PAWS Rescue of Northern VA

Foods You Should Avoid Feeding Your Dog

2010-12-29T13:18:00.000-05:00

Some foods which are edible for humans, and even other species of animals, can pose hazards for dogs because of their different metabolism. Some may cause only mild digestive upsets, whereas, others can cause severe illness, and even death. The following common food items should not be fed (intentionally or unintentionally) to dogs. This list is, of course, incomplete because we can not possibly list everything your dog should not eat.

Items to avoid Reasons to avoid:

Alcoholic beverages Can cause intoxication, coma, and death.

Avocado The leaves, seeds, fruit, and bark contain persin, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

Bones from fish, poultry, or other meat sources Can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system.

Cat food Generally too high in protein and fats.

Chocolate, coffee, tea, and other caffeine Contain caffeine, theobromine, or theophylline, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea and be toxic to the heart and nervous systems.

Citrus oil extracts Can cause vomiting.

Fat trimmings Can cause pancreatitis.

Fish (raw, canned or cooked) If fed exclusively or in high amounts can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death.

Grapes, raisins and currants Contain an unknown toxin, which can damage the kidneys. There have been no problems associated with grape seed extract.

Hops Unknown compound causes panting, increased heart rate, elevated temperature, seizures, and death.

Human vitamin supplements containing iron Can damage the lining of the digestive system and be toxic to the other organs including the liver and kidneys.

Macadamia nuts Contain an unknown toxin, which can affect the digestive and nervous systems and muscle.

Marijuana Can depress the nervous system, cause vomiting, and changes in the heart rate.

Milk and other dairy products Some adult dogs and cats may develop diarrhea if given large amounts of dairy products.

Moldy or spoiled food, garbage Can contain multiple toxins causing vomiting and diarrhea and can also affect other organs.

Mushrooms Can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock, and result in death.

Onions and garlic (raw, cooked, or powder) Contain sulfoxides and disulfides, which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia. Cats are more susceptible than dogs. Garlic is less toxic than onions.

Persimmons Seeds can cause intestinal obstruction and enteritis.

Pits from peaches and plums Can cause obstruction of the digestive tract.

Raw eggs Contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella.

Raw meat May contain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

Rhubarb leaves Contain oxalates, which can affect the digestive, nervous, and urinary systems.

Salt If eaten in large quantities it may lead to electrolyte imbalances.

String Can become trapped in the digestive system; called a "string foreign body."

Sugary foods Can lead to obesity, dental problems, and possibly diabetes mellitus.

Table scraps (in large amounts) Table scraps are not nutritionally balanced. They should never be more than 10% of the diet. Fat should be trimmed from meat; bones should not be fed.

Tobacco Contains nicotine, which affects the digestive and nervous systems. Can result in rapid heart beat, collapse, coma, and death.

Yeast dough Can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.

Xylitol (artificial sweetener) Can cause very low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which can result in vomiting, weakness and collapse. In high doses can cause liver failure.

Help Twizzler - 11 wk kitten, blind from reaction to anesthesia during spay surgery

2010-08-30T12:46:00.004-04:00

Rescuing an animal can be the best decision you have ever made!

2010-07-29T09:19:00.000-04:00

Did you know nearly 4 million adoptable dogs are put to sleep each year because they cannot find a home.

Choosing a rescue animal over a purchased one will not solve the pet overpopulation problem, only responsible pet owners and breeders can do that, But it does give many animals a chance they otherwise would not have had. Beyond doing a “good deed”, adopting a Rescue dog can be the best decision and addition to the family you ever made!

Have you heard of 'Black Dog Syndrome?'

2010-07-18T18:33:00.001-04:00

Rescue organizations across America claim that black dogs and cats are last to be adopted and are more likely to be euthanized. Contrary to Ordinary–an organization devoted to rescuing black dogs–has dubbed this phenomenon "black dog syndrome."

Reasons Black Animals are Left Behind

No scientific studies have been done to determine the cause of this phenomenon. It is likely that many factors are at work. Perhaps one of the key reasons is that photographs of black dogs and cats do not show up as well online. As more and more potential pet owners search for their pets on the Internet rather than face-to-face, black animals, which don't have features that stand out and are not as visible, are quickly passed by on an Internet search.

Even face-to-face in a shelter, people are drawn to the animals that stand out to them right away. Black animals tend to fade into the background with the poor lighting and crowded conditions found in many animal shelters.

Superstition may be another factor. Although people may not claim to be superstitious about black animals, they still may be influenced by movies, TV shows, and books that portray black cats and dogs as villainous or cruel. Large, black dogs can also seem more threatening than other dogs.

Are Black Animals Actually Less Likely to be Adopted?

There is no proof that black cats and dogs suffer because of their coloration. No scientific study has been done to determine the legitimacy of the phenomenon. Shelter employees across the country, however, have noticed that their black animals stay longer than others.

