Wyoming

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admin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:06:59 GMT

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Help in Finding Homes for Companion Animals

shelter designer breed ad.pdf

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WY rep email list.xls

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Elected Officials: U.S. Senators and Representative

Elected Officials: Wyoming Legislators

Emergency Resources

Going Green for Pets

Helping Companion Animals

Shelters and Rescue Groups

Special Organizations & Activities

Our biggest week ever!

britty12 — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 01:45:16 GMT

This week, BDAR took in 9 dogs. It was our biggest group ever! One of the shelters we work closely with was having a euthanasia clinic (I won't even tell you the details), but we tried frantically to get every adoptable dog out that we could. It was an amazing testament to this team's level of committment and tenacity.

We couldn't save them all, but we did the best we could. Seven came from one shelter and one each from two others. One of the dogs had on an old rabies tag from Indiana, a call to the clinic led to a dead end in the search for his previous owners. It was too bad too, they had records on this dog clear back to 1999, but nothing after 2004.

So, welcome: Sampson, Finn, Ghost, Talli, Little Bear, Pandora, Rowdy, Tank, and Chester! We can't wait to find you your new forever homes.

(Chester, a 10 month old Setter mix, is pictured).

Should have been in an ealier post.

britty12 — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:35:53 GMT

I meant to include this pic of a very happy and smiling Brody with the last Brody blog post. It makes me smile.

Should have been in an ealier post.

britty12 — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:27:19 GMT

I meant to include this pic of a very happy and smiling Brody with the last Brody blog post. It makes me smile.

Busy, busy, busy

britty12 — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:41:44 GMT

This month marks the first month where BDAR actually has an event of some sort planned every weekend! Two adoption events, a garage sale fundraiser, and a doggie fun day for our volunteers!

I can't wait until I get someone else on board to help me manage this, I'm getting worn out. Any volunteers?

Check out Miss Bella above, she used to be a crazy dog, now she's holding still long enough to model for our Father's Day Adoption Event. Her foster home rocks!

Brody - the end (and the beginning)

britty12 — Fri, 29 May 2009 01:32:56 GMT

Brody’s is a tale of love, endurance, desperation, and frustration. You may have already been following Brody’s story on our web-site. But to for those of you who are new, here’s the run down.

Brody is an approximately two year old lab mix who came to us from a shelter in CO. We were told he was a charismatic, friendly fellow who never met a stranger. We quickly learned that description was entirely accurate as Brody promptly bailed out head over heels from the back of the transport vehicle just so he could get to the people (any people!) as fast as he could. Unfortunately, these antics also made it immediately apparent that Brody was favoring his right rear leg in a big way. Further inspection revealed substantial atrophy of the leg leading us to believe the injury was further up in his hip.

We were right. It seems that at some point in his past, Brody suffered a traumatic injury to his hip, leaving the head of the femur badly damaged and causing him a lot of pain. Surgery to remove the head of the femur was prescribed, along with it came a $1200.00 estimate! You might already know, but BDAR is a very small organization with an even smaller budget. We do not knowingly take in animals with these types of special needs because we simply do not have the resources to pay for them. But now that Brody was here, what could we do? We begged, and borrowed, and e-mailed, and petitioned, and raised the money! Read more about this in our other posts.

So Brody began a long recovery. During this time when we were waiting for him to heal physically, we also learned that Brody needed some time to heal emotionally. As nice as he is, and as affectionate and sweet, Brody also suffers from extreme anxiety and is hyper-sensitive to any changes in his environment. He constantly whines and circles unless someone’s there to soothe and pet him. He barks and cries when left alone. He also howls. Long, beautiful, but somehow sad, these howls seemed to be an outlet for Brody, a manifestation of sadness, anxiety, and insecurity. As one who sings to relieve myself of stress, I could instantly relate to Brody and his howls. They sometimes broke my heart.

And they made me question “What can I do for him? How will he ever get adopted in this state?” So I called behaviorists, trainers, animal communicators, and friends. We developed a prescription of love, stability, relaxation techniques and custom blended homeopathic oils for Brody. And while we waited for his leg to heal, we actively encouraged his soul to also.

