Paws and Prayers Rescue Blog

Fosters get More than they Bargain for

2012-02-04T14:51:00.000-08:00

When you were a kid, did you tell everyone that when you grew up you were going to have a farm and take all the un-wanted cats and dogs there so they would have a place to live? Do you still say that? Do you watch the commercials with the sad dog and cat pictures and think to yourself, “I wish I could make a difference?” Do you already have a pet or two and know that there is more room in your heart for another, but, not enough money in your checking account to take on that responsibility? Fosters at Paws and Prayers share all of these thoughts. They have taken their desire to help animals and turned it into the largest foster based rescue in Ohio. Last year, Paws and Prayers placed 1,460 cats and dogs into new loving forever homes.

When most people think of a pet rescue or shelter, they imagine cold, brick buildings with kennels lining the walls just full of barking canines and hand whacking kitties. Adopters from Paws and Prayers, however, are met with an entirely different experience. Every animal in their care is in a foster home, save for a few cats ready to be shown at the cat sanctuary at the Chapel Hill PetSmart. Adoption events are held every weekend at various pet store locations where anyone looking for a pet is met with cage-free kisses and a happy (human) face ready to tell you about the animal they are handling.

“The way we operate is this: we take the animals that have been at the pound the longest. We bring them into our homes, help them get reacquainted to a life with a family that loves them and then we see them on to their forever homes. After that, we are able to rinse, wash and repeat for the next animal down on its luck. It’s a cycle of love and life-saving that just can’t be beat,” explains Alecia Waddell, foster of three years.

Leah Swanson, foster since August 2010, likes to see it a different way: “These are neglected souls that have been reborn into loving, caring homes.” Part of Paws and Prayers’s mission is to rehabilitate the “unwanted” cats and dogs that pass through the thresholds of their network of foster homes. That “rebirth” that Swanson mentions is seeing a scared dog trust again or bringing a starved cat back to life.

“I started fostering after losing my pet of 11 years; I have a need to nurture,” states Stacey Rege, foster since just last summer. Fostering not only fulfills her need to nurture, she points out that “they (the dogs) accept you as you are.”

In addition to the pets that accept you just as you are, Paws and Prayers' network of around 60 fosters offers a support system that can’t be beat. They laugh together about dogs with oversized ears, celebrate the adoption of a pet long overdue for its new home and they mourn together when an animal just can’t be saved; like the daschund mix they had taken after she had been in labor for two days and abandoned by her owners.

So, if looking for a new friend or just a new challenge in life, Paws and Prayers is a great place to check out. It’s where volunteers have lots of fun playing with puppies, senior cats and everything in between, do good for themselves by fulfilling a need to nurture or help out their community, and do more for others by helping the people of their community find new friends, and the animals new homes.

To learn more about Paws and Prayers, visit their website at PawsandPrayers.org where you can also see a list of upcoming events and available animals. There you will also find an application for those wishing to foster. Paws and Prayers can also be found on Facebook and Twitter. Have any questions? Feel free to email info@pawsandprayers.org to find the answer.

January's Facebook Fan of the Month

2012-01-30T12:12:00.000-08:00

Debby is our Fan of the Month for January. She decided to do something a little different than the Q&A from last month; she insisted on writing her own blog post! We could not be anymore happy with what she has written and know that you will love her story as well! :)

"My story begins a long time ago as a little girl. I was in love with our family dog, Sassy; a big old brindle boxer that guarded me, played with me and loved me with all of her might. She was the first dog of many that would come into my life.

As I grew, my love for animals grew right along with me. I brought home every stray that I found and loved every dog I saw beyond reason. I think that is something you are born with and when I began having my children, they inherited that trait.

The first dog that we had when my kids were old enough to participate was a stray that someone dumped. My kids encouraged her to “stay” by feeding her when I was at work. She was a mixed breed “mutt” (the best kind really). We ran ads in 3 different newspapers for weeks to see if someone would claim her, and when no one responded, we had a family meeting and decided to adopt her. Her name, fittingly enough, was “Finder”, because we did…. :o) And a few weeks after she was licensed and vetted, we found out she was pregnant and probably the reason she was abandoned. She was with us for 15 wonderful years and we loved her beyond measure.

During the time we had Finder, my 2nd oldest daughter brought home a puppy she found running loose on a very busy highway. The pup was dirty, scraggly, and very hungry…. my first impression was “eeww…” stinky and we already have a dog. We need to find her a home. But the minute I held her in my arms, I knew she was my dog. Another “mutt” but just as beautiful as Finder for sure. Her name was Maggie and we loved her to pieces.

When we had to have Finder put down because of a cancer that couldn't be operated on, Maggie went into a grief that we couldn't console. She made herself sick and had many visits to our vet. At that time I did some research on “pet grief” and found that there hasn't been as much research done on it as human grief, but there were some experts that were kind enough to send me all sorts of wonderful articles to read. And then someone else intervened (God looks after the pets as much as He does us, I believe) and my son found a tiny puppy that someone had dumped on South Street in Akron. If you know the area, you know that it isn’t a very nice area and it’s a very busy street and here was this little 6 week old puppy that had no clue where it’s mommy was or why she was cold and hungry. When we adopted her, Maggie’s grief disappeared and Emme, as we called her, found the “mommy” that she so desperately needed. Once again we had 2 dogs.

Throughout all these years with all these dogs, my kids were growing up and moving out, I had a wonderful new husband, who by the way was a dog lover, too, and our family adored the dogs we had. Then 2008 rolled around…. Maggie was 14 and Emme was 9 and they were healthy as can be, or so we thought. One day when my granddaughter was visiting and we were playing on the floor, Maggie came upstairs to see what was going on and her back legs gave way. She started flopping around on the floor trying to get her legs to do what they were supposed to do and her attempts to gain control of her legs were futile. I rushed her to our vet and Dr. Robyn found a huge tumor in the crease of her leg. I can’t tell you how many belly rubs I’d given this dog and I didn’t see it. The tumor had gotten so big that it now had taken the use of her back legs away and had spread to other organs in the meantime. All the while, we were unaware and I felt SO guilty and awful. Dr. Robyn gave her a shot and said if it was going to work we might be able to give her a little more time. So we took her home and we laid her on her favorite pillow and watched her like a hawk. She couldn’t walk, she wouldn't eat and we were devastated when a week later, our vet told us the most humane thing we could do was to put her out of her misery. That was another terribly hard trip to the vet. We brought her home and buried her under my favorite bush. That was a couple days before Thanksgiving of 2008

Now we were back to one dog, Emme…. I was looking forward to being able to spend more time with her, concentrating on her and making her feel as special as she was. She was a little lethargic and we thought she was grieving, which I’m sure she was. She and Maggie had bonded from the first moment they sniffed each other. After a couple weeks of this, I decided to take her to the vet, just to get checked out and make sure she was okay. Dr. Robyn did a routine blood panel and physically she seemed fine. She told me to phone her back in a day for the results of the blood tests. My husband and mother and daughters kept telling me they were sure things were fine, that I was worrying for nothing. I kept telling myself they were right… I was praying they were right. The results of her blood work were shocking to all of us, to say the least. Emme was dying of kidney failure and we were absolutely devastated. On Christmas day, she crawled under the Christmas tree, turned around and laid down and looked at us as if to say “don’t forget what a gift I’ve been”. That was the last picture of her we ever got. She died at home with us 3 days after Christmas and was buried with Maggie under my favorite bush. Within 6 weeks we had lost both of our beloved dogs and I was inconsolable.

