Posts
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Rescued - Not Damaged!
It's amazing at times how many people comment that adult dogs are "damaged", or that shelter or rescue dogs are "damaged". A lot of people who contact us only want puppies because of the thought that the adults are "damaged".
We've had many dogs come through our program who appeared damaged on the outside - parts of lips missing, scars on their faces and legs, skin and bones, etc. These dogs, these ADULT dogs have been some of the BEST dogs we've ever had the pleasure of meeting.
We know little of their past and at times, can only speculate on how they came to wear some of the scars they possess. These dogs are a testament to the fact that the scars on the outside only tell a story and have no bearing on the soul of the dog on the inside.
We have SO many wonderful stories of dogs that have come through, there is no picking a favorite, so we'll share a couple of them. Golda was probably our "worst" case as we were able to hear more of the story on how she was found than some of our other dogs.
Golda's first picture alarmed us and broke our hearts. The lip, the overgrown nails, the skinny little body...Golda was found, half dead, on the side of the road by a good Samaritan in late April of 2008. The shelter treated her for her heartworms and spent a couple of months putting the weight back on her and cleaning her up. We were contacted in August of 2008 to bring her into our program and it took us a month to find a foster home for this beautiful girl. When we got to meet Golda, she melted our hearts. And that doesn't even begin to describe how this girl touched us. She was soft, inside and out and greeted us with her belly to the ground, head low, offering signals left and right that she meant no harm. She'd make a lap around the play yard and sidle right back up to one of us for some affection. What a peach! And we can't forget getting her in the car! This girl was so unknowing about much of anything that she had to be picked up and put into the car when we left with her. She slept the whole way back to Charleston with her head on our Assistant Director's leg, drool and all :)
Golda blossomed into such a wonderful dog! It took some time to figure out that it was okay to go in the house. She'd never experienced it before. It also took some time to learn not to potty in the house, but with proper direction, she picked right up on it. She wanted nothing more than to climb in your lap and lay there for hours! How could a dog like that be damaged? She was just never taught about the finer things in life!
Fortunately, a wonderful family came along and Golda was a perfect match for their home. She's now living it up blocks away from the beach :) She's one of our greatest "rags to riches" stories :)
Bones is another wonderful dog that graced many people with his loving and affectionate nature, despite an unknown past. Back in May of this year, Bones was brought into one of the areas highest kill shelters as a stray. This boy was skinny and had old scars around his face and legs. There was also a chunk gone from his tongue! Was he in a fight? At some point in time, probably. Was he a fighter? Well, frankly no one knows. Does it really matter? Bones did SUPERB in his evaluation and regardless of his past, he was a dog we wanted to see make it. And he did :)
Amazingly enough, we were able to find a foster home for Bones and got him out of the shelter within two weeks. He spent some time in foster care where we did learn that he liked to chew on things but, can you really blame him? He was never taught not to chew! The best thing of all though that we learned about him, he made a wonderful cuddle buddy :) He'd lay on his back for hours for you to pet him. Let him on the couch with you and it was time to stretch out on his back next to you and snuggle! Bones came to us, scars and all, a naturally good boy with a desire to please and a drive to get you to love him. His goofy, adoring nature epitomized what we look for in these dogs and naturally, he won over a great couple who wanted to take the next step.
Bones and Golda, although they had visible scars on the outside indicating their lives may not have always been so great, are far from "damaged" dogs. That is the greatest and most amazing thing about these dogs is that they can wear their scars from the past and not dwell on them like we humans tend to do. It's dogs like Golda and Bones that make great therapy dogs. Its dogs like Golda and Bones that can send home the message to the public that rescued does NOT mean damaged.
We've had many dogs come through our program who appeared damaged on the outside - parts of lips missing, scars on their faces and legs, skin and bones, etc. These dogs, these ADULT dogs have been some of the BEST dogs we've ever had the pleasure of meeting.
We know little of their past and at times, can only speculate on how they came to wear some of the scars they possess. These dogs are a testament to the fact that the scars on the outside only tell a story and have no bearing on the soul of the dog on the inside.