Miraculously, and through no small feat of his own will, this regime seemed to work for Brody. The howling decreased substantially. Brody made friends with the other dogs; he learned to relax at night and got to roam free in the house instead of being confined to a kennel. He actually slept! His whining for attention went way down and he learned to be soothed by the sound of a voice instead of desperately seeking pets wherever he could get them. While he wasn’t “cured” of his desperation, he was markedly better and much more pleasant to be around. We began to hope that someone would fall fro Brody, and to believe that he could be successfully adopted.

There were some inquiries, but none of them seemed to be the right fit for Brody. A military home that could be transferred at any time with two small kids – well, Brody can be quite wild and isn’t the type to tone it down around the little ones. Plus, with the stress he experiences in new situations, a home where he’s likely to live the rest of his life would be a better option. A companion for an elderly dog with arthritis - probably not great either, this dog likes to play, play, play and can be very physical. Would the right match ever come along for our sweet “Hurricane Brody?”

The answer, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, is “yes!”

While surfing the internet one evening looking for a new dog after the death of one of his beloved companions, David Stenson happened upon our site and Brody. It was love at first sight! David and his wife own over 1,000 acres of beautifully treed land in central Wyoming. They’ve lived in their home for nearly 30 years. They have another lab mix, a sweet girl called Ebby, desperate for a new friend. And perhaps best of all (insert goose bumps here); the Stensons have several bodies of water on their land, within walking distance of their home, for Brody to swim in – the perfect prescription for a dog needing to build up strength in a leg!

So, after a long, emotional, and painful (for all of us) journey, Brody is, at long last…home.

It’s a victory for us as an organization and for me personally; but most of all, for a homeless puppy found wandering alone down a dirt road in the dead of winter. This love bug of a dog, this soul-bearing singer, this lover of all things feet, has touched my heart and that of so many others.

Good boy Brody.

Working Together for Wyoming's Animals : Dog-Friendly Chow Mix Seeks Forever Home – Please Cross-Post!

veganmarcy — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 01:08:34 GMT

Smokey is an active and healthy 6-years-young Chow/Shepherd/Rotti mix. He has been with 11th Hour Rescue for over 2 years. He is currently at our shelter, but is occasionally fostered by a volunteer with 6 other dogs. If you want a buddy for your dogs, Smokey’s the best! You can see a video of Smokey at: http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=11162966

Smokey LOVES other dogs (he knows to be gentle with smaller ones) and is great with his foster parents, however he has “guarding issues”. Trying to “protect” his home and owners has lead to biting. He has NEVER gone after his fosterers and trusts them 100%. His caregiver can take food away from him; check his teeth, paws, mouth; give him a bath…pretty much handle him however they want. He is also crate-trained and housebroken.

Smokey is a “big puppy” who lives to play with and meet new dogs. Yard time is fun time for Smokey! His wariness about trusting people stems from low self-esteem and past abandonment. He does not show outwardly aggressive body language when nervous, which means that he would require a dog savvy home. Once Smokey bonds with you, he would never go after you – and he bonds quickly. His forever family would increase his confidence and trust as a “nervous aggression” dog. Someone who knows when company visits, he must be crated or put in another room to avoid the “guarding” behavior.

He is a great dog that deserves a chance at having a loving home, because he has so much love and loyalty to give to you!

Smokey is neutered and up-to-date on his vaccinations.

Please contact his fosterer tammy.probst.smith@gmail.com for more info.

Working Together for Wyoming's Animals : Wyoming animals starving

meriatl — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 14:07:03 GMT

Dogs, Peacocks, cats and chickens are starving - please help

Sent: Thu, 9 Apr 2009 9:37 am
Subject: Fwd: Pine Bluffs, WY - URGENT HELP IS NEEDED! - Animals are Starving!!

Please spread this far and wide - there must be a Great Pyranese Group in this area that can help with this situation and other rescues? Does anyone know anyone in this area?
2 Great Pyranees and 1 Cattle dog mix
10 peacocks
at least 4 cats
3 chickens

Animals that are there:

Anne Flournoy
www.petloverescue.petfinder.com
Please join the NO KILL MOVEMENT
www.nokillhouston.org

From: Lynn Collea
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 5:29 PM
Pine Bluffs, WY - URGENT HELP NEEDED! - Animals Starving!!

I had asked for help several months ago with some Great Pyranees that the owner had abandoned. The wife asked me to find rescues for them and she would sign them over to me. Got no response from rescues at all. The situation has become dire for these dogs and other animals!! I took one of the dogs at that time, a very old Pyranees. But I cannot take anymore here. I have no place to keep them and I cannot physically handle anymore animals.

