Say Yes! to Rescues

Hello and welcome to Say Yes! to Rescues. This site will feature stories, photos and useful tips for adopting rescue dogs and cats. I adopted two rescue dogs and learned a lot about how emotional baggage can affect pets as much as it does humans!

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MEOW MONDAY: Just look into those eyes and deny their need for love and snuggles! Mittens, above, and Kenyon are waiting for their new forever home at Genesee County Animal Shelter in Batavia, NY. These felines are two of several spayed/neutered, tested and available four-leggeds at the shelter, thanks to good care from Volunteers For Animals. Check them out today!

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Scooter (above) was about 11 when I tried to get him a roommate. I met Buzz, a small dark gray-haired pooch that I met at Genesee County Animal Shelter. I wasn’t actually looking for another dog, but there was something about Buzz. He was quiet and friendly and would have been staying at the shelter during Christmas, so I took him home the day before Christmas eve.

Scooter was not at all impressed. After all, who was this furry critter to take some of my attention away? He piddled on the carpet and ate most of Scooter’s food. Buzz stayed for a few days, but I started to feel guilty for having brought another four-legged into Scooter’s domain. My sweet, gentle Shih Tzu had been battling an enlarged heart and seizures and I didn’t want his last days to be filled with grief and confusion. I packed Buzz up — he had been loaned to me for trial — and tearfully brought him back to the shelter. I cried hard, partly because I wanted to give him a loving home and also because I felt tremendously guilty for having failed this adoption. In those short few days I became attached to Buzz, the little fella who touched my heart with a look and a nuzzle.

No one could have ever replaced my Scooter, but I’m not sure that he knew that. I loved that little dog so much and showered him with toys, treats, jackets, sweaters and hugs. We’d go for short car trips because he loved looking out the window, and he had a way of swinging his bushy tail upwards in a way that said “mom’s home.” We played hide and seek, and he wouldn’t give up until he found me. Toward the end he couldn’t walk down the street or run around the house, and I did everything I could to save him. I gave him his daily meds and, when he could hardly breathe, I took him to a large veterinary hospital in Buffalo. They kept him overnight in an oxygen tent and it helped, for a little while. Throughout this I asked pet experts if I was being selfish to keep my boy alive, and the answer was “you’ll know when the time is right.” Scootie kept eating and greeting me at the door, so I didn’t give up on him. A month later when he was having difficulty late at night, I stayed up with him and thought he’d squeak by once again. He did not. Scooter slumped over on the bathroom floor as I called the vet for help. She asked if I could touch his eyeball and I could. He didn’t flinch. My faithful friend was gone. I recited the Lord’s Prayer and played James Taylor’s “You’ve Got a Friend” and cried my eyes out. 

This is about the ups and downs of pets, the trials and errors of discovering our new family member and how adoptions don’t always go perfectly. I couldn’t keep Buzz because I didn’t think it was fair to Scooter or to Buzz. I found out later that Buzz was adopted by another family, which relieved the guilt a little bit. It took several months before I was ready to welcome another dog into the home and, as it turned out, I welcomed two. For anyone wanting to adopt or who has recently done so, take some time to assess your needs to make sure it’s a good fit for both. And then give as much TLC as possible to your new family member!

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Oh if only ... forget “let it snow” and instead “let it go!” However, I don’t believe that means to remove ourselves from caring about and protecting those who cannot protect themselves. Don’t ever let go of love for animal and humankind.

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Ho Ho Hold it right there ... photos of your pet with Santa are from 1 to 4 p.m. this Saturday (Dec. 8) and again next weekend at PetCo on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia. Proceeds go to Volunteers For Animals, a nonprofit that helps out dogs and cats at Genesee County Animal Shelter. The photo above originally had Santa hats, but a kind photographer added the sombreros for a bit of warmth in the wintry season. Pictured is my late dog Scooter, who was just the best friend a gal could ask for! He loved to play, snuggle, go for rides in the car and greet people in tail-wagging fashion. If you’re looking for a new four-legged family member, please check out your local SPCA or animal shelter.

