The secret is no more!

Promptly after announcing the much needed break I was going to take from rescue, an alleged puppy mill was raided in our community and we were asked to help.  Due to the fact that this is an on going criminal investigation, we are unable to adopt the dogs to new homes at this time, but at least we are able to acknowledge that we have them in our care now!  We were able to bring 6 dogs into the rescue and I am happy to report that they are adjusting well to their new life.  We are in desperate need of donations as explained in the letter below, and where I have never asked for donations before on this blog, if you are able to help us out with a donation of any size, it would be much appreciated.

Without further ado, let me introduce you to the "Maplewood 6 Pack!"

Marty

Freddie

Archie

Benji

Emma

Cera

Dear Friends,

                On Saturday, November 17, 2012 the Ohio SPCA and Shelby County Sheriff’s Department raided an alleged puppy mill in Maplewood Ohio.  In this raid 241 dogs were pulled to safety.

                We at Lost and Found K9 Rescue were able to admit 6 dogs from this raid into our rescue program with the hope of rehabilitating and adopting these dogs out as an end result.  Sadly, these dogs all came into rescue in poor shape, mentally and physically.  They had not been vaccinated, altered, and several had terrible ear infections, dental problems, and urinary tract infections.  The estimated cost of vet care alone to care for the “Maplewood 6 Pack” is $2306.00, which is a taxing amount of money for any rescue and especially a small rescue.

                We know many of you have dogs that share your heart and home, and we are asking a favor of you.  (No, we are not asking you to adopt a dog …)  What we are asking for is a monetary donation to a wonderful rescue organization that is busy saving lives.  A rescue that is allowing these dogs to experience grass under their feet for the first time in their lives, warm beds, full bellies, and human kindness. 

                Any amount that you could donate would be appreciated, and no donation is too small!  Rest assure your donation is going to a registered Ohio non-profit organization and your donation is tax deductable. 

                If you are able to donate to this cause feel free to do so one of 2 ways:

1)       Make checks payable to:   Lost & Found K9 Rescue

                                                        1890 Old Staunton Rd.

                                                 Troy, OH 45373

2)       Make a secure donation using your credit card  to our Paypal account at lostandfoundK9@gmail.com

Thank you,

Christie Remy,  Andrea Pindell, and Emily Browning

Lost & Found K9 Rescue 

www.lostandfoundk9rescue.com

This old blog is retiring...

Hello All!

I just want to say thank you to all of you for following this blog.  The people I have met on here have been so wonderful and I love reading about your lives and love of canines.

It is time for me to switch gears though.  I started this blog because I love to write.  As you know I am an avid dog rescuer but that is only one interesting thing about me.  Rescue is a huge part of who I am, but it is not all of who I am.  There was a sponsor requirement that said I had to write about my dogs in 85% of my posts, and that just felt restricting to me.  You see, I love to do other things too.  And I love to write about them also.

So, I started a new blog.  It is about everything that is important to me!  It is a combination of the urban farming, homesteading, gardening, dog rescue, reading, and everything else Emily.  I would love it if you would sign up to follow my new blog.  It would mean a lot to me!  The address is:  http://www.ontheurbanfarm.blogspot.com

Thanks again, and I hope to see you there!

Cheers, Emily

She Who Loves Dogs: Damaged Beyond Repair?

She Who Loves Dogs: Damaged Beyond Repair?: On occasion in rescue, and maybe more than I care to admit, I get discouraged and just down right mad. Tonight as I write I am sad a...

Damaged Beyond Repair?

On occasion in rescue, and maybe more than I care to admit, I get discouraged and just down right mad.  Tonight as I write I am sad and very angry.  Being involved in dog rescue and able to foster means that often I have "extra" house guests around.  One of the rescues I foster for asked me to foster a Papillon that was originally a stray at a high-kill shelter.  He was pulled by a rescue and then the rescue that I am involved with took him.  From there he was adopted very briefly by a family that was very excited about him, however he showed some aggressive behaviour and was returned to the rescue.  After working with him for a bit longer, he was adopted out another family.  Again, he came back after exhibiting aggressive behaviour.  So now we are at a cross road.... 

