Welcome home, Allie!

My Life with the Critters welcomes....Allie!

THIS IS ALLIE! 

WTF ?
I'M ALLIE!

No, not you, Allie Cat.  This sheltie is also called Allie.  That's what her previous mama called her. And now she has come to live with us.  Isn't she sweet?

Allie-the-dog

I don't wanna hear this!

Dear Allie-the-dog,
Welcome to our family.  I am so very happy that Langley Animal Protection Society (LAPS) chose me for your new mama.

How fortunate it was that my friend Deb Strong of Cat n Mouse Designs brought you to my attention a couple of days before I was to transport some potbellied pigs to the mainland - perfect timing! She is so clever - did you know she matched me up with my very first sheltie, Belle, and later with Sadie too?

Ha ha, that's pretty funny.
I guess she's your official Matchmaker! 

And so began the very thorough application process:  a telephone interview the day before I left the island, a face-to-face interview and time spent with you while I was over there, a written application that included some interesting questions asking how I would handle certain scenarios, an opportunity to walk you on the trails through the woods on the shelter grounds, and  a few days later a phone call approving my application.  We weren't done yet, though - first I needed to return to the mainland to spend more time with you while you awaited your final vet visit. Two more days walking trails and relaxing in the meadow so we could bond, three more talks with their adoption counselors to make sure I understood your health issues, your temperament, and the recommended techniques for helping you feel secure.  And finally, this Thursday afternoon, we were on our way home to the island.   

However, there is a wee problem.  You see, there is already an Allie in our family - and she has been here for sixteen years, which is more than twice your seven-year-old age.  And while I know you lost everything familiar when your mama was no longer able to care for herself  and was moved to a care facility, I am about to ask you to also give up your name.  We shall choose something similar, and you and I shall take a few days to think about it.  

I know you  and Allie-the-Cat  will have some adjusting to do, but LAPS says you are good with cats.  Okay, that hasn't quite proven true as you do seem to obsess over Allie-the-Cat and chase her every chance you get (and, yes, that is why you are attached to my belt with a leash whenever you are both in the same room).  But I'm sure Allie-the-Cat will soon put you in your place.  In fact, she already tried, and I heard you yelp when she swiped you.  You do seem a little more cautious around her now. Don't fret,  I'm sure both you and Allie-the-Cat will soon adjust to your new family circle.

You've got to sleep sometime!

So let's take a few days to chill, to let you familiarize yourself with the house and yard, and then the town, and later you can gradually meet some of my human and canine friends. I know you are very timid around strangers and that you don't like dogs without manners, so we'll take it slow and build some confidence first. Maybe one day you'll be brave enough to go hiking!  

I like your garden -
can we hike in the garden?

So welcome, Sweet Sheltie Allie, welcome to your new home, your new life, your new family.  I am so very happy you are here.

Love, your Mama Jean
(and Allie-the-Cat, who isn't quite so happy). 

I don't know why you couldn't have just stuck with this guy!

All She Wants for Chrismas......

....Is a home of her very own!  This is Lucy the beagle mix, and she is looking for her forever home in or near southern Ontario, Canada. 

Hai! I'm Lucy! And I need a home!

(All photos and info used with Lucy's permission -
or at least that of her foster mom!)

I don’t usually profile out-of-province dogs here – heaven knows there are enough dogs in rescues and shelters right here in BC.  But Lucy has been in foster care for 528 days and counting – yes, you read that correctly.  Five Hundred Twenty-Eight Days.  A dog-forum-friend of mine just north of Guelph, Ontario is fostering her for Speaking of Dogs rescue.  And the rescue, the foster mom, and Lucy really, really, really want to find her forever home by Christmas.

A home of my own would be
even better than a stuffed kong!
Yes!  Really!

So I said I would help.  About 10% of my blog readers live in Ontario.  And  while 70% of my blog readers are in BC,  I bet at least half of those know people in Ontario. And even if those readers and friends can’t take on a dog, they also have friends in Ontario. You tell two people, and they tell two people, and so on and so on and so on.  And somewhere, somewhere among the 12 million or more people in Ontario (or within a short distance of its borders) is Lucy’s forever home.  They don’t have to live in Guelph, but Lucy can’t be shipped so they need to be close enough (within a few hours drive) for the home check, the transport, the follow up.  

I gotta be able to get to
your place by car!  

And,  like any responsible rescue, they are looking for the RIGHT home for Lucy.  Someone who has done their homework, read the information, has the right home, has the commitment, is willing to work with her.  In return, Lucy will give them tons of entertainment (just check out the videos on her facebook page!) and love. 

From Lucy’s facebook page:

My name is Lucy, and I've been in rescue for WAY too long. Will YOU take me home?
I’m a 7-year-old spayed female Beagle mix who weighs in at about 45 pounds. I was given away by the only family I ever knew May/2013 because they were having a baby. It was a sad day, but I guess I'm glad I didn't have to live with a baby! 

My foster parents say I am a good problem solver. I love my puzzle toys and Kongs. I’m a thinker and really thrive when I am kept busy with training and learning new things. Nothing makes me happier than the sights and scents of a trail hike. I need an owner who enjoys keeping up with my superior mind!

My foster parents say that I have the cutest wiggly greeting they've ever seen. I, of course, need to be holding my ducky or rabbit for the full effect. A favourite past time is balling up my blanket and sucking on a big chunk of it. You can see all the endearing things I do in the pictures and video on this page.

