Treasure Thursday - Home For The Holidays

Happy Thursday Everyone!!

I'm now officially 20 days out from my Humongous trip...still a bit overwhelming, but I think that we are definitely on the right path! But I do have a quick question for you all: Have any of you used a DAP collar? If so, can you give me some of the company names that you liked? Domeek is thinking that this might be a good option to make sure that I remain calm during take-off and landing, especially since wearing my Thundershirt for that long is not going to work. Thanks!

As it's Thursday, I want to introduce you all to a wonderful shelter/rescue event that is going on around my neck of the woods...but I'm ecstatic to say that programs all across the country are doing similar things as well!

Shelters First was created in order to promote adopting your next lovable companion from a rescue or shelter, as opposed to buying them from a breeder or pet shop (boo!!!)!

Currently, in Santa Clara county alone, there are over 1200 animals that are in shelters that need out, yet sadly, only 25% of pet owners adopt through shelters and rescues! :-( So, Shelters First and six participating shelters are coming together to offer all adult animals for the low, low cost of $12!! Their hope is to secure hundreds of animals homes before the Holidays! All six shelters have also committed to not euthanizing one single adoptable animal during this time too!  

The event only started at the beginning of December and already (as of today) 125 dogs and cats have found forever homes!! WooHoo!!! How awesome is that?!

So, I thought that I'd introduce you to a couple of wonderful pups that are up for a $12 adoption fee!

First up is Misha from the Humane Society of SiliconValley! I have to say that this is an awesome shelter! They have a community dog park, where you have to be a member, be up-to-date on all your vaccinations, and be well manner! If we lived closer, I know Domeek and I would be there all the time! 

Misha is a wonderful 8 and a half year old Rottweiler mix. She's a sweet, older lady looking for a home to call her own. She's a big love bug when she gets to know someone and will lean in to be close to her favorite people. She love treats, especially yummy hot dog treats! Are you looking for a loving and devoted companion? Then look no further, come to HSSV and ask to meet her today!

Isn't she beautiful? If you would like to learn more about Misha or if you want to see a video clip of her, please take a look at her personal page! And if you would like to see all of their $12 adoptables, please visit their availables page!

Next up is the coolest looking haircut on a dog that I have seen in a while...Bam Bam from the San Jose Animal Care Center! 

They believe that Bam Bam is a Norfolk Terrier mix and has just turned 2! He's an adorable little guy who is hoping to melt your heart when you come to see him. He's very friendly and enjoy being with people. He'd love to have a family to call his own where he would know that he would be well taken care of and get lots of love. He's very gentle and loves to cuddle. Since He's pretty small, he would be easy to take places where his family could have so much fun together. If you are looking for a special guy to join your family and give you lots of love and joy, then how about considering Bam Bam. Spend some 1-1 time with him and get to know the real dude. He'll wait right here for you.

Doesn't he sound absolutely precious? I know I'd love to play with him!! So, if you would like to learn more about Bam Bam please take a look at his page! If you would like to see all of their $12 adoptions, please visit their available animals page!

My last featured adoptable pup's name is Rose who is staying with the Santa Clara County Animal Care and Control. Please don't judge her on her intake photo, I can't believe that they haven't taken a better photo yet! 

Rose is a 2 and a half year old Pit Bull Terrier with a spot on her eye that reminds me of Pete the Pup from the Little Rascals! Rose was surrendered to animal care and control by her owner because he could no longer keep her where he was living. Spending time with her, they have found her to be a very sweet & loving girl. She is calm on lead and ignores the dogs barking at her, but stops to visit nose to nose with the dogs that are not barking at her. Rose is a real doll, please come to the shelter and spend some time with her and you will fall in love..

If you would like to learn more about Rose, please take a look at her personal page and if you would like to see all the rest of the $12 adoptables, take a look at their availables page!

After clicking through all six different shelters' available animals pages, I've come to realize that there are far too many Chihuahuas sitting in kennels right now! Please, if you are considering adopting a little and mighty pup, consider adopting one of them from your local shelter!  

