Browsing Category

Pet Families in Need

This Valentine is Looking for a Forever Home!

February 14, 2019

As you know, sometimes we post to help a dog in need, one who is looking for their forever home.

My friend Kim, who works as an emergency veterinary technician often meets dogs whose circumstances have led to them needing a little extra help. For one of our best success stories, please check out Bella the Basset.

So today, I want to share with all of you Bucky’s story:

Hi there. I’m Buckbeak, Bucky for short, my foster mom says I should tell you my story so you can get to know me. Maybe even come to love me.

My life was alright, I think, until this last Christmas day when my family surrendered me to the shelter. We drove there and got out. I thought I might be meeting a new friend. The nice shelter people took me inside and my best friend filled out some paperwork. I didn’t know what was happening but figured this is how you get assigned a new buddy. Then the shelter people made me a bed in a different room and my human didn’t come with us. I figured that was ok too because they would come back soon like they always did. I waited and waited. And I waited some more. The shelter was really scary and loud. Some of the other dogs just cried for their family and some of them said bad words. Some of them just sat quiet like me and kept waiting.

Three weeks of sleeps came and went but my human never came back. Every day I hoped they would be there again but every sleep I was alone. The shelter people tried to be nice to me but I only wanted MY human and I got depressed. The shelter was so loud and my kennel didn’t have a warm couch. Some of the other dogs would be there for a while and then they wouldn’t be. The shelter people would talk about home (I like that word!) and sometimes they would talk about this place called the rainbow bridge (I don’t know where that is and it sounds nice but the shelter people always seemed so sad talking about it that I don’t know). One day I woke up and the shelter person told me I might have to go to the rainbow bridge. She seemed sad so I gave her kisses. Then that night I went to bed as usual but part of my good night from the shelter lady was that I might not go to the rainbow bridge.

After that sleep I woke up and I she told me that today I would meet a new lady who saw me on the facebooks. At lunch time this lady came to my kennel. She was different. She got in with me and sat down. I was afraid to trust her at first. She just sat so quiet and seemed to really like me. I decided she was ok so I gave her a little kiss. She walked me outside and we spent time together. After I sat and gave her my paw she told the shelter guy that I was going home with her. She seemed so happy and that made me happy too! It took a while and I got worried, but then she put a real collar on me and we WALKED OUT THE FRONT DOOR! WE GOT IN A CAR (I LOVE THE CAR!!) AND WE DROVE A WHILE (I LOVE THE CAR!!). I’m sorry. Just remembering that car ride makes me really happy.

The first day home I basically just slept. I felt really bad that I didn’t have more energy, but since I hadn’t slept well for so long it felt really good to just melt into the couch. Since then I’ve met three other dogs who look a lot like me and I have a warm bed and food and lots of love. My foster mom said she’d tell you more about me since she says you should hear the stuff I’m proud of and the stuff I’m embarrassed to admit.

More details from Bucky’s Foster Mom, Phoebe:

Foster-mom Phoebe here! Bucky is a wonderful dog. He’s just a big doofy loveable lug. He loves to lean his 70 lbs into you to get pets and his tail never stops wagging now. He knows sit and shake but not much else. It’s obvious that he would take to solid training well as he tries really hard to please. Bucky kennels well and is a very quiet boy. I haven’t heard more than an excited whine from him when he first wakes up. He’s gone with me to patio dining at a busy restaurant and did great. Even making a few friends. He clearly loves car rides, but doesn’t know about jumping into the car on his own (or really even the couch for that matter). He’s the sweetest cookie taker I’ve ever met especially for his enthusiastic self. He has allowed me to pet him all over and even trim his nails by myself.

The things he’s most embarrassed about are his excitement over meeting new friends and his concern that another dog is going to steal the things he wants most. His enthusiasm causes him to greet other dogs somewhat rudely. He hasn’t been aggressive at all, but his manners are a bit like a college age boy. As far as the resource guarding it seems to only show itself when it’s another dog. I have taken his food and toys away from him with ease. This behavior can be extinguished with some training.

