The thing about Jack Russells..The Official VNA Dogs Thread!

[WalterB]

Tried a couple times to teach him to sit up, but l but don't really know how to go about it. All he wants to do is jump for the treat, lol

[stickyvicky]

The you tube training videos are awesome check them out, all free!

[CGYMike]

I was excited to see that your shelter raised a ton of cash over the last few days...something like $8,000 not a bad fundraising effort at all :)

[stickyvicky]

Yea but they don't get any of that money raised until May, the place is falling apart right now... if she doesn't pay the electricity bill, they have no water to, cause it's an electric pump or something for the well... it's one emergency after another.

[stickyvicky]

So we saved the hamster and we didn't have to drive it to the hamster rescue! I love happy endings, I was supposed to take it over there tonight, but my friend was keeping it (cause loki would have killed it in 5 seconds flat, she's a rat dog!), she put it all over her face book, and we both called everyone we know..... so her 2nd cousins baby sitter ended up taking it! She has more hamsters too so now it has friends! How cool is that! This is the hamster that was going to be put to sleep last monday if we didn't have it out of the county animal control by 4:30 that day. One small victory!

[h0rnytoad1]

every little bit helps

[stickyvicky]

Skittles went ballistic over this today! I took him rollerblading with me on this very long trail, it stretches for about 16 miles... we only did 5 miles, even though it was only 78 here today, with 0 shade it's plenty. This is shot over the top of skittles's head. Is that a big ass turtle or what? It was quick too! I was surprised how quick it was moving along!

[h0rnytoad1]

musta been one of them ninja turtles

lol

good on the 5 miles

[stickyvicky]

Today is the last day for poor whitney. her 10 days was actually up on sunday afternoon she was supposed to be euthanized yesterday, but we begged them to give her a couple more days. But all the volunteers have called every shelter and every foster family we know and they are all full and turning away dogs. If anyone can or knows anyone who can even foster this dog while we continue to search for a permanent home for her, now would be the time to step up and say so.

[CGYMike]

I'm sad that we only have room for one dog in our lives. I'm hoping for another miracle for you tonight ...xoxoxox

Mike

[h0rnytoad1]

i'm sad to hear that too , i was hoping my uncle would take her, i emailed him the pic and called him, i hope he gets back to me soon.

but its not looking like he or my cousin want another dog, they already have a big dog each.

hey V, you remember that guy in chat last week he said he might be able to take whitney , did that fell through ?

[stickyvicky]

Yes he never answered my mails, and Lelu Love followed up a bunch of times too. He never answered anything, I think he spoke too soon and then was embarrassed. I've been hunting down old website members too who said at one time or another they would take a dog. I may have good news though. One of the new dog walking volunteers just found out about her being put down, everyone's been calling everyone, and he doesn't have a dog. (He doesn't really want one either, because of his lifestyle, still in school i think) He said he would foster her until we find a permanent home for her. Just trying to get the paperwork in order now. Who knows maybe after a few months, he'll be attached to her and just keep her. We all said we would help, maybe go walk her for him if he's gone for a 10 hour day in school, etc... Help pay for the obedience training, whatever it takes. I swear sometimes it's darkest before the dawn. I was kind of losing it today. Some tears have been shed. My girlfriend too, we've been texting and emailing like mad women.

[stickyvicky]

Well good news, I can sleep at night now. The volunteer I was telling you about is finally going to foster Whitney, so her life is spared. He is taking her tomorrow, and they agreed to keep her until then. She's going to be a mess though, after 21 days in quarantine, she's going to be psycho. He's gonna have a job ahead of him.

This has been a very stressful week for all of us. My phone has been blowing up with volunteers, the county, rescues, boarding kennels, friends, a zillion texts and emails, every day they said they were putting her down and we screamed and cried because we had so many people interested in her, but always something in the way, they had a toddler, or they had cats or some reason not to take her, so we kept getting one day at a time. It has really worn Rokkerr and I out mentally, I was ready to take her myself and put her in boarding and continue to try to find a home for her. I even had a huge fight with my best friend over it, cause she wanted me to take the dog, but then was not willing to commit to helping with it at all. If it went into boarding we would have to go a few times a week to walk it, we would have to take it to obedience class once a week, we would have to take it to adoption events every single weekend with the adopt me halter on it. Plus it has to go to the vet, flea, tick and heartworm prevention and tests, and it all has to be paid for. I was willing to do it, but when my best friend said who cried on the phone to me every day about "we have to save whitney" would not even commit to doing the weekend adoption events, I flipped my lid at her.