People kept telling me to get another dog and I just felt like I couldn't… I just couldn’t get over my grief of Maggie and Emme dying so close together. It just wasn't fair… Emme was so young and still had so much life in her. But little by little I started to get curious about what dogs were out there. I wasn't even sure how to go about looking for a dog, as all of ours were “sent” to us as gifts…(I believed). So I scoured the internet for ads and rescue groups and I found Paws and Prayers. I read all about them and looked at their dogs and loved many of what I saw, but was still reluctant to try to adopt. Then I saw “Gracie”…. she looked so sweet and I have always wanted to have a golden named Gracie and although she wasn't a golden, she was golden in color and I knew needed a loving home to call her own. So I filled out an application and they accepted us to be doggie “parents”. Jen told me that another family had already expressed an interest in Gracie, but that we could come and meet her at the Chapel Hill Petsmart. We did meet her and I fell in love with her, but the other couple drove 6 hours to meet her and they also fell in love with her, so Gracie went home with another family. I was very disappointed and felt like maybe I shouldn't be adopting yet. But believing that everything happens for a reason, I kept looking. We found a breeder, in a round about way, and they bred boxers. Well, when their female boxer was ready to be bred, a sneaky lab got into their kennel and low and behold, the cutest boxer/lab mix puppies you've ever seen were born. I talked with the breeder and they were giving these puppies away. I told her I wanted a female (all my dogs had been females up to this point) and she said she only had one female left, but there were people coming to look at them over the weekend. I kept putting off seeing them, so my daughters talked me into it and I decided to go and look at them on Monday morning. The one female was still there and when we got there it was love at first “lick”. I picked her up and she licked my face and I knew…. “Marnie” had found her forever home.

Life with Marnie was so much fun! She was wild and had SO much energy! There is never a day that goes by that Marnie doesn’t make us laugh! We lovingly nicknamed her “Marnie the Maniac” and for good reason. She had an endless amount of energy and it was so good to have a dog again. My granddaughter, Zoey, loved her and Marnie just adored Zoey, too, and we were so happy about that! Marnie saved me from my grief and we just loved her so much.

But I couldn’t stop looking at Paws and Prayers dog pictures. Jen would send me dogs to look at, but I kept coming back to the picture of “Alvin”. A male border collie/lab mix whose face I just couldn’t seem to take my eyes off of. But I kept thinking “he’s a male” and we don’t want any males”. Hmmm…. then why couldn’t I stop thinking about him. Every day I would go to Paws and Prayers website and look for him, thinking he probably was already adopted. And when he wasn’t, I felt relief…. I looked at his picture every day for a long time and finally decided maybe we should go look at him. So my husband and I took the trip and met “Alvin”. He was so shy, but so beautiful and he had this look on his face… the same look that haunted me in his picture. The look that to me said, “we belong together, please make me yours”. And that is exactly what we did. The next day, my daughter and I went to pick him up and the foster lady kept telling me about this “weird thing” that Alvin did with his mouth; that it looked like he was being vicious, but that wasn't what it was. She didn’t want me to see it and be fearful of him and in turn not want him anymore. We went to Petsmart to get his bed and some other things we’d need. He was quiet and shy, but at one point while we were sitting on the bench waiting on my daughter, he gave that wonderful “doggie sigh” and leaned against my leg and I knew we were going to be alright. And about the “weird thing” thing that he did with his mouth….. well, every time we go away and come back, I see that “weird thing” smiling in the door way at us and I’ve never mistaken it for anything other than what it was…. Finnegan SMILES at us! It’s amazing and it makes me laugh every time I see him do it.

Alvin became Finnegan and he settled into his new home just fine. He’s been here over a year now and he’s still shy about some things… someone was abusive to him when he was young, so he’s very fearful of a lot of things. But we are working with him and he’s getting better every day. It’s so great to watch him experience things for the first time, like treats he’s never had before and toys… sometimes now he picks up toys to play. That is more heartwarming than you know… well, I’m sure anyone who is reading this does know how that feels.

We are so grateful to Paws and Prayers for working with us, for being patient with my grief and for waiting for us to find the right dog. Finnegan has been another wonderful gift and he and Marnie are the best of friends. They are the same age, within a month, and just have the most fun playing and romping around. We have been so blessed in the past with all the wonderful pets we’ve had. But I feel especially blessed by Paws and Prayers for their immense love for dogs and doing what they do. Uniting a family with the right dog is a special gift for so many people AND dogs. Sometimes when I look at Finnegan and he walks over to me with that ”grin” on his face, I know he feels as grateful to be here as we are grateful to have him. Thank you Paws and Prayers for every single thing you do to rescue and unite the dogs and cats that you do every single day! You are special, wonderful people and I applaud you for all the hard work you do!"

Helping Solve the CATastrophe

2012-01-18T00:36:00.000-08:00

Sad Cat is Sad

Cats are constantly being ignored. It's a sad, sad truth but just about any rescue would agree. Cats are always being ignored. Hop onto any legitimate rescue page and you'll clearly see dogs outnumbering cats. Even Facebook pages geared towards saving pets on death row like Pet Pardons and No Kill Ohio are primarily flooded with information on this dog or that dog that needs saved although cats are euthanized 10% more than dogs. Now, why is that?

Over-excess of cats. A lot of shelters, rescues and community volunteers/ advocates are simply overwhelmed by the great number of cats in need. To focus on all of them is also to detract from all of them. Also, as more and more cats come flooding into shelters, others are euthanized to make room for them, so your higher volume shelters may only have a cat for three days which is hardly enough time to vet it, get it on the adoption floor and then adopted out.
The ease of access to cats. This brings us to a couple of different problems, the first being that anyone can get a cat. Just take a look at all of the "free kitten" ads on Craigslist and you'll see what I mean. Anyone can get these cats whether they are responsible owners or not. This means no background checks, no vet checks, no ensuring that current cats are spayed/ neutered, so now, other intact felines may come into the home, reproduce and continue the cycle of unwanted kittens. The second issue (which will also lead us into our third point) is that many people will opt for the free Craigslist kitten when given the choice between them and a fully vetted, spayed/ neutered kitten with a fee.
Lack of support for Rescues that work to save cats and kittens. As noted in our previous blog post about fees, it costs us about $90 to fully vet (FIV testing, boosters, rabies, wormer, flea treatment/ preventative, spaying/ neutering) a cat or kitten which does not include any extended care that they may need. When people opt out of adopting a rescue or shelter cat, they opt out of helping their local rescue or shelter in ending the cycle of pet-overpopulation. We are a very fortunate group to be able to take on the financial hardship of rescuing cats in spite of the fact that we lose money on our cat program annually. Our dog adoptions and donations from our true supporters are the only things offsetting the deficit to make our program successful. Other rescues simply do not have the resources to help out without that support via their fees.

So, the chips are stacked against us but we know we are going to break through this year by implementing Operation Meow! Operation Meow is our personal declaration to find homes for 1,000 cats for 2012! Last year we adopted out 626 cats, but with our main cat gal, Kelly, leading the charge, we KNOW we can accomplish the tremendous goal Jen D'Aurelio (our Executive Director) has set for us!

Operation Meow's primary goal is for finding homes for cats in need. That being said, we are hoping, whether successful or not, that just by leading this campaign we can help raise awareness of the real problem- the over-population of felines. And, of course, getting those 1,000 cats all spayed/ neutered will help cut the cycle of over-breeding so that we can help maintain the feline population's numbers which means less cats and kittens winding up at the shelter. Less shelter cats means less cats being euthanized which means more happy kitties! :)

Reproduction Rate of Unaltered Cats in a 16 Month Period

How you can help:

Share. Spread this post. The more people know, the more they can empower themselves to become responsible pet owners and to set a great example in their community.
Adopt. When it comes time, always opt to adopt a rescue or shelter pet. You are not only saving that animal, you are helping to save all future animals that may find themselves in the same predicament. By supporting your local rescue and shelter, you are supporting all homeless and neglected animals in your area
Advocate. Help find animals homes by sponsoring them online. Urgent Ohio Dogs (UOD) features dogs on the chopping block in Ohio in hopes someone will see them and adopt them, rather than letting them get to the alternative. Facebook's "share" button allows you to easily save photos and bios of dogs with everyone on your friends' list. The more exposure they get, the greater their chances are of being saved. UOD is currently working on an Urgent Ohio Cat page soon to be released as well! Nationally, you can advocate for Pet Pardons which posts dogs and cats on death row all throughout the United States (they are also operating in Canada now too).
Volunteer. The more volunteers a rescue or shelter has, the more balanced the workload becomes for everyone. Essentially this means that everyone can focus more on finding the animals homes as others are chipping in to help with the daily upkeep, whether it be helping out with feeding, socialization and/ or exercise.
Donate. As mentioned earlier, we are only able to have a cat program because of our wonderful supporters. Funds are extremely limited for animal rescue and we can only save what we monetarily are able to save. Whether donating to us or another worthy rescue/ shelter, you are directly benefiting the animals and giving rescues/ shelters the means to continue their wonderful work.
Alter. Spay/ neuter those pets! Spunky may be fine now and may be an indoor pet, but when he escapes that one time, you don't know what he's doing... But we have a good idea! Also, neutering your males eliminates the chance of testicular cancer and greatly reduces the chances of prostate cancer. Spaying reduces or eliminates the chances of uterine or ovarian cancer as well as mammary tumors. For more info click here. One of a Kind Pets Spay and Neuter Clinic also offers a low-cost feral cat spay/ neuter package, which helps reduce the numbers of feral cat colonies that also drive up the feline population. If interested in learning more about One of a Kind Pets, click here.

