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Greetings!
| How many times have you watched your GSP stop cold in the backyard, frozen on point, eyeing a robin. You watch his intensity before all heck breaks loose and he chases, and you wonder, "I know he's supposed to be a birddog, but can he hunt?"
We're going to give you a chance to find out.
 On Saturday, April 27, GSP Rescue NE will host a one-day birddog seminar at Addieville East Farm, a premiere hunting preserve in Mapleville, R.I. The event will be sponsored by Purina Pro Plan. Professional and amateur birddog trainers will be on hand with live quail to help see if your dog can point a bird.
Kids are invited, too. And we'd really hoping a lot of them will attend. For them, we'll also offer fishing at Addieville's well-stocked trout pond, along with a guide who'll show them the proper way to catch and release fish. These kids are the future of hunting and fishing in this country and we at GSP Rescue NE want to do everything we can to promote these two outdoor sports for the young ones.
Oh! And we'll also provide lunch!
Cost for the day? $10 per person; $25 per family, and all proceeds go to GSP Rescue NE. The good folks at Addieville are very kindly donating the grounds to us free for the day, all the trainers and guides are also donating their time, and Purina has donated a lot of fun loot. All we have to pay for are the birds and the food.
Sound like fun? It sure does! This will be a unique opportunity at an exclusive hunting preserve to see what skills your GSP might have. It's great chance to do something dog-related with the family, and it's also a wonderful opportunity for the GSP Rescue NE family to get together and actually meet the people we sometimes only get to email or Facebook with!
Mark the date! We'll be sending out more information very soon!
Celeste,Audrey and Michele GSP Rescue NE Board of Directors |
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Hello? Helloooo!?
| REMINDER: The folks answering the phones at GSP Rescue New England LOVE hearing from people. They'd love it even better if calls were made to their personal phones during business hours, which are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The toll-free number is (888) 450-2519 is available at any time and is monitored pretty much 20/7.
Emergency calls, of course, may be made at any time.
Thanks! |
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Important Mr. Fonda Update
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For those folks who don't know, on Feb. 14, 2013 -- Valentine's Day -- our mascot, buddy and all-around best-ever Old Brown Dog, Mr. Fonda, passed away due to complications from old age.
Peter and Jonnie Hallett were his loving caretakers for the last chapter of his life. Most of us had never met the character that was Mr. Fonda, but thanks to the Halletts his antics were known far and wide, and he was a constant source of amusement (and, yes, consternation ;-) for us all.
And when we got word of his death, it took our collective breath away.
Celeste Long, a member of GSP Rescue NE's board of directors, authored the following memorial:
A love letter to Mr. Fonda, Our Special Valentine
Valentine's Day is a day of love and relationships. It was named for St. Valentine, a Christian priest in the 3rd century. Claudius, the Roman Emperor at the time, thought marriage was not good for war since men wanted to stay home with their wives so he outlawed marriage. St. Valentine felt sorry for the couples and married people in secret; when Claudius found out he threw St. Valentine in jail and he was executed on Feb. 14th.
I'm sad to write that Mr. Fonda has crossed over the Rainbow Bridge today too. How fitting that a dog that also brought happiness and joy to so many people should join St. Valentine on his special day. I write with a heavy heart because just like all of our beloved dogs, we wish they could live forever even though we know that can't really be. I also write with joy and pride to know that this special boy had the best of the best in his senior years and that this rescue was able to do that for him.
Mr. Fonda was a dog who lived by his own rules. He was incorrigible and incorruptible. He had standards and he stuck to them. It didn't matter that his standards were frowned upon by his humans, Mr. Fonda was a dog with a mission and he lived every day fulfilling that mission. Mr. Fonda was a dog with a sense of humor. He made us laugh; he made bad days into good ones. He was a faithful companion to long suffering Gunny and taught him the joy of being a dog. Gunny was part of Mr. Fonda's mission too. This was no ordinary old brown dog.
