Coins for Canines!

Pet Haven was the recipient of Coins for Canines, money raised throughout the Golden Gophers Women’s Basketball season. Coins for Canines was a contest where people submitted photos of their very cute pooches dressed in their Gopher best. Each photo was placed on a large water cooler jug and fans voted for their favorite photo by placing coins (and bills!) into the jugs. The money raised as part of this effort was donated to Pet Haven.

I was honored to represent Pet Haven at the Gopher Women’s Basketball game on February 25th to receive a check for Pet Haven for just under $1400! Before I received the check, Deborah Diamond, Associate Director of Marketing for the Gophers, told me the final amount would probably be a lot more since they were still counting the money. I was called onto the floor during halftime, where I was presented the big check. Jim Marshall, the Gophers announcer, introduced me with the same excitement he does for the players, which was very exciting for me and probably as close as I’ll ever come to feeling like a rock star.

The plan was for the winning dog to be announced at the end of the game. Unfortunately (or fortunately for us!) there were so many coins, that folks were still counting the money at the end of the game! Deborah emailed me the next day that the total raised was an impressive $2,266.82! Nachito, the winning dog, received roughly $600 worth of votes!

Although the Gopher Women lost the basketball game on Thursday, Pet Haven was a clear winner! Thank you to Deborah, the Golden Gophers Women’s Basketball Team, and all the fans who voted. We’ll be able to help a lot of cats and dogs!

Posted by Karen Scott, Vice-President, Pet Haven of Minnesota

Puppy/Kitten Mill Public Forum tomorrow

From the Animal Humane Society website:

Puppy & Kitten Mill Bill public forum
Golden Valley, 2/27/2010 11:00 am-12:00 pm

Senator Don Betzold and Representative Tom Tillberry to discuss Puppy & Kitten Mill Bill at public forum

Are you interested in learning more about the effort to regulate dog and cat breeders in Minnesota to stop inhumane practices in this industry? Join us on Saturday, February 27, 2010, for a public information session on the Dog and Cat Breeder Bill (S.F. 7/H.F. 253), also known as the Puppy and Kitten Mill Bill, with Minnesota Senator Don Betzold and Minnesota Representative Tom Tillberry who authored and introduced the bill in the Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives respectively.

Learn firsthand about the bill and its importance to the welfare of thousands of neglected animals in the State of Minnesota.
Understand how requiring licensing and inspections of breeding facilities in the state will protect animals from breeders engaging in inhumane breeding practices.

Arm yourself with information on how you can be a voice for animals and let others know what they can do.
Join us:

11 a.m. to noon on Saturday, February 27, 2010
Animal Humane Society, Auditorium
845 Meadow Lane North, Golden Valley

Reservations are not required, but seating is limited. For more information, please email animaladvocates@animalhumanesociety.org.

Meals on Wheels...for Pets!

Hungry pets in on Minneapolis community can now receive food and medical care thanks to an innovative partnership.

The Northeast (Minneapolis) Dinnerbell, Inc. Meals on Wheels program has received grants from the Banfield Charitable Trust.  Along with donations made by Banfield customers, the W.A.L.O.P. (We All Love Our Pets) program is able to provide food and animal wellness checks for the senior citizens served by the Meals on Wheels program.  They also take donations from other members of the public.

Meals on Wheels delivers nutritious meals to seniors.  It's wonderful that needs of animals and humans are being met by this program.  To see photos of some of the client animals, click here.

Adopted Dog Update Monday

None of our fine pooches was adopted this past week, so I thought I would give you a little update on the two Pet Haven alumnae that I know best because I adopted them:  Rusty and Luna.

Rusty came into my household three years ago today.  He was a nine-almost-ten year old Golden/Lab whose family was moving and didn't want to take him along.  His first foster home was in a townhouse and Rusty did way too much nervous barking for him to stay there, so I brought him home with me.  In my outer suburban neighborhood, the houses are far enough apart that even if a dog barks his head off, no one can hear as long as the windows are closed and it was February.   And bark he did.  If he didn't get attention.  If I left the room.  If the other two dogs got too close.  If they left him alone.

