Monday, January 30, 2012

BARK RESCUE Paw Festival Paws on Parade
Belleville Area Rescue of K-9's

The Teacup Puppy Phenomenon
BARK Store
As a rescue, we are amazed at so many people wanting to buy a so-called "Teacup" puppy. Thus the reason we are writing this piece concerning our views about the phenomenon of so many people wanting a "so-called teacup" puppy.

Puppies aren't toys; they are living breathing babies that need love and attention, not to spend half of their life in someone's HOT purse!

Please take the time to read this and educate yourself! The lives of many little dogs depend on you educating yourself, and others, not to buy into this phase.

Thank you for taking the time to read this!

This is a topic that most assuredly needs to be brought to the attention of perspective puppy buyers.

Let's start out by saying "THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A "TEACUP" PUPPY".

With that in mind, let me say this; It seems as though there is a plethora of people who are insistent on buying tiny puppies in the 2 to 4 pound range. Also commonly referred to as a "Teacup puppy".

The word "Teacup" has been used to merely describe the size of a puppy, meaning it is very small and will probably be under the standard size which is 4 to 7 pounds for the Toy Group, Yorkshire Terrier breed. We cannot imagine anyone wanting anything smaller than that! Their bones are VERY fragile and can be broken by jumping off of a couch, falling off of a bed, being stepped on or worse.

Many breeders, while tacking a whooping price on a puppy, "claim" to breed so called "teacups" as if they were a breed all their own. Don't be fooled! They are NOT a breed of their own.

If a breeder says they specialize in "teacups" RUN, RUN, RUN for the hills! Most "TEACUP" puppies are in reality, a premature puppy.

Most females are bred on the ninth through the fifteenth day of their heat cycles. Eggs can be fertilized for up to 72 hours after any of these breeding's. Therefore, it is possible to have puppies conceived up to a week or so younger than the puppies first conceived in a litter. However, when the first puppies conceived are mature and ready to be born, labor starts and all the puppies will be born, no matter when they were fertilized.

Some of the problems that may be encountered are both genetic and congenital in these tiny babies and the list is a long one.

The risk of open fontanels (soft spot from the cranial bone not forming), portosystemic shunts (PSS- abnormal vessel that allows blood to bypass the liver. As a result the blood is not cleansed by one of the bodies filters: the liver.), hypoglycemia, cardiac problems, collapsing trachea, luxating patellas, Leggs Calves Perthes disease, seizures, hydroencephaly, blindness and digestive problems can be increased in these tiny babies.

Problems such as respiratory problems can remain or worsen throughout their lives. These babies frequently are so fragile that they do not live more than a few years. There have been several tiny Yorkies as adults who still had open fontanels and their owners had to carry nourishment with them all the time. Their vets have felt it unsafe to give a full dose of vaccine so the puppies had to get several injections to be on the safe side.

There is no such thing as a "tea cup" Yorkshire Terrier, Maltese, Poodle, or any other breed for that matter. They simply do not exist. "Tea-cup" is just a marketing ploy given by unethical and unscrupulous breeders to drive up the price of their puppies!


So called "Teacups" fetch anything from $1000 to $10,000! This is ridiculous and shameful! There are a lot of chronically, unhealthy puppies because unscrupulous breeders and puppy mills are inbreeding. Some poor darlings only live for a very, very short time!

They take the little teeny, tiny Yorkies and they breed 2 1/2 pounders with 3 pounders ... well, they’re playing with genetics. You should NEVER breed a female of any breed less than 5 pounds.

PLEASE educate yourselves before buying a tiny puppy whether it is a Yorkie or any other breed. You could be in for months or years of heartbreak not to mention staggering veterinarian bills!

DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!! IF YOU WANT A HEALTHY PUPPY, DON'T FALL FOR THE TEACUP ACT!


