How about some updates on dogs that we've blogged?

Ever wonder about GADAB's dogs whereabouts now? Sometimes it seems as if they're stuck here in some kind of depressing timeless warp, but no, eventually, they all leave, somehow.

I go back and read these blogs, remember our roster of characters with so much fondness, sometimes smiling with happiness, sometimes with a heavy heart. The bitter with the sweet. I remember their favorite toys, their issues, their triumphs, the butt scratch/slap with The Retreiving Meister, the world-class grin of Her Serenity when she succeeded in catching a ball in the air from a TWENTY-FIVE FOOT sit/stay (she was here a while - of course, we didn't start at 25'), how Ms. Dog and A Half took soooo long to learn to trust again, how Sir Hugeness jumped for joy every time he saw one of us, how Little Barky-Snarky Guy really liked to curl up in a lap and take a good snooze.

I remember how one of my favorite pitties of all time came out of her shell, treat by treat, creeping closer and closer to me while I dare not move a hand or a single body part or she would retreat. That lovely dog finally found joy in being with us, generous with her kisses, and we discovered about the same time that she did that she was a born wiggle bug. None of us ever would have known had we not been there for her, day after day, week after week, month after month.

Another favorite mental visual is of Mr. Hip-Hop dancing merrily across the mid-bar of his kennel, which he never left the entire time he was with us. But if he could find joy in two-stepping across his kennel, how am I not to celebrate his dancing prowess and laugh with him, his huge mouth stretched widely in a grin?

Can I ever forget how Sparkle's passing was, how her favorite animal care attendant grabbed her into his lap and held her close while I fed and touched her, how surprised I was that she went so quickly from this life into the next, and how I didn't know what to do with myself then, she had no more need for me, how numb I felt, and how much her life changed the person who loved her more than anything in the world. He knew, when he came back later and we talked, he knew why Sparkle had come into his life, how he grew into the person he was supposed to be because of her. We cried together.

I salute him and all of you who who recognize why our dogs come into our lives. They are teachers, they allow us to love when it's so hard sometimes to remember why we are here, they kiss away our tears, they make us laugh, they accept us, they put their trust in us. They are givers.

The rescues with whom we work, the funders, and individuals who make this possible, the volunteers who give themselves to the animals. Stay. Grow with us.

Dogs, go. Grow without us.

Remember Blackie, the grumpy reindeer, posted on 12/4/07? She went to Chow Rescue (quite the adventure that transport was!) and was adopted from there to an older couple who fell in love with her.

You'll be seeing Leroy and Samson when you arrive at the Pearly Gates. Farewell, laddies.

Little Mo, whom I tracked after he was allowed to go home with his owner, has a much better life now. His owner is on track with pulling his life together, hanging out with Mo at one of our lovely multiple-use local parks, keeping him well fed and quite dapperly dressed.

Booda, adopted by rescue. Grow into a good adult, baby.

Pops, aka Little Papa, aka LP, adopted. Bear, his partner, euthanized. Just too long at the fair. Some dogs deteriorate so much from being at the shelter that they can't make it out in the real world again. They become unsafe. Sadness.

Frankie, Stoney, Jeckel, Gracie, all adopted. Joy.

You were loved.

To paraphrase what Mark said about Momo and Minna, "it's been an honor to know you". All of you. Each and every one of you.

The Sweetest Pea

Sometimes, as a GADAB volunteer, you fall in love just a little bit with a dog. It may be a short-lived love, but it's immediate and real. In the case of my latest puppy love, Sweet Pea, this love is of the 100% feel good, happy variety. It's the giggly, squealing, the OH MY GOD YOU ARE SO CUTE kind of dog crush that makes it all worthwhile.

To be realistic, volunteering for GADAB isn't always easy. We see some things that are hard to see. We see dogs in very bad condition, often at the hands of humans, and that can be difficult to say the least. But, then there are the wiggly, happy, and grateful dogs. And then nothing else matters.