Take a look at the different Holiday discount programs and events that are going on all around the country!

• Horry County Animal Care Shelter in South Carolina
• Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA in Charlottesville, VA
• Seattle Humane Society in Seattle, WA
• Coming Home Rescue in New Jersey
• Sacrament County Animal Care and Regulation in Sacramento, CA

So, if you are thinking about bringing in another member of the family during this Holiday Season, please consider adopting through your local shelter or rescue!

Thanks as always and have a wonderful day!

Treasure Thursday

Happy Thursday Everyone!!

Unlike my regular Treasure Thursday posts, this week I'm going to be focusing on something that is usually forgotten over the Holiday season...fostering! 

Tens of thousands of animals sit in their kennels over the winter break; most of them are sad, cold, and lonely! How would you like to make one animal, this year, ecstatic at Christmas time??? It's pretty easy! All you need to do, is take one cat/dog/guinea pig/bunny/rat/ferret (you get the picture) home with you over the Holidays; let them into your life and your festivities and they, in turn, will make your Christmas the greatest it can be!! :-D

PetFinder has partnered with hundreds of shelters and rescues all over the country (and Canada) to match you with the perfect Holiday foster animal...there are eight rescues in my area alone! :-)

This is the wonderful Rocky Road from Doggie Protective Services in Palo Alto, California (right next door to me)!

Rocky Road is a 4-5 year old Terrier mix with a soft wire coat. She weighs about 7lbs and is a fun-loving spunky gal. Initially she's insecure and she's not always comfortable with strangers picking her up right away. Once she knows people then she loves to climb into their lap and will hang out there. But Rocky Road's absolute love in life is playing fetch. She will play fetch all day long. She will bring the ball back and stand in front of you but she won't let it go. You have to actually take it out of her mouth. It's so funny! Then she gets so excited when she knows you are going to throw the ball for her again. She wants you to take it out of her mouth and she wants you to throw it again, again and again and you can spend all day throwing that ball and she'll fetch it even when she's exhausted. 

Rocky Road could be an apartment or condo dog. She could be one who goes on walks, goes to the dog park or hangs out with other doggy social friends. She gets along with big and small dogs and she even shares playing fetch with other friends. Rocky Road is better suited for adults and/or older kids. She's just not a youngsters type of dog. She isn't one who wants to be dressed up, pulled by the tail or really "man-handled" as kids so often do. She's a great adult's dog. She's potty pad trained. She's not a big barker.

Rocky Road has a long soft wire coat that doesn't necessarily need to be professionally groomed. It doesn't continue to grow. It is non-shedding and with regular brushing it stays detangled. It's a fairly easy coat to maintain.

Rocky Road is looking for the perfect forever home, but in the mean while, she will be a wonderful edition to any Holiday home!! If you are interested in learning more about Rocky, please visit her PetFinder page!

The beautiful Edie of Pound Buddies in Muskegon, Michigan is looking for a fantastic Holiday foster opportunity!

 

This sweet and gentle Italian Greyhound mix has all the qualities someone could desire. Edie is a 23lb girl that is quiet and loyal. She is not demanding, just wants to be near her people. Edie is about 7-8 years old and is house trained and crate trained. She does great with other dogs and children and we are sure she would be fine with cats. Edie would make a perfect companion for another older dog that needs company or someone just looking for a best friend. Edie like to go for walks and snuggle and if you let her she will sleep right next to you with her head on your pillow. Who could ask for a better low shedding companion than Edie?

If you are interested in taking this beautiful and special girl home for the Holidays, please take a look at her PetFinder page!

Malcolm, a large and beautiful Australian shepherd mix, with Austin Live in Austin, Texas would love a foster home!

 

Meet Malcolm, a gentle soul who deserves a second chance.

When Malcolm looks at you with his gorgeous yellow eyes, you can almost hear him saying, "Can I trust you? I don't know how or why I ended up in here. I'm an older dog, I had a great life, and this is all new to me. Frankly, I'm really not that into it and I would be ever so grateful if you would bring me home."