I have a beautiful story I wanted to share with you all. It is a long
one, but worth the read. My purpose of sharing this story is to remind
everyone how working together and putting in a little effort, can be a
magical thing for the dogs we all try to save. This a touching tale of
2 different dogs, whose fate was remarkably changed by people coming
together for the sole purpose of saving their lives.
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If you follow my emails, you will probably remember a little black pit
mix named Sugar. She was found as a stray, full of milk, babies
nowhere in sight. She ended up at a St. Louis area animal control
facility. There had been no offers on her, and when we were leaving
one day, we were informed that she as well as 2 others would be
euthanized in the morning due to lack of space. With only 15 minutes
to save their lives, I contacted a rescue friend who agreed to tag
them, and we would work something out for them by the morning. Later
that evening, a wonderful rescue group, Dont Bully My Breed, INC
posted her photo on their facebook page. A woman named Hannah from
Indianapolis, IN fell completely in love. Although she was reluctant
knowing the dog was rather far away, she pursued it anyway. She agreed
to be a foster to adopt, and passed the application process and home
visit with flying colors. Hannah waited patiently while Sugar
recovered from kennel cough and other minor health issues, and we made
arrangements for transport once Sugar had been spayed and vaccinated.
This past Thurs, a friend of mine and I traveled to Terre Haute, IN to
meet with Hannah so she could take Sugar home. Hannah and her friend
Leah drove off with a happy Sugar off to her new life. Sugar is doing
wonderful in their home with the 2 other dogs and couldn't be happier
in her new home! I have attached a picture of her in bed with her new
dog siblings!
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Sugar's story is wonderful, but here is where a new story begins.
Saturday afternoon, I received an email from a local rescue friend
Tammi. A friend of hers in Indianapolis, IN runs a car dealrship. They
saw a young male pit mix, huddled in a corner outside, shivering. They
invited him in to the building, where he immediately came out of his
shell. He had some cuts around his neck from his chain, and was
missing the pads on his rear paws. This area is known for the extreme
gang activity, and there is also known pitbull fighting rings in the
area. It is a war zone, where on any given day, a dead body will
appear in an alley somewhere. The man knew he could not leave the dog
there, but had nowhere to take him. They would be leaving work in
about 3 hours, and without anywhere to go, the dog would be released
back onto the vicious streets, where he would likely die from freezing
to death, or picked up to be a bait dog. Knowing I had no rescue
contacts in Indiana, I contacted Dont Bully My Breed to see if they
had any contacts in the area. They were able to provide some contact
info, and I passed it along to Tammi. She contacted them and left a
message, but due to the urgency, we had to continue to work on it. It
was clear to me that I only knew one person in the whole state of
Indiana, who I had met for the first time on Thursday, Hannah, Sugar's
new mom. I thought it was worth a try and sent her a message asking if
any of her friends would be interested in keeping him safe until a
rescue could be found. Within minutes, Hannah called and said her
friend Leah who had come along for the ride on Thursday, was not only
interested in helping, but possibly adopting! They had been wanting to
adopt a rescue dog. I put Tammi and Leah in touch with each other, and
Tammi thoroughly explained that there was no history on this dog and
all precautionary measures that were needed to ensure her family's
safety as well as the dog's. Leah has 3 daughters ranging from 5 to 11
years old, and Tammi covered every aspect of making sure everyone was
protected. Within just a short time, Tammi had been in contact with a
rescue contact who picked the dog up, and began the 45 min journey to
Leah's house, not only for an introduction, but to evaluate the home
setting. As you will see, everything went better than planned. Leah
had immediately gone out and picked up a crate and everything she
needed to invite this dog into their home. This dog is now named
Bruno, and after a nice bath, he is spending this night cuddled up
next to his new parents in their warm, soft bed. Bruno will be getting
vetted next week, and he will now begin a new life of his own.
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The moral of the story, is that even when things seem hopeless, reach
out and ask for help. Don't give up on these dogs, because you may be
their only link between life and death. When people work together and
focus their energy on each individual dog, you will see that so many
others will end up with a wonderful fate like these 2. If the rescue
had not posted Sugar on their facebook page, and Hannah seen her
picture, Bruno would not have stood a chance. It is a very small world
we are living in, and each positive action you take, may bring you
that much closer to helping another dog in need.
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This was a good week, and I wanted you all to end your week with happy
and positive thoughts as well. Thanks to all of you who work so hard
to save dogs like these, in whatever way you do so. It is these
stories that keep us motivated to keep doing what we do! A special
thanks to Dont Bully My Breed, INC, Hannah, Leah, and Tammi for their
roles in saving these 2 precious babies.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Update On A Great Rescue Organization in St. Louis: ADOPT


Dear ADOPT Supporters,
I wanted send a quick note to keep all of you, our followers, up to date on the exciting things happening with ADOPT! We are doing well and our Board and volunteers have been very productive since we took over in April. We had a busy November and December. In November, we held our first trivia night and silent auction. A little over 300 people attended and we made over $10,000.00. Shortly there after, in early December, we were the featured charity at the Flyball event at Purina Farms. The event was both fun and successful!