It is possible that shelters are seeing more black animals for longer because there simply are more black animals around. Siamese cats, a very common breed, tend to produce black kittens when mixed with other breeds. Black Labrador retrievers and black pit bulls are common breeds that often end up in shelters.

Anecdotal evidence from shelters does seem to indicate that people overlook black dogs, however. There is no way of knowing if this is truly the case unless a controlled study is done, but the available evidence does seem to support the theory.

Solutions for "Black Dog Syndrome"

Whether black cats and dogs have a harder time getting adopted or not, many shelters have special programs for their black animals to find them homes. Some shelters offer discounts on adoption fees for their black animals. Others photograph them with costumes on to make them stand out online.

The best way to ensure that black dogs and cats get good homes is to encourage anyone searching for a pet to look carefully at the black animals and to pay attention to personality rather than looks. Potential pet owners should also visit animals in person and be careful not to ignore the black cats and dogs available for adoption.

Cat & Kitten Adoption Fees Reduced!

2010-07-08T14:43:00.000-04:00

All cat and kitten adoption fees have been reduced to $75 each!! This includes spay/neuter surgery, 2 distemper shots and deworming.

How can you resist a face like this?!

See all of our available cats and kittens here.

If You Love Animals, Why Not Foster a Dog?

2010-07-06T09:45:00.000-04:00

If you love animals, why not donate your time by fostering a dog? PAWS and other rescues look towards foster parents as a means to rescue as many needy dogs as possible. Foster parents step in once the dog has been rescued by welcoming these abandoned dogs into their home. The foster family does not merely serve as a kennel for the dog; great foster families treat these dogs as a part of their own family, loving them, training them and nurturing them back to health, if necessary.

The process is simple. A family interested in fostering a dog would need to contact PAWS and fill out a foster application. The reason for the application is to determine if the family is prepared to handle an abandoned dog. When the dog is rescued, he/she is given an examination by a veterinarian to determine his/her overall health. Then, foster parents on file are contacted to see if they have room at that time to take in this new dog. Once a foster family has been located, the dog is brought over to see how well he gets along with the new family and any other pets the family may already have. If things go well, the foster family takes in the new dog until he is ready to be permanently adopted by another family.

PAWS pays for any medical bills the dog may have (including treatments for any disease or injury), including spays/neuters, examinations and treatments. Since the foster family is the best source of information as to the dog’s temperament and character, they usually play a vital role in the adoption process.

While there is no payment for fostering a dog, the joy of nurturing a formerly unwanted dog into a lovable and happy dog is priceless. Not only do foster families house the dogs, they provide a warm home for the dogs to feel safe in, a loving family for the dogs to feel secure with and a sense of happiness for the dogs to be grateful for.

Pet Overpopulation

2010-06-09T14:10:00.000-04:00

Pet overpopulation is a huge problem all over the country. The simple truth is there are too many homeless dogs and not enough good homes. Having our pets altered is a solid and effective defense against overpopulation in that it places few and fewer offspring in kill-shelters. Below are a few of the grisly statistics compiled by national publications and animal rights organizations.
If we are aware of the problem, perhaps we can be part of the solution.

It costs U.S. taxpayers an estimated $2 billion each year to round up, house, kill, and dispose of homeless animals. (USA Today)
Over 56% of dogs and puppies entering shelters are killed, based on reports from over 1,055 facilities across America. (National Counsel on Pet Population Study)
An estimated 5 million cats and dogs are killed in shelters each year. That's one about every six and one half seconds. (The Humane Society of the United States) Millions more are abandoned, only to suffer from illness or injury before dying. (Doris Day Animal League)
In six years one unspayed female and her offspring, can reproduce 67,000 dogs (Spay USA)
The perceived high cost of altering is not the problem, but the lack of education on its benefits. On average it costs approximately $100 to capture, house, feed and eventually kill a homeless animal - a cost that ultimately comes out of our pocket. Low cost spay/neuter services are far below that amount. (Doris Day Animal League)
The cost of having a pregnant female can be much higher than the cost of spaying
Seven dogs & cats are born every day for each person born in the U.S. Of those, only 1 in 5 puppies and kittens say in their original home for their natural lifetime. The remaining 4 are abandoned to the streets or end up at a shelter (The Humane Society of the United States)
Each day 10,000 humans are born in the U.S. and each day 70,000 puppies and kittens are born. As long as these birth rates exist, there will never be enough homes for all the animals (Spay USA)
The public acquires only 14% of its pets from shelters; 48% get their pets as strays, from friends, from animal rescuers, 38% get their pets from breeders or pet stores (The Humane Society of the United States)
In a study of relinquishment of cats and dogs in 12 U.S. animal shelters, 30% of the surrendered dogs were purebreds. The same study indicated that 55% of the surrendered dogs and 47% of the surrendered cats were unaltered. (Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science)

