Feel-Good Friday: Life-Saver

Fostering animals is a special job. It takes the kind of person who loves animals so much they are willing to keep them just long enough to get them ready to give to someone else. Foster parents can be vital in the socialization, recuperation, and/or training of the pets. Holly and Rachel both foster animals, some of whom have become part of their forever family and many of whom have found loving homes with other suitable people. Today's story is about a foster dog in Michigan who really earned her keep!

photo credit: Karen Czedik

Joleen is a 2 year old pug/beagle mix who came to stay with Mary-Louise Klatt back in November. She gave birth to three puppies, who were adopted once they were ready. Joleen needed a bit more time to get healthy enough to be spayed and then adopted, so she stayed with Mary-Louise a while longer. That's how it came to be that she wound up rescuing Mary-Louise instead of the other way around.

Early in March, Klatt suffered a heart attack. Joleen reacted intensely, running through the house barking and then licking Mary-Louise's face.  Joleen's barking and carrying on alerted Mary-Louise's step-son, who was then able to call for help.

Mary-Louise refers to Joleen as her "angel," literally crediting her for saving her life.  It should come as no surprise then that Joleen never did get adopted out from her foster family. When Mary-Louise returned home from the hospital she officially adopted Joleen.                 

Click on this picture for a short video from the Michigan Humane Society about Joleen and Mary- Louise.

photo credit: Karen Czedik

The Michigan Humane Society calls their foster program "In-Home Heroes."  In this case there is not one hero but two! And that, readers, is your Feel-Good Friday story!

 

Please consider sharing your rescue story, and don't forget all pets are eligible for the Great Outdoors Photo Share.

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Source:
Czedik, Karen. "Joleen, an [sic] Michigan Humane Society Foster Dog, Credited with Saving Volunteer's Life." Bloomfield-Bloomfield Hills Patch. 29 March 2013. web. 4 April 2013

http://bloomfield-mi.patch.com/announcements/joleen-an-michigan-humane-society-foster-dog-credited-with-saving-volunteers-life-faa22b5d

Snickers

Last week I told you about a sweet Beagle, Fonzie.  He came to Alicia's house from the Hillside SPCA, and was a very introverted and scared guy. Alicia and her sister Cera thought he had a naturally shy temperament, since for the first two years they had him he didn't even bark. Then he met Snickers.

In 2011, a friend of a friend had a litter of Chihuahua pups that were destined for a shelter as soon as they were weened. Alicia's mom had always wanted a Chihuahua, so Snickers came to live with them.

Cera did as much research as she could (like a responsible dog owner should) to figure out the best way to train this tiny little bundle of energy. What she didn't figure on was needing to train Fonzie too. You see, with the added presence of Snickers, Fonzie learned naughtiness.

 Now the family comes home to chewed phone books and remotes, and he even learned how to open the DVD player, after which he ate the DVD tray.  They've childproofed their house, but they didn't count on Fonzie learning to knock things off the table with his tail and eat them right in front of everyone.

Fonzie and Snickers beg for food together (Snickers can jump a little higher so he tends to be better at it), sleep together in Cera's bed, and obviously find all kinds of destruction to cause.

Isn't it ironic how every picture Alicia shared features Snickers looking so innocent and angelic? We all know that's the domesticated dog's defense mechanism. Their puppy dog eyes and sweet slumber poses make us suckers, and we tolerate all kinds of behavior we wouldn't stand for if we had pet trout or something.

Obviously Snickers and Fonzie are very well cared-for and enjoying their happy home. It's remarkable how Fonzie's personality changed when they got him a puppy, but so heart-warming to see these dogs living their life to the fullest. Alicia's family knows what kind of happiness rescue dogs bring into the home, and we appreciate her saving some dogs and sharing her story.

Do you have a story to share?  Please do so!

The Fonz

 Fonzie came to Alicia's family in late 2009. He was from the Hillside SPCA, the same shelter where we got Wiley.  Fonzie was afraid of everything when they first brought him home. His owner got rid of him because he wouldn't hunt, and I hate even sharing that because it is so wrong and frustrating!  Most of Fonzie's pictures are dark because he is terrified of the camera, especially the flash.

Fonzie's entire existence for the first two years in Alicia's house consisted of lying around silently. She never even heard him bark.  Initially they were told he was around 4 years old, but it turns out Fonzie is quite a bit older than that.

 His age is relevant to this story because, as Alicia shared, he is proof you can teach an old dog new tricks. However that story is for another time, and I am going to keep you living in suspense. I'll give you a hint: see the tiny body on the right of the picture? The one glowing eyeball, the tiny ear brushing Fonzie's paw?  It's Snickers, and Snickers changed everyone's life when he came to Alicia's house.

Anyway, tomorrow is the day Wiley is having his lump removed, as I shared yesterday, so there may not be a post. Send us your positive mojo, your pictures of spoiled pets, and your rescue stories please!

Barney

This is Barney!  Barney was languishing in a shelter in Reading, Pennsylvania when Mark and Trisha found him. He had been returned twice in one month because he had "separation issues."  However, Mark and Trisha had already fallen for him when they saw him online. In fact, one of the shelter employees had told them Barney was already gone, but they went to the shelter anyway to see another dog.   Gentle readers, if you read the blog often you know I firmly believe our pets are part of our destiny, and so . . . of course Barney was there!

Barney with some friends who were visiting

They took him home and tried leaving him in a bedroom the first time they both had to go to work.   Barney pulled up the carpet all the way down to the floor and put grooves in the floor as well. 

 
 Ok, so that approach didn't work. Next they tried a metal crate. He ripped off pieces of the metal and cut himself trying to escape. 

 Oh Barney. . . Don't worry though!  The solution was staring them in the face.  They let him loose in the house!  That wouldn't work for just any dog, but it worked for Barney.  He hasn't had any issues since then.

Last fall Barney got a sister, Addison. Addy and Barney get along well. Barney is loving and protective and they will no doubt become best friends. 

Barney is part of a beautiful family and living the life he deserves. Thanks to Mark and Trisha for sharing Barney's story and for giving Barney a furever home (and some bacon from time to time).

Don't forget your jobs (yes jobs) as readers. Your first job is to share your rescue story if you haven't yet, and to spread the word to others with rescues so they share their stories.  Your other job is to share pictures of your spoiled pets.  We'll share them in a few weeks so get them to the blog soon!

Cali

This is Cali, a Cocker Spaniel/Beagle mix from the Hillside SPCA, the same shelter where Wiley lived.

Cali came to live with Jane and Ralph back in 2003, and was their first family dog. She was a perfect fit for that position.  Here she is in her first Christmas ornament, by which time she had already worked her way well into their hearts.

Cali is sweet and lazy. She has a favorite spot in her favorite chair.

Cali has a roommate who was already featured on the blog: Petey!  They get along just fine, as long as Petey lets her relax in her spot.

This friendly dog gets along with everyone, but especially pals around with anyone who will rub her belly.

 

Loving, lovable, docile, adorable. . . these are the kinds of traits found in the animals waiting for furever families in shelters. Please consider adopting before you buy! The possibilities are, unfortunately, endless.  All rescue dogs deserve such a comfy home and life as the one afforded to Cali.

When we started the blog we pictured sharing stories like Cali's every day.  We have evolved into something more than that, but rescue stories are still the foundation on which this site stands. We need to hear from you! Tell us where your rescue came from, and what he/she means to you.