Right now, many if not most shelters across the country still take the lazy path to sheltering by (1) allowing the rescue of pets from euthanasia (kill) lists to fall on the shoulders of outside pet rescue organizations, and (2) killing the majority of animals who end up in their facility, even though most of them are totally adoptable. Many shelters kill literally 70-80 percent or more of the animals they take in. This is a catastrophic failure because rescue organizations are limited in their resources and ability to recruit volunteer fosters on little-to-no notice, nor do they always have funds on-hand to pay exorbitant shelter fees to pull animals to safety. Also, it’s not rescue organizations’ responsibility to take on the shelter’s job in the first place. Rescue organizations can support, but not take over, the city and county shelters’ assigned mission of animal care and control.

Shelters Choose to Kill First.

As well, shelters also very shrewdly label healthy, adoptable pets as “unadoptable” for fake reasons, such as “behavioral,” “fearful,” “snotty nose,” etc., to justify killing innocent animals rather than try to find safe loving homes for them. These shocking, illicit tactics by shelter administrators who still operate under outdated policies to justify killing are unforgivable and need to change – NOW – before another precious animal’s life is extinguished.

Demand Enforcement of Compassionate Care.

I am a big supporter of The No Kill Advocacy, whose mission is to bring outdated animal welfare laws and practices into this century and to hold shelters accountable for adherence to new compassionate policies. The No Kill Advocacy truly advocates for animal welfare by (1) teaching shelter administrators how to do away with euthanasia as the first choice for pet population control, thereby becoming actual no-kill facilities, and (2) teaching the general public how to speak up and hold shelters accountable.

Use Your Voice for Shelter Animal Welfare.

You can tap into The No Kill Advocacy movement tutorial page by CLICKING HERE. Their tutorials should answer all your questions and guide you easily toward helping to save precious animals who just want to keep their lives. Once caring people really start pushing en masse for accountability in pet sheltering, the tables will start to turn and animals will be spared the “death walk” in these hell holes. No effort is too small or insignificant. Be part of the change!

The post Help Reform Your Local Animal Shelter appeared first on BareFootPets.

Why Is Chipping So Important?

Pets become lost for many reasons, some of them preventable, others unavoidable mishaps. Compare losing a pet to losing a child–you need turn your eyes away for only seconds and they can be gone. You can be the world’s best pet parent, and it can still happen. We’re all human. The lawn care guy leaves your gate open, the cat darts out the door when you answer to sign for a Fedex, the dog jumps out the window of your car when he sees a cat on the sidewalk, etc.

And, of course, there’s always the unfortunate possibility of your pet being stolen. Thieves can easily figure out your routine, when you’re not home, and they can climb your fence, grab little Fluffy and be gone in a New York minute. Without Fluffy having a chip, most likely you’ll never get her back. Chipping tells the finders you are the rightful owner and eliminates any claims someone else may be trying to make for your pet.

Posting on social media is a huge help, for sure, but that depends on people actually reading the posts, and then those specific people being in the right place at the right time to find the lost pet. With chipping, the owner’s contact information is secured right on the pet at all times. Chipping is hands-down the best way to recover a lost or stolen pet.

What Does A Chip Do And How Do I Get My Pet Chipped?

A chip is a nearly microscopic little disk, if you will, that is inserted with a needle, as if giving the pet a shot. Typically, chips are implanted between the shoulder blades, where it will remain permanently. The injection is nearly painless for most pets. The chip is programmed with a serial number that is registered to you and contains your name, address, and phone. Some chip manufacturers also provide a website where you can opt to set up a profile for your pet with photos and certain identifying information to make identification even more exact. You can get your pet chipped at your vet or most pet stores. The cost is generally $35 to $45. Most rescue organizations include micro-chipping in the adoption process if you adopt the pet from them.

If your pet shows up at a shelter, the folks there have a scanner gun that they will scan over your pet. If the pet is chipped, the scanner gun will capture the information, and they can call you immediately. If someone finds your pet and wants to help get her back home safely rather than drop her off at a shelter, the finder can go to any PetSmart, Petco, veterinarian, etc., and ask them to scan the pet for a chip. There is no charge for simply scanning. Once the rescuer has your contact information, they can let you know that Fluffy is safe and sound and can get her back home to you. Chipping is critical to your pet’s wellbeing and keeping your family whole. There is no better substitute.

Being Chipped Can Mean Life Or Death To Your Pet.

Chipping also protects your pet from being killed should she end up in a shelter. Shelters screen incoming strays for chips. If your pet is chipped, then all is well, because first thing they will do is call you and you can go get her safely back home. But be aware–shelters typically deal with overcrowding, so they don’t invest lots of time trying to identify lost or stray pets. Sadly, kill rates for shelters across the nation are still very very high. If your pet is not chipped and ends up in a shelter, she is in extreme danger. They may put her to death in a matter of hours and you’ll never even know. You may still be driving your neighborhood, posting flyers, searching hopefully and calling for her, not knowing she’s no longer alive. Avoid such a terrible heartbreak–chip your beloved pet. Cats and dogs both. If you love her, chip her.

While We’re On The Subject Of Shelter Kill Rates …

Awareness is growing nationwide about the epidemic of high shelter kill rates, especially for cats. Barely 1 in every 10 cats gets out of a shelter alive–there is no excuse for this. While many shelters are finally abandoning old set ways of using euthanasia to “control” what they identify as “pet over-population,” we still have a very long way to go to stop the terrible killings. If you have an interest in learning more or volunteering to help in this overdue animal welfare revolution, get this book–Redemption by Nathan Winograd. It’s truly eye-opening. When you finish the book, pass it on, keep it going. It’s on our generation to get the word out and get the wheels in motion.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008.  Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post If You Love Her, Chip Her. appeared first on BareFootPets.