The common thread throughout this day, Mr. Fonda's life, the Halletts and this GSP Rescue NE family is love and relationships. We gave a senior dog love and family for the rest of his life. There's no greater love story than that for this Valentine's Day. As you are celebrating with your Valentine this evening, raise a glass to Mr. Fonda, our own very special Valentine. Remember him with love and fondness and for the joy he brought us.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention what special people Jonnie and Peter Hallett are. I don't have the words to express our thanks for the care they gave Mr. Fonda and how happy we are to have them as part of the GSP Rescue NE family. Today is their 30th wedding anniversary. Who else but people who are so dedicated to the animals in their lives would wish for a normal poop from Mr. Fonda as an anniversary present to themselves? (Mr. Fonda obliged, by the way.) Sadly, when they returned home this evening Mr. Fonda told them it was time. Although Mr. Fonda was a foster dog, tonight I'm proud to say Mr. Fonda became a Hallett.
So, we join the Halletts in celebrating Fonda's life this evening. Our love goes out to them and to all of our rescue family who will miss our unofficial mascot.
St. Valentine is in good company this evening; rumor has it he's been waiting for just such an old brown dog. Godspeed Mr. Fonda Hallett; safe journey home.
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The Old Brown Dog
| In the days after Mr. Fonda's passing, Peter Hallett put together this video of Mr. Fonda. Get your tissues ready.
 | | Mr. Fonda |
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Can You Help Henry?
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He's not a GSP, but Henry could sure use a furever home!
Handsome Henry is a 4-month-old (est. DOB 11-15-12), black and tan coonhound/plott hound mix. He is up to date on all his shots and is neutered. Being a very clever hound, Henry can use the dog door to go out and do his business, but since he's still a little guy with a little bladder, he has trouble being confined to the house for more than 4 or 5 hours without having an accident. He sleeps crated all night. His current weight is 25 pounds, and he has long legs and big paws -- guessing he will be a large dog.
 Henry currently lives with 4 adult dogs, all female. He plays very hard, very energetically and he is still learning boundaries and bite inhibition with the adult dogs. Henry, bottom line, is a big chewing maniac who loves living and playing and thinks the world and every thing in it revolves around him and he takes to it with gusto! He came to his foster mom in rural Missouri after being found in a ditch at 10 weeks of age. He spent approximately a month at a veterinary clinic where he was brought back to good health.
He knows "sit" and is working on "stay" and "come." He takes a treat well and is learning to wait his turn. Henry is definitely food motivated in his training. He knows his name and is making good progress for an energetic pup his age. He does everything that puppies do -- attempts to chew up the furniture, books, anything that is in mouth range is fair game.
Henry likes to crawl in your lap and snuggle for short periods of time before he must investigate something else that has caught his attention. ;-)
Water bottle correction is very interesting to him and he thinks it's quite fun that squirts of water come from nowhere. He walks well on a lead and goes wherever his nose takes him. He rides in a car OK but within a few minutes thinks that he should be in your lap driving.
He has not been around cats or small animals. Henry is still in Missouri but can easily be transported to New England. |
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Breed Quiz
| Test your knowledge of the AKC's most popular breeds!
