Sammy Update

Pet Haven's Sammy, the beautiful shep mix, from Red Lake Rosie's Rescue was adopted a few months ago. Here is an update from the adopters as posted on Rosie's blog:

Sammy's just one of the kids. We can't thank you enough for taking care of Sammy. He's been a great addition to our family. He can be a little maddening at times, but so are the kids so I guess that makes it even. Here are some pics from the past couple of months.

First Day of School.

His favorite place at the playground for legal digging.

Orange Soda on a warm Summer day.

Getting Ready for Trick-Or-Treat.

A brief moment of rest between romps in the water at Minnehaha Creek yesterday. Who'da thunk that I'd be walking Sammy in shorts and a t-shirt on November 8th?

Red Lake Rosie's Adopted Dog Monday

It has been a busy adoption week for four of our Red Lake Rosie's Rescue dogs. Eudee, Mya, Gracie, and Charlie all found their forever homes. Thanks to all the foster families that took such good care of these dogs until they found their new families. Without you we would not have been able to save them.






Charlie the springer/aussie mix then and now. He came in as a shy confused boy. But so loveable you could not resist that look on his face wanting you to pet him. He does have a bullet lodged in his knee that may cause him more discomfort as he ages. For now he is up for any romp with another dog willing to play with him.


Charlie is living with a family of artists, mom working from home. He has a beagle sister, Roxy, a Pet Haven alum and a bunny that is VERY interesting to him. He also has two human siblings who love taking Charlie for walks in the park.

Gracie and Mya were two little labbie sisters that came into Red Lake Rosie's together. Pet Haven had a foster willing to take both of them so we brought them to the cities.

Mya found her family first. Her new mom is a piano teacher who works out of her home. Mya is learning how to be a good student too and wait quietly through the lessons. This may take a while to accomplish but Mya is a smart girl and her mom is very patient. Mya is already signed up for puppy classes at Canine Coach.

Gracie now lives on 1/2 acre of land and has lots of neighbors and relatives with other dogs to enjoy that huge space with. Her parents both work part time so they have time to spend with her. They already shopped at Chuck and Don's and bought good food and many new toys and bones. Both of these girls are living the rez dog's dream.

Eudee came to Pet Haven in rough shape. He suffered from Lyme disease, heartworm, and intestinal parasites. After a short vet stay and lots of medication to get him on the mend, Eudee came to his foster home to begin a 6-week recovery process from his heartworm treatment that involved a lot of sleeping and time in the kennel. Even as sick as he was, Eudee had a huge personality and loved nothing more than getting attention from his foster parents. He was a real trooper, and got through those 6 weeks like a champ. Once he got the all clear to be himself, his personality really came though.

Enter mom, dad and their four-year old twins. They have the perfect environment for Eudee…a large farm with plenty of room to chase squirrels and what Lisa described as “scent heaven” for Eudee! The kids took an immediate liking to him, and got him to sit several times for a treat. It was a perfect match!

Congratulations to all these dogs and their new families. And Happy Birthday to Karen Good from Red Lake Rosie's Rescue who was the first person to start them on their new journeys.

Adopted Dog Monday

Sammy came to Pet Haven from the Red Lake reservation. He was found as a stray and luckily found his way to Red Lake Rosie's Rescue. He was quite shy at first but after a few days at the shelter Sammy began to warm up.

Sammy was the model foster dog and after only 2 weeks and multiple applications he found his new home. Sammy is now living with a young family with two kids to grow up with. This is their first dog and they could not have found a better fit for their lifestyle.

Bella a sweet lab found her home last week with a couple that had been waiting for over a month for Pet Haven to get just the right dog in for them. Their college bound daughter was there at the adoption to help seal the deal. Congratulations to both families and their new furkids.

New Dog Transports 7/11 and 7/12

Earlier this week Pet Haven had two transports bring us 7 wonderful new dogs. Mike, Teddy, and Sherman came from People for Pets in Spencer Iowa. Thanks to Sheila from BARKMN for bringing our dogs all the way to Lakeville. Your car was brimming with furry friends.