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Imagine the Possibilities

As reported earlier, an Austin Pets Alive director recently posted a “no-win” hypothetical designed to demonstrate the impossibility of No Kill. I responded that “I don’t believe in no-win scenarios” and showed how poor and incompetent leadership, and not a failure of No Kill, are to blame for Austin’s fall from grace.

To further respond to Austin Pets Alive’s cynical apologia, I’d like to offer a “hypothetical” of my own, one just as dire. But instead of accepting defeat, I’m asking people to imagine an outcome that recognizes our duty to animals and the people in our communities who love them.

Imagine You Run An Open-Admission Shelter.

Your intake rate is higher than the national average. Like most communities, you have pockets of affluence but also incredible poverty. You are getting your daily influx of animals. And then you get the call.

The state has requested assistance in closing down a puppy mill. They asked other shelters for help, but you would take the lead. In one day, you would get three times the number of dogs than the number of kennels you have, and you already have dogs in those kennels. As the animal control authority for all ten towns and cities in your county, you also get dogs daily.

On top of that, you are not just getting any dogs. While the other shelters are getting the puppies, you are getting the dogs used for breeding. Most of these dogs have severe conditions or other challenges: dogs with untreated tumors, dogs with rotten teeth, dogs with neurological problems who walk in circles, under-socialized dogs, heavily traumatized dogs, dogs matted from head to toe who are painful to touch, blind dogs who lived inside pet carriers their whole lives.

What Would You Do?

We know what would happen at the shelters that Austin Pets Alive champions, such as those in Philadelphia, Memphis, El Paso, and Los Angeles. After killing the dogs, the Executive Director would talk about “public irresponsibility,” saying the dogs were “unadoptable,” and how “euthanasia” relieved them of their suffering. “Public irresponsibility,” “unadoptable,” and “euthanasia” are all code words that show a profound lack of imagination.

If you chose to kill the dogs, too, Austin Pets Alive would not criticize you for it. Instead, they would circle the wagons around you, claiming the fault lies with the puppy mill. And there is some truth there: Fault does lie with the puppy mill for exploiting, neglecting, and abusing those poor dogs. But once the dogs are in the care of the shelter, the calculus changes. Whether those dogs live or die is now up to the shelter. At that point, the only choice is whether the shelter will perpetuate the harm by killing them or whether it won’t.

In Sheltering, We Like To Fall Back On The Cliché That Killing Is A Last Resort.

But while shelter directors give lip service to that, it often is a first resort: The thing that is routinely and casually done when the cages get full. The thing that is done even when they aren’t full. Because that is just what we’ve done in shelters for over 100 years, and collectively, these pounds stopped imagining a different outcome. But in reality, this “solution” is the most extreme, inhumane, and violent of all possible responses.

Imagine Child Protective Services taking in abused, abandoned, and homeless children and then killing them. It is unthinkable. As a society, we should no more tolerate it for animals. Indeed, if we had never started killing, the suggestion that we should do so would be preposterous. Yet custom has reconciled those running animal shelters to view it as inevitable.

So What Would Happen If You Threw Out The Calculus?

What would happen if, instead of debating whether the killing was the first or the last resort, it was no resort? What if you took killing off of the table? The pro-killing Naysayers argue that you would become a hoarder: the animals would pile up and get sick. But the Naysayers are wrong. There are communities across the country, including those with extremely high intake rates — almost ten times the rate of New York City, the most congested urban area in the United States — that have done it: with sustained placement rates of 99%. And the two things they all have in common are leaders with a “can do” attitude  — with imagination — and the No Kill Equation.

So where will you house the dogs? Who will provide the triage? Who will treat the rotten teeth, the tumors, and the matted fur? How will you adopt them? This is the scenario I faced several years ago when I ran an animal shelter in New York. And here is what happened.

First, I employed an essential trait of any leader: staying in control. If you are confident, your staff will be confident. If you believe, the volunteers will believe. Then I employed a bit of imagination. What if we put up a big tent outside to house the dogs? So I called a local party rental store and asked them to donate a wedding tent in exchange for promoting how they helped us save lives. Whatever the circumstances, it was my job to imagine a solution. If it didn’t work, it was my job to imagine another solution. Leaders do not throw up their hands and say if we can’t do this one thing (killing or refusing to take them in), there isn’t anything else we can do.

What if we created the equivalent of a MASH hospital by issuing an all-hands-on-deck call to volunteers and staff, bringing them in on their off days? Not enough veterinarians? What if I called my daughter’s orthodontist to help with rotten dog teeth? If a door is closed, you open it. If it is locked, you kick it down. If it is reinforced, you smash a window.

That Is What I Did.

And when the vans arrived and the officers carried off the dogs, it was an awesome sight to behold. Volunteers had established an assembly line bathing the dogs, delicately cutting the mats, and cutting toenails. A local veterinarian canceled her appointments and spent the day doing triage, with staff acting as assistants, and then spent the evening doing surgeries. A local dentist came in to clean, fix, and pull teeth. The media was there with cameras rolling, we reached out to rescue partners in five states, and we kept the shelter open late for adoptions. As long as people came in, our adoption floor was open for business.

We had already created the infrastructure necessary to save lives. We had the No Kill Equation in place — foster care, comprehensive adoption programs, socialization and behavior rehabilitation, medical care, working with rescue groups, marketing and promotions, a robust volunteer base, and more. These programs allow a shelter to save lives not just in ordinary circumstances but could be called upon to give more during extraordinary ones.

