Rufus the Righteous ( aka Ruufie!) Has his First Anniversary in his Forever Home!

Remember Ruufie?  Popstand Petey's right hand man & primo consigliare?  Well, Ruufie's one year anniversary of being in his forever home came & went & we missed it!  In honor of his very first year in an amazing loving forever home, we would like to update you on his adventures. We got these adora-bull pics & update from Ruufie's forever mom...

"This has been a fun packed year for Rufus McGillicutty Schoen DaSilva!!!  Ruufie has learned how to stay and is attempting to learn paw (might take a while) but is eager to please anyone who is willing to give him a nice belly rub or a treat.  Through out the year he has been on a boat to different islands off of Old Saybrook and has tried to swim but he has some trouble moving those muscular legs so we are going to have to try that again next summer!  He has also gone on many hikes all around CT - some of honorable mention are  Devil's Hopyard, Nehantic State Park, Gillette's Castle, and Cockaponset State Forest. His favorite thing to do has always has been and will always be playing tug of war, he will work every muscle in your arm and he NEVER gives up.  He is the worst fetch player ever, he will just try to run inside to chew on the toy.  After about 3 Frisbees and a few balls his parents decided that fetch is just not his strong suit... at all.  We just moved... so Rufus is also in the new house, which he absolutely loves!  He has a patio and a little yard that he lies in...  basking in the sun whenever he gets the chance.  There are plenty of friendly dogs in the neighborhood and he is very playful with his next door neighbor Moxy, she is an older beagle that just loves Ruufie.  Although he enjoys his occasional play dates with other dogs, Ruufie is truly a people-dog & he cannot get enough of his parents' friends who come to visit and will always cuddle with anyone brave enough to sleep in the house."

& Well... here is Ruufie's favorite sport of all time... TUG!  Be good Ruufie!  We love hearing about your adventures from your mom.  Tell your mom to give you a big smooch from all of us here at Green Fur Kidz!!!

Meli Jo's New Role!

Remember sweet Meli Jo rescued from the euth list in Brooklyn?

Meli Jo... you are the truest example of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier breed... you are loyal, loving, kind, nurturing, child-oriented, family-oriented, playful & athletic. You are what every dog yearns to be... a steadfast & stoic companion to all members of the family, whether 2-legged or 4-legged!

Meli Jo had a new & very important job recently. She helped to raise an orphaned puppy, named Molly, left to die in a box by a dumpster in a school parking lot with the rest of her four siblings. Meli Jo welcomed Molly with an open heart... nurturing & teaching her all about being a dog in a loving home. She helped her with potty training, manners at food times & how to nap with your furry four-legged family members amongst other things. Meli Jo did all this because she possesses the kindest of spirits, giving to all who will accept. Meli Jo's little orphaned puppy, Molly, has since been adopted... but we know she will never forget the love & acceptance she received from Meli Jo!

Meli Jo, we are so very proud of you sweet girl! You are the epitome of what your breed is meant for... being a family dog. We love you & want you to know that we are honored to have had you in our rescue. Keep doing what you do best... being a loving & nurturing soul to all!

Jerry's Fund For 2012 ~ Helping Victims of Dog Fighting

Jerry's Fund has now officially started for 2012 & will run until 11:59 am on January 15th (which is Jerry's birthday). This year's recipient of Jerry's Fund is Best Friends & our goal is to raise $1,000 in memory of Jerry. Best Friends is one of the groups that rescued 23 of the Vick dogs for rehabilitation & rehoming. We have spoken to one of the directors & they have a fund known as the "Cambuly Fund", which is set up specifically to help Pit Bulls who have been victimized either for bait or as fighters in underground rings. This is specifically where the money donated to Jerry's Fund will go. It is only fitting that Jerry's Fund be donated to this rescue for 2012 since Jerry was against the brutality that Vick inflicted & the bad reputation he created for a breed that Jerry loved best.

Please read more about Jerry's Fund at:

http://jerrysfund.blogspot.com/

You can also send Jerry some birthday wishes on his 41st blog:

http://jerrys41stbirthday.blogspot.com

G o i n g H o m e: Opie Taylor Has Been Adopted!

Our sweet & goofy 10 month old pup, Opie Taylor, now has a new last name since he has been adopted by his Army dad!  Opie's new dad is a veteran who served our country for about a year in Afghanistan.  He comes from a family that has lots of love for dogs & knows how to get around bigger dogs - like Opie is going to be once he is fully grown.  Opie's new dad also has lots of friends that have dogs so Mr. Social Butterfly Himself, Opie, will have lots of 4-legged friends to hang around with.  On the day that Opie went home, his foster parents let him run around for one last time with his fellow GFK foster buddy, Popstand Petey, since the two were fast friends.  Of course, he left in his new dad's very clean car with very muddy pawz... but we can say that when he left his fostercare, he didn't even look back... so we know he is home.  Be good Opie!  No annoying your new dad with endless requests to play fetch & always remember to smell & make sure you are on grass & not carpet.  We are looking forward to seeing happy pics of Opie in his new home but in the meantime, we are sharing these   G o i n g  H o m e   pics of Opie with his new dad.

