Our Friends in the Storms' Paths

My heart is breaking today for the people who have been devastated by these tornadoes the past few days.  I had a really lovely dog story ready to share about Meko, but I'm going to save it for tomorrow. Today I want to share a few beautiful things to give us hope. 

UPDATED (4:15PM):  Check out this Buzzfeed article about pet survival stories.

First of all, the dog we featured yesterday, Mac, and his mom and siblings, were in the path of this storm. I was so relieved to see this status on his Facebook page a few hours ago:

I was worried sick. Every time I woke up during the night I checked my phone to see if Mac's mom had updated us yet.  What an answer to prayer that Mac passed the night safely in the basement on his bean bag.

I also wanted to share this post from Facebook:

I have shared these dogs before in regards to their work at Sandy Hook and Boston. I think we all know what the healing power of a dog can do and I encourage you to consider funding this project if you can spare a few dollars. 

As the next few days go by there will likely be many ways to give and help. As always, remember to be careful that you are contributing to a legitimate organization. The Red Cross always accepts donations, but you may want to consider also giving to rescue organizations who are trying to take care of the displaced pets. I don't know of any now but if they come to my attention in the next few days and someone can confirm they are reputable I will gladly pass them along.

Last night I came across this tweet while reading about the storms: 

And finally, I saw this video this morning, and I cried my eyes out.  Don't worry, it has as happy of an ending as it can, all things considered. Click on the picture.

We are sending thoughts, prayers, love, fairy dust, and anything else positive Wiley and I have to all the people and pets affected by these storms. As the next few days go by if you hear of ways to help please share them with the blog. Email me at pabibliophile@gmail.com.

I hope this post is coherent. I don't do my best research and writing at 5:45 am but I couldn't just proceed with the post I had planned today without acknowledging these tragedies. Thanks for all the love I know you are sending our friends. Finally, I leave you with a picture I shared yesterday from Mac's Etsy shop:

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UPDATED:  Check out this Buzzfeed article about pet survival stories.

Pit Bull Strong

We have a very special dog to share today. Now, I think every dog is special, so I  don't want anyone to feel slighted. But Mac has been through an awful lot, and it never gets him down. His mom says he is "Pit Bull strong,"  and that must be how he manages.

Mac was being sold on a street corner when his mom saved him, and he and his siblings were definitely intended for dog fighting. 

 

In fact, since Mac was only 4lbs at 3 months old, in all likelihood if he survived he would have simply been a bait dog. He was covered in mange and malnourished, but his mom was determined to change that.

The original plan was to nurse Mac to health as a foster pup then find him a furever home, but his mom soon realized this dog was connected to her at a cellular level, and Mac never left. 

Poor Mac has genetic defects in both of his back legs and already has hip dysplasia since he was bred for fighting. 

 After multiple surgeries on the same knee he developed a terrible infection and a more invasive surgery had to be postponed.

Mac's medical bills are very costly, but he and his mom raised all the money for them by hand-making screen-print shirts. 

In fact, once they raised the money for his surgery, they realized they could keep on selling the tshirts and other awesome merchandise to help other dogs!

Mac has raised $2400 just this year alone!  The money is used to help other pit bulls like Mac who need a little extra help to find a furever home.

 

 His mom helps transport, foster, and nurse many different dogs from their local shelter and all over the country, thanks to the connections she has made on her facebook page. Her latest foster is Zayda, a mini Mac.

Mac also goes with his mom when she volunteers at the shelter, providing his calming presence to the dogs who need it.

Although no matter how hard he tries he cannot stay awake in the car!

 I have not even begun to show you what Mac is all about.  Please check out the rest of his story!  His mom updates his followers constantly so be prepared to see an abundance of adorable dog pictures and hear an abundance of optimism, because that's what Mac and his mom deliver. Here he is playing with his sister.

His story and his mom's unwavering devotion to changing the world to make it a safe place for all dogs is so worth your time. Plus there's this:

  To find out more about Mac, you can start right here at his web page: http://iampitbullstrong.com/

This site links to all his accounts, like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Here's a direct link if you're on Facebook: definitely make sure you like Mac's page.

Whatever you do, make sure you check out her Etsy shop. That's where you can purchase not only Mac's tshirts but also lots of other great stuff, like this:

Wiley and I are so grateful and encouraged by Mac and his mom and all they are doing for our canine pals.  We hope she continues to keep us posted on Mac. Wiley and I are saying a prayer for Mac's upcoming knee surgery and his overall health in general.