Even though my good points definitely outweigh the so-called “bad” ones, there are a few things my new people need to consider in order to ensure we are a good match: 
Dogs and children make me very uncomfortable, so I need to be in a home where there are no dogs or children younger than their mid-teens. I've been cat tested, and my foster parents said that I got a little too crazy to be able to live with one - but gosh I wish I could! (It would be so fun... for me, anyway) 
I’m still learning that dogs aren’t as bad as they appear, but they still upset me, so it’s important that my new person is able to help and protect me rather than punish me if I become upset or flustered. Whoever wants to take me home has to be ready to help me with this issue and go about it the right way - I know it can be frustrating to have a dog who barks and gets upset, but I'm just trying to save myself from those who frighten me!
A house would be the best place for me; I don’t bay like a hound and I certainly don't bark excessively, I will bark if I hear activity outside the window. I don't have any troubles with separation anxiety right now, but I used to, so my new forever people will have to help me transition into my new home.
I have two medications that I take daily, the total cost per month is less than $50. No big deal!

I’ve been waiting a long, long time for a forever home. Will you be my "happy-everafter"?

If you are interested in meeting me you can email Lorraine (Lorraine@speakingofdogs.com) or Emily (emilyannefisher@gmail.com) for an application.

Hope to meet you soon! Wags, Lucy

 

Pleeeease?  Find my forever home?
(How can you resist these eyes?)

So let’s see if we can’t help out my friend Emily and her foster dog Lucy by spreading the word.  Send a link to this blog page to everyone you know in Ontario or who might know people in Ontario, or share Lucy's facebook page and ask your facebook friends to share too.  And if you are part of a rescue organization, will the director give her a courtesy post? They can share her photos from here, share her facebook page, or send a message to the links below and the foster mom will send a bio and pictures.

Let’s help Lucy get the one thing she really, really, really wants for Christmas.  It’s not two front teeth.  It’s simply a forever home.  And it is out there waiting to hear about Lucy. Help spread the word. 
 

Where you’ll find out more:

Lucy’s facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/Lucyneedsahome 

Lucy’s rescue’s website: http/speakingofdogs.com

Lucy’s petfinder ad:  https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/30240116

Foster mom’s email:  emilyannefisher@gmail.com

Shiloh's Story

Once upon a time there was a little sheltie puppy named Shiloh.  She lived with a family – a mom and a dad and a couple of kids.  Perhaps it was a good home, perhaps not, but it was a home and she grew into an adult and learned a few things about family life and the days slipped into months and months into years. And years.  And years.

Then one day mom and dad split up.  Mom took the kids, dad took the dog.  Unfortunately, dad was an alcoholic, as were his new roommates.  And so they forgot to feed Shiloh.  And they had anger management issues.  And so they yelled at her and swore at her and sometimes even kicked her.  Her health deteriorated, opportunistic fleas took over her malnourished body, her fur matted and her nails grew long, and she was one sad sheltie.  One sad senior sheltie.   Her records show she was born May 11, 1998 – fifteen and one half years ago.

One day, a friend of one of the roommates could stand it no longer, and confided in her animal-loving colleague at work.  That colleague networked with other animal-loving people, including me.  

When I received the email, and saw the photos,  I knew I wanted to help.  But I knew I couldn’t take this on alone at that particular point in time – my mom was palliative – and so I contacted the Shetland Sheepdog Club of BC.  They are a group of sheltie breeders who believe that their obligation to the breed extends to helping shelties in need, and who have therefore established a Sheltie Rescue branch within their organization.  They have helped us out before  - they had a hand in Belle’s rescue, they had contact with Eddie’s former owner, and they also offered assistance on two or three other occasions when I heard of other shelties that might be in need of a rescue placement.   They said if we could get the owner to surrender her, they would help out however they could.

The friend of the roommate removed the dog from danger and got the owner to sign surrender papers.  (Sometimes a voluntary surrender is a faster and more surefire route to get a dog out of a bad situation than calling in the authorities).  She said the owner seemed ‘relieved’.  Her colleague who had networked for her took Shiloh for a few days, got her to a vet for immediate assessment, treated her for fleas, tidied her fur, gave her food and water and love.  Then Sheltie Rescue sent someone from the island to the mainland to pick her up, and one of their members has been fostering her for the past several weeks  - Shiloh was groomed, had much-needed dental work done, began the process of regaining her health, and received all the love and attention she wanted.  They prepared her for her forever home.

With me.  With Eddie and Mitzi and Allie and me. 

Today I drove down to Victoria to fill in the adoption papers and bring Ms. Shiloh home.  She is sweet, loving, shy, timid,  and very beautiful.  She is very small and thin – only 17 pounds. She is a bit bewildered at the moment, but after a couple of hours checking out the garden and the house, she tucked into her dinner, then settled into a crate and fell fast asleep. 

Thank you to K. who couldn’t stand by and see her suffer,  and who persuaded the owner to surrender her. Thank you to Wendi who networked her, and took her in while the rest of the rescue plan could be put in place.  Thanks also to Julie who went to the mainland to pick her up, and to Joanne and Julie who fostered her and loved her these past few weeks.  Thank you to the Shetland Sheepdog Club of BC,  Sheltie Rescue who took her on, paid for all her immediate veterinary care, and who have now entrusted Shiloh to my care.  Sometimes it takes a community to save a dog. 

