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HAPPY! - portrait of Dick & Cheryl's baby by artist Angi Laframboise
ADOPTION FEES for the URGENT dogs generally range between $125 and $250 (it depends on vet costs for the individual dog). Some are less from specific shelters. QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK when checking out a rescue are: 7-2-05: Thanks to those who are donating items for us to Ebay and raise funds for our dogs! These items help us to provide the daily expenses and in some cases even vet bills for our babies!! Also a MAJOR THANKS to those who contribute or send extra with their fee, in order to help vet more dogs! Without all of you, our volunteers would not be able to afford to save as many dogs as we do!! And of course, THANKS to those who foster and adopt these precious angels!!!!!!!
9-30-03: An unexpected opportunity came up & we were able to get 19 pomeranians & 4 chihuahua's freedom from the world of breeding this past weekend!! 14 will be going to other rescues and the remainder will stay with us. They will all need vet work (dentals & spay/neuter), and a few have more serious problems (broken jaw, broken leg, etc & will be vetted first), but most appear to have pretty good temperments and should be ready to go into homes to be loved very soon!! Most are females, ages 5-9. More info will follow later - right now have to go get them all settled in, some to the vet!! If you wish to donate to the vet fund for these dogs, please do so in our donation section. Also note we are NOT tax deductible at this time.
UPDATE 7-25-03: Foxy died this morning & has now joined her previous owner at the Rainbow Bridge.
I was going to remove her from this listing but then decided to leave her picture here, with a PLEA for all pet owners and extended families of pet owners, in HOPES THAT IT MIGHT SAVE EVEN ONE LITTLE DOG LIKE FOXY. In her honor, we ask:
IF YOU HAVE A SENIOR DOG, or IF A FAMILY MEMBER PASSES AWAY and leaves behind a companion animal - PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE - give this animal the dignity of living it's last days in a loving environment - NOT in a big scary shelter where it may very likely get sick(er). The first step to adopting one of our PAL's is to fill out our "Mini Application" below (please copy it and paste it into an email to fill it out)and email it back to us at email@example.com or print it out & send it via regular mail. After your application is reviewed & REFERENCES are checked, we will contact you, via email unless specified otherwise in your app, to let you know if we feel you are approved and are the right match for the pet you have chosen. If approved, a HOME CHECK will be done to verify all will go well for the new pet. If everything looks good, you will MEET the chosen pet(s) and see if it is a match. Often we combine the home check with the meeting of the dog, to see everyone's reactions. An ADOPTION CONTRACT will be required at the time of placement along with an adoption fee for the animal. Our "standard" adoption fee is $175.00 to $250.00 which typically reimburses our vet care if the animal just needs vaccinations, heartworm check, spay/neuter, etc. Some animals may have different adoption fees dependent on the animal's age, dental needs, vet costs, needs, etc. Occasionally we raise the fees on puppies to help cover the higher costs on some of our older and sicker dogs so that we can save them too. We will not fly our animals for their own comfort, but will do our best to arrange ground transportation for long distance adoptions. All of our pets are spayed/neutered and up to date on vaccinations, before being adopted. We are trying to expedite our adoption application process currently, due to the number of dogs in need. To be considered for approval to adopt from us, please email back the following information. We look forward to receiving your email. Thanks. Because we are a foster network, our animals are in various private homes - some in Michigan and some in OH. When we approve your application, a visit can be arranged via the closest location to your home. Typically we prefer to bring the animal to the new home ourselves, in order to see how everyone gets along. We also discourage visits to the foster homes, because some of the animals there are not very socialized yet, and it creates a lot of stress for them with visitors coming by. Plus we don't like to intrude on the privacy of our foster families who are gracious enough to foster these babies. We are planning to have a main facility in the future, where those animals can be separated until they are ready to accept visitors, but it is a ways off yet due to finances.
All of our dogs are important to us and equally deserving, however some dogs show better from pictures and some show better with their loving personalities that you can't see on the internet! We reserve this section for our friends needing homes that are very special dogs but aren't getting attention for one reason or another, or their pictures don't do them justice. Our feature pet at this time is ZOEY!
Please also look at TONI, MUFFIN, and BABY.
One of these will be our next feature dog once we're sure ZOEY has a spot!!
ZOEY - JUST WAITING FOR A FAMILY OF HER OWN! Only 1 yr old and needing a home and companion. If you adopt me I will be your loyal companion and protector forever.
Guide to our Website
PAL's Happily ADOPTED Tails!
THANK YOU's
PAL's FEATURE PET
PAL's NEWS
PAL's ACCOMPLISHMENTS
How to Foster for PAL's
WE ARE IN NEED OF FOSTER HOMES & Adoptive Homes!! IF YOU CAN ADOPT A DOG, PLEASE EMAIL the info requested in their listing, along with your names, address, & phone number. MOST ADOPTION FEES ARE $195 to $395, but are dependent on vet costs. Occasionally we also increase the adoption fee for some pups to help pay for their parent's surgeries, so all can be adopted!! Adoption fees are dependent on vet costs, so please verify the adoption fee for an individual dog if it is not stated in their listing. Puppy adoptions must provide proof of spay/neuter by 6 months of age.
We NEED FOSTER homes for some great adult medium & large dogs - PLEASE HELP if you can!!
IF YOU CAN FOSTER: PLEASE EMAIL with the word "FOSTER" as the first word in your subject line. Also please include your address & phone number & what size/type dog you can foster, and whether you are willing to take a dog or pup that isn't housebroken yet, and if you can take multiple dogs/pups!! Please include a description of current pets & kids in the household to help us determine who could be successfully fostered with you.
We ask our foster homes to provide the love, work on any training issues if there are any, and to provide the daily needs such as food, treats, etc. just as if it were your own dog. We cover the vet expenses (unless the foster volunteers them) or reimburse them out of the adoption fee. We do ask that vet visits be pre-approved so we aren't racking up bills we can't pay at vets all over the place.
How to Sponsor a dog for PAL's
If you can't adopt or foster a particular dog, but you want to help it get a home, you can also "sponsor" this dog. There are two ways to sponsor - one is to make a donation toward it's adoption fee so that someone is more likely to adopt it. The other is to donate a "weekly" or "monthly" amount toward the animal's care for food, etc. In either case, we will add you to our Sponsor's list, acknowledge you in the dog's listing, and once we get our newsletter in full swing, you will be added to our mailing list as a PAL's supporter. Monetary donations can be made via the PayPal donation button in the donation section of this page, or you can email us for details on where to send a donation if you prefer to send it directly to our vet. Other donations we can pick up if you're in our areas!
For over 3 years now, we have been testing an all NATURAL, new product with our dogs that have arthritis and other autoimmune diseases, and are convinced now that we should share it with other pet owners. it works far better than anything else we've found, including the various glucosamine supplements, Rimadyl, and Deramaxx - PLUS it is not a drug and can't harm the organs. Unless your pet is allergic to eggs it can have it - and most dogs LOVE it!!
One of our severe cases is Corky, a 12 yr old, 20 pound girl who can't even get up on her own without it, and can't do stairs at all, and limped in pain when she walked in the yard without it. WITH IT, she can now get up and down like the youngsters, climbs both up and down stairs, AND even RUNS AND PLAYS with a 3 yr old. She doesn't keep up with him when he's running hi-speed laps, but we're just excited that she can run at all, after not being able to for almost 3 years! It's like she has a new lease on life!
Some of the other things it has helped in our rescue dogs besides arthritis and joint inflammation, are: dry and flaky skin problems, allergies, parvo survivors with weakened immune systems, dogs on chemo, infections, and a severe case of coccidia that after treated left the dog unable to absorb nutrients from it's food or water due to the damage in the intestines. We are presently using it on a little girl with an aggressive tumor to see if we can slow down the progress by helping her immune system to attack the tumor. She is very advanced and it may be too late for her, but we're giving it a try as she's not in pain yet and still has a good life so far. We have also just started a trial on a diabetic cat.
It's sort of a difficult product to describe, but basically hens are injected with all the human diseases, they respond by producing the antibodies, co-factors, and other components that the immune system needs, and puts them into the egg yolk for their chicks. Then these eggs are processed and the egg yolk is dried out into a powder which is the product called "I26" (see link below). It has best been described as a "smorgasboard for the immune system", and each individual's immune system goes out and grabs what it needs to balance itself - either UP or DOWN! Therefore, it is able to help the autoimmune diseases where the immune system is overactive too (and causes joint inflammation, etc.) It has also been known to help regulate other functions of the body, including blood pressure, blood sugar, infections, skin diseases, etc. See the website below for additional details. This is NOT a drug and has not been verified by the FDA, nor can it claim to cure any diseases....see details on the product website.