The Humane Society of the United States provided these statistics:

Number of cats and dogs entering shelters each year: 8–10 million (HSUS estimate)
Number of cats and dogs euthanized by shelters each year:4–5 million (HSUS estimate)
Number of cats and dogs adopted from shelters each year: 3–5 million (HSUS estimate)
Number of cats and dogs reclaimed by owners from shelters each year: Between 600,000 and 750,000—15–30% of dogs and 2–5% of cats entering shelters (HSUS estimate)
Number of animal shelters in the United States: Between 4,000 and 6,000 (HSUS estimate)
Percentage of dogs in shelters who are purebred: 25% (HSUS estimate)
Average number of litters a fertile dog can produce in one year: 2
Average number of puppies in a canine litter: 6–10

Adopting a Dog - The First 7 Days

2010-05-24T17:32:00.005-04:00

Click here to check out this article aimed at helping potential adopters realize how rewarding adopting a rescue dog can be!

The Importance of Spaying/Neutering Your Pets

2010-04-28T19:55:00.000-04:00

Anyone who adopts a pet from PAWS Rescue will have one very important thing accomplished - their pet will already be spayed or neutered. Spaying and neutering animals is a very important process for pet owners. The most obvious benefit for spaying and neutering is avoiding unwanted litters. The Humane Society of the U.S. estimates that between 6 - 8 million homeless animals enter shelters across the U.S. every year. This is a result of irresponsible pet owners refusing to spay or neuter their animals resulting in massive over population.

Aside from the very obvious reason to prevent over-population, there are several little known reasons to spay and neuter your pets.

Animals are more relaxed and less anxious. Anxiety exhibits itself in animals with hyperactivity, aggression, and other common behavioral problems.
Increased life expectancy. Spaying decreases uterine infection and lessens the risk of mammary cancer in females. Neutering foils the chance of getting testicular and prostate cancer.

A FEW FACTS ABOUT DOG BEHAVIOR:

Most bites to humans are by UN-NEUTERED MALES.

The largest percentage of roaming dogs are UN-NEUTERED MALES.

The largest incidence of dog to dog aggression is in UN-NEUTERED MALES.

(Facts found on: http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/whyspayneuter.html)

ACCORDING TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES:

5 million dogs and cats are killed yearly in U.S. shelters. That is 13,800 every day or 575 dogs and cats killed every hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In six years, one female dog and her off spring can theoretically be the source of 67,000 dogs.
In seven years, one female cat and her off spring can theoretically be the source of 420,000 cats.

(Facts found on : http://community.gorge.net/prod/spayneuter.html)

In the words of Bob Barker, "Help control the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered."

Just one Dog....

2010-04-20T19:27:00.002-04:00

The story of how you can make a difference for just one dog....

2010-04-20T08:53:00.003-04:00

What happens after adoption?

2010-04-19T14:56:00.000-04:00

PAWS Rescue is committed to working hard and finding adoptive forever homes for all dogs we bring into our care. We've had dogs from a few days to several months. The time and care that we put into these animals will be most apparent when they are eventually adopted. There will most likely be some anxiety and confusion on the part of a dog for several days until they are used to their new environment.

Adopting a dog in a big responsibility. Are you prepared to add this responsibility to your family? Read our article here to help you decide. Once you have decided that you are ready for this added responsibility, there are several things you need to be prepared. Food, bowls, a leash and collar, bed, and maybe a few toys are a necessity. You might also consider whether a crate is needed based on the dog/puppy you are adopting.

After your new pet is home, they will mostly likely be very confused and unsure of what is happening to them. It is important to remain calm and loving with them while also providing them with the structure and discipline they need to know that you are going to keep them safe. Your pet's foster family will most likely tell you what brand of food they have been eating. We highly recommend starting them at your home with the same diet as to decrease any sickness or stomach upset that might occur. Once your pet has had a chance to adjust, you can slowly change their diet to one that you prefer. If your pet does get stomach upset such as vomiting and/or diarrhea, you can simply boil chicken with rice and feed them small portions until they are back to normal.

From the very beginning you want to remain consistent with your new pet. Take them out to a regular spot to use the restroom at regular times. Establish the rules from the beginning. Give firm corrections but not harsh. Giving lots of love and attention and frequent walks will help reassure your pet that you are going to take care of them and respect them and they can look up to you and feel safe.

Keep in mind the first few weeks of adopting a pet can be a little uneasy. Accidents will occur and things may not always go as planned, but please remember to be tolerant with your new pet. Give them at least 2-3 weeks to adjust to their new environment. If possible seek out the services of a professional trainer to help ease the transition for both you and your new friend. It is also uncomfortable on the pet to adjust and become familiar with a new home and owners.

Save a life, adopt a pet!

The fun side of Adoption

2010-04-15T12:23:00.000-04:00

Thanks to the Public Relations Class of GMU for making such a fun video and keeping our blog up to date. Couldn't have done it without you!!