His ideal forever family would provide him with additional basic obedience and consistent activity (running buddy anyone?). Although I haven’t seen him show any aggression towards cats, small children, or small dogs the adopter would ideally not have any of these in the home as he’s so enthusiastic and intense I don’t think it would be a good mix. I think Bucky would do best in a home that is familiar with the loveable blockyheaded-wigglebutts.

Health wise he is perfectly healthy. He’s approximately 3 years old. Fully vaccinated. Neutered. Microchipped.

If you think that Bucky might be your next best friend please feel free to contact Phoebe directly by email at p.owensheppard@gmail.com

Let’s Help Biggie Find a Home

November 27, 2018

Occasionally on this blog, my good friend Kim, an emergency veterinary technician, asks for our help to find a forever home for a pet in need.

Biggie’s foster mom reached out to us and asked to share Biggie’s story to help him find a forever home. Therefore, today I would like to share with you Biggie’s adoption story.

“We are guessing that Biggie is a Pug/Chihuahua mix, approximately 8-years-old intact male. He is currently being fostered through Antioch Animal Services.

On October 28th, 2018, he was hit by a car and was left seizing in the road. A Good Samaritan brought him to the emergency hospital in Antioch, where he was treated for head trauma to stop the seizures. However, due to a non-surgical pelvic fracture he was unable to go to the shelter, so I brought him home and fostered him before he was released.

He is currently recovering well and walking on his own, you wouldn’t even know he had a recent trauma! He still can’t jump yet, but at times tries his hardest (even though I tell him no!). He is great with other dogs and cats and loves toys. Biggie is crate trained, potty trained, not a barker, shows no signs of food aggression, and loves to snuggle. If you’re on the sofa and pull out a blanket you better be prepared for him staring you down for snuggles. He does need to be neutered and have his vaccines updated (since we don’t know his history), which can be done through the shelter or the adoptees veterinarian of choice.

Since I worked at the hospital he was brought to, the shelter leaves it up to me to find him a home. Previously, I found a home for a pet and filled out a foster application for that person, then once they got the pet neutered the shelter finalized the adoption. Alternatively, I could set up the neuter and everything through the shelter, then someone could adopt him. It just depends on preference of the person.” – Rosa (Biggie’s Foster Mom)

Are you, or someone you know, interested in adopting Biggie? If so, please email his foster mom Rosa: rosa_cortese@yahoo.com

Everything You Need to Prepare Your Pets for Natural Disasters

August 2, 2016

As a Californian, I am grateful that there are very few natural disasters we need to worry about. However, we are not completely safe from Mother Nature. Specifically, us Californians need to be prepared for two common natural disasters earthquakes & wildfires!

Being prepared for natural disasters to happen is difficult. Specifically, because there isn’t always time to prepare for evacuation (especially with earthquakes). Although it is difficult to prepare for natural disasters themselves, we can prep necessities to react in the event something does happen.

Necessities for natural disasters:

First-Aid Kit

I have a first-aid kit for a variety of reasons; road trips, hiking trips, and emergencies. You can purchase one at your local pet store, or online, or you can make your own. If you already have a human first-aid kit, the DIY first-aid kits can be particularly helpful because you can combine the needs of you and your pets.

Secure Transportation

If you need to get in the car to evacuate, you want your dog or cat to be secure in the car (especially considering the additional chaos). Be sure to have an accessible crate that you can quickly secure in your car. It is also very helpful if your pet is used to a crate to avoid additional stress in an emergency situation.

List of Contacts

It’s always a good idea to have a list of contacts with you during your evacuation. Be sure to include your regular & emergency veterinarian along with a few other people that can be contacted in case of an emergency. If you want to be extra prepared, make sure the list is laminated so that it can’t be damaged by water. 