Jumping up to give kisses!

This is their serious face... but if you look closely, you can see both Opie & his new dad are smiling!

Opie giving another kiss to his new dad!

"I'm already looking up to you, Dad!" ~ Opie

As tough as any soldier is, there is always a tender side... Be a good boy, Opie!

All photos above are courtesy of MeliMoon  ~ melimoon.smugmug.com

Merry Christmas from Green Fur Kidz!

Green Fur Kidz foster dog, Popstand Petey, & one of his "mascots", Miss Libi - a puppymill survivor, would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

All photos above are courtesy of MeliMoon  ~ melimoon.smugmug.com

Then... & Now: Helloooo Opie Taylor!!!

Opie Taylor came into rescue as a puppy that was surrendered to a kill shelter in NYC by a teenager because his mother would no longer allow the family to keep him. He is such a great puppy, we can not even imagine why they wouldn't want him??? It makes no sense. He is house trained, knows basic commands & fetches & retrieves like a world-class agility champion & first class hunting dog. Opie is amazing! Not only that, he loves to show his belly & get lots of belly rubs from his foster family. Opie loves all dogs, he's a bit overly zealous & vocal at first but for the most part, he just wants to run & play with fellow 4-leggerz. Opie loves kids & people of all ages... he would make a perfect addition to any family. One funny thing about Opie is that he sounds like a hound dog when he barks... but he has no hound in him at all!

Opie came in to rescue as a scrawny, awkward puppy with a slight case of demodex, which has now resided. We wanted to share a before & after... because Opie Taylor is one hunka, hunka handsome hot diggity-dog!!!

Opie the day he arrived into fostercare - taken with a phone by his foster family...

Opie today... approximately 20 pounds heavier, very healthy, full of life & happiness!!!

Photocredit: MeliMoon

Do you know anyone who would like to open their hearts & home to adopt Opie Taylor? If so, send them to www.greenfurkidz.com for more info.

Joey Meatballz & One Of His Guys!

It's been a while since we have last blogged... it was a very busy end of summer & the fall was truly exciting with two monumental storms hitting the northeast that took out power in most of our state for over a week in all parts. Now that winter is upon us & we have colder weather approaching - forcing us to stay in doors, we are trying to catch up with some updates from our current fosters & our graduates.

That being said, here are some heart-melting photographs of None Other Than Joey Meatballz Himself*... the Green Fur Kidz Graduate with the mushey-jowley boxer boy face that is undeniably smooch-a-licious who broke lotsa ladies hearts!

Joey Meatballz, a small staffie-boxer mix who was euth-listed for kennel cough at a kill shelter in Brooklyn, New York, has been settling in to his forever home for the past few months. He has been a little mischevious with his random "presents" dropped lovingly on his Forever Mom's white rug (OH Meatballz!!!) & he had taken a little "road trip" within his neighborhood by himself but was immediately picked up & returned to his family... we knew he loved the car, but roadtrips?

"Meatballz" as he was referred to around his foster home for his mama's boy antics that got him lotsa love from the ladies, was a pretty lucky fella because he was on his last hour before he was to be euthanized when he was, at last, rescued. Kennel cough is rarely fatal - however, it is highly contagious & passes on to other dogs. Even though a common cold by human standards - & rendered harmless by a $4 script purchased at your local Walmart, it is what is considered to be reasonable cause for being euth-listed within shelter systems across the United States.

Joey's Forever Dad took these gorgeous pics of Joey Meatballz & one of his sons, with whom Joey has bonded to, & sent them to us here at Green Fur Kidz. None Other Than Joey Meatballz Himself* is truly loved... thank you to his family for opening their home & their hearts!

It is images like these that keep all of us volunteers pushing forward when the going gets "ruff" in rescue.

*At GFK, we say "None Other Than [insert dog's name] Himself/Herself" when one of our foster dogs have shown distinguished refinement in some form... whether it be in manners or naughtiness, it is all much deserved of distinction.

Ollie Becomes The Dog He Was Always Meant To Be... An Update From His Forever Family

From time to time, we get updates on the fosters we have had come through rescue. It is the ones that were in such bad shape, that had been so neglected & mistreated that always tug at our heartstrings... such is Ollie's story. However, it is the families that come forward to adopt the ones like Ollie who make the difference & with patience, love & understanding comes breakthroughs with time. We received the photo above from Ollie's adopting family along with this update on him...

"Had to share. Last Sunday my Godson - age 8 - jumped off a step and fell into a gravel pile. His Mom called me, they are just two houses away, and I went over to see how bad it was. So off to the ER and two sutures in his left knee later... we came home.

