“Angels Herald” Newsletter - November, 2013 Issue
An “Angel” Is Forever Home! ~ Adoption Success Stories of Angels’ Rescues ~ Our Angels Adoption Success Story this month comes to us from Julie and Scott Renner, who adopted “Samara” from Angels Among Us. When Samara came to Angels as just another “Georgia Brown Dog”, she sat at the vet’s office for weeks, extremely skinny and depressed – she literally stopped eating, refusing juicy burgers brought to her. After being fostered, she slowly got better. Here is the story of Samara’s journey home. “Since my daughter, Annie, couldn’t remember Samara’s name, she became “Sammie Jo Pickles” the first moment she came home with us. We cannot put into words how much we adore her, but I’ll try! Sweet Sammie Jo follows me through the day, and gently noses me in the back of my leg as her way of reminding me she’s always with me. My kids are crazy about her! She stays in the yard in the afternoons “watching” over them as they play. If she wanders into the next yard, a quiet calling of her name brings her right back. She faithfully meets the kids each day at the school bus stop, eager to greet them as they hop off the bus. Sammie Jo usually has a toy in her mouth, hoping someone will play with her a bit. She waits until the last one in our home goes to bed before going to lie down in her own soft bed for the night. During the day when the children and I are home, sweet Sammie Jo is “on guard” as the one in charge of the safety of her humans. At night, after Scott comes home, Sammie Jo senses she can “relax” and just be our wonderful pet and companion, knowing Scott is now on duty and she can just be our lovable dog. When my son Ashton came home from school last weekend, Sammie Jo literally bowled him over, pinning him down so she could lick him to her heart’s content! When this girl loves you, she holds nothing back! Our daughter said last night when she leaves for school next year, it will be hardest to leave me and Sammie Jo behind. We know, Camie - it will be very hard for us, too, but with Sammie Jo at my side, we’ll make it!”
Thank you, Renner family, for Adopting a rescued pet! We are so thankful SAMMIE JO can now stand at her forever doorway, look back at her Angels family and say,
“Thank you for everything! I’m home now!” “Angels Herald” Newsletter - November, 2013 Issue
Angels’ Featured Dog for October: SAYLOR! Meet "Saylor", a beautiful purebred Pekinese female who is 6-7 years old and weighs 16 pounds. Saylor is fully vetted, up-to-date on all her shots, is micro-chipped and ready to find her new home and family. Do not be fooled by her age - after all, when it comes to her breed, age is just a "number", and little Saylor sure doesn't act her age! Pekes, as folks like to call them, often live long, wonderful lives and Miss Saylor has plenty of them left to live with her humans, thanks to Angels! This adorable girl is the picture of health now; however, it wasn't always the case. Like so many who are taken in, saved by Angels Among Us Pet Rescue, Saylor came to them very sick and in horrific pain! Once the vets were able to assess her physical condition, it was determined that this girl was suffering from huge bladder stones and had to go through emergency surgery to get her health emergency taken care of and to get Saylor back on the road to being healthy. Saylor is completely housebroken and is smart enough to use potty pads indoors if she needs to! She likes being around cats, kittens; however, this girl isn't so fond of having another doggie in the home and family! She prefers to be your "one and only" canine baby and loves nothing better than being in your lap, or beside you on the couch or in bed. True to her breed who were the favorites of Chinese emperors for thousands of years, Saylor adores having human companionship and will make a true "best friend" to the lucky human(s) who adopts this girl! Saylor adores playing with and chasing her tennis balls, which happen to be her favorite toy! She also loves doing tricks for her person! This adorable fluffy companion is a "talker", and she is very "vocal" when "talking" with her humans. She likes to go on walks, and adores riding in the car. She is the perfect little companion for someone looking for a furry friend to be at their side! The ideal home for little Saylor would be one that is considered a "quiet" home and easy life. Since she's a smaller dog, loud unpredictable noises tend to scare her. She's fine with kitties, but needs a home where she is the only doggie. She also is so intelligent and tuned in to her humans, she would need to have someone who is either retired, works from home, or a stayat-home owner. A fenced-in yard would be ideal but isn't totally necessary, as long as she is taken out on-leash and not allowed to roam around on her own. If you would like to meet Saylor, or would like to know more about her, you may contact Angels Among Us by sending an email to Inquiry@angelsrescue.org