ADOPT has been very busy helping Rescue groups rescue animals from JCAC (Jefferson County Animal Control). As a result of what the rescue groups and volunteers are doing, euthanasia has dropped to almost nothing at JCAC the past 4 weeks!!!

We have also been instrumental in helping JT set up a volunteer group to go out to JCAC and help walk dogs and clean kennels on weekends. It is a success getting adoptable dogs and cats more visibility to get rescued or adopted. We are always looking for volunteers to donate their time. Any help would be appreciated. Go to ShelterBuddies on facebook to see the good work these people are doing. We encourage and accept donations to help with costs for vetting, for rescues, boarding, and fosters.

The Jefferson Co. Pet Food Pantry is coordinated under ADOPT, and exists to help people who may be struggling financially with obtaining food for their pets. Debby Mikles is the President of that organization. Debby has been successful in helping many people who otherwise would not be able to afford food for their pets.

ADOPT helps to provide supplies to JCAC when needed. We are always looking for donations to assist us in the purchase of those items and help to offset their costs and provide items they otherwise can't get.

Last but not least, we are actively looking for property to get us on our way to opening a facility in Jefferson Co. We will keep you posted!

To keep up with what we are doing, go to www.adoptmo.com or visit our facebook page A.D.O.P.T. of Jefferson Co, Missouri. We are planning this year's fund raising events as we speak, and we have many fun things planned! We are in the process of firming up our dates and details, and we will send you our calender for the year very soon. We would love to see you (or to have your help!) at our events if you would like to assist us.

Thank you for your interest and let us know if you are interested in assisting us in any of our endeavors. We would gladly accept your help and/or donations with any of our projects. Our address is ADOPT P.O. Box 246 Arnold, Mo. 63010 for any donations and please contact us at info@adoptmo.com if you would like to volunteer.


Thank you,

Cherie B, ADOPT President

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Smiling Dog Farms Is A Fabulous Organization....

You Know Our Mission ...
Providing a home for dogs who have nowhere else to go!
We are often a dog's only hope.
We are the rescue that other rescues turn to, when a dog is in danger.
We try to always say "yes".

Please... ask your friends, family, business contacts -- any NONrescue "civilians" -- to consider helping us, now, so we can keep helping the dogs who need us most!

Ricky, Jay and all the many animals at Smiling Dog Farms thank you for your help!

jay hellerich, executive director
smiling dog farms
a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation
p.o. box 743
wharton, texas 77488
979-559-1062

website: www.smilingdogfarms.org
blog: http://smilingdogfarms.blogspot.comfacebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Smiling-Dog-Farms/362328795391?v=wall

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Gas Chambers Are Still Being Used To Kill Animals In Shelters

Despite public outcry over a Utah shelter cat who survived two attempts to euthanize by gassing, most states still allow animals to be put down in archaic, cruel gas chambers.
Click to automatically sign to protect shelter animals from this horror. »

When euthanasia by gassing works, it can take up to 25 minutes to end an animal's life. It is especially cruel to young, old, pregnant or sick animals -- the majority of most shelter populations.
Running gas chambers is more expensive than comparatively quick and painless euthanasia by injection, leaving less money in the shelter's budget for taking care of animals and maintaining the facility.

There is no excuse for this method of euthanasia to continue in any state.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Women Sues To Prove Dogs Are 'Living Souls' not property

New York woman files lawsuit aiming to change a pet’s legal definition, recoup vet bills

By Scott Stump
TODAY.com contributor
When Elena Zakharova looks into the eyes of her puppy as it suffers from bad knees and achy hips, she does not see a defective product to be returned to the store for a refund.

The New York City resident believes Umka, her 1-year-old Brussels Griffon, is a living soul who feels pain and emotion. Now her attorney aims to prove it in court.

Zakharova has filed a civil suit in a New York court against the Upper East Side pet store that sold her a puppy who went on to develop numerous medical complications. The suit seeks to hold the store liable for the dog’s pain and suffering, as well as its medical bills, as if it were a person rather than an inanimate product.

Under New York law, pets are considered “property,’’ but the complaint is trying to change that definition. The ultimate goal is to help shut down the puppy mills, many of them based in the Midwest, that often mass-produce the animals sold in boutique pet stores like Raising Rover, where Umka was purchased.

Story: Larry, the Downing Street cat, is barred from private residence

“Don't call them property anymore,’’ Zakharova’s attorney, Susan Chana Lask, told TODAY.com. “They're not inanimate objects. They’re not tables. They’re not chairs. You don’t just throw them out.’’