Welcome, Shiloh, welcome home.  I promise you good food and exercise, comfortable beds and regular grooming, vet care when needed, and love.  Lots and lots and lots of love.  I hope you like it here. At fifteen and a half, you may not have a long time, but I promise you it will be a good time.  

Shiloh, before rescue -
The photo that broke my heart.

Shiloh, approximately one month later -
checking out my back yard today.
(Hopefully she will cooperate more with the camera in the days ahead!)

Possible Breaking News - UPDATE!

UPDATE:
As far as we can determine, the information below is NOT correct.  One importer spent hours on the phone, being passed from government agency to government agency, and was finally told by the vet responsible for some aspect of the import regulations that the statement ONLY applies to pups under the age of 8 months, and they have only ever been allowed to be imported to rescues from disaster areas.  Apparently the border crossing security people were ignoring this clause, as were importing rescues, so the statement was meant to reinforce it.  Again, the vet stressed it ONLY applies to pups under the age of 8 months.

HOWEVER,  that said, today at 11:00 AM I accessed the AIRS sytem, searched using "dogs over 8 months" being imported from California to Canada, and the statement below is at the top of the page on regulations.  

My best guess is that someone with some inside connection to a registered importer or government employee with rights to post on AIRS has put this up as a hoax.

I am still awaiting confirmation from CFIA, and won't post the third and last of the importing series until that is received.  

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Original post:


The following statement has come through the Automated Import Reference System (AIRS), an electronic system for distributing information as quickly as possible to various Canadian government agencies and interested parties:  

"Please note that the importation of rescued dogs will 

no longer be permitted after November 1, 2013."

(Source: http://airs-sari.inspection.gc.ca/airs_external/english/decisions-eng.aspx )

This is in recommended directive to the Canadian Border Agency.  We will confirm it with CFIA (Canadian Federal Inspection Agency, the branch of government responsible for the regulations on importation of dogs) when their offices open tomorrow. 

Part Two: The Scope of the Problem

"A puppy awaits adoption"
(c) Jean Ballard 2009

Note:  This is the second of a series of think-pieces on the importation of dogs to Canada, and its effect on the lives of dogs already in our local shelters and rescues. Part One, "We Canadians Kill Dogs", generated far more interest than I ever anticipated - with the blog receiving more than ten times its usual number of visits per day as well as dozens of comments, many of which I declined to publish due to the offensive language and disrespectful tone.  In addition, the post has been shared on countless facebook pages and on four online newspapers that I know of. 

Before continuing this series,  I wish to point out that my purpose in writing the series was not to engage in debate with a bunch of people I don't know - who could, for all I know, be brokers importing dogs for profit - but to throw some ideas and information out there in the hopes that at least some people considering adopting a dog or bringing dogs here from other countries may think carefully about their choices. 

Part Two:  The Scope of the Problem

In Part One, "We Canadians Kill Dogs", I introduced the reader to the fact that while thousands of dogs are being imported to Canada in the name of 'rescue',  we already have dogs in Canada languishing in shelters month after month, shot in annual culls across the northern provinces and territories, or euthanized by the very organizations and facilities charged with their care and protection.    

But how widespread is this problem? 

According to the BC SPCA, approximately 9% of just under 10,000 dogs in British Columbia's SPCA shelters were euthanized last year (Bob Busch, BC SPCA, cited in The Province , July 2013)).  This is well below the national average of 31%, and those figures only include SPCA shelters, not other municipal or private 'pounds' about which I'll comment shortly.  

In a semi-annual survey by the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies (CFHS), which again was limited only to SPCAs and Humane Society shelters (of which only 60% responded to the survey), about 14% of dogs in the shelters were euthanized in 2010 - almost 6300 dogs.  Their surveys do show a drop in the number of euthanasias from 2004, reflecting, I suspect, public pressure to warehouse dogs longer and/or to release them to local rescue groups.  

But more importantly, the figures quoted above mask the true scope of  euthanasia in our country's shelters.  As the CFHS notes, their survey

...did not include municipally-run animal shelters (or "pounds"), which collectively take in at least as many stray animals in Canada as do the humane society and SPCA shelters....Therefore, the number of abandoned, abused, and stray pets entering animal shelters is much higher than what is shown in our survey results. 

In BC, for example, the majority of  contracts for animal control are held not by the SPCA but by private for-profit companies, and anecdotal evidence suggests their rates of euthanasia are much, much higher than those run by not-for-profit organizations like the SPCA.  

Many of these for-profit organizations have other pet-related businesses such as boarding kennels which not only allow them to underbid the SPCA for animal control contracts, but also may take priority over keeping certain impounded dogs alive.  When one is trying to make a profit from impounding animals,  those that are deemed "unadoptable" for reasons of health, behaviour, or old age are cheaper to euthanize than to provide costly care for.  

The same reasons for euthanization  - health, behaviour, and old age - occur in the SPCA.  It is not a "no kill" organization, and in some provinces cannot even be said to be "low-kill".  Approximately  3% of euthanized dogs in the CFHS 2010 survey were physically and behaviourally healthy, while 80% were classified physically or behaviourally unhealthy.  With the right medical care or the right training many, perhaps most, of those 'unhealthy' dogs could have an excellent quality of life.  However,  the costs involved in getting the dog to that point may be considered too great, especially when 'the hounds are at the door' - be it more dogs needing in, or vets and suppliers waiting to be paid.  And when conditions get crowded and transfer to another facility is not feasible, the least adoptable is the first to get the needle. 