We have SO many wonderful stories of dogs that have come through, there is no picking a favorite, so we'll share a couple of them. Golda was probably our "worst" case as we were able to hear more of the story on how she was found than some of our other dogs.
Golda's first picture alarmed us and broke our hearts. The lip, the overgrown nails, the skinny little body...Golda was found, half dead, on the side of the road by a good Samaritan in late April of 2008. The shelter treated her for her heartworms and spent a couple of months putting the weight back on her and cleaning her up. We were contacted in August of 2008 to bring her into our program and it took us a month to find a foster home for this beautiful girl. When we got to meet Golda, she melted our hearts. And that doesn't even begin to describe how this girl touched us. She was soft, inside and out and greeted us with her belly to the ground, head low, offering signals left and right that she meant no harm. She'd make a lap around the play yard and sidle right back up to one of us for some affection. What a peach! And we can't forget getting her in the car! This girl was so unknowing about much of anything that she had to be picked up and put into the car when we left with her. She slept the whole way back to Charleston with her head on our Assistant Director's leg, drool and all :)Golda blossomed into such a wonderful dog! It took some time to figure out that it was okay to go in the house. She'd never experienced it before. It also took some time to learn not to potty in the house, but with proper direction, she picked right up on it. She wanted nothing more than to climb in your lap and lay there for hours! How could a dog like that be damaged? She was just never taught about the finer things in life!
Fortunately, a wonderful family came along and Golda was a perfect match for their home. She's now living it up blocks away from the beach :) She's one of our greatest "rags to riches" stories :)
Bones is another wonderful dog that graced many people with his loving and affectionate nature, despite an unknown past. Back in May of this year, Bones was brought into one of the areas highest kill shelters as a stray. This boy was skinny and had old scars around his face and legs. There was also a chunk gone from his tongue! Was he in a fight? At some point in time, probably. Was he a fighter? Well, frankly no one knows. Does it really matter? Bones did SUPERB in his evaluation and regardless of his past, he was a dog we wanted to see make it. And he did :)Amazingly enough, we were able to find a foster home for Bones and got him out of the shelter within two weeks. He spent some time in foster care where we did learn that he liked to chew on things but, can you really blame him? He was never taught not to chew! The best thing of all though that we learned about him, he made a wonderful cuddle buddy :) He'd lay on his back for hours for you to pet him. Let him on the couch with you and it was time to stretch out on his back next to you and snuggle! Bones came to us, scars and all, a naturally good boy with a desire to please and a drive to get you to love him. His goofy, adoring nature epitomized what we look for in these dogs and naturally, he won over a great couple who wanted to take the next step.Bones and Golda, although they had visible scars on the outside indicating their lives may not have always been so great, are far from "damaged" dogs. That is the greatest and most amazing thing about these dogs is that they can wear their scars from the past and not dwell on them like we humans tend to do. It's dogs like Golda and Bones that make great therapy dogs. Its dogs like Golda and Bones that can send home the message to the public that rescued does NOT mean damaged.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Courts Release Dogs From Raid into Custody of Humane Society of Missouri
Did you hear the great news? The Humane Society of Missouri made a press release announcing that two districts involved in the huge Missouri-based dog fight raid and rescue released the dogs into their custody! Isn't this fabulous! So many people were worried these dogs wouldn't have a chance. Well, here ya go folks; they're getting it!
Now, are you ready for him? Eddie Munster, formerly Eli, was released to Mutts-n-Stuff on behalf of New Hope Pit Bull Rescue Wednesday, October 14, 2009! Mutts-n-Stuff will be caring for Eddie until we're able to make it out there at the end of October.
Doesn't he just make you weak at the knees? Our hopes for Eddie are high, as he will be one of 2 dogs from the MO bust that we will be training to become therapy dogs. A third dog coming to New Hope Pit Bull Rescue already has an adoptive home lined up and will attain her CGC certification prior to her adoption being complete.