The wife had moved out of state in October, and left the animals with the husband. He is a drunk and has not taken care of them. He has now moved out and left the animals there. The house it totally abandoned, no electricity (which also means no water), there is nothing there except for the animals. THEY ARE STARVING and are locked up in cages!

Several of us here in WY have called AC to help. They will NOT help! The husband has convinced them that everything is ok, and it is NOT. He told them that he has someone going in daily to feed the animals. This is untrue! Someone I know went down there yesterday and the dogs are in very bad shape. NONE had/have food or water and all are very thin. The need veterinary attention. I know for a FACT that this man has let three miniature horses starve to death.

Three people in the area have already complained to AC. They refuse to help. State law requires that every domestic animal have food, water and shelter. Shelter they do have, but not food/water.

Will some of you PLEASE get on the phone and put the pressure on AC to DO SOMETHING? PLEASE???

The animals that are there consist of:

2 Great Pyranees and 1 Cattle dog mix
10 peacocks
at least 4 cats
3 chickens

Numbers to call:
307-632-6655
307-635-1453

RC/ WYOMING-Chained Dogs, Owner To Shoot Them/2 SWEET Abused Dogs

Lewis — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 11:38:36 GMT

hi,

i am very much fan of wild vegetarian animals please
tell me if you get these animals.

wyoming drug rehab

RC/ WYOMING-Chained Dogs, Owner To Shoot Them/2 SWEET Abused Dogs

Lewis — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 11:31:44 GMT

hi,

thanks for the this post.

wyoming drug rehab

Wyomingites show compassion for injured black lab

britty12 — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 06:10:27 GMT

This champion of smiles and wiggles is Brody. He came to Black Dog Animal Rescue in mid-March from another rescue in Colorado who could no longer keep him. He immediately won us over with his precious grin and affectionate snuggles. Brody likes to lean, he'll lean so far into you that if you move, he'll fall right over! And did we mention he has a foot fetish? Yep, bare feet beware, Brody loves them, and he'll pester you for hours to get at those oh-so-lickable toes!

There was only one snafu when Brody came. We noticed immediately that he was favoring his left hip and couldn't use his leg normally. A quick trip to the vet revealed some very interesting x-rays. Brody had suffered some sort of traumatic injury to the hip which caused the ligament holding the femur in place to tear, thus depleting the blood supply to this major bone. Having gone untreated for many months, the bone had deteriorated into a mush and needed to be removed.

Press the panic button at BDAR! This was the first truly special needs animal we had taken in, and we did it unknowingly and without the funds to care for him. After the intial shock subsided, we decided that we would do our best to raise the money for Brody's surgery. We set a deadline and promised that if we couldn't do it, we'd send Brody to a larger organiation with more funding, and hope for the best for him there. But, we're committed to the animals we do take, so we felt we had to make a go of it for this wild and wonderful beast we'd come to call "Hurricane Brody."

It started witha Craigslist post - "Please help us help Brody." People in Woming don't use this site often, so we didn't have a lot of hope for it. But, another rescuer in another part of the state saw it and she suggested a website where we could set up an online fundraiser for Brody. The site is www.fundable.com and she said she knew a shelter in South Dakota that had used it with great luck. So we went for it. We set up a fundraiser for Brody explaining his injury and our mission to help him. We began by sending the link to all of our contacts and encouraging them to forward it to theirs.

The response was overwhelming! This seemed like a lot of money to us, but within just 2 days, we'd had over half of the funds pledged. Many were friends and family, but so many others were people we didn't know. People who we only came to know from their e-mail addresses. On day four, we got a call from a local woman who had seen the e-mail and wanted to pay for the rest of Brody's surgery, whatever we hadn't raised! We were humbled by this generous offer, especially considering that we are still in the process of completing our 501(c)(3) application, so donations are not tax deductible (yet).

In the end, Brody's surgery money and then some was raised in less than 10 days. The little guy came whirling into our lives and only confirmed that there is a place for BDAR in this community. He went into the surgery the day of with all his usual gusto (despite being denied his morning swim in the water bowl), and came out a little groggy and on three legs, but tail madly wagging nonetheless.