As the website for the Ontario SPCA states: 

Sadly, in some cases animals may be euthanized due to shelter overcrowding.  Overcrowding threatens the lives of all animals in our care due to stress, weakened immune systems, and increased risk of disease transmission. 

Similarly, while the  BC SPCA states it is "committed to achieving zero euthanasia of adoptable animals", this by no means claims to be no kill, and the defnition of 'adoptable' is left vague.  The BC SPCA notes that current challenges within BC include insufficient homes for the proper care of all animals born in British Columbia and consequent overcrowding in animal shelters.

Meanwhile,  more and more animals are being brought into Canada from shelters and rescues in other countries.  The vast majority of the facebook messages and media hype surrounding foreign dogs in need of help begin with sensational statements like “This dog will die tomorrow!”  And someone, for whatever altruistic or egoistic reason, will rush in to help.  

Statistics on importing are hard to come by - there are very few regulations for bringing dogs into this country, and no federal or provincial agency keeps track of how many have entered.  As a recent article in Macleans magazine so eloquently put it: 

Somehow, without notice, Canada has become a refuge to the huddled masses of the canine world, as thousands - perhaps tens of thousands - flood into the country each year.  It's a Wild West sphere, with no one tracking the numbers of rescuees entering the country,  nor their countries of origin.  

One Vancouver Island rescuer recently did a quick search of  rescues listed on Petfinder.com, the most comprehensive search tool for people looking to adopt a dog in Canada or the US,  and by checking websites and facebook pages compiled a list, in just a couple of hours,  of over  forty British Columbian organizations importing dogs to this province - twelve just on Vancouver Island. And that doesn't include people importing dogs under the rubric of 'rescue', who flip them in parking lots and on free online classifieds without ever joining the larger rescue venues. 

Strangely, Bob Busch of the BC SPCA was recently quoted as saying he didn't think the numbers of imported dogs were enough to effect our shelters.  I would argue that he is out of touch with the non-SPCA world of rescue. 

A count of the 'Happy Tails' on the pages of one Vancouver Island import rescue I checked shows they imported over 100 dogs  to the island in the last year alone.  Unconfirmed reports name another BC individual who has personally imported over 900 rescue dogs.  And on the same day that considerable media coverage was given to "dozens of surviving Whistler sled dogs still waiting for homes",  one Vancouver Island rescue in conjunction with a local pet store was celebrating the importation of a husky from an American shelter.  This week another Vancouver Island rescue reportedly imported eight more pitbulls from the States.  Like we didn't already have enough huskies and pitbulls in BC's shelter and rescue system?

And that's just in BC.  Judging by media reports, many more import to Ontario - even though it has one of the highest euthanasia rates and is located next to the province with the worst record for puppy mills and one of the worst for animal welfare in Canada.  After my first post in this series, I received a comment from an Ontario reader who said 

I think a lot of rescues look locally for dogs in need first.  But if there are open foster homes and not enough dogs locally to fill them, why not import the dogs, save some lives -- even if they are American?

I have no idea what utopian community she lives in, or what absolutely amazing rescues she is affiliated with, but every single ethical rescue I am familiar with finds no shortage of local dogs to fill their far-too-few foster homes and I know the situation is even more dire in Ontario. And we're not just talking about large dogs - the rescues in both BC and Ontario have many local small dogs available as more and more unscrupulous back yard breeders and puppy mills grind out small little dogs, sell them to the first person with cash, who then dumps them when the dog becomes an inconvenience.  The shih tzus and yorkies and smorkies and malti-poos and daschunds and puggles and jack russels are taking over the kennels and foster homes. 

Are the dogs coming in from other countries directly responsible for the deaths and excessively long shelter stays of dogs already here?  No, of course not.  But the importers may well need to bear some of the responsibility.  If they were as quick to help dogs here as to garner publicity from their so-called compassion for animals in the streets of Sarajevo or Mexico or California, perhaps dogs here would not be euthanized at the rate they are or spend months, even years, in shelters here. 

But still, one can argue, a dog’s life was saved. If not one from Canada, one from elsewhere. It made a difference to that one dog. 

And that may be a valid argument.  Until you look at the bigger picture – the problems that occur when dogs are brought in en masse, or without places to go, or without medical or behavioural assessment, or by inexperienced rescuers, or from culturally and environmentally very different regions.  And those are some of the problems I’ll address in the remaining posts in this series.  

While every attempt has been made to ensure that my information is accurate and that my opinions are based on valid perspectives (I am a retired social scientist whose whole career centred on teaching and evaluating research and reports), the material presented here is by no means comprehensive.  One could spend twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, researching and writing about the importation of dogs.  I think my dogs would object. 

We Canadians Kill Dogs

I have been struggling to write this post for over a week now.  I have considered all kinds of approaches - from the mundane to the sensational, from the appealing to the appalling.  And then, last night, this poster appeared on facebook, courtesy of a shelter in Saskatchewan:

Yes.  We Canadians kill dogs.

And we need to advertise it more.  More loudly.  More sensationally.  More appallingly.