On Monday his Mom went to change his dressing and he had a fit. So she called me to come help. And I thought, I'll take Ollie with me to distract him. Mr. Ollie sat in my godson's lap and snuggled him while he cried and next thing you know the dressing was changed and he did not even know we did it. So, yeah Ollie!!!!!!!

Today, Ollie was out on his walk and we ran into my neighbor's son and daughter-in-law and their two babies who live in Delaware. At the end of June, they will be our neighbors. It has been a long time since they had seen Ollie. They could not get over the change in him. How outgoing and trusting he is. How loving he is. And how amazing he is with kids. So very gentile with them. Because they have not seen him for about 2 years, the change was very striking.

He is such a great dog and it is so nice that other people see it as well. He is still my little trouble maker - he just has this impish side. I love all his sides!!!!!!"

Thanks for writing us, Ollie's Mom. You are truly an amazing person with so much love in your heart to help sweet Ollie become the dog he truly was meant to be. Lots of love to you, all the family & many, many kisses & belly rubs to Ollie.

Adopt Popstand Petey... He's Ready to blow this Popsicle Stand!

Our foster boy, Popstand Petey - aka Petey or Pete-Pete, is ready to blow this popsicle stand! Petey was a euth list dog (he had kennel cough) in NYC. We got him & nursed him back to health. Once healthy, Petey was neutered.

Petey is an AWESOME guy. He is, by far, one of the easiest fosters & a joy to have around. He is loving & goofy. He knows basic commands & is housetrained, crate trained & extremely food motivated. He enjoys a grain free diet & loves to chew on his Bravo! beef tracheas & his extra large raw bones. We think he is probably one of the most food motivated foster dogs we have ever had. One thing we would like to mention is that he does not like to share his food or bones with other dogs. He is perfectly content to let any human stick their hands in his bowl or take away his bones.

Petey loves to play fetch! He is quite an athlete & will play for hours on end in our fenced in yard with either us or his other foster siblings. He loves to play keep away with his foster sibling, Rufus!

Petey lives with both small & large dogs in his foster home. He loves to let the smaller dogs lay all over him in his bed & will gladly share his crate with any of the smaller dogs that like to shack up with him.

Petey has been exposed to children, but not to toddlers. We ask potential adopting families to please consider the fact that Petey is about 65 pounds & that while he is quite sweet, he could knock over a toddler with his zest for playing so we think older children are best.

We love Petey! We think you will, too!!! If you would like to adopt Petey, we require an adoption application & a home visit. Petey will not be shipped, adopting families must show up in person to pick Petey up.

Joey Meatballz... A VideoStar!

Check out Joey Meatballz latest video...

On 'da Stoop... Collecting Cookiez!

Joey Meatballz is Ready to Go to His Forever Home...

Here's a quick checklist of

Our Forever Home Wish List:

Joey Meatballz' Location: Newtown, CT
Age: 1.5-2 years, possibly younger
Sex: male
Weight: 52 pounds & holding...
Kids: Yes! He Loves 'em!!!
Cats: Yes, dog savvy ones!!!
Dogs: Yes! Joey Loves the Ladies & some gentz!
Fenced Yard: Preferred, but not required

Here's a message from Joey Meatballz:

"Yeah, me & 'dis chick named Miss Libi (datz me fostah gram's dog) were hangin' on 'da stoop collectin' cookiez from my foster pops when my fostah momz decided to click some pics of me & my lil gurlfriend... don't be fooled, she may look cute but she is one spicey frog i tellz ya... she don't take lip from nobuddie, fostah momz sayz that that's cuz she's a puppymill survivah & she's done 5+ yearz of hard time. i don't care though, i likes me a fiesty girl."

Joey Meatballz has recovered from his kennel cough, has been neutered (big thanks to our spay & neuter group, SNAN!) & received additional veterinary care from a holistic doctor who specializes in nutrition. He has sensitive paws that seem to get more scratched up on the snow then the other dogs in our home so we decided to consult a nutritionist to see if he could use any dietary support for that. He has visited his favorite doctor for his skin & is taking some antibiotics to clear up a little break out.

Joey Meatballz is a hunka-hunka staffie/boxer guy & he loves all the girl dogs in our home but the boy dogs seem to really want to give him a good beat down in plain old english slang... he is probably considered more of a passive-aggressive guy in the dog world, so we are looking for a home that has one or more girls. He's a loverboy for sure. This doesn't mean we wouldn't consider a very submissive male who is relaxed, but we will require meet-ups to make sure that everyone got along.

