A Challenge to Northwest Ohio Shelters & Rescues

Yes, we all know that for too many years rescues and shelters in this area couldn't count on too many Lucas County dogs, and so everyone adjusted their intake accordingly. In most cases, that meant saving pound dogs from elsewhere. That was great. A lot of wonderful dogs were saved from death row and responsibly adopted into loving homes.

Then, after a lot of hard work by a lot of people, we had a regime change at the Lucas County dog pound. More dogs began getting out alive, both through adoption and via direct transfer to the Toledo Area Humane Society. From there, the pound began working with other shelters and rescues, and those others have helped now and then too. Yes, it's a gradual process on everyone's part. Still, it's been a year now. Isn't it time to start asking "what have all of you done to change along with the dog pound?"

OK, it's been discussed to some degree, in the form of (quite frankly) some unfounded accusations slung in a lot of directions. Where's the positive discussion been? What disturbs me the most about what's been said is just how quickly way too many people are willing to toss Fulton, Ottawa and Wood pound dogs right under the bus. "They can develop their own groups!" And in the meantime, what happens to those dogs? Not to mention, Lucas County has at least a dozen viable options for dogs, and we'll just hope the adjacent counties can manage with one or two?

What was overlooked in all of that was how many dogs come into Lucas County from a whole lot farther away than a 20 minute drive? Yes, those are great dogs too, and the people in those counties work very hard to get some of their dogs to safety. That was fine for a lot of years. Now though we are saving hundreds more dogs from right here in Lucas County. There's not room for the others anymore.

And let's get something else out there not too many people seem willing to say. The "rescues" in this area "adopting out" high demand puppies and dogs for breeder prices are not legitimate. If they paid anything more than a pound fee, and/or do not offer complete veterinary care including spay/neuter and follow-up, and/or are vague about where their dogs come from, they are a for-profit business. Period. And most of the time when you "adopt" a puppy from them, some part of that money is lining the pockets of a puppy mill. We've come a long way in educating the public about pet stores. Unfortunately now we have to do the same thing all over again when it comes to unscrupulous "rescues." And let's also make it clear that puppy mills aren't just huge Amish operations with hundreds of dogs. They're everywhere, everywhere someone keeps breeding dogs in substandard conditions to make money.

So what are we going to do? Where is everyone's willingness to work together for the good of the dogs? I am completely convinced that if all of the legitimate, hard-working, dedicated rescues and shelters in this area were willing to at least talk about common goals and coordinating efforts, the greater Toledo area could be close to "no kill" within a few years. Owner surrenders go to shelters, or better yet, we find more ways to help more owners keep their dogs. Strays go to the pounds, and once they are there, everyone works together to get them out. Some of "our" dogs might go to areas where there's more demand than dogs but we don't turn around and fill the resulting spaces with 3 dogs from somewhere else. Add in continuing education; as many spay/neuter options as possible; recruiting more volunteers and donors; and promoting responsible adoptions, and it is not an unrealistic goal.

It is and should be up to all of us. If you foster, ask where your foster dog came from and if it came from out of this area, ask why? Are you sure that same dog isn't being put down right here? Same if you donate money. We could put together a blog of dogs that die here, if that would bring the reality home. Adopt local dogs and educate yourself about what to expect from a legitimate rescue before you do. We've come a long, a lot farther than most of us could have imagined. Let's not stop now.

Going to Pounds

I've been trying to remember when and how I started going to pounds. It's easy to lose track of time when the years and dogs start piling up. I can't even easily tell you how old my own dogs are. I have to think through when I started and who came first, who came after that, who was a puppy and who was an adult when I adopted them. I started fostering 7 years ago in July. Most of my dogs were adopted within that first year. I started going to pounds the following winter or spring. I didn't start off going to Fulton County. I did ask to go almost from the start, since it's where I grew up. It's mostly rural out there and I know dogs aren't generally held in high esteem. At that time I was told all they had out there were "hounds and labs." I believed that lie at first but now I can barely think of a breed I haven't seen there.