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Sometimes, just because ...

https://www.facebook.com/jo.beck.505

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There have been times when I had a dog and times when I didn’t, and those times in between have been filled with quiet emptiness. It may have seemed simpler and safer not to get attached to another four-legged friend, but it has been well worth the time, worry, effort and -- sometimes -- frustration. My latest friend (family member) is Sweet Pea, and despite an upbringing that left her skittish and untrusting of humans, she has become a 9-pound bundle of love. Corny maybe, but dogs have made my house a home, and I am truly grateful.

Who makes your house a home?

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Oliver (left) and Princess are neutered and spayed, respectively, and are ready to find a home -- hopefully together, as they’re a team now at Genesee County Animal Shelter in Batavia, NY. They are sweet and gentle and love hanging out, snuggling and saying meow greetings to visitors.  Go to Volunteers For Animals for more about these two cuties.

Meow Monday: Gifting a pet for Christmas? Shop at a shelter! Keep these 5 Things in Mind When Adopting:

1. Think hard about why you want a pet and what kind will fit your lifestyle. Cats are often an easier option in that they have litter boxes and don’t require regular walks and outings in the way that dogs do. That doesn’t mean that cats can be ignored, though, as they should be treated as a member of the family as any other pet would be.

2. Be ready to commit the time and money necessary to take care of your new pet. It will need to visit a veterinarian for routine vaccines and check-ups and for any other issues that may arise, plus the cost of food, grooming, flea/heartworm treatments and spay/neuter procedures if those have not yet been performed. Pets require lots of TLC, which doesn’t cost you a dime and rewards you plenty! It’s also a good idea to take dogs to obedience training so that both they and you will be happier, less frustrated and more well-adjusted to this new living arrangement.

3. Check out the different options available at your local animal shelter: a puppy or adult dog? Kitten or older cat? Do you want your dog to be big or small, furry or short-haired, energetic or laid back? Visit shelters to mingle with the animals and, if you’ve got other pets at home, arrange for a meeting with your new prospective four-legged to make sure they all will get along.

4. There are so many animals looking for homes, so please strongly consider adopting from a shelter. Genesee County Animal Shelter has dedicated staff and volunteers to regularly interact with the dogs and cats, provide medical treatment, spay/neutering, food and hugs. Many other shelters and SPCAs do the same. That can’t be said for puppy mills, which continuously breed dogs in dirty, cramped and inhumane conditions.

5. Be prepared to get as much (or more) love in exchange for what you’ll want to give. A pet’s unconditional love is infectious!

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What Do Dogs Need?

*Work (give them something to do)

*Play (have some fun)

*Rest (snooze time)

*Leader (that’s YOU!)

What’s the Most Important of These Four? 

“Most of the time it’s leadership and obedience training,” says trainer Tom Ryan of Batavia, NY. “The basic heart of (obedience) is that you expect a certain behavior and the dog exhibits it. As soon as your dog recognizes that, other bad habits go away.”

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This Thanksgiving, let’s give thanks for the unconditional love given to us by our beloved dogs. Pay it forward with some love and understanding for others!

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What do you mean it’s time for a bath??

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Meow Monday: Do you believe that cats have special powers?

A friend of Volunteers For Animals sure does after a particularly cold and rainy night. This cat owner (we’ll name her Jane for privacy reasons) had no urge to take her feline out for a walk on her leash (yes, some cats do allow for this) but her cat was unusually insistent.

So out into the wind and cold and wet they went. It was quickly apparent that this cat was on a mission, Jane said. No dawdling or sniffing for signs of mice. Not a big fan of wet paws and a soaking wet coat, the cat made a beeline through puddles and mud toward an apartment Dumpster.

This cat wasn’t searching for a midnight snack; instead, she led her owner to a box full of seven beautifully buff-colored and saturated, shivering and abandoned cats! The helpless creatures were taken to Genesee County Animal Shelter, where they are getting good meals, veterinary care and lots of love. They will all soon be up for adoption after being spayed or neutered. Just check out Kelsey and Pearl below or go to Volunteers For Animals to see the others and adoption details.