Joey Meatballz is a favorite around here. He reminds us of our first puppy that we raised together years ago with his puppy-boy antics & he is the spitting persona of our boxer fur-nephew with his goofiness that he entertains us with all day long. He isn't picky but we are feeding him a grain-free diet & most recently we have added some raw to help support his immune system along with some liver to help his blood. He loves Bravo beef tracheas & will bury them under his bed. He will protect his tracheas, so supervision with treats like this would be needed in a home that had another or more than one dog. He appreciates company when he eats & will sometimes wait until we stand or sit next to him so that he will finish his breakfast or his dinner.

Joey Meatballz will need more training on a leash & would benefit from continued use of an EZ walk harness or halti harness. Right now, he is getting the run of over an acre of fenced in yard so we are hoping that since he is more of an athletic boy that we can find him a forever home with a fenced in yard - but that doesn't mean we wouldn't consider a home where there was someone willing to walk him regularly & continue using his harness.

One heartwarming thing we would like to point out to you about Joey Meatballz... even after all he has probably been through in his short life so far, is that he is so very loving. All he really wants is a person to call his own & a warm, broken-in sofa to sit on. He is easily made happy. We do believe that whoever had him before he went to the kill shelter may have physically hit him because when he first started sitting on the sofa, he would flinch every time we would raise our hand to pet his head.

Our dream home for Joey Meatballz is one that is filled with love & supervision... one that will let him chew on his tracheas & sit on a broken-in sofa with lots of pats on the head & belly-rubs. He is a mixed bully-breed so the forever home must be willing to do whatever training would be necessary for him if he should ever need it. Each dog is different in every home... improvisation & proper training is key in keeping the bully breeds.

Do you or someone you know want to adopt Joey Meatballz? If so, email us so we can send you an adoption application!!! Send us an email to AdoptAPup4Life@gmail.com

A Wise Clown... Whowoulda 'thunk it?

Sometimes it is difficult not to sit back & admire the beauty of God's creatures... that's just what we want to do when we look at this image of Joey Meatballz. He is so striking... even more so in this black & white rendition of the color original.

Not only is he handsome, but he's smart & silly, too... we call him our goofy sage! There is wiseness to his young year but the playfulness of a pup is still tied, indeed, to his nature.

Joey is looking for his family... we know they are out there somewhere. It's just a matter of time until they are found.

Wanna learn more about Joey Meatballz? Send us an email!

G o i n g H o m e . . .

If we think too hard about what may have been... we might never be able to move forward & see a bright new future.

G o i n g H o m e - these are the two words every single last dog & cat in the shelters across the United States should hear. After those two magic words, they should be given a loving forever family.

Happily, these were the words Fancy - renamed Meli Jo (named for her foster mom & foster auntie) by her forever family - has heard this past weekend & now knows.

Meli Jo made the very long trip with her foster auntie who drove her instead of putting her on the transport since the transport would have been too stressful on her after all that she has been through over the past month. Meli Jo will live in the country in North Carolina with a new forever mommy & a new forever daddy. She will have two 4-legger fursisters to play with. Her forever family has a large fenced in yard & a doggie friendly home to play in. We heard last night from her forever mommy that Meli Jo slept in bed with her new parents & she is quite a snuggler.

We arrived quite late that night, it was a long ride!  While we are sad to see her go home, we know she has a brand new life ahead of her with many sunrises & sunsets. Please Meli Jo, send some pics of those sunrises & sunsets to share with us. Sending all our love to you little pretty girl!

Lastly & with very teary eyes & quivering lips - but in a happy way of course - we say thank you to Meli Jo's foster mom & foster family... because without you, this day would never have been possible.

Joey Meatballz... What Can I Say... Ferghettabowdit!

A Note From Joey Meatballz...

"Hey, what can I say... I'm handsome, ya know it... my fostah momz, well, she tells me every time she lookz at me so I knowz it's true. She'z a good egg, ya know, she'z takin' real good care of me & my new doctor has given me extra medz cuz fostah momz says I haven't gotten any bettah with this here kennel cough thang. So, I'm on some more medz. Fostah momz has been teachin' me sit, stay, down & speak. She laughz herself somethin' silly when i speak... but that'z just me voice... can't help nuthin' 'bout that. Fostah momz is still lookin' fer a home fer me cuz she says I need someone real special who is gonna take da best care of me as is possible she sayz. I like other dogs, except fer me fostah brother, dat dude'z name is Petey, he hates me gutz, dunno why... I just run in my house when fostah momz says so. I get bossed around by me fostah grama'z dog, her name is miss libi & she'z real bossy fer an 19 pound dog, but I likez her, she's good peoples. I like my other fostah sister Sippy but fostah momz keeps me away from her til I get the big snippity-snip (what is that anywayz?) because she sayz she don't need no puppiez & my fostah sister Sippy is in heat... man, I dunno why cuz it's like way too cold to be hot... I mean I guess that's what being in heat meanz, but who knowz? Fostah momz says I got natural hockey player ability cuz I can cruise along the icy patches in da backyard like nobody'z bizness... whowouldathunkit? na me, datz fer sure. Fostah momz says it'z cuz i got low center of gravity, whadeva dat meanz. I'm still learnin' to walk on that dang leash but fostah momz sayz i'm da best boy ever when it comes to my housetrainin' & she sayz i am da best fer crate training manners. i loves dat fostah momz... & you knowz what??? that fostah momz, well she loves me wid all her big heart... i knowz it cuz fostah dad, he tellz me so... so, hey... give us a ring-a-ding if you think you or somebody you know wants to welcome me to der family... if not, ferghettabowdit!!! OOOOhh!"