I started off going to Sandusky County in Fremont. They were the front-runners in this area for being rescue friendly and doing all they could to get their dogs to safety. They had dogs on petfinder then and even now, the same volunteer is still driving over to get photos to post. The dog I fell for first became Timber. He was a beautiful 100+ pound long-haired German Shepherd. I laugh now remembering just how little dog experience I had then. Seems to me they pretty much brought him out, I petted him and said I'd take him. After he was vetted, Sally brought him back over here. She even called and said "you want this dog?!" He was a BIG boy, not to mention dirty and smelly. I wonder now if I would pull him today. Aside from the fact I no longer have the space for a dog that size, Timber was super sensitive. He hated being groomed. It took me weeks to get him cleaned up. He hated the vet. He had to be sedated and muzzled for a heartworm test. A dog that size with such a low pain tolerance would probably be considered unadoptable now. He was also adopted out as an "only" dog. I don't know now if he was actually dog aggressive so much as just dominant but with his size and my level of inexperience I wasn't willing to take a chance on teaching him to get along (or breaking up a dog fight if he didn't.) Still Timber was an awesome dog. To this day he's one of my favorites. He was adopted to a family in Cleveland area, for an elderly man. Another unlikely adoption that actually worked out well. His son lived with him and was willing to help with his care, and when they came here to meet him, that huge baby of a dog slowed himself down to walk in perfect step with his new owner.

(As it turns out, Timber's story also includes one of the top 10 in "stupid owners" stories too. A few weeks after I got him, I got an email from his previous owner. It was clear she actually had owned him. She knew what color collar he was wearing and that he hated going to the vet. She claimed he got loose while she was in the middle of moving from or to some town out that way. She claimed she called the pound and they told her they'd already put him down. That was a typical lie. He was on the pound's website for weeks before I got him, then on the rescue's as well. She of course had no money to actually pay the cost of his care but seemed to believe I would just give him back regardless. That was my first "you realize your dog would be dead if I didn't take him. Be happy he's even alive and will get a GOOD home next time" reply to someone. It wouldn't be the last.)

Eventually I made the trip out to Wauseon. The first time I went, they had a shepherd mix puppy. I called and got the OK to bring her in, and when I said I could take her, the dog warden opened her kennel door and she took off like a shot out the backdoor and into the yard! He clapped his hands and called her, and she circled back. I named her Josie.

At first I just went out occasionally and called in between. During one of those first weeks, they told me they had a Rotty mom and a litter of puppies. Back then the intake coordinator I answered to wouldn't take Rottweilers (or boxers or mastiffs or any other "bully" breeds.) That was one of the first battles I took on and it was established the only breed she couldn't take were pitbulls (because of Ohio law.) I still think about those puppies and their certain fate, all because of ignorance and breed prejudice.

Over time, I've visited most of the pounds or the shelters that serve as pounds in this area. I made a few trips to Hardin County in Kenton Oh, a 3 hour round trip to the literal middle of nowhere. That is one depressing pound, I can assure you. (At that time anyhow) it was basically a metal shack with a dirt floor crammed full of cages and kennels, all full of dogs. There's a lot of breeders out there and even less concern for dogs than here. The first time, I went down with a van full of crates and carriers and came back with 7 dogs and puppies, including a Golden with bad hips I named Chance. 2 "beagle-mix" puppies, named Risa and Renee. Risa was adopted by the couple who later founded Dog Works, and turned into a hound along the way. A dachshund who became the first Percy. Another time I kept watching the listing for a Golden mix and finally couldn't stand it anymore and called about him. As it turned out, he was scheduled to be put down that day but they'd held off a little longer. He was so scared when he was a stray they'd had to dart him. They tried to lure him with treats but a lab who was his running buddy kept taking them over to him instead. On the way back he laid in between the front seats with his nose stuck in the air conditioning. Before we were even home, I called my daughter and asked if she wanted a Golden for her birthday. That dog is now London.

My own dogs: Banjo, my aussie; Julio, my son's chihuahua; Arlo, my daughter's yorkie-poodle and Cody, my old man black mix, all came from Fulton County. Nothing against the dogs I have from elsewhere but once I realized how many dogs are out there and how few options there are for them, compared to the networks available for other places, my efforts stayed focused on that pound, and I will never adopt from somewhere else.

The dog wardens out there have come to rely on me. They've seen a lot of people come and go over the years, start off all gung ho and then burn out and fade away in a short time. I have honestly seen more of those 2 than I have of anyone else in my life aside from my own family. In a way I think we're friends. I know them and they know me, know me well enough that the last time I was becoming burnt out, Brian told me I needed to drink more, and we all laughed. I will say they thank me each and every time I walk out the door, either with pictures or with a dog on a leash or in my arms. That's more than I get from most people. They have also changed too, and work with me a lot more than they did in the beginning because they have found over time that if they do hold off on a dog, a lot of times I can find a place for them. I quit once, for a month, after a culminating round of ignored burn-out ended up in a meltdown of epic proportions. I really had no idea at the time if I'd even go back but I finally did because no one else stepped in. Shortly after my first return "check-in" call, Brian called me and asked if I was back. A breeder had dropped off 5 female dachshunds of various sizes and ages. I sighed and picked them all up, brought them here, and got them into rescues. I still feel bad about the dogs that came through there then but everyone has limits and I met mine. When I imagine quitting I worry about letting them down nearly as much as I worry about the dogs.