The American Pit Bull Terrier is a good-natured, amusing, extremely loyal and affectionate breed that is good with children and adults alike. It should come as no surprise that Pit Bulls make great therapy dogs. Just look at Leo, one of the dogs seized from the property of Michael Vick back in 2007. A former bust dog turned therapy dog and a major contributor to the health and well being of so many people!
Therapy dogs play such a vital role in the lives of many people. They visit hospitals and nursing homes; helping to fulfill the emotional needs of patients, doctors, nurses and every life they touch. My own son and family even enjoyed an entertaining visit from a therapy dog when he spent his first birthday in the hospital at MUSC. Therapy dogs are also used in literacy programs and visit libraries and schools, spending time with children or adults who may have difficulty learning to read. These are only a few of the jobs that therapy dogs do, for there are many many more!
We feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity to help with the Missouri dogs, and we are grateful for the relationships we've built over the last few months with groups like HSMO, Mutts n Stuff and Our Pack, as well as people from organizations like the Real Pit Bull. We truly hope that by teaming up with such a wonderful group of organizations and people, and working to bring some of the Missouri dogs home to South Carolina, we'll be given the chance to help save dogs seized in fight busts and abuse cases right here in our own state.
There are still many more dogs at the secret location in Missouri who need our help, as well as dogs right here in our own area shelters. If you are interested in fostering a dog for New Hope Pit Bull Rescue, please visit our web site and fill out a foster application today. These dogs need you to help us help them!
Now, are you ready for him? Eddie Munster, formerly Eli, was released to Mutts-n-Stuff on behalf of New Hope Pit Bull Rescue Wednesday, October 14, 2009! Mutts-n-Stuff will be caring for Eddie until we're able to make it out there at the end of October.Doesn't he just make you weak at the knees? Our hopes for Eddie are high, as he will be one of 2 dogs from the MO bust that we will be training to become therapy dogs. A third dog coming to New Hope Pit Bull Rescue already has an adoptive home lined up and will attain her CGC certification prior to her adoption being complete.
The American Pit Bull Terrier is a good-natured, amusing, extremely loyal and affectionate breed that is good with children and adults alike. It should come as no surprise that Pit Bulls make great therapy dogs. Just look at Leo, one of the dogs seized from the property of Michael Vick back in 2007. A former bust dog turned therapy dog and a major contributor to the health and well being of so many people!Therapy dogs play such a vital role in the lives of many people. They visit hospitals and nursing homes; helping to fulfill the emotional needs of patients, doctors, nurses and every life they touch. My own son and family even enjoyed an entertaining visit from a therapy dog when he spent his first birthday in the hospital at MUSC. Therapy dogs are also used in literacy programs and visit libraries and schools, spending time with children or adults who may have difficulty learning to read. These are only a few of the jobs that therapy dogs do, for there are many many more!
We feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity to help with the Missouri dogs, and we are grateful for the relationships we've built over the last few months with groups like HSMO, Mutts n Stuff and Our Pack, as well as people from organizations like the Real Pit Bull. We truly hope that by teaming up with such a wonderful group of organizations and people, and working to bring some of the Missouri dogs home to South Carolina, we'll be given the chance to help save dogs seized in fight busts and abuse cases right here in our own state.
There are still many more dogs at the secret location in Missouri who need our help, as well as dogs right here in our own area shelters. If you are interested in fostering a dog for New Hope Pit Bull Rescue, please visit our web site and fill out a foster application today. These dogs need you to help us help them!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Fay Heads to Mutts N Stuff!
Remember this face? You may recognize her from the big Missouri based fight bust from back in July. Many of you have been pining away for her in hopes she'd be saved. Well, she has been!
Mutts N Stuff sprung her from her secret location today and she's on her way to a new life! They're searching for a plastic surgeon to help restructure her lips as her teeth are beginning to rot and its difficult for her to eat, much less keep saliva in her mouth *wink*Fay will also be the first dog lined up for the Phoenix House, a building to house dogs from "fight busts", like Fay, with no where to go or who may not adjust as well to life inside a home immediately. Please consider donating to Mutts N Stuff today!