Mike is a tiny little Chihuahua boy. Weighing in at about 6lbs he needs to start eating some cheeseburgers. His foster says he is a real snuggle bunny.

Teddy is a 2 year old Pom that is the cutest ball of fluff. He is playful and has a look in his eye that says "What's next?".

Sherman a 75lb lab has been waiting quite a while at the shelter to have a chance for a new home. Well buddy you are on your way now. Sherman will be hanging out at Pampered Pooch Playground for the next week.

On Sunday we brought in 4 new dogs Chester, Beulah, Libby, and Scooby from Red Lake Rosie's Rescue. Thanks to Jenny for delivering these great dogs to us. No idea how you got so many animals in your car.

Chester is a 40lb lab mix. He is the perfect size for city dwellers and would love daily trips to the dog park. A lake to swim in would be on his dream list too. For the next week Chester will be playing with all the dogs at Auntie Ruth's.

Beulah is a 30lb springer/hound mix. At least that is the mix we are guessing for now. Beulah is a shy girl that is slowly coming out of her shell. She will need a patient home where she can experience new things calmly and gain confidence.

Libby is a 5 year old registered Sheltie. Her AKC name is Liberty Bloosum Carter. She is hanging out in a foster home with two other Shelties. This may be a quick foster failure situation here.

Scooby is a 7 year old registered Sheltie. His AKC name is Prince Scooby III. He slipped out of his collar at the clinic and was found walking down 494. Welcome to the big city Scooby. We will have more info on Petfinder soon. Most of these dogs will be making their debut on Saturday at our adoption events. Check our website for times and locations.

Red Lake Adopted Dog Monday

Wow this is the best week ever for the Red Lake dogs in our foster program. We had five of them adopted in just over 8 days. Our boy Julius saved from the woods by Karen of Red Lake Rosie's Rescue-as were all of the dogs listed here-found his forever home on Father's Day. Julius is living out in Lake Elmo in a cabin like environment which certainly suits a dog from the country. He got along with the cat right away. And lucky for Julius his auntie is Danielle a trainer from Canine Coach. So if he has any questions about training his new parents he knows who to call.

Hunter now Mick has a cushy life in Apple Valley. He has a work from home mom, lots of woods to explore, and a deck just for lounging on a Sunday morning. This dog came in to Karen's with a tongue that had been badly burned. He is still learning how to use it again. Here is what the new mom had to say, " We left him home alone for a couple of hours last night and he was fine. Before we left we wondered if we should close the door to the laundry room where we keep all our shoes. Paul said "No they are mostly your shoes he can chew those if he wants". Arriving home there was one shoe in the center of the living room (undamaged) and it was a great big ol' mens tennis shoe. HA Good Boy Mick!"

Copper now Duncan lives with a Golden named Cooper-hence the name change. He has kept his new parents busy trying to figure out how to keep him from climbing the fence. Duncan seems to think the grass is greener, the people are more friendly, and the squirrels much more interesting on the other side. Sometimes the rez dogs take a bit to settle into city life. Stay tuned for photos of Duncan's new hairdo. The groomer worked on his coat for over two hours.

Zeke our little terrier mix went to live with a family that had adopted a Pet Haven dog in the past. The parents are retired so Zeke will not be home alone for long. And the 16 year old son has lots of sports events to attend with his new dog. Zeke has come a long way from living alone behind a gas station.

Shiloh found her new home with a friend of her fosters. He owns a natural pet food store and takes the dogs with him to work everyday. He has another rescue dog that is a bit shy too just like Shiloh-or Shy-bun bun as her fosters called her. Congratulations to all these poochies and their new families! Thank you for considering rescue dogs.

And a big shout out thank you to Karen Good of Red Lake Rosie's Rescue for all she does for the homeless dogs and cats on the Red Lake reservation.

Transport from Red Lake Rosie's

Pet Haven's newest dogs arrived over the weekend from Red Lake Rosie's Rescue. Thanks to Carla and Shawn for transporting the four dogs safely. Zeke, white American Eskimo/terrier mix and Hunter, chocolate lab mix were more than happy to stretch their legs after the 5 hour drive.