Readers, let's all do what we can for rescue dogs by sharing what rescue dogs can do for us. Email me at pabibliophile@gmail.com

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Freckles

Hi there! This is Freckles. Freckles is a part of Sylvia's family, which includes Coco and Candy.  Sylvia and her husband were perfectly happy with their foursome, but Freckles was destined for their household too.

In 2007, an elderly woman rescued Freckles from a puppy mill as a gift for her ailing husband Jimmy.  Jimmy was a friend and client of Sylvia's and her husband, and he had just lost his 17 year old Cocker Spaniel, Bella. 

 

 His wife thought Freckles might lift his spirits, but unfortunately Jimmy passed away before Freckles could be of any real help or comfort.

In fact Freckles, at six months old, actually became a bit of a problem, as his owner was too busy to deal with him and he was left to his own devices to wander the home and the yard. He became protective of the house and barked at Sylvia's husband whenever he was there. Of course, eventually they certainly put aside their differences, as you can see below.

Freckles's owner asked Sylvia and her husband if they could dogsit Freckles for a little while so she could tend to funeral arrangements and deal with everything.  

Coco and Candy wanted NO PART of a new puppy in the house, until Candy realized Freckles had come with TOYS! 

Eventually Coco relented as well, although she took on the motherly role, putting Freckles in his place (which she still does), and always being the boss, second in command only to Sylvia and her husband.

Time went by and the pack settled in; by the time Freckles's original owner approached Sylvia and her husband and asked them to keep him they had already made a place for them in their home and hearts.

Freckles took to Sylvia right away, and would even jump the fence to chase after her when she left for work. 

He is also Sylvia's therapy dog. He is especially perceptive to her depression and anxiety. He actually sleeps right around her head.  This way he can wake her when she is having an anxiety attack in her sleep.

He is always by her side, and when she is too depressed to get out of bed he brings her husband to her side. And apparently he's always sticking his tongue out!

Freckles, you are precious.  You have helped Sylvia more than you will ever know, and she freely acknowledges, as most rescue pet owners do, that the dog rescues the owner just as much or more than the other way around.

Thank you Sylvia, for sharing Freckles's story.  Readers, I have so many cute pictures of Freckles and his sisters that I can't even fit them all here. I will save them for a bonus post. Woohoo!

In the meantime keep spreading the word about the blog, and share your own rescue story too! Email me at pabibliophile@gmail.com 

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Feel-Good Friday: Finley

Finley is our top dog for Feel-Good Friday!  Finley’s story almost seems like the plot of a movie, and it has the required happy ending for all dog movies too!

Finley is a newly acquired service dog in training for Denice DeAntonio. Last week (March 5) Denise and Finley, a golden retriever, were at a shopping center in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, when Denise fell. Ambulances were called and a good deal of people responded, all of which is heartwarming.  Unfortunately, in the commotion that ensued poor Finley got scared and ran off.  How terrifying for Denise and Finley.

The community response was swift and generous.  Dozens of volunteers looked for Finley for several days. They set up organized search parties and used some of the many tips called in to direct their search. 

Finally, on Friday morning, a local woman, Jackie Kauffman, found Finley standing in her gated yard with her dog Kirby!  He took some coaxing, but she was able to lure him with dog food into her garage.  What happy news!

Jackie did some calling around and found that the search team, lead by the group Amazing Tails, was assembling at a local Dunkin Donuts with a search dog to head out again looking for Finley.  Amazing Tails is the group who had trained Finley, and they had been feverishly coordinating the efforts to find him.  Check out their page; they often use rescue dogs for their training programs.  Anyway, Finley was taken to the restaurant and united with Denise!

Click on this picture for a short and heartwarming video about Finley's story.  You'll have to sit through a few seconds of a story about local hikers, but then you get to see Finley reunited with Denise.

So much of this story fits the criteria for Feel-Good Friday.  It also makes me proud of Pennsylvania and the people of Berks County for being so persistent in their efforts to find the dog and help Denise. Previously Wyomissing got a lot of attention for being the epicenter of the mess that was Jon and Kate Plus 8, the “famous” reality show family with sextuplets.  Most of the people I knew down that way could have done without that claim to fame. Now they have something much better to hang their hats on.

