If you live anywhere in the Las Vegas area and are a dog lover I sure hope you managed to get to the Orleans Arena yesterday and attend this fundraising event hosted by the Animal Foundation. It was tremendous. But you ask - who were the winners. Well, some would say the winners are all the fur friends that got adopted yesterday. Still others would say that it is the Animals Foundation that won. After all, they ran a very successful event, raised money to help them with their continued efforts, and did a great job bringing attention not only to the plight of shelter pets, but also to the advantages and shear joy of adopting a shelter pet. So maybe the winners are actually all of the families that went home with a new four-legged family member at the end of the event! I guess everybody won.
But some of the dogs that actually received honors in the show may want me to give them their due publicity. So - here it goes. The Small Dog Category  Meet SLINKY. This 19 month old, red, long haired Dachshund took the title of Best in Group for the Small Dog Group.
|  This handsome young fellow was adopted at the end of the ceremonies and was able to go home with his new family.
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The Variety Pack Category 
Meet Georgia. This 5 month old, female, beautiful, brindle Dutch Shepherd walked away with the Best in Group title for the Variety Pack. Unfortunately I was not able to get a picture of her with her new family. But good job Georgia!
The Medium Dog Category  Nabu is a 6 month old, female, German Shepherd / Husky mix who had the honor of strutting away with the Best in Group title for the Medium Dog Category.
|  Nabu's day got even better when she received an even bigger award - her new family!
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The Large Dog Category How handsome are the two dogs below. No wonder the audience was simply split down the middle resulting in a tie for the honor of Best in Group for the Large Dog Category.  This is RUFUS! Great name. Rufus was presented as a Saint Bernard mix - which is clearly the correct description. But from my spot on the floor I was able to eavesdrop on many audience members. And I really has to laugh listening to them try to guess what the 'mix' might be.
|  LANUK is unbelievably handsome and this picture just doesn't do him justice! He's a one year old Siberian Husky with the most gorgeous markings and captivating eyes I've ever seen on a dog. Like I said - the audience just couldn't choose between these two - they tied for the honor.
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AND NOW - BEST IN SHOW 
OK - Rufus won Best in Show. How could he not? I mean - what an impressive animal. And like Nabu Rufus also won the hearts of a new family that day. See the pictures of Rufus and his people to the right.
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You might think awarding Best in Show AND having that dog find his new family would be both the highlight of and the end of the day - right? Wrong!
One of the many auctions of the day included the 'Pick of the Litter' title. The winner of this auction was able to choose any dog that has appeared in the show that day and take him home. Well, the bidding went on, and on and on. . . And I think it only stopped when everyone in the audience realized how desperately this young family wanted to win and how much their dad wanted to win it for them. The bidding stopped at $3,000.And the winner was . . .
None of the dogs that even placed in the group competitions. But instead, an adorable, little, 3 month old, terrier mix appropriately named Benji. So here's Benji with his new family.