Malcolm is slightly overweight, so he is not a high energy dog. He's somewhat bewildered in the shelter environment and is reluctant to try new things. This kind, gentle soul just needs a calm home where he can relax in knowing he's not going anywhere.

Malcolm is not overly cuddly, but he does respond to touch and soft words. He does fine with other pets and will be great around kids. He had a sleepover with a volunteer recently and was such a sweet and easy houseguest. He's housetrained and a rock star on a leash.

Malcom believes home is where the heart is. Won't you open up yours?

If you would like to take Malcom into your home for the Holidays, please take a look at his personal information and see what you can do! 

Thanks for dropping by, as always, and have a wonderful day!!!

PeeS: Domeek abandoned me last night and went to see these weird people called the Trans Siberian Orchestra...to get you all in the Holiday spirit, enjoy this awesome rendition of the Nutcracker Suite! :-D

Treasure Thursday

Good morning/afternoon everyone!

I hope that you are all having a wonderful Thursday!

Just in case you didn't know, November is PetFinder and the ASPCA's "Adopt a Senior Pet" month, so that's what I'm focusing Treasure Thursday on!

Ok, I'll be the first to say that us puppies are the cutest darn things in the world...but boy oh boy are we a ton o' work!! We bite, we chew, we have little to no manners, we have no clue what "house training" is, and we cry in the middle of the night!

So if you can't face constantly cleaning the floors or training 24/7, then I have to urge you to look into my senior brothers and sisters!! Not only are you saving them when they most need you, but you know 100% what you are getting into (no pup at the age of 6 is going to come into your house at 15 pounds and 6 months later leave 40 pounds heavier ;-P), they like to relax, watch some tv, and take a good nap, but also have a great time when you want to too!! What more could you want?! The ASPCA has a great list of top 10 reasons to adopt a senior pet that you might want to check out!

My first featured dog's name is Emma, a beautiful 14 year old German Short Haired Pointer and Dalmation mix, who is being adopted and cared for by Lily's Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary in Petaluma, California (just a short distance from me!)! Lily's Legacy Sanctuary provides a safe and loving home for senior large breed dogs who have been displaced from their homes and/or abandoned for any reason, until adopted or to remain at the sanctuary until they pass on.

If you would like to learn more about Emma (or any of their other fantastic dogs), please check out Lily's Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary's adoptable dogs and search for her name!  Considering that the Holiday season is right around the corner, Lily's Legacy is trying to do some fundraising: Shopping on line during the Holiday Season? Visit all your favorite stores and help save some old pups at the same time. Please shop through eScript to get the most out of your holiday shopping or anytime shopping while getting great contributions (up to 16% back) for Lily's Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary!

My second featured pup's name is Henriett, who is a beautiful senior miniature Schnauzer, currently being adopted through Senior Dog Rescue of Oregon, in Philomath, Oregon! Their goal is to rescue senior dogs who are homeless and place them within permanent, loving homes. While they prefer to take dogs 6 or more years of age, no dog is turned away from our program if they have the space to foster him or her, regardless of age or health.

If you are interested in learning more about the wonderful Henrietta, please take a look at her PetFinder profile! If you would like to take a look at their other wonderful senior dogs, please check out their available dogs page!

My third and final featured dog's name is Dayton, a spunky senior Shepherd, Collie mix, who is being adopted through Young at Heart Pet Rescue in Palatine, Illinois! Young at Heart Pet Rescue is a volunteer-based organization dedicated to the rescue and rehoming of mature and senior dogs and cats. 100% of their adoptable pets are rescued from open-admission shelters where their age makes them first in line for euthanasia. They rescue them, rehabilitate them, and place them into loving homes all over the Midwest!

Look at that gorgeous face!! If you would like to learn more about Daytona, please take a look under Young at Heart's available dog's section and search for Daytona's name! They also adopt out senior kitties as well, so if you would like to see all of their cats, click here!