Over the past 6+ years I've gone through 2 cars. I've cleaned poop out of every one of them many many times, and the interior of my Saturn wagon (which I bought after the van died because I cannot manage all of these dogs with a regular car) was completely destroyed by an unattended lab mix. Many people believe I live in Fulton County but I don't. I make a 40 minute round trip out there nearly every single week to get pictures of these dogs and sometimes make another trip to pick them up again. I've gotten a total of 3 gas cards donated. I've gone through probably 100 leashes, and more other possessions than I can even keep track of. I've fostered a lot of those dogs myself and held others waiting for vet appts or a foster space to open up. I've vetted and placed more than a dozen dogs myself for various reasons, usually because of their breeds and sometimes because I refuse to allow a puppy to be put down. I've worked with dozens of rescues. Some I would call again in a heartbeat because of how quickly and professionally they responded. Some I wouldn't call again if I had to bring 20 dogs here instead. And I can assure you I care about every single dog I've met, all of the ones I've saved and all of those I didn't. I realize people don't mean to be insulting when they say "Oh I could never do what you do!!" but you know what? It sounds that way to those of us who do this branch of rescue work. I'm not any less sensitive than anyone else. I'm not so cold I don't care when I see this dog or that one and know that because of how they're acting or how old they are or what breed they happen to be that they'll never get another day outside of the kennel they're in now, that the only nights they have left will be spent sleeping on cold concrete. Yes there's a great deal of satisfaction and real joy in this, spending a few hours with a dog who immediately remembers me when I see him again. The stories these dogs have as they move onto their next lives and the happiness they bring to their families. The success of a less than high demand dog getting out of there and finding a home right away.

I also know that everyone who does this work has a story. Everyone shoves their own lives and their own needs aside for these dogs, but this is MY blog and so it's my story. I had no idea years ago when I first met Timber and Josie that all of these years would go by and I would still be doing this, still be tossing every hour of my time and every dollar I can scrape up into saving these dogs. I had no idea when I first walked in that the only way I could extricate myself would be to turn my back on all the dogs out there who literally have no one else. Everyone who knows and loves me knows I'm not an easy person to deal with but you know what? I bet "easy" people don't sit on the floor of a pound petting a fat old beagle and telling him he's a good dog, even though she knows he's going to die soon. I don't even TELL people about half the dogs I see out there, about the hounds and big beagles or the old dogs or all the times I've gone in and there were so many dogs there I had to play Sophie's Choice and pick the few I thought had the best chances or reeled me in somehow, but I can assure you all those dogs I've left behind still live on in MY memory. Right here and now, I have had it with the politics and the egos and the never-ending incessant bullshit. It's not enough to just save them. It all has to be done this way or that way and in between the rules and the demands and the fucking ungratefulness of so many people, many of the same people who could never go to a pound. So. Yeah. Did I mention I have had it? I clearly need a break and so I'm taking one and during that break some nice dogs may very well die because I'm not there for them. I'm sure I'll calm down again and go back, because I know in my heart I love all of these dogs and I do get so much from getting them out of there. But you know what? Every single time I get to this point, I honestly wish that THIS will be the time I really do walk away. Just pick up the shreds of the life I used to have, and enjoy my own dogs and move on.

This rescuer supports the Obamas' new dog

Rescuing a dog isn't for everyone. As much as we'd like it to be. There, I said it. For myself, I'm certain I will always be able to find the perfect dog from a rescue or shelter but as it happens, the breeds I prefer are common in rescue. That isn't true for everyone.

The Obamas were limited to begin with by their daughter's allergies. That's unfortunate. Ideally they would have been able to choose from a million black lab mixed puppies and set an example for the rest of the country in doing so but hey, ideally there would be NO black lab mix puppies out there for anyone anyhow. From there, they decided on 2 possible "breeds": a Labradoodle/Goldendoodle or a Portuguese water dog. (I use quotes because doodles are not an actual breed but rather mutts, same as the aforementioned lab mix.) Let's give them credit to begin with for researching their breed choices and deciding on one that met their needs, rather than just grabbing up the first dog they found to be "cute." A lack of education about what a specific breed needs is one of the reasons so many dogs end up in rescue to begin with.