UPDATED Feb 26: Zena has done very well with her recovery. And now that she is well enough to have been re-evaluated the shelter reports that she is approximately 8 years old - not as old as originally thought. But she is still looking for her home. If you are interested in adopting Zena please contact The Rescued Unwanted Furry Friends organization or email janice@911ruff.org. UPDATED Feb 19: Zena is recovering nicely from her surgery. She still needs a home that will take her in when she is well enough and RUFF Rescue desperately needs help to cover her medical bills and to care for the remaining dogs they are housing. If you can help please contact The Rescued Unwanted Furry Friends organization or email janice@911ruff.org. UPDATED Feb 15: Zena is ill and is at the vet undergoing x-rays and blood work. She has a kidney infection and may have pyometria. If so she will require surgery. Once again, RUFF Rescue has lost their funding and needs help to cover these bills. If you can help please contact The Rescued Unwanted Furry Friends organization or email janice@911ruff.org. UPDATED Feb 13: Zena is still looking for a rescue or family to take her in and continue her care. But RUFF reports that she is moving much better since getting the Rimadyl, has been wormed which has stopped the rectal bleeding, and is eating like a champ. But she still needs our help. Can anyone step up for this little lady? Original Post Feb 11, 2012 This beautiful purebred yellow lab was found lying on the side of the road in front of the Rescued Unwanted Furry Friends organizations facility. She couldn't get up and was bleeding from the rectum so they thought she'd been hit by a car. But apparently she was a dump job! They've named her Zena and have stated that she is 'very old' and has arthritis. She also has a great deal of hair loss from biting herself due to a flea allergy. Can anyone explain to me how someone could have a dog this long, let it get in this condition and then just dump it! And don't tell me finances. Because if that's the reason there are several ways to turn you pet over to a place or an organization that will give it the required care. Anyway -- the good people at 911RUFF gave her Rimadyl for the arthritis, cleaned her up, and cooked her some chicken and noodles just so she would eat. And she did! And she's moving a bit better now. She will probably need to stay on an arthritis medication such as Rimadyl and may need some other medical attention to deal with the flea allergies and resulting woulds. The Rescued Unwanted Furry Friends organization (aka: RUFF) happens to be the organization that I blogged about yesterday that is in danger of shutting down due to the lack of funding since the Gulf Oil Spill. They really did not need to have another needy dog dumped on them like this right now. We are desperately seeking a Senior Dog Rescue that can step in and help Zena get well and find a safe place to live out her remaining time. If you can help please contact janice@911ruff.org
Information and pictures courtesy of Pawsibilities of Missouri
Meet Lucky. His rescue and foster family nicknamed him "the perfect'dog.' He is a large, male, neutered Lab mix. He is one of the 10 Adoptable Dogs in Blue Springs, Mo who is desperately looking for a home. Hmmmm - so why is he so perfect. Well let's see. He's housebroken, obedient, gets along great with kids, dogs and cats, and is said to happily adapt to any situation. That means if you bring him home and pay a bit of attention to him he will probably be perfectly happy to be there. He is unlikely to go through much of the stress and confusion that some newly adopted pets go through. Can I guarantee that - NO - but chance are good. And even if he's just a little nervous for a day or two, he will settle in nicely.
What else might you like to know. Well, is very sweet and playful and loves car rides. He is current on all vaccinations, neutered, and currently on heartworm and flea preventative and is even micro-chipped. He has been fostered with 2 young kids and several dogs and has been fantastic! A foster favorite for sure!
These six Boston Terrier Puppy Mill Dogs were rescued from an Indiana Puppy Mill. Their medical bills are piling up and are huge! We have already put one female in Emergency Surgery due to a herniated uterus that was found to have a dead pup inside.
These six dogs have suffered severe neglect and abuse. The pictures are gut wrenching. The medical problems are severe, overwhelming and costly.
Please visit Friends of Homeless Animals to learn more and to d onate and help these neglected puppy mill dogs. Here is a little more information about each of them.  Chia could be a handsome little boy. Unfortunately he is suffering from numerous medical problems effecting his skin, hair, eyes, teeth and gums. He also has an irritated scrotum and mild interdigital irritation of one back paw. Recommended treatement for Chai includes oral antibiotics, dental cleaning, neuter and an Ophthalmologist consult. But his dental and eye problems will probably require significant medical treatment once completely diagnosed.
 Chamomile is a little girl with dry skin, mild hyperemia to her face, and moderate dental plaque. Not so bad - right. But she also has what we thought was a huge mammary tumor. Actually it is a inguinal hernia that her uterus has fallen through. The uterus appears to have a dead puppy in it, and she's in the beginning stages of pyometra. It is the vet's opinion we need to spay her and repair everything immediately. She goes into surgery tomorrow. Additional medical recomendations include oral antibiotics, anti inflammatory, fine needle aspirate with cytology, spay, dental, mass removal with or without histopath.