Fun Facts About Dogs

2010-03-14T12:05:00.000-04:00

When you think of a dog what comes to mind? Four legs, wet nose, wagging tail? Although we have a lot in common with dogs, like both being mammals, there are also some other characteristics about “man’s best friend” that are quite interesting. For example, did you know that all dogs have three eyelids? It’s true! Their third eyelid keeps their eyes lubricated and protected from dirt.

Dogs are also mentioned in the bible 14 times; that’s makes them pretty popular. Another interesting fact about dogs is that their hearts beat fifty percent faster than ours. Our heart beats an average of 80 times per minute while a dog’s heart beats up to 120. No wonder why they’re always so excited.

A dog’s nose is the most unique part of their body. Its nose is similar to our fingerprints. You can use a dog’s nose to identify them just like our fingerprints can identify us.

All of these fun facts can be helpful for you to learn more about your dog. Getting to know them better will build a stronger bond between you two as well as allow you develop a better understanding of them. Be the best dog owner that you can be and don’t just see your dog as a “pet” but as a part of your family. Don’t have a dog yet? Don’t worry! The United States has the highest population of dogs in the entire world, use that towards your advantage and adopt one today!

Bibliography:

Photos courtesy of Google images.

"RandomHistory.com". Random Facts. March 10 2010 .

Wall, Janet. "http://www.loveyourdog.com". How to Love your Dog. March 10 2010 .

Help PAWS save those puppies!!!

2010-03-04T12:23:00.000-05:00

PAWS along with MJ's Sanctuary in MD have been trying desperately to save dogs in Robeson County, North Carolina who are being abused and brutally killed by staff of the shelter. There have been witnesses who have seen bleach poured on sick dogs as well as tiny puppies while their mother frantically tried to save them. Witnesses have also seen shelter staff paying strangers off the street $20 per dog for every dog they bring into the shelter. Though gas chambers and heart-sticking are legal forms of euthanasia in North Carolina, there have been reports that this Robeson County shelter is not abiding by the regulations of heart-sticking.

When pets are considered “unadoptable,” they can be killed through heart-sticking, which is when a poison-filled syringe is stabbed through the chest of a dog and if it hits the heart, the syringe pulsates. When the syringe pulsates, “blue juice,” technically known as sodium pentobarbital, is injected. According to regulations, these dogs are supposed to be heavily sedated during the heart-sticking procedure and these procedures are supposed to be performed by trained personnel.

Here is a video from 1997 showing this gruesome procedure being performed on conscious, non-sedated dogs and by untrained people, resulting in excruciating pain and abuse for these abandoned dogs. After this video was made public, a law suit was filed against Robeson County and many changes took place. However, recent eye witness accounts suggests that these practices are still in place.

WARNING!!! This video is very difficult to watch and is unsuitable for underage viewers.

For over a decade, Robeson County has been caught in a battle with animal protection groups nationwide due to the inhumane treatment of it's animals. According to the North Carolina Coalition for Humane Euthanasia’s website, “More than 250,000 homeless animals are killed in North Carolina shelters each year. According to shelter records and information from employees and volunteers, the majority of animals in many shelters are not feral, sick, or injured."

While many NC shelters still use gassing as their primary form of Euthanasia, Robeson County does not use this method. Their predominate form of euthanasia is heart-sticking.

It is PAWS’ mission to save these dogs from these horrific conditions in Robeson County, North Carolina. Please help PAWS save these animals by donating Pennies for Puppies, or by opening your home to an abused dog that desperately needs your help. Click here to learn more about Pennies for Puppies.

Can you help these animals?

2010-01-16T07:57:00.002-05:00

This week a massive fire severely damaged a rural shelter in WV killing 65+ cats and dogs. The shelter is struggling to find places for the surviving animals.

Visit their website to view a listing of animals that are still searching for a place to go.

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=14460768

If you can foster or adopt one of these animals, let us know and we can make arrangements to get the pet to you. Thanks for your generous donations and support.

PAWS made the news!!!

2010-01-04T12:32:00.002-05:00

Shelly was interviewed along with Percy and Scout this morning on FOX 5 news in DC. It was a great opportunity for PAWS. Please spread the word how important it is to have fosters as well as donations. Because PAWS doesn't have a physical shelter we can only save as many dogs as we have foster homes.

PAWS also gets a lot of dogs that need medical treatment when they come to us. We can only help them if we have money to pay the medical bills. Donations in any amount is always appreciated.

Take a look at our video and pass it around.

The World of Transport

2009-06-10T16:46:00.000-04:00

I've referenced transport a couple of times, but never really talked about the details of it. Transport is something that just amazes me. The amount of effort, coordination, and dedication that's shown to pull this off is impressive. Before we meet transport, we are sent what is called a "run sheet". This run sheet is incredibly detailed. It has all the drivers listed as well as meeting points, mileage between hand off points, detailed descriptions of the dogs, pick up spots, and final destination for every dog. It also has details on drivers picking up the dogs - names, phone numbers, car descriptions. Some of these stretch across the country either vertically or horizontally and some are a bit more local.

