Adopted Dog Update: Jasmine hit the jackpot!

We recently got an update on Jasmine from her family, and we just had to share!


"Jasmine Marie Humphries  came into our lives on a cold day on January 22nd
2005. We met her at a Pet Haven adoption event where we got to meet her 2 brothers.
Jasmine had started her life with  her 4 other siblings and mother by being thrown away into a dumpster. Luckily  someone found them and rescued them the first time. Two of Jasmines siblings  didn't survive to get the chance for rescue number two like Jasmine did.

I knew the instant that I  laid eyes on her, that I was totally and helplessly in love with this little fur ball. At that time, my husband and I were in the process of building a brand new  greenhouse business. So from day one, Jasmine came to work with us every day and  became part of our team! She had many family members to play with and follow  around all day, and free reign of a nice warm place to work/play. She also  got to spend the day with her Gramma and Grampa, and her new best friend, Uncle  Baily! (Gramma and Grampas big ole yellow lab). Oh how she loved to play in the  dirt, and un-plant things we had just planted :-) We had also found out how she  really likes to roll in stinky things, so we have since nick named her Stinky.  She has stolen the hearts of all who worked with her. Jasmine's photo's have been  in several greenhouse publications as our mascot.

During her puppyhood, we  attended puppy kindergarten and puppy social hour weekly, so she had plenty of  interaction with other puppies while growing up, and even a  cat! Eventually it became time for us to leave that job, we didn't know  what to do about leaving her home. She is such a social girl, that the thought  of her home alone all day just broke our hearts. So Gramma and Grampa daycare  was born! Each morning, she gets picked up by her Gramma and Grampa and her uncle Baily, and they go on a four mile walk on the Gateway  trail. (that is, when she will get out of bed when Gramma comes to get her,  sometimes we have to lock her out of the bedroom in the mornings when we leave  for work, or she won't come downstairs when my Mom comes to get her!) Then she  spends the rest of her day at their house, and gets to play with her Uncle  Bails, run around in their huge yard, and sometimes even gets to go bye-bye.  Then either Mommy or Daddy pick her up on their way home from
work. Its a pretty  good life.

We miss her each day  while we are at work, and are so happy to see her when we get home. Jasmine has  been with us camping, stayed in a cabin in Northern MN, even walked around  Gooseberry falls state park. She sends her allowance to a dog with a  heart condition each month and has for the past 3 years. We do our best to make  sure that if we go anywhere, it is dog friendly so we can bring her with. We  once brought her to an open house event that a home builder had that was dog  friendly, where she could get a free scarf, a photo taken, and even got to  "speak" to a pet psychic. The psychic said that Jasmine thought her name should  be Jackpot, because she is hit the jackpot when she found her new  Family. We also asked the psychic if she minded being called Stinky, and  she said No! I love to be Stinky!! She is loved by all, wherever she goes.


We  love our little girl more than anything, and thank God Pet Haven brought her  into our lives for her second chance at a great life. She has filled a hole in  my heart I never even knew I had and I don't know what I would do without my  little Stinky. To anyone who is reading this, please open your heart and home to  a rescue, they will spend the rest of their lives paying you back for doing  so."

Pet Haven Fall Benefit - 9 days away!

Our Fall Benefit is just 9 days away! Be sure to purchase your tickets soon. The event will be on Saturday, November 7th at 6 PM at the Doubletree Hotel in St. Louis Park. You can purchase your tickets online on our website.

The evening will include dinner, silent auction and a pet fashion show, presented by Lulu & Luigi. Adoptable dogs and cats will be walking down the runway with local celebrities, including Pam Borton (head coach of the University of Minnesota's women basketball team), Lena Svenson of 101.3, Katie K9 of 107.1, M.A. Rosko of Fox9 Morning News and Donna Valentine of K102. The emcee for the night will be Staci Matthews of the Moon & Staci afternoon show on KS95.

As an all-volunteer foster-based animal rescue, all funds raised will go directly to supporting our adoption and spay/neuter programs.

We would like to thank our sponsors for their support of our third annual Fall Benefit.

Event Sponsor: Chuck & Don's Pet Food Outlet

Platinum Sponsors: Pampered Pooch Playground and Photographer's Guild

Fund the Need Sponsor: Downtown Dogs Minneapolis

Gold Sponsors: Canine Coach and Bloomington Vet Hospital

Silver Sponsor: Lake Harriet Veterinary

Bronze Sponsor: Richfield Credit Union and Plymouth Heights Hospital

If you would like to learn more about sponsorship opportunities or donate to our silent auction click here.