The general rule in rescue is that dogs that are aggressive are euthanized because the rescue is responsible for the dog if it bites someone, especially if the dog had a known aggression problem at the time of adoption.  However difficult this may be, it just doesn't make sense to ever endanger someone's child, family, or home with a dog who is a known biter.  I understand this, and usually agree with it.

The only time this really bothers me is when it is evident that the dog in question has been damaged beyond repair by a human.  I believe this is the case with Pip.  This little dog is truly a Papillon.  He is smart, funny, bouncy, and true to this breed's nature: a very delightful and charming little dog.  The problem?!  Some jerk, somewhere in this poor creature's life has broken his spirit and he has NO reason to trust anyone.  Bottom line:  This dog is afraid, and he is using his teeth to put on a show.  When he is afraid, he bites, which makes people leave him alone.  He accomplishes his mission: to never be hurt again.  Unfortunately  Pip doesn't speak our language.  He doesn't understand that he is safe, has people that only want to help him, and he will never be hurt again.  (I have told him several times tonight and my rescue friends have mentioned this to him as well!)  So the question remains: What do we do with this little dog?  Do you take the chance that he will bite again?  Do you euthanize him because he is a known bite case?  

After spending the day with Pip, I am hoping that there will be some hope for him.  He is eager to please his humans.  He is food motivated, and he appears very forgiving.  He has spent his entire day in his crate because that is where he wants to be.  He has NO confidence and is scared of everything!  I attempted to lure him out of his cage with a little garlic sprinkled chicken, and that worked briefly.  Today in his training session we accomplished "charging" the clicker, and worked on sit.  We will see what the future holds for this little guy.  I hope and pray that it is all good!  I will keep you all posted!

Security...

The egg bounty this week!

Someone asked me today why I have backyard chickens and if I really saved that much money on eggs.  I had to honestly answer: no.....  My urban flock is up to 17 birds currently, and where most of of them are not up to the age of laying eggs just yet, they will be soon!  The answer to this question is that I love knowing where my food comes from.  I love knowing that my eggs come from chickens who have been free to run around and scratch the ground.  They have eaten large amounts of fresh vegetables and have gorged on bugs.  They have been fed, watered, loved and in return they pay me back by giving me fresh eggs.  It is the security of having food in my backyard, readily at my fingertips just in case there is a some type of apocalypse and all of the grocery stores are closed down.  Backyard chickens are to me a form of security in a not so secure world.

Better To Give Than To Receive!

We all remember what it was like to be a kid at Christmas time.  The wonder, the awe, and the excitement of everything...  Well this year my daughter wanted a Kindle for Christmas.  (This was really the only thing on her list other than an ipad.)  As an avid reader myself and Kindle lover, I was very excited to learn that my parents had purchased each of the three older grandchildren Kindles.  In the weeks leading up to Christmas, all I heard from Katzya was how she really hoped for a Kindle for Christmas.  I think this photo captures the moment of surprise beautifully!  Katzya was so shocked when she opened this package, and it took her a split second to realize just what was in the box.  I love the look of surprise on her face!  We all know it is better to give than to receive, and making other people happy couldn't be conveyed any better than in this picture.  

PS:  No, I did not buy her an ipad.  Like a good parent, I bought her pajamas and flannel bed sheets.  You have to be cozy while you read your Kindle, right?!

"Is this REALLY what is in this box?!"

Saturday Blog Hop: Happy Halloween

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I hope this blog post finds you all safe and happy after this weeks Halloween fun!  We had all sorts of fun carving our pumpkins and getting our costumes ready.  This year K decided to be Little Red Riding Hood and she had to have a black wig to go with her costume, however after trying it on she really was not very impressed with it.  Soon it became a prop to use on the dogs, and the effect was not quite Little Red Riding Hood.  It was more like Cher on a bad night in Las Vegas!  

