Monday, June 28, 2010

RESCUERS COME IN ALL SHAPES & SIZES - A VISIT FROM RESCUE INK


Rescue Ink visits Marion, AR

Animal rescuers come in all shapes and sizes...from young children...to giant men!

Speaking of giant men - PAWS volunteers, Leanne and Lisa, were honored to be invited to the Marion Animal Shelter last week to meet some of the guys from Rescue Ink - "the Army for the Animals."

Having these gentle giants take time out of their busy rescue schedules to stop by our small corner of the dog world is inspiring and helps to keep us focused on our mission to save as many forgotten dogs as we can handle.

Thank you Rescue Ink for all the great work and for caring about animals everywhere!

ANIMAL RESCUERS IN TRAINING...


Future Rescuers - Will, Reed & Emma

This past week we were fortunate to send three unwanted black puppies (Tink, Rambo and Nash) to rescue via our favorite tranporter - PETS. Being black, mixed breed pups - these cuties had little chance of making it out of the shelter - which makes their departure to new lives just that much more rewarding.

We had some help on transport day from "rescuers-in-training" Will, Reed and Emma.

These young animal advocates also helped with the pups while they were in foster care - getting them socialized with children which will make the pups more adoptable once in rescue.


Reed & Nash


Will & Rambo


Emma & Tink


The whole gang!

Thank you kids for preparing these puppies for their new lives!
If you are interested in making a difference in a dog's life, please send us an email: marionangels@yahoo.com to find out how you can help.
We cannot do it without you!
Thank you for caring about our dogs.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

THE APOLOGY

The "Apology" Video

A rescue friend sent us this video today - it says it all. People always ask us why a dog was given up or why the dog was left at the shelter, on the side of the road, on a chain. There is still a misconception that rescue dogs or shelter dogs must have something wrong with them - that is why the ended up homeless.

Of course - that is not the case. As many of us know - the problem generally lies with the humans not the dogs. The dogs just want to be loved and will be loyal to you no matter how badly you treat them. Any behavioral issues are so often the result of a dog's experience with the humans that promised to take care of him.

Please enjoy the video and pass along so other might benefit.





Please make a difference in a forgotten dog's life. Help a rescue dog have a happy ending.

Become a guardian angel
Foster a dog
Donate

Thank you for caring about our dogs.
http://www.pawsofmarion.org/

Monday, June 21, 2010

UPDATE ON CARLEY (NOW MARLEY)




This just in on Carley (now called "Marley") who came to us as a puppy last Fall, and headed North on the Freedom Train to Maine in February.


What a happy ending for a little abandoned black puppy that nobody wanted...we could not be more thrilled!


Just wanted to give an update on Marley. She is now 47 pounds and on a diet. Her vet wants me to keep an eye on her weight. LOL :) She is doing well.

Today, we took her to Acadia National Park and she had a blast!! She went swimming and met a few people. Both couples mentioned how beautiful her coat looked and how well-mannered she was. One guy was so impressed on how calm and sweet she was. I have forwarded some pics of her at Thunder Hole and at Otter Cove at Acadia.


Hope all is well.....Traci




If you are interested in making a difference in a dog's life, please send us an email: marionangels@yahoo.com to find out how you can help.

Help a dog like Carley have a happy ending. We cannot do it without you!
Become a guardian angel
Foster a dog
Donate

Thank you for caring about our dogs.
http://www.pawsofmarion.org/

Sunday, June 13, 2010

WHILE WE ARE VISITING FOSTER DOGS...

We have a few wonderful pups who have been waiting...and waiting...in foster homes for their forever families to find them. Living in foster care is fine as a temporary step - but every dog deserves a family to call its own.

Adopting a dog in foster care also opens up a space for another dog that may urgently need rescuing. Please consider adopting on of these sweet pups!

Dora and Kora are mother and daughter who are sharing the same foster home as Bruno. They have been with us for well over a year. They are spayed, and have successfully been treated for heartworm.

Both get along well with other dogs, are house trained, crate trained and complete love bugs. They would love a home together - but could be adopted seperately as well.


Dora


Kora

And then there is Lucie - who is just gorgeous! She is sharing her foster home with Nate, Mojo and Darla.