For more information on the event visit our website. 

Your holiday shopping can support Pet Haven!

As the holidays approach, consider shopping for your friends and families at Twice the Gift and supporting Pet Haven and/or other local non-profits. Twice the Gift is a unique shop in downtown Minneapolis that showcases the products and services of over 50 Twin Cities non-profit organizations, of which Pet Haven is one. At Twice the Gift, shoppers can purchase products provided by each of the non-profits (including Pet Haven's blankets, treat jars, and other products), or purchase a Share Card, which honors a recipient's interests by providing a donation to one of the non-profits [Bode, a Pet Haven alum, was our quality control officer and ensured that the doggie treats were up to high standards ... as Bode says "only the best for Pet Haven supporters!]


Twice the Gift is located in the IDS Tower's Crystal Court, 80 South Eighth Street in downtown Minneapolis ... on Nicollet Mall and 8th Street. A grand opening celebration will be held on Wednesday, October 28 from 3-7 p.m. Pet Haven and A Rotta Love Plus will be the featured non-profits on Friday, December 4 and Saturday, December 5.


The store is open from mid-October to December 31 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., as well as on the three Sunday's preceding Christmas, from 12 noon to 5 p.m., and December 24 and 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. See http://twicethegift.org/ for more information. We hope you'll stop buy to purchase some of our products or a Share Card in Pet Haven's name! And another HUGE thank you to the volunteers who helped make the products!

Hosea - little guy who loves his stuffed bear!

As small as Hosea is, between 5 and 6 pounds, he’s got the energy of many larger dogs put together. He loves to fetch his small, stuffed teddy bear as many times as you want to throw it. He’s into car rides, short walks, runs in the backyard and really cushy dog beds. All this at 10 years old.

Housetrained, Hosea can go 4-5 hours without telling you it’s time to go out. He hates being kenneled and will put up great protest if confined. He loves to play in the yard only if the weather is perfect. Rain or snow put him off his game, so make sure you walk him on those days, even if it’s just a short stroll.

Being a small guy with not a ton of fur, Hosea likes to burrow under pillows, cushions and blankets to stay toasty warm. Just make sure to be extra careful where you sit. Hosea might be napping out of sight.

If you are interested in learning more about Hosea email us at dogs@pethavenmn.org.

Adopted Dog Monday!

Sammy Jo has been in Pet Haven's foster program for a year. On Sammy Jo's one year anniversary from the first day Gayle and Sammy Jo (now just Sammy) met, Gayle made the adoption final. Sammy Jo says, "at last!" Gayle has spent countless hours working with Sammy to calm her fear based aggressive behaviors. She has been to classes with Maureen at Canine Coach and it has payed off for both Gayle and Sammy. Even canine brother Rusty is enrolled in a class now. Gayle also installed a brand new fence so Sammy can not go chasing squirrels around the neighborhood. 


Congratulations Sammy and Gayle!

Frosty, a 2 year old 12 lb maltese mix, found his forever home on Friday. He is the only canine companion of a very attentive mom. He has a big house to explore and grandkids to meet, so the first week in his new home will be very busy.  Frosty is such a well-behaved and happy boy that he is sure to charm the socks off of everyone he meets, just like he did with his new mom. His two most favorite things are walks and toys. His new mom walks three times a day and greeted him with a basket of toys when he came to visit her. Frosty's dream came true!

Stories from adopters: Brandy

We have a collection of Happy Tails from adopters who have shared with us how their adopted dog or cat is doing. If you have an adopted a dog or a cat from Pet Haven we would LOVE to hear from you. Send an email to editor@pethavenmn.org.

Our most recent story is one in memory of back packing Brandy. Here's an excerpt from her story:

"On her first backpacking trip back in 2001 she had a blast. She was a typical herder, going out front and then to pick up the last hiker, so she would walk twice as long as we did. She had her own doggie backpack in which she carried her food, water bottle and on that first trip extra items that didn't fit in our friend's backpack. We took her out to Utah's Uinta Mtn Range in 2005. She learned to cross a couple of rivers on that trip, once slipping off of the logs to cross the river, and almost getting carried under the logs by the current. One of friends had already crossed the river, quickly grabbed her and pulled her to safety.

Sadly this past May she started to cough quite a bit, so we brought her to our vet. She was diagnosed with lung cancer on June 7, 2009. She sure had slowed down a lot the past few months, and we think that is the toll the cancer is taking on her. We're sad to say that we had to put her down on Wed July 15, 2009, just 2 months short of her 13th birthday. Thank you for saving Brandy for me to adopt her."