1. America's "First Dog," Bo is the beloved pet of the Obama family. His breed is known to be loyal and an exceptional swimmer. What breed of dog is Bo? - Newfoundland
- Giant Schnauzer
- Portuguese Water Dog
- Scottish Terrier
2. What was the number one most popular dog breed of the 1920s? - Boston Terrier
- German Shepherd Dog
- Labrador Retriever
- Scottish Terrier
3. Which of the top 10 most popular dogs enjoyed TV stardom on the sitcom Full House? - Poodle
- Shih Tzu
- Labrador Retriever
- Golden Retriever
4. Which of the top 10 most popular dogs serves as the mascot for Yale University, Georgetown, Butler University, and the United States Marine Corps, among others? - Bulldog
- Boxer
- Labrador Retriever
- Dachshund
5. In the movie "Toy Story," Slinky, a dog with a metal slinky for a mid-section, is one of Andy's many toys. This elongated breed is one of the top 10 most popular breeds. What breed of dog is Slinky? - Bulldog
- Dachshund
- Harrier
- Whippet
6 Which of the following was one of the original nine breeds registered with the AKC in 1884? - Golden Retriever
- West Highland White Terrier
- English Setter
- Mastiff
7. In ABC's Modern Family, Jay and Gloria Pritchett own a dog named Stella. Stella's breed continues to gain popularity and in 2012 moved up the list from #19 to #14. What breed is Stella? - Shih Tzu
- Doberman Pinscher
- French Bulldog
- Miniature Schnauzer
8. Newspaper cartoon Marmaduke has been one of America's most beloved comic dogs since 1954. This breed entered the top 20 in 2011 and was the #17 most popular dog in 2012. What breed is Marmaduke? - Mastiff
- Boston Terrier
- Great Dane
- Shetland Sheepdog
9. What do "Uno," the famous winner of the Westminster Dog Show, and former President Lyndon Johnson's dogs "Him" and "Her" have in common? - They are all Scottish Terriers.
- They are all Beagles.
- They are all Cocker Spaniels.
- They are all Labrador Retrievers.
10. In the 2001 movie "Legally Blonde," Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) has a small, smart and feisty dog named Bruiser. This toy breed has been in the top 20 for the past decade. What breed of dog is Bruiser? - Chihuahua
- Boston Terrier
- Pomeranian
- Poodle
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Quiz Answers
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 | | Bo Obama |
1. Bo was a gift to the Obamas from Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy. Bo was a littermate of one of Sen. Kennedy's Portuguese Water Dogs. Known for its waterproof coat and ability to swim all day, the Portuguese Water Dog has gained popularity in the past decade, moving up the list from #73 to #55 in 2012.
 | | Rin Tin Tin |
2. Shortly after Rin Tin Tin was featured in the Warner Brothers film Man From Hell's River (1922), the German Shepherd Dog became #1 in AKC registrations (1925-1928). The breed is still extremely popular today. While a favorite canine companion, GSDs are also hailed as the world's leading police, guard, and military dog, and was the second most popular dog of 2012.  | | Comet |
3. The Golden Retriever played the Tanner family's pet dog, Comet, on the sitcom Full House. Golden Retrievers, with their intelligence and eager to please attitude were the 3rd most popular dog in 2012 and are consistently in the top 10. 4. The Bulldog, which has steadily risen up the ranks, became the 5th most popular dog of 2012. An extremely popular mascot for  | | Blue II |
colleges and organizations, Yale was the first university in the U.S. to adopt a mascot, and its Bulldog "Handsome Dan" was established in the 1890s by a young man from Victorian England who attended the University. Butler University's current Bulldog mascot, Blue II, is retiring this year after nearly 9 years of service. Georgetown formally adopted "Jack" the Bulldog as its official mascot in 1962.  | | Slinky |
5. Slinky is a Dachshund. The dachshund, meaning "badger dog" in German, were bred in the early 1600s in Germany to dig the ground and hunt badgers. This playful breed ranked #10 in 2012.  | | English setter |
6. One of the oldest sporting breeds, the English Setter was developed in England more than 400 years ago. While the 1800s were the only decade that the English Setter reigned as the number one breed, it remained in the top ten for four decades, but hasn't been in the top ten since the 1910s.  | | Stella |
7. Stella is a French Bulldog. Often described as "a clown in the cloak of a philosopher," this companion dog continues to become more and more popular each year. It has risen from the 58th most popular breed in 2002 to the 14th in 2012. French Bulldogs are known for their trademark "bat" ears.  8. Marmaduke is a Great Dane. Over the past decade, the Great Dane has steadily climbed the most popular breeds list, going from #28 in 2002 to #17 in 2012. Known as a "gentle giant," Great Danes are strong yet friendly.  | | Uno |
9. All three famous dogs are Beagles. The Beagle is the only breed to rank in the top 10 every year since its acceptance into the AKC registry in 1885. The Beagle was the 4th most popular dog in the U.S. in 2012. Another famous Beagle, Snoopy, is the only non-living dog to receive AKC registration, and was also crowned the king of canines in "AKC's Top 125 Dogs in Pop Culture" poll.  | | Bruiser |
10. Bruiser was a Chihuahua. The breed is graceful, alert and often referred to as "purse dogs" because of their tiny size. Chihuahuas were ranked #18 most popular breed in 2012. |
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Look Who's Been Adopted!