It's actually a product that was developed over the last 20 years for humans, and one of our humans started taking it and couldn't believe the difference it made in her own well being, energy level, joint pain, etc. There's tons of scientific studies backing it up, complete with clinical trials - if you want to research all the details. There's NOTHING comparable to it on the market. It's only being sold through private distributorships throughout the world, and is not available in stores so far.
It comes in several types, but for the dogs and cats, we use the pure egg powder one which comes in a 30 scoop can. This works great for the dogs as you can just put a little on top of their dry kibble and shake the bowl around and their dry is then coated with egg flavor and the dogs absolutely LOVE it!! The company that markets it, also have two new products out that they developed specifically for the dogs and cats, after seeing the success on the animals. These are bottles of 60 chewable treats and those each contain about 1/4 of a scoop, along with vitamins, minerals, and glucosamine added for the dogs, plus taurine for the kitties. We are just now testing those out, but some of our severe cases need a whole scoop or two a day, and would need several treats, so we're still using the powder on them. We will update this site with the results of our studies on the powder vs the treat supplements as our animals try both out.
You can order this product from the website address shown below. It also carries a 90 day money back guarantee if it doesn't work for your pet for any reason (although I doubt you'll find that - we haven't had one fail yet!), and they have an "autoship" option, where you will get a discount on the product, in exchange for signing up to have it automatically shipped to you each month. You can also cancel that at any time with 7 days notice before ship date.
If you have questions on dosage, etc., please feel free to email us at email@example.com about your pet's condition and weight, and we will advise you or get the answer from the lead doctor and scientist who developed this product, if we don't know it. There are several distributors where it can be purchased, but we have now become one also, and are using the proceeds from the sales of this product to benefit our rescue animals, so we're hoping you'll order it from us at the following site:
There are a lot of conflicting reports out there on vaccines for our canine companions. We have done a lot of research on this subject in trying to do what is "right" for our dogs and puppies, and we are presenting the findings here. We will add links to the other articles shortly. In the meantime, you can email if you want more information.
Vaccines have been linked with cancer and autoimmune diseases in dogs. Some studies indicate that the immunity from the vaccines may be anywhere from 3 to 7 years and in some cases may be lifetime immunity. Re-vaccinating annually on many of the vaccines either does nothing to add to the dog's immunity and in some cases can be harmful to your companion. You can also do a titer test to find out what your dog's immunity is, instead of just vaccinating. This doesn't save money generally though, and some vets are not experienced at this.
Also beware of vets that want to give a whole set of booster vaccines annually!!! It is very hard on a dog, and NOT RECOMMENDED BY MANY VETS, TO DO MULTIPLE VACCINES AT THE SAME TIME, however, I still hear of many vets that do so. A puppy is brought in and it may get 3-4 shots in one day! (Note: We had one adopted chihuahua puppy that was taken to a vet in Ohio at 14 weeks of age for it's next round of vaccines and the vet gave it 4 different shots including rabies and the pup died within 8 hrs! We were told it was not a vaccine allergic reaction - simply too many things for it's small body!). We feel that It is better if the vaccines are spaced out and most good vets will verify this when questioned.
We have also had some vets who do not recommend giving vaccines at the same time as anesthesia - such as when a dog is spayed/neutered and gets all it's shots too. Yet some clinics do this as well. I don't know for sure if this is hazardous to their health or not, but vets that I trust have said it is not good practice. The anesthesia is affecting the body and the surgery is a shock to the system to begin with, and so is the vaccine to the immune system so it doesn't seem like a real good idea if you think about it. Although it is common practice at many vets and I don't know of any specific dogs that have had problems with it. Of course some recover better than others and I have never tracked it enough to see if it could be related to the number or timing of shots given too.
It is also now accepted by some of the vet schools that dogs 7 years of age and older should not even have additional shots. Of course the rabies shot is still required by law for most senior dogs, although some states, including Michigan are now accepting a letter from the vet stating that some senior dogs should not have additional vaccines due to certain health issues. One of our boys, Shawn is in this category and has a letter issued in lieu of a rabies certificate by our veterinarian..
Many vets now want to vaccinate for a whole host of "new" diseases as well. Leptospirosis is one of these. The problem is that there are various manufacturer shots out there, and some of them only cover two strains of Lepto, and they are NOT the strain that is common in our area. If you are going to have your pet vaccinated against Lepto, please make sure that your vet is using a vaccine that includes 4 strains of Lepto, otherwise don't waste your money!! Lepto is carried by rats and mice in our area and is also transmitted from dog to dog via urine, so it is a vaccine that should be considered, at least in MI.
Coronavirus is another common one that some vets want to vaccinate against. However, from our research so far, we are finding no justification for this vaccine in adult dogs. Our long-term vet that we trust also tells us that this vaccine is not necessary. This is a disease that is only fatal in young puppies and there are even very few cases of that! The jury is still out on this one from the evidence we've seen so far. In fact, there is a lawsuit being filed by a vet against the manufacturers of this vaccine which states that it is a useless vaccine. This is our opinion and is supported by some of the vets we have talked to, but please research this yourself and talk to your own veterinarian when deciding if it is required in your area and for your dog.
Distemper & Parvo series (DHPP or DA2PP). This shot has always been recommended as an annually required vaccine, however now studies are showing that this vaccine is only required every 3 years at most, and some say that it's immunity is good up to 7 years. Some vets are only boosting this every 3 years but most are still boosting it annually. We recommend doing a titer test to actually check the immunity of your individual dog if you really want to know for sure what your specific pet needs. Like people, all dogs are unique and their bodies and immune systems can require different levels of vaccine to protect them.
Bordetella (kennel cough) - similar to a human cold but can develop into a more serious respiratory problem. This nasal vaccine is often required if your pet is going to be boarded and usually by groomers. With the number of doggie day care and dog parks today, you may want to consider it. It can be thought of as being the same theory as a human flu shot. It may or may not protect your dog from catching kennel cough or a similar respiratory disease, and it may lessen the severity if it does. If your dog is healthy and has a good immune system it probably does not need it, but if your dog is young, or old, or has a compromised immune system, it MIGHT lessen the chances and severity of a respiratory problem. In our rescue we have used it completely for a while but found it did not prevent the problem, and at other times did not give it and all but one dog did not catch it anyway. It has recently been thought that maybe it needs to be boosted more often than originally thought. We do not give it routinely as we found that In many cases it is not effective, and in fact often gives the dog a case of kennel cough or slight respiratory problems after being given. Instead we just watch the dogs closely and if anyone is showing symptoms of a respiratory problem we treat that instead. We have only had one incidence of a dog with kennel cough transmitting it to two of our adult dogs in the last 8 years of rescuing hundreds of dogs, although we have had several dogs come from shelters with it. We have however, also seen a direct link between low water intake and more severe kennel cough and respiratory problems. It does clear much faster with increased fluid intake.
RABIES: This was previously required by the state every year, however this has changed and it is now required every THREE years after the initial one year vaccine. However, there are still vets out there giving it annually and collecting their money. This vaccine has been linked to cancer in dogs and should NOT be over used. The first rabies vaccine is required at 4 mo of age and is not recommended or recognized by the state of MI if given prior to 4 months! This first rabies vaccine is considered a ONE YEAR vaccine and will need to be boosted 12 mo later. All rabies vaccines after that are considered THREE year vaccines and should NOT be given more often. In reality it is the same vaccine and the same amount, just listed differently on the certificate and often charged more for a "3 year" shot by some vets!
Vaccine Clinics
One of our veterinarians provides low cost vaccine clinics around southeast michigan routinely. This clinic provides lower cost services without the "office call" and extravagant "exam fee" charges incurred to walk in the door at many vet offices. This vet is truly interested in the best welfare of the pets and in getting the owners to bring their pets in for the necessary preventatives despite this rough economy. He tries to keep the prices down so that people can afford to vet their animals. He has several clinic locations around the area, mostly at grooming shops, Tractor Supplies, and pet stores, etc. and has a mobile vet unit. Visit www.mobilevetclinic.biz to find a location near you or call 313-686-5701.
