Volunteer Shopkeepers Needed...

TLC runs the only full-time rescue shop in Ventura County... We are able to do this because we have an amazing group of dedicated volunteers, committed to the cause of saving these dogs and puppies off the kill lists from 8 local shelters... 

We need volunteer shopkeepers - folks willing to come in on a scheduled basis each week and ready to pick up poo, clean up behind the dogs, bathe the dogs, feed, care and just about everything else connected to the rescue effort.

It is a LOT of work with at least three shopkeepers on duty during every hour we are open to the general public... 

The laundry is always coming throughout the day (we run at least 15 loads per day), the dishes pile up and are washed, dogs are in various stages of socialization needing specific kinds of care, etc.

Are you committed to No-Kill in Ventura County and are willing to be a volunteer shopkeeper?  Email our Volunteer Coordinator (B.J.) and get started right away - your efforts with TLC save dog lives... What could be a better way to spend a few hours a week?

Barkley the Beautiful has arrived

About 2 weeks ago, I got an email from another rescuer (who routinely saves big breeds) concerning a Pitty with demo... I get a LOT of emails every day and at least 25 times a day I have to say, "I'm sorry, but we don't have room" or "No, TLC can't save (take) this dog"... We just have only so much room and there are SO many dogs dying each day... (sigh)... 

I'm known for taking demo dogs from the shelters, so I wasn't surprised she'd contacted me on this dog...  She's the one who found BabyLove long ago and brought her to our attention... After we pulled the dog and I told her that BabyLove's demo caused her to "seep blood like sweat", she and I both commiserated with each other on how anyone could allow a dog to get into such bad shape without seeking veterinary care for their pet...

And then we both rejoiced with great love and joy when BabyLove found such a FANTASTIC new furever home with two very loving furparents... They renamed her 'Vida" which means 'life'...

My 'recipe' for dealing with demo is not anything that special but the combination of two very good vets and their years and years of experience in treating this...

... You would think by now we would stop seeing dogs showing up in high kill shelters with demo, right?  Sadly, no... And demo is the kiss of death for dogs in shelters for few folks want to adopt them, believing it is contagious and/or too much work and money to bring a dog back to a healthy state... But they still keep showing up and the majority of them die in the shelters...

I called the shelter when I got the email on Barkley and was told they were not sure yet if it was sarcoptic mange (which I do not pull) or demodex... But that the dog was aggressive and on the list for the vet to check out later that day (if he could)...

A day or two later, I got an email from one of my volunteers with Barkley's impound photo (to the left)...

He was coming up adoption two days later on the 21st and could we consider rescuing him?...

I called the shelter again and they confirmed it was indeed demodex and not sarcoptic mange, that he was under medical care but had no one interested in him... Later that day, yet another volunteer asked me about this dog... Kathryn is part of TLC's Bathing Brigade and now familiar with bathing dogs with demo, so I started giving serious consideration to saving this dog...

Although TLC is a small dog breed rescue, last year I made a promise that we would save at least one Pitty a month in 2013... We work off of the kill lists and as the breed most dying in our shelters is the Chihuahua mix, what we do is the hardest thing in rescue - saving the dogs that are most apt to be killed and what is most common in our communities (even less are adopting as well)... The 2nd most common breed to die in the shelters are the bully breeds - they may not even be a Pit Bull, but just look somewhat like one... They get passed by, their time runs out and they die... While shelters can physically hold 3 small Chi mixes longer, that same space is needed for just one large breed... So things did not look that good for this guy...

And I was reminded of my promise to save one Pitty each month in 2013... Saving Momma and her daughter, Koda, then Momma's 9 puppies, 11 of my 12 promises were kept and it was only April... (smile)... 

Later on that day, I was working on some things for Momma and browsing through her photos... She had a pup in her litter that I always liked - PoppySeed - and who I felt was the pick of the litter... He had a black helmet with a white stripe right up the center and cute as cute can be...

PoppySeed had tendency to always jump out in any photo I took of him... In this photo below, PoppySeed is in the upper left... His little foot is stuck out like a celebrity's hand with the paparazzi - "NO MORE PHOTOS, PLEASE!"...  (smile)... Although I loved the experience of seeing Momma's puppies born and raising them until another foster took over at 5 weeks, I sure was glad when they all got speutered and adopted...