Have a great Saturday and thanks for stopping by on the Blog Hop!

Larry doing his best imitation of Cher...

Stewart can't even keep a straight face in his costume!  He thinks the idea of Cher is a bit ridiculous!

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Book Review: Blaze of Glory by M. Garzon

On occasion you start reading a book by a new author and you instantly know that you have just stumbled upon greatness.  That is exactly what happened when I picked up Blaze of Glory by M. Garzon.  Much like Sara Gruen in Water for Elephants, Garzon hooks the reader from the very beginning and doesn't let go until the last page.  Her writing style is smooth, vividly descriptive, and easy to get lost in.  Her characters are rich, well rounded, and she makes you feel as if you intimately know them.  

There is an optimistic sentiment through the entire book for the characters to come out on top.  You find yourself hoping that this family recovers from the personal trouble that they each face, and that they can begin to heal and grow as a family.

You don't need to be a horse enthusiast to enjoy this book.  The constant undertow is a developing love story that is attractive to both the older teenager and the adult audience.  This novel moves at an effortless pace that will have you curled up in your favorite chair reading well into the evening hours.  This being Garzon's first novel, I can't wait to see what is next.  One thing I know for sure is that this is a new author who is going to take the literary world by storm! 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

We Are Back!

Larry the Labrador



We have had an amazing summer in the Browning-Smith household!  It has been full of friends, family, horse shows, and of course: dogs!  We have had one new addition to our household this summer.  His name is Larry.  Larry found us while on vacation, and we just couldn't leave him behind!  (The animal shelter there was in a very rural area, and they said that Larry would most likely be euthanized due to his age and overcrowding.)  Larry is between 10 and 12 years old, and it is almost as if he has been our dog for his entire life.   He bonded with me instantly which has created some separation anxiety issues, but hey who can blame him for being a bit scared of being left behind again?  There was some thought that we would adopt Larry out to a new home, however due to his age he will most likely live out the rest of his life here at Rainbow Acres.  That is unless the absolute perfect home comes along....





Saturday Blog Hop: The Happy Box!



Do not pay attention to my terrible hair in this picture.  I know I look like Kramer off of Friends....

Part of my quest to be an "urban farmer" has made me look at the food that I eat.  I have determined that I eat terrible because it is easy, so I recently joined a CSA program in our community.  It is called "The Happy Box".  You decide what vegetables and fruits that you want to receive, and they pick and deliver your produce once a week.  It is all organic, and it tastes amazing!  I swear I eat more produce this way strictly because I get so excited to eat it.  Opening that box on Friday is always so exciting because you never know what you are going to get, and I eat things I would never have eaten before because they are delivered to me.  Pictured below is the photographic evidence that I am not the only one who is excited about "The Happy Box".  It turns out Stewart likes organic produce too!

Stewie and his organic carrot!

Urban Farming: Chickens

Dixie!

Okay, so confession time: I love chickens!  There is nothing like sitting on your deck, sipping a glass of wine, while watching your chickens frolic in the yard.  The problem?  I live in the middle of the city....  This has not deterred me from my dream of becoming an urban farmer though.  (I really want fresh eggs!)  All winter I have been researching chickens, and finally I purchased these 6 little girls from the local feed store just a few weeks ago.  I built an indoor chicken coop over the weekend, and an outdoor coop will soon follow.  I love listening to them chirp and cheep, and they are everything I imagined they would be!  Katzya and I named them: Dixie, Dorothy, Demi, Daisy, Dolly, and Diane (after my mom!).  It will be a few months before my fresh eggs start rolling in, however I am in love with these fuzzy little critters already! 

Watching our new arrivals!