Thank you for all the work you do for animals. We were both so grateful to be Brandy's parents for as long as we did."

To read her full story click here.

Our beloved furry companions are only here for a short time. Our greatest gift to them is to love them, care for them, and make them a valued member of our families --- Brandy's family did just that. When we open our hearts to these innocent creatures, in turn we learn how much they are in fact teaching us about life, loving, compassion, playfulness and letting go.

Giving back! Thanks Suzy!

Suzy's story is one that will make you cry ... she's been featured in our newsletter and in previous blog posts. In February 2009 she was part of her "then future dad's" proposal to the woman he had loved since the previous summer. To read more click here.

Suzy is another big black dog that came to us from one of our partner shelters in rural Iowa. After a rough start to life, all she does now is smile.... and she has all the reasons in the world to be happ

y now. Her mom and dad also feel the same way.

Just recently her mom and dad "tied the knot" ... she got to hang out at Rescue Buddy Boarding while they got married. Not a bad deal as the owner of Rescue Buddy Boarding was her foster when she was in Pet Haven's program. Suzy's parents decided that they wanted to give back to Pet Haven so at their wedding, for their dollar dance, they raised $100 and have donated it to Pet Haven! Suzy thinks her paren

ts are pretty cool. Well, we at Pet Haven think so too!

Check out what Suzy has to say about her mom and dad and how she thinks they just rock: Rescue Buddy Boarding blog.

Trevor - new kid on the block!

Trevor is one of Pet Haven's most recent intakes. He arrived last week on a transport from a shelter we work closely with in rural Iowa. Many of our beautiful big black dogs have come from this shelter. Not having access to a larger pool of adopters as we have in the Twin Cities, many of their dogs sit in shelters for months and months and months. Many of their dogs are big black dogs -- dogs often overlooked. We are happy to be able to bring Trevor into our foster program ... thanks to one of our doggie daycare partners, Pampered Pooch Playground, for fostering him. We got an update yesterday from Heather, staff and dog trainer at Pampered Pooch:

"I spent some time with Trevor today. I thought I would send you some information about him. Well, he knows how to sit, when he wants to. We spent some time working on "down" and he started to pick up on it. He can also do short stays. We also spent some time working on "wait" and he did well with that. He also responds really well to body language when it comes to keeping him in or out of a certain room. His favorite part was by far when we started playing fetch. He loved it! At first he didnt understand the concept of bringing it back to me so I could throw it again, but after just a few minutes and adding another ball to the situation he was running back and dropping the ball when he was just about to me (I would lift my arm ready to throw the ball and release it as soon as he dropped it). It became an awesome game to him! He is great with dogs of all sizes, very tolerant and pretty much leaves the little guys alone."

Paden looking for an active home!

1 year old Paden is on the search for a highly active home to call her own. She is a boxer mix that is housebroken and kennel trained. She is a dog that would like something to do, people to see, etc... all the time. She would do great with another, young, highly active dog who likes to race around and get rowdy.

Paden's likes:

• Spending quality time with her humans (great snuggler) you can hear her tail thumping the minute she spots someone in the family.
• Learning. In the short time that she has been with Pet Haven, she has learned "come" "sit" "down" "roll over" "back" and "drop it" She's ready to add more skills to her resume!
• Exercising/Outdoor activies. She loves to run. This includes playing with balls, frisbees, tossing toys in the house, etc...She will get the puppy "zoomies" a few times each day and just race around the backyard at breakneck speeds. She's a high energy puppy so needs to be thoroughly exercised before you leave for the day. She has even added "running along my foster while she rides her bike "to her skill set.
  
• Playing with other dogs as much as possible. She would play with her foster brother (80lb Belgian Sheepdog) and sister (20lb bichon mix) every hour of the day if they could keep up with her.
  
• Destroying her chew toys to get to the dreaded squeaker (she only chews her toys though!)
• Feeling the wind in her hair. She loves to ride in the car and is very well behaved.

Paden's dislikes:

• Being left alone all day. While she can do it and is fine in her kennel, she would prefer to be interacting with her human family. Can you blame the girl?? :)
• Not being challenged. She loves to learn and gets bored if it's the same routine every day.
• Lounging around the house all day. This gal likes to take multiple walks and visit her doggie neighbors as often as you'll let her!
• A toy free household.

If your active family is looking for a new member, Paden is your girl! If you'd like to learn more about Paden email us at dogs@pethavenmn.org.

Adopted Dog Monday!