During the Holiday Season, Young at Heart also has a fundraising program:
Every year we decorate our virtual “Tree of Hope” with ornaments from animal lovers all over the country. Each ornament represents not only a person, family, or pet who believes that senior pets deserve loving homes, too, but they also represent lives saved.

Without the love and support of each one of you, Young at Heart would not be able to provide the services to senior pets who need our help! Your love and support is what saves their lives. By donating to the 2012 Tree of Hope campaign, you give hope to hundreds of senior pets waiting to be saved from euthanasia!

Purchase your ornament here!

Thanks for dropping by and have a fantastic rest of the day!!

PS. Here's a funny video that Domeek took a week ago. I sometimes get hypnotized by balls...and sometimes I go on sneezing fits...and then I throw a hissy fit over both! ;-)

 

 

Treasure Thursday

Happy Thursday Everyone!!! :-D

Finally, the weather is starting to feel like Fall, we're expected to get a load of rain in the next couple of days, so I'm trying to convince everyone to get outside as much as possible!! ;-) Sadly, all of my East Coast friends are in the middle of a snow storm right now, so stay as warm and as dry as possible guys!!

Before I begin Treasure Thursday, I wanted to pass along a wonderful BlogHop that will be happening next week in conjunction with Blog Paws and Iams! As we all know, we are in the middle of National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week, so in support of this awesome week Iams, Blog Paws, and P&G are asking everyone to do something great for your local shelter!

All you need to do is check out your local, participating Home 4 The Holidays shelter, do something awesome for them, then write a blog post on what you did! Sounds easy, right? You can choose to check out their wishlist and while you're grocery shopping next week, pick them up a couple of items...if possible, you can give them a donation...or you can even write about one of their pets in need! Simple! :-)

If we can get 100 or more bloggers involved, look at all these wonderful things that will happen!

1. Blog Paws will donate $1000 to Rescue Ink, a rescue devastated by Hurricane Sandy.
2. Blog Paws will also donate $1000 to one of the shelters featured in the Blog Hop.
3. The Blog Paws team and Dr. V over at Pawcurious (we love her) will pick one post to be featured on the Iams Facebook wall between now and December. 

The only thing you have to remember is that in order to be eligible for this prize, the post must feature a shelter participating in the Home 4 the Holidays campaign. 

So please consider dedicating a post next week to this amazing cause! :-D

Well, it's been a couple of weeks...so I need to get back into the swing of things and do one of my Treasure Thursday posts!!

Updates: 

• I am ecstatic to tell you that the awesome Buster Brown, from  Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary in Middle, Tennessee, has been adopted...woohoo!!! Congratulations Buster, here's to an amazing forever home and family!! 
• Blackie, from the Humane Society of Forsyth County in Cumming, Georgia, is still available if you are interested!
• Dixie, from the Delaware Humane Association in Wilmington, Delaware, is also still available for adoption! Please check her out if you are interested! 

© 2012 Patrick McDonnell

Since it is National Animal Shelter and Rescue Appreciation Week, I decided to find all of my awesome featured pups and rescue groups through their search engine!

My first featured pup's name is Ferguson, who is being fostered with NorCal GSP Rescue in Menlo Park, CA! NorCal GSP Rescue is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to placing unwanted and abandoned German Shorthaired Pointers in northern California into new homes.

If you are interested in learning or seeing more photos of the gorgeous Ferguson, please check out his PetFinder profile! If you would like to check out the other available dogs that NorCal GSP Rescue, please feel free to visit their other available dogs!

My second featured pup's name is Lona, who is a fun loving dog from Furry FriendZy in Dallas, Texas! Furry FriendZy acts as a shepherd for animals in need of help: to care for and find loving homes for unwanted, abandoned, neglected and abused animals.

If you are interested in learning more about Lona, or seeing more of her beautiful photos, please take a look at her PetFinder profile! If you would like to take a look at all the other amazing dogs and cats (and they do have quite a few - 56!!) please check out their available animals page!