For me, I have mixed feelings when I meet transport. Of course, I'm thrilled for all the animals that are ON transport and headed to a better place. I still can't help thinking about what the poor dogs have been through to get to this point and how relieved I am they are here with me and all of the other rescue groups now. I just can't help but wonder who was left behind and if anyone will be able to help them the way these animals have been helped. I also wonder about the dog(s) I'm picking up. Will they be frightened? Will they be excited? What type of shape are they in? How stressed are they? Are they going to cry while we're driving back? I think that's the one that gets me the most. I have to drive, so I am unable to provide much comfort in that case. There's also the normal stuff like will I get there on time? Is the transport running on time? Is everyone going to have a safe drive? What's traffic like?

The number of dogs, cats, rabbits, and any other living creature moved through transport per year are unknown. The groups we work with generally have large run sheets with many dogs every time and I have seen very large run sheets for other groups. If you are involved in transport and are reading this, THANK YOU for all you do. It can't be an easy job tracking and coordinating everyone or transporting a van full of animals, but it is very much appreciated.

We Reached Our 50th Dog Adopted This Weekend!!

2009-06-07T15:35:00.003-04:00

What a week! We officially adopted out our fiftieth dog since incorporating!! Blue, our Husky / Akita mix was our fiftieth dog to find his forever home. We also have almost 20 adoptions currently pending. We are incredibly excited about this and very appreciative of all groups and volunteers that have supported us so far. The list of thank yous is very long and includes all of the local business, veterinarians, foster homes, transporters, donors and volunteers that have supported us. You are our backbone and we could not do any of what we do without you. Thank you!

Sadie's puppies are doing great! They are at the stage where their eyes have opened. I will get some pictures up soon with some more information about how everyone's doing. I just haven't had a chance to get over there and take some pictures. As soon as I do, I'll post them here!

We had another very successful adoption event at the Sterling PetCo on Saturday. Thanks to PetCo for having us! Six of our dogs are currently pending adoption as a result and we are working to get them home as soon as possible. We are still a little backed up on spays and neuters, but have been creatively finding other ways in order to get our dogs home. Hopefully things will be back to normal next week! Well, normal on that front anyway. I'm pretty sure nothing is ever "normal" in the world of rescue. ;)

Puppies, Spay and Neuter Problems Continue, Adoption Issues...Yup Another Week at the Rescue!

2009-05-31T10:00:00.007-04:00

Well, we're wrapping up another week here at PAWS and what a week it's been! First off, let me get to the cute! Sadie's nine pups are doing fantastically and are growing well. Sadie has been such a great mom - we haven't even had to supplement the puppies with formula. She's also bounced back very well from the birth. They turned a week old on Friday! At this point of their development, their eyes have not yet opened and they are still unable to hear. We should be seeing them open their eyes in the next week or two with the ears shortly after! Without further ado, pictures of the little babies:

Sadie is doing very well with me coming and looking at her puppies. She got a little nervous when I was holding the black and white one, so I was unable to get a picture of him...didn't want to stress mama out!

What started out a mostly quiet week, most certainly did not end that way. Wednesday, we received an email from someone who was supposed to have an adoption finalized this Sunday. They had discussed it as a family and had too many reservations about the dog to be comfortable with the adoption and chose not to go through with it. While it was disappointing that we did not find the dog a forever home, I know I am appreciative of the family for being honest enough with themselves (and us!) and not going through with the adoption. It is a much better option than going through with the adoption only to regret it and potentially return the dog.

Thursday we were supposed to have four dogs spayed and neutered. None of these things happened. Two dogs came down kennel cough and it was recommended they not be neutered until they had been on antibiotics for a couple weeks. One dog had something going on with her ears and the other had a bit of an upset stomach and it was advised he not be neutered. So, we're back to being behind getting some of the dogs fixed. Hopefully things will clear up nicely and we can get them in as soon as they rebound. The dog with the upset stomach is back to normal and everyone else is well on their way to recovery.

Thursday night, I also went out to meet a potential new foster dog. What I knew about him was he was a Pomeranian who needed rehoming and had some problems with the kids in the house. Having a soft spot for Poms (my current foster is a 14 year old Pom), I agreed to go out and meet the dog and potentially take him in as a foster. So, off I went to go meet the dog and his family!

I showed up and was welcomed by his family - all of whom were very nice. Unfortunately, the dog was not appreciative of my presence. Every attempt I made to get close to him ended in him either gnawing on me, going after my legs, or some serious growling. I've never had a dog be that aggressive towards me, nevermind a Pomeranian. It saddened to tell the family that we would be unable to help at this time - we just don't have the resources available at this time to give him the type of training and help he needs. He was very sweet with his family, but he would try to bite anyone who came near them. Living in a populated area with no yard, he could not come live with me since he couldn't be trusted out on a walk. We also would not be able to bring him to adoption events with the behaviors he is showing.