Because it seems that an awful lot of good-hearted, dog-loving people involved in animal 'rescue' don't get it. Instead, they import dogs to Canada from Taiwan, from India, from Mexico, from Greece, from China, from every friggin' country out there.  They even import, by the hundreds, dogs from the United States -- one of the wealthiest, most educated, and most powerful nations in the world!

They do it with sensational media headlines, television cameras running, frantic pleas sent out via facebook for money, for fosters, for adopters. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Canadian dogs languish in shelters month after month, or are shot in annual culls across northern Canada, or are euthanized by the animal control facilities charged with their care and protection.  And no one seems to give a damn.  Certainly not the importers bringing truckloads of needy dogs into the country.

"Compassion knows no borders" they parrot.  That was the response I received from the Puerto Vallerta SPCA when I asked, on their facebook page, whether their practice of exporting dogs to rescues in Alberta was supported and condoned by the Alberta SPCA.  That was the response I received when I talked to a person involved in importing dogs from Thailand to my area, when I pointed out how long some dogs have been sitting in our shelters.  That was the response I see parrotted everywhere that anyone dares to question why dogs of every shape and size, every breed and age, are being imported to Canada.  "Compassion knows no borders".

Don't get me wrong:  global compassion is a good thing.  But organizations and individuals wanting to help address the horrific conditions some animals face in other nations need to take a page from organizations like Save the Children or World Vision, organizations which help address the horrific conditions some children face in other nations.  They do it by assisting the children, families, and communities to become self-sustaining.  They don’t bring plane loads of malnourished, ill, homeless and dying children to Canada;  they work within those cultures to help develop systems that work.  Sometimes working with just one child at a time, sometimes with one family at a time, sometimes with one community at a time, they slowly but noticeably make a difference.

Helping those in need within their own cultures provides a real solution, not merely a finger in the dike.  “Give a [community] a fish, and you feed it for a day;  teach a [community] to fish, and you feed it for a lifetime.” And that is true whether the community is human or canine.

Over the next few days, interspersed with some of my regular posts of my dogs, hikes and photos, I will elaborate on this topic with some anecdotes, stats and problems that I hope will provide food for thought if you are considering adopting an imported dog or supporting a 'rescue' that does so. The posts can easily be shared via facebook- there is now a gadget to the right of my blog by which you can post it on your page, and I will also post the blog on  my page.

Right now, Sadie B (a locally adopted dog who is staying with me this weekend), says it's time to play ball.

Dear Santa....

Well, here it is – December.  The month of beautiful lights and colourful trees, of carolers and Christmas plays and community celebrations.  The month of Carol Boats, and Breakfast with Santa, and Christmas Parades.  The month of hustle and bustle and family gatherings.  And the month when unwanted dogs sit outside in the cold. 

For the next three weeks, shelters and rescues will be bombarded with people wanting to dump their old dogs before company arrives, or before they leave on vacation.  A few weeks after that, those same organizations will have to deal with the influx of ‘Christmas Present’ puppies and young dogs,  ‘presents’  that people  abandon once the novelty has worn off and the reality of animal care sets in. 

And so the child in me writes her letter to Santa, the adult in me guiding the pen:

(c) Jean Ballard, 2012

Dear Santa, 

I know just what I want for Christmas, but I don’t think even you can deliver it.

I want shelters to be empty and rescues to have no one to rescue.

I want unscrupulous breeders and idiotic owners to stop breeding.

I want landlords to stop banning pets.

I want owners to stop dumping dogs.

I want every dog to be a full member of their family, not a lawn decoration chained to a post.

I want every dog to receive the exercise, healthy food, mental stimulation, comfortable housing, grooming, training,  and love it so needs.

I want every dog to be loved.  

For Life.  

For Ever.

(c) Jean Ballard, 2012

So, please Santa, this Christmas instead of all those toys and clothes and electronic gadgets you are expected to deliver, could you fill your sleigh with more important things?  

Could you fill it with big red sacks of love for animals, colorful boxes of a true caring spirit, giant stockings full of a sense of responsibility, packages containing a new vision of family, and a very large bundle of dedication and commitment? 

Among those gifts, tuck some donations to animal rescues and shelters, some spay/neuter certificates, some gift certificates for doggy school and grooming and petsitting and dog walking.  Toss in some safety collars and harnesses, some long lines, some dog puzzles and toys, some books on purely positive methods of training.  

And if someone on your ‘Nice’ list really, really, really wants a puppy for Christmas?  Well, maybe you could bring that person a little stuffed dog, with a note attached – a note that says after Christmas you will help them search rescues and shelters to find their new best friend and lifelong companion. 

Santa, can you deliver the goods?

Love, Jean

(c) Jean Ballard, 2012

Eddie has a new friend!

Rajah, Eddie's new friend

After a lengthy search, my friends Margaret and Peter, whose lovely old dog Sam passed away at my home in June 2011, have found the right companion to share their home.

Margaret, Peter and Rajah
(used with permission)

Rajah is a four year old collie,  and has spent much of his life either outdoors or in a boarding kennel.  He is adjusting to being a full-fledged family member very well. Rajah is being adopted through Cross Our Paws Rescue, in North Vancouver.  A big "thumbs up" to Cross our Paws for taking in Rajah, and to his foster mom for loving him until the right match was found. And a big thank you to Margaret and Peter for choosing to adopt from a reputable rescue.  Happy endings make my heart sing!