Brody went to a local high school as an ambassador for BDAR and won over an entire room of skeptical and cynical teenagers! He even managed to recruit a volunteer to be his personal physical therapist. This is one special puppy, the kind of guy that brings people together. Thanks to generous donations and kind-hearted people, Brody's story is that much closer to his happy ever after. We can't wait to see what lucky people finally take this silly guy and give him a forever home. In the meantime, at least no one around here has to worry about dirty feet!

RE: RE: RC/ WYOMING-Chained Dogs, Owner To Shoot Them/2 SWEET Abused Dogs

MartiL — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 20:01:52 GMT

Britty - Great information. I think this is a wonderful example of why BF started requesting network volunteers to have the actual individuals who are requesting help to do the posting themselves. We could get caught up in so many issues and resource investment from partial information and cross-posting.

RE: RC/ WYOMING-Chained Dogs, Owner To Shoot Them/2 SWEET Abused Dogs

britty12 — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 04:10:12 GMT

Just so you know, this woman is running some sort of weird scam. It is the opinion of those of us in WY that these dogs do not exist and that she has made up their story for some bizarre reason. She has been offered help many, many times including multiple placements and even an offer from best Friends to help. She has turned everyone down! She refuses to tell anyone where the dogs actually are, and has verbally abused many would-be rescuers who have answered her call for help. Myslef and my organization included. She has even threatened to shoot or PTS them herself. She does not live in WY, she lives in CT, so it's hard to see how she's caring for them. Just thought I'd let you know. Hope you have not invested any energy or emotion in this. Please pass this info along if you see he posting this story again.

Working Together for Wyoming's Animals : RC/ WYOMING-Chained Dogs, Owner To Shoot Them/2 SWEET Abused Dogs

dallen2968 — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:37:28 GMT

lynn writes: I'll donate their s/n, vaccinations and health certificate.Worth several hundred dollars. approved transport to anywhere in the US!

lynn wrote this in late october, when these dogs were ORIGINALLY NETWORKED, with no success:

These dogs will *The owner has not shot them yet, but has been threatening to do so FOR MONTHS. Sad, they'd be better off dead, even if by a gunshot. I have never, ever experienced weather like this in all of my 46 years. Our wind chill is MINUS 30 degrees. Minus! To go outside is absolutely unbearable. The only shelter that these dogs have is what you see below in the pics. Please, PLEASE, I am BEGGING someone to help these dogs Isn't there someone who can help them? PLEASE? I will coordinate a transport to an approved rescue anywhere to in the USA.Have had no response at all. No inquiries. Isn't there someone who can help them? They are living a MISERABLE life outside in these pens and it is going to get real cold here soon. Winter temps often get to 20 below.

The lady who has them saved them from a drug dealer (editor's note, not sure who saved them, as they are still in peril...)

who was beating them. As a result of their abuse, I am told they do better with women - though from my observation - they seem ok with men, too.The male (not neutered) is the tan colored one, and the other is a (spayed) female. Both seem like very nice dogs, and they crave human attention. They are both very friendly, and the female just wanted to lick my hand and give me kisses all day.They are from the same litter and are about three years old. Don't know for sure, but doubt they are UTD. I don't know how they are with other animals - though they seem to get along with each other.These dogs are in Goshen Co, WY -it gets VERY COLD here in the winter. They are kept outside in their pens and they are in need of a warm place to call home before winter sets in.

Is there a rescue who can please help them? I will be glad to help transport to a reputable rescue. 'll also be glad to make adonation if a reputable rescue can help.Because of their breed, I am the contact person for now. If you are able to help, I will need a vet reference and a local shelter reference. Then, I will be happy to put you in touch with the owner. Thanks! Lynn

the contact is lynn at lhasaluvr@hughes.net (at hughes.net) CONTACT lynn for pics if you cannot see pics below & for info re spaying/neutering/health certs. these 2 have been networked for over 3 mos. with no success.

Working Together for Wyoming's Animals : Homeless Hearts Foundation shifts focus

Troylea — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 01:49:56 GMT

Homeless Hearts Foundation shifts focus

Homeless Hearts Foundation, Inc, (HHF) has completed a year-end re-evaluation and has determined a need to restructure its focus in order to place greater emphasis on education programs, spay and neuter coupons, and pet-care aid to seniors and low-income families. As a result, the organization will take immediate steps to place the dogs and cats currently living at the Loving Hearts Animal Sanctuary with other animal care and rescue organizations in the United States, and close the sanctuary.