Not having the resources to help a dog who needs it is certainly one of the harder parts of rescue work. I had to remind myself (and have some of our board members remind me) that we can't save them all...as much as we'd like to. I hope things work out for this little guy. He shows promise, but will need some intense work with a trainer to turn around. I've definitely been thinking about him since Thursday.

Saturday morning, the lovely folks at Bark 'n Bubbles and All Friends Pet Care held the first K-92k and Doggie Expo. They were gracious enough to invite us to sell prepackaged food and drinks to the participants. Thank you to Bark 'n Bubbles and All Friends for thinking of us! Every little bit certainly helps when it comes to fundraising. During the event, I ran into one of our past puppies who went home a couple weeks ago. She's doing great and getting big!

We also had a FANTASTIC adoption event on Saturday and now have seven dogs pending adoption. Reggie, Al, Angel, Blue, Docky, Red, and Rusty (the puppy) all had great applications and will hopefully be going home within the next week or two. Thanks to the Sterling PetSmart and to everyone who came out to see us! As always, a HUGE thank you to all of our volunteers for your help this week.

Another Busy Week at PAWS!

2009-05-25T11:30:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend! We had another busy and exciting week here at PAWS! Sadie had nine puppies on Friday and is being such a good mom! All the pups continue to be healthy and Sadie is starting to relax a little. When I was over on Saturday, she was coming up to me asking for some attention. She is such a sweet, pretty girl. I think she will find a home as soon as she's able to wean her puppies.

We have about 10 dogs waiting to go to their forever homes and seven more that got to go home this week. We'll be getting caught up on some of our spays and neuters this coming week, so we should be able to get more dogs home this coming week.

On Saturday, I borrowed the president of our rescue's Jeep, packed up my foster dog, and headed out to Hagerstown, MD to meet transport. I was picking up four puppies from a rural West Virginia shelter. Thankfully, we missed most of the bad Memorial Day traffic and arrived just in time to meet transport. It was quite full this time around. There were at least 15 dogs that were on their way to rescues. Our four are Lab / Mountain Cur mixes - three girls (two black, one tan) and one boy (cream colored with a black tipped tail).

The condition of dogs off transport always varies. Sometimes they are very clean, sometimes they are covered in dirt because they've been living outside as strays, sometimes they have had accidents in their crate and are covered in that and everything in between. They are almost ALWAYS happy to be there though. Occasionally, we have incredibly shy ones, but even then, the tails usually start going at some point. I can't imagine what the dogs think is happening to them when they go on transport.

In the case of these four, they were in ok condition. They needed baths and some flea/tick treatments, but still happy to be there. They weren't sure where they were going, but they seemed to figure out that it's better than where they came from. I pulled them out of their crate and moved them into the crates in the jeep and we headed back to PetCo for the end of our adoption event.

As usual, a HUGE thank you to the Sterling PetCo for supporting us during our adoption event! Unfortunately, due to the holiday weekend, not much was going on when I got there. I had some of our Key Club volunteers help me unload the dogs and bring them in. It was there we realized that the dogs were covered in fleas and baby ticks. We got some flea and tick medication for them, but it wasn't enough. We saw the fleas jumping off the dogs and onto the volunteers. Definitely not a good situation! Thankfully, we were able to bring them to the groomers in PetCo who gave them all a flea and tick treatment before they went to their new foster homes. Keep your eyes on the website for pictures of these new additions!

Welcome to the New Members of PAWS!!!

2009-05-22T21:09:00.005-04:00

What a big day for little Miss Sadie!! Her first pup was born at about 2pm and the last pup was a little after 6pm. In all we have 9 healthy little pups - 6 boys and 3 girls. Sadie is doing very well and everyone appears healthy and strong. Without further ado, let me introduce you to Sadie and her new family!!

From what we can tell, this was Sadie's first litter...and most definitely will be her LAST! She's an excellent mom who is taking great care of her newborns. With so many puppies on hand, we are going to have to bottle feed them to supplement Mom's milk. We'll be watching them closely over the next weeks and once everyone is old enough, they will be up for adoption (Sadie too!). Congratulations Sadie!! You're a great new mom!

The Puppies are Coming!

2009-05-22T09:16:00.003-04:00

One of the dogs we took in off transport last week, Sadie, arrived to us very pregnant (surprise!). We had no idea that she was pregnant when we accepted her, but sometimes things like this happen. Thankfully, we had a foster home willing to take in a pregnant pup and this morning, Sadie is getting ready to give birth to her puppies! I don't have any updates yet, but as soon as I know more, I'll post it here along with any pictures I may get.

