I recently read an article where a woman thought that some rescues were too thorough in their vetting of homes for the dogs in their care. She went on to make some jokes about it. I didn't think it was funny then, and I want her to know about Captain. I wonder how she would feel if she had looked into Captain's eyes and promised him a good, safe, loving home, and then had to look into his eyes as he suffered in the trash bin after being beaten by the person she turned him over to? What would she say as he laid on the table dying?
Captain the dog’s death leads to thousands in donations to B.C. SPCA
Captain, you did not die in vain. You were important.
If you agree, please sign this petition.
German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County (GSROC) is a non-profit 501c(3) charity organization dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing purebred German Shepherd Dogs. We are funded entirely by private donations.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Itchy dog?
6
Common Reasons Why Pets Itch
Just last week I got a call from one of our Pet Detectives located in Ohio. He called to report that one of the Search Dogs, a Bloodhound named Luscious, was itching. Here is the short list of the 6 most common causes to itching in pets. See if you can guess which one Luscious was suffering from!
Fleas - It can only take a few bites for a pet to start itching like crazy. When a pet itches, it can make the skin become more irritated, which can then become susceptible to infection.
Food Allergies - Many pets have food allergies. Keep in mind that an allergy can develop as a pet ages, even if it wasn't there before. Food allergies can spontaneously occur without any change in what the pet is eating.
Environmental Allergies - Pets can be allergic to things like pollen, mold, and house dust!
Mites - Mites are another parasite that can cause a pet to itch. To find if your pet has mites, a veterinarian can test your pet based on the symptoms.
Ringworm - Ringworm isn't a worm! It is a fungal infection. If you have worked in rescue, you have probably had to deal with a pet with ringworm. Ringworm usually causes hair loss in a round, or ring shaped pattern. A veterinarian can diagnose this in a pet.
Other - The other five reasons why pets itch here are really the most common, but there are some other, less-likely possibilities. If your pet isn't itching because of one of the other reasons listed here, you will have to talk to your veterinarian and get to the bottom of the scratching! Other possibilities include fungal infections other than ringworm, bacterial skin infections and immune issues.
Now that you know the six most common reasons why pets itch, what do you think our lost pet recovery Search Dog was suffering from? If you guessed the common flea, you are right! After a few baths with special natural flea shampoo, Luscious is back to sniffing out lost pets!
Just last week I got a call from one of our Pet Detectives located in Ohio. He called to report that one of the Search Dogs, a Bloodhound named Luscious, was itching. Here is the short list of the 6 most common causes to itching in pets. See if you can guess which one Luscious was suffering from!
Fleas - It can only take a few bites for a pet to start itching like crazy. When a pet itches, it can make the skin become more irritated, which can then become susceptible to infection.
Food Allergies - Many pets have food allergies. Keep in mind that an allergy can develop as a pet ages, even if it wasn't there before. Food allergies can spontaneously occur without any change in what the pet is eating.
Environmental Allergies - Pets can be allergic to things like pollen, mold, and house dust!
Mites - Mites are another parasite that can cause a pet to itch. To find if your pet has mites, a veterinarian can test your pet based on the symptoms.
Ringworm - Ringworm isn't a worm! It is a fungal infection. If you have worked in rescue, you have probably had to deal with a pet with ringworm. Ringworm usually causes hair loss in a round, or ring shaped pattern. A veterinarian can diagnose this in a pet.
Other - The other five reasons why pets itch here are really the most common, but there are some other, less-likely possibilities. If your pet isn't itching because of one of the other reasons listed here, you will have to talk to your veterinarian and get to the bottom of the scratching! Other possibilities include fungal infections other than ringworm, bacterial skin infections and immune issues.
Now that you know the six most common reasons why pets itch, what do you think our lost pet recovery Search Dog was suffering from? If you guessed the common flea, you are right! After a few baths with special natural flea shampoo, Luscious is back to sniffing out lost pets!
