs I take running 1) have fun 2) don't run away 3) be nice to Stella 4) stay out of my way on the trail because I am not co-ordinated enough not to trip over you and go flying into the sagebrush. Sioux seemed to know my requirements immediately and not only did she adhere to every one, but she also was so incredibly well behaved the whole time that once again, as I did with Shake, I kept repeating in my head "I really like this dog!" Yet, she was a Cattle Dog mix. But I liked her. And Stella liked her too. What was happening??? Perhaps my breed bias was getting a good kick in the rear.

I raved about Sioux when I got back to the Shelter and apparently my good vibes were cast out into the world because that afternoon a great adopter came out and also fell in love with her. So, while she only spent a short time with us, Sioux certainly had an impact on me. I know she'll have a super life with her new adopter and I hope that Stella and I get to see her again out on the trails!

A Tribute to Cat Room 2

2009-09-29T10:42:00.001-06:00

One of the trickiest parts of group housing cats is making an environment where they all live in harmony. And, if that's impossible, we at least have to make sure the environment meets the needs of all the cats. We avoid situations where cats are terrified, bossing other cats around, or their emotional and physical needs aren't met. As you can imagine, as the cat rooms fill up, this task can become daunting. There is one cat room however, that greets all new arrivals into their space with a proverbial welcome mat. Cat Room 2, as it is referred to, is currently made up of 4 cats. Two females, 2 males. These cats get along incredibly well. There's never a hiss or snarl, and even during feeding time, the cats share bowls and never get upset with each other. What is even more amazing is that this is one of our smallest rooms and is right off the lobby, which can create for a stressful environment. Not for these four. They take everything in stride. They love visitors, are curious about all dogs in the lobby, and seem incredibly happy all the time. Truly amazing kitties, I must say. Yet, the kicker is that these cats have been here for quite some time, and cats from their room don't seem to be getting adopted. Despite how easygoing, social and sweet they are, it looks like the residents of Cat Room 2 may be here a bit longer. I guess it is a good thing that they enjoy it here so much.
So, here is a tribute to these wonderful cats, and hope that each one of them will find their forever homes soon. And don't forget that our Fall for Felines adoption special is currently underway! All cats are two for one or a single cat is only$25!
In case you wondering who these wonderful felines are, I've posted their pictures below.
Moth: spayed female, declawed, 5 years old
Sylvester: neutered male, 3 years old

Chipmunk: neutered male, 2 years old
Ganache: spayed female 1 1/2 years old

There's No Place Like Home

2009-09-23T15:39:00.000-06:00

I'd imagine that when you're a Shelter animal, your main focus is on one thing: being home. For some Shelter residents, home is a new place. After being adopted they make a fresh start and find love in a place they didn't know existed. For other's however, home is the same place they've lived for years and they return to after their owner reclaims them. This is always the happiest scenario, a wandering dog brought to the Shelter for safe keeping is reunited with it's owner, or a pet that has been missing for weeks finally makes its way to us and is brought back to the comforts of home. For every animal that returns to its home, more homes are available for those animals who need to find new ones. While we are in the business of finding homes for the homeless pets of our community, we're also in the business of keeping pets in their homes to begin with. As seasoned Shelter employees we can usually tell when an animal is someone's cherished pet. They look well fed and cared for, and most of the time are not at ease with a kennel environment. However, without identification all we can do is wait, and hope that their owners will come looking for them.

Adel was one of these Shelter residents. While certainly a senior girl, she had the look and attitude of a pampered cat. She had cataracts that made her vision quite limited, but after performing some blood work it seemed she was in otherwise good health. So, we put her up for adoption, posted her on our website, and hoped she would go home soon. What we didn't count on was that she would be going back home. Once posted on our website her family recognized her and were relieved to see that she was safe and sound.They immediately came to reclaim her. Adel had wandered quite some way from home and fortunately for her, the Shelter was able to act as temporary housing until she returned to the home she had known for the past 10 years.

While Adel's story is certainly a happy one, there are millions of animals that don't return home. Adel now has a microchip which will forever link her back to her family, but even if the expense of a chip is too great, a collar with ID should be a must for every animal. So here's to Adel and the joy of being home. Let's hope that more animals can experience the same joy.

More Great Adoptions

2009-09-19T12:02:00.000-06:00

Another great week for the animals at the ASWRV. Both Ivan and Budgie got adopted this week!