The Delicate Economics of a Rescue

2009-05-21T14:28:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone enjoys their Memorial Day weekend! If you're traveling, please be safe and remember hot cars plus dogs is a very dangerous combination. I encourage traveling with your pet and have done it often myself, but please make sure you have ways to keep him or her out of the car in the heat!

We hit a bit of a bump this week with our spays and neuters. Consequently, this is delaying getting some of our dogs to their forever homes. Our usual vet had an equipment failure that has made it so he cannot spay and neuter our dogs for at least a week. We didn't want to have our dogs waiting any longer than possible to go home, so we started the search for alternatives. This is not as easy as it sounds!

The finances of a rescue, especially one as new as we are, are incredibly delicate. We are constantly trying to balance affordable adoption fees, having enough money to care for the dogs we have, and having a little wiggle room for emergencies or unanticipated expenses. The costs of spays and neuters, even for rescues, makes this all fairly challenging. When you've got an average of $200 for a spay or neuter, plus all the other costs - microchipping, deworming, food, crates, shots, heartworm tests, pain medication post spay/neuter, etc. - that doesn't leave a lot left after the adoption fee. One case of parvo, one bad case of parasites, one special needs dog and any "spare" money is gone. It is a fine line that we walk to keep our fees as reasonable as possible as well as provide quality care to our rescue dogs and be in a position where we can continue to save as many lives as possible. We are still trying to find the best way to balance this and if you know of any resources open to rescues, please leave a comment or drop us an email. I'm hoping to try my hand at grant writing when we get our 501(c)3 letter and hopefully we can find some relief there. If any of you out there are experienced grant writers, your suggestions would be most welcome!

Change of Venue - Saturday's Event

2009-05-21T13:56:00.002-04:00

In case you didn't see it on our website, our adoption event is now at the PetCo Sterling from 12-3pm. The address is 22000 Dulles Retail Plaza, Sterling. We hope to see you there!

And Now Some Pictures from Sunday...

2009-05-20T10:44:00.006-04:00

Here are some pictures from Sunday's trip to Ms. Elgin's class! Thanks again for having us!

A HUGE Thank You to Ms. Elgin's Class!!!

2009-05-19T10:55:00.007-04:00

Earlier this month, PAWS received a great email from Jennifer Elgin on behalf of her third grade class at Beth Chaverim Reform Congregation in Ashburn. PAWS was selected by the class to receive their charitable donation for the year called a tzedakah. We were incredibly honored and excited to be chosen by the class. They have been fundraising for us all year by selling cookbooks that they wrote as well as other donations such as parts of their allowances.

This past Sunday, I packed up Honey and Annabel and we headed over to meet the class and accept the donation. What a great visit we had! All the kids were great with the puppies and were very excited to have us there. They asked me really great questions about what we do and what the money will be going towards. The donation will help us care and feed for some of the dogs at our rescue. Spays, neuters, microchips, shots, food, beds, toys...the list of needs seems never ending some days and any amount helps. Thank you again for your generosity and thinking of us! We are truly touched and it's experiences like this that really excite me about the work we are doing.

Once I got Annabel and Honey back to their foster home, we brought all the dogs in the house outside for a bit. We had 10 puppies, 4 adults and one pregnant dog all running around the yard and wearing themselves out. It was quite the sight with everyone so happy and playing. The four adult dogs belonged to the foster parents. The other 11 either have found their forever homes and are waiting to go there or are still looking. After a very challenging week at the rescue, the events of the day were a great way to end that week and start a new one.

Before I go into the details of that, I'd like to say a quick thank you to the doctors and staff of Caring Hands in Ashburn. I saw them quite a bit this past week and they were great every time (as usual)!

So, where to start with this past week? Sunday morning (Mothers Day), I found myself in urgent care with a allergic rash from the Demodex shampoo for my foster dog. Tuesday night, we had a complication from a spay where an internal stitch was popped and the the dog started bleeding quite a bit. She is fine now, but it was a long night getting her situated and then back to the vet in the morning to get the problem fixed. At some point between Tuesday and the end of the week, we had a round of kennel cough and puppy mange sweep through the home of one of board members and foster parents. Thursday morning, I was driving one of our pups to get to his neuter. He's peeing in the backseat, my foster is throwing up in the front seat (she was on her way to the vet's), I have a rash up to my elbows and I'm thinking "how the heck did I get here?!" Of course, now that it's behind me and everyone in that scenario is ok, I find it quite humorous and am very thankful for the leather seats in my car that clean up nice and easy.

There is plenty of good news. Our adoption event at PetCo was a success - five dogs found their forever homes at the adoption event and three found homes outside the adoption event. Everyone has rebounded from their various ailments. We were able to finalize adoptions on ten of our dogs between 5/10 & 5/16. That's ten lives that are getting to start over and live a life where they can be dogs instead of being scared, hungry, or in a shelter. That's a pretty good week if you ask me.