 Meet 'Earl Gray.' Somehow this name fits him. Earl Gray has dry and unkempt hair with mild flaking, alopecia and crusting. He also has mild facial hyperemia and other skin issues. He also siffers from severe dental plaque and gum recession causing severe oral odor, not to mention likely pain! His additional problems include mild irritation to the scrotum, prostate enlargement and mild anal enlargement due to chronic irritation. Recommended treatments include neutering, oral antibiotics and dental cleaning.
 Ginger suffers from a dry and unkempt coat, multiple areas of focal alopecia, mild hyperemia to her face, and an eyelid tumor on the right lower lid. Like most dogs that have not had proper care she also suffers from dental plaque. But the most overwhelming and obvious condition for this poor little girl is the presence of multiple pendulous mammary teats, some enlarged and firm (mastitis or mammary carcinoma or chronic irritation). You think maybe she's been over-bred? Recommend treatments include oral antibiotics and anti-inflammatory, possible fine needle aspirate of mammary chain, spay.
 Ginsing is a beautiful little girl for one who has had no love and tremendous suffering in life. She suffers from dry skin, mild hyperemia to her face and multiple "ring like" areas of alopecia. She also has thickening of both front pads (likely achronic irritation) and a skin tag on the right thigh. She has a mild mucus discharge of the right eye and moderate to severe plaque with moderate gum recession to molars and premolars. Her jaw is unbalanced and tilted down and to right. Pendulous teats and multiple teats enlarged and firm (mastitis, carcinoma or irritation). Fungal culture started 1/22/12. Recommended treatments include oral antibiotics, anti inflammatory, fine needle aspirate of mammary chain, spay and ringworm treatment.
 Thai is a pretty good lookin fella! And right now his problems don't seem as serious as some of the other recent rescuees! But he still needs out help. He does have dry skin, alopecia on his rump, a mild irritation on his back right paw and moderate dental plaque. Most of his teeth are ground down and all four canines have pulp exposure. OMG - that's painful! And like the other boys has a mild cutaneous irritation to the scrotum. Recommended treatments include oral antibiotics, dental and neuter.
These precious dogs will be in medical care to correct the horrible neglect their owner inflected on them. The medical care is just the beginning for these wonderful dogs. They still have to learn how to trust people again and rehabilitate into being family dogs.
At the risk of repeating myself Please visit Friends of Homeless Animals to learn more and to donate toward helping these neglected puppy mill dogs.
Looking for a new pet? Adopt - don't shop!!! The Animal Foundation has hundreds of dogs looking for new homes. Stop by - one of them is sure to choose you! Here are just a few. This Sunday, January 29, 2012 the Animal Foundation will host an adoption event at Tivoli Village between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM. These adoptable dogs will be located outside of the Dog House and Land Rover store. The dogs are coming out of their kennels and heading to Tivoli Village in search of new homes. Join us at The Dog House and Land Rover store locations to meet your new best friend. All dogs are already spayed/neutered, microchipped and vaccinated, and will be sent home with a starter bag of pet food and a voucher for a complimentary wellness exam. Not in the market for a new family member? That’s ok! Stop by to learn about The Animal Foundation and get your free Jamba Juice or Coffee Bean gift certificate! If you’d like to preview some of the adoptable dogs visit The Animal Foundation website or click on the slie show in this article. Not all dogs seen in these pictures will be available at the adoption event. So if you see one that’s calling you call (702) 384-3333 Ext: 131 or visit the Animal Foundation at 655 North Mojave Road, Las Vegas, NV. Tivoli Village is located at: 440 South Rampart Las Vegas, NV 89145
The following description was submitted by Ellie’s current owner.
Ellie is a pedigreed, spayed, female Cairn Terrier who is looking for a new home. She will be three years old on February 07, 2012. Her owner can no longer care for her simply due to a change in his living situation. She is currently located in Huntington Beach, CA but transport may be possible.
Ellie is potty trained. She stays in her crate while I'm away at work or school. At night she sleeps with me on my bed or in her own little bed. She is playful and good with small dogs and/or dogs with a calmer energy (she is a high energy dog).