Lola was adopted by a family who is thrilled to have a new puppy to love. They recently had to euthanize their fourteen year old lab last month. Lola's new dad said it was just too quiet without a dog. The only disgruntled family member was the cat, however, we imagine he'll get used to Lola fairly quickly.

Lola's new dad especially liked his new friend and as Lola's screeners completed the home visit and were heading out the door, Lola and dad were already getting ready for their first walk ... some private bonding time! Lola was "given a tour" of the house, and her dad showed her where everything was. Lola will have a cozy crate to sleep in at night right next to their bed. During the day, Lola will get to hang out with mom and have constant human companionship.

Congrats to Lola and her new family! Now if could get Lola's sibling Emma adopted that would be awesome!

Animal Welfare Leadership Session

3+ years I "accidentally" stumbled into the world of animal rescue after the loss of our beloved collie/shepherd mix, Shen, to spleen cancer. The devastating grief from losing a family member and my passion for animals led me to immerse myself into a world new to me. Truth is ... i needed to ease the pain of my grief. Truth is ... I wanted to make a difference. Truth is ... I think many of us want to leave a mark in this world - to know we have made a difference in a life of a living being (furry or non-furry) or some cause we believe in. Truth is ... my involvement in Pet Haven has given so much more to me than I feel I have been able to give. Truth is ... I believe the same could be true for you.

I am serving my third year as president of Pet Haven. In that time period ... I have listened - I have watched - I have cried - I have felt frustration - I have made mistakes - I have taken risks - I have floundered - I have felt my spirit soar - I have felt my spirit crushed ... I have laughed ... and through it all I have felt more alive than I have ever felt before! I have come to lean on a community for support. I have also learned in my 3 years of the importance of balance, of the importance of balancing the passion of rescuing and re-homing the homeless dog or cat in immediate need of help with the bigger picture of how we prevent the suffering in the first place (education/outreach, advocacy, spay/neuter and collaboration with others in our community).

As we end 2009 and we approach 2010 I find myself thinking about what we need as we move forward. I believe we need more leaders in the animal welfare community. I believe we all have the potential to be great leaders. Pet Haven began more than 55 years ago with individuals passionate about rescuing and re-homing. We have evolved over the decades. Our mission will always include our adoption program, but our mission has expanded with a desire to focus on preventing homeless animals in the first place: spay/neuter, education/outreach/advocacy. Last year, Pet Haven also took a leadership role in the founding of a new animal welfare coalition, Minnesota Partnership for Animal Welfare - a realization that we as an animal welfare community in Minnesota will be much more effective if we work together and share ideas and resources.

I am actively soliciting and recruiting for those of you in the community wanting to learn more about how to get involved and to be a leader in the animal welfare community. An article in the Harvard Business Bulletin asks the question of What makes a good leader ... if animal rescues (even all-volunteer rescues) are to be effective and want to be around for a while we have to incorporate structure into our organization AND we need strong leaders. Passion alone will not sustain us. It has gotten where we are today, which is wonderful ... but as I look forward towards the next decade I realize the importance of being more strategic, more purposeful in the work we do on behalf of homeless animals (and their owners) so that we can make a bigger difference.

• The most effective leaders are those who are both managers and leaders.
• "Communication is the real work of leaders". Nohria (Harvard business professor) believes effective leaders are masters of the classical elements of rhetoric, as outlined by Aristotle centuries ago. “You can reach people through logos or logic, by appealing to their sense of what is rational,” he explains. “You can use pathos, appealing to their emotions, or you can make an argument based on their sense of values or ethos.” Great leaders, he notes, “spend the bulk of their time communicating, and they know how to employ all three of Aristotle’s rhetorical elements.” Leaders are also able to distill their message - they know their audience and how to position their message - and they lead by example.
• Telling the Hard Truths - “Enduring setbacks while maintaining the ability to show others the way to go forward is a true test of leadership.”
• Coping with Change - Effective leaders help others to understand the necessity of change and to accept a common vision of the desired outcome.
• Role of Knowledge - a leader must have a basic threshold of knowledge but does not necessarily need to be the most knowledgeable in an organization. “A leader needs enough understanding to fashion an intelligent strategy.”
• Creativity - Effective leaders, she says, are able to “shake up their thinking as though their brains are kaleidoscopes, permitting an array of different patterns out of the same bits of reality.”
• Nature versus Nurture - “Some people may have personality traits that make it more likely that they will be leaders ... but what I’ve found is that many people have the potential for leadership, but they haven’t developed it ... One characteristic most leaders have in common is the capacity to learn and change throughout their lives."