HOLY ADOPTION!!!!

2009-04-04T22:16:00.002-04:00

Wow!!! We had an incredible adoption day today!! All of our puppies and some of our dogs were adopted. They will all be going to their new home starting tomorrow. Thank you to all those who came out and supported PAWS today. If you didn't find the right pet for you, please keep checking back. We're sure the perfect pet for your family will arrive soon enough.

More dogs looking for their forever home

2009-03-31T16:37:00.006-04:00

We have a few more dogs that are now available for adoption. If you are interested please email us at info@pawsrescueva.org.

This is Ella. She is a 2 yr old Amercian Bull dog mix. She is spayed, utd on shots and microchipped. She is house trained and crate trained. Gets along with the JRT and Border Collie in her home. She is GREAT with kids. VERY, VERY sweet.

This is Hank – 1 yr old shepherd mix. Very shy and quiet. Does well with cats, house trained and crate trained. Very, Very Sweet! He is neutered, utd on shots and microchipped.

And of course there's Lady. You can view more about lady on our adoptable dogs page.

Little Scout Has Found a Home!!!

2009-03-30T21:13:00.001-04:00

Congratulations little Scout!!!! You have found your forever home!!! Little Scout, who has been very sick was adopted into a wonderful home tonite by the generous mom who has been caring for him throughout his sickness. She has managed to save his life and give him a home. Thank you so much Karen. I'm sure he will bring you many years of thank you's.

More thank you's...

2009-03-23T19:01:00.000-04:00

Another special thanks to

Kathleen Lester
Kathy and Ron Farnsworth

Thank you so much for helping to pay for Scout’s medical care.

Positve news for Scout

2009-03-23T18:59:00.000-04:00

Very positive news this week on Scout. On Saturday, he seems to come out of no where. He woke up and was very vocal and ripped his IV out. He seemed ready to get out of that hospital. He came home on Saturday afternoon and is on his way to making a wonderful recovery. He’s still on medications and is very, very thin, but he is slowly getting back to his old self. Thanks again to everyone who has donated to his care. We are still in need of more donations. The cost of his treatment is now over $2300. If you can help, please visit our “How You Can Help” page.

Update on Nori

2009-03-19T18:58:00.000-04:00

Nori has better news than we thought before.......

The blood test has been sent out to confirm that it is, in fact, Von Willebrand's Disease. Once he gets the confirmation in about 5-7 days, the vet will then perform the spay with frozen plasma on hand so he can help her clot when he is doing the
surgery.

This is very positive news for Nori. Please continue to keep her in your thoughts.

Sad news about Scout and Nori

2009-03-18T18:57:00.000-04:00

We got some bad news on both Scout and his mom Nori today.

Scout has been in the vet hospital for a week now with IV fluids, not being able to hold anything down. The vet feels he had some sort of viral infection and roundworms that led to very severe lesions on his intestines and stomach. He is not making any improvements. If he does not show signs of improvement soon, we may have to make a very difficult decision.

Nori, his mother, was scheduled to be spayed today, but the vet had to stop the procedure immediately when she started bleeding profusely. Turns out that she is probably a Doberman mix and there is a disease common to Dobermans called Von Willebrand's Disease, which is a version of hemophilia in dogs. Her prognosis is unknown at this time. If there are any treatments, they will likely be very expensive.

If you would like to make a donation to Scout and Nori’s medical care, please visit the “How You Can Help” page and make a donation. We would greatly appreciate it.

Still in need

2009-03-16T18:43:00.001-04:00

We are still in need of donations to help pay for Scout’s surgery. If you can help, please visit our “How You Can Help” page and make a donation. If you are a business or organization and would like to sponsor Scout or any of our other dogs, please email us info@pawsrescueva.org

We are also in desperate need of wire crates. If you have one you would be willing to donate, please email us at info@pawsrescueva.org

Update on Scout

2009-03-16T18:38:00.001-04:00

Scout pulled through his surgery ok. It turned out that he had severe ulcerations of his intestines caused by the severe case of parasites. He is continuing to be treated for the parasites and they are trying to keep him quiet and comfortable until they can gain control of his vomiting. Once he starts feeling better, his intestines should heal on it’s own. He is expected to make a full recovery, but the next few weeks will be very tough for him. He will have to remain on fluids and medications until he heals. Please continue to keep him in your thoughts.

A special thanks

2009-03-14T10:45:00.002-04:00

Thanks to everyone who brought their dogs out to our dog wash at Bark ‘N Bubbles. We had a great turnout and we were able to make quite a bit of money to help pay for Scout’s surgery. A special thanks to the following people for becoming Scout’s guardian angels:

* Ranjini Govender 

* Sarah Finn in loving memory of Maverick Boado-Finn

* Virginia German Shepherd Rescue
* Bark ‘N Bubbles Dog Wash - Herndon