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Stamps to the Rescue
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Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet is the Postal Service's 2010 social awareness stamp.  The Postmaster says he hopes the campaign will increase public awareness about sheltered pets and encourage pet adoption.  The stamps feature photographs of five cats and five dogs who were adopted from a shelter in New Milford, CT.  Available April 30
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Adoptable Animals
Alice | | Charlene |
Cosmo |
Darby |
Dudley |
Enzo |
Frankie |
Gucci |
Harley |
Jake |
Jimmy |
Kayla |
Kodi |
Lenny |
Lu |
Luke |
Melanie |
Molly |
Nelly |
Nestle |
Pearl |
Peggy |
Penny |
Petie |
Princess |
Red |
Sidney |
Simba |
Snickers |
Tiny |
Trisha & Mia |
Valentine | |
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Carol and Dee with Aladdin at Gulliver for the donation drive
 | Today is Earth Day! Time to celebrate the Earth and learn ways we can alter our habits to make a positive impact on the environment. And with over 74.8 million dogs in the U.S., chances are, each one is leaving his or her mark on the environment too.
So how can you help your pup be more green? If you couldn't make our Green Dog Day event, check out our Events Page for some quick tips you can do today and every day to raise a Green Dog!
Today I would like to also share some good things that are happening this month with Paws 4 You Rescue.
We visited with Dee Hoult, who was excited to share a new program she has through Applause Your Paws. "Dogs&Storks" is for families who have dogs and are ready to introduce their four legged family member to the newest little addition. This is very exciting because one of the reasons why dogs are turned into shelters is that families have no time left to devote to the dog or new parents have a fear that the pet will not get along with the baby.
Also in this month's edition, a Paws 4 You Rescue adopter offers our readers some great advice on integrating a new dog into a home with other furry companions. Linda, her husband and their Miniature Pinscher share their experiences leading up to adopting Gracie.
A glance at Radar's happy ending story is also very inspiring. Knowing the fate that awaited and now seeing him in a happy home is heartwarming. We look forward to many more of these happy endings!
The Rescue counts on the contributions from the community to keep saving dogs like Gracie and Radar. A big thank you goes out to GPAWS from Gulliver School for their hard work at organizing a donation drive for our dogs! Working with a smart group of teenagers who love animals is fun for our organization. We share the details of rescuing for them to take with them after graduation. We know they will all be volunteering (or running) their own rescue group in the town they decide to call home after college.
And a bigger thank YOU for reading and passing around the Paws 4 You Rescue's monthly e-newsletters. Please keep in mind that the Rescue is always looking for adults to be hands on with our dogs! WE NEED YOU! If you have been looking for an organization to donate your time and talents, please consider Paws 4 You Rescue. The reward of helping those who can't help themselves is tremendous.
For more information on what you you can do to help make a difference, please email us at volunteer@paws4you.org. We are currently planning this summer's Third Annual Putt 4 Paws Golf Tournament at Doral Country Club.
I hope to see you at our April 30 fundraiser! Beautiful works of art for sale with proceeds benefiting the Rescue. More details below.
Sincerely,
Carol Caridad, President
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Dogs & Storks: Help for Expecting Parents
 by Dee C. Hoult, CPDT
Applause Your Paws, Inc.
Baby's homecoming should be a
joyous event for everyone in the family. But unfortunately, the pitter-patter of little feet - not to mention the
crying, chaotic schedules, and cranky parents that follow close on their heels
- strikes fear in the heart of many a brave dog. Too many
dogs lose their homes when, in a sleep-deprived haze their families decide that
something has to give. Now,
however, expecting parents can breathe a sigh of relief because there is help
out there to make the transition worry free. Say hello to Dogs&Storks!
Created in 2002, the national
Dogs&Storks program has helped hundreds of expectant parents integrate
their two-legged and four-legged family members using gentle, effective
techniques that are also fun and safe. Jennifer Shryock, a certified dog
behavior consultant, designed the program, drawing on her degree in Special
Education, plus her experiences raising three children and over 70
foster-dogs. Since the program's
inception in Shryock's native North Carolina, Dogs&Storks has recruited a
select number of highly qualified canine behavior specialists to take this
vital service to the public nationwide.