All I had to do was create an environment and provide the tools that allowed people to help. When you make it easy for people to do the right thing, they will. And within 48 hours, we had emptied the shelter without a single dog losing his life, without even unfurling the big tent.

Of Course, We Owe It To The Animals To Do These Things.

That goes without saying. But we also owe it to people — the people clamoring for change in their communities. The people fighting shelters that refuse to do these things, but who would be a shelter’s biggest cheerleaders and fiercest allies if shelter directors stopped viewing them as enemies and partnered with them to save lives. Killing those dogs would have been unfair to the volunteers who gladly spent the day caring for them and unfair to the human orthodontist who talked about that day years later. They had so much to give and would have felt so much anguish had our “solution” been simply to kill. A leader’s job is to give people the opportunity to help, not to turn them away with platitudes about public irresponsibility and the inevitability of killing.

Recently, a reporter asked me what I thought was the most important trait a county or city should look for when hiring someone to run the local shelter. I thought of a few: past success, a passion for saving lives, a belief in one’s duty to animals and the community, and the ability to get results. But, when all is said and done, the most important trait of all is imagination. If you can imagine a different outcome than killing; a different outcome than closing your doors to animals in need; if when faced with adversity, you can imagine how you might do things differently; and you permit yourself to try it even when conventional wisdom says you should not; you’re already more prepared than the vast majority of shelter directors in this country. Because, unfortunately, for far too many shelter directors and in far too many “animal protection” organizations, imagination is in tragically short supply.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post Imagine The Possibilities appeared first on BareFootPets.

Especially not the pets locked away on death row in high-kill shelters, with the clock quickly ticking, and not the rescuers trying to figure out how to save them. You must adopt a mind-set to act quickly and figure out details later, such as possible behavior issues, medical issues, etc. Sadly, high-kill “shelters” still operate all over the country; so, as a rule, you don’t have time to think about rescuing a pet, like I thought I did with Ramona (see earlier post “It Should Not Have Ended This Way”).

You need to act first and figure it all out later–learn to power rescue.

A Rose by Any Other Name?

Don’t be fooled about “shelters.”  Too many of them are anything but.  “Shelter” is too often code for “killing machine.”  People need to be aware that way too many shelters in our country are still high-kill and operate under old, close-minded protocols, using euthanasia as their first choice to manage animal population.  They extinguish precious animals’ lives, and justify the murders by blaming fake reasons, such as lack of kennel space, lack of people willing to adopt, the animal has behavioral issues, the animal is fearful, etc.  Of course an animal is fearful — look where he is!!  The chaos, the smell of death in the hallways, fear of all the strange people and other caged animals around him.  But take him out and away from those halls of hell and watch him blossom.  Sadly, “shelters” still exist that won’t be bothered to give animals in their supposed care such a chance.  In these cases, the shelters aren’t shelters at all–they’re killing machines.

Whose Job Is It, Anyway?

Another thing “shelters” do is put the responsibility and blame on us, the public, whether the animals live or die.  They assign animals an arbitrary 72 hours to live, then pretty much just sit back and wait.  If no one steps up to adopt or rescue him within the 72 hours, the “shelter” feels justified in killing the poor animal–as if they had no choice, they were forced, it’s not their fault. The beautiful mama lab in this photo, ironically named Hope, and her newborn pups–every last precious one of them–were murdered by the shelter.  Instead of protecting them and finding homes for them, in the way that “sheltering” means, the “shelter” decided it was easier and more cost-effective to just get rid of them.  Even though rescue organizations were standing by, offering and begging for the lives of this innocent family, the “shelter” took the shameful way out, and killed them, all of them, one by one.

Certainly not all shelters are this cold and ugly, but sadly too many still are.  Truth is, it should be squarely on the shelters to advocate for the animals–it’s their job–to set up new programs that pro-actively prepare the shelter animals behaviorally and health-wise so they have the best possible chance at finding caring, responsible new homes; and to create public and media outreach programs that make more people aware of the pets needing homes, and encourage those folks to foster and/or adopt. Nathan Winograd, founder of No Kill Advocacy, has a regular blog that addresses the failure of shelters nationwide to show compassion toward the animals they have charge over.  Nathan created the No-Kill design that truly saves the lives of shelter animals, not kills them behind closed doors.  Visit these links to learn more.  I’ve spoken about Nathan and the No Kill Advocacy in previous posts.  Their efforts have resulted in profound improvements nationwide in sheltering.  Because of them, “a no-kill nation is within our reach.”

Learn To Power Rescue.

To anyone who considers getting involved in pet rescue, know this: You Must Be Prepared To Go All-In. There is no halfway. Prepare yourself to act quickly so that situations like poor Ramona and Hope don’t happen should you hesitate. Prepare yourself to be flexible because you typically will not know the behavioral or medical history of most pets you will rescue, so you’ll be dealing on a daily basis with many unknowns.  Learn ahead of time what you can to be best prepared to handle tough situations.  You’re going to need every bit of emotional, mental, and physical strength you can draw upon.

Above all, prepare your heart.  Rescue is an extreme labor of love that will change you from the inside out.  Once you commit to saving and protecting these vulnerable lives from those who would hurt them, and experience the power in this simple act of love, you will never be the same.  And, while it will hurt like hell, that’s a good thing.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post Learning To Power Rescue. appeared first on BareFootPets.

Eyes Wide Open.