“Angels Herald” Newsletter - November, 2013 Issue
Tips for Dog Owners This Upcoming Holiday Season Victoria Stilwell, www.Positively.com Reprinted with permission from www.weather.com
Many of us would like our canine family members to share in our holiday festivities, but sometimes all the excitement and food can cause even normally calm dogs to jump up on people or steal from the table, and cause pet parents no end of frustration. Fortunately, Victoria Stilwell, host of Animal Planet's "It's Me or the Dog", was kind enough to share advice and training tips on how to handle these problem behaviors using positive reinforcement. There are several techniques Ms. Stilwell recommends for handling dogs that get over-excited when people come over. For some dogs, she says that you can simply put them away for a short while in a separate room, or behind a gate, until the initial excitement wears off and the dog calms down. However, some dogs just never seem to reach that calming down phase, and continue to jump on guests or engage in other unacceptable behaviors. For these dogs, Ms. Stilwell recommends teaching the dog what she calls a "ritual behavior". This consists of teaching dogs to go to a certain place, such as a mat or a dog bed, and remain there until given the release command. While this sounded a bit daunting to layman like myself, once Ms. Stilwell explained it, I realized it was much less complicated than I thought at first blush. First, start teaching your dog well before the holiday. Train your dog to go the designated place, and reward the dog with toys or treats. A big part of the training is making this a positive experience for your dog. Once the dog understands where his or her "place" is, then start adding the sound of the doorbell. The dog will naturally become excited by this, expecting someone to be at the door. Do not do anything at all until the dog calms down. Once the dog is calm, open the door and the dog will see no one is there. As Ms. Stilwell explained, "Now the doorbell is not necessarily a precursor to someone coming to the door." When the dog is responding well to sound of the doorbell, add someone on the other side of the door, preferably someone the dog already knows, and continue to train the dog to go to his or her place. With this training, you are giving your dog something else to do, another behavior to focus on besides charging the door and demanding affection from new arrivals. Engaging your dog in other activities doesn't just stop at the door. "Give your dog something else to do while people are there, such as a rubber toy stuffed with food. “Angels Herald� Newsletter - November, 2013 Issue
By giving your dog some kind of interactive toy, it directs the dog's energy onto something positive," says Ms. Stilwell. She recommends Kong toys as a good way to keep canines happy during the festivities. And the inevitable stealing of unattended food…is it really inevitable? Not according to Ms. Stilwell. "Dogs are opportunists. The dog must be in another room. Don't put temptation in the dog’s way. You should really be good when you put the food out. Teach dogs to stay behind an imaginary line while people are eating, such as in another room. Make that place a good positive place with their toys and food." She also said putting up a baby gate is a good alternative. If that is not feasible, try the tether method which consists of attaching the dog to a responsible adult with a leash. For dog owners who are expecting guests, she gives the following tips:
Tell your guests to give your dog space. Bite incidences increase around holidays, especially with children. You have to be really aware of kids and dogs together. Protect children from the dog and vice versa.
Give your dog a walk in the morning to burn off excess energy.
Give dogs a place to escape to, such as their crate or a room they are comfortable in. It can be over-stimulating to have so many people there.
If you have a nervous dog, or a dog with a bite history, definitely separate them from guests. Take pressure off of the dog, and keep people safe, by having the dog in his or her own place in a room away from the action. You cannot supervise the dog 100% of the time. It is kinder for the dog and safer for guests.
Children under the age of 12 are most likely to be bitten. Don't take a chance. Teach children what to do around the dog. Remember, most dogs don't bite because they are mean, they bite because we do not read the signals they send us.
Here are Ms. Stilwell's recommendations for guests of dog owners:
Ignore the dog when you first arrive. Wait for the dog to settle down.
Dogs need space. Always ask if it’s ok to pet the dog, and then wait for the dog to come to you. If the dog walks away, do not follow.
Pet the dog on the back to start.
If you are worried about the dog, become boring. Put your arms in your front of you and don't move - "be a tree".
