The Honest TRUTH About our Fees

By Alecia

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?

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December's Volunteer of the Month!

By Alecia

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!

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Zylo's Happy Tail

By Alecia

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, Cory and I 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

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December's Facebook Fan of the Month!

By Alecia

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! :)

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And Then There Were None

By Alecia


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!

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"Blind Amazingness"

By Alecia

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.



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From a Foster's Perspective Pt. 1

By Alecia

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?

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