“Umka is a living soul with a heart,’’ the suit reads. “She feels love and pain.’’
The ownership of Raising Rover has changed since Zakharova purchased Umka.

“I know nothing about the sale [of Umka]. The prior owner has all the records. We are very careful about where we get our puppies,” Raising Rover owner Ben Logan told the New York Daily News, which first reported the story of Zakharova’s unusual complaint. Logan declined to provide any information about the prior owner.

Zakharova is seeking compensation for past and upcoming surgeries and other medical treatment involved with Umka, which totals at least $8,000. She also wants a full return of the dog’s sale price plus interest since the date of purchase in February of last year. If Zakharova is awarded the money, she will donate it to an animal charity or animal-rights program, Lask said.
New York state currently has a “Puppy Lemon Law’’ that allows buyers to return a sick animal to a pet store within 14 days for a full refund. One objective of that law is to slow down puppy mills’ mass production of dogs that end up having heart conditions and other ailments. However, in a case like Umka’s, the medical issues did not become apparent for months after Zakharova purchased the dog. The suit claims Umka will never walk or run properly again after several surgeries.

“Umka suffers a disorder causing her pain, her legs hurt, she cries when she is in pain, she drags herself with her front paws, [and] she cannot run like other puppies,” the suit reads.

“The Puppy Lemon Law doesn't cut it,’’ Lask said.

If the definition of a pet is changed from that of property to an animate being with feelings, it could substantially change the amount of damages that could be awarded when an owner buys a defective dog born in a puppy mill, according to Lask. That could, in turn, have a chilling effect on pet stores buying animals from puppy mills out of fear of getting slammed with large payouts from lawsuits.

“It’s going to put a number on my dog’s broken hips that you created because you’re negligent, you’re greedy, and you’re mass-producing these puppies,’’ Lask said. “Right now, even if you return it, they just kill it, which is so inhumane.’’

Lask is an animal lover who owns a Chihuahua named Lincoln who was found to have a hole in his skull months after her purchase. That discovery led her to investigate the practices of shady puppy mills. She has waited six years to bring a case of this nature, fielding calls from other pet owners in the past, but felt Zakharova is the perfect client to help correct a larger issue.
The main issue will be proving to a judge that pets are living souls who experience feelings of pain and emotion.

“It’s a leap,’’ Lask said. “Human beings themselves have treated other humans as property in history before recognizing it was wrong. People will say this isn’t a human being, but they have a heart, so it’s not too much of a stretch to ask the courts to change the definition. Then we’ll see how quickly pet stores think twice before buying from puppy mills.
Story: To snag homes, shelter pets get glam makeovers

“It’s already a felony to abuse an animal. If I kick my Chihuahua and beat it, I’m getting arrested, so that animal has rights. If they have criminal rights, why not put rights on a damaged leg or a heart condition? If we’re not equating [an animal] to a human being, and we’re not equating it to a table, there has to be something in the middle.’’

Whether the suit is successful or not, it brings to light the practices of puppy mills and their damaging effects on animals and their human owners, animal rights advocates say.
Story: Deformed puppy, rescued from trash, learns to walk
“I don’t know where this case is going to go, but it’s good that it brings awareness that pets are not just a commodity and that we have to take this seriously,’’ said Sandra DeFeo, executive director of The Humane Society of New York. “We feel that animals are living, breathing beings, not a piece of furniture or inanimate object. People develop relationships and bonds with these animals, and you see how distraught they are when the animals pass away.’’

A 2011 investigation by The Humane Society of the United States revealed that Raising Rover, where Umka was purchased, was one of 11 upscale pet stores that purchased animals from Midwestern puppy mills with horrendous conditions.

Top Ten Reasons to Fix (SPAY OR NEUTER) Your Dog

1. You will save thousands of lives. Failing to spay or neuter is the biggest cause of pet overpopulation, suffering and euthanasia. Over 65,000 is the number of offspring one un-spayed/un-neutered dog and their mate intact can produce in about 6 years if none of their offspring are spayed or neutered.
2. There are not enough people to adopt all of the animals that are being created. Your unwanted litter will most likely end up in a shelter where it has a 50% chance to be euthanized.
3. Your dog will be better behaved, and less likely to roam, howl, spray and jump a fence.
4. Your dog will be healthier and happier. Fixed dogs have a longer expected lifespan and will have less chance of developing certain cancers and other life threatening illnesses.
5. You will save money. It is expensive to care for unwanted litters and the medial treatment associated with unfixed dogs have more medical problems. Rabies tag/ licensing fees are much lower in St. Louis City and County for fixed animals.
6. Your pet will be less likely to attract unwanted strays to your home or property.
7. You will eliminate female heat (menstrual) cycles and the inconvenience involved. Heat cycles can last up to four weeks.
8. Spayed and neutered pets are more adaptable to your home and family.
9. Spaying and neutering is a simple outpatient surgery with a quick recovery.
10. There are low cost spay and neutering programs available. Available ones in St. Louis:
Barc 314 435-1819 or barcspay@aol.com
Operation SPOT 314 995-8678 or www.opspot.org
HSMO 314 802-5700 or www.hsmo.org
St. Louis County Voucher Program 314 831-6500 or 314 726-6655