By teaching expectant
families to understand their dogs' sensitivities, body language, and attention
seeking behaviors, the Dogs&Storks program provides practical education
during pregnancy and continued support after baby arrives. Licensed Dogs&Storks presenters
help to address the concerns of expectant parents, decrease the stress
associated with baby's arrival, and ensure the safety of all family members.
And because presenters are not only educators, but also qualified professional
dog trainers and behavior modification experts, they can design and implement
management and training plans tailored to each family should the need for more
in-depth intervention arise.
"What a gift it is for
families to know that when their two-legged babies come home, they can keep
their four-legged ones, too," says Cindy Gonzalez, an expecting mother in
Palmetto Bay with four dogs and a Paws 4 You Rescue volunteer. "Our dogs are an important part of our family and
we want to do all that we can to keep them in the family after our baby comes
-- that's why we looked for a Dogs&Storks presenter in our area." Because it's
never too early to start preparing your dog for life with baby, here are some suggestions
to help you prepare:
- Review and firm up your
dog's obedience skills
- Socialize your dog
around children in a positive and controlled environment
- Allow your dog to become
familiar with baby equipment
- Put a teddy bear in the
baby's carrier and move through the house and yard with it
- Walk your dog with an
empty stroller
- Use a CD of baby noises
to introduce baby sounds
- Familiarize your dog
with the person that may care for them if you're hiring help
- Pick a secure spot for
your diaper pail
- If your dog is due for
his yearly check-up and vaccinations, schedule your visit well ahead of time
- Visit dogsandstorks.com for more information and to find a presenter in your area!
For more information
regarding Dogs&Storks, e-mail Dee directly at training@applauseyourpaws.com or visit www.applauseyourpaws.com. |
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Gracie's Story
This past January, Linda and Mike set out on a search for a
new addition to their family -- which includes one animal baby, their nine-year-old
Miniature Pinscher mix, Nola. Knowing that dogs benefit from having
canine company when left home alone without human companionship, Linda and Mike
wanted Nola to have a friend to cuddle up with in the same dog-bed, line up for
treats together, get spunky and play together.
Sadly for the entire family, Linda and Mike's mixed breed shelter rescue,
Mr. Bogart, passed away following an extended battle with cancer - leaving Nola
and the house in general with feelings of emptiness and heavy hearts. It is not
easy to lose a canine family member, and it's definitely not easy trying to
"replace" the lost pet. After Mr. Bogart's passing, Nola became withdrawn,
followed by needy and clingy -- always wanting to be next to Linda and Mike's side.
After
much consideration about the kind of dog that would fit into Linda and Mike's
lifestyle, habits, needs and financial situation, it was decided that Nola's new companion should not be a
high-energy adult dog or new puppy which would require constant supervision and
exercise. It was also decided that a dog under twenty five pounds would be best suitable for
Linda and Mike's physical strength (in the case the dog would need to be lifted), so the
idea of finding Nola a large new friend was out of the question. The final
preference for Linda and Mike was to find a canine companion with minimal grooming
requirements, putting long-haired dogs out of the equation too.
Gracie on her first day at P4Y |
Was it possible to find exactly what Nola and they were looking for and needed?
They all wondered....that is until they met Gracie.
It was at a Paws 4 You Rescue adoption event where Linda and Mike experienced
love at first sight. Nola went along to interview new four legged buddies because
Paws 4 You Rescue encourages that families bring their current dogs to meet
prospective new family members on neutral turf. Nola and Gracie had the
opportunity to go outside for a walk together, where neither showed any
aggression towards each other. Even though the dogs were getting along, the
loss of Mr. Bogart still weighed heavy on Linda and Mike, who decided that a
straight out adoption felt too big of a next step. That's when Carol Caridad,
President of Paws 4 You, recommended fostering Gracie for a week. That decision
made all the difference because there was no pressure into making a hasty
decision on adding a new family member to their home.