The last kennel run at the shelter is the isolation run. Often the dogs back there have kennel cough or skin problems, and the vet wants to keep a close eye on them. In the last run, I found Sweet Pea.


OH MY, I said out loud when I saw Sweet Pea, because Sweet Pea is my very favorite type of dog. Short, wiggly, and pitbull. I knew I was in love. When I saw that she was able to go out to the park, I was ecstatic. I was going to get to hang out with the little girl with the itchy, patchy skin....and that made my day.

We took Sweet Pea out the park. What a good girl...no matter that she is young and probably hasn't had much training (if any), Sweet Pea behaved herself beautiful. Yes, she was excited to get out, but she didn't get over stimulated. She didn't get mouthy, and she didn't jump up. Letting her off leash, and sitting on the cement step as she took off, I could feel her happiness. And before I knew it, Sweet Pea was in my lap. Just like I knew she would be. See, I have a lap pitbull myself (with the same beautiful yellow-green eyes as Sweet Pea) and I just KNEW that little Ms. Pea was of the same ilk. Rub me, rub me, scratch me, love me, she said. And the three of us in the yard did just that.

It's so important sometimes for the GADAB dogs to JUST BE DOGS. To run around the yard, chase a stuffed animal, and to feel kind human hands on them...this is what they live for. And this is why I volunteer.

I don't know if Sweet Pea will still be in the program next week. I never really know when I leave the shelter for the day who I will see again and who I won't. Some dogs with pending cases...I know they'll be there, and I look forward to seeing them. Others, like Ms. Pea...I'm not sure. But, that 20 minutes in the park....it was heaven. It was pure joy. It was sunshine, happiness, and love. For her AND for me.

Jojo FINALLY leaves life in the shelter

Jojo is going to foster today!!!!! Grateful Dogs Rescue and I have been coordinating this for how long (?) and it is finally happening. Yay!!!!. Since mid-December, our affable, very large GSD/Akita mix, has been howling for this very thing to happen. We've been listening, big fellow, and how it hurt our ears.

Ok. Now. He is gone. Out of here! We went to the shelter park for his afternoon outing, where we met up with his foster mom, I gave her some Jojo tips and my phone #, GDR got him some fabulous food, a new bed, toys, and he jumped right into the back seat of the car, settled himself in the middle in a princely manner with his favorite yucky soft donut ring beside him, and off they went. I cannot express how I feel about him getting out of here into a good home.

And - for the icing on the cake . . . . . she works at home. How good life is at times.

If you're interested in adopting him, check out his Grateful Dog Rescue page

A Beautiful Story

Give a Dog a Bone attends to San Francisco's "forgotten dogs." It's a phrase that still packs an emotional punch, though I've heard it hundreds of times in my years with the shelter. Unfortunately, forgotten dogs exist everywhere, but the below article is a moving account of how one person can affect so many...
http://dogtime.com/second-chance-pet-rescue.html

The future, the past, and puppy breath

Spending a few hours on the weekend surrounded by puppies isn't a bad way to spend a few hours. In fact, it's amazing. I never knew my current dogs as puppies, and haven't had a puppy in years and years. I didn't know how much I missed puppies until I was surrounded by 7 squirming, yipping, tumbling, tugging little furry babies. OH my gosh, I missed puppies!!


Two weeks ago, we spent some time with the pups in the kennel while mommy dog Tessa was put in the kennel next door. It's important for puppies to feel human touch, human affection, and to hear the human voice. These puppies were actually born in the shelter, so in order for them to get used to people, GADAB is working with them on a daily basis. We were lucky enough to get to spend some time with them, picking them up, petting them all over, touching their paws, and holding them. It was almost overwhelming--7 little pups climbing up on our laps, grabbing sleeves, pantlegs, shoelaces--and it was amazing.