And as I saw this photo, I thought to myself that this guy in the shelter was once and cute like PoppySeed... Now this dog was being thrown away like yesterday's newspaper because he had demodex... So I told our volunteer if there was no one willing to step up and save Barkley, TLC would...

This past Monday, Barkley was on my checklist to call the shelter and see if someone had saved him... Although he had become available the day before,

he was still sitting at the shelter and the clock had started ticking on him... (sigh)... Kathryn spoke to me again about Barkley and said she'd be willing to make the drive to Lancaster if need be...

We had another large dog (Laika) at the time we were trying to get to Ben Lomand, which is up above Santa Cruz... And at the time, I was thinking either Paul or I would have to make part of that drive to meet up with Laika's new furever home on Saturday... You can only be in so many places at the same time, ya know?

So, I took Kathryn up on her offer to transport this dog from Lancaster to the rescue shop if we needed her... As it turned out, another TLC volunteer was going to Madera yesterday, and they were able to meet the new adopter... HURRAH!!! for Laika (now renamed Chaska - Native American for 'Sun Goddess')... Chaska's new fur mommy is extremely familiar with GSDs and Dutch Shepherds, so this was a great furever home... Chaska looks pretty happy despite an almost 5 hour drive, huh?

Back to Barkley... I digress here... LOL... I spoke to the shelter again about Barkley and they told me there was a 'CTA' on Barkley (commitment to adopt) and 2 IPs (interested parties)... They had spoken with the man interested in adopting Barkley and he confirmed he'd pick up Barkley on Friday... But that I should call back Friday evening to make sure Barkley had left the shelter...

In the meantime, Kathryn had spoken to the person who held the first IP and the person didn't want to actually pull the dog, but wanted a rescue to do it... She'd foster, but didn't want to be legally responsible for the dog... As a back-up plan, we put a large kennel in Kathryn's car in case she needed to make the drive to Lancaster the next morning early...

And as anal retentive as I am, I put the note on my list of things to do and called back at 5:30PM on Friday evening... Sadly, Barkley was STILL at the shelter... UT OH...

That damned clock was ticking louder now... This is how dogs die in shelters... I put out an SOS to the TLC volunteers to see if someone could cover my opening shift at the rescue shop and when no one could, I asked Kathryn to make the trip to save this dog...

Alas, the two other interested parties did not show up at the shelter for Barkley and thankfully, Kathryn was there to save him... And when she arrived back at the rescue shop with him, I was shocked at just how bad his demo was... Initially I thought he was a blue - that's how dirty and dusty he was... I took him for a walk about to gauge his temperament immediately...

He's spooky but he's gentle... Barkley has a Mastiff head but a Pitty body... And it is obvious that a male abused him... He arrived in a bit of shelter shock and as I am walking and observing him, I'm trying to decide just how much he will allow us to do without pushing him into further shelter shock... I noticed the open sores on his butt and face and figured anything we did was going to be a relief for him, but I didn't think we could lift him off his feet and up into the groomer sink without causing him even more distress...

So, you do what ya gotta do, ya know?  Another great bather and volunteer (Arissa) joined in, bringing out buckets of warm water, towels, wash cloths, etc. and we started the first medicated demo bath right outside the back of the rescue shop...

What a gentle boy he is... He stood patiently as we applied the medicated shampoo and massaged him all over his body... The demo is bad... My guess is it started about a year ago and just moved all over his body... There are secondary infections going on in places, so we already started antibiotics as well...

He's had poor nutrition for awhile and several of his nails are split lengthwise along the vein... Plus his paws are really swollen from the demo and it is down in between his toes, causing it to bleed... It is especially bad on his front feet and I can't imagine having to walk on those swollen feet with split nails as well...

He was so, so good about all of it though... At one point with two volunteers massaging him and working the dead skin and fur gently, he half closed his eyes in an expression of "ahhhhh, that feels good"....