We appreciate Dr. Hermann's efforts as we are so tired of getting calls from senior citizens and people who have lost their jobs wanting to turn in their animals because they can't afford the vet bill! Vet clinics that charge the outrageous fees for routine items, and simpler surgeries are costing animals their lifelong homes and this upsets us tremendously!! We realize that vet's costs of business are high as well, but one vet hospital we used to use routinely, built a new clinic, and the first time we took a rescue dog there simply to get a rabies shot, it cost us $92.00 with the "office call" and the "exam fee" and the shot. To add insult to injury the vet didn't even examine the dog well and missed the fact that it had ear infections and ear mites and we had to point it out to the vet in order to get the needed medicine (extra of course)!! Needless to say, we don't use that vet routinely anymore.
Another example of Dr. Hermann's efforts can be seen in the story of two sibling puppies that we adopted out recently. Both came down sick with a cough after going to their homes. One adopter took their pup to Dr Hermann whom we had recommended and it was treated with Dr. Hermann, and the other was taken to a reputable Ann Arbor vet hospital with several veterinarians on staff. The one treated by Dr. Hermann was well on the road to recovery and bouncing around playing at home in 2 days. We had not been able to get ahold of the other adopter but then we got a very upset phone call from the woman's daughter and we learned that the other sibling had been hospitalized for 2 days and they were actually talking to the owner about the possibility of having to euthanize this young puppy because it was not improving!! We told the daughter to PLEASE get that pup out of the hospital and take it to Dr. Hermann unless the hospital would listen and switch treatment. We called the hospital vet, after talking to the adoptive mom, and informed them of what was working for the other sibling, and they did agree to switch treatment (Thank God) and within hours the pup was improving. The vet's comment was "Oh, Lungworm pneumonia, I thought about that but ruled it out". The hospital wanted to continue hospitalizing the pup for yet another day and add to the bills for the new owner, but we had the owner pull the pup out the next day and the follow-up care was done with Dr. Hermann and the pup is doing fine!
The sad part is that one bill was under $200 and the other was about $2300 and created more suffering for the pup and it's owner - and the dog most likely would have died without the phone call from the daughter and yet the owner would still incur the bill. And of course there is no price that can be put on the emotional pain and anxiety of a new puppy owner who has to go through all of this! And of course, the vet hospital did not agree to reduce the bill since THEY improperly treated the puppy. This is so wrong in our eyes and the vets and hospitals like this obviously don't realize how much impact word-of-mouth advertising has. They will now NOT be recommended to any of our adopters in the area nor I'm sure by any of the friends of the woman who had the sick puppy or her friends and family. All of that will have much more impact on their business than crediting the $2300 bill would have.
Some of the Petsmart and Pet Supplies Plus stores also host periodic vaccine clinics on weekends that are reduced cost. Check with your local store to see if they participate
There are also free vaccine clinics each spring/summer hosted by the MI humane society that take place in the Detroit area parks. We will add more info here and a link. Their clinics are generally in May and early to mid June. These are for both dogs and cats. All pets must be on a leash or in a carrier.
If you are so inclined, you can also purchase the vaccines and give them yourself (except rabies which must be given by a licensed vet in the state of MI). They are simple to give (just under the skin in most cases) and can be ordered for $4-5 per shot plus s/h or purchased at some feed stores and Tractor Supply stores (although we recommend getting them directly from the manufacturer's or retailers specializing in vaccines to ensure they have stayed refrigerated).
We will be adding a section on wormers next, as this is another area where people are taken advantage of by many vets, and this can be done simply and inexpensively once you understand what is required. With the increased use of dog parks, it is important that every dog owner understands the various types of worms and what is required to protect their dogs. You can also reference the beaglesunlimited website for a lot of good information on this subject.
The other section we will be adding is on ear cleaning and ear infections. One of our previous adopters, who is elderly and on a fixed income, just informed me that her little guy had got an ear infection and she took him to the vet and the bill was $120 the first time, almost as much money on the follow-up visit, and they were wanting her to come in for a third follow-up visit. This is ridiculous for the simple treatment they were giving the dog - and the worst part was it was not solving the problem!! So we will be giving some advice from our experience on this subject in the near future too. Almost all dogs that come in from the shelters and from many owners come in with ear infections of one sort or another and we have probably seen about everything here!
This section will be expanded soon, but we just learned about one that we want to share as it just took the life of two puppies. This is a toxin many people are probably not aware of.
Tissue paper, colored red, such as you get in some gift boxes at Christmas time, etc. is EXTREMELY TOXIC. After simply chewing on a little corner of a piece of this paper, both pups went from healthy 8 wk old pups to the Rainbow Bridge in a matter of about two hours!! This is the same red dye that is used in many dog foods and dog treats and this too can affect some dogs that have sensitive systems. Red dye is also responsible for ear problems in many dogs.
PAL's Wish List for Donations
We have the same wish list as many of our shelter and rescue friends - all those things the dogs and puppies require while they wait for their new homes!! They include but are not limited to:
Towels - Used or New
Baby Comforters, throws, flannel sheets, fleece - for oldster beds!
Paper Towels - for the OOPS!!
Spray or concentrated cleaners (with bleach & antibacterial types)
Old newspapers - for any puppies who can't do towels yet!!!
Dog crates - plastic taxi type or wire - any condition
Dog Houses - for our friends when they're outdoors!
Dog toys - all kinds - especially hard bones & dental treats!
Dog food - Purina ONE Chicken & Rice, Purina ONE Growth & Development for the puppies, & canned Pedigree traditional ground chicken for the oldsters! These are our standard types but we also accept other donations and mix them in!!
MONEY DONATIONS FOR OUR VET BILLS!!!! See below.
We have a PayPal account set up that is used strictly for the dog's needs. If you can donate even a dollar or two - we would be grateful - it all adds up. To donate via credit card or deduction from your bank account, please use the button below and follow the directions. Please note that we are NOT tax deductible (501c3) at this time (couldn't afford the fee yet to become one!!) but are definitely non-profit!!. Checks can also be mailed directly to the vet's office, please email for information.
Thank You very much for helping us, so that we can continue to help unfortunate animals and place them in loving homes for the rest of their lives.
NOTE: OUR PAYPAL LINK BELOW IS NOT WORKING TEMPORARILY AS WE TRANSFER BANK ACCOUNTS. PLEASE PAYPAL ANY DONATIONS TO OUR PERSONAL ACCOUNT WHICH IS firstname.lastname@example.com THE DONATION IS AUTOMATICALLY TRANSFERRED INTO OUR RESCUE ACCOUNT FROM THERE UNTIL PAYPAL GETS OUR PETANGELS ACCOUNT WORKING AGAIN. THANKS
PAL's Fundraising Events and Special Requests for Extra Special Dogs
Please Help Cinnamon
12-28-04: Cinnamon was adopted and is now doing well in a loving home! We have about $330 to go to pay off her vet bills which topped $1500!! Her story is below. PLEASE take care of your dog's teeth!!!!!!! If you can help with Cinnamon's bills, please go to the Donate button at the bottom of this section & THANKS!!! 8-12-04: Cinnamon just had the second part of her surgery at a cost of $615!!!! And the first part was $497 - EEKS!!! At least she's done now and will soon be out of pain. She had so much infection in her body she still has to be on antibiotics for another 2 weeks but she's doing better. 7-15-04: PAL's will be having some fundraising events posted here soon, but currently we are in need of assistance on vet bills for Cinnamon. We will be posting more on her story shortly, in the hopes that it will educate owners of all dogs, but especially of toy breeds, so her situation doesn't happen to another out there. No dog deserves this kind of pain!! Toy breeds in particular are very prone to dental disease and a little prevention is a lot less expensive, not to mention the pain this girl has endured, in the long run. This poor girl is only 5 years old. She was purchased as a puppy and lived with the same family her whole life - until about a month ago!! She suddenly started "snapping" at the kids & her owner took her to a high kill animal control & told them they could no longer keep her due to her snapping. The shelter called us because they knew we take in poms with aggression issues & work with them, & we went to evaluate Cinnamon. She seemed like she wanted to be friendly but if you got close to her head with your hand she would growl & try to snap. We suspected an injury/dental issue because the owner said she "had been a good dog" until recently. But we were appalled when we were able to check out this girl a bit closer. Her teeth were ATROCIOUS & her back top molar was so bad it wiggled around & had created an abscess which filled with infection and punctured through her cheek under her eye a few days later. Cinnamon was put on antibiotics immediately and was finally able to have her dental surgery on 6-11-04. What we didn't know & neither did the vet until she was under anesthesia (because she was in such pain that no one had been able to exam her very closely), was that in addition to the problems with the top teeth, her lower jaw bone was actually FRACTURED due to the neglect of this dog's dental needs!! We have seen this in puppymill breeder dogs, but this is our first from an Owner Turned In pet!! Cinnamon had to have her jaw bone wired together, and it will be checked again in 2 weeks, and then again in 6 weeks, when hopefully it will be healed & the wire can be removed. She will have to undergo anesthesia again to have that done. She still has to be spayed too, because her mouth was so bad there was too much risk of infection & there wasn't time to keep her under anesthesia longer to do further surgery. Cinnamon was seen by 3 area vets prior to the surgery. We received estimates of $800, $400-$450, and $325-$418 to do her dental work (without knowing the jaw was broken). As you can see, most of the vets in our area don't give us any discounts either!! Well, the $800 estimate finally agreed he could go to "maybe $600-650 on the low end IF things weren't complicated - since we planned to adopt the dog later". We feared they could be and that his price was out of line with area vets, and we elected not to go with him - GOOD THING!! This also brings up another issue that we are making plans to try to help with in the future, but will take some time to achieve. It is possible that if the owner had taken the dog to the vet, they would have then chosen to take the dog to a shelter, simply because the VET COSTS WERE NOT AFFORDABLE! With the current economy, more and more animals are losing their lifelong homes, simply because the owners can no longer afford to care for them. Our area vet costs are higher than many places in the country and some want so much "diagnostic" work that it costs a fortune, often only to show there is still no problem, or it is "inconclusive". We are all for wellness care, but there is also a point of ridiculous that is costing animals their homes, because the owners can't tell what they really need & what they don't. Some of our area's high costs are due to the "quality" of the care, some are not. But, especially with toy breeds, you also have to be very careful WHICH vet you take them to for dental issues. I have had 5 different adopters in the past 2 years, come to me looking to adopt a toy dog, because their dog DIED during a dental at area vets. I have also had 2 others who's dogs suffer from seizures permanently after their surgeries due to anesthesia effects. Not all vets use the same anesthetic, pain meds, and monitoring to protect small dogs who are very susceptible to the effects of anesthesia. We will be posting more on this subject & on veterinary needs & recommendations in general in the future. But to protect your pet, please do your research first & make sure the vet you choose is experienced in the procedure required for your breed and size dog. Ask other owners of similar type dogs in your area for references or recommendations of good vets in the area. Each breed of dog has specific needs and while some vets may be great with some breeds, they may not be the best choice for another breed. So far Cinnamon's vet bills for antibiotics and surgery are $559.00. It is estimated that she will incur another $240 to $300 before she is completely vetted.