Tell children if they are afraid of the dog, to tell an adult. Kids should also do this on play dates. Tell them not be afraid to tell the owner if a dog is making them nervous. “Angels Herald” Newsletter - November, 2013 Issue
Angels’ Featured Cat for October: Sapphire! Meet this precious jewel of a young lady named "Sapphire"! She is a black and white Tuxedo-mix, medium hair beauty who is 13 months old and weighs 8 pounds. This gorgeous kitty is spayed, completely litter box-trained, is micro chipped and is up-to-date on all her vetting and shots. "Sapphy", as her foster family call her, is ready to find her furever home and family through Angels Among Us Pet Rescue. Sweet Sapphy is good with humans, cats and adolescents. She has a habit of sometimes nipping her humans when she's really just being extremely affectionate. It isn't aggression or attacking, she just loves to give "love nips" as her foster mom calls it because she's so happy. Sapphire and her sister, Mercedes, were found as strays and rescued by Angels Among Us at the age of 5 months. There were extremely timid at first but due to the love and patience of their fosters, have become very well socialized and wonderful companions. This fluffy girl loves to play with her toys and literally carries them around the house with her. She is what we term "adorably quirky" and totally loves chasing laser pointers! When not chasing around and playing, Sapphire also loves to stop, rest and take those wonderful moments bathing herself in the sunlight. She's not a big "meow-er", choosing instead to be totally adorable with her “trills and squeaks” as she communicates with her humans and other fosters. Ideally, Angels would love to see Sapphire and her sister, Mercedes, adopted together, but as long as Sapphire has another cat to keep her company and play with her, she would be happy. Sapphy also would love a home that isn't extremely loud and boisterous with lots of smaller children. She would also appreciate having a family who didn't require her to be a lap cat but rather, a family who would enjoy having some "mutual admiration" time and would also be understanding if she got a bit too excited and carried away in her loving of them that resulted in a "love nip". If you'd like to learn more about Sapphire (or Mercedes), or would be interested in speaking with someone about her, you may contact Angels Among Us - Cats Team by email to cats@angelsrescue.org. Also, please visit their Facebook page, at www.facebook.com/angelsrescue.cats. “Angels Herald” Newsletter - November, 2013 Issue
A Very Special “Angel” ~ Stories that Touch Your Heart & Soul ~ Patton is one of the most memorable dogs you’ll ever be lucky enough to have cross your life’s path! He was one of five (5) Golden Retriever mixes rescued on Memorial Day weekend in 2013. They came from a horrific “hoarding” case where a man turned them into animal control, guilty about his horrible treatment of Patton and his “pack”! You see, there were actually 15 dogs who were kept inside a locked room in his house, beaten and abused quite often, and our hero “Patton” (named after General George Patton), would literally stand his ground in front of all his pack members, protecting them, while willingly taking the physical beating himself that came from an electrical cord (if you look closely in the photos, you can see the scars left by the plug at the end of the cord repeatedly hitting him hard on his face and his muzzle) rather than have his pack members harmed. WHAT A HERO he became to all of them, and is now to all of us! All five dogs saved by Angels Rescue that weekend were adopted….except poor Patton. The one who had suffered the most was the last one left behind. So many days passed, with him being fostered in several homes, finally winding up in boarding – sad, alone, wondering when his time would finally come to have a real home. Well, the great news is that Patton’s wish and prayers were finally granted – he was lovingly adopted by Tara Brooks (seen in the pictures here with Patton)! She fell totally and deeply in love with him, and him with her! She renamed him “LUCAS”, and we couldn’t ask for a better, more loving, understanding forever home for our hero! We love you, Lucas, and are overjoyed that you now have your very own human to love, adore and watch over YOU now! We’re so happy your dreams came true and that you are safe, and will be loved forever! “Angels Herald” Newsletter - November, 2013 Issue
“Angels Herald” Newsletter - November, 2013 Issue
Special Thanks To Our Angels Supporters! Anne Clarke, Director of Angels “Events” Team
A very special “Thank You” goes to our friends at the Keller Williams Intown Agency for their donation of $2,400 to Angels Among Us Pet Rescue which was raised at the “Red Submarine” event, fundraiser held at Park Tavern in Atlanta. Way to go, Keller Williams! Pictured on the left are Sara Lee Parker of Keller Williams and our own Anne Clarke from Angels Among Us Pet Rescue.
Angels Among Us Pet Rescue would also like to say a very special “Thank You” to Henry’s Midtown Tavern for allowing Angels Among Us Pet Rescue to be one of the featured charities at their New Deck event! Over 800 people showed up to support animal rescue and Henry’s awarded Angels for their work by giving them a check for $2,000! We thank them for their partnership and support!
“Angels Herald” Newsletter - November, 2013 Issue
Why Supervising Dogs and Kids Doesn’t Work ~ Courtesy of Robin Bennett, www.robinkbennett.com ~ Its sound advice given frequently: Supervise your dogs and kids while they are together. Breeders warn parents, “Don’t leave the dog alone with children, no matter how friendly the breed.” Veterinarians advise, “Never leave a dog and a child in the same room together.” Dog trainers explain, “All dogs can bite so supervise your dog when you have children over.” Everyone knows the drill. So why doesn’t it work? Why are there an estimated 800,000 Americans seeking medical attention for dog bites each year, with over half of these injuries to children ages 5-9?
Note the good intentions of the kids. Note the closed mouth and half-moon eye of the dog. Intervene.
The bites are not a result of negligent parents leaving Fido to care for the baby while mom does household chores, oblivious to the needs of her children. In fact, I’ve consulted on hundreds of dog bite cases and 95% of the time, the parent was standing within 3 feet of the child, watching both child and dog when the child was bitten. Parents are supervising. The problem is not lack of supervision - the problem is no one has taught parents what they should be watching for. Parents generally have not received any education on what constitutes good dog body language and what constitutes an emergency between the dog and the child. Parents generally have no understanding of the predictable series of canine body cues that would indicate a dog might bite. And complicating matters further, most parents get confused by the good intentions of the child and fail to see when a dog is exhibiting signs of stress. The good news is all of this is easy to learn! We can all get better at this.