How in the hell do you allow a dog to get this bad? ::shaking head in disgust here::  What is wrong with people?  These dogs - big or little - have souls and give unconditional love without question... Who doesn't have a heart and can let a dog get into this bad of shape?... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Even Barkley's face is stripped of fur and leathery from the ravages of demodex... As we gently rubbed medicated salve into the areas of his face we could not use the medicated shampoo on, the crevices of his jowls are almost painful to touch as you pick them up gently with your fingers and work the meds into the innermost areas... 

But through it all, he was as patient as can be... Never fussed one time and stood there... We had a lead on him, but did not need to use it once throughout this hour long process...

And that is good, because for the next few weeks, this process will need to be repeated every two days as the dead skin comes off (gently) and the hair follicles are massaged back to life... The antibiotics and meds will do their work from the inside, but without tending to the outside as well, it could take months to get this boy back into shape...

Most vets refuse to neuter or spay a dog in this shape because the anesthesia can cause demodex to revert back to the shape you found the dog in, plus the lower auto immune system impedes the healing process allowing for greater infections if they go ahead and speuter a dog... Our vet will have to make that decision however...  Barkley is NOT aggressive, so I see no reason to push hard to get a neuter done right away...

Once we did all of our TLC stuff, we took Barkley to his new area to settle down, eat and relax a bit... That was a lot to go through in a very short period of time yesterday...  But he got the full spa treatment by two of TLC's best bathing volunteers!  When I die, I want to come back as a TLC dog! 

Barkley does not look very big here, but he is about 85 pounds... He could easily stand to gain another 10-15 pounds, but that will need to be decided by our vet as well... I'm just speaking from personal experience here...

Now onto the next hurdle to overcome - meeting Big Momma!

By this time, Paul had made it back to the rescue shop after performing his TLC duty for the day... I put Momma on lead and had Paul take her while I put

Barkley on lead... Despite having at least 20 pounds on Momma, Barkley spooked right away... I don't believe Barkley was used as a fighter (despite the open sores on his nose), but I do believe he was intimidated by men and/or with other large Pitty mixes...

For Barkley to be brought to TLC's adoptable standards, he has to behave and listen as well as Momma does... We have time, of course, but best to judge the interaction of the two of them as soon as possible...

Barkley got his official walk about with Momma yesterday and they did well together... He picked up my commands right away and relaxed enough for me to walk the two of them together...Momma wasn't too happy at first, but she got with the program quick enough...

For now, Barkley is safe and loved... He goes in to see our vet this upcoming week so that a plan of action can be established for his complete rehabilitation and care beyond what we have already put into place... In the meantime, he got a HUGE knuckle bone that he immediately took into his bed and started chewing on...

He's such a good boy and it was not his day to die... Not on our watch anyway!

As they say, 'stay tuned' for more updates on Barkley!

Animals DO vote....

... or at least those of us who are their protectorates do.

(Editorial from the TLC Director)

Last year when we in California were all 'a buzz' about the movement to repeal the Hayden law and save our state $23 million a year (details in case you haven't heard about it), I stood back and was almost awe struck about the hoopla going on.

I admit it... I am very much a 'black and white' person... It is either right or it is wrong... I see things very basic, read past the headlines (which do their job and get my attention) and then I am more apt to ponder and mull over what I have absorbed from around me...

.... So.... Everyone is worried about the Hayden law being repealed and shelters being able to hold unwanted pets even shorter times than they do currently before they can legally kill them...   Hmmmm.... Isn't anyone else but me questioning why the laws exist that almost promote killing for profit?.... Isn't that like rewarding bad behavior?

We Californians - already taxed too high when compared to many other states and in fact the highest in the nation for general sales tax, gas tax and personal income tax (resource) - are actually paying animals shelters $23 million a year or more to KILL adoptable animals?... HUH????

In a state with the largest population (over 37 million with about 18 million registered voters), we Californians pride ourselves in being the most forward thinking and humanitarian state in the nation.  How shameful of us to pay this amount of money to kill animals!

As I mentioned this to others I knew in the humane community, no one but me seemed to find it shocking how much the state pays shelters to actually kill animals.  If they had read much into the articles and emails brewing around, few knew where this money was actually going or how the figure of $23 million came about.