No one loves dogs more than I do, and I'd venture a guess not too many people have devoted more of their life to saving those dogs who are tossed away like so much trash than I have. As a dog lover and a rescuer, I understand people prefer different breeds of dogs. What is wrong with that? One of the things that makes dogs so wonderful are their differences.

Here's the facts. If you want a rarer breed dog, and there's dozens of them, you are probably not going to find it in rescue, especially if you want a puppy. So what do you do? Settle on a breed you're not in love with? Is that fair? If your favorite breed is a German Shepherd Dog or a pug, would you be just as happy with an Irish Setter or a shih tzu? Maybe you would be but let's not expect everyone to do things your way. If you want a breed not commonly found in rescue, the next step is finding a RESPONSIBLE breeder.

What does that mean? A responsible breeder shows their dogs and breeds to breed standard. They get all of the recommended breed health clearances and don't breed dogs that have medical problems. They screen their owners as carefully as any reputable rescue, and insist any dogs that don't meet show quality will be spayed or neutered. They take all their dogs back if for any reason the original owner can't keep them. Yes, maybe now and then one of these dogs ends up in rescue but by and large these breeders are NOT the problem. The problem comes from backyard breeders and "just one litter" breeders, whose puppies go off into the world to have more puppies. The problem comes from puppy millers (and dare I say, the "rescues" that buy these puppy mill dogs under the guise of "saving" them, and continue to provide financial incentive for the creeps who use dogs as a source of income.)

Since the news of Bo's pending arrival at the White House has been leaked before an official statement, I don't know yet what they will say about their choice. Still unless I hear otherwise, I will presume that his breeder meets those standards. Also Bo was returned to his breeder, which means he was not actually purchased by the Obamas as an 8 week old puppy. That in itself does make him a rescue of sorts. He goes onto a happy, loving home now, same as any of the dogs we save.

Yes, perhaps now we will see a spike in interest in this breed, but that isn't going to happen overnight and it might not happen at all. Yes, there will be bad breeders who will jump on this bandwagon now in the hopes they can meet an imagined demand, but like it or not, many breeds come and go in popularity. Who's fault is that? Not the Obamas, but rather the people who want to make money off dogs, and those who buy a dog without educating themselves as to what is the right way to do so.

I said from the start I hoped they chose a Portuguese water dog over a doodle. Doodles are MUTTS, folks. Poodles are being bred with everything from labs to yorkies to chihuahuas. They are promoted as hypoallergenic "designer" breeds (and let's be honest, they're almost invariably very cute) but there is no way to responsibly breed a doodle. When labradoodles first showed up here, they cost a fortune, $1500 for a mutt?? And then they started trickling into rescue, and the price went down. Now you can find just about any version you want from a rescue somewhere.

(One of our own dogs is a yorkie/poodle, rescued from the pound I get dogs from when he was about 6 months old.)

So, yes, the Obamas probably could have found a "designer breed" in rescue. And then what? Every other dumbass with a poodle would start the whole trend again.

I sincerely hope that the Obamas take this opportunity to educate people about rescue and responsible breeders. In the meantime, I'll do my own part here. I want a world where dogs aren't considered disposable. I also want a world with a full variety of wonderful dogs. Responsible breeders aren't the problem. Let's place the blame where it belongs and continue to fight the battle on the fronts where it matters. I for one congratulate our President and his family on their new dog. I hope he provides many years of love and happiness.

PLEASE if you're considering a new dog, check into rescue first. If you still need to consider a breeder, here is more information on what you need to know.

How to find a good breeder (pdf)

yeah, I was rude

I picked up this rat terrier around Christmas; hence the name "Jingles" (not chosen by me but cute anyhow.) He's an older dog, 5 or 6, right on the border of being "too old" for many people, so he's still not adopted. He's a sweet dog, with a reserved nature.

Yesterday at the adoption event, his foster mom called me over and said,
"These people used to own Jingles!"
A couple stood there with a young child and a baby. Apparently when they walked up, Jingles went nuts, jumped all over the man.
He said, "He looks just like a dog I used to have!"
Deb asked what happened to him, and he said, "He ran off."
I looked at them standing there, looked at Jingles, who by now was standing behind his foster mom with his back to his previous owners, and said "Why didn't you check the dog pound and get him out?"
The man's eyes shifted and he said "We did call! They said they hadn't seen him!"

