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An Angel in Brooklyn

February 26th, 2010

Sapphire

Sapphire was found in the Crown Heights area in Brooklyn, New York emaciated and near death. “We really didn’t expect her to make it,” says Sean Casey, founder of Sean Casey Animal Rescue in Brooklyn. In addition to being near starved to death, Sapphire had a bad infection and needed emergency surgery. She really wasn’t in any condition for surgery, but waiting could have also killed her. After a month at the shelter, she has gained weight and will soon be up for adoption.

Their many names and photos are listed on Sean Casey’s website: Puffy, Owen, Milton, Kimbo, Lisa, Anabel, Manny, Pork Chop, Mario, Larry.

Owen

And then there’s one of the newest arrivals at the shelter: Angel. So named because even when she was in unimaginable pain, she was an angel to her handlers, always wanting love and affection and seemingly appreciative of their efforts. Angel is thought to have been a fighting “bait” dog. When dogs won’t fight, they’re often tied to a pole and other dogs are allowed to maul them. When a good Samaritan saw the bruised, beaten and scarred dog wandering the streets, she was limping and her head was swollen to about 3-times its normal size. “Our vet had to put six drains in her head to get the swelling down,” says Sean.

Angel may have been named for her sweet temperament, but many in Brooklyn and throughout New York thinks Sean is the angel.

“Everyone in Brownstone Brooklyn knows Sean Casey,” says long-time resident, Randy Hecht.

Being a Yankee transplant from the Midwest to the South, when I visit most rescues, they are usually in rural areas.

Not the Sean Casey Animal Rescue, which is located in the heart of Brooklyn, New York. You can’t get anymore urban than that.

“I’ve been pulling animals from shelters since I was 15,” says Sean. “My mom rescued animals and I’ve been helping her since I can remember, I was the one who had to climb the trees for the cats.”

When Sean grew up, it wasn’t long before the city shelters started calling him to find homes for the ones that were lucky.

Now only 29 years old, Sean is known around his Brooklyn neighborhood and beyond for his animal rescue efforts. He’s received awards from the Mayor’s Alliance and ASPCA for pulling the most animals from the municipal kill shelters throughout New York and bringing them to his shelter.

Larry

Sean Casey Animal Rescue can house 30-40 dogs and 15-20 cats at any given time, but they just aren’t limited to cats and dogs, they’re also known for taking in more exotic animals and even wildlife that no other rescue or shelter can handle.

Along with a team of approximately 30 volunteers and some staff, Sean has saved thousands of dogs from the streets of the city as well as death row in the municipal shelters.

His rescue has been so successful, he is currently in the process of opening another 5,000 square foot shelter in Brooklyn that will triple their capacity.

“There is a tremendous problem with overpopulation of dogs in New York,” says Sean.

As with other areas of the country, Sean has seen an increase in dogs given up due to the bad economy. Sean says most small dogs they take in have longer hair. “People can no longer afford the grooming,” says Sean.

In New York City, where space is at a premium for people in their homes, Sean says it is easier to place small dogs and cats than it is to place 80 percent of the dogs they take in, which are usually some sore of pit bull terrier or pit bull terrier mix.

If you have a bias against pit bulls, it is probably because you’ve never met one. The media hype has created a monster out of a very loyal, normal sweet tempered breed.

Unlike some areas of the country, Sean says many New Yorkers don’t have the irrational fear of pit bulls, nor are there any BSB’s (Breed Specific Bans). Sean says there are two reasons most of his canine rescues are pit bulls, “Unfortunately, they are the dog of choice in many drug infested, lower income areas,” says Sean. “Some of the issues come from homeowner’s insurance banning the animals from the policies.”

Sean says he is also seeing more pit bulls coming into the municipal shelters that have been confiscated at New York Housing Authority properties, which began banning any dog over 35 pounds. Although current pets were grand fathered in under the new rules, many people failed to register their pets, making them ineligible to stay.

Sean’s goals are to get his new shelter up and running and to continue to find forever homes for as many homeless animals as possible.

For those who think that the younger generations aren’t giving back to society, they only have to look to Sean for proof otherwise.

For more information on the Sean Casey Animal Rescue in Brooklyn, NY or to make a donation, visit his website.

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Tags: animal rescue, Brooklyn NY shelter, Sean Casey Animal Rescue
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Amber Finds Love, Adopter Finds Hope

February 19th, 2010

Amber

Linda Elsik was drawn to the yellow colored terrier mix listed on PetFinder.com due to the fact she was missing an eye.