I try to be certain that the charities I support are credible and forthright about their mission to advocate for and protect vulnerable animals.  So I pay close attention when evidence like that below is revealed.  The information below is dreadfully troubling and hurts my heart.  At the same time, however, I’m grateful to be aware now so that I can do something about it.  I have donated for years and years to PETA, but find myself now at a crossroads.  Having read Nathan’s post (and others) a number of times to be sure I’m capturing the big picture, it’s obvious the evidence is condemning — a serious indictment against PETA for all the goodness that it professes but fails to show for the innocent animals in its care.

Feet To The Flame.

My point for this post is not only to enlighten, but also to remind you all that there are sadly still wolves in sheep’s clothing in the animal rescue world; and, even more sadly, it appears PETA and ASPCA (read Nathan’s book Friendly Fire)  are two of those wolves.  For this reason, doubtful I can in good conscience support PETA  or ASPCA any longer, or at least until honest accountability and corrective action are taken by PETA and ASPCA.  There are many other animal welfare organizations truly worthy of my support, and I will re-direct my humble donations to them.  As I said above, this is a personal decision I make for myself — my intent is not to coerce the reader, but rather to simply share facts and inform so that you can analyze it for yourself.

I leave this here for you to read, process, and make your own earnest decision.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post PETA Did What To Maya !?! appeared first on BareFootPets.

Some very unfortunate writings have come to my attention, writings by authors who appear to be politically motivated students of socialism, attempting, unbelievably, to insert a slanted racial bias into the realm of shelter pet rescue, of all things.  Having read enough excerpts from each of these books to soundly reject their precepts, I feel compelled to comment on my own behalf in defense of animal welfare and shelter pet rescue.  I make a deliberate point of not naming the books and their authors’ names here so as to avoid giving them “free advertising” on my blog in light of their discriminatory opinions.  [More detailed discussion, if desired, can be found on Nathan Winograd’s >blog<.  Mr. Winograd is the founder of No Kill Advocacy, which exists to dispel outdated and barbaric shelter programs that still choose euthanasia as a primary tool for pet population control.  He is infinitely more qualified than me to speak directly to this important issue.]

Following is my very personal and cautionary response.

Educated Guess.

As I begin this response, I acknowledge that I cannot know what is in the authors’ hearts on this subject.  I can only respond based upon my interpretation of their writings.  I perceive they write with distinct social and political bias, so I will tailor my response accordingly.

You’re Kidding Me With This, Right?

In a nutshell, the authors suggest that low-income minorities are incapable of caring properly for pets because of apparent oppression, white supremacy, and racism; and thus should be given a pass when they abuse, neglect, and even kill their animals.  This mindset is horribly skewed.  It is this kind of divisive thought, purposely perpetuated generationally on low-income minorities, that blocks any chance for positive opportunity and change.

Let’s Break It Down.

The beautiful and simple basis for my response is this:  animal welfare and pet rescue are driven by the goodness in people’s hearts, the fundamental compassion naturally born within.  Pure as the God-given gift of love.  But these authors conspire to undermine the primary thrust of animal welfare movement for their own vanity, much like abortionists.  They promote a hateful ideology, and not only forgive the actors who embrace it, but cheer them, in order to beat down inherent, organic good.  The authors themselves even admit to socialist bias and a complete inability to be impartial.  Their words, not mine.

Indoor, well cared for pets are not the product of only privileged, white homes as claimed by the authors.  Well-cared-for pets are a reflection of love and care, in whatever race or community the pets’ family exists.  And abused, neglected, or surrendered animals are not victims of only impoverished races/people.  They are a result of ill programming such as found in these authors’ books.

Anyone can be taught to care lovingly for their pets.  That’s one of the reasons the No Kill Advocacy, among many benevolent organizations, exists – to educate and encourage.  Compassion and kindness and mercy are not unique to only white-privilege neighborhoods.  Everyone, of all races, has the capacity to love and be kind – and to be taught how to show such love and kindness to their pets.  These qualities are inherent in every human heart – until folks like these authors make it their mission to denigrate.

People who rescue do it with compassion, mercy, and kindness – qualities that the human species is inherently born with.  To be able to embrace these authors’ perspectives, the natural God-given qualities of compassion, mercy, and kindness would first need to be deliberately stripped from one’s psyche, from their very fiber.

Educated For Show.

These authors’ perspectives admittedly serve only to perpetuate a hate-filled narrative of racism which, in even the broadest analysis, has no bearing whatsoever on animal welfare and shelter pet rescue.  One of these authors, specifically, by her own admission in her book, acknowledges point-blank her personal prejudice and socialist agenda.  She is in essence, then, simply spewing venom upon a mission of mercy that has nothing to do with social academics and political persuasion.

People are not born racist and cruel – they must be programmed — by environmental and/or generational influence, but also certainly by people who continually perpetuate division and contention between races.  In the absence of such propagandists putting forth divisive hatred, no one would see another’s skin color.  No one would push for euthanizing shelter pets when life-affirming measures are in place and readily available — because the natural and inherent first impulse of the heart is to love.  Kindness is in our DNA.  Love does no harm.

Love Is More Than A Four-Letter Word.

Love is a universal action word.  People dedicated to animal welfare and pet rescue act out of genuine love to save animals – no more, no less.  No ulterior agendas, nothing political.  Authors with politically-begotten degrees attempt to impress people with their education, when in fact all they do is degrade goodness.  All it takes to save an animal’s life is a kind heart — simple as that.  It does not take a college degree or political persuasion.  And a kind heart is not unique to white-only citizens in affluent communities.  All human races are born to love.  No book and no critical analyses are needed.  It’s just love.  To try to cast animal welfare and shelter pet rescue in a politically or socially complex light, or any other misleading light, is fraudulent, even abhorrent from truth.