She was bitten by a larger dog this past October so she is anxious around larger aggressive dogs. I use a Thundershirt to help with her anxiety. Since her attack we have continued to go to the dog beach on the weekends where she can socialize with other dogs and chase sea gulls. I can't let her off the leash as she does not come back, although it is easier to put her leash back on when we're at the dog park or in a small yard.
Ellie does not like certain sounds for some reason (I noticed that it started after the attack): skateboards, razor scooters (she calms down when kids stop riding to pet her), cars driving by when it's raining, and the vacuum cleaner.
She loves to play with kids. She likes to play fetch inside the house (soft toys and balls). She also likes to chase empty soda bottles on the floor. Ellie is a bit of a barker when she hears noises outside the apartment (generally when I'm home with her.) She does not bark at night or when I'm away at work. If she does bark at night, it's usually because she's anxious and when I put the Thundershirt on her, she mellows out.
Ellie is a great companion and I'm deeply saddened that I'm in a situation where I have to find another home for her. I would like the lucky family who adopts her to know that if ever at some point they cannot keep her themselves, to please contact me right away and I will gladly try to either find another home or if I'm in a better place I can keep her.
If you are interested in adopting Ellie please call Sunil at 949-922-1683 or email sn1311@gmail.com
At least I think I'm a Chug. But you can look through all the Pug Mixes and decide for yourself. Hi, I'm Junebug. I'm an adorable and super sweet small pug mix (we think I am mixed with chihuahua, making me a "Chug.") I'm only about two years old and I'm looking for the right home. I'm very very scared of men, so I would prefer a female only home. I also like to be the queen bee of the house, so while I'd do ok with a laid back male dog, I'd prefer being the only child. I'm located in the Las Vegas, NV area.
For more information on how to adopt Junebug, please visit www.rescuepugs.com, call 702-883-0740, or email info@rescuepugs.com.
All of these beautiful 1 and 2 month old puppies are scheduled to be euthanized tomorrow. How can we let this happen? They shouldn't even have been taken from their litters yet. And they should have a chance to have a life.
They are all located at the Columbus, GA Animal Control. Adoption fees range from $25.00 to $75.00 for puppies which includes spay / neuter and micro chipping.
Licensed rescues can pull for free.
Can we save these babies.
Please click on each photo for the details about each puppy.
A Guest Blog Submitted by Timmy's Mom, Karen
I had known for quite a while that I needed a pet. I had been alone and wanted a dog to love--a dog that especially needed to be loved, perhaps more than most. I believed it would be best to adopt a dog from one of the local shelters. During a lunch break at work one day I was browsing online, not particularly looking for a dog that day but somehow, suddenly, staring back at me on the computer screen was the face of a dog. I immediately knew this was my dog! He was a light reddish color with floppy ears, a terrier mix of some sort and they had named him Lil Pete. He wore a little red bandana around his neck. His story was a sad one. I read that he was 9-10 years old and recently had been rescued from a kill shelter. His life had been spared, but the only life he had known was one of terrible abuse and neglect. Well, Lil Pete, all that is changing today! You have yourself a home where all you will know is gentle love and kindness. Never again will you be mistreated. I called the shelter immediately to inquire as to his availability. Yes, Lil Pete was still there and he was available. It was still early enough in my lunch hour to make a hurried trip to the shelter to see Lil Pete. Rather than inquire as to his kennel location, I wanted to find him myself. I searched rows and rows of kennels, finally discovering the small dog rows and there was Lil Pete! He was lying on the concrete floor, head on his paws. I spoke to him to get his attention. He wouldn't look up. I tried again, telling him he was leaving this place and we would be best friends forever. Sadly, Lil Pete never moved or looked up at me. He was the saddest dog I had ever seen. Other dogs in the kennels bark and jump and at least look at you, but not this one. Not Lil Pete. I told him I would be back to take him home and went to the adoption window to tell them I would adopt Lil Pete. Since my lunch hour was almost over I had to return to work. They would be closed when I got off work so I would have to wait until the next day at lunch to take Lil Pete. That evening I