Pet Haven will be hosting a session on Saturday, December 12th at 9:30 AM - Noon. on Leadership in the Animal Welfare Community. If you have the passion and the desire to make a difference for homeless dogs and cats and you would like to learn more about what it takes to be a leader, or if you are already in a leadership role and would like to help Pet Haven strengthen our leadership team, please join us!

Email me directly at marilou@pethavenmn.org to register for this session (location: TBD).

Adoption event tomorrow (Saturday)!

We will be having a dog adoption event tomorrow (Saturday) from 10 am - Noon at the Minnetonka Petco . Their address is 13691 Ridgedale Dr, Minnetonka (952.541.1981).

We hope you'll stop by to say hi and meet many of our adoptable dogs. Boogie (photo above) is just one of many of our dogs who will be there. Boogie, a 16 pound, mature and wise 9 year old pup, is looking for that very special person for him to snuggle up with ... AND who will give him belly rubs.

There will be many other dogs there --- small dogs, medium size dogs, large dogs, active dogs, calm dogs, couch potato dogs ... and dogs of all colors and lengths of fur! Our screeners will be happy to match you up with the a dog that will fit your lifestyle.

Adopted Dog Update: Toby (formerly PeeWee)

One of the highlights for all of us that volunteer with Pet Haven is when we hear from adopters and we get updated photos and stories! In December, 2007 we had one the cutest chihuahua pups come through our foster program. His name was Pee Wee. He could almost fit into the palm of our foster's hand (photo on right).

In February, 2008 he was adopted and the rest is history. PeeWee is now Toby and according to his new mom "is doing extremely well. Chloe (westie) and him are good friends and he has been a wonderful addition to the family. My family and I are grateful for you allowing him to be a part of our family."

We are always thrilled to hear from adopters. As an all-volunteer organization, we share at new volunteer orientations that our paycheck comes in the form of slobbery kisses and in the reward of knowing that not only have we made a difference in the life of another Toby, but Toby has made a difference in the life of another human being..... every rescued dog that comes through our foster program touches our heart and they will always be a part of the Pet Haven family.

Many thanks to Toby's new mom for sending us an update! If you have adopted a dog or cat from Pet Haven we would love to hear from you!

Thank you to our partners!

It's truly amazing what happens behind the scenes in the dog division of an animal rescue. It goes without saying that Pet Haven would not be able to do what we do (rescue and re-home dogs and cats!) without the tireless devotion of our incredible volunteers ... from those that help us in our adoption program to our spay/neuter program and efforts, to outreach, to fundraising and to advocacy. In addition to our fabulous volunteers we are extremely grateful to our partners.

We have 4 doggie daycare partners who foster a dog for us at no cost all year round. We are extremely grateful for the love and care that they provide to our foster dogs.

Downtown Dogs Minneapolis

Pampered Pooch Playground in St. Louis Park

Auntie Ruth's Animal Care and Wellness

Rescue Buddy Boarding

We are also extremely grateful to our dog obedience partner Canine Coach. They not only provide us with a great discount to work with our foster dogs and our fosters when extra training and guidance is needed (through private consultation or classes) ... but a couple of their trainers have been gracious enough to offer free foster training classes at no cost.

Finally, many thanks to one of our partner vets, Bloomington Vet Hospital, for all the love and care they give to all of our new intakes and fosters.

We are happy to say that quite a few of our dogs who have begun their journey in the loving care of one of our partners have soon discovered that their journey was almost over ... we have had vets and vet techs from Bloomington Vet adopt new intakes into our foster program; dogs being fostered at one of our doggie daycare partners have also gotten lucky .... being adopted either by one of the staff or one of the daycare's customers!

We/Pet Haven value our partnerships and we just wanted to take today to let them all know how much we appreciate them and all they do on behalf of homeless dogs!

Adopted Dog Update: Kaia - Snuggle Buddies!

Kaia was adopted in September '09 by Pet Haven's intake coordinator ... here's an update on Kaia .. it appears she has a perfect playmate and a perfect snuggle buddy:

"Sammy and Kaia are best friends. It is an odd friendship cemented by the tenacity of a French Bull Dog and the playful exuberance of a young Cattle Dog mix.Sammy's mom thinks he is always a great accent to any picture because he is sooo adorable and she thinks Kaia is beautiful and amazingly athletic with her leaps high in the air and her breathtaking speed.

