Adopted Dog Monday!

Blondie (left) and Izzy (right) who came to us from Red Lake Rosie's Rescue (photo taken at RLRR) were both adopted this past week. Congratulations, Blondie and Izzy on finding your new moms!
























Lucy, a senior Austrialian Terrier, was adopted by her foster with intent home this weekend. Congratulations, Lucy!

















Bishop's foster mom came to our adoption event to make it official this weekend. Bishop was adopted by his foster mom. Congratulations, Bishop!

Adopted Dog Monday!

Oso, a middle aged shepherd/rottie mix was officially adopted by his foster-with-intent home this weekend. Oso was surrendered by a family who fell on hard times and it was a very difficult surrender. I hope maybe they are following the blog and will know that Oso has landed in a loving home and they adore him. Congratulations, Oso!




Bishop, a young male mix, was adopted by his foster home. Allison and family were his third foster home -- third time's the charm! After fostering him since October they have realized that he is already home. They also recently paid for Bishop's DNA to be tested and the results state that he is over 50% Chihuahua. That would make him the biggest Chihuahua I've ever met (Bishop is about 40lbs), but it does explain why he thinks he is a lap dog and hates cold weather. Congratulations, Bishop!

National Pet ID Week

April 18-24 is National Pet ID week.

Every year millions of dogs and cats end up in shelters. Only 2% of cats and 15% of dogs are reunited with their owner. Dogs and cats who are wearing ID tags are microchipped are much more likely to be reunited with an anxious owner.

ID tags that can be placed on a dog's collar should include the dog's name, the owner's name and address, 2 phone numbers (preferably home and cell -- so that if you are out looking for your dog, someone can reach you easily), and a notation regarding any medical issues the dog has. Most big box pet stores have "make your own id" machines right in the store. Most vet offices will have forms to order a tag by mail. There are also numerous places to order ID tags online -- my personal favorite is Boomerang Tags. If you don't like the sound of tags clanging around, you can purchase a tag that slips onto the collar and lies flat or purchase a Quiet Spot (for sale locally at Chuck and Dons locations). You can also purchase collars with the dog's name and phone number embroidered into the webbing.

Microchips are small chips (about the size of a grain of rice) that are inserted beneath the dog's skin between their shoulder blades. The insertion is quick and virtually painless for the dog - along the lines of routine vaccination shots. Vet offices, shelters, rescues and animal control facilities have hand-held devices which can read these chips (transmitted via radio frequency by waving the device over the dogs back). The microchip transmits an identification number to the chip reader. The vet/shelter can then call the microchip company with the identification number to obtain the contact information for the owner from their database. The advantage of microchipping is that the dog can be identified even if they have slipped or broken free from their collar. All Pet Haven dogs and cats are microchipped prior to adoption.

If you already have ID tags and microchips for your pets, please take the time this week to make sure that you have accurate and up-to-date contact information on your tags and on file with the microchip company.

Accidents happen -- doors are propped open, gates are accidentally left unlatched, dogs spot a squirrel and pull the leash out of their owner's hand, etc. Please make sure that your dogs and cats are easily identified so that happy reunions are possible.

Check out Bishop (above) sporting his Pet Haven ID tag. You can't see it, but he's also microchipped!

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Sadie is still on the run, please keep an eye out for her if you are in the Longfellow area of Minneapolis.

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Don't forget to vote for Pet Haven in the Animal Rescue Site $100,000 Shelter Challenge!

Bishop: Not impressed by this weather

I don't know about you, but I share Bishop's thoughts on this frigid weather. Brrrrrr!

Bishop is still hanging out in foster care waiting for someone (other than his foster family and all of us at Pet Haven) to fall in love with him. He is such a cute boy. His foster mom reports that wrapped up in a blanket in front of the space heater is one of his favorite ways to spend the evening. His other favorite way to spend a winter evening is snuggled up with his special someone.

If Bishop sounds like the boy for you, please email pethavendogs@yahoo.com

Bishop: Looking to be your best bud

Bishop is a 9 month old terrier mix. He came in to Pet Haven foster care when he was approximately 4 months old and as he has grown our guesses about his breed mix have evolved. His foster thinks that he might be a Basenji mix. Whatever his heritage, Bishop is 100% sweetheart. He loves to snuggle and sack out with you on the couch. For a 9 month old pup his he not overly energetic. He likes to go for walks and sniff around the yard, but he's also happy to sit on your lap (yes, I said on your lap) and watch TV. He does still like to chew, as most puppies do, but he's learned to limit his chewing to dog toys. He is smart cookie and knows that you can't put just anything you find lying around in your mouth! In the 2nd photo posted here you can see Bishop combining two of his favorite activities -- chew toys and couch lounging. Doggy heaven!

Bishop is going to start an obedience course with his foster mom next week, but he would love to finish it out with his new adoptive family. It's a 6 week course, so act fast! If you would like to adopt Bishop, please email pethavendogs@yahoo.com

National Pit Bull Awareness Day!

Today is the 2nd annual National Pit Bull Awareness Day!

A Rotta Love Plus, a twin cities Pit Bull and Rottweiler rescue, is hosting a picnic at Minnehaha Park this afternoon to celebrate.


We at Pet Haven could not resist this opportunity to highlight the wonderful bully breed dogs that we have in foster care right now:

Dutch -- also known as Komo in his foster home -- is a 1 year old lab/bully breed mix. He is loving life in his foster home where he gets to go to work with his foster mom who works with one of Pet Haven's doggy daycare partners. He loves playing with other dogs and he still has a lot of puppy energy in him at just 1 year of age so this arrangement is a dream come true!



Hazel is a 2 year old Pit Bull. At only 37 pounds, Hazel is a petite little thing. Hazel gets long well with other dogs -- too well, she LOVES to play and she will play and play and play until the other dog collapses from exhaustion. She is not a hyper dog though, without a doggy playmate around she is happy to entertain herself a toy or snuggle in with her humans.

Bishop is a 10 month old American Staffordshire Terrier mix. He came into Pet Haven from a hoarding situation when he was just a few months old. He is loving life in his foster home where he has three people all to himself. Bishop likes to play with other dogs, but he doesn't like to share his space and people with them on a long term basis. He would love to take trips to the dog park, but would like to be the only pet in his forever home.

Benne is a 1 year old Pit Bull. Benne has come a long way from his sad start in life. He was dumped at a shelter as a young puppy. If you were to meet him now you'd never never guess there was a time that he didn't know love. He gets long well with other dogs and kids. He's still a puppy so he can get rambunctious and needs a family who will commit to continuing to train him to be a good canine citizen.





The 2009 legislative session starts on January 6, 2008. If another bill is introduced to try to ban specific breeds of dogs, Pet Haven will be involved in the fight to block its passage. To learn more about Pet Haven's advocacy efforts at the state capitol, check out our advocacy blog, the advocacy page on our website or email Advocacy@PetHavenMN.org