Rusty is a highly sociable boy and attracted admirers at our adoption events, but they all said the same thing:  he's too old. A typical comment was, "I just put my 10 year old lab down, and I don't want to go through that again soon".

Well, he's here to tell you that three years later, he's still going strong.  So there!

Here he is modeling the beautiful sweater he bought from Laura Leonard of Rescue Buddy Boarding and Beyond.  Sweaters in all sizes are hand-knit by Laura and her mom.  Profits go to support Red Lake Rosie's Rescue.

Luna, the German Shepherd puppy, at just seven months old finished Obedience I at The Canine Coach last night.   Her goal is to get the CGC (Canine Good Citizen) certificate and then possibly become a Therapy Dog, but she realizes that she needs to settle down a bit first.  She feels that the reason for attending the class is to play with the other dogs, and it's hard to do that when she is held firmly by a leash.  She is smart and attentive, though, so when the puppy energy dissipates, she'll be a star.

Here's she's playing with her favorite toy, two tennis balls strung together!

All Dogs Great and Small...

...will be at our adoption event tomorrow, Saturday, February 20.   We usually have two events, one for medium and large dogs and one for the small dogs, but this week they will all be in one fine location.

Location:  Richfield Petco

Time:  10 am to noon

Who's Invited:  You!

Progress Report: Puppy Mill Girls

Susie and Daisy continue to do well in their foster home.  The two are inseparable.  Our 'pipe dream' is that they could be adopted together, but when they are ready for their forever homes they will likely need to go their separate ways.

For now, they are enjoying life together and keeping each other warm in this seemingly endless winter.

Getting Involved

Here's an upcoming opportunity to learn more about proposed Puppy & Kitten Mill legislation.  Learn what is in this bill and how you can help.

Senator Don Betzold and Representative Tom Tillberry to discuss Puppy & Kitten Mill Bill at public forumAre you interested in learning more about the effort to regulate dog and cat breeders in Minnesota to stop inhumane practices in the industry? Join us on Saturday, February 27, 2010, for a public information session on the Dog and Cat Breeder Bill (S.F. 7/H.F. 253), also known as the Puppy and Kitten Mill Bill, with Minnesota Senator Don Betzold and Minnesota Representative Tom Tillberry who authored and introduced the bill in the Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives respectively.

• Learn firsthand about the bill and its importance to the welfare of thousands of neglected animals in the State of Minnesota.
• Understand how requiring licensing and inspections of breeding facilities in the state will protect animals from breeders engaging in inhumane breeding practices.
• Arm yourself with information on how you can be a voice for animals and let others know what they can do.
  

Join us:11 a.m. to noon on Saturday, February 27, 2010
Animal Humane Society, Auditorium
845 Meadow Lane North, Golden ValleyReservations are not required, but seating is limited. For more information, please emailanimaladvocates@animalhumanesociety.org.
Golden Valley | 845 Meadow Lane North, Golden Valley, MN 55422 | 763-522-4325
St. Paul | 1115 Beulah Lane, St. Paul, MN 55108 | 651-645-7387
Woodbury | 9785 Hudson Road, Woodbury, MN 55125 | 651-730-6008
Coon Rapids | 1411 Main Street NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55448 | 763-862-4030
Buffalo | 4375 Highway 55 SE, Buffalo, MN 55313 | 763-390-3647
<http://events.animalhumanesociety.org/site/R?i=FlzZXp3prtjCc9_Rn892Qw..>



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Adopted Dogs Monday!

Despite a slow economy, our dog adoption program is having some success placing dogs in wonderful new homes.  Here are this week's adoptees:

Hosea makes four.  Chihuahuas in his new home, that is.    He thinks it was worth the wait - he came to Pet Haven in September with Gabby and Harley - to find such a nice Chi-friendly home.