I understand the authors’ likely desire to gain notoriety and profits from their college degrees, but I respectfully caution readers to be very, very discerning about following such self-described experts who maliciously undermine the basic goodness of animal welfare and shelter pet rescue in order to exalt personal egos.  At the end of the day, saving lives is simply about compassion, kindness, and love, in its purest form.  I would encourage these authors to examine your hearts and, if you truly believe the system does not work effectively for minorities and low-income pet owners, then please find a way to put your college degrees to better use by setting aside your prejudices and racial bias, and instead support us in shelter pet rescue to make a better way for the animals.  We can always use the help.

I also respectfully recommend the Bible in contrast to those books discussed above.  It is intended for Everyone equally.

• A righteous man regards the life of his beast.  Proverbs 12:10.
• Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings and not one of them is forgotten before God? Luke 12:6.
• Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love boasts not itself, is not puffed up; love does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; rejoices not in injustice, but rejoices in the truth; love bears all things, endures all things; love never fails. And now abides faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.   I Corinthians 13:4-8, 13.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

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The post Pet Rescue Is Neither Racist Nor Political. appeared first on BareFootPets.

Sweet Ramona’s face is burned into my memory now. An indictment against me for my empty sentiment — feeling badly for her but not acting in time to actually save her. I saw the post yesterday on Instagram begging someone to save Ramona, but I didn’t act in time. Instead, I saved the post while I did the “responsible” thing — sleep on it overnight, review my already stressed bank account to calculate how it could feed another mouth, and figure out if I could squeeze yet another dog into my rescue pack. Is it irresponsible to keep adding rescue pets when my home is already bursting at the seams? My friends and family already call me crazy. This is the life and daily dilemma of a “career” pet rescuer.

Damn The Cost — It’s A Life.

When I considered all things logically, on paper, I just couldn’t make it work this time. I’ve been rescuing discarded, vulnerable animals for many decades, paying out of my own pocket to feed and care for them, living on a shoestring budget. And now common sense is nudging me to start saving for retirement, or end up homeless like all my rescue pets when they first show up at my doorstep for help.

But Ramona’s face stayed with me as I slept last night. When I woke up this morning with Ramona still on my heart, I knew I needed to try — somehow I had to make it work. At least I would get her out of the shelter to safety and then figure out the bigger picture for her.

No Second Chance. It’s Done.

But Ramona was already dead. She had been killed by the shelter before anyone would save her. When I woke this morning, before even getting out of bed, I grabbed my phone and pulled up the saved Instagram post for the Texas shelter’s contact information. I was going to call and ask them to pull Ramona from the euthanasia list and keep her safe until I could figure out how to get her to me here in Phoenix.

The words in the updated post screamed out at me — Ramona’s dead. No one stepped up, and the shelter didn’t bother to advocate for her. She’s dead and that’s that. Another precious life extinguished, and we all will just go on our way. My heart has been shredded all day, and I’m writing this post with tears on fire and the stinging guilt of having been party to letting it happen. I hesitated, and they killed her.

Why Was She Not Save-able?

I’m wondering why no one wanted Ramona. Was she not beautiful enough? Was her back story not tragic enough? Is it because she was a pitbull? But a life is a life – those things should not have mattered, right?  Although they must have — because no one wanted her and, at the end of her broken life story, she died alone. Sweet Jesus, I am so so so sorry.

I keep going back to the post and looking at Ramona’s face. She knew — she knew no one was coming for her. She knew she would die there without anyone to care. Look at Ramona’s face — there’s no hope left in her. She knows. She will die there alone, unloved, and unremembered by most. And that’s exactly what happened. Ramona’s life didn’t matter.

Prayer For Those We Let Down.

Ramona’s heartbreaking story reminds me of my first prayer back in 1998 when I started Milagro Senior Pet Refuge. As I embarked on this most beautiful and difficult life chapter in pet rescue, I recognized that we wouldn’t be able to save them all no matter how hard we were going to try. So I asked God to be extra loving to the precious souls we wouldn’t be able to save, and to love them in a way we would fail to do here in this life. When I lay my head down to rest at night and try uselessly to shed the guilt that inevitably comes with being a pet rescuer, God still gives me moments of peace knowing that He continues to answer that first prayer every day. Today, however, I’m not feeling peace. My heart is broken for Ramona.

Take-Away.

Ramona’s sad and senseless end underscores the importance to ACT QUICKLY! There are SO MANY MANY more animals like Ramona in high-kill shelters that don’t have the luxury of time to wait while we figure things out.  Shelters are, after all, just killing machines in disguise.  We must get the animals safely out of those shelters FIRST, and worry about the details later. Had I adhered to my own advice, Ramona would be safely and happily with us today, knowing love … maybe for the first time. Don’t be afraid of the unknown. Just Save The Life — God will help you fill in the blanks later.

Rest In Peace, Dear Ramona. God’s Got You Now.  ❤ 

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post It Should Not Have Ended This Way. appeared first on BareFootPets.

When I was a puppy, I entertained you with my antics and made you laugh. You called me your child, and despite a number of chewed shoes and a couple of murdered throw pillows, I became your best friend. Whenever I was “bad,” you’d shake your finger at me and ask “How could you?” But then you’d relent and roll me over for a belly rub. My housebreaking took a little longer than expected, because you were terribly busy, but we worked on that together. I remember those nights of nuzzling you in bed and listening to your confidences and secret dreams, and I believed that life could not be any more perfect. We went for long walks and runs in the park, car rides, stops for ice cream (I only got the cone because “ice cream is bad for dogs” you said), and I took long naps in the sun waiting for you to come home at the end of the day.