Know Your Surroundings

The Red Cross recommends having a map of pet-friendly hotels and motels where you can stay in the event of an evacuation. For health and safety purposes, Red Cross stations don’t take pets that are not service animals.

Paperwork

Be sure to have a copy of your pet’s current vaccine records, and make sure their identification is up to date. Vaccine records are very important for staying at hotels and any other place of refuge in an emergency situation. As always, I highly recommend microchipping your pet and keeping the contact information up to date. In the event that your pet gets away and also loses their collar, any veterinary professional will immediately scan them to see if they are microchipped.

Leashes & Harnesses

I have said it several times before, and I will say it again. Extra leashes and harnesses are always a good idea (because you never know if you will see a stray dog while walking or driving, OR your leash might break). I also like to keep a slip leash with us because you can slip it on and move out of the house quickly and take your time to put on the proper leash and harness when you have the time. This is most appropriate for surprise evacuations like house fires or earthquakes.

Medications

Make sure that you have a few days worth of your pet’s medication if they are medication-dependent. For example, if you have an epileptic dog, be sure to keep a week’s worth of non-expired medication in your pet’s first aid kit and make a reminder to replace it every 6 months.

Basics

Although these items are basic, when you aren’t sure how far you will be from your home or how long you will be away, the basics are important.

Towel/Blanket – for warmth

Pet Bed (can keep this in the crate)

Water/Food Bowls

Food (weeks worth at least)

Can Opener (especially for cats)

Water Bottles (weeks worth at least)

The Red Cross has some additional tips and a printable checklist for you, which I highly recommend checking out.

What Can You Do if Your Family Isn’t Affected by the Natural Disaster?

Sometimes when natural disasters hit your area, your family gets lucky. You didn’t have to evacuate, and all of your family, pets, and friends are safe. But chances are, not everyone was so lucky.

Here in California, it isn’t unusual for us to know of a wildfire 50 miles North of us. While we are in many cases exempt from worry, there are still things we can do for the families and pets affected in those areas.

1. Call Your Local Emergency Hospital

Every year, there is a wildfire in Northern California. Last year my friend Kim, who is an emergency veterinary technician at my local emergency hospital went up to the fires to care for pets who were injured. She even brought back two kittens who needed long-term care due to severe burns.

Had I know that Kim was going up there, I would have called her and asked her if she needed any extra blankets, towels, collars or leashes (chances are I have a few of these in my house). So as soon as you know about these emergencies, make a call to your local emergency hospital and see if their staff is going to provide relief and if they are in need of anything you might be able to provide.

2. Foster

Contact the local animal shelters and let them know you have space in your home to foster. Chances are the animal shelters will be inundated with lost and injured pets from the disaster and they could use any extra space they can get. Offer to take some pets for a few weeks to provide the shelter with the much-needed space.

3. Offer to Provide Transportation

Work with the local shelters and rescue centers to help transport people and pets, or people with pets. Sometimes people not only lost their homes but also lost their form of transportation and it would be really helpful if they could visit their family or friends a few towns away. However, not everyone has the space or means to transport pets. If you have a vehicle that could be useful (like a van) offer to take people and/or pets to other destinations.

4. Donate

Donations to the Red Cross and local animal shelters can help support the rescue and response efforts. Often, social media pages and campaigns are set up quickly to help support the additional donations, so keep your eyes open for that information in the event of a disaster.

5. Share on Social Media

If you live in the area (or surrounding areas) you can share any lost pet posts. It may seem small, but social sharing can be very powerful and very important for getting pets reunited with their families.

I would love to hear your ideas!

What do you have in your disaster preparedness kit? What do you do when your local area has a natural disaster to help others?

Everything You Need to Prepare Your Pets for Natural Disasters

Rooney and I would like to thank everyone for his birthday wishes! He had a great play day all day last Tuesday, and I think he really enjoyed his day.

Top