The Red Dog Inn

Hi! It’s me, Butters! If you haven’t heard yet, my mom brought home a dog. It’s a girl! Dude, I’m surrounded!!! I am thinkin’ about asking the guy next door if he wants to go have a beer and talk sports or somethin’!

About 20 minutes after getting home I got a text from Kirsten, my sister in law’s niece, asking to come over to see the new puppy. Kirsten practically grew up here! She’s lived through Freddie, Woody, Gracie and Finley. (We never had only one dog for very long.)

The lobbying effort to make this foster an adoption kicks into high gear!

As we’re sitting here… we start calling her “Sophie” or “Sofi” or “Sofie”.

I posted on Facebook, and Julia writes, “Use Sofie. It has some gravitas.”

Then I thought, “Hey, Sofia Vergara! That’s why I like that spelling.” So, Ms. Vergara, I hope you don’t mind, but we’re borrowing.

AND WE SHALL CALL HER SOFIE!

Now… what breeds make up Sofie?

Say hello to Sofie!

We picked up the dogs at a place in Pasadena called The Hat, which in my humble SoCal opinion, makes an AWESOME pastrami sandwich!  Go there! Eat there. A word of advice… a small order of fries can FEED a family of 4!!! So we ate — and watched the dogs, and had people ask us about the dogs. In retrospect, I’m really glad some people got to see firsthand what rescue organizations do to save dogs and hear a bit about shelters.

Don’t get me wrong. Shelters do impossibly hard work, but they’re not going to nurture an animal like it would be nurtured in a home. They simply don’t have time or manpower. Essentially, shelters exist to keep animals in a safe place until someone adopts them.  Shelters are doing more than what they were originally put in place to do.  Shelters were there to evaluate animals that were victims of abuse & temporarily hold animals that somehow got out of their yards. They were never intended for people to surrender their pets when it didn’t work out, the owner got lazy and couldn’t keep up with their commitment, or the pet made the mistake of growing old. (Sometimes, people suck!)

Just before leaving, Julia shouts out, “What’s her name?”  I hadn’t a clue!

I was listening to my iPod on the way home, when the King of Cool, Dean Martin, began singing, “Somewhere There’s A Someone For Everyone.” I almost cried when the lyric, “somewhere, there’s a someone for me” was crooned through the speakers. Here, in the back of my car, not knowing where she was going, or what would happen to her when she got there, was an 11-month-old puppy, who’d spent the last month of her life in a shelter and because I stepped up and saw her photo, escaped death.

The parallels between rescuing a canine life and rescuing a soul wasn’t wasted on me.

So, the name will probably be Latin… Good bye, Toffee.   Hello… ??? Oh well, if I don’t have a name by Monday, I’m calling Armando!

We drove up and I let Butters and Lula meet the youngling in the front yard, where we meet a lot of dogs. Butters isn’t fooled. “Why is mom carrying a leash with a NEW dog attached to it?” Lula is cool until the youngling makes her way into the GARAGE.  Then Lula barks at her. I mean, that’s where the KIBBLE stash is kept!  And that’s IMPORTANT!!!

Lula is looking at me I’ve LOST MY EVER LOVIN’ MIND when I let the youngling enter the backyard.  If Butters had a cell phone, he’d be calling his Auntie Tracy to tattle on me.

The youngling is very puppy-like.  She’s up in Butters’ face, kissing him. He IS cute. And then she follows Lula everywhere. The lines of heirarchy are being established among the pack and they’re all cuing off of me.  No one is too upset, so let’s see how this works. For now, it’s looking good.

If you thought canine rescue was easy, think again. This story begins on Thursday, when friend Julia,  owner and operator of Happy Hound Helpers and a volunteer for Daphneyland, a non-profit basset hound rescue in Acton, CA, posted a photo of two dogs on her Facebook wall.  I looked at the one and thought, “That looks like Lu!”

Then I heard that all the Basset Shelters were full. Let me help you understand the scope. Daphneyland is FULL. Daphneyland is the temporary home for 100, yes, ONE HUNDRED,  hounds and miscategorized dogs. The other rescue in our region also was full. (Sadly, this is true for many rescues.)

A plea for help!

Then, the boom dropped. The shelter said the red dog had been there since May and was scheduled to be euthanized on Saturday unless the rescue took her.  There was nothing wrong with the dog.  She had been a stray.   So, Julia worked the phones. I stared at that face and prayed, “What do You want me to do?”

FOSTER.

“Julia, I can foster one of these dogs. My county will not allow me to have more than three dogs at my house.”
So Julie kept working the phones, and working the phones, to determine which dog was the hardest luck case.  She tried to arrange transport for not one but two dogs, one of which was deemed a “grrr” dog (grrr=grumpy.  This means that only a trusted rescue can take the dog so it can be evaluated, rehabbed and hopefully rehomed. Typically, the GRRR Dogs just need to get out of the shelter and in a few days, are as right as rain.

At 8 p.m. — about 36 hours after the photo was posted — I received a text message telling me where to be and when. The dogs were being driven from Palm Springs to Pasadena (104 miles).

So, I was up at 6 to get my car serviced in time to pick up my foster pup.  I explained to the service manager at Ken Grody Ford what I was doing, and those guys in that service department made sure I was out of there in plenty of time.  In fact, I go there two hours early, which as anyone who knows me will attest, is a bona fide miracle!

I stopped at Petco to pick up a few things. I met a woman who had just helped a Chow mix she found on the freeway.