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More GSPs have found their forever homes!
They are: Rusty, Buster, Gruff, Hunter, Scott, Kia and Rosie.
Hooray for the dogs!! Hooray for their new families!! :-)
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Donations
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Donations have gratefully been accepted this month from:
Michelle Koch, in memory of Elmer and Trixie; Peter Russo, Jen Weston, Cheryl Martin, Dorianne Doulames, Brendan Boyle, Sharron Eukers, Mia Unson, Michelle Koch, Erin Hanley, in memory of Mr. Fonda; Jamie Raymond, Deborah Longtin, Sara Shirley, Jami Barrett, Bill Crawford, in memory of Mr. Fonda; Bryan Sexauer, Gail Bartlett, Deborah Shepardson, Danelle Gatcombe, Helga Wilson, Deb Girouard, Robin Herrmann, Carole Messenger-Rioux, JoAnn Stevelos, Johanna Voss, Janet Zwirko, Michelle Michaels, Valerie Brachet, Anonymous, Janet Grieco, in memory of Mr. Fonda; Janet Sleczkowski, Lisa Casello, Tara Genzlinger, Julie Doucette, Sue Tenuta, in memory of Mr. Fonda; Christiane Williams, Denise Albro, Michelle Salyers, in memory of Heidi, Rudy and Pete; Susan Phillips, Carol Wall-Ellis, Christine Voss, Joan Lucas,Lucy Cobos, Cliff Lawson, Carol Hornburg, Shelly Loomis, Debbie Reahard, Lynn Roesser, Mary Ann Calcagno, Renee Pizzo, Cristina Decotis, Jane Hersey, Ray Lafazia, Susan Wagner, Maurice and Margaret Bennett, Paul and Deb Schottler, Pat Russell in memory of Bogey, Delta and Ruby, Susan Wagner, Vi-Anne and Chris Brown, Frank Straccia, Betsey Hallihan, Catherine Parmentier, Douglas Leenhouts, Jeanne Boudreau, Amanda Lohin, Tom Yukna, Arthur Berry, Joanna Cadorette, Sarah Dow, Tracy Landauer, Laurel Patt, Sandy Castle, Tracy Forkin, in memory of Smores; Amanda and Tom Dakin, Gail Wise, Kath Cordeiro, Karin Pomerantz, Susan and Gil Rifkin, Caryl Johnson, Larry Snediker, Bobo's Playland, Darlene Tsubota, Jeff Adams, Bonita Tilbe.
Thank you all for your generosity!
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Thank You, Donors!
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For those who have graciously made donations to GSP Rescue NE and would like a receipt, please contact Celeste.
And, once again, a big THANK YOU to you all. :-)
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Recalls
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Salmonella bacteria has been found in routine sample tests of two raw dog foods, one from a New England company.
Bravo! Raw Food Diet
 One of the affected products include Bravo! Raw Food Diet 2 lb. Chicken Blend for Dogs and Cats manufactured by Bravo!, LLC, of Manchester, Connecticut.
This is a frozen pet food product with the production code of 06/14/12, which is located on the white tag on the end of the package.