Rajah arrived at their home October 7th for a two week trial period, which he passed with flying colours.  Eddie and I went for a walk with him around Chemainus Lake about a week ago, in the pouring rain.  Today, we had a more pleasant walk at Echo Heights,  on a cool but dry fall day.

Rajah on the trail

He has lovely dog-social skills, and walks beautifully on leash unless he scents a deer or spies a cat - he is apparently quite prey driven and believes cats are evil.

Allie:  He thinks cats are evil?
What ever would give him THAT idea?

But Eddie is quite content to spend time with him, so we anticipate many hours of enjoyable walks and hikes together.

Margaret, Eddie and Rajah
On the trail in Echo Heights

Welcome to the island, Rajah.  You are one very fortunate and already well-loved dog.
Congratulations, Margaret and Peter, on the latest addition to your family.

The Sweetest Transport Ever

I'm back from the mainland, with many photos to show and stories to tell.  But some will have to wait for a couple of  days.  The night before I left, I received a phone call from Lisa B, a volunteer with Turtle Gardens Animal Rescue.  A family in Nanaimo had received final approval for the adoption of a Turtle Gardens' dog being fostered in Burnaby.  Was it possible for me to transport the dog to her new family when I returned to the island Sunday?  Of course it was.  And I promised Yvette,  Lisa B and Denise and Tracey I'd blog about it.  So piggy lovers and Emma fans and family and friends will have to wait a few days, because today I'm beginning at the end of my trip: 

Over the past seven years I have transported dozens of rescue dogs – from shelter to fosterhome, from fosterhome to adopter, or simply as one small link in a long transport chain. Poodles and pitbulls, shelties and shih tzus, they have all melted my heart in some little way.  Yet seldom was I tempted to abscond with them.

Such was not the case with Chopstick. Had I not had three dogs waiting at home for me, I might seriously have considered running off with her. She was the sweetest transport ever.

Chopstick is a six month old pup, golden short haired body like a yellow lab, wrinkly brow and squinty eyes like a sharpei, blackish saddle like a German Shepherd, and long, long, long skinny legs (hence the name Chopstick). She is shy, nervous, but with a sweet, happy nature that reminded me so much of my lab Emma at that age. But that’s not why I wanted to run off with her.

The tale begins at a Walmart parking lot in Burnaby after a Sunday morning white knuckle drive in from the Fraser Valley. (OMG, I cannot believe all the construction, the traffic, the nonstop-big-city-absolutely-terrifying feel of the place! If ever I do abscond with a dog, you’ll find me hiding in some very quiet back-of-the-hills location, not within miles of a city!). A car with “See Spot Run” on the side pulls up, and I know this is my rendevous.  The farewell between Chopstick and her foster mom was poignant - Chopstick stood on her hind legs and wrapped her front limbs around Denise in an amazing rendition of a canine bearhug.

Chopstick was too tall for the crate which is permanently housed in the midsection of my van (between the front bucket seats and the rear bench seat), so I hoisted her into the space next to it. I fastened the leash to the back of my seat to avoid paws underfoot or mad dashes when a door was opened, and the door from the crate created a useful barrier across the space between the driver and passenger seats.

Foster mom!  Where are you going? Don't leave me!

Who're YOU?  And where are you taking me?

As I buckled myself in, I felt a nudge on my left hip. Then on the right hip. Back to the left hip. Chopstick was shoving her nose through the smallest of spaces to make sure I knew she was there. But she soon settled down for the ride to the ferry, and once in the lineup munched happily on a carrot.

Our van was loaded into the very centre of the ferry, with not even an infinitesimal sight of the ocean or the sky – just an overhead neon light and a lot of darkness. I planned to stay in the car with Chopstick, partly to keep her company but also to avoid having seatbelts chewed in two or the back bench seat de-stuffed - I've been there, done that, with young active dogs.

However, my two mugs of morning coffee and a tall glass of water necessitated a quick but rather urgent trip up one deck to the nearest washroom. I returned five minutes later to see long-legged Chopstick straddled across the crate-door-barrier, back feet on the van floor, front feet on the pile of stuff I’d heaped in a tub I keep between the driver and passenger seats. Just as I opened the driver's door,  Chopstick managed to hurl herself over the barrier, and suddenly my seat and my face was filled with dog.

I shoved my way in as Chopstick proceeded to clamber all over the steering wheel, awkwardly negotiate the long front dash of the van, tried out the passenger seat, clambered across  my lap, attempted to shove her body behind mine, and repeatedly used her long lanky legs to poke at whatever parts of my anatomy made for the handiest foothold.  All this, of course, was done with leash attached, leaving me to wonder if my obituary would read 'strangled' or read 'trompled to death'. 

Choptstick on dash of vehicle

Houdini Dog

Checking out the passenger seat

And back to the driver side

And then it happened: the act that began my fantasy of running away with her. She plonked herself down in that skinny space between the steering wheel and my not-exactly-flat belly, and proceeded to thoroughly wash my face.

“I am sooooo glad to see you, transporting lady, here let me kiss you and kiss you and kiss you.”

Now I don’t always like it when a dog licks me, but there is a difference between the somewhat obsessive licking of my hands, arms, sleeves, and feet by some dogs, and the “Oh my goodness I’m so glad to see you and I think I love you” licking of an overgrown lab-type pup. One is annoying, the other is delightful. I laughed. And laughed, and laughed.