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Groundbreaking Court RUling Takes Dogs Beyond "Property" Status....

Groundbreaking Court Ruling Takes Dogs Beyond “Property” Status; Major Pet Industry Groups Not Happy
A Texas appeals court ruling has given dogs increased status over other forms of property. The dog in this photo may actually be worth more than the table he is sitting on now.
A Texas appellate court has made the bold move of effectively taking dogs out of the “property” category and giving them increased legal status. It provides an updated reinterpretation of the law, which traditionally views pets as worth only their market value — like a table or a car.
The Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth overturned a lower court’s ruling that a couple whose dog was wrongfully euthanized was entitled to damages for only the dog’s monetary worth. The new ruling allows for a dog’s true worth to be considered.
“Dogs are unconditionally devoted to their owners. Today, we interpret timeworn supreme court law in light of subsequent court law to acknowledge that the special value of ‘man’s best friend’ should be protected,” the Court’s opinion stated.
With the ruling, the owners of the dog, Avery, could be entitled to damages for “sentimental” or “intrinsic” value. Avery escaped from his yard and was brought to an animal shelter. They went to claim him, but didn’t have enough money, so they made arrangements to return when they had it. Despite a “hold for owner” tag on Avery’s cage, a shelter employee euthanized him days before his number was up. When the couple came back to pay for Avery’s fee, they got the terrible news.

Ironically, in some instances dogs have not been given the same value even as some forms of property. If someone destroys family heirlooms that are of great sentimental value, even though the heirlooms may be nearly financially worthless, damages can be awarded because of their sentimental value. The new court ruling, for which the appellate justices cited a 120-year-old Texas Supreme Court decision as precedent, gives pets at least the same value as other items that are of negligible monetary value but great intrinsic worth.

“Because of the special position pets hold in the family, we see no reason why existing law should not be interpreted to allow recovery in the loss of a pet at least to the same extent as other personal property,” Justice Lee Gabriel wrote.

The shelter worker who ended Avery’s life will appeal the decision. She will be in some pretty powerful company. Surprisingly — at least at first glance — some of the top pet-industry organizations in the nation are adamantly opposed to the court’s decision. The American Veterinary Medical Association (whose well-done newsletter article is the main source for my post), American Kennel Club, the Cat Fanciers’ Association, Animal Health Institute, American Pet Products Association, and Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council are among those who filed briefs asking the justices to reconsider.

These groups say they fear that the liability from “pain and suffering” claims would cause pet service fees to have to increase greatly and make veterinary care unaffordable for many people with pets.

“If this becomes the law of the land, it will lead to higher costs to own a pet, disproportionally hurting middle-class and low-income pet owners. Who will pay for those higher damage awards? The rest of us pet owners, of course,” said Adrian Hochstadt, AVMA assistant director of state legislative and regulatory affairs. “The obvious consequences will include fewer people being able to own pets and, unfortunately, more animal abandonment.”
Opponents say the verdict “isolates the Second Court of Texas in American jurisprudence and … violated Texas Supreme Court law.” Legal experts say the case will likely end up in Texas Supreme Court. It will be interesting to watch this unfold. If the Supreme Court upholds the appeals court’s decision, what will the implications be across the nation and across animal law? Could it be the start of a sea change as to how dogs are considered and treated? Could it lead to stiffer punishments of those who abuse animals? Would it open the floodgates to frivolous lawsuits?
I was initially disillusioned when I learned that such major pet industry organizations were opposed to what seemed like something they’d support: that the value of a pet goes beyond its market worth. But they see this as opening the doors to all kinds of pricey lawsuits, so I guess I should not be surprised that they’ve come out swinging. I’m very interested in your thoughts on this, Dogsters. Also, if there are any legal experts out there who can weigh in, or who can offer some perspective on the case, I’d love to hear from you.

