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It's Time to Separate 10 Facts From Fiction, Shelter Dog-Style

PetSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:00:20 -0700

Without a home but not without hope, animals in shelters have to fight uphill battles based on all the myths about their situations. I've come up with 10 common misconceptions about these pups and broken it down into the honest truth - get started and see for yourself!

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Four Ways You Can Help Shelters (Other Than Donations)

PetSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:50:06 -0700

Acting as ambassador to the Iams Home 4 the Holidays campaign, Hilary Swank gets cuddly with some cute puppies. What a tough job! The program already has over 3,400 shelters in 17 countries participating in their efforts - you can search by location to see if there's an establishment or breed rescue near you.

If your home is not needing another furry face despite the temptation, find four other ways you can help out - and see more pics of Hilary and the pooches - when you read more.

Dog walkers: Use extra time and get extra exercise by offering your talents as a dog walker on weekends or around your work schedule.
Foster homes: New kittens and puppies may need special one-on-one care so offer to help with the potty and litterbox training for a new babe - you may just fall in love in the process.
Cleaning staff: Someone's got to keep those kennels spotless - find out if you can help out either tidying up or bringing in supplies for weekend or holiday clean fests.
Adoption drives: See if the shelter is holding any special events where you could volunteer your time, playing with and showing off cute, available faces to potential owners.

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What Do You Know About Animal Shelters?

PetSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:30:08 -0700

Overpopulation is a big problem facing many shelters around the country. There are too many hungry mouths and furry faces, and simply not enough room so test yourself about rescue facts and numbers in this quiz.

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7 Wildly Easy Ways to Give Back!

PetSugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:45:45 -0700

I'm all about giving back for no real reason at all, but Sunday kicks off National Volunteer Week. In honor of this extra push to get out there and do good, check out my ideas for how to help animals in need when you start this slideshow!
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One of Oprah’s Dogs Killed by Virus, Sadie Seeking Treatment

PetSugar — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:00:00 -0700

A spokesperson for Oprah Winfrey confirmed to People Pets that one of the puppies Oprah showcased on her show, Ivan, died over the weekend. Apparently Sadie, Oprah's newly adopted cocker spaniel who the world met last week, is also being treated for the virus and “is getting stronger.”

According to veterinarians, puppies around the country are suffering from a new strain of the disease called Canine Parvovirus Type 2c. Little Sadie was exposed to Ivan before her second shot so she is being treated with "plasma from hyperimmunized healthy dogs” (as you can see from the picture Oprah shared on her show) as a precaution.

As you may already know, Parvo is a highly contagious viral illness, that can attack your pups intestines (which is characterized by vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and lack of appetite) and cardiac system (which affects heart muscles of very young puppies), and often leads to death. The majority of cases are seen in puppies that are between six weeks and six months old, so be sure to get all your pups vaccinations before introducing them to the outside world. Check out PetMD for details of symptoms and precautionary tips.

We know all dogs go to heaven, but we are sure little Ivan will be missed!

Did You Adopt a Baby or an Adult?

PetSugar — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:15:04 -0700

When misslarue asked my opinion on adopting a puppy or an adult dog, it gave me a great poll idea. I've experienced both and can see advantages of each side. Puppies are a fresh start, but you have to make it through that start and middle before the end result of a good dog, whereas adult dogs can be trickier to train if left untrained for a long time (but easier if you don't have the experience/time to train them yourself). Nothing is impossible with a little dedication and a lot of love, but I'm asking what route you traveled for your furry friends.

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Sadie Makes Her Doggy Debut on Oprah!

PetSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:00:42 -0800

I was pretty anxious to sneak a peek at Oprah's new pup, and was so jealous of my mom, who got to catch Sadie's national debut on East Coast time. Well, everyone, her cuteness is well worth the wait. Although the pooch was named Amanda in the shelter, Oprah's calling her new Cocker Spaniel Sadie. (That name change should be no problem if she follows my tips on the subject.) Seems like the puppy was struggling to adjust in her new, very loving home but looks rather content now - see for yourself in the video below!

Even though Oprah brought out Sadie's three brothers who are all available for adoption at PAWS Chicago, there are nearly 2,000 adoptable Cocker Spaniels and cocker mixes available on Petfinder.com across the country.

See more pictures of Sadie when you read more.

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Breaking News! Oprah Winfrey Adopts a Puppy

PetSugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:00:53 -0800

I certainly remember when Oprah lost her beloved Sophie in 2008, prompting a special on puppy mills and a vow to adopt her next dog. Well, nearly a year later, she's made good on her word as an eight-week-old, blond-colored Cocker Spaniel joined her furry family on Sunday.Lisa Nowak, a rep for PAWS Chicago, confirmed to Usmagazine.com that Oprah fell in love with the lil pup – named Amanda by staffers – and was excited to bring the baby home. Not only did she keep that promise, she also has donated money in Sophie's name for a room at the no-kill shelter.

See more images of the state-of-the-art Lincoln Park center that aims to find homes for more than 3,000 homeless pets (!) this year when you read more.

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Save Shivering Kittens on Your iPhone and Actual Kittens at the ASPCA at the Same Time!

PetSugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 04:15:33 -0800

I've yet to get an iPhone, despite all the cool things geek's told me so far but this game's high on my list if I do. After all, ShiveringKittens looked totally adoro even before the big fundraising announcement yesterday.

GiantCrayon Games has joined with the ASPCA to raise money for animals with a promotion during March and April – for every game purchased on iTunes ($3), the company will donate $1 to the ASPCA. From what I can tell it's like cat Tetris where you free adorable kittens from the icy bottom, but check out a video of the game in action when you read more.

Give Back: Gifts For Them, Not Just For You

PetSugar — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 12:00:04 -0800

Instead of receiving things you don't want or don't really need, ask guests to make a donation to a shelter or wildlife fund of your choice in lieu of birthday presents or wedding/baby shower registries. Simply choose an organization such as the ASPCA or Humane Society or even the location where you adopted your own precious pal.

My best friend did this for her wedding, requesting donations to the Paw'd Squad, where they adopted a beloved pit bull, Baby. Some rescue groups, such as this one, already have PayPal links set up – simply tell your guests what name to memo the donation with and they're good to go.
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