As humans, it is our responsibility to help bring dignity and enrichment into the lives of all living creatures. Whether those creatures be neighbors that don't understand the responsibility of pet ownership, a feral cat colony that you could help catch and release to get spayed/ neutered or an animal on death row you could fight tooth and nail to find a new family for, you (and everyone else reading this) must take responsibility. In the end, there is not much to lose, but oh-so-much to gain! Whether we hit 1,000 cat adoptions this year, or not, we know that Operation Meow is going to be a huge success! :)

Betty says "Thank you!" She is currently up for adoption.
Please visit PawsandPrayers.org for more info.

The Honest TRUTH About our Fees

2012-01-09T03:43:00.000-08:00

This weekend was an awesome weekend for us! We did a lot of adoptions which means we will be pulling a lot of cats and dogs next week, and what could feel better than saving more animals? I know, saving even MORE animals! But I digress.

I, personally, didn't think that this weekend was going to be as wonderful as it turned out. Winter is always our slow time as people don't want to start a new dog walking program with their newly adopted or to begin potty training in the snow. In addition to that, I personally have always felt that days have their own individual tones. The tone that morning, for me, was a very unbalanced one which I thought would leave everyone a little bit "off" of their game. Being the loyal girl I am, I always tend to take criticism a little personally until I remember that the only criticisms we ever really receive at Paws and Prayers are just the result of a vague misunderstanding. So, I wanted to take the time to type something up to hopefully help out those that may not understand what it is that we do here. So, here it goes...

Pocahontas- PDA (heart condition) $3,115

Saturday morning we had received an anonymous phone call from a woman that was upset with our adoption fees. She was interested in a puppy whose fee is currently $300 (the highest that any of our fees will ever go). The woman believed that we were a scam and "knew" that she could get an AKC puppy for the same price as one of our beloved mutts. She felt that if we were trying to find good homes for our dogs, then we should be "selling" them for much cheaper. Of course, a valid point if we were actually selling our dogs. But we don't sell dogs, we adopt them out.

The thing about rescue is that you are rescuing animals that not everyone wants. You are taking in animals that not everyone can invest the time, money and love into. You are saving animals that others had already deemed "unadoptable." If we were taking in adorable, medically sound, behaviorally stable, youthful dogs, we probably could afford to simply give some dogs away. But we're not that rescue.

Sky- Victim of double cherry eye
and an over-sized cone $700

Our rescue is the rescue that takes in the seniors, the dogs that jump at the cage and bark at you while at the pound, the sick, the frightened, the deformed, the truly left behind. These dogs do not find homes quickly. In the meantime, they live not in a kennel but in a loving foster home where they are given special one-on-one attention. Our fosters are provided toys, crates, food, treats, collars, leashes, bedding and just about anything else a cat or dog may need to live comfortably in their foster home environment. Fosters are also provided needed items for training and behavioral issues. All of these cost money. All of our fosters have these as needed.

Of course, that just covers the basics. We also medically update our cats and dogs. This includes the spay/ nueter, feline leukemia test, FIV vaccines, dewormer, rabies vaccines and monthly flea preventatives for our cats. For our dogs it's spay/ nueter, DA2PPvL vaccines (distemper, adenovirus, parvo, etc), rabies vaccine, bordetella vaccine (kennel cough), heartworm test, dewormer and monthly heartworm and flea prevention. Again, all of these cost money. Again, every animal needs and receives this care as age and health allows.

Now that is our basic medical updating. This is not including the 60+ dogs that tested positive for heartworm with each costing hundreds of dollars to treat. We had one foster dog that was in such advanced stages of heartworm that she had to forgo the treatment twice. Add that to our dogs with cherry eye, with double cherry eye, with ACL tears and the ones unlucky enough to contract viruses like parvo and pneumonia. Add those to the cats from hoarding cases with mange and ringworm, upper respiratory infections and coccidia. Add those to our seniors, like Olaf, who end up with cancer or skin tags or need bad teeth removed. Add that to the rare, but still present, mystery cases that cost thousands of dollars in exploratory surgeries to find out they have something one in a million dogs don't even contract. Medical miracles, these guys.

Saps- born with a hernia, split open her
abdominal wall $405

Take all of that debt already accrued and add that to this little factoid. Our average cat costs about $90 to update medically. After that $90 is spent, we can still only adopt the average cat out for $60. That is a loss of $30 per cat with every adoption, on average. There is a reason that so many cats are euthanized on a daily basis both locally and afar. There is a reason we are one of few groups that take in cats, and that's the reason. Last year we adopted out 626 cats. If those numbers held true for every cat (which this isn't including special cases requiring more money or taking into account the kittens we were able to adopt out for $100) we would be looking at roughly an $18,000 deficit from simply having a cat program.

We can't adopt every cat out for $90. We can't adopt out a dog that has been treated for heartworm for $379. We cannot adopt out a dog that had pneumonia for $1,212. So how do we stay afloat?

Khadija- Pneumonia $1,212

1. We are a very lucky group with a lot of amazing supporters. We are not government funded so do rely heavily on donations. Our supporters donate and donate and donate until they have nothing left to give, and once they are at that point, they nag their friends and families to give until their loved ones grow tired of it and smack them a few times. Luckily, it does nothing to their momentum.

2. We have AMAZING fosters and volunteers. Anytime that we are at a loss for something, they dig deep, do some research, pull together and bring about whatever is needed. This can range from getting the beds for our kennels used during intake to getting us grants that will assist us through the year. From garnishing us attention through the Dr. Marty Becker Giveaway from last year to simply setting an amazing example of responsible pet-ownership in their community.

3. Our adoption fees. A lot of times we find ourselves doing a whole lot of balancing: a $300 puppy must help balance out the deficit of a $50 senior ($50 doesn't even cover an office visit). A $200 youth that required little care may help balance the cost of a dog that sadly did not make it. A $250 purebred may offset a $75 mongrel that no one is giving the time of day. A whole litter of healthy puppies may offset the cost of a whole other litter of unhealthy puppies that contracted parvo in transport, as we saw this summer. You never know what you're getting into with the animals you take in so the balancing act is never perfect. We never break even here.

JackJack- several teeth extractions $248

Those are the top three ways that we have been able to make it over the years. There is no magical cure or fantasy fairy dust that we sprinkle on these guys to get them into homes so that we can pocket the difference. It takes strategy, a lot of checkbook balancing and a lot of heart to save the animals we save. In the end, no one is lining their pockets here. I don't see a cent for all that I do. Of course, puppy breath and dog snuggling is of much more value to me anyways. :P

The one thing that I think does need to be mentioned again, in more detail, is that we do not sell pets, we adopt them out. A lot of people don't understand the difference so I'm going to explain that now...

Spot- Parvo and kennel cough $2,179

When you adopt a dog or cat from us, you're not just adopting that animal but you're adopting an ideal. Your adoption fee is paying to end pet overpopulation, to end euthanasia of healthy castaway animals, to help establish responsible pet ownership, but ultimately, to give animals that would not otherwise have it a second chance. By adopting from any great rescue, you are adopting all of these things and more. I think a wiggly butt or the purring of a kitten more than pays for itself, especially after considering the lifetime of your pet.

So, for some people, maybe $300 is a little steep. But those aren't our people. Our people are those out there making a difference. Our people speak for the animals with no voice. They're responsible pet owners and don't fund irresponsible breeding. They know the true worth of a pet, not as a symbol of status, but as a real companion; a loyal and loving companion. Our people wouldn't bat an eye at an adoption fee knowing what is behind it. And, hopefully, in reading this, we have found some more of our people today.

I am going to leave you with one last thought... If you have a rescued animal in your home right now, please go snuggle them. Imagine, if you will, that people didn't have compassion for animals. Imagine that $300 was too steep so there were no rescues, there were no mission statements, there wasn't any relief from their suffering. Where would your rescue pet be right now?