My final featured dog's name is Token, who is a goofy and fun pup from All Shepherd's Rescue in Baltimore, Maryland! All Shepherd Rescue finds adoptable, lovable and in need Shepherds for your family. All of ASR’s dogs are in foster homes learning manners and what the good life means! ASR believes in connecting the right dog to the right family. We will do our best to find your next best friend.

If you are interested in learning more about the awesome Token, please feel free to take a look at his PetFinder profile or his personal page! If you would like to see all of the available dogs that All Shepherd's Rescue has, please take a look at their available's page!

Thanks always for stopping by Treasure Thursday and remember about next week's Blog Hop!!!

Have a great day everyone!!

Treasure Thursday

Happy Thursday Everyone!!

I've been posting too much during the last couple of days, huh?! ;-) I guess there's so much going on! As always it's Treasure Thursday, which means that I'll be featuring three different shelters/rescue groups and three amazing dogs that need wonderful homes!

The first weekend in the November (November 2-4), is pretty important this year as it's PetSmart Charities National AdoptionWeekend, sponsored by PetSmart, Purina® Pro Plan® and Tidy Cats®. Thousands of dogs and cats will hopefully find their forever homes during that weekend, just in time for the Holiday Season! There's nothing better than having a warm bed, a full tummy, and a wonderful family to love you!! Don't you all agree?

The adoption weekend will be taking place in the US, Canada, and even Puerto Rico! And along with their normal adoption fees, each shelter/rescue will receive $35 in adoption reward grants from PetSmart Charities for each animal adopted during the weekend! Whoa! That's pretty incredible, isn't it? :-D

So, in order to pass along information, help out a couple of shelters/rescues, and get the word out...I've decided to focus on three groups that have agreed to participate in the adoption weekend!

My first featured dog's name is Blackie, a beautiful schnauzer and lab mix, currently being adopted out through the Humane Societyof Forsyth County in Cumming, Georgia! " The Humane Society of Forsyth County in Cumming, Georgia is dedicated to preventing cruelty to, relieving the suffering of, and providing humane treatment for animals. We stand by the fact that we are one of a few NO-KILL shelters in this area."

If you are interested in seeing Blackie in person, or perhaps meeting another amazing dog or cat, the Humane Society will be at the PetSmart in Cumming (1020 Market Place Boulevard) during November 2-4! If you would like to read more about Blackie, please visit her personal page, or if you would like to see the rest of their available animals, please click here!

My second featured dog's name is Dixie, who's had a rough start in life, but isn't letting it get her down! She is currently being adopted through the Delaware Humane Association in Wilmington, Delaware. " The Delaware Humane Association (DHA) is Delaware’s first no kill animal shelter and adoption center. We are committed to providing for the needs of homeless dogs and cats in our community."

If you are interested in seeing Dixie in person, or even meeting one of their other amazing dogs or cats, the Delaware Humane Association will be at two different PetSmart locations: cats and kittens will be available in the Brandywine Town Center, Wilmington and cats and dogs at Christiana in Newark, Delaware! You can see all of their available animals here and can see additional photos and information on Dixie here!

My third and final featured dog's name is Buster Brown (how amazing is his name?) a gorgeous corgi mix from Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary in Middle, Tennessee! " FFAS is dedicated to rescuing abused, abandoned and neglected animals in and around Middle TN area. We encourage proper pet care and advocate spaying and neutering to help stop pet overpopulation. We currently use a system of foster homes to house all the animals in our care."

If you are interested in seeing either Buster Brown or one of their other amazing dogs or cats available, Freedom Farms' volunteers will be at the PetSmart in Rivergate during that weekend! Friday and Sunday will only feature cats and kittens, however Saturday dogs will be invited along! You can see the rest of their available animals here and Buster Brown's personal page can be found here!

Thanks for stopping by Treasure Thursday, like always!

Please remember that there are over 2000 rescues and shelters working with PetSmart during the first weekend of November, so if I didn't feature a location near you, have no fear! Just contact your local PetSmart and see who will be stopping by!!

Have a great rest of the day everyone!!