Oskar, now called Quincy, was also adopted this week.  His name had to be changed because his adopter has a three year old grandson called Oscar.   Besides Oscar, there are two other grandchildren around and a ten year old Shih Tzu who answers to Kirby.

 

Trapper, our Catahoula Leopard Dog

Catahoula's are thought to be one of the oldest dog breeds in North America.  They were named after Catahoula Parish in Louisiana, where they were used to hunt wild boars.

Our Trapper is just three years old and hunting a wild boar isn't even on his radar.  He loves people -- adores them, really -- and walks nicely on leash.  In the car, he'll just settle down on the back seat and enjoy the ride.  No trying to climb into your laps for this boy!

He loves other dogs and appears to enjoy children.

When you first meet Trapper, he may yip excitedly but he is really not much for words.

He has some allergy problems that we are still working on figuring out, but other than that, he's a healthy boy and looking forward to his forever home.  If you'd like to meet this beautiful and loving dog, please email us:  dogs@pethavenmn.org.

Pet Haven Rescues Two Puppy Mill Dogs

Daisy and Susie came to us via the Animal Humane Society.   Here is what AHS posted on their website:

"Animal Humane Society was recently called in by authorities to assist in ceasing operations of a commercial breeding facility in a rural Minnesota county. The request for assistance came after authorities there responded to three different calls about the operation.

At this facility, a high number of dogs of various breeds were found living in deplorable conditions. They were housed three to a cage in small kennels that didn’t allow for them to move or turn around; each kennel was covered in feces that contributed to painful mattes in the dogs’ fur. They were not provided exercise and experienced little to no human contact leaving them unsocialized and scared of the outside world.

Pet Haven is fortunate to have an experienced foster home willing to take two of these dogs and work with them to make them adoptable little dogs.  Here is what she has shared with us so far.

Both little girls are shy with very sweet temperaments. Susie is coming out of her shell faster than

an Daisy is. They do not show affection yet, and Daisy tries to avoid being picked up, but both can be handled without a problem. They have started following their foster mom around the house. Both love treats and get along fine with other dogs. They clearly know each other. They had not yet been together in their foster home, but when they were let out of their kennels in the exam room at Plymouth Heights Pet Hospital, Susie got all excited and started trying to play with Daisy and both had wagging tails.

Susie is a 6 - 8 year old black and silver poodle. She is underweight at 8.6 lbs and had to have 18 teeth extracted this week. She was already missing 12 teeth, so there are not many left. She loves the canned and homemade food her foster mom feeds her. She was also spayed and had a couple of mammary tumors removed this week. Susie was covered in mats and had to be shaved. She is missing all of the hair on the top of her nose and a couple of spots on her hips where she is particularly bony, but hopefully some good food and loving attention will help it to grow back.

Daisy is a 5 - 6 year old lhasa (or maybe a shih tzu or maybe a mix of the two - hard to tell). She weighs 13.5 lbs and is light tan with some black on her face. Daisy had surgery and dental work done last week. She was spayed and had mammary tumors removed as well. She also had to be shaved to remove her matted coat, but the hair on her face was able to be trimmed and she is adorable. Daisy has dry eye and produces no tears in either eye. Because this condition went untreated, she lost a significant amount of vision in both eyes. We are hoping that the drops she is now receiving will help to bring some of it back. Daisy also has bad knees - her kneecaps in both back legs are permanently dislocated. She seems to get around fine and the vet concluded that they appear to not be causing her any pain. 

Both of these wonderful little survivors will soon be available for adoption. We have no doubt that they will learn to be loving companions. Since they have spent their lives until now in crates, they do not have a clue about housetraining and are used to eliminating where they live and sleep. Now that they have the space they need they are figuring out that does not have to be the case any longer. They are being trained to use puppy pads in their foster home and Susie is starting to catch on. Daisy still has to figure out this weird practice. They are taken outside, but the cold weather and the strange feel of the outdoors just causes them to be motionless. Once they are more comfortable in their foster home and it warms up a bit outside, they will be transitioned from puppy pads to pottying outdoors.
 