December's Volunteer of the Month!

2011-12-22T14:13:00.000-08:00

We have some amazingly, wonderful selfless volunteers! So selfless, in fact, that many people (no matter how long you've been following us) don't know any of our names! So we decided to start putting a face (and some back-story) to our names. This month's Volunteer of the Month is our beautiful Jenny R! You would not believe how many Jens/ Jennys/ Jennifers we have in our group but each one stands out in their own remarkable way. Read about Jenny R below and see why we love her so! :)

ABOUT YOUR PETS

How many pets do you have and what are their names?
I have 3 pets. Meka-Lab Mix,Callie-GSD/Husky, and Ollie-Cat All Rescues!!!

Meka

Callie

Do you use cute “pet names” or middle names for them?
"Cal-Bell" "Meekmeek" Before my nephew could say Ollie, he would call him Lala.

Come on… Who’s your favorite and why?
I will always have a special place in my heart for all my animals, but especially Callie because she was my first pet since moving out of my parent's house. Brian and I adopted her together and specifically found a place to move that accepts pets.

What is your favorite thing to do with your dogs?
We do a lot of hiking. They love it and get so excited. We also take them on vacation with us every year to Manitoulin Island in Canada. They get to be outside all day and can swim in the lake anytime they want. Callie also does dock diving.

How many fosters have you had so far?
I honestly have no idea. Including the Humane Society and Paws and Prayers, it would be around 60. I do have pictures of every dog we have fostered.

Who was your favorite so far and why?
Maddox without question. She was a sweet boxer mix from Summit that I immediately fell in love with. I begged Brian everyday to let me adopt her. If I had not been pregnant at the time, I think he would have said yes. I even started crying when the people who ended up adopting her just started to fill out the application at Petsmart. I won't even describe how I was when I had to leave their house after dropping her off. Lol

Maddox

What has been your greatest challenge in fostering?
A dog named Val. She was so sweet, but did not trust people very easily. Once she bonded with you, she would protect you till the end. She also was notorious for escaping my house/yard. I have never chased a dog around my neighborhood so much. Being 7-9 months pregnant, that was a lot of fun.

Val

It has also been challenging to balance fostering with a baby and working full-time. My husband and I make it work because rescue is very important to us.

What do you feel has been your greatest accomplishment in fostering?
Fostering the scared, very under socialized dogs that you think are going to take a long time to rehabilitate and find a home for. Once you get them into your home and they start to feel safe, it is amazing how fast they come out of their shell and start acting like a typical dog. A foster home can make a world of difference for a dog.

AND NOW A LITTLE PERSONAL

What made you interested in fostering?

I have always loved animals and always had pets growing up. We always adopted or would keep strays that we were unable to find the owners. At one point I had dogs, cats, hamsters, hermit crabs, snakes, lizards, frogs, gerbils, and turtles. Needless to say, I think I drove my mom slightly crazy. :-) I remember going to the pounds and shelters when I was young and how sad I felt for all of them. I wanted to help get animals out of the pound and into loving homes.

How did you first get involved with Paws and Prayers?

I was at Petsmart and noticed a table set up with Paws and Prayers information on it. I started to talk to the person that was at the table and they gave me more information on fostering. I was fostering with the Humane Society, but puppies were getting to be too difficult with my work schedule.

How long have you been involved in animal rescue?
I would like to say all my life :-) I have been involved with fostering for over 3 years. This is my second year with Paws and Prayers.

What is your life like outside of rescue?

What life?! LOL I really enjoy hanging out at home with my husband, my 5 month old son, and all my animals. I also enjoy hiking, going out with friends and family, and reading books.

Any siblings or significant others we should know about?

My husband, Brian, who helps out a lot with our fosters. I also have a sister, 2 brothers, and a nephew. My nephew is my "test dummy" to see if my foster is good with kids.

Brian with baby Liam

Finish the sentence: The one thing that ALWAYS puts a smile on my face is…

My son, Liam. He makes me smile and laugh multiple times a day. I especially love when he looks at the dogs and "talks"to them. The dogs also make him smile and laugh a lot.

Greatest thing this year has brought you?
I again will have to say my son, Liam. I never could imagine that someone so little could bring so much joy to my life.

So, that is our amazing Jenny R in a nutshell! If you ever see her at an event, make sure to say "hi." She always has a smile on her face and it's one of those contagious ones that can make a bad day go good. Thank you for everything you do!

Zylo's Happy Tail

2011-12-16T08:49:00.000-08:00

Ok, we do a LOT of talking about how fostering is the greatest thing in the world and it's so "bittersweet" and how seeing our fosters off to their forever homes is the best thing ever and blah blah blah. Ok, well, I guess it's not ALWAYS like that. I'm going to take a moment to reason with you here and give you the complete, 100% honest truth... The majority of us have at least one "failed" foster. One sweety that we just could not give up. This story is about the dog that I gave up but could not give up again. His name is Zylo.

Zylo's SCAC intake photo

Zylo was picked up as a stray by the Summit County Animal Control (SCAC) back in December of 2009. He earned the nickname "Mr. 004" from his pound number 12-004 and the fact that he was so reserved yet charming that they swore he was a doggie Bond. At the time, I had been assigned the task of cross-posting the dogs that had been at the SCAC the longest in hopes that by listing them on our site we could get them adopted before they would even need to be brought into rescue, but that's another story.

I was on a theme: "A New Beginning." 12-004 was a rugged and manly looking dog, maybe even a little scary. This "akita mix" needed a manly name to commence his new beginning. I settled on Denovo, italian for "anew."

Denovo sat at the pound for a WHILE. Two months, to be exact. I had just adopted out my latest foster, Romeo, a nutty but loveable mastiff pup, so was looking for my next project. Denovo was the top of the list, having been at the pound for weeks longer than anyone else. To be honest, a part of me didn't want to take him. He was kind of scary looking in his pictures and it made me nervous. Fortunately, in rescue you don't pick and choose who you take, you take whomever is in the most need! So, me and Cory trekked down to SCAC to meet Denovo.

Zylo seeing Momma Mary Shelley through delivery

I was secretly hoping that Cory would be frightened by him too and we could just tell Jen (at this time our President) and have someone else take the scary dog. Hey, we were new fosters then! When we arrived at the pound we found that Denovo was currently being prepped for his neuter: there would be no seeing him today. So Cory and I strode around, leisurely looking at the other cats and dogs not about to have their genitals whacked, and then left.

Denovo was still on our site so when we got home, I decided to show Cory Big-Scary-Dog and sure enough, Cory decided he WAS scary looking! But in an awesome way. He declared that Big-Scary-Dog looked like a WEREWOLF! And with boyish enthusiasm, Cory asked if he could name him. I knew I didn't have a chance. Cory chose the wereworlf name, Zylo, from a video game called Shining Force.

The next day I drove back down to the pound to pick up Zylo. I was somewhat relieved to see he was much smaller than I had anticipated, which in turn, made him much less intimidating. He didn't seem too interested in me, was just taking in his surroundings, happy to be outside in the sun and able to sniff around the comfortably cool winter air. We did a little walk around so he could go potty before he made his way into my car. He wasn't a "puller" so I kept the leash pretty lax in my hands and just enjoyed the short walk right along with him.

One of Zylo's many clown faces!

When it was time to turn to the car, the leash slipped from between my fingers and Zylo was off at a slow trot towards the gate! I followed after him and my heart slowed as he started to hit North Street. Luckily the cars had seen him coming and came to a stop. I was able to catch up, plant a firm foot on his leash and sheepishly lug myself and Zylo back into the gated parking lot. I never told anyone that story until now because I was afraid I would never be allowed to pick up a dog from the pound again! A little sweat and some flushing of my cheeks became the first bit of mortar that was going to bind us.

Cory was excited to see Zylo when he got home from work. The sweet boy met Ari, our personal dog, and two foster puppies we had at the time, Tifa and Yuna. He fit in like he had always belonged. As Cory walked through the door Zylo stole one of the puppy's toys and began tossing it to himself. Just one of his many silly whimsies that I would come to enjoy.