Saturday Blog Hop: Goodbye Fenway

This week has been particularly hard on our family due to the death of one of our "pack" members. I have a variety of animals that bless my life, and each of them are treasured members of my family. That is why I have not blogged for the last 2 weeks. We noticed that our kitty, Fenway, was unstable on his feet last Friday and we immediately took him to the veterinarian. She did a number of tests on Fenway and his blood work showed that he had elevated ammonia levels and he had a fever of 105 degrees. We were looking at the possibilities of a liver shunt, toxoplasmosis, or FIP for a diagnosis. Fenway continued to get worse over the course of a few days, and his blood work came back negative for toxoplasmosis. A liver shunt was ruled out since he had a fever, so we are thinking that he had FIP. (He had the majority of the symptoms for this disease...) He was making no improvements in his ability to walk, and was having a hard time eating so we made the painful decision to euthanize him.


Fenway was a rescue kitty from the humane society. He is featured along with his brother in one of my December blog posts. I was supposed to only foster both of these boys, but after it became obvious that Abner would never be a candidate for adoption, we decided to keep them. Fenway was only a 5 pound kitty, but the hole that he has left in my house and heart is big enough for an lion. Fenway was always purring and snuggling with us, and even with his last breath he continued to purr. My house seems empty. He was a constant fixture on the couch or in bed, and I miss him greatly.


There are times I wonder: "Why does this one need me?" I wondered that with Fenway. He was such a perfect kitty, and I often thought that I would place him without Abner because I just didn't need 2 more kitties. I guess the answer is that God knew Fenway needed me, even though I didn't know that myself. I was able to give Fenway a home where he was safe, fed, and above all: loved. I have no regrets with this rescue. My only regret is that I couldn't have loved him a little longer....

Saturday Blog Hop: The Wisdom Of A Dog

We went letterboxing (http://www.atlasquest.com/) last weekend, and we took Suzy with us.  We went to several cemeteries looking for places to plant boxes.  One of the cemeteries had several neat gardens, and my daughter took a moment out of her day to pray at the Garden Of The Bible.  I took this picture because it honestly looks like Suzy is praying with her.  It is one of my favorites!

Spring: A Time to Renew

As spring rolls around every year, I am in awe.  To watch the world "wake up" from it's winter slumber is a miracle that amazes my over and over again.  I love to watch the rebirth of animals and plants.  I love that it is daylight longer.  My favorite thing about spring though, is that it gives me time to renew myself.  This is a season where I look forward to growing fresh vegetables, hiking with the dogs, and reading on the deck.  Take time to renew yourself this spring.  You deserve it!

The Adventures of Suzy the Pitbull

It's me Suzy!  Today my Hoomans took me out for a hike at Charleston Falls!  I had the best time.  The littleest Hooman is who walked me today.  I tell you what, she has more energy than me!  I loved all of it, except the little Hooman wanted me to wade in the creek with her.  I wanted no part of that!  The water is still very cold, and I get chilled very easy.  The Mommy Hooman had to remind her of this...

I met some new friends on my adventure today!  This was my friend, Zero.  He is still a puppy and has a lot of growing to do.  His paws were the size to my whole head! 

This is me and my little Hooman taking a break after our long hike.

I found the first sign of Spring.... Grass! 

I can't wait to pee on the grass again!  I HATE snow...

Happy St. Patrick's Day! (One day late....)

St. Patrick's Day is an observed holiday in our house, and there is no school or work on this day.  Instead, there is a lot of Irish Dancing!  Yesterday was no different from any other year.  Katzya danced and we drove her around.  We had a blast!  We were blessed to spend the day with many friends and many laughs.  May the luck of the Irish be with you!

PS:  The luck of the Irish was with several other people and dogs yesterday also.  The Piqua shelter that has been the home base to a very large hoarding case, placed it's last 3 dogs into foster care yesterday, and with that 110 dogs are now on their way to new lives!  We pray that the 367 dogs that were owned by the same guy, but in a different county will be so lucky!

Meet Ava!

Photo credit given to Debi Canody


Meet Ava!