Our boy Joey Meatballz from Brooklyn is still looking for his forever home. Are you someone with a big heart that will love a 45 pound teddybear with a little boy voice? Are you someone that loves to snuggle & catch bear hugs from a handsome staffie boy? Are you someone that will keep on training an awesome lil man on his halti? If so, email us because we are looking for the perfect fit for our Joey Meatballz!

At Death's Door... A Story From the Frontlines at the Kill Shelter.

" A story of the power of prayer, the determination of rescuers, the love of a foster family & the open hearts of a forever family..."

If you have never been to a kill shelter, please find it somewhere in your soul to visit one to understand what it is like for any animal going in to one, whether it be surrendered by the owner or found as a stray. It is one of the most gut-wrenching places to visit on the planet because chances are... more than half of the cats & dogs you look at will never make it out alive. This is just one tale we would like to tell - - - this is Fancy's story.

The little girl that we are going to tell you the story of is a very typical, classic example of the "stray" at your local kill shelter. A beautifully colored staffordshire bull terrier at just about 40 pounds with an amazing personality (that remained hidden the whole time while she was in the kill shelter). She was brought into the shelter & immediately rated moderate for behavior because she was shaking with fear, would not move & held her head low with her tail between her legs. This is a large strike against any animal that finds him/herself at the kill shelter. She was not placed on the adoption list. She was, however, vetted & given a couple of days. A few days later, she contracted what was thought to be kennel cough because she got a little sniffle. Another large strike again her. Another strike & she was done for. She had her behavior retested & this time after a few days in the shelter, her behavior was rated mild so then at least she was able to be put into a program by the shelter that offers her to rescues that will help.

Late on the evening that we had seen her on the euthanasia list at the kill shelter, we could not get her little face out of our heads, her picture spoke volumes to us of the utter fear she was in when she was taken in to the kill shelter. We were haunted by the image. We networked through the night... we called people, we emailed people, we bugged the crap out of a few of our fellow rescue friends. We knew we couldn't foster her, we were at legal limit at the time for our city. We didn't know what to do... it seemed so hopeless at every avenue. The one last thing we could do was pray for Fancy... we know that prayer can help at a time when it seems so dark as if there is nothing to do but to wait at death's door.

While asking for Divine Intervention, we remembered that there is an online community of people who pray for eachother when their pets are sick... we recently had gone through some very traumatic events with one of our younger dogs & we had asked our friends at the pet prayer community to pray for her. So, we went to their page, posted Fancy's picture & asked them to pray... pray hard for Fancy to find a foster home if only for a very temporary few weeks until we could get one of our fosters placed. Members prayed for Fancy... a few hours later, a wonderful lady posted & asked how her family could adopt her - she wanted to save Fancy's life & give her a forever home!!! Imagine that, praying for a foster home & low & behold... a forever home appears. So, we posted to the kill shelter group that there was a forever family waiting if we could find temporary foster... less than an hour later - low & behold, a foster family came forward! It is amazing what can be accomplished when you reach out to people & ask them to pray for a good outcome.

So, this little girl dog was transported finally to her loving foster family - after just hours away from being euthanized for her kennel cough. She was now happily in a foster family's loving arms & being given great food, lots of love, treats & loving her foster siblings... even if they didn't want to be loved! It turned out she never had kennel cough but maybe she had a little runny nose from some sort of allergy while at the shelter but her foster family gave her the antibiotics just in case. Her foster mom said that she does not like to be crated but is house trained & leash trained. She also said that she loves to be with people & dogs. She even got to go running with her foster mom, too! If it were not for Fancy's foster family, we know all would have been lost. You know how when you earn merits or credits in a video game & your strength or life line goes up (trust us, we listen to video games all. night. long) ... well, Fancy's foster family probably has doubled their good karma for all that they have done for her. We want to send a very special thank you to them for giving of themselves at a time when everything was very dark for this little girl.

Two days ago she came to us so we could take her for her spay surgery, which she had yesterday. Before we took her in for her spay, she spent some time with our dogs, running around & playing with them... prancing around with her little tail in the air & doing the very familiar down dog play bows to all the dogs in the house. Obviously, she was someone's dog. How could she not be? She is well socialized, walks well on a leash, she is a people & dog oriented girl & she is house trained... of course she was someone's dog... but why was she at the kill shelter after she was picked up on the street? And why did her family not come to find her?