That weekend was the first weekend of many adoption events to come. We sat patiently waiting for potential adopters to come meet Zylo and fall endlessly in love. It never happened. Zylo was very stand-offish with new people, never aggressive, just always observing as if he didn't trust you or was silently playing the part of juror. He was cold with everyone that met him and no one wants to adopt the cold dog. They want the butt-wiggling, face kissing, always smiling dog to brighten up their life, not another entity to judge them. The only real interest he got was from a family looking for a guard dog. Zylo still looked the part of Big-Scary-Dog in person, but in our home, he had become a sweet and loveable clown the puppies loved to bounce on. I wanted someone that would love him, not use him.

I found that someone in our second month of fostering Zylo. It was a family from a suburb of Cleveland that just so happened to wander into the Fairlawn PetSmart where we were hosting an adoption event. I have no idea how they wound up there of all places but it seemed like fate to me! The husband fell madly in love and set up an appointment for his wife to meet Zylo and to bring him home the next day. It was amazing!

As I drove Zylo to our appointment, the JERK decided that of all the times to show affection, pulling into the parking lot for his adoption would be best! He nuzzled my neck as I prepared to hook left into our parking space. He had never nuzzled me before and I found great comfort in it. He had given me love.

Zylo dock diving

I wish I could say that I spoke with the lady and told her I was never, ever giving this dog up because I had fallen MADLY in love with him, but again, that's not how rescue works. You see them off to their new home and give yourself a pat on the back while you help the next dog on to their new life. We went over all of the adoption paperwork, I took her check and she took Zylo's leash and off he was to his new family. My current foster, Pavlov, is foster number 81. Out of the 81 animals I have fostered, Zylo was the only one that made me cry.

I got a call from Zylo's new family a couple weeks later. His new aunt had been diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer and was terminal. A lot of family members have been in and out of the house, and with Zylo's stand-off nature, he was becoming extremely stressed under the circumstances. The family was very upset to have to let him go but decided it was not right to keep him living in a situation that brought him great discomfort. So, Zylo found his way back into my heart and home.

Bringing his ball back for another go

When Zylo walked back through our doors, I knew there was no giving him up again! We crossed the threshold, closed the door and I bounced to the floor to wrap my arms around him! He gave a little growl, which we came to know more as a little moan of elation, and he threw his head into my chest to slide down on his back for belly rubs.

He has, at times, been the sole reason for me being able to trudge along in a battle against my manic and depressed episodes. He is my jogging partner, my cuddle buddy and my "happy." I often joke with friends that I am on the anti-depressant "Zylo" because there is just no being sad with him around. You see his silly little clown face and you can't help but smile. He snuggles you and you know there is no other place he would rather be. How could that not make you feel good?

Since joining my home, Zylo has been brought up to a healthy weight. He absolutely adores his sister, Ari; the two are inseparable! He loves going to the dog parks and his favorite thing in the whole world (besides me of course!) is dock diving! He's been in a couple of competitions and loves the extra attention he gets. It's there that we found he is a Dutch Shepherd (look them up, they're beautiful!) and not an "akita mix." His cool attitude that kept adopters away garners him great praise at competitions because he is so well behaved and acts like the things he just accomplished are "no big deal." He literally plays it cool. I couldn't imagine Zylo having a happier life and I could not imagine having a happier life without him; the dog that I gave up but could not give up again. :)

Zylo (right) with his sister Ari

December's Facebook Fan of the Month!

2011-12-08T12:46:00.000-08:00

Everyone meet Joyce! We figured she was a prime candidate for the very first Fan of the Month as she is one lucky gal! Back in October she won our status contest which won her a ticket to our fundraiser in November. In November, at our fundraiser, she then won our 50/50 raffle! We're going to make it at least a 3 month winning streak as now in December she's our Fan of the Month! Joyce was mom to two wonderful dogs named Bernie and Roscoe and she just exudes "animal-lover!" We were happy to meet her at the fundraiser and are happy to have you all meet her now!

How many pets do you have and what are their names?

My last two forever dogs were Roscoe and Bernie. They both lived around 14 years.

Bernie (left) and Roscoe

What was your first connection to Paws and Prayers?

Years ago I saw a scared dog in the park across from my house. He was living there. I started putting out food and water for him but he was too scared for me to approach him. After calling several places I did find a groomer from petsmart who came to my house and helped me catch him. At the time I had my two dogs. I cared for him in a crate in my spare room. The girl from Petsmart helped me get him connected with Marty who got him into Paws and Prayers. I kept him a few days until they could move him into a foster home. Even though he was scared I could tell he was happy to be somewhere safe…and that he had food and water and TLC like he deserved. He was adopted through Paws and Prayers.

Then a couple years later I again collected a scared, exhausted dog from the park. I asked Paws and Prayers for help. With the helpful advice from the many members of Paws and Prayers I did find her owners. She lived several blocks from me and escaped from her yard over July 4th.

What is the best thing about rescue pets?

Knowing they were given a second chance to find a wonderful forever homes!

You find out that all television shows are to be cancelled except for the ONE show you can save! What show is it?

Sorry…I can’t think of one TV show worth saving. Just give me a good book!

Christmas is right around the corner; have you been good?

Yes

Finish the sentence: The one thing that ALWAYS puts a smile on my face is…

a happy photo of a dog, cat, or other animal.

Greatest thing this year has brought you?

A family gathering in Erie, Pa. Photos of my ancestors from 1900 and 1908. I am big into family tree research and preserving older family photos.

Congratulations on everything, again, Joyce! You are a wonderful woman and we are so happy to have you as a supporter! You are an important cog in our rescue machine! :)

And Then There Were None

2011-11-22T08:58:00.000-08:00

We hear it at least once at every adoption event: "Isn't it hard to give them up?" The answer? Well of course it is! But at the same time it is also really easy...

September 1st an email was sent to our group:

"Pregnant dog. Has milk. She is at pound. Can anyone help?"

Momma at the Pound

We all became frantic. Milk means puppies soon and we hate seeing puppies born at the pound when they could be born in one of our loving foster homes instead. Being in a home means less exposure to harmful pathogens, more hands-on care and better socialization as they continue to grow. Unfortunately, the pound just does not have the same resources for a puppy that a home can provide. Especially in terms of around the clock snuggling!

Momma and I having a heat-to-heart

My foster had just been adopted out the night before so I was browsing the list of dogs that needed pulled when the email came through. "Well," I thought. "I've whelped a litter before... I'm sure it's just like riding a bike." A big, stupid grin flooded my face at the thought of canoodling some adorable newborn pups for the first time in a long time. I replied to the email letting them know I would be more than happy to have the mom-to-be in my home... And then reluctantly emailed my fiance so he wouldn't be so surprised when he came home from work to see what I had done.

My fiance, Cory, has been diligently at my side through all of our fosters, which at that point, had broken sixty. He loves helping the animals but also wants to take breaks here and there. The only problem with that is that unfortunately, irresponsible owners NEVER take breaks so there is always a constant influx of dogs and cats at the local pounds. One trick that I've learned that you are more than welcome to use if you are fostering or plan to foster: let him name the dog. :P

Such a happy Momma!

Cory has always had a fascination with Halloween and horror stories so once I told him the pups should be ready to go home around Halloween, he was sold. A chance to name a whole litter? Of course, we know that very few of our names stick after adoption but it is always still exciting to name them, even just for the short term. Our Momma dog had become "Mary Shelley" as the mother of horror although we could find no name that fit her better than "Momma."

Trick, just a few minute old

We had Momma for 19 days before those beautiful puppies had dropped. It really was like riding a bike! When all was said and done, we had six stunningly handsome males and two sweet females. We called them our Monster Mash litter. I was fascinated with them. Every two weeks I set up a photo shoot (yes, I am that lame) so that I could share photos with potential adopters, but also, so that I could have a TON of photos for my own memories. These puppies were amazing. Well mannered, slept through the night, very quiet and always eliminated on the paper rather than on bedding or the regular floor. They really were perfect pups.

Jekyll/ Hyde, 2 weeks old

At the eight week mark, they were all ready to go home. I emailed each family lined up to adopt one of the babes and made appointments so they could each spend time with the puppy and ask any questions they may have before leaving my home with their new addition. I had to pry the puppy from each and every family's arms to get the paperwork done, but I knew it was only because they were going to love that little furry beast with everything that they have got! By the time the families had left my home, I felt that I knew them personally and that they had just become an extension of my own family. All were wonderful, all had beautiful gifts they could offer my puppies.