Gradually, you began spending more time at work and on your career, and more time searching for a human mate. I waited for you patiently, comforted you through heartbreaks and disappointments, never chided you about bad decisions, and romped with glee at your homecomings; and even when you fell in love. She, now your wife, is not a “dog person” — still I welcomed her into our home, tried to show her affection, and obeyed her. I was happy because you were happy.

Then the human babies came along, and I shared your excitement. I was fascinated by their pinkness, how they smelled, and I wanted to mother them, too. Only she and you worried that I might hurt them, so I spent most of my time banished to another room, or to a dog crate. Oh how I wanted to love them, but I became a “prisoner of love.” As they began to grow, I became their friend. They clung to my fur and pulled themselves up on wobbly legs, poked fingers in my eyes, investigated my ears, and gave me kisses on my nose.

I loved everything about them and their touch — because your touch was now so infrequent — and I would have defended them with my life if need be. I would sneak into their beds and listen to their worries and secret dreams, and together we waited for the sound of your car in the driveway. There had been a time, when others asked you if you had a dog, that you produced a photo of me from your wallet and told them stories about me. These past few years you just answered “yes” and changed the subject. I had gone from being “your dog” to “just a dog,” and you resented every expenditure on my behalf.

Now, you have a new career opportunity in another city, and you and they will be moving to an apartment that does not allow pets. You’ve made the right decision for your “family,” but there was time when I was your only family. I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the animal shelter. It smelled of dogs and cats, of fear, of hopelessness. You filled out the paperwork and said “I know you will find a good home for her.” They shrugged and gave you a pained look. They understand the realities facing a middle-aged dog, even one with “papers.”  You had to pry your son’s fingers loose from my collar as he screamed “No, Daddy! Please don’t let them take my dog!” And I worried for him, and what lessons you had just taught him about friendship and loyalty, about love and responsibility, and about respect for all life.

You gave me a goodbye pat on the head, avoided my eyes, and politely refused to take my collar and leash with you. You had a deadline to meet, and now I have one, too. After you left, the two nice ladies said you probably knew about your upcoming move months ago and made no attempt to find me another good home. They shook their heads and asked “How could you?”

They are as attentive to us here in the shelter as their busy schedules allow. They feed us, of course, but I lost my appetite days ago. At first, whenever anyone passed my pen, I rushed to the front, hoping it was you, that you had changed your mind — that this was all a bad dream. Or I hoped it would at least be someone who cared, anyone who might save me. When I realized I could not compete with the frolicking for attention of happy puppies, oblivious to their own fate, I retreated to a far corner and waited.

I heard her footsteps as she came for me at the end of the day, and I padded along the aisle after her to a separate room — a blissfully quiet room.  She placed me on the table and rubbed my ears, and told me not to worry. My heart pounded in anticipation of what was to come, but there was also a sense of relief. The prisoner of love had run out of days. As is my nature, I was more concerned about her. The burden she bears weighs heavily on her, and I know that, the same way I knew your every mood.

She gently placed a tourniquet around my foreleg as a tear ran down her cheek. I licked her hand in the same way I used to comfort you so many years ago. She expertly slid the hypodermic needle into my vein. As I felt the sting and the cool liquid coursing through my body, I lay down sleepily, looked into her kind eyes, and murmured “How could you?” Perhaps because she understood my dog-speak, she said “I’m so sorry.”

She hugged me, and hurriedly explained it was her job to make sure I went to a better place, where I wouldn’t be ignored, or abused, or abandoned, or have to fend for myself — a place of love and light so very different from this earthly place. And with my last big of energy I tried to convey to her with a thump of my tail that my “How could you?” was not directed at her. It was directed at you, My Beloved Master. I was thinking of you. I will think of you and wait for you forever. May everyone in your life continue to show you so much loyalty.

NOTE from the author: If “How Could You?” brought tears to your eyes as you read it, as it did to mine as I wrote it, it is because it is the composite story of the millions of formerly “owned” pets who die each year in American and Canadian animal shelters. Anyone is welcome to distribute this essay for a noncommercial purpose, as long as it is properly attributed with the copyright notice. Please use it to help educate, on your websites, in newsletters, on animal shelter and vet office bulletin boards. Tell the world that the decision to add a pet to your family is an important one, for life, that animals deserve our love and sensible care, that finding another appropriate home for your animal is your responsibility and any local humane society or animal welfare league can offer you good advice, and that all life is precious.

Please do your part to stop the killing, and encourage spay/neuter campaigns in order to prevent unwanted animals. Please pass this on — it could save an unwanted pet. Remember, pets love unconditionally … people should be so devoted.  

~ Jim Willis

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post How Could You? appeared first on BareFootPets.

Sorry I’ve been gone awhile. I got behind on my BareFootPets blog recently because, on May 14, 2019, our home was robbed–in broad daylight–while we were at work. And I got to see it play out on video. It has been the most horrible horrible experience. Needless to say, over the past several weeks, we’ve been in clean-up mode, working with the insurance companies, police, repair people, and trying just to figure out our new normal.

On that day, while I was at work, I got a pop-up notification on my cell phone from the Canary video surveillance app that there was movement in our home. I figured the cameras were just picking up one of my pets moving about the house as usual, so I casually launched the Canary app on my cell phone. And instead I saw video footage of thieves ransacking our house–and I watched helplessly as my little blind senior pets struggled frantically to find safety in the midst of the chaos, but not knowing how to get away from the danger. My heart stopped! It was hands down one of the scariest moments of my life.  And the longest drive home I’ve ever made.