visited the local pet supply store and bought a collar, leash, doggy clean-up bags, treats, toys, food bowls, and a new blue camouflage print bandana. Despite my employer's disgruntlement, I took the afternoon off on the following day so I could adopt Lil Pete and spend time with him. I excitedly drove back to the shelter, went through the adoption process, paid the fee, and Lil Pete was brought out from his kennel to me. "Don't let him near your face," I was told. "He may try to bite." We took off the red bandana and put on the new blue one. I took him in my arms and asked if they would please take a picture as this adoption might someday make a good story. They took the picture and I left with a little dog in my arms who immediately got his new name. "Come on, Timmy. We're going home." Timmy trembled for the entire 30-minute drive home. He was terrified. He sat on the console between the front seats facing backwards, his head tucked under my arm. I spoke gently to him and stoked him as lovingly as I could. "It's ok now, Timmy. You will see. It's ok now. You are safe." This October Timmy and I have been together for three years. He never once tried to bite me. He has learned he no longer has to flinch when I reach down to pet him. He doesn't have to panic any more when he hears footsteps behind him or when he sees a broom. Timmy is still a very shy dog, but he has come to a level of trust he never had before. It has been a growing relationship that is still growing. He is becoming more willing to accept strangers. Best of all, Timmy has learned that he is lovable. I don't think there is anything more valuable than that in this life. "Let's go, Timmy!" You can also visit Timmy on his You Tube Channel.
I've been adopting dogs for almost 20 years. And shortly, as in a few weeks after we got the first one, a pug, we realized we needed a second dog, another pug. After that it just snowballed. We quickly got up to five dogs, then down to four, then up to five, and so on and so on . . .
 So it's been a long time since I've had only one dog. And sadly, it happened this spring when our beloved Mya passed just days shy of her thirteenth birthday. She was an incredibly athletic, intelligent, loving and funny Boston Terrier.
Mya, April 1998 - March 2011
 That left almost four year old Rocky, also a Boston Terrier, behind as an only child. Although it quickly became obvious that he wanted a playmate, I wanted to take some time to grieve before I got another dog. And I knew we were moving from New Jersey to Nevada just a couple of months later.
Oh - yes he is the a Avi on my twitter account and also the muddy puppy pictured at the top of this page!
Shortly after we settled in I started tweeting, contacting rescues and visiting shelters to make it well known I was looking to adopt a Boston Terrier in need. And I was willing to take one that might be hard to adopt due to age, medical or even behavior problems (although Bostons never misbehave)!
 Finally, after several weeks, I got the call. This is Curtis. He was at a shelter in Santa Barbara, CA. He was believed to be between 6 - 8 years old, his owner had died, and no one in the family could take him. So I took a six hour drive to go meet Curtis. Since I knew I was going to bring him home with me no matter what, I didn't bring Rocky with me for that first meeting. If there was going to be an issue between them I didn't want to have to deal with on the six hour return trip! Curtis turned out to be a real love. He's clearly not a full Boston Terrier but that's OK! He basically looks like one, although he's about 30 pounds as compared to Rocky's 15 pounds. His ears are a bit floppy and he has a tail that's about 4 inches long. But, most importantly, he thinks and acts like a Boston Terrier. From left to right the pictures below depict the first evening together. - The Introductory Sniff
- The rest period on opposite sofas
- Cautiously or unknowingly getting closer
- OOPS - they noticed each other
Ahhh - but then it was bedtime! So I went to my room to crawl into bed and they both followed me. And they both hopped in! But for that first night I was the barrier between them.
But the next morning they seemed perfectly comfortable playing together. I was so happy, and so, it seemed, were they!
First, there was the chase. Then the inevitable tug-o-war.
And ever since then every nap time looks something like this. Whether it's in the living room (yes - there are 2 dogs on that sofa), on the patio, or lounging in the sun.
I've always kept several dog beds under and near my desk so all my dogs could hang out there when I'm busy. But it seems these 2 guys are going to make me change that. I only need one bed now - but it needs to be a bigger one!
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