We formally challenge all people who want to talk negatively about the dogs & puppies at the kill shelter. Recently, we went toe to toe with a woman who was completely oblivious to the actual type of dog that finds him/herself there. Honestly, (& please forgive us because we are about to get a little angry here) we wanted to smack the crap out of such an ignorant, clueless & uneducated person... it's time for people to wake up & smell the coffee - there are millions of good dogs & cats dying in the shelters all because of the irresponsibility of their previous owners. Just because you have had a dog for 16 years, does not qualify you as an expert on what types of dogs wind up in shelters. OOOOHHH... remembering this conversation still makes our blood boil. We told the woman to go walk the frontlines through kill shelters & look at the dogs. Look at the hoplessness on the shelter workers' faces & see the undying love of the shelter volunteers who have the steel grace to walk these dogs & love on them until their last dying breath. At least at the shelter where Fancy came from the dogs die there from lethal injection done by a professional. For the most part, many shelters still gas & heartstick, which is a terrifying & painful way to die. So we say, walk the frontlines & get your hands dirty & then come back & tell us what kinds of dogs are dying in the shelters... but this particular idiot we are talking about probably will never walk through a shelter because she wouldn't want to mess up her $20 manicure nor leave her laptop behind. Again, please excuse our frustration with the stupidity of mankind.

Fancy's story is, unfortunately, very common. All we can do is ask people to please spay/neuter their dogs & cats & remind them that microchipping their family members will ensure that they are returned home if they are ever lost. Please protect your family members... because Fancy's story from the frontlines of the kill shelter could be how your family member winds up if you do not protect them.

On a happier note, Fancy is recovering well from her spay surgery & she is hanging out with her foster uncle today in his office. Her forever family is going to adopt her this weekend... so stay tuned for some forever home pictures & news!

Miss Pitty Bull... How Do You Do?

"Excuse me, madam, do not call me a Pitty Bull... why, I am an American Pit Bull Terrier and I do like to be treated with respect. Whilst I shan't say whether or not I have fully grasped the concept of this thing you refer to as 'crate training', I will say that I am highly intelligent, extremely athletic & fiercely loyal. And do not forget that I am fabulous on a leash and love to engage in a good game of ball."




Miss Sippy, what can we say? You are goooorrrrrgeous! You look like a little lioness when you prance around the yard playing with your ball. You simply are elegant... now if only you would get your crate manners in check.




Sippy was on the euthanasia list in New York City with hours to live & we couldn't let her die... so she came to us for fostering & we found out later that she has an adopting family once her kennel cough subsides. When we look at Sippy, it is apparent that she is a happy girl, despite her misfortune of winding up being abandoned at the kill shelter. Through no fault of her own, Sippy sat in a tiny little kennel of the shelter waiting for someone to help her. She is just one of a million plus innocent souls that suffer at the hands of humans each day.


It is important to understand that many dogs are bred by inner city people in order to sell their puppies for money. If they can make a few hundred bucks, why not? These people don't spend the time studying the bloodlines, doing the necessary genetic testing & raising the puppies with TLC that a REAL breeder does. Most breeders will also show their dogs... this is not the case with people who are just breeding for money. Because of Sippy's age & some other physical signs, we strongly believe that Sippy was one of these puppies bred by someone who was looking to make a fast buck. It isn't just inner city people, but it is very common in rural/suburban areas as well - everyone knows the infamous back yard breeder - looking to turn his dogs over to make a quick buck. Well, now, we won't go into a rant about these types of people, but let's just say that they aren't our favorites because not only do they not do a good job of breeding dogs but they also are contributing to the millions of dogs/puppies dying across the US in shelters... if not by producing puppies & thus taking one less person away from the shelter to adopt a puppy but by, alas... their puppies winding up in the shelter when they get a little older & the novelty has worn off.


Sippy will be spayed very soon & the generous people at SNAN have offered to pay for her spay. Her potential adopting mom is coming sometime in the next week or so to visit as well... Sippy has really come a long way from her days at the kill shelter!


Sippy is just over one year of age, so she is really just a puppy... & the person who had her didn't give her much attention at all. She is learning new things & getting lots of love. Most of all, she wants the love, which tells us she was pretty much neglected for the beginning of her life... but Sippy's luck has changed & soon she will get a new family & a new name (her new mom will name her Sofie because it sounds similar to Sippy) with a fresh start.