Our URGENT Friends
PLEASE LOOK AT THE URGENT DOGS IN OUR LISTINGS - SOME OF THEM ARE IN KILL SHELTERS AND THEY HAVE ONLY DAYS TO LIVE IF A HOME IS NOT FOUND (SOME ONLY 1 DAY LEFT!!). Others are urgent because they aren't working in their current home for some reason and the owner's will be turning them into a shelter if a home can't be located quickly. The write-up for each dog will give the specifics of it's situation.
TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR THE DOGS MARKED URGENT!! Most of these dogs are in select southern high kill shelters that we work with to help relocate special dogs that can't find homes in their local areas. Unfortunately, due to space, we can't bring these dogs into our care while they wait for homes, so we try to do the next best thing by courtesy posting them in our area, and processing the applicants, and then assisting in transporting the dogs to their northern homes, for those that are lucky enough to get a home in time. If you are interested in one of the "URGENT" dogs, please EMAIL immediately for an application and include any questions you have about the dog. We will then alert the shelter that we may have an interested party in the dog, and those applications are expedited. A volunteer driver network is usually able to get the dogs from their shelters to our area, although if we can't get enough volunteers, we sometimes ask that the adopter assist in the transport route. These dogs are completely vetted prior to transport, including spaying/neutering.
Those that say "HELP" have a few days left!!
You must EMAIL IMMEDIATELY (and please include contact phone numbers to reach you if we have questions) to save one of these dogs as we have to notify the shelters and they have to arrange vetting, transport, etc. IF YOU EMAIL & DON'T GET IMMEDIATE RESPONSE, DON'T WORRY, We check all emails several times per day & notify the shelter's of the dogs we think we may have a home or foster for, and put the wheels in motion to save the dog & get it vetted, THEN we go back & process the applicants, so that we don't lose the dog while we're answering emails!! PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS FOR THOSE WE NEED TO CALL. If a particular dog has many inquiries, we will add it to our rescue & then sort out the applicants to find it the right home, so don't be alarmed if you don't get an immediate call or email - WE WILL GET BACK TO YOU!
PAL's Adoptee Updates
We have several postings from previous adopters that we will be placing here soon. Thanks for the updates & if you adopted through us and haven't sent in an update - Please Do! The things we see and hear daily are sometimes pretty rough & it makes us remember why we do this when we see the happy little faces of those we have helped find their happy homes!!
THANK YOU FROM PAL's
Thanks to those who have sent in help for Cinnamon's bills. We are still a long way in the hole, but it's helping!! And at least Cinnamon is feeling better now!!
THANKS to Dick & Cheryl R. & their prince Happy for posing for our new logo. And thanks to the artist Angi Laframboise, who created the logo for us and has donated it's use to the PAL's dogs!! And thanks for the portrait hanging on our wall too!!!!
THANKS TO ALL WHO HELPED & SUPPORTED US DURING THE LAST FEW DIFFICULT MONTHS! You have shined through and shown how caring some of our friends in the rescue world really are - BOTH FOR PEOPLE AND THE DOGS!! Unfortunately, we've also learned some hard lessons about a couple of others, but like every facet of life, there are the good and the not-so-good & the truth does eventually prevail!!
We have had some distrubing emails regarding some rescue's practices in some MI rescues. To those of you looking to adopt a pet from a rescue or an individual:
TO THE RESCUE BEING DESCRIBED HERE - YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE & YOU ARE DOING A MAJOR DISSERVICE TO THE RESCUE ANIMALS & THOSE WHO HELP THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RESCUE IS NOT ABOUT TAKING ALL THE PUPPIES & PREGNANT DOGS YOU CAN & ADOPTING THEM ALL OUT AT $450 or $550 A PUPPY OR TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER WHILE NEVER HELPING ANY OF THE OLDER DOGS!! Worse yet, we were just directed to one "rescue" which has $800 puppies on their site!!! True rescues help a reasonable mixture of young, adult, and senior dogs with occasional puppies to help offset the costs of the expensive surgeries and senior dogs. It is common practice to raise puppy adoption fees to help offset the generally higher vet costs of the senior dogs, but not to ridiculous levels like $800!
1) How many dogs do they adopt out in a month? If it's too many, they are most likely not looking out for the best interest of the dogs & are placing them too fast.
2) What is their ratio of puppies, adults, and seniors? Some "rescues" are only interested in taking puppies they can "sell" to make a profit, but don't help the adults or seniors.
3) What is the average length of time a foster dog is in their rescue prior to being adopted? Again, short stays indicate they're "brokering" the dogs. Rescue dogs should not be shuttled from place to place quickly before their personalities are learned. This often makes a negative situation for both the dog & the new adopter. One of the rescues we are getting complaints on is picking up dogs from animal control on Tuesdays & has them at the pet store "adoptathon" on Wed & Sat!! It is reported that there is NO vetting occurring in between but we have not verified this yet. However, we have several reports from potential adopters that went to see animals, that they are asking high prices for each puppy and are very uncooperative in answering questions and don't seem to know much about the dogs!
4) Are the dogs spayed/neutered prior to adoption or as part of their adoption process? A TRUE rescue does NOT adopt out unaltered animals unless arrangements are made with the adopter and a contract is signed!!
5) Does the rescue participate in "parking lot adoptions", for example showing their dogs at local pet stores, etc. This is a debatable point, but our opinion is that taking these rescue dogs to stores each weekend to be "viewed" is very stressful and not always healthy for the dogs and often you do not see the real personality of the dog at these locations. If they are allowed to be adopted directly from there, then the homes are not being properly screened and the best interest of the dog or the adopter is NOT always being looked out for. However some rescues show their dogs and take applications, and then follow up with checking out the potential homes. This is fine, but we don't generally show our dogs at these locations due to the stress on the dogs. We have done some adoptathons but typically those meeting the dogs there have already been screened if they are allowed to adopt that day, and those who have not, will be followed up with a home visit and to finish the adoption process.