Annalisa Berns, Pet Detective - Pet Search and Rescue
Annalisa is the author of the Lost Dog Recovery Guide and
Lost Cat Recovery Guide and has been assisting with the recovery of lost pets
for over 7 years. For more information go to www.PetSearchAndRescue.com
or call Pet Search and Rescue at 800-925-2410.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Dog Days of Summer
Ever wonder where the term “Dog Days of Summer” came
from? This came from the ancient Roman
& Greek belief that Sirius aka “The Dogs Star” was the cause of hot
weather. Sirius is the brightest star in
the sky and is part of the constellation Canis Major. It was thought that because it was so bright
that it must give off heat like the sun.
In Ancient Rome during the “Dog Days of Summer”, Sirius rose and set in
the sky with the sun so that assumption was that it was adding to the heat of
the day. This of course was is not the
case and in fact no longer coincides with the sun rising and setting.
A couple quick simple things to remember on those hot days
to keep your dog safe:
1.
Do NOT leave your dog in a hot car. Temperatures rise quickly and are dangerous
to your pup, if not deadly. On an 85
degree day it only takes 10 minutes for the temperature in your car to reach
102 degrees.
2.
Keep your dog hydrated – make sure that there is
fresh water available to your dog at all times and watch for signs of
dehydration.
4.
Walk your dogs in the early morning or evening
after the sun has gone down. The hot asphalt
can burn the pads on their paws. If it
is too hot for you to walk barefoot – it is too hot for them!
5.
If your dog is outside – make sure that there is
plenty of shade or shelter so that they can escape the sun.
6.
The heat is a great opportunity for your dog to
going swimming. Always be sure to
provide supervision to prevent injury.
Credit:
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/hot-weather-tips.aspx
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Puppies abandoned in desert!
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Friday, July 13, 2012
Magi and Papi
The thing about being a true animal rescuer is that it doesn't just happen when you schedule it. Sometimes, actually, it happens at the most inopportune times. A few summers ago, I was walking through the parking lot at The Wild Animal Park in San Diego, and a loose German Shepherd ran up to me. What are the odds?
So, because GSROC has true rescuers, sometimes we have dogs looking for homes that you wouldn't expect to see at a German Shepherd Rescue... like Chihuahuas!
Check out these two ADORABLE dogs. Good with big dogs, little dogs, cats, kids... what more could you want? Everyone should love a LITTLE... it is magical.
German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County Adoption detail
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Lennox
I realize that we are late to this conversation...too late, really. Lennox is gone. It never occurred to me that he would actually die. I truly believed they would do the right thing.
When I first saw the emails going around, I thought it was just another pit bull type dog who needed help. There are so many. However, when I read more-that he was taken away from his family just because of the way he looked, it only made sense to me that the people in charge would come to their senses. His family desperately wanted him back, and Lennox was a good dog.
It was distressing to see the pictures of him, healthy and happy in his home and the obvious decline of his health in the pictures from his days in captivity. I think many of us were saddened but knew that once people came to the obvious decision and returned him home, he would be ok.
So, he isn't ok. They didn't come to their senses. It is horrible, and now I think it is time that a lot of us come to the table on the Breed Specific Laws before it is too late again.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
4th of July
There is always a lot of talk about the dogs that end up in the shelters on the 5th of July and how important it is to keep your dogs safe during this holiday. What you don't hear so much about is the "clearing and culling" of dogs in the shelters to make room for the dogs who will come in. The rate at which they kill the shelters dogs is high after the 4th of July, but it is worse the day before. It is heartbreaking.
I know someone who has on her email, "For every dog euthanized there is a person responsible". If you let your dog out on the 4th, and he dies in the shelter... are you also responsible for another life who died so your dog could go to the shelter in the first place?
I know someone who has on her email, "For every dog euthanized there is a person responsible". If you let your dog out on the 4th, and he dies in the shelter... are you also responsible for another life who died so your dog could go to the shelter in the first place?
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