They snuggle together in their dog bed only after many hours of play. They enjoy tug of war games where Sammy's tenacity allows him to "hang in there " Stalking each other is Kaia's favorite game because she enjoys using her lock down stare that is so prevalent in her herding breed and there is no couch or piece of furniture that she can't go over or around in pursuit of her" prey ".Sammy knows if he just stands still ( a classic bull dog characteristic ) Kaia will always come back to him.If Sammy looks uninterested in playing with Kaia she has her favorite moves to entice him which include pulling on the loose wrinkles around Sammy's face and grabbing each leg one at a time.(Fortunately Sammy is very sturdy and can stand on whichever legs he has left)

Sammy is grateful that Pet Haven gave him Kaia who is his best friend and Snuggle Buddy."

Hailey has a new leash on life!

Hailey, a gentle coon hound mix, has a new lease on life these days. Or maybe we should say a new leash and a new life these days! After a long and bumpy road, which no doubt tested her resiliency, she is peacefully enjoying the comforts of her new foster home. She’ll hang there until someone is lucky enough to permanently adopt her.

Here’s Hailey’s story. She was dropped off as a stray at an animal shelter outside the Twin Cities. The folks who adopted her brought her in for a routine check-up and were advised by a vet to euthanize her due to recurring ear infections, bad hips, and a wound near her spay incision that refused to heal. Instead of putting her down, they returned her to the shelter. And while the shelter wanted to help this sweet dog, it simply didn’t have the resources. That’s when the Golden Valley Humane Society saw the potential in her and offered to provide the care she deserved

It’s amazing what a little medical attention can do. The wound near her incision healed beautifully. Her teeth were scaled and excess gum tissue was removed. She tested positive for Lyme disease and was successfully treated. Now they wonder if the Lyme disease was causing the pain in her hips joints, so the painkiller has been discontinued. And her wonderfully floppy ears continue to be treated for ear infections.

You know how you are so much happier when you’re feeling better? Now that Hailey’s health concerns are gone, her true colors are finally showing through. She’s 100% house trained and can be left alone in the house uncrated. She's a mature dog, probably somewhere between seven and nine years old, so is done with chewing and all that puppy stuff. Instead she is sweet, mellow, and quiet, except for an occasional howl, coon hound style, which is actually quite endearing. She loves people, napping, and walks. And most of all, she adores giving as well as receiving affection.

Hailey’s foster parents were initially reluctant to take her because they had a lot going on in their lives. Now they can’t imagine not having such a wonderful opportunity to get to know and love this truly amazing dog.

Hailey would make a wonderful companion for someone who is looking for a low maintenance dog who only needs some love and short walks each day. Trust us, the rewards you’ll reap will be plenty!

Photos from our 10/3/09 adoption event!

Check out the video below which is a compilation of photos taken at last weekend's dog adoption event. Paden (on left) was just one of many of our adoptable dogs there to dole out slobbery kisses.

Several of our dogs had their wishes comes true and found their forever homes. Many more are still waiting ... you may have heard in the business world, the saying, "hope is not a strategy" .... well, for these rescued pups ... "hope is all they have." Help us spread the word and help make their dream come true. All they want is a place to finally call home.

Our Volunteers Rock!

Pet Haven would like to extend a HUGE thank you to the volunteers who helped out at the blanket-making and treat-making parties that were held recently. Over 50 blankets were made, with more cut out and send home with volunteers to finish, and another 2 giant bags of fleece left to cut; and over 50 jars of treats were made, with biscuits sent home for dipping and another 150+ canning jars to fill. These items will be sold at Twice the Gift, the proceeds of which will benefit Pet Haven.

Twice the Gift is a unique shop in downtown Minneapolis that showcases the products and services of over 50 Twin Cities non-profit organizations, Pet Haven included. At Twice the Gift, shoppers can purchase products provided by each of the non-profits (including Pet Haven's blankets, treat jars, and other products), or purchase a Share Card, which honors a recipient's interests by providing a donation to one of the non-profits.

Twice the Gift is located in the IDS Tower's Crystal Court. A grand opening celebration will be held on Wednesday, October 28 from 3-7 p.m. Pet Haven and A Rotta Love Plus will be the featured non-profits on Friday, December 4 and Saturday, December 5.

The store is open from mid-October to December 31 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., as well as on the three Sunday's preceding Christmas, from 12 noon to 5 p.m., and December 24 and 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

See http://twicethegift.org/ for more information.

We hope you'll stop buy to purchase some of our products or a Share Card in Pet Haven's name! And another HUGE thank you to the volunteers who helped make the products!