Reader's Digest version?  Current laws require shelters to hold strays for 72 hours (3 days).  Hayden's Law extended this period to 5 days, and if the shelter killed the animal, the state would reimburse the shelter for those 2 additional days.  For animals with an owner, the state reimburses from day 4 to day 10.

Not wanting to think badly of anyone involved in shelters or those messing with county and/or shelter budgets, but think about how much money is earned by the shelter if there is no owner found?  Would that motivate you to work harder to find an owner if you were paid for 7 days by the state?

And if you are doing your job, the most costly days are the first ones - in-taking the animal: appraising their health, vaccinating --- and in our case as a rescue there is the bathing, removing of fleas and ticks, treating illnesses, diarrhea, spay/neutering, fitting for a collar, microchipping, etc. The days after all of this is done are costly for food and maintenance care only --- not nearly as expensive and we do a lot more for our rescues than most shelters do for their intake animals.

So this whole idea of paying shelters for 2 days if a stray (and 7 days if an owner) really makes me question what is wrong with the legal system in our state and if the registered voters truly understand we pay shelters to kill animals....

And how can I say this?  Because if an animal is adopted, the state pays the shelters NOTHING for those days at all.  It is assumed by those that wrote the law that adoption fees would cover the costs of those days beyond 72 hours and there was no need for the state to reimburse shelters.

Think about this... (pause)... Think about this idea... Instead of rewarding good behavior - finding adoptive homes for the vast overpopulation of unwanted pets - we reward shelters if they don't find a home for the animals in their care and kill them... to the tune of about $23 million per year!!!

OMG!

I realize our state is strapped for cash, but there is a far easier way of rapidly increasing our cash flow - remove the high school exit exam and save the state $500 million instead.  If the high school students haven't learned as much as they should by the 11th grade, what will the 12th grade exit exam tell anyone?  And if they go onto college, they will have college entrance exams to do.... and about the same time as the 11th grade exams are going on now!  Makes total sense to me!

Do you know what makes even BETTER sense to me?  Pay shelters to SAVE animals instead of killing them!  REWARD them for moving towards No-Kill and stop the high kill rates at shelters - stop using my tax dollars to kill animals because I don't believe in it unless the quality of life requires it.

I'm not a political person at all, but if we are going to change how things are in our state, we need to become advocates for animals in the political arena... When politicians realize voters who care about animals are not happy with the way things are going, we might finally have some laws that make sense!

You can join the revolution in your own state, but this is how you can do it in California... Join the organization 'AnimalsVote' and have a say in this!

http://www.animalsvote.org/myPage.jsp?id=667

Spotlight on TLC's JackJack!

Meet TLC's newest 'longest resident' (thanks to Alfie's new furever family who just adopted him)!  JackJack has been with TLC for over 2 years now, but we are certain someone will discover how special he is and make all of this time waiting for his furever family worth it by adopting him!

JackJack is a sweet little guy, weighing in at a whopping 4.5 pounds and perfect in frame.  He only has three widdle teeth left, but that doesn't stop him from getting all excited about receiving his Greenie every night before bedtime.  It may take him a little long to chomp through it, but he enjoys every second of it!

Jack is a couch potato extraordinaire!  TLC Director, Linda Nelson, says he has a 'Ph.D. in it'!  He loves to snuggle and curl up in a little ball and snooze the day away.  He is a low maintenance type of guy, enjoying short walks when he can get them and smelling the roses.

This sweetie is very quiet.  He spent a long time in foster care and his former foster mom reported that when he was in a home, he would only bark right before bedtime - when he'd anticipate getting his Greenie for the night.  He would get so excited that he wanted to make sure he wasn't forgotten!  Other than that, he's a quiet little dude.

But don't for a moment think that little JackJack is a boring kind of guy - oh no, he can be a feisty dude at times, showing that he has some spunk and personality.  He's extremely devoted and loyal to the family who cares for him and enjoys getting and giving attention like the best of them!

JackJack gets along well with other little doggies.  Before he came to TLC, he had a rough life and it showed in his teeth and neglected coat condition, but since he's been in the rescue, his coat has grown in beautifully and is very lush to the touch.