PAL's Major Accomplishments
11-05-06: Our latest accomplishment was probably the biggest one we have ever undertaken and it involved a terrible hoarding situation with over 100 dogs on the property, many very sick, none vetted, and adult dogs dying in their pens, dogs being mauled to death by others, and tons of sick puppies. The USDA and local animal control and vets were involved and helped tremendously. We have not seen justice done yet to the lady who caused the suffering of these animals, but we know that in time, justice always prevails and someday she will be judged for what she did to these innocent animals. Some lost their lives, some had to be euthanized to end their suffering, which we also took care of. These faces will be added on our Rainbow Bridge page when we can get through it for the tears. For now, we are concentrating on those we were able to save. We took on responsibility to vet all of these animals and find spots for them until they can find their forever homes, and have incurred thousands of dollars in vet bills because of it, but each and every dog saved is loved and healthy now or getting close to it, and will never again have to suffer like they were there. We still are in dire need of funds and foster and adoptive homes. We normally do not kennel dogs but due to this situation, we have had to kennel some of the larger breed dogs and we REALLY want to get them out of the kennel and into homes. If you can help, please call us at 734-645-7705. We have many purebreds and mixes both. As they are completely healthy, they are added to the website for adoption. 7-2-05: Our latest accomplishment was to catch a little girl Bichon (with the help of an adopter!!), scared, and in awful condition, so that she can now experience the love and care she deserves!! She will be up for rehoming soon if no owner is located. 6-15-05: Over the last few months we have assisted another rescue in finding foster homes and adoptive homes for many chihuahuas coming from a commercial breeder (puppymiller) who is slowly getting out of the business - THANK GOD!! They started with hundreds of chi's and are slowly reducing their numbers. Unfortunately, when they get ready to "get rid of" a group of dogs, if the one rescue they will directly work with cannot immediately take the dogs, they kill them brutally by breaking their necks and throwing them over a fence into an alley!! So needless to say, we all do our best to jump through hoops when these awful people decide to "get rid of" more of the dogs. It is also an "all or nothing" deal, where we are expected to take whatever they can't sell that is sick or disabled, or get nothing, so we take all that are available, and do our best to accomodate them. Some come out with bad tumors, broken jaws, etc. but most are very loving little dogs given time and TLC. We do have a fairly constant supply of chihuahua's coming in, so if you're looking for one, please consider one of our adult mill rescue dogs. They are so appreciative of love and gentle touch, that they make great little companions.
8-25-04: We are restructuring our rescue and are automating some of the record keeping tasks so we will have more time for our canine friends and adopters! Thanks to all of our foster mom's for doing what you do and loving these furkids. We are also working on a grant proposal that we hope to unveil in the future months that will benefit many animals and pet owners in our area.
News: 12-07: We will be putting together our website showing our adopted furkids soon. If you have adopted a pet from us, please email & send us an update & send pictures so we can include your companion in our "Happy Angels" section. 12-07: Thanks to Dick & Cheryl & Happy for their Gift Card for our rescue furkids. So glad to hear Happy is still doing well!!!! Hope you all have a great holiday season & a wonderful New Year!!!!
1-24-04: Thanks to Dick & Cheryl & Happy for their generous donation & continual support!! We are sorry we weren't able to attend Happy's one year anniversary party but we really appreciate him being an ambassador for our dogs. We will be putting a special update with pics of Happy "then and now" in the near future. Happy's family and a local artist have also donated a graphic of him which will become our logo and will be added to our site as well. Happy is one of our special cases - he was "too big" to some for a pom, "too old" for others, had a cataract in one eye, and looked terrible when we got him from the shelter - all flea ridden, hair missing, filthy, oil embedded in him, etc. but Dick & Cheryl fell in love with this little guy & gave him a chance and a loving family & he couldn't be more spoiled (good job guys!!) and he is in gorgeous condition & he has become the neighborhood mascot & a spokesman for dogs in need! (with a little help from the humans of course!!). More on this story soon!! We are in the planning stages of "bigger and better things" for our dogs in need and their new families. But first we have to get all the vet bills paid off from our puppymill dogs. We would appreciate any and all donations of items to be sold on Ebay for the dogs, items to be used for the dogs, or monies to the vets for the dogs. If you can donate for the dogs, please email us for details!! We can arrange pick up for items donated!! Note however that we are NOT 501c3 nor tax deductible at this time. THANKS!!
THANKS to those who responded!Thanks to all those who have offered to foster and adopt the southern shelter dogs. Because of you, we have now been able to save several lives! We are continuing to post as we are asked, and you have continued to respond!!
Old News:
UPDATE 9-16-03 on injured pom mix9-16-03: Unfortunately, we're having problems getting that last bit of skin to grow! But other than that, she's doing well!! 7-1-03: She's WALKING with her right rear leg down almost continually!!!! She has beaten all the predictions so far!! What a fighter. The skin is down to about 1 1/2 X 1" left to grow in. 6-24-03: She's starting to put some weight on her rear right leg!!!! The area without skin is down to about 2" square now!! We're getting there. 6-15-03: We're down to just needing one burn pad to cover her wound!! Yeah!!!! It's much smaller now & is growing back quite well. 6-10-03: Our vet bills continue to rise for her and every bit helps! The skin is now growing back slowly but surely. She has continued to carry her right rear leg quite a bit and to our surprise, we found out when our MI vet X-rayed her, that the pelvic joint & hip WERE fractured during the attack. Somehow our OH vet managed to miss this, despite several return visits regarding the leg??? It is now partially fused & would be very expensive to try to fix ($3000-4000 with an orthopedic specialist) and our vet says that often, the dog won't go back to using the leg anyhow even if it IS repaired. It does not seem to be causing pain for her, so we are opting not to pursue surgery at this time & will have it X-rayed again in about 6 weeks. She does sometimes put the leg down & will let you move it freely, just can't put a lot of weight on it & it must be more comfortable to her with it up. Some bowel problem is ongoing due to a depression in her bowel, but it seems to have improved a little on a special diet.
April 7, 2003We have taken in a 12 lb. little girl Sweetie (pom/mini eskie mix?)who was attacked & almost killed by a large dog! She shows signs of having had a rough life already and now this!! She lost all of the skin on her back from the neck to the rear & partway down her rear legs. In case that wasn't bad enough, her right rear leg was almost torn off and she had 17 large, deep puncture wounds along her back, and her rectum was damaged some! We KNOW this girl is special, as she managed to not end up paralyzed from all the puncture wounds - somehow they all missed her spine, and the bowel function remained intact - BOTH MIRACLES for the amount of damage done! So we KNOW that somebody upstairs is watching out for her! And through all of this VERY PAINFUL treatment - not once has she tried to bite or snap - she just looks at you with this pleading look that can break the hardest heart. We did not post pictures of the injuries here because they are very graphic and offensive to some. Our vet can verify the injuries. We operate strictly from our $175 - $250 (general range) reimbursed care and vetting fees and personal money from each of our foster family's, but lately several other dogs have needed expensive surgeries and now this - but we couldn't ignore her. We do not have our official 501c3 Non Profit status yet, but are in the process of getting it. However, we definitely DO operate at a DEFINITE NON-PROFIT!!! We try not to raise our fees as some do, and try to use the standard fee as a maximum no matter what breed of dog, or age, or vet cost, etc. We do this in an effort to make the dogs affordable to the average loving family. We don't normally request donations on this site, but we are asking for some help with her vet & bandage costs. She is requiring very expensive burn pads to be applied 3 times per day & it takes 5 to cover all her areas. The cost of those alone has already exceeded $2000, and that's not even counting the gauze, wraps, tape, ointment, antibiotic flush solution, etc., and she still has a long way to go. Her vet care, from vets in OH & now MI, has already topped $800 as well, and that was with a lot of donated time - THANKS to the vets! We have set up a PayPal account for her if you can donate even a dollar or two - we would be grateful - it all adds up. Thank You very much for helping us, so that we can continue to help unfortunate animals and place them in loving homes for the rest of their lives.
Other News:Sadly, one of the Dayton dogs was euthanized!! She was given every chance by the rescue who took her, but the decision was finally made, that it was in her best interest to be humanely put to sleep. There were just too many years of fear in her short life, and she couldn't seem to get past it. So now she is at the Rainbow Bridge waiting for the mate she never had here on earth. Lizzy we miss you!! Another Dayton dog gets to go to his new home!! Teddy is our latest adoptee from the Dayton Project. Congratulations to him & his new family! For those who don't know, the "Dayton Project" involved finding rescues and homes for over 70 cats and 45 mix breed dogs from a "30 year rescuer" who was more of a collector & was being evicted in two weeks!! While the dogs and cats all needed grooming, vaccinations, etc. at least they were well fed in most cases and all had shelter provided by this woman. We didn't get much help with transports, so we ended up transporting most ourselves and put a lot of miles on the trucks, but it was short notice! We want to give a MAJOR Thank You to those rescues who helped search for available fostering and those who took in these poor animals and are still caring for them so they'll get a chance at a real life!! Special thanks to Dona & Vicki at the Little Feet and Feline Rescue in KY, Pati in Alabama, Debi at Second Chance, and Sara & Sharon from Alliance, OH . Also special thanks to Pam in Cincinnati who got it all started and coordinated so much, and to Carla & her crew for helping coax out the basement dogs, Nina for transport help, and all the volunteers out there who offered to foster some of the animals! If anyone would like to donate funds for the long-term care of these animals, please contact us & the funds will be distributed among the rescues.
