Roberta, found as a stray with a broken hip, needs your help. Read her story by following the link. If you are moved, you may help Roberta by making a donation to cover her medical costs. Thank you.

Basset Rescue Network, Inc. at Daphneyland is a 501 c 3 organization, which means your donation is tax deductible.

First and foremost, determine if the organization supports and upholds its mission statement.

Second, have board members worked in the trenches? Do they have firsthand knowledge of what their volunteers do? Do they offer to train volunteers or just expect their volunteers to know what to do?  Do they seem to care more about their titles than they do the mission? Are they more self-serving then mission-centric?

Third, are they willing to share their financials with you?

Fourth, what’s their track record? You can check it out at sites like CharityNavigator.org.

Yes, it’s easy to make a monetary donation, but some organizations will be just as grateful for in kind donations.

Do your homework. Donate Wisely.

Talk with your vet. In almost all cases, your vet will advise you to spay or neuter your pet.  It’ll be less expensive to keep your pet, too. In some counties it costs $100 to license an intact pet but only $25 to license a neutered pet.  And if your pet runs away, it costs less to spring a neutered pet than an intact one.

More importantly, you can rest assured that your pet won’t contribute to the over population of pets.

I’ll never forget this one day on the beach when a woman told me she wanted to breed her English Mastiff bitch to another English Mastiff and had hoped that there would be an “accidental” breeding at the beach because “she wanted her sons to witness the birth.” I suggested that she take them to the Maternity Ward a few miles away and ask if one of the women would mind having additional people present to witness the birth.  Why settle for the miracle of canine birth when you can see the real thing!?   I didn’t get more graphic, but I think she understood that I thought she was a raving idiot!

First, a professional breeder carefully selects pairings. (Unless their idiot house guest thinks a rickety old baby gate is sufficient to keep a dog away from a bitch in heat.)   Second, if you bought the dog for under $5000, you probably don’t have “breeding quality”, but “pet quality”. It’s not something the breeder chose to keep. The dog should probably be altered.

But, like Dennis Miller on a rant, I’ve digressed.  Here’s what I want you to see. Look at these numbers posted by ONE shelter in Los Angeles and decide for yourself.

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!

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!

Doncha’  just love it when you find a product that’s not only good for your pet, but does some good for shelter dogs, too?  Usually, I shun products not made in the United States, but when I read the Buy 1 Box & We Donate 1 Meal, I was intrigued. (Read the side of the box below.)

So I checked the back. The product is made by our friends to the north, Canada(Hi, friends in Canada!) and distributed by a group in Oregon to stores like Sprouts, where we found this box. 

Now, GOOD BUDDY treats were running about $4.75 a box where as the other treats were running $7 for about 3 fewer ounces of treats.  (Yes, this does matter to the hound and the husky-cross. If you think dogs don’t know how to do math, give one more treat to one dog and see what the other(s) do.)

The other cool thing about this promotion is that it was launched by a 12-year-old girl’s mission to feed hungry shelter dogs in Bend, OR.  She created a website called, freekibble.com. As of this writing, FreeKibble.com has donated over 3 million meals to shelter animals. since Mimi launched the site on April 1, 2008. (NO FOOLIN’!)  

The Critters at The Red Dog Inn applaud Mimi’s efforts! Now it’s our turn:

There are lots of ways you can participate and help shelter dogs. Buy some GOOD BUDDY TREATS, then visit www.FreeKibble.com where you can answer trivia questions, follow them on Twitter or Facebook and just Do Some Good!  

“Mimi Ausland, a 12-year-old girl from Bend, OR, created freekibble.com to feed hungry dogs in their local shelter. It is now feeding 1,000s of dogs all across the country! In support of freekibble.com, we’re donating 1 nutritous meal, to shelter dogs and cats, for every box of Mac & Cheese Dog Cookies sold.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/38279498#38263805

Let's Party Like It's 1776! (or 1783, though the hat would've been hip in 1886)

This Independence Day, as we thank every servicemember who’s ever served in the U.S. Armed Forces since 1775, Lula and Butters reminded me that right along side those folks are dedicated canines. And Sizzle chimed in about the horses that served, like George Washington’s horses, NELSON & BLUESKIN.

Spirit Magazine featured an article about how dogs trained in the Puppies Behind Bars program are helping retired servicemembers cope with shell shock — er Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  (We think the late George Carlin was on to something in his critique.)  Grab some tissues and read a touching story about How Mya Saved Jacob here: http://bit.ly/a5n1pm

Read up on all the Presidential Pets: http://www.presidentialpetmuseum.com/ 

Adopt a Hero:  Check out our blog post from earlier this year about adopting dogs that served!

Tag your pets! Chip your pets!  Dogs may run or hide during the festivities.  A tag will get your dog back home quickly.

Click here to getImages &
Orcas Pictures

It’s been a couple exciting days for Southern California boaters, and whale watching tour operators are rejoicing!  The wild orcas are putting on a show!

A few days ago off the Ventura coast, fishermen encountered a playful female orca who really was ready for her close up!! On June 1, Captain Dave from Dolphin Safari in Dana Point video taped an 8-orca pod feeding.  (Thanks, Captain Dave and Fishermen Greg and Richard for shooting the video so those of us who are desk-bound could revel with you!) I’ve included links to the stories below!

It begs the question: Who’s watching whom?

REMEMBER: Keep our oceans clean! Make sure your trash gets into the appropriate cans and keep your cigarette butts off the street!

http://www.whalewatchingtv.com/Orca-LIVE.html

http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-orcas-dana-point,0,4262348.story

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/station/as-seen-on/Close_Encounter_With_Killer_Whale_Captured_on_Video_Los_Angeles.html