By: Maria Goodavage

What Is Skechers Thinking......???

It has come to our attention that Skechers has filmed a commercial at Tucson Greyhound Park showing greyhounds racing (and losing) against a smaller dog wearing the company’s shoes. Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, appears in the ad -- which is intended to air during the Superbowl! Please sign this petition directed to Skechers, NBC and Mr. Cuban and ask them not to support the cruelty of dog racing.

At TGP, greyhounds are kept confined in small cages which are barely large
enough for them to stand up or turn around. They are fed raw 4-D meat, the meat of downed, diseased, disabled or dead livestock. This was documented in a recent video investigation and in news reports available on our web site at: http://grey2kusa.org/action/states/az.html

While racing, greyhounds face the risk of serious injury. According to the
Arizona Department of Racing, nearly 1,000 greyhound injuries occurred between
January 2007 and November 2009, the last year such records were made available to the public. To read more about injuries and Arizona greyhound racing in general, please see our 128-page report at http://grey2kusa.org/pdf/AZ2011.pdf

Friday, January 6, 2012

Ireland Rocks !!!!

Dogs and dog-lovers alike had reason for celebration on New Year's day in Ireland.
The country, once considered the Puppy Farm of Europe, banned puppy "farming" - aka puppy mills.New legislation went into effect as 2012 rolled around thanks to the efforts of campaigners who had fought to ban the inhumane conditions typically associated with commerical puppy breeding operations.The new laws aim to crack down on breeders who fail to maintain humane conditions for the dogs within their care.
Thanks to the Dog Breeding Establishments Act and the Welfare of Greyhounds Bill, breeders will have strict rules to follow which should ensure that the inhumane conditions of yesteryear can become nothing more than a distant memory.

Way to go Ireland!

Right now in Animal News: Police search for individuals that ran down geese

Currently in German shepherd news: Texas K9 killed in the line of duty

Recently in the news:
•Felony animal abuser gets 5 days in jail after killing puppy
•Romeo and Juliet - abandoned at a tree
•California shelter achieves no-kill status

Thursday, January 5, 2012

If you are interested in adopting, fostering, or rescuing one of the many dogs at Dent County, please contact Ali at afoley5@slu.edu Please forward to your contacts who may be interested also.

A rural no-kill rescue is in desperate need of immediate assistance. Dent County Animal Welfare Society (DCAWS) is located in Salem, Missouri and brings dogs to St. Louis for adoption events almost every weekend. http://www.dcaws.org/

Since 1993, DCAWS has been the sole animal shelter in rural Dent County, Missouri -- there is no humane society or APA or any other publically-funded shelter. There is an animal control, but there is no pound -- all animal control dogs come to DCAWS. In a rural county where dog dumping is rampant and puppy mills are all over the place, DCAWS has managed to make Dent County a no-kill county. Now, DCAWS desperately needs help to keep going. The physical shelter is getting old and at the point where it risks not passing inspection. We have land for a new shelter but need to raise at least $200,000 to build the new shelter. The more immediate need is to move about 20 dogs as soon as possible as the shelter is too crowded. We are begging for fosters in or around sSt. Louis for about 20 dog. As a last resort, at this point we are also looking at transferring some dogs to other rescues (all dogs are vetted). We know that most other rescues are full and needing donations as well and we have made it by for the last 19 years, but unfortunately, we are now at a breaking point and are begging for some serious help in order to keep going. Without DCAWS and its very few dedicated volunteers and weekly trips to St. Louis, the dogs (and cats) of Dent County face a dire future. Please help us find a place for 20 or so dogs in the next few days!! This is urgent!! We are seeking adopters, fosters in/around St. Louis, rescues willing to take transfers (all dogs are vetted), and donations!! We could also use some volunteers to make the trip to Salem (probably some weekend very soon) to work on sprucing up the shelter until we can raise the funds to build the new shelter.

The available dogs and cats can be found at: http://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?N=&No=0&Ns=shelter_name%7C%7Canimal_type%7C%7Cpet_breed_1%7C%7Cpet_breed_2%7C%7Cidentifier&Ntk=shelter_id%7Crecord_type%7Cstatus&Ntt=MO227%7Cpet%7CA&distance=0&location=63105

If you can help in any way, please contact Ali at afoley5@slu.edu immediately. Thank you.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Pitbulls Are So Full of Love & Bring Such Joy to Their families

This is one of my fellow friends who adores his family and loves to snuggle. Please consider adopting a Pitbull next time you are thinking of adding to your family !!!