Ava was one of the dogs rescued from the "Jeff Burgess House of Hell".  Ava is somewhat shy due to the complete lack of socialization and care that she received during her stay with Jeff, however she is very sweet and  will make a great dog for someone!  Ava has no manners and we are going to start working on that tomorrow!  I see knowing how to sit in her near future!  :)  Ava WANTS to learn to be a dog.  I am hoping to be able to give her that. 

It was a little "hairy" here tonight when I brought Ava home.  Hazel (another rescue from the same place) does NOT like her!  It is not one of those warning snarls and growls.  It is all out: "I want to kill you!"  Hopefully, Hazel will be able to work out her issues, and will allow Ava into our pack.  (I promised Hazel that Ava would not be here forever....)   On a good note, Ava has been out in the backyard feeling grass on her feet for the first time in her life, and she has made friends with Chai (Belgian Tervuren) and Shelby (Chocolate Lab).  Ava has also learned how to sleep on the couch!

I will keep you posted on Miss Ava in the days to come, and if you know anyone who might be interested in adopting Ava please let me know!

Greatful Beings....

Sometimes I just look around my house and wonder what goes on in the minds of these dogs.  All of them are rescue dogs from one bad situation or another, and they are all so amazing!  People frequently ask, "Do all of those dogs get along?!"  Well the answer is yes, and as I sit here watching them I realize that this is because they are greatful to be here.  Each and every one of them....  This is apparent in the way that they interact with me as well as the way they interact with each other.  For example, the dog pictured above is Suzy.  Suzy is a pitbull mix that I got from the animal shelter.  Suzy was a cruelty case.  She was owned by a woman who left her out in a wire cage with flood water up to her stomach, and no food or clean water to drink.  When Suzy got here she was possesive of every resource we gave her including water!  This was because she had never had even basic care before, and she wanted all of the other dogs to know that the food and water was hers!  Sure enough though, Suzy has learned that there is no reason to act like that here.  Here Suzy is a dog who can just be herself.  She doesn't have to worry about her next meal.

Then there is Hazel.  Hazel was one of the dogs from the "Jeff Burgess House of Horrors".  She too was very possesive when she got here.  She didn't like dogs.  (Not a huge surprise to me...) She was cage aggressive and possessive over her food and water.  She is adjusting beautifully though.  She loves the other dogs, and has completely stopped resource guarding.  She is so greatful!  Today Hazel and I took a walk, and she looked so happy!  Her head was up and her tail was wagging.  It was so nice to see her like this.  A far cry from the scared dog that paced around my house and wouldn't even walk on leash 2 weeks ago.  Hazel is a wise, old soul and I have no doubt that she is greatful that she has been rescued.  The thing that I realize even more is that I am greatful to have rescued her.

A Fairytail of Epic Proportion!

Once upon a time in a land far away, there was a princess.  Her name was Hazel.  Hazel spent all of her days and nights locked in a dungeon.  It was dark there, and damp.  There was no heat, and seldom any food.  Hazel was a peaceful little girl, about 10 years old.  She only wanted to be loved, and to love in return.  She meant no harm to anyone she met, not even to the evil toothless ogre that kept her locked in this dungeon.  (The evil toothless ogre's name was Jeff.)  Hazel paced around her 4 foot by 6 foot cell, just praying that she would escape one day.  She remembered a life where she once was loved, where she lived inside, where she ate good food.  She remembered what it felt like to have the sun hit her face!  Oh, how she would give ANYTHING to feel that again!   Hazel couldn't understand why she was here.  What had she done?  Hazel was frustrated, so she prayed.... and she prayed.... and she prayed. And as everyone knows, prayers do not fall on deaf ears!   And finally, one day Hazel's prayers were answered!  Angels came into the dungeon and freed her!  They said, "Hazel you are such a pretty girl!  You are so kind, and you never gave up believing that one day your life would be different!"  And oh, how different it was!  Two of the angel's took a great liking to Hazel, actually it was more like love.  They said, "Come with us Hazel.  Let us love you, and you will never want again.  You will be loved, and cherished and you can live the rest of your life doing what you want to do!"  Hazel thought this sounded like a pretty good idea, and that is what she decided to do!  So, off Hazel went.  Into the sunshine!  Never to look back at that dungeon again, and she surely wouldn't miss that toothless ogre!  Hazel was now going to live: HAPPILY EVER AFTER!    