Dual Benefits Of Video Surveillance.

So I originally got the Canary security app and four video cameras just to keep a better watch on our senior pets while we were at work. You know, to see who was using the litterbox and who wasn’t, is everyone finding the food dishes okay, is anyone in distress while we’re away, were they all navigating the house okay in our absence since some of them are blind, etc. It was a huge help–I felt immensely better equipped to care for them and still be at work, able to supervise them by video.

For instance, we discovered that Chelsea the big black cat was picking on little Mikimoto, my blind and fragile senior cat. So, with that new information from the video cameras, we now knew to secure Chelsea in a separate room while we were away at work. Boom–problem solved. Mikimoto no longer lives in fear, and we have harmony in the house again. We are now able to protect Mikimoto by video and give him comfort and freedom from fear even when we’re gone. And Chelsea enjoys her private new “studio apartment” (a/k/a guest bathroom). We will never be without video surveillance again!

Little did we know that the day would come when we’d be watching video of thieves going room by room through our home, stealing everything of value, and trashing everything else. I was also able to watch my poor pets running for their lives, hiding wherever they could, or just going in circles because they’re blind and not knowing what was happening, just that it was something really really bad. Broken glass was flying everywhere, and they were stumbling over things being thrown randomly about. It was a nightmare for them!

New Kids On The Block …

So, here’s a little side story to lead us up to the robbery. I was at the county animal shelter a few days before the robbery, picking up a little 4lb senior Chihuahua. He was elisted and scheduled to be put to death the next morning for being old and feeble. Someone in my rescue network had given me a heads-up email about him, so I went to the shelter to get him. They hadn’t even given him a name, only a number. The folks at the shelter talked me out of pulling him initially. They said he had too many health issues and was just too old to mess with. So I reluctantly left without ever meeting him. But he stayed on my heart as I drove away.

At home that night, instinct made me look again at his profile and something just told me he wasn’t ready to go yet. I needed to step up. Knots formed in my tummy for fear he was going to die before I could get back to him. I quickly emailed the shelter and said I was picking him up the next day after all, and I wanted no argument about it. They agreed to remove him from the elist and keep him safe for me.

The next morning, I hustled back to the shelter and happily claimed him. When I walked into the elist room and saw him for the first time, curled up in a tiny donut bed with his back to me, and he turned his tiny wobbly head with giant rabbit ears and looked up at me soulfully, that was it. You could hear the chorus singing and see the hearts floating all around the room. He completely captured my heart with that one look. I named him Bug. And I scooped Bug gently up into my arms, and told him he was safe, we’re going home.

On our way out, a scruffy little black and white Terrier pup caught my eye, maybe some Doxie mixed in. He didn’t have a name, either, just a number. Listed as a two-year-old stray that no one had come back for. Now, as founder and president of Milagro Senior Pet Refuge, I’ve stayed true to Milagro’s mission statement since the 1980s–I haven’t had a young dog in decades. But this little boy grabbed my attention and didn’t let go. I fought it off and passed on by. But just down the hallway, I turned and headed back for another look. Yep, he was definitely calling my name loud. Still I resisted and decided to walk other aisles for awhile to see if it would pass … it didn’t.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in a lifetime of pet rescue, it’s that oftentimes, most times actually, rescue pets choose us, we don’t choose them. And I’ve learned to listen to that voice inside. I finally recognized that’s what was happening here. And so I turned around and went back and collected the little two-year-old fellow as well. We tried out quite a few names on him over the next couple of months, and finally decided on Kevin (you’ll find out why in the paragraphs below). And Kevin and Bug took their freedom ride home together. It was a most excellent day.

Click on these photos to see Bug’s and Kevin’s Freedom Rides. 🙂

Fast Forward Back To The Robbery.

So, Bug’s and Kevin’s freedom ride happened only a few days before the robbery. The boys were still brand new to my home when all the crazy went down. I don’t know if they even recognized us as their new home and family yet. That is, until I saw the Canary video of the robbery. I have watched it over and over to memorize every unbelievable detail. And what I saw touched my heart and blew my mind.

Kevin, in all his little 9lbs of fuzzy scruffy glory, recognized immediately that these guys did NOT belong in our house.  And he stood up to them. He met them at the back door as they popped the lock and tiptoed in, and he nipped at their heels and barked loud and hard at them. Then he very smartly moved to the safety of the upper back of the living room sofa and barked louder and harder. He gave them royal hell and didn’t let up till they were gone. His body shook with fear and adrenaline, and he barked so hard he couldn’t breathe.

And right behind Kevin was little Bug, bringing up the rear, toodling along behind the robbers in his oversized diaper, backing up Kevin with the barking. I could not be more proud of these little guys. And they were immensely proud of themselves, too, which is even more awesome. They saw there was a job to be done, and they stepped up and saved the day.

The Aftermath.

Ever since the robbery, Kevin is still a bit freaked out. He barks at every little thing, hides up on my bed (it has become his safe place), and dribbles a little pee when he feels really unsure of things (probably he’d prefer I didn’t tell you that). Still, he’s proud to be the man of the house. He is now acutely tuned in to the security app notifications on my cell phone. As soon as they announce, he’s off to the doors and windows like a shot. He is front and center whenever someone comes to the house and lets them know they have to get past him. So far he has chased away the housekeeper, the pest control guy, the police detective, the neighbor’s lawnkeeper, my best friend Donna, and the Amazon prime driver. He has taken on the role of protector and takes the role very seriously, God Bless His Sweet Little Soul. By the way, Kevin is named for Kevin Costner, who was Whitney Houston’s bodyguard in the movie “The Bodyguard.”  Perfect, isn’t it.