And the more I laughed, the more Chopstick snuggled in tighter and tried to meld right into my body. Giving her a giant hug I moved her to the side so I could at least have room to breath. She plonked herself down, half on the tub that held my belongings, half draped over my body;  she put her head on my shoulder, and tucked her nose alongside my cheek. A few more face washes with that long pink tongue, and she promptly went to sleep – her butt parked firmly on my lunchkit containing the sandwiches which my friend Ann had so kindly made for me for the ride home, on my thermos of coffee that was going to help keep me warm in the car on the ferry, on my book that I intended to read during the two hour journey, on the jacket I had placed handy in case I felt a chill.



You'll do, transporting lady, you'll do.

I looked at that sweet sleeping face so close to mine, and I felt that sweet puppy breath on my cheek, and that warm body snuggled in so tightly against mine, and I did what any soft-hearted doglover would do – I reclined the back of my seat as far as it would go, and joined her in a nice long snooze.

My dogs are not cuddlers – except foster dog Petey who just wants to lie on anyone’s lap. I have not had this kind of doglove since my Caleb passed away, and before that since Emma. It is the canine personality I most love. And sometimes love is found cuddled up with a young gold and black lovebug in a cold car on a dark ferry. I began to plot our disappearance.

Love at first lick

But at the other end of that boat ride, I knew there was a family with three kids and a three year old dog named Sam who were anxiously awaiting her arrival. And no matter how much I’d love to share my life with a long legged, yellow-bodied, lab-happy, kissing cuddlebug named Chopstick, my responsibility was to deliver her to them.

And that’s what I did. Chopstick, now Sophie, is with her forever family tonight.

Have a great life, Sophie – and thanks for the sweetest transport ever.

Willow needs a home

The Cowichan and District SPCA is trying to find a palliative home (permanent foster or adoption) for Willow, a 12-14 year old super sweet cattle dog whose owners decided they no longer wanted her. Willow has a cancer on her front leg – it is not painful and is not bone cancer, but surgery is not an option so her time is limited. She is affectionate, sweet, a good girl in need of a place to live out her days.

Willow is deaf or somewhat deaf but attentive and tries hard to understand hand signals.  She will be on pain meds for arthritic hips that were once fractured but now healed, and she has just started meds to correct a bit of incontinence. If you can offer her a soft place to rest, please contact the SPCA at 250-746-4646. How can you resist this face?

Some days, like today, I feel completely disheartened and can only question what kind of society we live in that treats its animals so poorly. Coco and Willow, both seniors whose owners dumped them; London and so many other dogs lost, often shortly after being rehomed; rescues and shelters inundated with old dogs, young dogs, dogs with pups, neglected dogs.

Broken Promises Rescue, for whom I am fostering Petey, is also looking for foster and adoptive homes – they have Looey, who is a lovely rotti recovering from surgery who needs a foster or adoptive home ASAP; and they have a purebred Westie whose owners couldn’t be bothered to deal with an untreated skin problem so dumped him, and a little chi with a heart murmer, and an American Cocker Spaniel with four wee pups – fosters or adoptive homes urgently needed.

And, of course, there is the steady stream of dogs and puppies needing help at Turtle Garden’s Rescue. In fact, there are nearly 150 rescue organizations and shelters in B.C. alone listed on Petfinder.com, others on adoptapet.com, some that don’t use either. Most only profile a small percentage of the animals they are dealing with. And, sadly (in my opinion), there are others importing dogs from elsewhere under the name of ‘rescue’ while we are unable to clean up the mess in our own back yard. Each of those dogs takes a space that might have gone to a dog already here.

I am only on the periphery of the rescue and shelter world – I help out a little here, a little there, and yet some days, like today, I find it emotionally overwhelming. I honestly don’t know how those right in the trenches – those dealing with the people who dump their old and faithful companions, those who see the state in which the animals arrive, who pick up the lost dogs whose owners never come looking for them, who investigate the cruelty cases – I honestly don’t know how those in the trenches do it. They have my greatest respect.

That said, please remember that any little thing you do to help – fostering, educating, searching, donating, whatever is within your ability to do – is important. In the big scheme of things it might seem small, but you can bet it is important to the animals that are helped.

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." --Ghandi.

Ride needed for two dogs, Fraser Valley to Duncan

The rescue network is looking for someone to bring two dogs from Chilliwack to Duncan ASAP.  If anyone coming over for the reunion has room for one big and one medium dog, and is willing to transport, please email me right away.  We might be able to arrange transport from Chilliwack to the ferry or some other lower mainland community if necessary. 

Sad news on Bobbie

This morning I received sad news about Bobbie, the senior sheltie who is at Delta Community Animal Shelter and has had major surgery for bladder stones. I was to pick her up day after tomorrow.

Sadly, she has cancer. Not in the bladder, but the leg. Her 'bum leg' that we thought was just a case of severe arthritis started swelling late last week and a needle aspirate was done. On the weekend Bobbie stopped eating, the swellling continued to spread outward and inflame, and this morning the test results came back - tumor.

Unfortunately it isn't a good tumor so they have put her on steroids at the vet for the next 24 hours to see how she does, but will likely help her to pass tomorrow. The tumour is painful, and the prognosis for any success with chemo is not good, and none of us want her to suffer....