JackJack is not a foo-foo chihuahua.  He's got personality and can be a little character, which makes him really fun to be around.  He's a good sport and just hopes that his long wait for his family will be over soon.  He's ready and we'd be thrilled to finally place this deserving baby in a loving furever home!

Please consider adopting our JackJack and put an end to his 2+ years of waiting to be thought of as 'good enough' to be adopted.  He deserves to know what it's like to be loved by a good family.  Please share his story with anyone you know who could provide a loving home for this furbaby! 

JackJack's profile can be seen here. 

His video can be seen here.  The video was made in 2011, so you can see the leathering on his ears from the neglect he suffered, versus how he looks in the photos above.  He's come a long way from when he first came to TLC and is more than ready to fit right into a loving home.  He'd be a great bud for a senior or lower energy family!  Come on in and meet him today! 

~ Jen

Spotlight on TLC's Laika!

 

While TLC primarily focuses on small breeds 15 pounds and under, once in a while, we find ourselves unable to turn down a larger dog that is about to die.  This was one such case...meet beautiful Laika.



 

Laika was turned into the shelter by her owners who claimed that a family member developed allergies and she had to go.  Laika quickly became a shelter favorite as the clock began to tick and her time began to run out. Pleas went out to the rescue community for someone to step up for this gorgeous gal or she was going to be killed. 

 

TLC happened to be pulling a smaller senior (King Justin) from this same shelter and, on a whim, contacted a special foster mom who was very active with a large breed rescue years ago.  Without hesitation, our foster mom said YES to Laika and we immediately went to work to save her.



 

We soon discovered that Laika is actually a very special dog - not because she's gorgeous, incredibly obedient and well trained, loving, great on lead, or sweet...but because she is a very rare breed that was almost exterminated in the 1940's and 50's.  Luckily, once the war was over, the breeding program was reestablished and the breed was saved, though they still are considered quite rare.  While we don't have purebred paperwork to prove it, we firmly believe that Laika is a purebred Dutch Shepherd.  You can read about their history here.

 Laika is a short coated gold brindle with a black snout, which is very desirable.  She weighs in at 44 pounds.  She is a natural on lead, is very alert and responsive to those around her.  We think she must have been a family pet as she 'alerts' on children and adults.  She seems to be drawn to cars, as well, ready to jump in and go for a joy ride.  She knows all the commands and excited the TLC Director by staying in a sit/stay command for a long 11 minutes, before being given the verbal 'release' command!  This dog has been very well trained and is very intelligent.

 

We are looking for a loving family for Laika.  Our vet said she believes Laika is no more than 7 years old.  She would make a wonderful family pet or a companion for an active senior.  She loves to walk on lead and would love to have a family that will appreciate her for the amazing girl she is.



Laika enjoyed her ride from the shelter to the rescue.  Before leaving, she got some hugs and kisses from a volunteer who sent out the initial plea to save her life.  When you watch her video, you can see her giving kisses to the volunteer, one of the special angel's in Laika's life.  She is very, very loving and even gave a kiss to one of our junior volunteers that she just met.

Laika arrived at TLC Rescue and enjoyed hanging out in the back room of the rescue shop while she waited for her foster mommy to come pick her up.  She was quiet, obedient, and enjoyed watching the puppies play in the puppy pit.  She also went nose to nose with the TLC alum LemonCello (known as Big Momma) who is a boxer/pittie mix.  Both ladies were well behaved and non-reactive to each other.

Laika went out for some exercise and we discovered that she walks like a dream.  We do believe she was very loved at one time.  She is very well balanced, potty trained, and true to her rare breed, looking for a job to do.  This is a girl that strives to make your life better. 

We would love to find a great home for Laika as soon as possible.  She is just too sweet and too lovable to be kept waiting for long.  Surely someone would appreciate this rare breed for her exquisite qualities and stunning personality.  Laika is truly one in a million...

Is she the baby you've been searching for?

Please call the shop at 1-805-527-SAVE or email us at tinylovingcanines@yahoo.com to set up an appointment to meet her in person.  She is currently in private foster care.  Laika will be so excited to see you!

 

~ Jen