Keep "Buddy" Cool this Summer with this!

By Alecia

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! :)

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

By Alecia

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.

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Our Nine Lives

By Alecia

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. :)

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A Letter from Heaven

By Alecia

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”

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16 Puppies...

By Alecia

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!

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