AAAOOoohhh... it's Joey Meatballz from Brooklyn

"So there I was... sitting in the shelter with a real bad cold, hawkin' up the snooties & coughin' up a lung & the shelter worker said I was done 'fer. Man, I was so sad 'cuz I thought I was gonna go in the room where my pals never come back from. Next thing I know, this dude says I've got a foster family & I'm going to Connecticut... imagine 'dat, me... a big city boy chillin' in da country... whoowoulda thunkit? Na me, dats fer sure. So, they put me in dis van with alota otha furry punks headin' out to da country. Wells, now here I is & I'm gettin' better day by day & my foster family is takin' real good care of me. I like it here but I need my own forever family to love me fureva... I'm hopin' dis otha dude, that me foster moms keeps talkin' 'bout, named Santa gives me one of dose fer Christmas!"

Joey from Brooklyn has arrived. He's almost done with his kennel cough medicine & soon he'll get the snip-snip if you know what we mean. He's a real affectionate boy with a lotta love to give & he would love to have a family or a person to call his very own. Joey is about 1-2 years of age & he's full of puppy energy so we think it's closer to 1 year of age. He's crate trained, not sure yet if house trained & he loves to eat, eat, eat... what Italian boy from Brooklyn doesn't??? He likes other dogs so far & wants to play. He's not so great on a leash, so we're thinking of getting him a halti harness to correct him & make him an easier boy to walk. He is right now a skinny 46 pounds but we expect him to put on more weight. We think Joey is Staffordshire Bull Terrier mixed with some sort of other pitty mix & we also think he looks like he's got a little bit of Boxer in him. He's a real love bug & loves to lean in to his peoples' legs & cuddle. He's ok hanging out in his crate & loves to chew on his beef tracheas & other unmentionable beef parts.

When Joey first came into fostercare, we took this video of him on the first day of his freedom:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIh7Xztoujs


Joey is lookin' fer his forever family... could that be you? Contact us today!!!

Do You Remember Ollie the Puggle? Well, Today is His 2nd Birthday!!!

Do you remember Ollie the huggable puggle that arrived to us sort of unexpectedly? Well, it's his birthday!!! He is 2 years old on October 18th!!! Here is an update we got from his Mommy along with some recent pics of him with his siblings, his trainer & of course, Ollie as the "fur piece"!

"Ollie came to us from a wonderful foster home. However the first 17 months of his life were not wonderful. We did not know all the details of Ollie's life before he came to us. But it is clear he was poorly treated. Ollie was head shy, reserved, fearful. He resisited affection. He had some socialization because of his foster parents but had a long way to go. However, it was so obvious he craved love, attention and affection.

On the second night Ollie was with us he cried and I put him in bed with our Harley and me. Harley is Ollie's Frenchie mix sister. The next day was Easter and we had company so it was stressful and tiring for Ollie, so I picked him up. He was tense but I held him and kissed him and his head fell forward and he was asleep. From that point he was bonded to me.

Now at the same time that Ollie came to us, we also adopted Noah who was very ill. Noah needed alot of care to get him on his feet. I think in a way that was good, odd to say I know. But in caring for Noah, Noah bonded and Ollie saw that. Harley was very loving to Noah and she also welcomed Ollie in. Each day as Noah got stronger and all three played, they bonded as a pack.

Harley is a very loving dog. She is a world class kisser. Noah one day asked to get in on a kissing fest. And after awhile, Ollie asked to get in. Over time a very sad little boy became a very loving boy. He is a kissing machine and Ollie has bonded to the rest of the family now as well. At first he needed me. Now we are all his family. He sleeps on my sister and her husband when I am not home. She holds and cuddles him and each afternoon my brother in law takes a nap (at 80 you can do that !!) and he calls out "Ollie, nap time!!!" and Ollie runs in and jumps on his lap and they take a nap together. Ollie's nick name is fur piece because he spends so much time sitting on my shoulder. He loves to nap like a baby on my shoulder.

Ollie is a very active boy and sometimes at bedtime he is not ready to settle in. On a night like that, Harley kisses him to sleep. He just loves that! Ollie sleeps with Harley, Noah and me. A few nights ago Harley had a little tummy trouble and she had some reflux. I had to change her pillow case and settle her back down. To do this I had to turn the light on. The reflux scared Harley. So I picked her up and rocked her and then settled her back into bed on her pillow and covered her up. Both Ollie and Noah moved in close to Harley so that both were up against her to comfort her while she went back to sleep. All three are very physical with each other meaning that they cuddle and snuggle together and with us. You would think they were from the same litter and had never been apart with closely bonded they are!

Today, Ollie is a happy, care free boy. He greets everyone who comes to my house with great joy. He loves company. He kisses everyone. He hugs everyone. He plays with the other dogs in the neighborhood. He plays with the kids as well. Everyone knows Ollie, Harley and Noah. No one is afraid to approach them. The joke in our house is that no one comes to see us, they come to see the dogs. Ollie has a special fan club. He is a favorite of my neighbor whose name is Jason. Jason holds Ollie and cuddles him and tells him he loves him. One day I had to tell Jason to leave the Puggle at the door and no one would get hurt, as he tried to leave with our baby!!! Another big fan of Ollie's is Will. Will is 15 and loves Ollie, too. Ollie cuddles extremely well with him.

