Etiquette Classes Exclusively for Bully Breeds

Treat ’em Right Rescue is hosting a series of good manners classes specifically designed for bully breeds–AmStaffs, pits, English and American bulldogs, bull terriers and mixes of those types of breeds. Classes start February 4, 2010, at 7:00 p.m. and will be held every Thursday night. And the best part?! It’s only 5 bucks per class! Best value in the city!

Register online and see the gear you need to bring.

Proof that Shelter Dogs Rule

Here I am, sitting in front of my computer researching. Researching any possible opportunity for my shelter foster dog, Raleigh. She’s a wonderful house dog and fun companion—that is until you introduce a cat, go on a walk or see a squirrel. Then she becomes a tornadic terror. Yeah, she has an issue or two. But one on one—what a great dog.

So I’m belaboring this problem and the possible solutions and I came across this wonderful story about shelter dogs and people dedicated to them. I think I’ll stop bitching about Raleigh for a while.

Meet this Gorgeous Purebred Lab, Elliot

Take a look at Elliot. This gorgeous purebred Labrador retriever arrived at BARC on New Years Day. His characteristics scream lab—friendly, active, loves to fetch, silly. I spent about 30 minutes with him Sunday taking photos and getting to know him so he could be marketed in this week’s BARC Starz email that features highly adoptable dogs. Lab rescue was also working to try to spring him from the shelter. Options—a lot more options than some shelter dogs have.

Isn’t he great? Don’t you think there’s a family out there who would just adore such a smart, attractive boy?

Oh, I failed to mention. He’s dead. That’s right. Twenty-four hours after receiving confirmation from Dr. O, the head vet at BARC, that Elliot would be ready and available to be featured in BARC Starz, she euthanized him due to “illness.” I spent half an hour with this dog two days ago. Firm stool, no coughing or sneezing, no injuries. In addition, this dog was fully vaccinated on intake and heartworm negative. So why, exactly, did Elliot have to die, Dr. O? Unfortunately, she has yet to provide a response.

Houston Pound’s Head Vet Was Suspended in NJ

One more bit of proof that Houston’s City Pound, BARC, is truly a disaster.

BARC’s head vet, “Dr.” Eunice Ohashiegbula-Iwunze (Eunice Ohashiegbula-Ozuzu), had her vet license suspended in New Jersey after she provided poor care that lead to the death of three dogs in 2003-2004. Oh, and she failed to mention it on her employment app with BARC. Apparently, a couple of years before, she also received a fine associated with poor care and poor record keeping.

Houston, the fourth largest City in the country, and this is the best we can do? How many times have I asked myself that very question when thinking about BARC?! Yeah, it’s a lousy job. But it’s also a job where you have a chance to make a difference and bring an ailing and backward program into the current century. It’s an opportunity to be a hero, a leader, a forward thinker. But the City of Houston hires an incompetent butcher and two-time loser? Houston animals and Houston tax payers deserve better.

Willow Needs Your Help

 

Help Willow with her Vet Bills

This sweetie is Willow, rottweiler puppy rescued from BARC, Houston animal control/City pound, at the end of July after all of her litter mates were euthanized.

Willow has spent her very short life in and out of a shelter, foster homes, and vet clinics. One minute is seems like she’s fine, the next she’s in an oxygen tent fighting for her life. Rottilove Rescue is footing the bill while vets try to do their best to make her healthy. Willow has pneumonia and an oxygen block in her lungs. This is a photo I took of her the day she was sprung from a certain death from the shelter.

The bills have really stacked up for the small, underfunded Rottweiler rescue group. They could use some help with Willow’s treatment. Bills for this little pup will exceed $1000. I’ve pitched in $100 and will try to do another $100 in September.

No amount is too small. Seriously, $5 can help! Donations can be sent to:
Rottilove Rescue, Inc.
175 Fawn Ridge Rd.
Cedar Creek, TX 78612
Include a note that your donation is for Willow. Rottilove is a 501c3 non-profit organization and all donations are tax deductible.

 

Willow in an Oxygen Tank

Don’t let funding get in the way of this little pound puppy having the life she deserves.

O Happy Day for Mel

I’m so happy! Melbourne, my Australian Cattle Dog foster, has officially been adopted. There ended up being several people interested in him but the final choice was pretty obvious. Mel’s new Dad is a very nice guy who had a heeler for 15 years. Man and dog bonded almost immediately. Mel will live in the city but will spend weekends in the country on several acres with cattle. Mel the cow dog will get a chance to see cows! The adopter is willing to continue to work with Mel on obedience and socialization and seems to be a very committed owner. I couldn’t be more thrilled. I hope there will be many happy days ahead for Mel. He has been through a lot and he deserves a happy and fun-filled life.