“I thought she was cute, I didn’t think many people would want to adopt a dog with one eye,” says Linda. “She looks like she is constantly winking at you.”

Linda was partially right.

No one who had met Amber in the 3 months she had been with Jan Tuma’s Dire Straits Companion Animal Rescue in West Chicago, Illinois wanted her, but it wasn’t because she only had one eye.

The energy that allowed Amber to elude animal control for over one month before they finally caught her hadn’t disappeared.

Little did Linda know that energy – the very thing that kept anyone else from taking a second look at Amber – would be the one thing that pulled her through one of the most difficult times of her life.

“She was very high energy and very challenging,” says Jan. “This wasn’t a dog just anyone could handle.” Jan should know, she’s worked with animals all of her life. She is a vet tech and her rescue only takes the hardest to place animals, the ones that are permanently disabled due to abuse and neglect.

When Linda contacted Dire Straits about Amber, Jan was at her wits end. Jan had plucked Amber from death row at the municipal shelter, as she didn’t meet their criteria for adoption. She had a badly injured eye and she had shown some dog on dog aggression. Amber’s eye was so badly damaged, Jan had to arrange for it to be removed.

Dire Straits is a small, 2-year-old, 1-person rescue that operates on some of Jan’s funds, a few donations and the adoption fees Jan’s received on the 26 injured and abused animals Jan’s been able to adopt out.

Jan also had to board Amber at a local vet clinic for 3 months, as her own home was full of fosters. “I can only push my family so far,” Jan says.

Jan was in the process of trying to find another organization that could take the rambunctious pup when Linda called and asked to see her.

Jan explained about Amber’s high energy and told her she had some issues with other dogs and that Amber had also nipped at some people. She had been roaming the streets before she was picked up and it was no telling what she had went through.

Still, Linda felt compelled to take the one-eyed cutie.

She and her husband had lost their 13-year-old dog months before and they were ready for another canine companion. As well, Linda’s children were grown and lived away from home while attending college.

“I figured I could work with her and now I had the time,” says Linda.

Linda and her husband took Amber home on a Wednesday last May.

On Saturday, Linda’s husband had a heart attack. The ambulance arrived and people were in and out of the house. Amber went crazy with all of the chaos.

In those days immediately following her husband’s death, Linda only knew one thing. “Exercise is a great anti-depressant,” says Linda. “We started walking for sometimes an hour or more at a time.”

The walks not only helped Amber exercise some of her high energy levels out, but gave Linda something on which to focus. At first, Amber was skittish of everything, even leaves and plastic in trash cans. Linda knew Amber needed a lot of attention and Linda also needed to give attention to something else in her life.

Linda tried group training, but Amber was still too scared around other people and dogs. Linda focused on one-on-one training with Amber, and they continued to walk.

Linda didn’t even call Jan to tell her of her husband’s death. “I was afraid she would want to take her back,” says Linda.

Jan says she usually calls new adopters within a week, but waited longer than usual to make the follow-up call on Amber. “I had been so excited to find someone to commit to her, I kind of put off calling, I was almost afraid they would want to return her. Amber was such a crazy dog,” says Jan. “When I called and found out what happened, I felt really bad. She told me how Amber had given her something to get up for and focus on.”

Linda says things are getting better for both her and Amber now. Amber has settled a little, but says, “She’s still no angel.” Amber is still crated when visitors come to the house and she has had a couple of escape episodes, slipping from her harness, leash and even a couple of times from the house, earning her the nickname “Houdini.” Still, she doesn’t try to run away, she seemingly knows that she and Linda need each other equally. “She got away from me once when I fell off the front step and I just laid there because I knew she would come back to check on me,” says Linda.

Linda adds that Amber is definitely a part of the family. They are all looking forward to a trip to Florida this year. Amber has also moved from her crate at night, first to the floor beside Linda’s bed, and finally, in bed with Linda.

“I really feel she saved me,” says Linda. “I believe things happen for a reason.”

Dire Straits Companion Animal Rescue could use your help. Jan needs loving, caring people to volunteer to foster animals, as well as permanent homes for the pets she rescues. Jan also is in the process of setting up her non-profit status. If you’ve had experience in this area and would like to help, contact her at direstraitsresq@gmail.com

Has an animal that came into your life ever saved you? Tell us your story in the comments section.