Lucie is also house trained and crate trained. She has a nice energy level (not too lazy, but not too hyper) and would be a terrific addition to an active family.

Lucie is a love!

PAWS of Marion, AR
http://www.pawsofmarion.org/
http://www.pawsofmarion.blogspot.com/
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ALL HE NEEDED WAS A CHANCE...


Take a look at Bruno! Just a week after being in a loving foster home - he looks like a different dog. It is hard to believe that Bruno has essentially grown up in a boarding kennel - he is so friendly and outgoing.

Bruno's foster mom reports that he is house trained, crate trained and gets along famously with the other dogs in the home. He LOVES to cuddle in bed with her.

Bruno has been through so much - dumped at the local shelter, a year in boarding, heartworm treatment - it is amazing that he has come through such a well-balanced boy.

Now all he needs is a loving family to call his own - could that be your family?


PAWS foster dogs: Kora, Bruno & Dora - Chilling on the Couch


PAWS alum, Petey, hanging out with Bruno


I am such a happy boy! Terri - Thank you for giving me a chance!


All I do is smile, smile, smile!

As you can see from these pictures - fostering a dog makes a huge difference to a rescue dog and can be a very rewarding experience for humans as well.

If you are interested in making a difference in a dog's life, please send us an email: marionangels@yahoo.com to find out how you can help.

We cannot do it without you!
Become a guardian angel
Foster a dog
Donate

Thank you for caring about our dogs.
http://www.pawsofmarion.org/

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

LOOK AT THIS FACE!


Sweet Eddie has been through so much - he was abandoned at the local shelter through no fault of his own - was saved just in the nick of time by our adoption coordinator, Joan - and then back in limbo when Joan landed in the hospital. Fortunately, savior, "Uncle Joe" stepped up to foster him in his time of need - but Eddie is living outside and now needs an indoor foster home.
On top of everything else - Eddie tested light positive for Heartworm disease.

The GOOD news is that thanks to a few guardian angels - Eddie now has the funds to pay for his Heartworm treatment! Thank you so much to Brenda, who donated over a few months towards Eddie's care, and also to Vicki, who came through yesterday when she saw that Eddie needed 50 more dollars to reach his goal.

Unfortunately, we cannot put Eddie through treatment until an indoor foster home is found. Outside is not a safe environment for a dog to undergo this treatment.

Eddie may not be purebred, he may not be small and fluffy, but he is adorable in his own special way - and such a sweet boy who gets along well with others. He just needs a little more help to find his new beginning...Please help us to move Eddie towards his goal of an adoptive home, by fostering him through his Heartworm treatment. All he needs is a soft bed and a roof over his head.



We cannot do it without you!
Become a guardian angel
Foster a dog
Donate

Thank you for caring about our dogs.
http://www.pawsofmarion.org/

Monday, June 7, 2010

REALITY CHECK...


We had some GREAT NEWS this week as one of our foster parents offered to take in Bruno - a sweet mixed breed pup who has been in boarding at our vet clinic for literally a year - waiting for someone to step up and help him.

His new foster mom, Terri, needs another dog like she needs a hole in the head, as she is already fostering multiple pups for us and has a pack of adopted rescues of her own to care for. We so appreciate her giving Bruno the chance he deserves to live inside a home as part of the family. We wish there were more people like Terri to step up and foster a dog in need - so that the load could be spread around a bit!

Terri reports that Bruno is a wonderful dog who gets along great with the other dogs and likes to snuggle with his humans! After all of this time - we are really hoping to find a special forever home for this sweet boy. He deserves it!
We believe every dog deserves a chance at a new beginning - but we are not going to be able to survive as a rescue if we have to board our dogs for a year at a time. It is not fair to the dog and not fair to other dogs who need our help. With the amount spent in Bruno's boarding fees for a year we could have treated 6 dogs for heartworm (of course - we treated Bruno for heartworm while he was in the vet clinic as well).

Please help us to pay off Bruno's boarding expenses ($2,513 not including his heartworm treatment!) by donating to our gigantic vet bill.