I want to save dogs, but not have to put on big rubber boots to wade through all the bullshit of people and politics to do it. No Kill shelters that really do kill, people who say they want to help, but do nothing and will not give of their time, government policies and ties, a lot comes down to money, insurance things like that. I just want it to be about the dogs, but most of the time it's not. It's about people and their bullshit. Sorry I'm ranting but it's been a really tough week.

The upside is I did meet some truly selfless people who feel the same way I do, and some other people showed their true colors so now that is clear.

Hopefully everything goes ok for Ms. Whitney and her new foster Dad.

[WalterB]

Well, that's it. People can and will talk your ear off, but the test is in the pudding. Like you say, when someone steps up and actually does it, that's how you know the ones you want around. Sure glad Whitney has at least a reprieve.

[thechibiknight]

As far as I know my local shelter does not kill. The dogs here are usually only around for three weeks and are quickly adopted. I prefer to stay with the cats. They don't get nearly enough love and there are some that have been around for over 400 days. But they're super friendly and love to cuddle. If I didn't have a lifestyle that can send me halfway around the world to some god forsaken country to enforce US political policy through military might; I'd want to adopt all of them. But with that limitation in mind, I can still donate my time and affection to brighten up their spirits every chance I can. I even got a few of the old timer cats adopted last week instead of the cute newly arrived kittens.

I've uploaded one--I'll try to upload my other cat pics later...

[WalterB]

My impression is that few guys are cat lovers. While I am a dog lover, I do like cats. When I can get a cat to come to me for a scratch, I really feel I've made a friend. And my ex-GF's cats trusted me to scratch their bellies. Someone once said that if a cat let you scratch it's belly, that was about the highest level of trust you could get. Not only thanks for your service Chibiknight, but the cats thank you, too for your service to them.

[thechibiknight]

There definitely are very few guys I know of that are fans of cats. Personally, I like their selective personalities and how independent they are. But most of the ones here are quite friendly and a few let me rub their bellies. It's just crazy walking in and having 10-15 cats immediately trying to find lap space. It makes me wish I had more hands to pet them all.

Jennifer is a funny cat because she'll leap 2-4 feet from a ledge onto your shoulder and just chill out. Though the best feeling about going in to tend to the cats is seeing them disappear from the shelter. As it's a no-kill, their absence means they've found a great new home. I think making them happy and social attracts people to adopt them when they visit; so it's like I'm contributing something to their success. :)

Thanks for your kind words Walt. It's nice to give back to the community.

[stickyvicky]

That's awesome ChibiKnight! Everyone should do it. If we were only raised to care about others, what a different world it would be. If every single person in the USA and Canada gave 10% of their income or 10% of their time or both, we would eradicate so many problems without having to raise taxes or ask the government to do anything at all. It could be volunteering at animal shelters, hospitals, care of the elderly, research foundations, sports facilities, feeding the homeless, drug rehabs, libraries, anywhere. What ever interests you have there is a volunteer association you can join. It makes you feel good to help and give. There is no better feeling in the world.

[carl goldfinger]

There definitely are very few guys I know of that are fans of cats. Personally, I like their selective personalities and how independent they are. But most of the ones here are quite friendly and a few let me rub their bellies. It's just crazy walking in and having 10-15 cats immediately trying to find lap space. It makes me wish I had more hands to pet them all.

Jennifer is a funny cat because she'll leap 2-4 feet from a ledge onto your shoulder and just chill out. Though the best feeling about going in to tend to the cats is seeing them disappear from the shelter. As it's a no-kill, their absence means they've found a great new home. I think making them happy and social attracts people to adopt them when they visit; so it's like I'm contributing something to their success. :)

Thanks for your kind words Walt. It's nice to give back to the community.

YAY! Another cat man

I love cats, too! ... oh, I like dogs as well, but my heart goes for cats.... by the same reasons like you thechibiknight.
Welcome here man.

Yours

Carl

[thechibiknight]

w00t! always nice to meet another cat man! *high fives Carl*
I don't mind dogs either, but cats are much better. It's crazy at the shelter we have so many dog volunteers, but there's only 3 or 4 of us cat volunteers to help the one vet tech on shift. No love for the little furballs. But it's nice to know they're a no-kill shelter here in northwest Florida.

-Chibi