Adopted Dogs Monday

Oh, Maya!   Maya's new mom came to Pet Haven with an interest in fostering with the vague idea that someday she would meet the dog of her dreams.  After meeting Maya, the order of doing things was changed some.  Maya was adopted on Friday and Mary will be fostering sometime soon after she and Maya have had a chance to enjoy some together-alone time.  Thanks to Barbara who opened her home to Maya as a foster and to Kristi and family who offered Maya a nice vacation spot while Barbara went on a vacation of her own.

Hank, the super-sized Basset/Beagle who was returned to Pet Haven mostly because he wanted another dog in his family, found just the right home.   Here's what Laura, Hank's foster coordinator wrote me:

Hank has a Bassador (Lab/Basset) brother, 2 cats, a stay at home mom, and two boys to play with. Jet the dog was thrilled to have Hank to race around the house with. We  just hope the house holds together with all the new activity. This family had a Pet Haven beagle in the past so they should know what to expect-food obsession and barking.

Thanks to Cindy and family who happily took Hank back when his first adoptive family wanted to return him.

Vote for Clarence for MVP

Clarence is running for MVP of the Twin Cities Puppy Bowl. We think he is the cutest puppy ever. He survived almost freezing to death twice. Now he needs your help with a vote. The winner brings $500 in goods and services to their rescue. Click here to view the puppy bowl video. In the paragraph above the video click on the word vote and it will bring you to the right page. Clarence thanks you in advance.

Adoption Events Tomorrow!

Small Dogs:  Wayzata Chuck & Don's,  1147 Wayzata Blvd. East, Wayzata, MN 55391

Medium & Large Dogs:  Eden Prairie Petco , 8020 Glen Lane, Eden Prairie, MN 55344

Hours for both events are 10 am to noon.

We hope to see you there!

I wish I was an Oskar Meyer Wiener (Dog)

Oskar the Dachshund came to Pet Haven from Red Lake Rosie's Rescue.   He is a mini-doxie who weighs about 6 pounds.

At our last adoption event, he spent a fair amount of time under his foster mom's chair - at least that's what this reporter noticed.  But it was a pretty busy day, so perhaps he ventured out more as the day went on.  I know he enjoys a nice lap!

This boy is friendly and interested in his surroundings.  Because of his small size, we don't recommend that his forever home have small children in it. You wouldn't want this winsome little fellow to get pushed around by well-meaning toddlers.

If you understand his breed -- Dachshunds were bred to be ground dogs who would flush badgers and other rodents out of farm fields -- you will know that they are assertive little dogs who like to be busy.   Not that a good snuggle is out of the question, though!

Adopted Dog Update: Lulu

When Lulu came to Pet Haven she had gone through some really tough times. She was found in a garbage can in Northern Minnesota and had a variety of health problems. Her story is one of love, patience and time. Because of mange and other skin issues she had to make trips to the vet multiple times each week. This gave her an aversion to baths, and bath time now is quite a challenge.

Lulu would like for you to hear her story .... check out our Happy Tails site for her full story.

We would love to hear from you if you have adopted a dog or a cat from Pet Haven. Email editor@pethavenmn.org with updates and photos!

Adopted Dog Monday!

Adorable Cocker Spaniel Shadow was adopted this week.   He came to us with his sister Maya, another beautiful and delightfully good-natured Cocker.  His new parents had to wait a few days to take him home, as Pet Haven wanted to give him surgery for cherry eye.  Shadow healed up nicely and has now started his new life.

Luna took a quick moment from her play day at Pampered Pooch Playground to let us know that not much has changed since her official adoption on Saturday. She still spends many hours a day in play with Daisy, her German Shepherd sister, and she continues to impress her mom with her quick mastery of new commands, like 'down' and 'stay'.    Luna is formulating a marketing plan to help her let people know why dogs should not be given as gifts; she is also at work on a book about her adventures.   You can follow her life, and that of her new siblings, on their very own blog, Shepherd Obsession.