Leslie and Carla walked the two little ones, Harvey, black and white Shitzu and Chucky, buff Sitzu after their long ride south. They both came into Red Lake Rosie's with very matted coats and were professionally trimmed down before leaving. Once their coats grow back they are going to be gorgeous.

Here is Chucky all reloaded up for the next leg on his journey to his new foster home. He even found a squeaky toy to play with and seemed ready for whatever was next.

Since arriving Zeke has been touring the city with Lindsey going to BBQs and kickball games. He was even the mascot at the last game. Still a bit timid Zeke is learning how much fun his life can be. He has come a long way from living alone behind a gas station.

Hunter, a 10 month old chocolate lab mix, is staying at Rescue Buddy Boarding. He is such a calm boy for his age and breed. He is housetrained and crate trained. A family that would include Hunter in all their activities would be great. Because of his young age he would do best if there was someone home part of the day. Thank you to everyone involved with Red Lake Rosie's for all you do for the homeless dogs and cats.

Adopted Dog Update: Jonnie Cakes (aka Lizzie) from Dumpster to Dog Park

Meet Jonnie Cakes, a Red Lake Rosie dog who was found roped to a garbage dumpster in Ponemah. She was starving and full of mange when she was rescued by our friend, Karen of Red Lake Rosie's Rescue.

Fast forward 9 months to when I met Lizzie at the Three Rivers Dog Park in Eden Prairie. "JC" had been adopted prior to me joining Pet Haven so I had no idea I was playing with a Pet Haven dog until I started talking to Lizzie's mom, Nancy. Lizzie was having a wonderful time running around the park, herding all of the other dogs. Nancy was just the proudest Mom telling the other dog owners how smart Lizzie is and how well she has done with her training. She can't believe the progress that they've made in just six months. Lizzie is a very sweet girl, a non-discriminating friend when it comes to both dogs and humans!

I spent quite a bit of time talking to Nancy about all sorts of things and I truly believe that Lizzie found Nancy, just as much Nancy found Lizzie. They are great friends!

Another very successful adoption story!

Look at Lizzie (aka Jonnie Cakes) now...she couldn't be more happy!

Lulu: Little bundle of love

Lulu is a 2 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel mix. She came to Pet Haven from Red Lake Rosie's Rescue. She came in with heartworm, but has been treated and is ready to have FUN with a new family! Here's a note from Lulu's foster:

Lulu came to stay with me and my family while she is waiting for her forever home. In the small period of time I have seen her interact with my 11 yr old daughter, our 3 yr old yorkie and 4 year old cat and all have been a very positive experience. She has a fun loving personality; loves to snuggle up on the couch with you; barely barks, is playful when encouraged and she has not had any accidents while staying with us. She needs a little help when walking on the leash and learning new tricks but is very smart and will catch on quick. Overall, she is a sweet dog and think she would be a great catch for any family.

If Lulu sounds like the dog for you, please email pethavendogs@yahoo.com.

Three-legged Louie

Louie is a 4 year old aussie/sheltie mix who came to us from Red Lake Rosie's Rescue. Little Lou is a tripod - missing one of his back legs. You would never know it from the way that he gets around though! Louie has been hanging out with his foster mom for a few months now, waiting for his forever home!

Louie loves to play with other dogs of all sizes and does well at the dog park. He is housebroken and is used to free roam of a room when his foster mom is gone. He does whine when she leaves, but settles down quickly (she has spied on him and checked with the neighbors as well). He doesn't chew anything in appropriate. Louie loves to ride int he car. Daily exercise is a must, but he also likes to settle down and snuggle in to watch TV at night. He knows basic commands: sit, come, stay, shake, roll over and stay. Louie does give indications that he would chase motorcycles if he could, so a fenced yard would be ideal for this pooch; however he currently lives in a townhome and does just fine on a tie out.