As for Jasper (also a fictitious name to protect the gifted cat’s identity), he has returned to entertaining and delighting Jane, going for much beloved walks and enjoying some fresh air. That is, until his ESP is needed again …

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Pearl, above, and Kelsey (Maple has been adopted) are waiting for their new forever home at Genesee County Animal Shelter in Batavia, NY after being abandoned at a Dumpster. For more, go to Volunteers For Animals

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IT’S HARLEY! She is an adult Boxer Mix and a very sweet girl who enjoys long walks and mingling with other dogs. She is available at Genesee County Animal Shelter in Batavia, NY. For details, go to Volunteers For Animals

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Training A Dog? Become a Good Leader!

By Joanne Beck

Tom Ryan loves dogs (check out Chloe, below). Although many us can say that, we haven’t taken it quite as far as this former biophysicist and Volunteers For Animals president has. Ryan, a Batavia, NY resident, is a graduate of the National K-9 Learning Center in Columbus, Ohio and has attended several seminars at the Monks of New Skete, a monastery group in Cambridge, NY that breeds German shepherds to be companion animals and produces books all about dogs and dog training.

Several years ago Ryan adopted a shepherd from Genesee County Animal Shelter, and the dog displayed some aggression, no doubt from the way it was treated by its original owner.  Ryan wanted it to be more social and people-friendly. So he took the dog, Heiko, with him to Ohio. It was a six-week, hands-on, early morning to late evening boot camp for how to train and deal with companion and service dogs.

Ryan believes that training takes the commitment and time necessary to see positive results. Ivan, another German shepherd with some aggression issues, made a complete 180 after Ryan took the dog to behavior specialists for one-on-one lessons. Ivan went from not being able to socialize in March to attending a crowded fundraiser in October. “He just turned around,” Ryan says.

If you’ve got an aggressive dog, seek out some one-on-one training help. If you have a dog with behavioral issues (it is hyper active, nervous, not housebroken, etc.) or one that could use some obedience training, Ryan suggests the following to get you started:

1. Get a 20-foot leash and map out a 60-foot square outside. 

2. Start walking with your dog on the leash around the perimeter of the square. Ignore your dog at first and just keep walking. If he doesn’t want to follow you, give the leash a gentle tug and keep moving. Move from corner to corner, stopping at each one for a minute before resuming your walk.

3. Repeat this 2-3 times a day for two weeks. Yes — it’s a commitment of time, but it will begin to develop an obedient dog, Ryan says.  

“It’s amazing how much that exercise works,” he says.

4. After a couple of weeks, you can start to reward your dog with treats when he walks along with you. This is the “Heel” command, and is the beginning of obedience. You can then move onto a 6-foot leash.

5. You as the trainer must be in control and not show frustration or impatience (hard as that may be). Dogs will pick up on your voice and tone, so be upbeat for when your dog obeys, and use a more stern (but not hostile or screaming) tone when you need your dog to know you mean business.

“Learning the meaning of ‘No’ is really important,” Ryan says. “But no doesn’t mean bad dog, it just means the dog isn’t doing what you want it to do.”

6. Other commands will become much easier once this first exercise is mastered, he says. Staying within the 60-foot square, you can then begin the “Sit” command.

Ryan suggests that people take their dogs to obedience class, where both dog and human will learn how to successfully interact with one another. Ask your local animal shelter or SPCA for recommendations.

He also highly recommends books written by the Monks of New Skete, such as Let Dogs Be Dogs: Understanding Canine Nature and Mastering the Art of Living with Your Dog.

But of course, it all starts with you. Be a positive leader for your dog, and the rest will come with time.

For more about the Monks of New Skete, click HERE

For more about Tom Ryan and his dogs, check out these stories published in The Daily News:

Dog Finds Hero

Volunteers For Animal’s New Leader

Walks Lead to Adoptions & Hobby