PAL's Rainbow Bridge
08-15-07: We have still not been able to bring ourselves to update this section, but now we must, with today's loss. Today we lost our girl of 13 yrs - Crystal. She was a very special girl our founder had since she was born. She had personality plus & was always quick to show the "newcomers" how to behave and who was to eat first!! Crystal was a lap baby who expected and demanded attention, but gave back her loyalty and love tenfold. She left us early this morning and said goodbye to Terri on her way to Rainbow Bridge, while Terri was sleeping - she was one of the few that could always demand Terri wake up no matter how little sleep she'd had - even as she passed on to the Bridge, she managed to wake her up to say goodbye!!
Crystal we miss you!! 10-17-94 to 8-15-07
05-10-06: We have not been able to update this section for the tears. Due to a hoarding situation we encountered, we saw some horrific sights too graphic to put on our website and we had to help several dogs leave this world because of the suffering they endured and injuries and illness they couldn't recover from. Some were even mauled to death by others in the pens. We will add the pictures of those we have as we are able. Many were puppies. The first two we're listing and two of the hardest were Mollie & Mattie - young pups who never had a chance to live. Mattie went from a decent looking pom pup but sickly, to no hair due to scabies (sarcoptic mange) in a matter of days, and was then mauled to death by another dog in the home before we could get him a place to go. Molly died of severe worm infestation and pneumonia - we had started her on antibiotics but she didn't make it.
Mattie we miss you! 5-05 to 10-05
Molly we miss you!!! 8-13-05 to 10-05
02-15-06: We got the sad news that our little adoptee, Sammy, went on to the Rainbow Bridge today. His smiling little face wasn't at the door to meet mom when she got home from work, and she knew something was very wrong as he ALWAYS happily greeted her when she arrived. It turned out that his little heart gave out. We don't know Sammy's exact age, but we know his life was shorter than it should have been, due to an enlarged heart and trachea problems. While he didn't get to enjoy their home for too long, after his years in a puppymill, at least we know that his end months were wonderful for him, and he was the highlight of their home. Sammy was one of those pommies who was always happy no matter what and loved to dance and smile at you! He will be sadly missed, but all who met him will remember his wonderful spirit. Sammy was proof that even a dog who has spent his life in awful conditions, can be a very loyal and loving member of the family!! Many thanks to Mike and Debby for giving this boy a wonderful home until his time came. Our prayers are with you in your loss!
Sammy we miss you! Left this world on 2-15-06.
09-05: We have lost two of our senior girls in the last two months. Both were puppymill survivors who weren't released until their later years, but both showed us tons of love and loyalty while they retired with us. Sheba and Honey Bun we miss you both!!!!! Thank you for showing us how loyal puppymill girls can be! It took Honey Bun a long time to trust anyone, but she finally learned and just loved to run up to you for some petting. These were very special girls. Sheba hopped on her 3 legs and enjoyed going so fast you couldn't catch her, or hiding in the corn fields!!
Honey Bun we miss you! Left this world in 08-05
Sheba we miss you and your entertaining ways. Left this world in 09-05
07-14-05: Pete was taken from us suddenly today and went to the Rainbow Bridge. We only had him for a few short days after our adopters Dick & Cheryl pulled him out of the Ingham county shelter on 7-9-05. But when we lost him the pain was the same as if we'd lost one of our lifetime companions!! There are some dogs that have this effect and I don't know why. Pete was 9 yrs old and had found himself in a shelter. Once he was out, he was the happiest boy we'd seen in a while. We went to visit our ambassador pom Happy, and Happy was kind enough to share his backyard for a bit with Pete and Millie - the new arrivals. Our boy Shawn and a couple of pups also went along. We had a great time and Pete was prancing, beautiful, happy, and acting like he was 4 or 5! Unfortunately, the vet thinks the day might have been a bit much for him, as he started feeling bad a few days later, and finally succombed. He had fluid in his chest and lesions on his lungs, so it was no doubt a matter of time for this sweet boy anyhow - but at least he got to touch our lives for a short time. We will never forget you Pete!!! You were a breath of fresh air!! We wish we could have enjoyed your company longer, but we also know you've now met up with your special someone from earlier in your life and crossed the Rainbow Bridge together!!
Pete we miss you! 5-4-96 to 7-14-05
07-11-05: Our little angel Lucy was taken home today to the Rainbow Bridge. We only had her for a few short weeks. Her mommy came in pregnant and had her pups and all seemed fine - at first. But then the pups started having trouble and it turned out they had gotten toxic milk from mama and had a few other complications too. Little Lucy put up a valiant fight and survived the longest, even though she was the smallest of the litter. She put up with our syringes, and tubes, and IV's and still wagged her little tail and gave us kisses besides. But in the end her little body could take no more and she passed on in her sleep. Little Lucy was particularly hard to lose because of how much time we spent with her and nursing her hourly, and loving her, and praying for her. Apparently it was not God's will to leave her on this earth very long, but he let us enjoy her sweet face for a few weeks, and we will never forget her!! Her little brother was the only survivor of the litter, but he encompasses the love and sweetness of them all! We wish we could have enjoyed your company longer, but we also know you're making some person up in heaven very happy now!!
Lucy we were glad to love you even for a short time!! 5-12-05 to 7-11-05
05-26-05: Angie was taken from us suddenly today and went to the Rainbow Bridge. We only had her a few short months but she was a joy the whole time and was a source of enteretainment with her little "worried" look and her antics. We will miss her dearly but were happy to provide her with at least a few months of pampering that she should have had all her life. Thankfully, she went peacefully in her sleep. We think it was a heart attack. She will be missed, but her timing was incredible as she made room for another little girl in need. True to her character - she always wanted to please. We will remember you Angie!!
Angie we miss you!
One of our special Angels had to be sent to Rainbow Bridge last week
(posted 4-4-03).
This time it was our special boy Scorpie! He was in misery and his prognosis wasn't good. He'd already been through a lot in his lifetime, and we couldn't force him to go through more for our own selfish wants. Part of being a responsible pet caretaker (& rescuer) - and probably the hardest part of all - is to say goodbye to them when it is in their best interest. Knowing that doesn't make it any easier and we still cried at the vet's office, and again as we write this, and the hole in our heart is huge right now, but it was the right decision for Scorpie, and he will now be where he has no more pain or neglect. Sometimes all we can do for them is love them & hug & kiss them for a short time, and let them know they are loved!! Scorpie we love you and miss you!!!!!!! Note: There will be more on Scorpie's story later & if you have a vet that prescribes the medication DiTrim for one of your pets - beware & research it - we wish the vet in Big Rapids had warned us of the effects it would have on Scorpie ahead of time. It put him in agony and we probably would not have put him through that had we known.
Scorpie we miss you!
We Lost Another of our Pom Angels Today - 3-18-04
This time it was our beloved little Karlee! She leaves behind her sister Tracy who is also in our rescue. Tracy will probably just live out her life with us as she's been through enough and doesn't adjust well to change. Karlee was only known for a short time by one of our foster families and they are devastated by her passing on, so that tells you just how special she was!! She touched the lives of all who knew her and everyone loved her instantly! Please pray for the holes in our hearts to heal from this latest loss. There have been too many - too close together!!
Karlee we know you're running and playing in heaven now and have reunited with your original mom, but we will miss your smile and antics!!!
UPDATE 3-7-04: Jackson went to the Rainbow Bridge today. :-( Where he now knows no pain, his world isn't scaring him, and he can't hurt any others. We will post a story on Jackson for educational purposes, on our new website that is in progress. Jackson had a condition called CENTRAL VESTIBULAR NYSTAGMUS - a condition where his eyes moved constantly & his world had to be a scary place. There is no cure for it, and not really many treatment options either. It caused him to behave oddly, to "attack" things that posed no threat to him. In 7 months, we were not able to find him a home with no other pets or small children that could care for him, or wanted him, and that was his only hope of having a decent life. We left his plea up for quite a while, and took care of him in between, but no homes became available, and when we were forced to relocate with our dogs, it left no options for Jackson, other than euthanasia. WE WILL MISS YOU & YOUR ENTERTAINING WAYS WITH THE TOYS JACKSON!!