We know that helping pay off a vet bill is not as romantic as sponsoring a specific dog - but access to vet care is CRITICAL to our rescue efforts.

We receive no county, state, or federal funding to assist with our bills. We are dependent on those who share our mission and believe in what we do. We believe that every pet that enters our doors deserves love and care, regardless of their breed, age or physical condition.

We cannot do it without you!

Thank you for caring about our dogs.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

SCARED BEAR FINDS A HOME!


Brother's Trey & Bear on transport day

Who can forget the picture of these scared brothers, Bear & Trey, heading off on transport to a new life? These two sat at our local shelter without any adopters even glancing in their direction...

We just received the below update and pictures from Bear's new family - once again, the hard work and long ride paid off!

Just wanted to send you a quick note to update you on Bear.

We've named him Hux...short for Huxtable (we're big Cosby show fans)! He took to his name in less than a day.

He has adjusted amazingly well to his new home, and is to happy and thriving. We are getting a kick out of him.....he's such a good boy! We started puppy training last Thursday, and he has proven to be super quick learner.

I've attached a couple of pictures. Hope all is well, and thanks again for everything!

Kate, Ray & Hux


I am not scared anymore!


More chewies!


Look out world - Here I come!

Glad to see you enjoying your puppyhood Bear!

Bear's family also wrote that they are going to try to connect with Trey's family so that the boys can have a playdate!

Please help us to help more pups like Bear have a happy ending. We cannot do it without you!

Become a guardian angel
Foster a dog
Donate

Friday, June 4, 2010

THE POWER OF ONE


Hollie with her pack

Although we run into many animal lovers in the course of rescuing dogs, it is is difficult to find people who will volunteer, foster or donate on a long term basis. This may be because once people become aware of the scale of the overpopulation problem and learn just how many dogs need help, it is impossible not to be overwhelmed - you feel helpless - "how can I, one individual, make a difference?"

One person CAN make a huge difference by just making a mental commitment to do so. The trick is to focus on a task or an area that you know that you can accomplish - and not try to take on the entire world of neglected and abused dogs at once.

Hollie W. is the perfect example of how one person can make a HUGE difference in the lives of a few special pups.

Hollie W. reached out to us in February in response to our desperate plea for foster homes. Hollie has the type of home that we look for when trying to find a foster home - dog savvy, fenced yard, guardian to multiple rescue dogs ... Unfortunately, Hollie lives 4 hours away from Marion, which makes it impossible for us to use her as a foster. That was a big disappointment for all!


Chloe & Mandy in limbo for a year

But Hollie would not give up - she was determined to help our dogs. So she decided that she was going to raise the funds for Heartworm treatment for Chloe & Mandy - two sisters who have been waiting over a year to undergo treatment due to lack of funds and foster space. Hollie is not independently wealthy - she works in the non-profit sector - but she was true to her word and made a difference.

Hollie sent out emails to everyone she knew asking them to contribute a what they could to Chloe & Mandy. When not enough funds were raised - Hollie donated the rest herself, by making payments that were within her range over a three month period.


Hollie and her rescued pups

On top of helping us - Hollie stepped up to foster two Beagles from her local shelter - who were slated for euthanasia. One of them was pregnant - and recently had her pups in Hollie's care (see cutie pups above).

Because of Hollie's dedication to making a difference for Chloe & Mandy - a foster home committed to them to take them through treatment and a rescue group promised to work on their placement once through treatment. This is the chain reaction that was started by one person deciding to make a difference.

If each person reading this story would follow Hollie's example and commit to saving one dog on our pet list, by providing a foster home, by raising donations for veterinary care and/or transport, by reaching out to rescues - we would have lots more happy endings to report and would be able to save that many more dogs.

We are hindered by lack of foster homes and lack of funds. It is heartbreaking to watch our dogs sit and wait - sometimes years - for adoptive homes because we cannot treat them for heartworm disease or cannot find foster homes or rescue for them. Even more heartbreaking are the dogs that never have the opportunity to be saved from abusive situations or euthanasia, due to lack of space.

Make a promise today to do everything in your power to help one dog find its way to a new beginning. One person CAN make a difference - and that person can be you!

Thank you for caring!