It made a difference to that one!

    

This blog post is dedicated to Amy Welker at the Piqua Health Department, Dr. Lisa Nadasi DVM, the Miami County Animal Shelter, ALL of the volunteers at the Piqua facility (there have been a bunch!),  the Clark County Animal Shelter, The Clark County Health Department, the ASPCA, the Montgomery County Resource Center, the Franklin County Humane Society, and anyone else who has worked on this project.  Without everyone of you, Jeff would still be abusing these poor animals.  Please sleep well tonight knowing that YOU have made a difference in the lives of animals who had no voice.  Because of you this animals will now be able to LIVE!

     If you have watched Channel 7 news in the last several weeks, or even if you live under a rock somewhere in Miami County, you have heard about Jeff Burgess and his rescue "One More Chance Rescue".  Jeff operated a "rescue" in Piqua.  (He called it a rescue, the rest of us called it abuse, and the dogs that he owned called it the 7th Circle of Hell.)  Thanks to the help of Amy Welker, the Piqua Health Department, and a whole bunch of volunteers these 108 dogs will make it so see a better way of life. 
     I have been volunteering on the weekends in Piqua: walking dogs, cleaning cages, and feeding dogs.  It has been a very rewarding experience.  One of the most amazing things is the way that everyone has pitched in to help this group of dogs, and every weekend I am reminded of the good in this world because it is reflected in the people that I volunteer with.  What an experience! 
     The first time I went to the Piqua shelter, I was immediately drawn to a little Jack Russell Terrier.  The thing that reached out to me was this dog's resilience.  She didn't care that her fur was stained yellow from sitting in her urine and feces.  She didn't care that she hadn't been fed or watered regularly.  She didn't care that she wasn't loved or protected by her owner.  She was not an abused dog.  She was not a victim.  She was a dog with something to offer.  She was a dog that was going to offer her heart back to the thing that hurt her the most: humans.  Why?  Because she doesn't want to be known as an abused dog.  She wants to move on.  She wants to forget where she has been.  Tonight, I brought home Marla.  Marla will be at my house for a short while until a permanent home is found for her.  While she is here, Marla will be living in the "now".  She will learn how to be a dog.  A dog that is loved.  A dog that is fed.  A dog that is a cherished member of a family.  Marla will be all of this because of all of the people that have helped her thus far and who have given her a new start in life.  Trust me when I say, Marla will not be quietly watching from the sidelines.  Marla will be playing the game! 

     Sadly, Jeff didn't have just one group of dogs.  He had another group of dogs in Springfield, and help came too late for 76 of them.  The good news is, that today the Clark County Animal Shelter, the ASPCA, and Montgomery County Animal Resource Center helped move 376 dogs out of danger and into the Franklin County Humane Society.
  

     When I was little I always loved this story about a boy and some starfish.  It goes something like this....

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing.  He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. 

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer.   He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young boy, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all.  The young boy was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean. 

He came closer still and called out, "Good Morning!  May I ask what it is that you are doing?!"

The young boy paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean!"

"I must ask, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean? asked the somewhat startled man? 

To this the boy replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out.  If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile?!  You can't possibly make a difference!"

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean.  As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference to that one!"

     I rescue a lot of dogs.  I often have more dogs at my house then most people would consider "normal".  It has always been who I am, and I can't imagine ever stopping.  Many times people say to me: "You can't save them all!"  I know I can't save them all, but I can make a difference to that one!