If Louie sounds like the dog for you, please email pethavendogs@yahoo.com

Weekend trip to Red Lake Rosie's Rescue

On Friday, 3 Pet Haven volunteers and 2 other dog rescue supporters drove 5 hours north to Red Lake Rosie's. People who have been following this blog for a while probably know that Pet Haven gets quite a few dogs from Red Lake. We were there to be put to work and do some projects for Karen Good, who runs the organization up there on her own. And boy, did we work! The second we arrived there was a list of things to do and we jumped into it right away. Over the the weekend, we were able to chip away at some tasks that would have been way too much for Karen to do by herself, although I think all of us don't doubt that she would have found some way to get it done regardless!

It was a great weekend. It was humid, hot, rainy, stormy, and windy. The mosquitos were out in full force and we worked from the time we woke up to where it was basically too dark to do anything else. And none of us would have reconsidered the trip at all. Why? Because of the dogs and cats Karen has at the shelter.

The dogs and cats that Karen has at Red Lake all have a story of how they got there. But because of what she does, their futures are 100% brighter than if they hadn't found their way to her somehow. Every dog there is friendly, happy, and healthy after Karen gets them. We worked with the dogs every day, doing daily chores of feeding, exercising, and cleaning their living areas and got to know all of them. Many of the dogs and cats were coming back with us on Sunday to go to rescues and humane societies to be adopted out.

By the time Sunday rolled around, we had crossed off some projects and all of us knew that we would be back up there again someday, and soon, to work with Red Lake Rosie's. The whole trip was a reminder to everyone of how the work we do in rescue can really mean something, especially to the dogs. Dogs who were mistreated, neglected, or had their lives threatened are given another chance every day when they come to Karen's. 14 dogs and cats headed out with us to start their new lives, join a family, and have their own Happy Ending. And as we were leaving, Karen was getting ready for another dog to arrive minutes later. All of us were affected by Karen's devotion to the animals who come to her care.

Please check out this link if you would like to donate for vet care or some items for Red Lake Rosie's: Donation Information

Izzy: A girl looking for love

Izzy arrived last week to Pet Haven via Red Lake Rosie’s. She has been in foster care since last Tuesday evening and is getting along great with her canine foster brothers and foster parents.

On Saturday, she had a wonderful time at the Paws for Peace event where she charmed young and old alike with her calm demeanor and laid back attitude. Kids, wheelchairs, strollers, big dogs, small dogs, nothing seemed to phase her! (Well, maybe the poodle wearing a beret took her by surprise, but really, who wouldn't be?) At approximately 1 year old, she still has some puppy in her, but she is housebroken and enjoys her quiet time chewing on her chew toys. She will need some help figuring out what she should be chewing on and what she shouldn’t, but she is very smart and will figure it out in no time.

Izzy had a hard start to her life, with scars and scabs to prove it, but she doesn’t let that keep her from opening her heart up to all that she meets. If you would like to open your heart to Izzy, please email pethavendogs@yahoo.com.

New Kids on the Block

These three have been hangin' tough up at Red Lake Rosie's Rescue, but on Sunday they hitched a ride to foster care. We are just getting to know them, but they were all very good dogs in the car and at the vet. We are getting to know them and they are all looking for foster and adoptive homes. If someone catches your eye and you think you've got the right stuff, please email pethavendogs@yahoo.com

Sonoma (top left) is a lab/shepherd (?) mix female who appears to be a little camera shy.

Louie (right) is an aussie/herding breed (?) tripod boy. His photo is a little blurry because good photos require sitting still and after a long trip down to the cities, Louie was ready for FUN!

Montana (lower left) is a St. Bernard/Husky (?) mix boy. He got to ride shotgun on the last leg of the transport and was a very good boy uncrated in the car. Look at that mug, what a handsome fella.

Punkin: Sweet as pie

Punkin is a shepherd mix puppy who came to Pet Haven through Red Lake Rosie's Rescue. She's around 5 months old right now and learning the ropes at her foster home. She's got the housetraining thing down (as long as she goes out on a schedule). She's working on being calm when her foster mom leaves her to goes to work. She loves the other dogs in her foster home. She's a busy girl and is looking for an active home that will take her on long walks or hit the dog park with her. She would make a great jogging partner once she's fully grown. She's a big fan of comfy places to nap, so she would love a home where she's allowed to lounge on the furniture.

If you would like to learn more about Punkin, please email pethavendogs@yahoo.com.