The HHF Board of Directors made the decision to close the sanctuary because the needs of the large population of stray and unwanted animals in Park County could not be adequately addressed by simply housing them. In addition, the significant cost of operating the facility – as much as $12,000 a month – had outstripped funding sources during 2008. The sanctuary currently is home to 48 dogs and 47 cats. The HHF will continue to care for them until all have been appropriately placed.

“After operating the sanctuary for more than a year, we realized that the fundamental causes leading to animal care issues in Park County have not changed,” Nancy Oakes, president of the HHF Board of Directors, said. “We need to get back to our original purpose of the HHF, and by focusing on operating a daily sanctuary business, we are not able to do so. What we as a community need to do is ensure that animals are spayed and neutered in order to control the population, and to educate ourselves, starting with school children, about the right way to take care of animals. Recognition of these needs led us to make the decision to shift our focus.”

“This was a very difficult decision to make, but all good businesses should regroup when they feel they are not being effective in their mission, and that is what we are doing,” Oakes continued. “Trying to put so many animals back into an area that relinquished them to begin with is not productive, safe, or smart for the animals. After the first of the year, we will launch a major campaign to spay and neuter all animals in Park County. This is the only realistic resolution for the huge numbers of abandoned, relinquished and abused animals.”

The HHF will continue to hold fundraising events such as the New Year’s Eve Fur Ball, flea markets, and the Barkannalia Wine Festival, and the organization has plans for many new events. In addition, the HHF plans to operate out of a new office, set up a system to match animals with families through the Internet, and provide other basic needs such as assisting the Humane Society of United States with investigations.

Another facet of the HHF’s efforts will be to work with legislators in the hopes of passing better animal protection laws and seeing that they are enforced. As well, the organization will assist other rescue organizations in an effort to obtain large-scale animal care grants.

Also at its year-end meeting, the HHF Board of Directors noted that, although the recent incident in which a young boy was injured by an adopted dog and the dog was euthanized was very unfortunate, this was not a deciding factor in the organization’s shift in focus. It was also noted that the incident further validates the organization’s concern that public education about the responsibility and care of animals is critical.

Homeless Hearts Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization that provides low-cost animal vaccinations and half-price spay/neuter coupons, aids seniors and low-income families with veterinary and food bills, establishes animal education and awareness programs for children and adults, and funds animal rescue organizations. Contact 307.587.5395 or visit www.homelessheartsfoundation.com for information.

Working Together for Wyoming's Animals : October 08 - The Hartz Mountain Corporation Voluntarily Recalls One Specific Lot of Nationwide Chicken-Basted Rawhide Chips Because of Possible Salmonella Contamination

punky0617 — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:43:32 GMT

Recall -- Firm Press Release
FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.

The Hartz Mountain Corporation Voluntarily Recalls One Specific Lot of Nationwide Chicken-Basted Rawhide Chips Because of Possible Health Risk
Contact:
John Mullane
(914) 712 9150

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- October 20, 2008 -- The Hartz Mountain Corporation, Secaucus, NJ is voluntarily recalling one specific lot of Hartz Chicken-Basted Rawhide Chips due to concerns that one or more bags within the lot are potentially contaminated with Salmonella. Hartz is fully cooperating with the US Food and Drug Administration in this voluntary recall.

Salmonella can cause serious infections in dogs, and, if there is cross-contamination caused by handling of the rawhide chips, in people as well, especially children, the aged, and people with compromised immune systems. Healthy people potentially infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. On rare occasions, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Animals can be carriers with no visible symptoms and can potentially infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

The product involved is 4,850 - 2 pound plastic bags of Hartz Chicken-Basted Rawhide Chips, lot code JC23282, UPC number 3270096463 which were distributed to a national retail customer. While the normal testing that Hartz conducts through an independent outside laboratory did not detect the presence of Salmonella in any Hartz rawhide products, sample testing conducted by another laboratory did indicate the presence of the bacteria in a sample bag of the Chicken-Basted Rawhide Chips. Hartz is aggressively investigating the difference in test results and the potential source of the problem.

Although Hartz has not received any reports of animals or humans becoming ill as a result of coming into contact with this product, Hartz is taking immediate steps to remove the product from all retail stores and distribution centers. Dog owners who purchased this product should check the lot code on their bag, and, if the code is not visible, or if the bag has lot code JC23282 imprinted thereon, they should immediately discontinue use of the product and discard it in a proper manner.