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Tags: dire straits companion animal rescue; petfinder.com; amber;jan tuma
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Be a Homeless Animal’s Valentine

February 12th, 2010

Are you looking for that special Valentine’s Day gift for that animal lover in your life? It might be for an older mother or grandmother who can’t care for a pet, or maybe it is for a child who is too young yet to have the full-time responsibility of a cat or dog, or maybe it’s for someone (like me) who wouldn’t mind having more pets, but just don’t have the space or money to care for them.

Or, it could be you’re digging your brain trying to tell your loved one what to give you.

The perfect gift is a sponsored pet from The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City, or your own local humane society or no-kill shelter.

The Sponsor a Pet, or SAP program as the HSGKC calls it is a great program that allows you to sponsor a homeless pet without taking it home. The dog or cat stays at the shelter, but you receive information on it and can even visit it if you like. The sponsorship helps defray the cost of the shelter’s care of the animals.

Before Reba found a forever home, she was my mom's sponsor dog

When my mother’s Maltese, Tinker, passed away from old age just as my mother was growing weaker, my mom missed her dog terribly. That Christmas, I sponsored a dog for her from the humane society. Reba was an older dog and had been at the shelter a while. The HSGKC sent Mom a package with Reba’s story and her photo. Mom hung that photo right by her chair, where it stayed until she entered the hospital during the last 6 weeks of her life.

During her hospital stay, she asked me to call the shelter and check on Reba at least once a week. When I called the shelter to ask the SAP rep about Reba, I explained my mom was in the hospital and a few days later “Reba” sent Mom a get-well card, which brightened her day. The card sat with the others sent by friends and family on her windowsill in her hospital room.

The gift of a donation partially made Reba’s stay at the shelter more comfortable, and I know the thought of having “her” dog made my mom’s last days better.

It was truly a gift for both of them.

You can choose a dog or a cat through the program and it costs as little as $30 for a 3 month sponsorship.

So, how about making a special pet in a shelter your valentine? I guarantee it will last longer than flowers and it really is the gift that keeps on giving.

(Note: It would be wonderful to adopt a pet and give it a forever home. But, please do not give any pet as a gift. Animals are a long-term commitment and before actually getting a pet, many things must be taken into consideration to make sure it will not end up abandoned).

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Tags: humane society of greater kansas city, pet sponsorships, valentines day
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Pets are a Long-Term Commitment

February 7th, 2010

I was so sad the other day when I read a repost by a friend of a friend on Facebook who was looking for a new home for her kitty of 5 years. The woman said her BF (boy friend) REALLY didn’t like the cat, as he was allergic. Besides, she wrote, he had leather furniture and cat claws do not mix with leather well.

This was the story of a cat, but this happens with dogs all too often as well.

I couldn’t help but wonder how long the relationship would last with the woman and the BF, even if they do eventually marry, the odds are against them. Approximately 65 percent of marriages in the U.S. end in divorce.

Would this woman then be lonely and wish she had back her kitty that she professed to love and by her own words had been her “best friend” for the past five years?

It was all I could do to keep from asking her.

When I married my husband, I knew he was also a sensitive animal lover. That’s just the way we are. I can’t imagine either one of us asking the other to give up our pets. They are our family. To us, it would be akin to someone asking us to give up our kids.

Last year, when I was writing profiles for clients of a nationally known dating site, I always smiled when I saw they insisted in their profile that their potential future mate must also be willing to accept their dog or cat.

Too many people take on the responsibility of a pet without taking many things into consideration about their lifestyle and its’ compatibility with a pet.

I’ve posted photos of our current band of Fearsome Four, all of which were given up or abandoned because they were just doing things dogs do.

Of course, there are the exceptions, people and families in this economy have lost their jobs and are having problems feeding themselves and their pets, and they have lost their homes. The ASPCA estimates that 1 to 2 million pets has been abandoned at rescues and shelters since the Great Recession officially began in December 2007. Rescue organizations are struggling not only with the flood of pets being forfeited, but the costs associated with care as donations are down nationwide.

Now is certainly not the time to turn another pet onto the overburdened rescue system if you can help it. The SPCA of Monterey County has tips to help you if you’re really struggling to keep your pet with you. The Humane Society of the United States also has behavioral tips and tips to help if someone in your family suddenly develops an allergy for a pet in your home.  Please also check out the other blogs here, the pet experts giving advice on health, nutrition, positive training and general tips are some of the best anywhere!