This advisory is for the 2 lb. size of Bravo! Chicken Blend with the "Best Used by Date" of 6/14/14 only.
For further information, consumers are invited to contact the company at 866-922-9222.
Steve's Real Food
 The other affected product includes Steve's Real Food Turducken Canine Diet 8 ounce patties, manufactured by Steve's Real Food, Inc., of Murray, Utah.
There are no reports of human or animal illnesses associated with consumption of these products.
Consumers are asked to discard any of these products they may have.
You can report complaints about FDA-regulated pet food products by calling the consumer complaint coordinator in your area. Or go to http://www.fda.gov/petfoodcomplaints
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Calendars Are Selling Fast!
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We still have 2013 calendars featuring our rescue dogs available but they're selling like hotcakes! Contact Celeste to order yours before they're gone! |
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Help Us With
Our Year-Round Fundraisers
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Zeppa Studios designs and produces unique gifts for dog and other animal lovers.
Their Project Rescue was specifically created to help rescue groups earn money and for customers to save money!
Enter the coupon code for German Shorthaired Pointer Rescue New England (GSPRNE) during your online check-out or mention it to the customer service rep when ordering by phone. Customers get 10 percent off their order, GSP Rescue NE will get 20 percent.
For information or to see their product line, go to ZeppaStudios
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We need your help. We have recently partnered with Alphapooch to help us provide more comfortable living for our pet residents through their Buy a Bed Give a Shelter Bed Program. Alphapooch has agreed to donate a shelter bed to us for our foster dogs for every pet bed you purchase from their site: Alphapooch.com/pfgroups.
It's pretty simple. For every item you purchase for your family pets, the pets at our foster homes will get a comfortable bed to rest on! Alphapooch uses a wonderfully soft bedding material called Unreal Lambskin® that both cats and dogs just adore. We love the beds too as they are completely machine washable.
You can find more information on the program as well as their extensive catalogue through the link below (just click HERE to go directly to their website).
Help us make our foster homes a more relaxing place for our dogs while waiting for their forever home and while also treating your own pet to a luxurious new bed!
Thank you for the help!
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Book Donations Needed
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GSP Rescue NE is joining with
Got Books? as a new means of fundraising. Got Books? works by placing bins for recycled books in parking lots. If you have a parking lot with one extra space for a bin please contact Celeste.
This is a one year commitment. All you have to do is donate the space and call Got Books? to empty the bins when they're full.
Rescue gets paid per pound of books. Got Books? will work for rescue through active participation by the GSP Rescue organization and the community.
Requirements are:
1. Safety - The bin must be placed in a safe location for drivers, pedestrians and participants
2. Location - The Got Books? container should be visible to your members as well as the surrounding community
Successful programs establish a plan for getting books from the community. Posting information in the weekly program and bulletins, posting information on your website, and alerting local paper
about the Got Books? program and what Rescue is raising the money for. Every organization is unique and there is more than one way to accomplish the task of getting the books in to the Got Books? container.
Got Books? is a great way to increase recycling and earn extra money for programs within Rescue.
For more information on Got Books? or if you have room at your business to house a collection bin, contact Celeste.
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Dog Door Discount!
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GSP Rescue New England is listed among rescue groups and shelters that have participated in Hale Pet Door's Rescue Rewards program.
The Rescue Rewards works this way: When customers let Hale know that they adopted a pet (either recently or in the past), they receive a 10 percent discount on the cost of their Hale Pet Door. And then Hale makes a donation for that same 10 percent amount to the organization that the customer tells them about. In 2010, Hale donated more than $20,000 to rescues and shelters all over the country.
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Partners For Pets Program
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Bissell's Partners for Pets program supports pet adoption and homeless pets. When you buy selected pet products on bissell.com, you save 10% (with free shipping) and BISSELL will donate 10% of your purchase price to a pet shelter of your choice. For more information, click here.
Use the code ADOPT at the BISSELL checkout to receive the discount. Click here to view eligible products.
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