Ichabod, 4 weeks old

After all of the puppies had gone to their respective homes it was time for Momma to meet her new family. Her future mom and dad sat on my couch and Momma made a bee line for their laps. As soon as she was all snuggled in, she began kissing their faces and remained that way while they got to know her through interacting with her and asking me questions from their smiling lips. It was an immediate love and I knew it would be an enduring love.

Elvira, 6 weeks old

In just three days I had gone from caretaker and lover of eight puppies and their amazing mother to my normal life filled with an amazing fiance and a much quieter home. The only difference? In my "new" normal life, I now have nine new families that have become my own and nine new sets of paw prints that have danced around my heart.

So is it hard to see them go? You bet! But I am happy to see them through to their new life and even more happy to know that now I can open my home again to help out the next dog that is down on their luck. It's a rescue "Circle of Life" that I am happy to be a part of, no matter how bittersweet it may be.

Frankenstein, now Jack, 8 weeks old in his forever home!

"Blind Amazingness"

2011-11-10T07:34:00.000-08:00

One thing that a lot of people may not know about the rescue groups in Akron is that we work really closely together. Summit County Animal Control has not had to euthanize a dog for space reasons in nearly four years because of the great network that we have established here in Akron. We all share responsibility for these animals, we all share the heartache of a new animal coming in and the relief of one going to a new home. Because of this, it is not uncommon to ask each other for a little help now and again.

A couple weeks ago we were contacted by the Humane Society of Greater Akron (HSGA) who was becoming over-full this month. HSGA has helped us out immeasurably over the years, so of course, we wanted to do everything that we could to help them out. We were sent a list of their "long-timers," some of which had been there for going on a year or longer. We passed this list on to our fosters in hopes that some would see a cat or dog that they could not turn down and that they would kick their husband out to make room for. ;)

It worked.

Now, one thing you may not know about us is that we have quite a few fosters that have a soft spot for seniors. Heck, it's not even a soft spot, it's a big, huge, empty void that can only be filled with a big, huge, sweetly aged senior! For those fosters, we found just the right guy: OLAF!

Olaf is the senior of all seniors; aged to perfection! Unfortunately, most people will not see it this way. Most families looking for a new companion want just that; a "new" companion, not a "used" one. Olaf had been with the HSGA since May, undoubtedly passed up for the cute little puppies and the youthful jogging partners just a cage or two down. It is always hard on us as rescuers to see seniors at the local pound. We always invent a rich back story for them, imagining the great fun they had skipping about the yard as a young pup, the sweet children they may have nestled as an adolescent and the loyalty they had carried with them as an adult; all to find themselves in this sad place as a senior. We know that in most places they are the first on the chopping block. This is why, when we saw Olaf's listing, we could not let him fall through the cracks.

Olaf already had the chips stacked against him. We all know about Black Dog Syndrome and not only is Olaf a black dog, he is a senior. And not only is Olaf a senior... He is also blind.

No one has ever said that rescue is easy. Let me tell you, it certainly is not. When do you stop telling someone "Oh, he's still got a few good years left in him!" When do you stop crying "It's ok, he adjusts really well to new environments without his eyesight!" To have a dog that you love and care for so deeply that you feel he is your own, even though he is not... And to see that same dog continually rejected by potential adopters. That is disheartening. When do you stop saying to yourself "I know his new family is out there!" The answer: Never. You NEVER give up.

Olaf is a very, very special boy. We know that his perfect home is out there and we will not stop searching for it until it is found. Such an upbeat and happy boy deserves a happy ending, after all. :)

Thank you for reading, Rescuers! If Olaf's story has touched you, please pass this on to friends and family. The more people that see Olaf, the greater his chances are at finding his retirement home! :)

If you think you may want to add Olaf to your home, please complete our online application. You can find the link to it under "Our Links" near the top of this page.

From a Foster's Perspective Pt. 1

2011-08-02T19:32:00.000-07:00

Doing a "rescue blog" is by no means something new. It is, however, something new to us! We decided to shake things up a little bit today to see how it turns out. Aside from this opening paragraph, this blog was written by one of our most dedicated fosters, Meredith. She has bailed us out of making some tough decisions in the past (and I am sure she will in the future!) and we could not be more happy to have her in our little group. She was also just accepted into a nonprofit administration master's program through John Carroll University and hopes to some day run her own Humane Society! Make sure to congratulate her in the comments below and if you enjoy reading this, check out her blog at: http://merediiith.blogspot.com/

The charity organization that is nearest & dearest to my heart is an animal rescue & adoption group known as Paws & Prayers. I have been a volunteer & foster parent since 2007; in total, I have provided a transitory home to fifteen dogs & two cats. I remember deciding that year I wanted to help an animal rescue. I searched on the internet for some in the area; luckily for me, Paws & Prayers was the first to respond to my inquiry emails. My life has been forever changed through this organization. The commitment & hard work of all the dedicated volunteers is nothing short of amazing.

Here are my thoughts on what it's like to be a foster parent to a dog or a cat.

With each new foster, you never know what to expect. A foster dog can drive you crazy. She might chew up a pair of your shoes. He might lift his leg & pee on your Christmas tree (which may have been his way of criticizing you for leaving it up throughout January). The dog may even slip her leash and then have you running down the sidewalk in your pajamas screaming "Pancakes!" - a risk you take when you enjoy naming your fosters after breakfast food. All in all, you never know what to expect. Fostering takes up extra time, money, & effort. It can be frustrating & it can be hard.

An example of the destruction a foster dog can do!

BUT.

It is also worth it all. According to the Humane Society of the United States, four MILLION dogs & cats are put down in shelters in this country each year. (What a good time to make a plug for spaying/neutering your pets!!!) When you take a scared, shaking, lonely dog out of their cage at the pound & offer them, temporarily, your home, you know you are doing something wonderful. An animal's life has been saved & in return you receive all the kisses, love, & doggie smiles that pet has to give. You give them a warm home, and they warm your heart. I personally feel compelled to help. The thought of animals being killed in those numbers hurts me to the core. I wish I could help them all.

Often, at animal adoption events, someone will say to me, "I don't know how you do it. I love animals too much. I could never let them go once they were in my home". I challenge this statement. It takes an incredible amount & special type of love to open your home & your heart to dog after dog after dog - caring for them & then letting them go, hoping & praying for their happiness. The best way I have found to describe this feeling is bittersweet. It hurts now to let that dog walk away from you, but you know you've done the right thing. Through finding this foster pet their forever family, you now have the opportunity to do it all over again.

Pet overpopulation is a serious problem. Ask yourself now; what can you do to help?

http://www.pawsandprayers.org/

Keep "Buddy" Cool this Summer with this!

2011-07-23T07:35:00.000-07:00

Heat wave... That's what they call it. I like to think of it more as a "What-the-heck-I-just-got-out-of-the-shower-and-I'm-already-sweating wave!" The beads of sweat line your nose ridge, your hair won't stop sticking to your face, your clothes hang on you like a damp shroud; there's one thing for certain, though! At least you're not wearing a fur coat!

It's true that many fur coats actually insulate our beloved cats and dogs from the heat, but watching them trudge through it is still pretty darn heartbreaking! Poor "Buddy" is always too hot to play! His tongue lolling about his mouth, all of his energy being focused on panting to bring down his body temperature. Of course you want your playful pal back to normal and being his happy, delightful self! So, how can we do it?

Earlier this week I posed the question on our Facebook Page and got some wonderful answers! Some give their dogs ice cubes, others use the mister on their hose, I saw a picture of an English Bulldog laying in a pile of ice. One of our wonderful supporters, Debby, was nice enough to share a recipe that she uses for her dogs! It's like a little ice cream dessert guaranteed to let "Buddy" know what a good dog he is that will also keep him cool!

Debby's Homemade Frosty Paws

1 - 32 ounce container of FF or low fat plain or vanilla yogurt (I use plain because vanilla has more sugar in it)1 C water4 overly ripe bananas (or 1/2 cup of peanut butter if you'd like a change of taste)Mash bananas and add all ingredients to a bowl. Mix thoroughly. Put into 3 ounce dixie cups and freeze. Or if you are lucky enough to have a restaurant supply store (here in Canton, we have GFS), you can get small plastic cups with lids and that makes it so much easier to freeze and store them. That's what we do.I usually make a double batch because in the summer they are a great way to cool off your dog after a walk or some days just after being outside for a bit. They are healthy and COLD.... our dogs have always loved them and our current 2 dogs still love them.