Consumers can contact Hartz at 1-800-275-1414 with any questions they may have and to obtain reimbursement for purchased product.

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/hartz10_08.html

Ch-ch-ch-changes....

britty12 — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 23:10:35 GMT

The summer is drawing to a close and new arrangements have to be made for the dogs at BDAR.

Early this spring, we received an unexpected blessing in the form of an offer to use a property that was well equipped to house several dogs at a time. We quickly took advantage of the opportunity to help many more animals at once and eventually reached a peak at 9 animals on the property and 2 in foster care. Thus began a long summer of very hard work for Tricia and I. This property is located several miles north of where either of us live. We had to drive everyday, twice and sometimes three times per day, to and from to take care of the animals. Then we had to go to work at our full-time jobs, take care of our own families, pets, and foster animals, and get the word out about the adoptable pets! We quickly learned what a tall order this was for two people.

It turned into both a very successful and a very exhausting summer. Eventually, all of the dogs were adopted into great homes, including two that had been written off as unadoptable. The work done with each dog was remarkable and rewarding and only fueled our passion for saving more. But we had to step back and decide what we could realisitcally handle in the long winter to come. The property worked well in the summer. It had large open yards, fields to walk and play in, and an open-faced barn for shade. We put out wading pools which the dogs loved, and spent our days off driving them to the park, the lake, potential homes, and PetCo for adventures. But, winters in WY are long and dark and hard. There is no outdoor lighting there and the only adequate shelter is a garage that the dogs have to be crated in. With the weather often severe and unpredicatble, Trish and I knew that we could not be available 24/7 to run back and forth and bring animals in and out weather permitting.
So, having adopted out all of the dogs we rescued this summer, we decided to step back and resort to foster homes only again. This was a tough choice as we have few foster homes and are having a hard time recruiting them. It also limits the number of animals we can help at any given time. But, we also felt strongly that we would burn out and/or lose control of the situation if we didn't downsize, so here we are.
As luck would have it, it seems to be working out. We put up flyers all over town and have managed to recruit about 4 new foster homes. Additionally, an old foster home called to say that after a long wait, they were ready to take on a new dog. How exciting! So, it is with happy (and sad) hearts, that we have said our good byes to Rocket Dog, Banjo, Laney, Oliver, Eve and the rest. But with open arms and a fresh start we have welcomed the beautiful and spirited Delainie, the precocious Lula Belle (pictured), and two others on their way this week.
I feel like all is going well with the resources we have, but I am a little disheartned that I haven't been able to recruit any really dedicated volunteers. I'd love to do more adoption events, post more flyers, and organize socializing sessions for the dogs, but I don't have the man power yet. I'd also love to have a foster home coordinator so that I could spend more time working on the non-profit license. But, all this will come in time I am sure. For now, we're set for the winter and we're still saving lives. And that's all that counts...

RE: Peaceful Protests

albertjames — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:52:57 GMT

It is the second year in the row that, upon an invitation from the Alliance of LGBT People and Their Friends “Mozaika”, the Friendship Days in Riga, Latvia are attended by Amnesty International representatives and activists.Approximately 100 people from 24 countries, including from the CzechRepublic, Hungary, Ukraine, Moldova, Russian, Slovenia, Poland, and Slovakia, will attend the Friendship Days.
--------------
albertjames
Wyoming Treatment Centers

Smiles for Black Dog

britty12 — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:34:19 GMT

This is Laney, a Kelpie mix pulled within days of euthanasia froma high-kill shelter here in Wyoming. This sweet and spirited girl was recently adopted to a wonderful couple in CO and now has another kelpie sister to keep her company. Her family reports that she is all smiles and they have never seen her make a sad face. She likes to race around their yard and harass her older sis (who apparently secretly enjoys it :) This is a great adoption for us (not that they aren't all), but the feedback we're getting from the new owners has given us a breath of fresh air. This beautiful picture wa staken by Laney's new mom, I wish I could get her to do all our web photos!

In more BDAR news, we have emotionally reconciled with one of our best supoprters and that has made a great deal of difference. We are still planning on going back to a foster-home only program for a while and I was nervous about our future becaase we don't really have much for foster homes. But, two new people have come out of the woodworks and graciously offered to provide great foster homes for some of our dogs. This gets all the remaing animals into nice foster homes and opened the door for us to rescue a very sad border collie from a shelter in South Dakota. She has a long journey ahead for her. Watch for more info...

