Spring Zanyness

OK, ok, for my good friend Mike D, whom I miss very much by the way!

I wish I could say that I've been off jetsetting to Cabo, or Font, or surfing in Costa Rica, but alas, I haven't been doing any of those things. I have, however been working a lot of weekends and evenings doing special events, event planning, and working hard. I love my job. Working in animal welfare is an avocation, as well as a vocation. Sometimes it's hard to turn it off. There is always one desperate phone call or email to return, and when it's an innocent pup that's at stake, you just do it, doesn't matter the time or place.

The next month doesn't show signs of slowing. I'll be at Strut Your Mutt with some adoptables on May 22, then I'm planning my first ever large event, Pet Bull Palooza, which will vaccinate and microchip 100 dogs free of charge, as well as provide 60 free spay/neuter vouchers, free dog food, leashes, collars, and dog toys too. I hope it's a huge success, but I haven't slept in weeks. The weekend after that, I head to NYC to help with the first ever Tri State Super Adoption, then off to the Animal Farm Foundation for an internship working with what else? More shelter pit bulls! WooHoo. June will be a crazy month, but I'm excited.

I am also trying to train for climbing alot, mostly in the gym, it's all I can really fit in, plus, WTF, the weather is awful! So, Mike D, if you are reading this, come climb with me, even if it's only on plastic!

Lastly, I'm helping take care of my mom, who became gravely ill with bacterial meningitis while driving from NY to SLC this past week, so I've been at the ICU alot with her. She is doing really well, and her prognosis is very good at this point, so thanks for all of our friends and family who have sent emails and phone calls checking in.

So, that's the Spring Zanyness Report. What are all of your Spring Zany Plans?

Come to the Paws and Claws Adoption Event

Please come to this event, let's help get the University of Utah's Research dogs adopted and give them a happy ending they deserve. Come and meet the animals, show your support for the dedicated volunteers who see that they get walked daily, given treats, and love by caring people, and help find adopters and foster families.

I do not support the research on animals at the University of Utah. It's wrong, I hate it, and I want to take all of these animals home with me. I am sick that I live in one of the only two states that allows Pound Seizure- meaning shelters can be forced to turn over their animals to research laboratories. It's heartwrenching to think that if someone surrenders their family pet to a shelter (don't get me started on that), or a stray whose family cannot be located, that their once loved family dog or cat can end up a research subject in a laboratory.

Yes, there is controversy swirling around the University of Utah research on dogs, cats, and other animals, and PETA has infiltrated the labs with their expose that published in the Salt Lake Tribune today. The problem is (and let me preface by saying I hate PETA, they are only "ethical" if you support euthanasia of pit bulls and total breed discriminatory laws...um, yeah, PETA can suck it), they do not propose solutions or seem to support how the citizens of Utah can get involved to help the animals- like writing our State reps and congressman on overturning the inhumane and archaic laws supporting Pound Seizure.

But, I digress- alas, this post is NOT about PETA, or about the research, it's about supporting the animals that come out of those labs by fostering and adopting them, and coming to the Paws and Claws, which will be an awesome event highlighting some of the adoptable animals- there will be adoptable animals, crafts, food, etc.

For more on Pound Seizure and how you can help overturn this law here in Utah, check out this website.

Pinups, Puppies, Pitties, and Pumpkins- Oh My!

Cute pupper!

Pumkin or Puppy?
Short, brindle ballerina SUNNY girl!
Oscar
Lindy Princess

Heeler Pups!
One of the new heeler pups!
Campaign Tables At Pinups Event
Pinup and Adoptable
It's been a busy week for me helping the dogs! On Tuesday, we had the Pinups for Pups event, it was fun, and sexy, and if you are a single dude, you blew it by not attending...lots of beautiful women dressed as the old time pinups walking adorable adoptables down the runway. You can see pics of the Pinups for Pups event here.

Today, we held a Pittie Pumpkin Party at Salt Lake County Animal Services. I got to meet the new heeler litter...oh....my....GOD, they are so precious! Then we carved pumpkins and had a pittie parade with many of the shelters most adoptable pitties in costume.

We had two very deserving dogs go into foster care, including one of my personal favorites, Oscar, who went to crash on my good friends' Jessica and Justin's couch for a while...yayyy, I get to visit! Sunny also went, and for anyone who is a sucker for short, squatty, brindled dogs loaded with love and personality, this gal will steal your heart!