Low Cost Vaccination & microchip Clinic

There will be a low cost vaccination and microchip clinic on Saturday, 10/31 from 10 am - 2 pm at the NE Community Lutheran Church. Licensed veterinarians and vet techs will be on site. A suggested donation of $25 for the distemper combo (PRC for cats) and rabies shots.

Those who are able are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item, dish soap or laundry soap for the church's "Little Kitchen" food shelf. The event will be held at Logan Park, 690 13th Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN.

Pre-registration is required. Call 612-788-2444 to be added to the registration list.

For questions contact Cathie Witzel at katierose8832@hotmail.com.

To download a flyer click here or visit the NE Community Lutheran Church website.

Adopted Dog Update: Max

Max originally came to Pet Haven in December, 2007 from Red Lake Rosie's Rescue. We recently got an update on Max .... sounds like he's doing quite well :)

"Max joined our family in early 2008. He quickly fit in with us and our two resident cats. We finished putting up a fence that summer, and he has since staked his claim on that yard by chasing down all squirrels and rabbits that might come visit. We're thinking he's at least part greyhound - not only does he stay skinny no matter how much he eats, but he literally goes from 0 to 60 in no time flat! He practically breaks the sound barrier when he runs, but he'd much prefer to take a nap curled up near us. We added Lilly to our family this spring - she's a German Shepherd/Rottweiler mix (we think). They are absolutely best buddies - Max taught Lilly how to squirrel chase, and Lilly reminded Max how awesome chewbones are.

We now have 120 pounds of dog tearing around our house on top of the 20 pounds of cat... two giant dogs and two stubborn cats might seem like a houseful, but we wouldn't have it any other way. Max has definitely been an incredible addition to our home. Thank you to Pet Haven for bringing him to us!

A note on the photos - the top is of Max and my cat Pangur on the couch - they pretend not to like each other, but I think this photo proves otherwise; the second photo is of Max and Lilly teasing each other with a chewbone (one of their favorite games), and lastly, the bottom photo is of Max asleep in coachroach position - his ultimate position of comfort. He's a great guy!"

Bella bellowing her way to health

Bella is a 6 year old bloodhound who came into our foster program after being surrendered to the Animal Humane Society. Pet Haven is one of the founding members of a new animal welfare coalition, Minnesota Partnership for Animal Welfare (www.mnpaw.org). MnPAW's goal is to reduce the euthanasia of adoptable dogs and cats, while working with other animal welfare organizations in a positive, collaborative and respectful manner.

Bella was surrendered to AHS extremely overweight, a possible thyroid problem and needing extra care and monitoring, along with a strict diet! AHS contacted Pet Haven asking us if we could take Bella into our foster program. This gentle giant won the hearts of so many in a short window. She topped the scales at our vet clinic at 130 lbs!! On the transport from AHS to our partner vet we needed no coercion to get into the volunteer's car ... apparently the potato chips/crumbs on the floor were enough to get Bella to hop right into the car!

As we look for a foster home for Bella, she is currently being fostered at one of our partner doggie daycares, Auntie Ruth Animal Care & Wellness in their special needs room. We recently got an update on her:

"Bella is doing great! She gets along wonderfully with all the dogs. When we switch the big dog playroom all the big dogs run through the fenced area behind the convy yard and Bella is super curious about them. She likes to trot along next to the fence as they go by. It's super cute because it's like she's looking for new friends or something. They also said that she is pretty active in the room; she's always up walking around and bellowing so that's definitely good. We've got her down for short walks. One of our employees has a special love for hounds and lives just across the park so he's going to come in on his days off and walk her too.

She is a very sweet girl and she's getting lots of love! :)"

Many thanks to Auntie Ruth for fostering this sweet girl till we are able to move her into a foster home.

Adopted Dog Monday!

This week we have quite a lot to celebrate with 5 dogs finding their forever homes! What's extra special is that some of these dogs have been in Pet Haven's foster program for quite some time.

Max's new parents are crazily similar to his previous foster parents. His previous foster mom has already made two followup phone calls and on both occasion has learned he was doing well ..." He's already been hissed at by his new kitten sibling and was unphased." His new dad said "this is exactly the type of dog we were looking for". Congrats Max and thanks for hanging in with us and waiting till just the right adopter came along for you.

Katie, our Pointer mix, has found her forever home at a senior living center. Katie had been in Pet Haven's foster program for quite some time (approximately 14 months!). Katie suffers from separation anxiety and was originally rescued from a hoarding situation. Pet Haven and Katie's foster will continue to work with Katie's new community home as she makes the transition. For a pup who does not like to be left alone, this is a perfect home for her, as she will always have someone with her! Reports on Katie thus far have also been great! Congrats Katie!