This week, we were able to take the pups--Amos, Ernie, Bert, Bella, Roscoe, Gus, and Charlotte--out in the "puppy shuttle," a little cart in which 2-3 puppies can ride in at a time, in order to travel around parts of the shelter. Because they are too young to be put on the ground (to protect them from disease), this is a handy way to get the puppies used to things, noises, and people. It's a great way to study the personalities of the pups to find out who is shy, who is outgoing, and who is afraid of new things. That way, we can know who needs special attention and extra socialization. It's funny...in this litter, it's the black pups that are more shy. Is it because they might have different fathers, aka different DNA? (at least one is very Shar Pei and a few are so Rottie!) It's not clear, but it's very interesting to witness.



Three hours later, that felt like minutes, we had taken all of the pups out, named them, and got them back to their playpen safe and sound. I couldn't help to wonder about the future of these puppies. Would they all get good homes? Would they be treated well, even spoiled? Would I see a dog at the dogpark and wonder, was that the little black pup we named Amos?


I also can't help but to think about the dogs we see at the shelter that are there because of unfortunate circumstances-- irresponsible owners, cruel owners, those who don't take their role as guardian seriously. Dogs who lost their way, lost their trust, lost their chance at a happy life filled with walks, treats, and a purpose. It breaks my heart every time a dog has to be put down, and I KNOW things could have been different. If only...if only...

So, my dear puppies, may all of you be lucky. Lucky 7, right? Little Amos and Charlotte, big Bella and Roscoe, the boys Bert and Ernie and fluffy brown Gus....I wish you years of sleeping on soft blankets, car trips to the beach, and a loving person who thinks that they are lucky too, to have such a great best friend. I hope to never see you back here at the shelter, and I mean that in a very good way.

Response to Vick's plea for leniency

Dear Michael Vick,

That was some letter you wrote.

How nice that a judge permitted you to be home for the birth of your child, but I sincerely hope you don't love your children the way you "love" animals: by drowning them, hanging them, starving them, electrocuting them, and smashing their skulls into the ground.

You say you've "lost everything" including your freedom, and I have to admit that would be difficult -- especially since you were living the life of a super star. But unfortunately you've lost all that the same way murderers, kidnappers, sex offenders, or burglars lose their freedom: through their own actions. You weren't singled out and imprisoned randomly -- you committed heinous crimes. If not you, who should pay? Should we not insist that a child molester serve his sentence, simply because his only other recorded crime is a traffic violation? Your actions were unbelievably cruel. Do you get that?

You seem to think you lost your endorsements unfairly. Was it not you that committed these offenses? Is it actually surprising to you that an endorsement would not be desired by someone who actively causes excruciating pain and suffering to another? The public does not want to buy any product from a brand that represents itself with someone who finds sport in the torture and killing of animals.

As for being exposed to dog fighting when you were growing up, I don't doubt it. Many people are exposed to ugly, horrific things in their lives -- it doesn't mean they grow up to perpetuate that ugliness. At any rate, I would expect a grown man -- who has also been exposed to incredible kindness and generosity -- to be able to tell the difference between right and wrong. "Growing up with" is a great excuse to perpetuate bigotry, child abuse, racism, and misogyny. At what point does one start thinking for himself?

And now you want leniency? How much more lenient could we be? In fact, we are showing you the very compassion that you deprived others. We are not torturing you or denying you medical treatment. We are seeing that you have daily meals and a bed to sleep in. We are not forcing you to spend your entire life tied up outside in below freezing temperatures. Why you think you should not have to pay for the crimes you committed is beyond me. You say you found religion? If you believe in an eye for an eye, you've gotten off easy.

I don't doubt that jail is unpleasant. But you will never ever know the kind of pain and suffering you inflicted on others. As for wanting to be there for your kids, you should have thought of that before you decided to torture, maim, and kill other living beings. I believe that your animals, your kids, and even your houseplants are safer with you behind bars.

Sincerely,
Leslie Smith

Happy Holidays

Have you ever seen a grumpier reindeer?
Meet Blackie, a dear shepherd mix who's in our care at GADAB.

Blackie endured a photographers's orders and props today and I have to say the results were worth it.

Happy holidays