Fun, fun events, for great, very deserving dogs. Hope to see more of you out there next time!

For more puppy and PPP pics, go here.

A New Litter of Puppies at SLCOAS

And, as a follow up to my last post...look who has just arrived at SLCOAS shelter. Who's got room for one more....c'mon, what's one more :))) Here they are, a litter of brand new heeler pups at SLCOAS...Needing rescue and their forever homes! Please, spread the word and share with friends and family. The shelter is located at 511 w 3900 s in Salt Lake City. All adoptions include spay/neuter, vaccs, and a microchip as well as a free vet visit!

A brief update as I've gotten a few inquiries and a little more info: they will be ready for adoption in a week and a half (they still need their next round of vaccs and s/n surgery) and will also get their deworming and a free bag of food as well. Their adoption fee will be $195 (but includes all of the aforementioned items and services). I do not believe they are on petfinder yet, or they were possibly listed under another shelter recently in another part of the state. They are however currently at SLCOAS. I am also not sure, but there may be a possibility of fostering- if you are interested, you can ask the staff at the shelter. I hope to have more pics for everyone on Thursday as I will be there volunteering! If you have more questions, keep them coming and I will try to find out. Let's help get these cuties adopted!

Are You in the Market for a New Puppy?

Sometimes it sucks to be me. I am very OCD about everything in life, it doesn't matter what it is, if I'm into it, I'm INTO it, putting my whole heart and soul into whatever it is. I guess that is good, because usually when I set my mind to something, it will usually get done. Climbing has been a big part of my obsessions, and when I was growing up it was gymnastics. The older I get the more things get added to the OCD pile. House projects, climbing, dogs, ...that's what gets me to this point. It's so difficult when you are have an OCD personality- I just have to get it done and I will lose sleep while I am working on it, whatever 'it' happens to be, and I tend to worry a lot (hence one of the reasons why it sucks to be me).

People probably get sick of me talking about it, but when I first set my mind on being involved in animal rescue, from then on, I have felt like I am personally responsible for saving every dog I meet that needs a home. It can feel like an insurmountable challenge. Personally, I have never owned a dog in my whole life that wasn't rescued. I remember my first dog Sasha (aka FATHEAD) came from Lollipop Farm when I was ten years old. Somehow I just always knew that if you wanted a dog, you went to the pound, and you got one that really needed a home.

The problem with being OCD about rescuing dogs is that sometimes it seems like an uphill battle. Without sounding like a self righteous lunatic (or at least trying not to) you constantly, until blue in the face, try to recruit adopters, foster homes, and you try to explain to people the importance of adoption, spaying and neutering their animals, etc. You try to explain to people the problems with backyard breeding, the issue of puppy mills, and the staggering statistic that 5 million perfectly lovable, adoptable dogs and cats of all breeds and varieties are euthanized for space every year in this country. Personally, I think that everyone who wants a pet should spend an afternoon volunteering at a shelter- it is truly heartbreaking when a dog you have spent an afternoon with walking and playing with, looking into their eyes, and getting to know isn't there the next week, and it ain't because they were adopted into a loving home.

People will say though, "but I want a puppy " or "I want a [certain breed]" Well, there are tons of puppies in the shelters and they get euthanized as much as anyone else. Did you know that 1 in 4 dogs in shelters are PUREBRED? There are even breed rescues, so lets say you want a beagle, well, there's plenty of beagle rescues, or poodles, or huskies, or whatever your flavor. If you do your homework, you will find your perfect companion, purebred or mutt, puppy or old man- all that need an adoptive home.

If anyone is in the market for a puppy, or a certain kind of dog, please, let me know, I can help you connect with a rescue group that might have the perfect puppy or dog that you are looking for- skip the classifieds and send an important message to backyard breeders to spay and neuter their animals- it's the responsible thing to do. Don't believe it when they tell you there was an 'unexpected meeting' or it was an 'accident.' There are plenty of affordable and low cost spay and neuter clinics in the valley that anyone can utilize if cost is an issue.

You can also visit Petfinder, a wonderful rescue resource where you can do an advanced search to find your perfect companion based on age, breed, gender, location, etc.

If you have ever 'bought' a dog, please don't be offended and don't despair- this post isn't intended to make anyone feel bad- it's a chance to educate people on rescue and adoption and also inspire people to get involved to make a difference in the life of a homeless animal.

Photos: by moi, at a recent No More Homeless Pets Adoption event.