Ollie graduated from school. The trainer said he has done so well especially given that the original place he came from, where he was crated all the time, was the worst form of cruelty they could be inflicted upon a dog. To see him happy and learning week to week made the trainer feel good.

If you meet Ollie now, there is only one trace of the place he lived for 17 months. He remains head shy if you approach head first too fast. But he immediatly relaxes into the caress of a gentle hand. I think this is habit now and not fear. The same movement from the side or under does not get that reaction. He runs from no one. He runs to everyone for a hug and kiss. Last night was my sister's birthday and we had company. My niece and her boy friend stayed after everyone else left. We sat in the living room to watch TV. All three dogs cuddled on the sofa with us and went to sleep. My niece and her boyfriend are in the top 10 favorite people list with all three dogs.

Ollie is smart, sweet, loving, cuddley, playful, impish. Ollie is fun and who ever had him before has no idea what they gave up and what they are missing. I would not miss this time with Ollie for any thing. We love him, adore him and are proud that he is ours. He was meant to be our baby. Ollie is home."

Oh little Ollie, how you have grown... how you have become what you were meant to be. Today & every day we thank Heaven for Ollie's forever family!!!

Petey the Puggle Puppy Has Been Adopted!!!

Petey has been adopted by a warm & loving family!!! Petey will have 3 new 2-legged siblings, 1 new 4-legged feline sibling, a new mommy & a new daddy. Petey will also have a whole neighborhood full of children to worship him & fulfill all his needs in terms of entertainment!!! His new family has already begun taking turns walking him & figuring out who gets a turn & when... Oh Petey, we will miss you... sweet little boy!!! We hope you will be a good boy for your new family & make them very
proud of you as you grow into a big, strong boy!!! Make sure to remember your tricks & make sure to go to the door when you have to go potty. Most of all, always make sure to give back all the love that is given to you!!! You are a sweet little boy who is now in his forever home... Make sure to write us & tell us how you are doing!!!
With much love,
frogdog blogeressa

Petey the Puppy Has Now Been Neutered & Microchipped... He is ready for his forever family to come & wisk him away!!!

Petey is now ready to go home to his forever family. Petey has been completely vetted, neutered, microchipped, vaccinated & behavior has been analyzed. He's perfectly healthy & perfectly loveable & huggable!!! The qualities that we are looking for in Petey's forever family are:

1. A family where someone is home during the day to take care of Petey. Petey does not like to be alone, he is just a puppy. He will cry to be with someone or another furry friend (cat, dog). Therefore, a stay at home person or someone that is retired is the best home for Petey. That said, Petey does sleep well in his crate at night & doesn't fuss much unless he has to go potty... that's how you know he has to go because he'll wake up in the morning around 7am to go outside.


2. A family that understands that puppies need special TLC. This puppy has already been through a lot in his little life. Petey's forever family must be patient, kind & full of appreciation for the love that Petey gives. We think he is a really special boy & we're hoping to find a forever family that will think that of Petey, too!


3. A family that will walk him & play with him & spend lots of time with him. He needs more care than a dog because he is still a puppy who needs to have his forever family's training imprinted upon him. While he is pretty good with his housetraining & knows to go to the door or cry when he is in his crate, he still needs guidance & a careful nuturing parent(s) to help him finish off his housetraining.


4. A family that has either a completely fenced in yard or will commit to walking him regularly since he is just a puppy & needs to have his housetraining reinforced. Electric fences are not fences that truly contain a dog... we have found that most dogs behind electric fences will take a "hit" & keep running... especially spunky ones.


5. A family that will take excellent care of him through regular annual veterinarian exams & recognizing any signs of illness/disease & bringing him in for any medical attention he may need.


6. A family that will make a commitment to Petey to be his family for the rest of his life. We are looking for stability for Petey as he is not a throw away puppy. He needs to know that the family is his until his last breath because he deserves that. He is one of a kind!!!

If you can make these commitments to Petey, please email us for an adoption application. We require veterinarian references and we will do a home visit for potential adopting families with Petey so that he can meet all the family members in the household & everyone can make sure it's a perfect match.

Petey is a very special, outgoing, loveable & funny puppy... he loves all dogs, children & other pets & he is spunky & full of zest for life. Petey is approximately 16 pounds but a growing baby boy & we estimate that he will get to be about 25 pounds when he is full grown. He loves to eat, loves snacks & tries very hard to please you. He is athletic & hardly ever overexerts himself when he plays. He would really love to belong to a family where he could sleep in a warm bed when he is 100% housetrained & maybe have a furry companion to keep him company when his family is away. He is truly a happy boy & while we will miss him horribly when he goes home, we are so excited for his promising future... he will make a wonderful addition to his new forever family's home!!!