Merry Christmas!

Hoping you and yours has a wonderful Christmas!!!!!!!!


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An icy day in East Tennessee

Ice covering the clematis vines this morning...

Clarifying rescues and humane societies

The following was shared with me and I thought it was really interesting and helpful. The author's name appears at the end. Have a great holiday everyone and hug your furbabies!
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One of the biggest misconceptions is that local humane societies are branches of the Humane Society of the United States. This is not true.

There is an SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals International) and an ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). There is not a national SPCA organization, although there are lots of independent local SPCA's across the U.S.

Jennifer McKim, an SPCA International representative, clarifies by stating, "Every SPCA throughout the world is individually operated and not associated with one another. Although we share a common name, there is not an organization that oversees all SPCA’s. Each one of us have our own programs that focus to help animals on a different level. SPCA International is one of the only organizations that help shelters and animals worldwide."

In other words, local SPCA's have nothing to do with SPCA International or with each other. They were all independently formed. Some are kill, some are no kill. All have local board members with individual ideas and concepts concerning animal rescue. They may have eight members, or eight hundred members.

When moving to a new location don't assume that just because the humane society in the city from which you're moving was a wonderful facility that the humane society (or any other rescue organization) in the city you are moving to will be the same.

Not one SPCA in the United States is above any other SPCA regardless of what their name might imply. For instance, NEVADA SPCA is not in charge of other SPCA's in Nevada. Rather, they simply selected Nevada SPCA for their name. FYI - NEVADA SPCA is genuinely a no-kill organization.

When taking a stray cat or dog to a shelter ask directly if the animal will be euthanized.

I recently called a well-known, larger humane society and inquired, "If I bring an older, adult cat in will she be euthanized?" This humane society receives a great deal of media coverage and everyone believes they are a no kill organization.

"All animals that become part of our adoption program are not euthanized," the humane society representative replied.

Tricky answer. At this point most people would feel satisfied that the cat would be safe if dropped off at this humane society... an incorrect assumption.

I continued by asking, "Would the cat I want to bring in become part of your adoption program?"

"Well, that all depends," she said.

I then inquired, "What happens to the animals that are brought in when there is not room in your adoption program for them?"

After a long pause, she responded, "They are euthanized."

Don't be afraid to ask animal rescue organizations specific questions about their shelter's policies, if, in fact, they have a shelter. It is becoming more and more common for groups to house animals in foster homes until adopted.

The bottom line is this... there are incredible rescues and there are rescues that should not be allowed to advertise as such. You can visit a specific organization's web page and think that you are sending an animal to the best place this side of heaven when in reality the animal might be chained to a dog house and forced to live in filth.

When you donate to a rescue organization make certain that their ethics are agreeable with yours.

Never assume. Always investigate. Ask questions.

by Barbara McGrady
www.spaohio.org



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Pepper

A slow death.

This poor blog is dying a slow death isn't it? It can't seem to follow me through these transitions I've made. It's so much easier to upload a pic or two to facebook. What to do...what to do...



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Smart dog!

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE8SLv6GMXE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Sent from Teresa's iPhone

Catnip Follies with Yuki and Peanut

I'm getting to be a big boy...

Jake is about 50 pounds now at 6 months...and is finally getting a little less "mouthy," which is good because I was getting tired of playing the part of tasty drumstick.

 

Right now I'm working on getting my paperwork together to take the licensure exam for clinical social work here in Tennessee. I think if you can figure out their paperwork, you should automatically pass the test. Getting my graduate school paperwork together made more sense. Nothing like red tape to chap your ass. My job is not what I thought it would be--at least not yet, but I'm not going to jabber about that here...maybe later when things are more in order there.

 

But back to Jake...he is so different from our other dogs. He is a fearless goof...and always chomping on poor Pepper's neck, who eventually has enough and reads him the riot act in capital letters. Two minutes later, it starts all over again. But he's getting less wild and more lovable now--thank goodness. You can see a bond when he looks at you now, rather than "man, your arms and ankles look mighty tasty!!"  I know we'll look back when he's a lazy old man and miss his craziness, but sheesh, I'm hoping all of our beautiful woodwork isn't gone by then.

 

Going from two dogs to three dogs is like going from two dogs to 10 dogs...it's complete chaos in the house unless they are asleep. Monster puppy is bounding through the house chasing poor Yuki and Peanut, Pepper is barking because Jake won't respect her space, and Petey just gets fed up with Jake landing on him because he's such a goofy clutz.  If Petey and Pepper start barking at the same time, they'll team up on Jake (which doesn't phase him in the slightest) and if Jake starts running after the cats, they all decide to run after the cats.  It's getting better, but good Lord...sometimes I shove bones in their mouths to get 5 minutes of peace. Oh, and forget watching TV...they can be silent all day and do nothing but wrestle and fight for the 1 hour of programming you've waited on all week--like True Blood. Thank God for DVRs.

 

With all that said, you'd think I'd be ready to give them away, but I wouldn't change a thing.  Woof!