DCAS will keep me posted. Meanwhile, send pain-free vibes for our sweet, sweet girl.

Fundraiser Friday: The Economic Reality of Animal Rescue

One of the most difficult aspects of volunteering with animal rescues, shelters and sanctuaries is seeing the endless stream of animals in need of homes. But hand in hand with that stream comes another difficulty - any organization which takes on animal rescue needs money. Lots of money. Not just for food, shelter, cleaning supplies, etc. Many of the animals who need homes have not been well cared for. And as anyone who has visited the vet recently can tell you, medical care doesn't come cheap.

Until our global community decides to take steps to effectively address the pet overpopulation problem, until individuals decide en masse to step up to their responsibilities as pet owners, until there is no longer a need for rescues and shelters and sanctuaries, those organizations will continue to be financially strapped.

I could blog every single day - indeed, every single hour - about a different animal rescue organization in need. And sometimes I have asked for your financial support for a particular animal or a specific animal organization. I hesitate to beg too often and, given the range of top notch rescues with which I have at least some peripheral connection through volunteering, I sometimes don't mention very worthy causes simply because it is hard to know which to highlight and which to ignore.

What I do want to do is plant a seed. Let's call it Fundraiser Friday. One Friday of every month, find someway in which you can financially help an organization which helps animals. It might be de-cluttering your home by putting a few choice items into a box to donate to the next animal-related garage sale. It could be sending out a message on Facebook or Twitter about your favourite organization or a particular animal which needs some financial help. It could be planning for your own fundraising garage sale, or checking to see if any animal organizations in your area are having special events you can attend that weekend. Or it could be selecting one organization or one animal in need, and sending in a small contribution instead of ordering pizza tonight.

So this is my own first Fundraiser Friday. In addition to planting the above seed, I want to suggest a few very worthy causes. Y'know...just in case you have a little loose change to spare. :)

My trip to the mainland yesterday was primarily for the purpose of meeting a senior sheltie who has recently lost her home and ended up at Delta Community Animal Shelter. Bobbie needed a safe place to land, and I have a love of senior shelties and a wee bit of space to spare in my home.

Dog??? Another old dog??? Why the heck can't she ever bring home a crippled up old mouse or bird???

Bobbie's initial vet visit showed massively infected ears, a urinary tract infection, a bum knee, and some large lumps on her belly - all things that are manageable.

I may be old and have yucky ears, but I'm really, really sweet!

However, just as I drove off the ferry on the mainland, my cellphone rang; it was the manager of the shelter. Bobbie's followup visit that morning revealed a bigger problem. An xray showed so many bladder stones that it is a miracle Bobbie could still pee. She needs major surgery - a cost of around $1000 for the shelter, or probably at least $1500 if I still wanted to pick her up right away and take her to my own vet as a private individual. And that is just for the bladder stones.

I spent an hour or more with Bobbie - a lovely, sweet girl - while we discussed options. In the end, with tears in my eyes, I had to let my head rule my heart and leave her there - economic reality for me (sometimes being retired really sucks**), and a financial challenge for the shelter.

So I ask you to consider making a donation and/or spreading the word to help Delta Community Animal Shelter cover the cost of Bobbie's surgery. You'll find more information on their facebook page here (you'll have to scroll down to June 5th, I think - I'm not a facebook person so don't really know if there is a quicker way to find it), and you can donate through their website here - be sure to say it is for Bobbie's surgery!

Rats! She didn't bring me home NO surprise! Not even one of those tee-shirts that say "my mom went to the mainland and all she brought me was this crummy tee-shirt". And I bet I know where my treat money is going this month. Hmmph!

If you live on the island, there's a couple of other fundraising events that might interest you this weekend. Broken Promises Rescue in the Victoria area of Vancouver Island, for whom I fostered Jessie for a short while, is also raising money to help pay for bladder stone surgery and other medical expenses for a dog in their care. If you live down that way, please attend their garage sale at 5756 West Saanich Rd, from 9 AM - 4 PM, tomorrow, Saturday June 11.

Yes, c'mon by! And I'm still looking for my forever home!

And if dogs aren't your thing and you'd like to support the piggies, I will also be having a small garage sale tomorrow as part of the Third Annual Crofton Community-wide Garage Sale. Crofton's a VERY small town - just come into town, and check out the garage sales up and down each street. When you see the one with the Hearts On Noses display board, be sure to say hi! Oh...and buy something. All proceeds from my tables will go to Hearts on Noses. Garage sales run from 9 AM to 2 PM (though mine will likely end at noon, as I am supposed to take some photographs for the Chemainus Courier).

Buy something! 'Cuz us piggies get medical bills, too!

Meanwhile, please think good thoughts for Bobbie - and for all the other Bobbies out there who are sitting in rescues and shelters, awaiting expensive medical procedures to set their world right once again.

Heading home with a heavy heart and an empty car.

** Don't get me wrong. If one of my dogs developed bladder stones, I would find the money to fix it immediately. However, to take on a new dog who is going to cost upwards of $1500 the very first week does not make good fiscal sense for me, at this point in my life. I am not a rescue organization, just an individual who loves dogs and helps out where I can. There is a possibility that Bobbie still may end up as part of my family, once she has recuperated from surgery, and at that point I would be committing to covering all future medical costs, just as I do any dog I adopt. Just as any responsible adopter should.