I jumped back in my car. I had an hour until the dogs would arrive. Wouldn’t you know it! I have three mapping apps on my phone and each of them got me LOST!!! I did notice that Pasadena was having a Music Festival on my scenic tour, so instead of 45 miles one way, I did about 55!  Eventually, I found the location.

Shortly after playing with Julia’s basset in the parking lot, the dogs arrived courtesy of Animal Samaritans SPCA! (Thanks, Price!)

The GRR dog was unloaded first and handed to me. Hardly a “GRR” dog. She was a little grumpy around other dogs, but with people she was fine.  Once she was secured in Linda’s car (Linda, BLESS YOU! Linda took two dogs with special needs to the ranch!) , the dog I was there to get was unloaded.

A wriggly, brown pup all but jumped in my arms.  After debating how much basset she was or wasn’t, Julia asked, what’s her name?

And that’s where the journey begins.

” …there’s no animal that’s more faithful, that’s more loyal, more lovable than the mutt.”

– Bill Murray as John Winger, Stripes (1981)

Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8Q1fDf0GeY

Did you know that there is a rescue for every breed of dog? There are even rescues for cat breeds as well. These places are excellent places to search for your dream pet!

But these rescues need help. Many of them are small operations that are strapped for cash.  They get by, because they believe in their mission. They step in and help those pets whose families for one reason or another chose to not honor their commitment to give the animal a forever home.  In some cases it can’t be helped. However, in a majority of cases, the pet is paying the price for their person’s poor planning. They assume their pet will be easily adopted.

The truth is it’s tough out there for a pet without a home, as tough as it is to find a job in California!  And frankly, the rescues and shelters are full. Those who are lucky go to a no-kill facility. The super lucky ones go to a no-kill facility where someone will love and dote on them, easing their transition. Those who aren’t, have 30 days to charm their way into someone’s home.  Many of them are scared and don’t charm;some remember past abuse; some are simply born with dark fur.

How can you help?

• Make donations — Cash is very helpful in helping these folks buy items they need. In many cases, these donations are tax deductable.
• Donate gas cards
• Call or look up on line what their needs are. While you’re at Costco or your local grocery store, pick up a few items and drop them off.
• Foster — As I mentioned, the shelters and rescues are full. If you have space, offer to foster a dog.  It’s a great way to try a pet and let that pet try you, to see if you work well together.  Many rescues will allow you to convert your foster into an adoption.
  You can even foster your pet to give the rescue time to find it a new home.  This could help ease the transition from home to home for your pet.
• If you absolutely can’t foster your pet while the rescue is working to rehome it, offer to pay to offset the rescue’s costs.
• Adopt! Adopt! Adopt!Remember: RESCUED is our very favorite breed around here!

I just received word about two juvenile basset hound mixes on their last day at the shelter. Sadly, all of our area rescues are full, so without someone to adopt them or foster them these cuties will die.  Sadly, their people didn’t honor their commitment to them.

Because I’m a squish for a basset hound or a golden — oh, let’s face it, any critter in need –  I have offered to foster one of these dogs until it is adopted or an opening is available with one of the rescues. (Or adopt the critter if I fall in love, Lula falls in love, and Butters doesn’t leave us for Auntie Tracy’s! Butters always wanted to be an only child!)

Intellectually, I understand we can’t possibly save them all, but if it’s possible to help, I’m all for it. I just wish the breeders would help us out by declaring a moratorium on breeding for 12-18 months. Perhaps then, we could get get more animals homed.

If you’ve never had an animal before, or are wondering about the breed traits of a particular breed you’re considering, fostering is a great way to get the feel for it before you make a lifetime commitment. Then again, if in the course of fostering you fall in love, most shelters and rescues will allow you to adopt the animal.

Remember: RESCUED is the Favorite Breed for everyone here at The Red Dog Inn!

As I was leaving the pet expo this Saturday night, I heard a dog whimpering in a white mini van. Yes, the windows were cracked, but it was 80* that day. And when I say cracked, I mean about a 1/2  inch.   I informed parking and they said they could do “nothing”. I called the local police department and wasn’t too certain they’d do anything either. I had to force the dispatcher to take the ;license number, which I still have along with a photo of the vehicle. There had already been a dust up in the parking  lot earlier in the day, so I thought the wisest move was to let officials handle the violation of California Penal Code 597 . Ironically, the van had a Harvest Crusade bumper sticker in its back window. (“The righteous care for the needs of their animals…” from Psalms ring a bell?)

Now, the penal code is clear: Thou shalt not leave an animal in a car.
Legal folks have worked to further define that. Who hasn’t stopped by the dry cleaners to pick up cleaning on the way back from the vet?  Clearly, the animal is within sight. The windows are down. And the owner will be returning momentarily. (Even this is scary for me after I passed out during a shopping errand. You really never know IF you’re making it back to your car. So keep that in mind when bringing your pet along for the ride.)

However, this animal was in a parked car. with the windows barely cracked.  on a hot day. with no shade. and the only place to enter was the Pet Expo, not someplace you just run into.

I have written letters to the event venue and the PD asking them to review and make changes to how they respond to calls re: Penal code 597.

Do you take your pet with you? How would you have addressed this situation?

Make plans now to join us at the OC PET EXPO!

http://www.petexpooc.org/

A comment on a story re: inconclusive DNA test on bone fragment believed to belong to Amelia Earhart:

“Someone found some bones, which can’t be proven to have belonged to Amelia Earhart? Ya, my dog does that on a weekly basis.”

The anonymity of the Internet allows people to be funnier, smarter or meaner than they’d be in person. I found this humorous. REALLY HUMOROUS.  However, when commenting on the web, take a moment before hitting send.