Update on the Heeler Pups

I have two minutes to breathe and write an update about the pups. It’s been almost two weeks since I pulled them from BARC. They were stinky dirty, flea infested and had big wormy bellies. After a bath, three vet visits and one trip to a compounding pharmacy, I think they’re going to make it!

Their names are Sydney, Ranger and Shiner. They all had diarrhea which was diagnosed as coccidiosis. They were also sneezing which seems to have just been an upper respiratory thing and nothing more serious. Sydney also had a urine burn on her tummy from laying in a dirty kennel at BARC. I got them dewormed and on appropriate meds for their ailments. Now they’re active and bouncy and playful. Eat and play, eat and play.

I set up their area in a different spot than last time I fostered pups. Last time I fostered pups, I set them up in the laundry area by the back door. There was always a lot of activity and just getting in and out of the house without creating a commotion was difficult. These guys are upstairs in the spare room. I set up two crates side by side sitting on top of the plastic carpet runner stuff. I have a big covered trash can for all of the newspaper they’re going through. I also have separate bins for food, cleaning products, toys and clean newspaper. It’s all very organized. I can transfer them to the clean crate while I clean the dirty one. Plus they have a good sized area where they can tear around and wrestle and climb on me.

Friends and neighbors have been kind enough to reroute their newspapers from their recycle bin to me. I’m sure the free publications in the area appreciate that since before I’d just lift those.

I’m going to try to get some photos of them this weekend if they’ll hold still long enough. They go back to the vet tomorrow for boosters. So far, so good. And my sanity is still intact, for now.

It’s Official. I’m Crazy.

I must have been out of my mind Sunday when I decided to pull the 3 heeler pups to foster. I just couldn’t stand the idea of them getting sick and dying at BARC. So they’re home with me.

They’ve been cleaned up and I’ve taken them to my own vet. They have sniffles, but are in generally good shape. They’re on a couple of different meds. I’m getting some excellent advice from people who have a LOT of experience with sick BARC puppies which is helpful for a novice like me. I’m keeping a very close eye on them. I don’t want anything to happen to these babies!

There are two males and a female. I call the female Sydney. The males are Ranger and Shiner. More to come.

Pups Abandoned at Park Need Your Help

A litter of Australian Cattle Dogs/heelers were recently dumped in a Houston park and were taken to BARC. Three of the litter of six are still at BARC awaiting adoption. Pups do not do well in shelters. They get sick and die. Sad, but true.

Adopt one of these abandoned pups

These guys have had a rough start that they did not deserve. You can help by adopting or fostering one of these cuties. Or even passing the word to your friends can help. Let’s get them out of the shelter this weekend. Here’s BARC’s info:

BARC (Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care–Houston animal control)
3200 Carr
Houston, TX 77026
M – F 11:30am – 5:30pm
S & S noon – 4:00pm

Australian Cattle Dog/Heeler Needs a Home

Mel the Australian Cattle Dog is Looking for a Home

A couple of months ago I wrote about 2 Australian Cattle Dogs I was trying to get out of Houston Animal Control. The female was adopted. I lined up the male to be transported to a humane society in Canada for adoption. I went to BARC to pick him up and realized he’d never been tested for heartworms. The vet tech said testing had been attempted several times but the dog always resisted. I figured they were probably man-handling him plus the stress of the shelter situation. Anyway, the vet tech tells me since the dog has issues with restraint he’s unadoptable and would be euthanized and I couldn’t pull him. Luckily, the volunteer coordinator stepped in and I was able to take him.

So I loaded the dog in the car and asked myself–“What now?!” I called my vet as I drove and told them the situation. He was so stressed that they did have to sedate him to do the heartworm test. He tested high positive for heartworms. While he was knocked out, I asked my vet to neuter him. For the second time within about an hour I asked myself “What now?!” And to top it off, I was about to leave town for several days.

I call him Melbourne, Mel for short. I kenneled him at my vet until I came back. I then lined up a longer term kennel that frequently helps BARC rescues. I started his heartworm treatment at PetCare Express. He needed three shots–#1 followed by 30 days of rest then shot #2. Shot #3 came 24 hours later followed by another 30 days of rest. Mel was a trooper and did really well. He just finished up his 60 days of rest.

Mel is still living in the kennel. I can’t bring him home because Scout is still recovering from her ACL surgery (a long story for another post). On Saturdays, I pick him up and we go out exploring. We went to the dog park this weekend and he was fabulous. He was mostly interested in sticking close to me, but interacted appropriately with the other dogs. After several hours of dog parking, walking, riding and hanging out, we ended his outing with two plain McD’s burgers. Happy dog.

I’d still like to try to get him into breed rescue, but there isn’t one in Texas. I have him listed on an ACD forum that has been very helpful. I’ll keep trying. I have him posted on Petfinder and on his own site, AdoptThatDog.com where you can read more about him. He’s such an awesome dog.