Within a few days of bringing Gracie home, they learned of
her proclivity to investigate closets and counter-tops to find
Gracie and Nola | items to chew
on. Doggie gates were used to keep Gracie out of certain rooms while unattended
and to keep things on the counter in their rightful place instead of in a dog's
mouth. By the end the foster period there was no doubt that Nola had found a
new soul mate and that Gracie would be a permanent resident.
Not only did Mike and Linda feel drawn to Gracie because of their previous history with a spaniel, but they so enjoyed the new feeling in their home and the sight of Nola having dog company again.
In a multi-dog household we are inevitably faced with the
loss of a pet and eventually we will go seeking for that happy balance again with
a new dog. It's natural to find ourselves inadvertently comparing our new dog to our previous one, and
always miss those special things that made a previous dog such a beloved member
of our family. That's why finding the right match should be a careful and
thoughtful process, so that a new dog will create relaxation instead of stress
in the household. Because parenting dogs brings tremendous joy and unconditional love, Linda and Mike just couldn't
help the drive to want to rescue another
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Through coordinated volunteer efforts such as fundraisers, food drives
and community service projects, Gulliver Preparatory students support
not only local but national charities as well. Gulliver Prep Animal Welfare Society (GPAWS) is a fantastic group of individuals. Organizing and implementing a project to benefit the homeless dogs at our Rescue took many hours of planning and hard work.
Carol, Rita and Dee were invited to the school late last month to launch the Paws 4 You Rescue Donation Drive which allowed them to speak during the morning announcements to not only Gulliver, but surrounding schools as well. Educating the young community about all the great animals out there that need help has great benefit all around. Paws 4 You wants to encourage students to expand their horizons and participate in community service that explore their interests.
GPAWS advertised the week long drive to the student body, faculty and parents with a goal to collect cleaning supplies and dry dog food for the animals at Paws 4 You Rescue. A dog house collection bin was set in a special place for students to donate money toward Aladdin's special surgery that he needed last month.
By week's end, not only were boxes of supplies collected but over $1,280! Everything was presented to Buddy the Dog by members of the GPAWS Club including Mrs. Toledo, Dillon, Kathy, Camila, Carolina, Nathalie and Abby.
Thank you GPAWS for your continued support of
Paws 4 You Rescue!
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Dear Carol,
It was very nice to see you in the vet's office last week. I was very impressed that after two years and hundreds of rescued dogs (including multiple beagles) in your life, you immediately recognized mine and even remembered his original name "Radar" (now his name is Güero)! But even more impressive is how he immediately recognized you and started to wag his tail and howl! He only does that when my husband or I arrive home and happy to see us.
It was such a great moment! That only tells me that you care a lot about each and every dog you save. Please know that they appreciate and will always remember you; Güero's reaction is proof!
Let me give you a quick update. He is a great dog and is very well behaved. My sister calls him "The Gentleman" and we say that if he could speak, he would have a British accent. He loves to play with squeaky toys and fetch whatever you throw. Güero is a true hound, he enjoys chasing the ducks that cross my father's backyard, it is very funny and quite a sight!
He is a happy and healthy dog and we are all very lucky to have found him through Paws 4 You Rescue. It all started with a week of fostering but we couldn't give him back because he won our hearts.
Thank you for saving our Güero,
Anna
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Here's a new easy way to raise money for Paws 4 You Rescue.
Just
start using Yahoo! powered GoodSearch.com as your search engine (instead of Google or Bing) and
they'll donate about a penny to Paws 4 You Rescue every time you do a
search! Just one hundred people performing only TWO searches a day could generate $730 a year!In addition, do all of your shopping through their online shopping
mall, GoodShop.com, where you can shop at more than 900 top online
retailers and a percentage of your purchases will go to Paws 4 You Rescue. You pay the same price as you normally would,
but a donation goes to the adoptable dogs at Paws 4 You.Here's the web site - goodsearch.com. Adding the toolbar to your web browser is easy and a great way to be reminded daily that using GoodSearch.com raises much needed funds for the dogs at P4Y. Or make it your homepage!
You can also read about GoodSearch in the NY Times, Oprah Magazine, CNN, ABC News and the Wall Street Journal.
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