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Feline Ranch also Helps Dogs

February 3rd, 2010

Hobo was found starving. Unfortunately, she was too sick to save

When Cheryl Johnston and Brenda Barton learned there had been over 60,000 cats euthanized in Illinois alone last year due to the lack of homes, they decided to try to do something about it.

Along with a few good volunteers, they founded Forever Home Feline Ranch in Springfield, Illinois, and in less than a year, have secured their 501(C)3 non-profit status and helped 27 cats.

Tipper is one of the cats up for adoption at Forever Home Feline Ranch

Although their name implies they only help our four-legged feline friends, their food bank program, which gives pet food to people who are having a hard time in this economic climate, has also helped families with dogs. “We decided to include dogs in that program because some people have both and we just didn’t think it was fair or right to help them with their cats and not their dogs,” says Johnston.

They are currently helping a family who lives in a 1-room motel room and have 3 cats and a small Dachshund/Chihuahua mix. Two of the cats were dumped at the motel and the ranch is also currently trying to help find homes for them.

The Forever Home Feline Ranch has raised $6,000 since August 2009 to rescue cats from shelters and from the streets. This money has also goes to help families with veterinarian and pet food costs. Barton, Johnston and their volunteers have put in their own money and given up their leisure time trying to make sure as many pets as possible are helped. One of the cats they rescued, Hobo, was found starving to death and covered in fleas. Although treatment seemed to be going well, Hobo suddenly started having seizures and unfortunately, died. The volunteers were very sad to have lost Hobo, but were also glad that Hobo found love and and had someone holding her when she died.

The Forever Home Feline Ranch needs a home so it can shelter cats as foster families are limited. They are hoping someone will give them a monetary donation for the land and building or donate a rural property with outbuildings that can be converted into shelters.

For more information on the Forever Home Feline Ranch, call (217) 679-1593 or email them at feline_ranch@yahoo.com

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Tags: Cat Rescue; Forever Home Feline Ranch; Pet Rescue
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What is a Rescue?

February 3rd, 2010

Hershey Kiss

Welcome!

When we rescued our first dog back in 1996, a black and brown miniature Dacshund named Hershey, I don’t think I had heard the word “rescue” associated with pets. We didn’t consider it a “rescue,” we simply were taking a dog no one seemed to want, including her former owners.

Hershey had a bad attitude toward children and other dogs. I knew if she ended up at the municipal shelter, as her former owner threatened, she probably wouldn’t be adopted.

Hershey came to us shortly after we lost our three Maltese, two of which I had purchased in the early 1980s from a backyard breeder.

Hershey soon became not just our pet, but our “only” very spoiled child.

We didn’t go anyplace without her, including vacations and our weekend boating trips. She became known as the dog in the pink lifejacket among other regulars at our local fishing lake. When a series of daytime home invasions threatened our neighborhood, we had an alarm system installed just to protect Hershey, who was at home waiting for us to return from work each day.

Hershey was the first dog to teach us that good dogs can be the ones no one else wants.

As a journalist, I covered cops and courts for a local paper in Kansas City and in the process, covered a horrendous dog torture case. That coverage led me to learn about the problem of puppy mills in Kansas and Missouri, as well as to the shocking numbers of homeless pets that are euthanized in shelters each year because there simply aren’t enough homes to fulfill the supply.

In 2000, I wrote an investigative piece called “Disposable Pets” about the puppy mill problem.

I’m sorry to say a decade later that although awareness is higher about the overpopulation problem and “rescue” is a term commonly recognized among animal lovers, the overpopulation problem still persists and puppy mills and backyard breeders continue to churn out pets onto the flooded market.

However, the good news is that there are literally thousands of rescues across the country helping unwanted and abandoned animals. Some are large and have a high profile, such as Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, which took many of the Michael Vick fighting dogs thought hopeless. Those dogs are now referred to as “Victory Dogs,” as they are some of the first fighting dogs in the country to be rehabilitated from their horrible abuse to their natural state as loving companions.

But many rescue organizations don’t have high profiles that secure large donations. Most rescues are local grass roots initiatives founded and ran by a few, or even one, good-hearted person. Some have put their entire life savings into the animals.

They believe, as we came to believe when we got Hershey, that every dog deserves a second chance at a forever home.

These are some of the rescues, along with their dogs that I hope to profile on this blog. Bookmark this address and end your week every Friday with an uplifting story of dogs who have found their forever homes and those who helped them get there!

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Tags: animal rescues, dog rescues, Hershey
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