So there it is! Whip up a nice batch for your beloved pets today and let us know how it goes! Don't forget to share it with all of your friends with pets too! Thank you so much, Debby, for sharing this recipe with us. We're sure to have some very happy cats and dogs throughout the rest of the summer!

Stay cool, guys! :)

We've Been Through a Lot, You and I.

2011-07-19T20:40:00.000-07:00

Roscoe- Lovingly pulled from the pound.
Died of heartworm complications.

We've been through a lot, you and I. You, man, and I, beloved creature. I remember the day you walked through those doors. You saw me lying in the corner, sad and broken. With a wave of my tail, I got up just for you. Most people walked right past me, but not you. You have a greater calling. So I got up and walked to the bars, hoping there was space enough between for you to fit your fingers through and stroke me behind the ear. You told me everything would be ok and I trusted that it would be.

I was tired. I had nothing left to give. But you gave me life, you gave me hope. When my kennel door opened, I felt as though a weight had been lifted from between my shoulder blades. Once in your arms, I knew I was home.

Tiny- Dumped at PetSmart and brought
in to foster care
Died from advanced stages
of Feline Leukemia

I remember walking away from that cold place. You placed me gently in the back seat of your car. When you got in I kissed the side of your face to say "thank-you"; I know how many pets, just like me, never make it out. I then retreated to curl up in the back seat. I hope you didn't think I was abandoning you, I was just so tired! I remember hearing you say I looked really adorable all balled up like that, so I think you would have forgiven me anyways.

I woke up when the car sputtered to a stop. You called me by a name I had never heard before, but I quickly accepted it as my own knowing that you must have chosen a great name to grace me with. From there you took me into your home. You gave me some delicious morsels to eat and a nice warm blanket to sleep on. I didn't eat all of the food, but I hope you understand: I've been hungry for so long that my belly just couldn't handle it all. When I was done eating, you cradled me in your arms. I could hear your heartbeat and it was sweeter than any lullaby I had ever known. This must be what love is like.

Over the next few days, I saw you smile so much! It made me so happy to see that you were proud of me! All of your love and care meant I was starting to get a love for life, a true bounce in my step, a new light in my eyes! Right then I knew that you were meant to save me.

Cochise- one of our beloved seniors
Died of cancer

But then, something just didn't feel right. I was feeling dizzy. My whole world was spinning and I just knew that something was wrong. I laid in my bed so confused! A few minutes later I could hear your voice and it was all shaky and loud. I think you were crying and I just wanted to tell you that everything would be alright. Usually you can understand me but I guess I wasn't very clear laying there like I was. I felt your hand by my nose so I nuzzled it to let you know everything would be OK.

Willow- an affectionate,
partially blind pound kitty
Died of a neurological disorder

I felt you put me in the back seat again but then something strange happened! I was in the front seat watching over you! I could see myself laying in the back seat, which was weird considering that I wasn't really back there. A few minutes later the car was stopped again. I saw you pick up my body and run it in to a strange building. The woman in there was really nice and she took my body in to the back. I don't know what happened to it from there because I stayed out front with you. How could I leave you alone in a time like this? I gave you kisses and sat by your feet, but I think you were too worried about me to notice.

Only a few moments later, a tall guy with dark hair wearing blue scrubs littered with cartoon puppy paws emerged from the back. He called your name and you approached him. He shook his head and I saw the tears begin to pour from your eyes. I was there the whole time, trying to lick away your pain.

Shirley- a sad and tired Puppy Mill dog
Had a broken jaw left
untreated while she was at the mill.
The jaw became infected and
the infection had spread to her brain

At that time, it seemed so silly to me that this little stray, once sad and broken as you were then, had caused so much pain. Especially considering that all you had to do was leave me in that kennel with what would have been my fate. But no, you were greater than that. You saw this little stray and brought it back to life. If even for just a moment, you brought me back to life! At first I was upset that you had let me hurt you so badly, but then I remembered... I was worth loving! I was worth the chance to live! You are weeping that I have passed, but I did not pass without love, I did not pass without meaning. You pieced my broken self back together, so at least I could pass as a whole!

I will stay by your side to help you get through this. It was then that I understood that I was meant to save you. We've been through a lot, you and I. You, man, and I, beloved creature.

Our Nine Lives

2011-07-12T01:18:00.000-07:00

It's a funny thing being a cat! I mean, just look at me! I am adorable! When no one else is around I love to jump on my foster mom's vanity so I can check myself out in the mirror. Can you blame me? And yet, as cute as I am, here I sit in my foster home. Hoping that out of all the kitties out there, someone may smile upon my cute little face. But I guess that is the life of a foster cat for you.

My name is George by the way. I'm not sure why they named me that, I don't think I'm any more curious than the next cat. But, hey, at least I have a name. I see my foster mom looking at different shelters online all the time and a lot of those cats don't even have names. They're just called "Cat #8" or "Tag13648." But I guess that is the life of a shelter cat for you.

This one time, before I was in my foster home, I was eaves dropping and I heard a woman yelling at another woman. She was talking about how her kitty stopped using the litter box so she wanted to "get rid" of him. His name was Alf. He looked over at me with really sad eyes and Alf told me that he had stopped using the litter box because he was feeling sick. It turns out that Alf had diabetes and the woman would have known that if he had seen a vet. Instead he suffered alone and now must hope for a new and loving family. But I guess that is the life of the neglected cat for you.

I love spending time with my foster mom. Sometimes, though, I like to sit in the window and day dream. Sometimes I see another cat outside and my day dream turns in to something else entirely. I begin imagining what it must be like out there. Left out in the rain, left out in the heat, left out in the snow, left out in a place absent of a human to love you or snuggle you or to give you at least two square meals a day. But I guess that is the life of a street cat for you.

Being the sneaky little kitten I am, I have been known to sneak on to the computer from time to time (this is one of those times). I was watching some television clips on Hulu and I saw one about "Hoarders." In the clip it showed a sad kitty that had no happiness left in her eyes. Her mommy had never washed her and hadn't fed her for weeks. She had all of these tiny, black bug looking things all over her and I could tell she was really sleepy. Through the computer monitor she cried for my help so I patted her head with my paw and sighed. But I guess that is the life of the voiceless cat for you.

That same night I decided to learn a little bit more about cats. Do all cats come from bad situations? Aren't there some cats that are loved from the get-go? I was happy to find that not everyone has to see the things that I have already seen in my short life. I actually began chatting with a Silkenthunder Bengal named Mickey and he told me that his family loves him very much. They paid $2,000 for him and he gets to have lots of pictures taken and is a real hit with the Silkenthunder Bengal ladies. My adoption fee is only $100, so this gives me a lot of hope. I was a little sad though because he said that he gets to see lots of other kittens born. Does this mean that those kittens will be taking the homes that me and my friends could be taking instead? Lucky Mickey. But I guess that is the life of a purebred (and exotic) cat for you.

Have you ever seen a really FAT cat whose belly is wiggling? Yeah, never call a cat like that FAT or she will whack you with her paw! I guess that cats like that aren't fat, they're pregnant... Whatever that means. The cat that smacked me was named Cagney and she told me that she had a nice warm home and lived with lots of other cats. Then one day she had a weird desire to go outside and meet some other cool neighborhood cats. The little human girl that lived with her cried for her mother to find Cagney once she realized she was missing so they went driving around and finally found her. A few weeks later they found out that Cagney was fa- I mean PREGNANT, so her mommy decided she didn't want her any more. She did not want a bunch of other cats to take care of and she said she didn't like Cagney much anyways. Cagney is really nice and I feel bad for her. But I guess that is the life of a castaway cat for you.

This one time I saw my foster mommy crying. I curled up in to her lap, began rubbing against her arm and started purring to let her know that everything would be alright. She stroked my ears, which I LOVE, by the way. She then picked me up and snuggled me really closely. I am glad that she loves me so, but I know that all of the purring in the world won't mend her heart; it breaks for every cat she knows she can't save. But I guess that is the loss of a life of an "unwanted" cat for you.