While Budgie didn't qualify as a long timer, he was one of those dogs that we were constantly amazed got overlooked. He seemed nearly perfect-good with dogs, cats, children, a great hiking buddy and Frisbee dog as well as very well behaved. We're glad that someone finally saw how special this dog is and decided their life would be complete by having him at their side.

Ivan certainly was a long timer. His shy demeanor made it hard for potential adopters to bond with him. Sadly, when someone would approach his kennel he would either bark at them or slink to the back, as far away as possible. As with many dogs, once you spend some time with them, their true personalities begin to flourish, and the staff here would attest to the fact that Ivan certainly isn't shy, he just plays hard to get... We're so happy that someone decided to take a chance on this handsome boy. The report back from his new home is that he is doing great, loves his canine companions and swimming in the pond.

Such wonderful news for both Ivan and Budgie!

Nick

2009-09-16T13:41:00.000-06:00

Nick is one of those dogs that has had a tough go of it. Dumped outside the Shelter with 12 littermates back in February, he is the last puppy to be adopted. Having essentially grown up here, he's learned some bad habits, but more importantly, it's what he hasn't learned that's the biggest problem. Despite our efforts to get these dogs out and socialized, the effects of growing up in a kennel takes its toll on even the best of dogs. That's why we are so fortunate that Nick has two loving and committed Pet Pals. These wonderful volunteers have worked wonders with Nick by taking him home for overnights, working on housebreaking him, working on obedience and being diligent in helping him get adopted. Nick started out as a bit of a handful-the world was a big scary place and he wasn't sure how to react to it. He had a habit of barking at strangers and people he would pass on the trail. With the consistency of a Pet Pal however, he has begun to realize that there are far better ways to greet people, and that the world is a pretty fun place and not all that scary.

I just returned from a run with Nick and Stella. Let's just say that the spoiled dog that sleeps in my bed at night was the one barking at people and acting like a maniac. Nick, on the other hand, behaved like a perfect gentleman, and while he still needs to build up some confidence, he responded well to all the stimuli we encountered. I know that Nick will find his forever home soon, and I am sure he is as thankful as I am to have such wonderful volunteers making his stay at the ASWRV as beneficial as possible.

Shake

2009-09-12T10:36:00.000-06:00

With daylight waning, I've found it less appealing to go for a run before or after work. My lunch hour has become an ideal time to get some exercise. It also makes it incredibly convenient to take a Shelter dog with me. For me, when I take a dog for a run and get it away from the stress and noise of the Shelter I feel I can get a good understanding of the dog and see what they might be like in a home environment. Yesterday I chose to take Shake with me. He's relatively new to the Shelter, and since I hand picked him to come to us, I figured I should probably get to know a little bit about him. The first test was to see how Shake would do in the car. He didn't hesitate at all and jumped right in. I wanted him to stay in the very back, but he was determined to sit on the back seat. After removing him from the back seat 3 times, I gave him a firm "stay" in the back of the car, and lo and behold, he stayed! I was quite impressed. I picked up my dog Stella, and they were immediate friends. Shake was great off leash too. He responded better to me whistling to him than calling him by name, and he never strayed far. At one point we met a fisherman who was tying a fly next to the river. Shake ran up to him, sat right in front of him and eagerly awaited his treat. While a bit perplexed, the fisherman nevertheless thought the dog to be sweet and endearing. Once he realized there was no treat to be had, Shake happily bounded over to Stella and I.

I came back from our run uttering "I really like this dog" to anyone that would listen. He is eager to please, easygoing, and friendly with everyone. Do I think he's perfect? No, but neither am I, and I think he is more likely to work on his bad habits than I am.... I am so glad Shake is with us, and am hopeful he will find his forever home soon

The Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley Blog!

2009-09-08T16:16:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the official blog of the ASWRV! It's wonderful that I'm starting my first post on such a fabulous adoption day. Sadie and Sundance both went home today, two of our longest canine shelter residents. Last Sunday Polly went home, one of our favorite cats that just kept getting overlooked. It's a good time to be a pet here, I guess, as adoptions are going well and our adopters keep proving to us that there is a home for every adoptable animal. Sometimes we just need to remember to be patient...
So, here's to our most recent long term adoptions:

POPPY
Arrival: 1/10/09 Adopted: 9/6/09

SUNDANCE
Arrival: 2/12/2008 Adopted: 9/8/09

SADIE
Arrival: 7/21/07 Adopted: 9/8/09

Anyone who volunteers or works in a shelter is sure to agree that days like today make it all worthwhile....