Last week Sonoma (black lab/husky mix) got lucky and was adopted by a wonderful dad. Well ... this past week, Sonoma's new add decided to add a second companion to his home. So now Sonoma has a new brother and Leroy, after being in Pet Haven's foster program since April, 2009 is now finally home. We have no doubt that both Sonoma and Leroy will be spoiled. We also hear that Sonoma's new dad is continuing the tradition of providing her with strawberries at bed time. I wonder if Leroy will learn to love the strawberry bed time snack :) Congrats Leroy and Sonoma!

Pet Haven's screener shared the following after Maggie's home visit:

"When I did her visit today- she was resting on "her" couch in the sun room, curtains back so if we were to get sunshine she wanted it to shine on her, This is what I was told by her new mom and day, She barked for the first time at the door bell. Maggie is eating good, and has a boy friend across the street - He came a courting last night for a walk, do these parents sound perfect?? Maggie and the cat are good with each other and slept all curled up later in the evening with mom and dad watching a movie last night, As I was leaving Maggie was really enjoying her self and I know I heard her say GO TWINS!!!!

Enya's new mom is a full time student (most classes on line) also works from home, and lives on 1st floor has a court yard fenced in with other dogs to play with, she can run in and out all day if she likes, Nina met Enya when her Aunt Leslie was fostering her, we have been working for over a month on this adoption, Nina greeted Enya with a big smile - Greeted her foster mom Lena with

a big hug both had tears it was a great feeling.

Adopted Dog Update: Missy

Missy was in Pet Haven's foster program for quite some time before she got adopted. She was bounced around from foster home to foster home, not because she wasn't sweet and loving, but because she had a pretty serious case of separation anxiety (which is something we see in rescued dogs who have been tossed around and have no sense of 'home'). She finally landed as a foster at one of doggie daycare partners, Pampered Pooch Playground where they just fell in love with her. Missy did great there and also had a Pet Haven foster buddy, Sarah, who would stop by every day to take her for walks/runs. Well, Sarah has been a buddy to quite a few Pet Haven dogs .... but there was something about Missy and the bond they shared. The rest is history :) I recently asked Sarah for an update on Missy after I saw this cute photo of her posted on facebook. Here's her response:

"Yeah, she was looking like quite the model on Saturday when I took that. :) She's so cute and sweet. She's doing great. We moved into my condo August 31, and she really knows this is OUR place. I had been living with her at my friend's place for a month until we moved in here (the friend she was living with for a couple months before I moved in there while I was waiting to close on my place), and you can tell she just really feels at home here. She takes most ALL her toys out of her toy basket every night. I don't know if she's showing off or has a short attention span per toy. :) She LOVES laying on my patio/balcony - she has HER spot. She loves being on the lookout for squirrels and bunnies which are plentiful around here. I have a picture of her laying on the balcony (attached) where she likes to but you can't see her real well because I was taking the picture of the balcony to show a friend shortly after I moved in. Missy and I go roller-blading just about every day after work around Shelard Park here. She SPRINTS so I needed to strap on my rollerblades to keep up and give her a good workout. She's been sooooooo good in the mornings - we have our routine and when we come in from outside for the potty shortly before I leave for work she knows I'm leaving and goes directly into her kennel without me asking. So good. She also loves to sit and shake people's hands. She sleeps in bed most of the time and when my boyfriend is over insists on sleeping right in the middle of us to be cuddled from both sides. :) I can't say that I see much separation anxiety from her. PS - I had never read all her papers from her adoption before and came across what her name used to be - Snickers! Too funny. She fits as a Missy I think much better. And I came across her birthday which I was really happy about too so I know for sure what day to celebrate!"

Adoption Event Tomorrow!

We will be having a dog adoption event tomorrow (Saturday) from 10 am - Noon at the Eden Prairie Petco. Their address is 8020 Glen Lane, Eden Prairie (952.829.8808).

We hope you'll stop by to say hi and meet many of our adoptable dogs. Not only is Maggie (below) looking for her forever home ... she's also looking for someone to foster her. She's getting lots of love and attention at one of our partner doggie daycares (Pampered Pooch Playground), however, the sooner we can move her into a foster the better for her .. it also opens up a foster slot for us at Pampered Pooch -- and that means saving another dog!

There will be many other dogs there --- small dogs, medium size dogs, large dogs, active dogs, calm dogs, couch potato dogs ... and dogs of all colors and lengths of fur! Our screeners will be happy to match you up with the a dog that will fit your lifestyle.