I call bullshit on that response. If they'd called at all, they would have got their dog back. Unlike some pounds that require you to visit in person every 3 days, this pound knows what dogs they have and what dogs people are looking for, and even if you call during off hours, you can leave a voice mail and they'll call you back. I asked where they live and it's the same town the dog pound is in, so it wasn't even a matter of not knowing to check an adjacent county in case he ended up farther away. No one said anything more and they turned and left.

(Want to bet they came to the event originally to try to adopt a new dog?)

It proves my theory about why so many dogs sit unclaimed in these pounds every week. Half of them were probably dumped off out there by people who believed they had a better chance if they were "turned loose in the country" than if they were left at a shelter or pound. Yeah, a better chance of becoming feral or starving or being hit by a car or injured some other way. Their best chance is if they ARE picked up and end up at the pound. The other half go unclaimed by people who sit around and wait for them to come back or believe they were "stolen" or suspect they might be at the pound but don't call because it's easier to just get a new dog than spend some money saving the one they lost.

Many of these dogs are just like abused children: no matter how bad it was at home or the fact their beloved human tossed them aside like so much trash, what they still want more than anything is to go home. They adjust, sure, or most of them do, but they don't forget just like that. I'd venture a guess most of them would know and forgive their first owners even if their paths crossed years later.

When I got my old dog, Cody, home, I brought him through the back yard and let go of his leash. He immediately turned back to the gate and stood there looking at me as if to say "Thanks for your help. Now can you take me home?"
I said "I'm sorry but you can't go back there. You have to stay with me."
He put his muzzle into the air and let out a long mournful howl, a sound I've never heard him make since, and then seemed to accept his fate, even though it wasn't precisely what he had in mind.


(I have never been able to explain exactly why, of all the dogs I see, I had to save Cody. My only explanation is he stood in his kennel every time I was there, just wagging his tail and looking at me as if to say "Well, when am I leaving?" until finally I went back, opened his kennel door and said, "Come on.")

Maybe I should have been nicer. I know I should have asked what his name used to be and how old he really is. It was never an option from my point of view to allow him to go home with them again. He would have been dead if not for me, the rescue who took him in and the people who agreed to foster him. You don't get a second chance when you have so little concern for your dog's life.

In my defense, nearly my whole life is these dogs. Not a week goes by when I'm not forced to leave some nice dog behind to die, and what goes on at the pound I work with happens everywhere, every day. It's not too often I end up face to face with someone who is the reason why, and my initial gut response was "how the hell did you let this happen to him?!"

Jingles will find another loving home, one that values him unconditionally.

dogs dogs dogs

Wow I've realized this blogging thing has to become a routine but I didn't realize I'd gone this long without updating. It's not like I don't have time exactly. I am online a lot. It's more a matter of what I do with it when I have it, like choosing to read a book rather than mop the floor then complaining my house is never clean.
Anyhow, I haven't stopped rescuing dogs. It's been crazy at the pound for a while now but I've been pretty lucky (or many of the dogs have) and a lot of nice dogs have gotten a second chance.
This puppy was there this week and available to go so rather than leave her in a scary pound to sleep on concrete, I brought her here until I could find someplace for her. Oh man, puppies are way more work than I'm used to and this one seems to be a littermate to some I got from there a few months ago, which means her mom was a Jack Russell terror....er, terrier. And now that she's older I suspect she's mixed with bassett hound too. She's a bundle of cuteness and energy. Her favorite thing seems to be taking flying leaps into my lap when I'm on the computer. She's leaving tomorrow, thank god.

sponsor a snowflake!

I want to take a minute here to promote this, partly because it's for a great rescue and partly because it was my idea and I'm the one who is designing the page!
For as little as $10, you can dedicate one of our gorgeous snowflakes to your pets, friends or family members! The donations go entirely to supporting our low cost spay/neuter programs and for helping the at-risk dogs and cats in Northwest Ohio find great new homes!

Sponsor a Snowflake

On our virtual adoption page, for $25 you can "adopt" a dog or cat for someone too. You can even name the pet or we'll name them for you. What a great gift idea! (I do this page, too!) :)


Virtual Adoptions

new Planned Pethood website!

This is how I've been spending most of my time over the past few months. We had the website professionally designed with a software program that the volunteers can use to create and maintain the pages. As it turned out, being an art major years ago finally paid off (LOL) and I designed many of the pages on here. It was a lot of fun and we're all very excited by the final product!

Planned Pethood