And Bug is Kevin’s wing man (pun intended). Bug is a pretty chill little fellow, so he seems to have weathered the robbery like no big thing. Bug is always right behind Kevin, barking and bringing up the rear–way back in the rear. After all, Bug is only 4lbs, 15yrs old, very delicate, has no teeth, falls easily, and wears a diaper (which I have agreed to call a “toolbelt” because he feels that’s more manly), but he’s as fearless as Kevin. And together they are the force that keeps the other senior pets, and our home, safe and sound. They are our Avengers!!

A Very Unexpected Gift of the Video Monitoring.

Being able to watch the details of the robbery, and see with my own eyes that the robbers did not hurt my animals is the one comfort I have gotten out of this awful ordeal. They could have kicked them to the side–they didn’t. They could have picked them up and tossed them–they didn’t. They could have kidnapped them–they didn’t. Had they hurt my animals, even a little, I would have broken out a level of crazy that would have made those robbers’ nightmares seem like happy dreams (that’s actually a post I saw on Instagram awhile back and saved, thinking I might be able to use it someday. oh look–it’s someday).

Yes, the boys are impacted by what happened, and Gabriel, my youngest cat, too. They all still show signs of some stress. We’re working on that, and they’re improving every day. But at least I still have them with me, and they’re going to be okay soon. When we made it home from work that day, our home was surrounded by police SUVs, news vans, forensics team, and helicopters. My home was turned upside down–every room. Everything of value was taken, and everything else was destroyed. But when the dust settled and the chaos subsided, there were Kevin and Bug standing proudly right in the middle of it all, like the legendary Boxer in the clearing (Simon & Garfunkel), letting me know everything was okay–we got this. That was all I needed to know. Thank you, Jesus.

God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post The Immeasurable Benefit Of Home Video Surveillance: Must Read! appeared first on BareFootPets.

The Unchosen.

It’s a statistical fact that pets with black fur get left behind. Doesn’t matter if it’s a good dog or the perfect kitty — they don’t get chosen. People tend to pass right over them when walking the shelter aisles. Maybe folks are shopping for a pet to go with their furniture or their wardrobe, and black just isn’t the right match. We need to straighten out our thinking. A pet isn’t a knick-knack that has to blend in visually with your decor or your lifestyle. It’s a life — precious and valuable no matter what the color of its fur.

“See” Your Choice Through The Eyes Of Love.

Next time you go to the shelter to find your next great furry love, close your eyes.  Let your heart take you up and down the aisles and lead you to the perfect little life who’s waiting for you. Make your choice based on chemistry, personality, love, and compassion — those intangibles that are beyond measure. Quite possibly, your right choice might very well be a shimmering jet black pet. And, if your heart is in the right place, you rightly won’t be in the least bit disappointed. You’ll see him for the beautiful life he is, inside and out, and not as if the color of his fur were some kind of unfortunate thing.

To All The Black-Fur Pets I Have Loved.

In my decades of pet rescue, I’ve been given the gift and privilege of loving many black-fur pets. I can tell you tender stories about each one of them that are seered into my memory, and not one of those sweet memories is diminished by the color of their fur. Following is a tribute to some of those treasured little faces that I miss so much and still hold fast in my heart forever.

Awesome Name Ideas For Black-Fur Pets.

I came across a couple of websites that offer great name suggestions for black-fur pets, and here are a few that stood out. Feel welcome to draw from this list or use it to come up with even more ideas for your next pet:

Phantom | Gypsy | Onyx | Midnight | Jet | Noir | Hendrix | Marley | Java | Beetle | Pepper | Oreo | Ash | Puma | Ebony | Panther | Panda | Agate | Ace | Blackjack | Bullet | Stormy | Spade | Cinder | Demon | Domino | Dusty | Ebony | Eightball | Elvira | Espresso | Galaxy | Jackyl | Jaguar | Knight | Licorice | Lava | Storm | Zorro | Velvet | Thunder | Orchid | Twilight | Dice | Voodoo | Vader | Hershey | Magic | Merlin | Tattoo | Batman | Fudge | Pearl | Scorch | Ninja | Numbus |

(https://www.smalldogplace.com/black-dog-names.html)
(https://pethelpful.com/cats/cool-unique-and-creative-black-cat-names-for-your-beloved-pet)

Make The Best Of Your Black-Fur Pet’s Look.

When Marley came to live with me, this black-as-night from head-to-toe, all boy, muscular kitty, I wanted to get him a manly collar to go with his manly personality. But everything I tried looked bland on him, and nothing seemed to showcase him the way I had hoped … until I bought him a hot-pink collar. Omigosh, it POPPED!  Marley looked like a million dollars, and the hot-pink didn’t take away one ounce from his masculinity. Be creative; it will help you “look past” the black-fur issue.

Roman was the most beautiful jet-black Flat Coat Retriever I’ve seen in my life. I bought her a coal-black collar slathered all over in sparkling Swarovski crystals that lit up her face. People would stop us out in public all the time to comment on how stunning she was. Thing is, Roman was always stunning even without crystals. People just are programmed not to notice black-fur pets. But add some bling, and now the black-fur pets show up on everyone’s WOW! radar. So think outside the box — make sure your black-fur pet stands out and gets the attention it deserves.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post To All The Black-Fur Pets I Have Loved. appeared first on BareFootPets.