I hate to see my foster mommy cry. I just want her to know that I am here too! A gentle purring reminder that even though she may not be able to save all of the lost kitties out there, at least she was able to save this one. And even after I am adopted in to my forever home, I will always love her for that. And that is the life of a rescued cat for you. :)

A Letter from Heaven

2011-07-06T07:34:00.000-07:00

It is extremely hard when you lose a dear, beloved friend. A friend that has made you laugh, brightened your life each and every day, silently accepted your tears without judgement, snuggled with you, forgiven your faults and has loved you unconditionally. Unfortunately for dog lovers, we all know that we will have to say goodbye all too soon. Our founder, Marty Harbin, just recently lost her friend, Skye and with a heart as big as Marty's, you have to wonder how long it would take to heal after breaking. Skye, in knowing this and wanting to alleviate her mommy's pain, sent down this letter from heaven.

LETTER FROM HEAVEN

Hi, my name is Skye and if you are getting this letter, you probably knew me or knew of me in some way during my twelve years on earth. You may be one of the people I want to thank since you helped me medically as a vet or groomed me or just told me what a wonderful dog I was.

I was dropped off as a little pup at U-Bathe-M-Dog Wash in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The people that put my two brothers, one sister and me in a box also put a $10 roll of quarters in the box. I think we were suppose to call home if no one came and got us. My mom took a friend there to U Bathe M to look at me but instead my mom fell in love with me. That afternoon she came to see me with my new brother Freedom who is now 14. She took me out of the cage and I was smart. I licked Freedom right on the face so he and mom were sure to want me to come home with them. Freedom is still down on earth but I miss him and I know he misses me. From heaven I can see him pacing and it is hard for him to sleep. Mom put my blanket from while I was sick in with him and it seemed to make him sleep better. Freedom, don’t worry, I am running and playing up here in Heaven and waiting for you and mom. Freedom you will always be my best friend. I remember when I was little and you brought me your bone because you knew I was scared and when I had epileptic seizures, how you guarded me, sat in front of me, to protect me from bad things and the seizures were easier that way. I loved you and always cleaned your ears so I could help you, too.

We did such fun things. I remember hiking and taking a ten mile walk for a good cause. I remember Firestone Metropolitan Park and once a month this summer we went to Bow Wow Beach in Stow and I played just like a puppy once again. My mom took my picture with Santa and she got me dressed up one Halloween in a Bride’s costume. My mommy said that I was her “Heart”. When she talked I tilted my head side to side because I was intent on hearing exactly what she was saying. I always helped her because I could feel her feelings. I hope I did not take all of her heart when I left.

When she fostered this one hard beagle, I went to training with him as I was the only dog he liked. He did better and I learned quickly. Since I am a corgi/husky, I did have a tendency to want to run up the street when we got out of the yard and since Mom taught me to sit, all she had to do was yell “Sit” on one of my trips, and being the obedient girl I am, I sat.

Mom feels guilty because mom rescued dogs and feels like she gave all those needy dogs time she could have spent with me. I don’t want her to feel that way because, you see, I was a rescue dog and if she hadn’t loved me so much, she would not have helped those other dogs. In fact, I was always there to help with the puppies and became a surrogate mom for many of them. We were partners in helping other dogs.

Mom says the only bad part of loving me is having me leave her. She told me that every hurt and tear is worth it and can’t match the hundreds of kisses, cuddles and memories that I etched into her soul.

Mom was going to call me Libby (she had a Freedom and I was going to be Liberty, she is big into that advocacy stuff), and she got me in May on a beautiful day and I kept looking up into a gorgeous blue sky, cloudless and pure. She decided my name was Skye with an “e” because I was unique. It was fortuitous that she call me Skye as now I am in the Skye looking down at all of you, trying to help you and thanking you for all you have done for me. Mom said my theme song (she gave each of us a theme song) was “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”. She said there was something so ethereal and spiritual about me and maybe I have kaleidoscope eyes but I don’t know what they are. I just know I will be here waiting for her when she passes over too.

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

Picture yourself in a boat on a river,
With tangerine trees and marmalade skies.
Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly,
A girl with kaleidoscope eyes.

Cellophane flowers of yellow and green,
Towering over your head.
Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes,
And she's gone.

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

Follow her down to a bridge by a fountain,
Where rocking horse people eat marshmallow pies.
Everyone smiles as you drift past the flowers,
That grow so incredibly high.

Newspaper taxis appear on the shore,
Waiting to take you away.

Climb in the back with your head in the clouds,

And you're gone.

Picture yourself on a train in a station,

With plasticine porters with looking glass ties.

Suddenly someone is there at the turnstile,

The girl with kaleidoscope eyes.

Skye is in the Skye and is a true diamond.

Skye

February 14, 1998 – January 30, 2010

“Greatly Loved”

16 Puppies...

2011-07-01T10:23:00.000-07:00

Everyone, sooner or later, learns their calling in life. For some people it is being a great mom or dad, for others it's contributing to a beautiful skyline... In rescue I have found that many people have a calling to save animals. Whether it be by rescuing them, fostering them, advocating for them or simply by setting a stellar example for the community, many people have contributed to saving animals.

Being in rescue, we have had the benefit of meeting many, many wonderful, animal loving people that give and give until they have nothing left to give and then find some other way to help out our furry little friends. It is really a beautiful thing to see so many selfless people everyday. It is a really refreshing contrast from our nosey neighbors, random road ragers and people that no longer hold the door for you when entering or exiting a restaurant (yes, my nose still hurts from the door!).

Being around so many kindhearted, loving people definitely leads to heartbreak. Not that bad kind like when your significant other dumped you and you ate your weight in Haagen Daz, but a deeper, sweeter heartbreak. Let me try to explain...

Our Silver Lab Puppies!

Two days ago we received notice from someone working in rescue about a very tragic situation. A high-kill shelter in West Virginia had three mother dogs and their three corresponding litters on the "to be euthanized" list. We took action right away, contacting all of our fosters to see who could take in a mother and their litter of pups until they were ready for adoption. Immediately three of our fosters sprung into action, ready to take on the task! From there we contacted another rescue (All Breed Puppy Rescue) and worked on getting a transport to the Akron area so we could do intake and get these babies and their mommas home.

A few hours after the transport had arrived, we noticed there was something a little "off" with one of the litters. They were a little lethargic and didn't seem as hungry as the other puppies. Being in rescue, you learn not to take risks. We picked up the smallest, weakest pup of the litter and cradled him while running a test for Parvo. The result took our breath away! We grabbed another puppy from the same litter and ran the test again... This litter tested positive for Parvo.

Our Beagle Mixed Puppies

Parvo is just an awful, awful virus. It attacks the lining of the intestines and lines them with a mucusy membrane that prohibits nutrients and water from being absorbed. One in two dogs die after contracting Parvo as they can starve or dehydrate to death no matter how much they eat or drink. Some can die as quickly as overnight.

Lucky for these pups, we have some really amazing fosters and volunteers! They promptly got working like a well oiled machine, quarantining the other two litters, bleaching everything at our office used for intake, we even had some fosters offer to drop off midnight snacks or make an early breakfast for those that stayed overnight with the pups! We have already begun treatment for the pups that have tested positive and the other two litters will be under strict observation for 14 days to make sure that they are ok after being exposed from transport.

Let me also tell you that, because we are a foster based rescue, none of our other dogs have been put at risk, thankfully! But I also must tell you that treating Parvo is really expensive and can cost up to $1,500 per puppy to treat. We know that they are well worth the treatment and hope that everyone else thinks so too! We are not generally a rescue that desperately asks for donations, but we really need the help. Whether it be through a small monetary donation or just by donating a gallon of bleach or some newpapers or puppy pads we would be so grateful! Please go to our website (PawsandPrayers.org) to find out how.

Our Chi Mixed Puppies!

We are remaining extremely hopeful for these little guys! They are fighters for sure! But we do know the reality which is this: we may lose a pup, or two, or three. Our hearts will surely break for those that we lose (which we are hoping aren't any) but to my point... If our fosters and volunteers weren't such sweet, loving, pure-hearted people, those puppies would have been left at the shelter to die sad, alone, cold and in pain. Now at least they will have a warm, loving environment to fight in. If they do succumb, at least they will know that someone (everyone here and reading this) loved them and that our hearts have broken for them. And if they live, by helping them through this battle, they have forever taken a piece of our heart that we can never take back. It is, for sure, without a doubt, a bittersweet and warm heartbreak that we would not trade for the world!