On 11-10-03, we lost another of our senior pom angels to the rainbow bridge. This time it was little Binky. She was a puppymill survivor who came to us with a hernia the size of a baseball, and Binky only weighed 4.5 lbs!!! The thing was so big the poor little girl couldn't even walk. they said she had had it for NINE YEARS & that it was "just aesthetic and that it would do more damage to try to repair it". Our vet laughed at that & scheduled her immediately for surgery. After it was repaired, little Binky was the happiest camper around - she pranced & bounced when she walked, and would jump up with those little front feet for you to hold her. She LOVED to be held. BINKY WE LOVED YOU & WE MISS YOU!
On 10-8-03, we lost yet another of our pom angels to the Rainbow Bridge. This time it was little Sparky. Sparky had a rough life and had been attacked in 1999 by a large dog & lost an eye. Then in 2002 he developed a neurological problem & had difficulty walking, but he tried anyway. In the few months that he was with us, he went from a scared, biting little boy to a cuddler who loved to be held & would wobble his way to the front of the pack to get picked up & to go in and out with you. He always had a smile on his face & that smile now looks down on us from the Rainbow Bridge!! SPARKY - we miss you so bad!! You were our precious boy!! But I know you can run in heaven without any trouble like you had here on earth with those little back legs!!
On 6-23-03, we lost one of our senior pom angels to the rainbow bridge. Squeaker will be sorely missed. She was a puppymill survivor who gave most of her life having babies. She was only able to have a real life for 8 months, but she was pampered and enjoyed them thoroughly while she retired with us!! We are comforted by knowing that she now has no pain & can run & play while she waits for us!! SQUEAKER WE MISS YOU!
We do this in honor of the dogs like Coco Puff (an 11 mo old girl) and Sebastian (who didn't make it to the vet in time) from the Dayton collector that went on to the Rainbow Bridge to wait for their someone special!!
Who We Are
WE DO NOT HAVE A SHELTER - ANIMALS ARE LOCATED IN FOSTER HOMES & ARE SHOWN BY APPOINTMENT ONLY (AFTER AN APPLICATION IS APPROVED). WE BRING THE DOG TO YOU - TO SEE IT IN IT'S NEW ENVIRONMENT, THIS SAVES OUR OTHER FOSTER DOGS FROM ANY ADDITIONAL STRESS! THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING. We are a network of foster homes in Michigan and OH who banded together to start Pet Angels after fostering for another "rescue" which turned out to be not so good for some of the animals who lived in fear, got bit, and did not get the vet care they needed! We are not 501c3 yet, but are definitely non - profit and are in the process of doing the paperwork to achieve the tax status as well - we temporarily stopped when we didn't have the funding needed to finish filing our application for the status. If we ever catch up on vet bills, we'll resume saving funds for the application.
We are all major dog lovers and believe that every animal should have full quality vet care and attention and a safe place to live in a home environment, whether it is our own dog or a "foster" dog. We also believe that every potential adopter should be given ALL information about our pets, so you can make an informed decision whether that pet is the right match for you or not. If a dog/cat has "issues" we will tell you that prior to adoption. While we believe that "They're all angels when trained right" - some haven't been trained at all when we get them. Surprises only result in disappointment in the new home and stress for the animals and their humans.
We also keep our "hard case" animals and work with them on training issues until we feel they are adjusted well enough to be adopted or we can find that special foster home for them. Some retire with us to live out their lives in pampered peace in our "sanctuary and geriatric group". And then there's our "Psychotic Group" who we won't adopt out!! We will also take back any animal that doesn't work out for any reason and at any time.
While we specialize in Pomeranians and Pom mixes, we also take in other breeds as needed. We generally don't take in cats due to the number of dogs coming in and out, but will try to assist in finding places for cats when necessary. We believe mixed breeds deserve a chance too and do not limit our rescue strictly to "purebreds", nor do we have age limits for our rescues. Some of our best dogs are our more mature friends! We will adopt out of state but will not fly our animals, so ground transportation must be arranged. If you have an animal needing a home that is already spayed/neutered & UTD on shots, we will also post it's picture as a courtesy to assist you in finding it a home.
We also work with other shelters in OH, KY, and IN to help them place their animals as well. So if you're looking for a certain type of dog, please fill out our mini app and we'll see if we can help you locate a good match and save a life!!
Dog(s) Interested in:
If not a specific dog, please list breed,size, age, etc desired:
Is housebroken an absolute requirement or are you willing to train?:
Reason looking for a new companion:
Number of adults in home:
Name of adults in home & Last name(s):
Ages of adults living in the home :
Names & ages of children in the home:
Names & ages of frequently visiting children to the home:
Address :
City, State, Zip:
Your Phone number(s):
If renting, please give landlord's name & number:
Current pets (breed, age, and gender) :
Recent pets (if no current) & why are they no longer with you:
Vet reference with phone number:
Neighbor reference with phone number :
Have you been approved by another rescue for adoption? If so, which one?
Which do you have? Fenced yard/no fence/electronic fenced yard/dog park/leash walk :
Hours the dog would be left alone & where it would be left :
Would the dog have a crate/kennel/cage?:
Do you have a swimming pool?
Thanks for taking time to fill out our application!Please email it to firstname.lastname@example.com
Please communicate via email - we do this to keep our phone bills down as we rely on a cell phone most of the time! We want our funds to go to the animals not the phone companies!! Once you are approved and we are ready to set up a visit, we will contact you via phone, or we may contact you sooner if we have questions. If you have a dog in need of rescue placement or pull please contact Terri at firstname.lastname@example.com OR 734-645-7705 IF IT IS URGENT - MEANING IT WILL LOSE IT'S LIFE WITHIN A DAY OR TWO.
Pet Angels for Life Volunteers (PALs)
Southern MI with fosters in Michigan and Ohio.
Phone/voicemail: EMAIL will be faster response!!!!
Email: email@example.com
Click here for a list of pets at this shelter
[Home] [Information] [Shelters] [Search]
ADOPTION FEES for the URGENT dogs generally range between $125 and $250 (it depends on vet costs for the individual dog). Some are less from specific shelters.
QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK when checking out a rescue are:
7-2-05: Thanks to those who are donating items for us to Ebay and raise funds for our dogs! These items help us to provide the daily expenses and in some cases even vet bills for our babies!! Also a MAJOR THANKS to those who contribute or send extra with their fee, in order to help vet more dogs! Without all of you, our volunteers would not be able to afford to save as many dogs as we do!! And of course, THANKS to those who foster and adopt these precious angels!!!!!!!
9-30-03: An unexpected opportunity came up & we were able to get 19 pomeranians & 4 chihuahua's freedom from the world of breeding this past weekend!! 14 will be going to other rescues and the remainder will stay with us. They will all need vet work (dentals & spay/neuter), and a few have more serious problems (broken jaw, broken leg, etc & will be vetted first), but most appear to have pretty good temperments and should be ready to go into homes to be loved very soon!! Most are females, ages 5-9. More info will follow later - right now have to go get them all settled in, some to the vet!! If you wish to donate to the vet fund for these dogs, please do so in our donation section. Also note we are NOT tax deductible at this time.
UPDATE 7-25-03: Foxy died this morning & has now joined her previous owner at the Rainbow Bridge.