“Angels Herald” Newsletter - November, 2013 Issue
Here is a simple list to help you improve your supervision skills: Watch for loose canine body language. Good dog body language is loose, relaxed, and wiggly. Look for curves in your dog’s body when he is around a child. Stiffening and freezing in a dog are not good. If you see your dog tighten his body, or if he moves from panting to holding his breath (he stops panting), you should intervene. These are early signs that your dog is not comfortable. Watch for inappropriate human behavior. Intervene if your child climbs on or attempts to ride your dog. Intervene if your child pulls the ears, yanks the tail, lifts the jowls or otherwise pokes and prods the dog. Don’t marvel that your dog has the patience of Job if he is willing to tolerate these antics. And please don’t videotape it for YouTube! Be thankful your dog has good bite inhibition and intervene before it’s too late! Watch for these 3 really “easy to see” stress signals in your dog. All of them indicate you should intervene, separate the child and dog: Yawning outside the context of waking up Half-moon eye: this means you can see the whites of the outer edges of your dog’s eyes. Lip-licking outside the context of eating food Watch for avoidance behaviors. If your dog moves away from a child, intervene to prevent the child from following the dog. A dog that chooses to move away is making a great choice. He’s saying, “I don’t really want to be bothered, so I’ll go away.” However, when you fail to support his great choice and allow your child to continue to follow him, it’s likely the dog’s next choice will be, “Since I can’t get away, I’ll growl or snap at this kid to get the child to move away.” Please don’t cause your dog to make that choice. Listen for growling. I can’t believe how many times I’ve heard parents say, “Oh, he/she growled all the time but we never thought he would bite.” Dog behavior, including aggression, is on a continuum. For dogs, growling is an early warning sign of aggression. Heed it. If growling doesn’t work, the dog may escalate to snapping or biting. Growling is a clue you should intervene between the dog and the child. To pet owners, particularly those who also have children, thank you for supervising your dog! As a dog trainer and mother of two, I know that juggling kids and dogs is no easy feat. It takes patience, understanding, and a great deal of supervision. I hope these tips will help you get better at supervising. “Angels Herald” Newsletter - November, 2013 Issue
Upcoming Events, Special Promotions For the month of November, please make your plans to join us at the many Adoptions, Special Promotions, and Fundraising Events scheduled this month. Fundraisers and Adoption Opportunities are all supported and staffed by Angels Among Us Pet Rescue volunteers! You can go to this link to see all Events and Adoptions listed on Angel’s Facebook Events page: https://www.facebook.com/angelsrescue#!/angelsrescue/events Make sure you check the Events Calendar listings on Facebook often, as Events and Special Promotions are being added or changed during the month! SEE YOU THERE!!
Please make plans to join us on November 16th! Pre-purchase tickets at this link and save $10 per ticket: http://www.angelsrescue.org/event/touchdown-fur-tails/
“Angels Herald” Newsletter - November, 2013 Issue
Thank You Very Much! How YOU Can Help! Sign up for our monthly donation subscription:
Furry Friends - $10 Silver Whiskers - $25 Gold Collars - $50 Platinum Paws - $100 Angels Among Us - $250
Visit our website for details! www.angelsrescue.org/donate
NOVEMBER 2013 Traffic Report Traffic on our Facebook page, our website as well as the Petfinder site helps to provide visibility and funding, enabling Angels Among Us Pet Rescue to rescue and find loving foster and adoptive homes for these rescues.
October month-end Rescue Stats: 315 - active foster homes 557 - adoptable pets 123 - pets adopted 165 - pets rescued 4,558 - total adopted* 5,115 - total rescued* October Website Stats: 86,032 - page views** 23,505 - unique visitors** October Facebook Stats: 62,060- Facebook fans October Petfinder Stats: 164,629 - pet views (as of 9/2013) Current data not available from PF
* includes an estimated 50 pets not on Petfinder ** understated due to new website platform
In this issue of the Angels Herald, we would like to thank the following individuals and companies for their generous donations and support:
HOLLY ROSS – Angel of the Month! Lynn Job Sandee Zuccaro Gena Hail Grace Pavlath Denise Lazur Susan Coy Lisa Turner Carole Trulio Andrea Hastings Jenny Thompson Rebecca Segrest Victoria McHenry Lisa Heirtzler Partners for Pets, Inc. Randstad Engineering
About Our Organization Angels Among Us Pet Rescue, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing dogs and cats from high-kill shelters in north Georgia. We operate through a network of foster homes in the metro Atlanta area. Our efforts are funded by tax-deductible contributions from compassionate people and organizations that care and want to help make a difference. ANGELS AMONG US PET RESCUE, INC. PO BOX 821 ALPHARETTA, GA 30009 Fax: (877) 969-8669 Email: info@angelsrescue.org Website: angelsrescue.org
“Angels Herald” Newsletter - November, 2013 Issue