Thank you all for your support and prayers. Black Dog is thriving on them right now.

Britney

Darkest before the dawn....

britty12 — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 05:45:37 GMT

Since the last post, we have (finally) had some success at BDAR! Our beautiful red doberman Sable, who came to us as part of a court case from a different county in WY, finally got adopted! It surprised me that it took such a long time for her. Sable had many applications go out, but not very many come back. And those that did, well, they just didn't seem like the right fit for her.

As luck would have it though, I started a new job and learned that one of the women I now work with had been searching for a dog to adopt for some time. She'd volunteered at shelters before and was having trouble finding an organization she really wanted to support and that could also offer her the kind of "adoption experience" she was looking for. Well, as soon as I hear about that, I just had to go over and introduce myself and BDAR! That very night, she came out to visit the dogs and fell head over heels for both Sable and Ziggy, our black shepherd mix. But, would she follow through? Would she pick a dog?

She showed up first thing the next day with application and references in hand. That evening she and her husband stopped by to check the dogs out again and spend some time playing with them To make this story even better, they couldn't choose between the two dogs and so adopted them together! Both Sable and Ziggy are now living happily in the country with a large fenced in yard and are being properly spoiled rotten! They have already enrolled both dogs in obedience which should be very helpful in boosting their self-esteem!

More good news, the troublesome Rocket Dog has also been adopted! If you've been following this blog for a while, you know that when Rocket came to us he was very scared of everything and quite fear aggressive. We couldn't comfortably introduce him to new people for a long time. He had to be fed by hand for several weeks at first to overcome some food aggression and to help him bond to me. As Rocket got better and better, we were able to start him on a strict exercise each time he met a new person which eventually was so successful that he no longer barks or growls at anyone! We even took Rocket to a large adoption event in the park where several hundred people came by to pet him! He really was the star of the show, but we didn't get a single application on him that day.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and we get a phone call regarding Rocket's petfinder posting (yeah petfinder!) This guy seems like a dream for Rocket. He doesn't have any other dogs (Rocket tolerates other dogs but really prefers to be on his own or with his person), likes to hike and camp and fish, and is looking for an active canine partner. We told him about Rocket's history and he came to visit. A looooonnngggg game of fetch later, and the deal was sealed. Rocket went home that day for a trial period and took all of three days before his new daddy called to say Rocket had found his forever home! He even bought Rocket a new pool to play with in the backyard and it was promptly christened by placing all his news toys into it as well!

Now, for the piece-de-resistance (insert french accent here). A recent death of their beloved pet lead another local couple to search petfinder. Not thinking they'd really find anybody that would immediately motivate them to call (their other dog passed away just Saturday), the couple found us and Oliver! They couldn't believe what they were reading when they saw a black lab/greyhound cross looking for a new home. Their other dog was of the same description! So, they called me right away and asked to see Ollie as soon as possible. I, of course was very excited. Especially since we've had Ollie since March and not a single person has ever expressed intrest in him! But, Ollie has a bad history with men and typically greets new people with a shy showing of his teeth. Not exactly the greatest first impression! But these people had it in their hearts to give him the benefit of the doubt and after a couple of treats, some kind words, and a walk, well what dog wouldn't fall in love? Ollie was hooked and so were they! He is now living with another older female dog, two cats, and some horses, donkeys, and llamas! He'll definately never hurt for friends again!

Now, while I'm very proud and excited to report this, it also has a bittersweet taste for me. When the dogs take such a long time to get placed, I get very attached to them Especially little Rocket. He took so much time and training and I truly belive had he stayed in the shelter he would have died. And he's just such an awesome dog! I really wish I could have kept him for myself :( I cried when Rocket left, and I still see him driving away, although his eyes were on the road ahead - as they should have been.

The furture of BDAR is unkown right now. We can no longer keep dogs on the same property, but do not have anywhere else to go. My wish is that my husband and I could buy our own property and live on it with the dogs. I still believe that will happen, but that day is still a long ways off. I can only keep one foster dog at a time (per husband restrictions, we have three of our own) in the house. I don't have any other foster parents. So, I'm excited for those that have been saved, but worried about what we can do to continue. Thanks for reading.

Britney