You can read more about the search and rescue in the local paper, The Reading Eagle, which is where I got the information shared here.  All of the pictures are from the Amazing Tails website except for the one directly above.

Keep your own personal rescue stories coming, and don't forget you can submit photos for our sleeping pet series too!

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What did you miss? 2/24-3/1

We are summarizing Literary Characters' Week today, although we do still have a little something planned for tomorrow. Before I review what we've shared and point you in the direction of our posts, I have to share a video.  This story brings together both the theme of the week, dogs as characters in books, and the impact of dogs on reading.  R.E.A.D. stands for Reading Education Assistance Dogs, and they are really making a difference with struggling and reluctant readers.  I'm not sure if Wiley will ever overcome his anxieties enough to be a part of something like this, but it is truly amazing.  Click on the picture below and watch the video, especially the first half.  It has all kinds of happy endings for everyone involved.

 

 

Now, on to the weekly round-up. On Sunday we had some deep and meaningful snuggling.  From there we launched Literary Characters Week on Monday with Huckleberry Finn.  Huck's story is a heartwarming tale of a lovable pup finding a great mom wiling to invest in him. Stanley (and Stella) were next, and their story was so encouraging. It took the combined efforts of a local pound, a local rescue group, foster families, and social media to bring Stanley to Niki, and now she can't imagine her life without him. 

His story reminds us that every little bit of effort counts.

Wednesday was a big day for Wiley as he made his debut as Sherlock, and on Thursday I shared a grab-bag of some of my favorite pictures of dogs named after literary characters. Finally, on Feel-Good Friday I invited readers to join me in remembering the television series Wishbone. If you don't know about it you have to check out the post. If you do remember it, I have an episode posted there for you to enjoy!

Now, don't forget about our big Photo Share starting this Wednesday. I need pictures of your sleeping pets. For photo shares I take pictures of any legal pets, even if they're not dogs and even if they're not rescues.  You can see to how submit your photo(s) right here. We have several options to make it easy on you.

As always, this blog depends on your rescue stories. Please share and encourage others to do so as well! Happy weekend!

Feel-Good Friday: Fast Friends

We know the companionship our dogs bring into our lives. We know they comfort us, protect us, and some days they are the only other beings with which we feel like socializing. Turns out cheetahs feel the same way!  This story has been floating around online this week, but special thanks to Isis's mom Suzy for sharing it with me.

Cheetahs are endangered.  Their population has dwindled from 100,000 to 12,000 over the past 100 years. They are famously difficult to breed in captivity. In fact even in the wild they are not social animals, and the female does not go into heat on her own.  It takes a male cheetah to, uh, make the magic happen, and they don't hang around each other often enough because they tend to prefer to be on their own. 

Well, that's obviously a problem. Unfortunately there's another big obstacle. They are afraid of everything!  Their survival depends on their fear because their only defense mechanism is sprinting.

 So, take an unsocial scaredy cat who is in danger of going extinct.  Naturally the solution is to give it a dog. Wait. What? 

It turns out that cheetahs take exceptionally well to having a companion dog. Believe it or not, the cheetahs like the reassurance and protection having a dog offers them.  Make no mistake about it, though, the dogs are the dominant partner in the relationship. They play with the cheetahs, but they don't eat with them. "The dogs are the bosses in these relationships," Rose-Hinostroza said. "If they ate together there would be one really fat dog and a really skinny cheetah." (source)

The dogs protect the cheetah.  The cheetahs knows the dog will protect them. They also play and bond and make the cheetahs much more relaxed and happy. Happy and calm cheetahs live longer and breed better. 

There's even better news. . .most of the dogs are rescues. Oh come on! Just when you thought Feel-Good Friday couldn't make you feel any better, it does!

Please remember to get your pictures in of spoiled pets. I am going to run that story next week.  As always, we need your rescue stories too!  If you want to read more about the cheetah bond or check out more pictures, there are links to all the articles from which I took the information and images below.

http://www.examiner.com/slideshow/today-s-strange-news-cheetahs-and-dogs-make-the-perfect-pair#slide=58799331

http://thegazette.com/2013/02/12/dogs-cross-species-barrier-help-cheetahs-survive/

http://www.philly.com/philly/travel/Dogs_cross_species_barrier_help_cheetahs_survive.html

http://www.treehugger.com/endangered-species/friendship-between-cheetah-and-dog.html