I was going to remove her from this listing but then decided to leave her picture here, with a PLEA for all pet owners and extended families of pet owners, in HOPES THAT IT MIGHT SAVE EVEN ONE LITTLE DOG LIKE FOXY. In her honor, we ask:
IF YOU HAVE A SENIOR DOG, or IF A FAMILY MEMBER PASSES AWAY and leaves behind a companion animal - PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE - give this animal the dignity of living it's last days in a loving environment - NOT in a big scary shelter where it may very likely get sick(er).If you absolutely can't keep it, make a SERIOUS EFFORT to find a REPUTABLE rescue that will take it. The good rescues are always full, but if you give it a few days & contact several - usually someone out there will work with you to find it a spot - especially seniors - there are a lot of us with soft spots there because those dogs don't do well in shelters. These animals have given their lives & love to their humans & are used to being family pets - THEY DESERVE A LOT MORE THAN TO BE DUMPED IN A SHELTER AT THE END!! AND THE PERSON THAT LOVED THEM WOULD WANT BETTER FOR THEM AS WELL!! I am NOT a fan of euthanasia at all - BUT if Foxy had been taken (after her owner passed away) by a caring family member or friend to a reputable vet & had been humanely put to sleep - her last days would have been a lot better than what this poor girl went through. SHE WAS A SWEET DOG WHO SOMEONE OBVIOUSLY HAD LOVED AND CARED FOR AND SHE DESERVED MUCH BETTER!! AND I KNOW SHE HAD BEEN LOVED AND CHERISHED AND HER OWNER WOULD HAVE WANTED THE BEST FOR HER! IF YOU MUST DUMP THE PET IN A SHELTER - at LEAST leave the name of the vet who has cared for this animal, so we can get it's records. It could mean the difference between the animal living or dying. If we had had Foxy's history on her heart & if she was cared for before (which she looked like she was), the vets would have known what level to start her meds at - but we couldn't get the info & had to start from scratch. Unfortunately she couldn't fight long enough for us to establish the right dosages. Shelters do their best to keep the animals healthy, but the REALITY IS THIS: Animals are continually brought in that were not vaccinated, are not healthy, and are contagious. Sometimes there are initial medical issues which we will address ASAP. Foxy had a very enlarged heart, she had a collapsing trachea (common to the breed), she was overweight which made both worse, and made it difficult for her to breathe. Then she went to a big county shelter, where she was terrified & miserable. Then she caught a very nasty upper respiratory infection. We pulled her out the day we heard about her, she had already been there about 4 days. We immediately vetted her & she was on meds - but her body and heart just couldn't fight it all & she succombed. PLEASE PLEASE DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO A PET YOU KNOW. OUR ORIGINAL POSTING: If anyone recognizes this little girl and can give us further info on who her previous vet was - it would be greatly appreciated. She was turned in to the Ingham County Shelter in Mason MI, and we were told her owner had passed on. She is reported to be 14 yrs old and has some health issues with an enlarged heart & any previous vet info would be beneficial. She is being cared for by our vet but some history would help speed up the proper med levels & she needs the help. She's not feeling well & we want to make her better. Also if anyone would like to sponsor her care, please contact us as well. We think her prognosis will be good if we can get her meds regulated quickly.
The first step to adopting one of our PAL's is to fill out our "Mini Application" below (please copy it and paste it into an email to fill it out)and email it back to us at firstname.lastname@example.com or print it out & send it via regular mail. After your application is reviewed & REFERENCES are checked, we will contact you, via email unless specified otherwise in your app, to let you know if we feel you are approved and are the right match for the pet you have chosen. If approved, a HOME CHECK will be done to verify all will go well for the new pet. If everything looks good, you will MEET the chosen pet(s) and see if it is a match. Often we combine the home check with the meeting of the dog, to see everyone's reactions. An ADOPTION CONTRACT will be required at the time of placement along with an adoption fee for the animal. Our "standard" adoption fee is $175.00 to $250.00 which typically reimburses our vet care if the animal just needs vaccinations, heartworm check, spay/neuter, etc. Some animals may have different adoption fees dependent on the animal's age, dental needs, vet costs, needs, etc. Occasionally we raise the fees on puppies to help cover the higher costs on some of our older and sicker dogs so that we can save them too. We will not fly our animals for their own comfort, but will do our best to arrange ground transportation for long distance adoptions. All of our pets are spayed/neutered and up to date on vaccinations, before being adopted.
We are trying to expedite our adoption application process currently, due to the number of dogs in need. To be considered for approval to adopt from us, please email back the following information. We look forward to receiving your email. Thanks.
Because we are a foster network, our animals are in various private homes - some in Michigan and some in OH. When we approve your application, a visit can be arranged via the closest location to your home. Typically we prefer to bring the animal to the new home ourselves, in order to see how everyone gets along. We also discourage visits to the foster homes, because some of the animals there are not very socialized yet, and it creates a lot of stress for them with visitors coming by. Plus we don't like to intrude on the privacy of our foster families who are gracious enough to foster these babies. We are planning to have a main facility in the future, where those animals can be separated until they are ready to accept visitors, but it is a ways off yet due to finances.


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Police blotter Week of 6-16-2014
By Tim Clifford
Thwarted robbery in store
On Sunday June 8th a robbery was interrupted while in progress just before 7 p.m. on the 4700 block of 42 Ave. S.W. The victim, an assistant manager to the business that was being robbed called police after he saw the suspect cutting security wires off of electronics in one aisle with a razor blade. The suspect was described as a black male in his mid 30's with a medium build and wearing a black t-shirt, dirty blue knee length jean shorts and socks.
When the victim approached the suspect and told him to stop and to return the items that he had already stuffed into a bag nearby the suspect refused. The victim managed to get a hold of the bag on the ground at the same time that the suspect latched onto it. The suspect and victim began a "tug of war" over the bag. The bag eventually ripped at which point the victim attempted to detain the suspect in the aisle. A short scuffle began and the suspect managed to get free and run away.
The suspect left behind a number of items in his mad dash to escape including a bag full of personal items, the razor blade, and his sandals. The victim did not have any serious injuries from the attempted detainment, only a split lip. No identifying items were found in the bag and the suspect remains unknown at this time.
Stabbing on Alki
Early in the morning, around 4 a.m. on the 2700 block of Alki Ave. S.W. a man was stabbed four times with a broken beer bottle. According to the victim he was walking alone when a group of men began approached him. While this victim was talking with the group one the men became very "hostile" towards the victim and a fight of some sort broke out between the victim and this group.
During this fight the "hostile" suspect in the group broke a beer bottle and stabbed the victim four times in the forearm. The victim managed to break away from this altercation and drove himself to Highline Medical Center where he reported the incident to police from. The victim was unable to provide any solid information regarding the appearance of the suspects. An actual crime scene could not be established on the block where the incident occurred. The suspect and his friends remain at large.
Crimes reported between June 5 and June 12
Burglaries by block: 3700 block of 39 Ave. S.W., 8100 block of 10 Ave. S.W., 8800 block of 10 Ave. S.W., 9000 block of 20 Ave. S.W., 10000 block of Marine View Dr. S.W.
Car prowls by block: 2700 block of Alki Ave. S.W., 2800 block of Alki Ave. S.W., 3200 block of Alki Ave. S.W., 2400 block of S.W. Holden St., 7900 block of 27 Ave. S.W., 1600 block of S.W. Holden St., 8000 block of Fauntleroy WY. S.W.
Car thefts by block: 3000 block of S.W. Bradford St., 3800 block of W. Marginal WY. S.W., 3000 block of S.W. Avalon WY, 4800 block of 45 Ave. S.W., 4800 block of S.W. Findlay St., 7000 block of Murray Ave. S.W., 6900 block of 37 Ave. S.W., 6900 block of Delridge WY S.W., 2300 block of S.W. Myrtle St., 7700 block of 45 Ave. S.W., 7700 block of 10 Ave. S.W., 8100 block of Delridge WY S.W., 8800 block of Delridge WY S.W., 800 block of S.W. Trenton St., S.W. Henderson St./ Delridge WY S.W., 9200 block of 12 Ave. S.W., 9200 block of 17 Ave. S.W. (2 reported), 9400 block of 27 Ave. S.W., 3700 block S.W. Barton St.
We encourage our readers to comment. No registration is required. We ask that you keep your comments free of profanity and keep them civil. They are moderated and objectionable comments will be removed.

subset: commoncrawl


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Framed Art Print
G-Funk Eraby Chris Piascik
20% Off + Free Shipping - Ends Tonight at Midnight PT!
Choose from a variety of frame styles, colors and sizes to complement your favorite Society6 gallery, or fine art print - made ready to hang. Fine-crafted from solid woods, premium shatterproof acrylic protects the face of the art print, while an acid free dust cover on the back provides a custom finish. All framed art prints include wall hanging hardware.
Recently the rapper Nate Dogg died at just 41. When I was a kid I couldn't get enough of the West Coast, Death Row rap scene. Nate Dogg was a big part of that and helped shape the sound from early on. That style of hip hop was often referred to as G-Funk. The 'G' is for 'Gangsta,' duh.


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Crow Wing County hires IT director
The Crow Wing County Board Tuesday approved hiring DeeAnne Newville as information technology director.
Newville was one of three finalists for the position to fill a vacancy created when long-term IT director Jim Eder retired in June. Other finalists for the job were Deborah Erickson, county elections coordinator/deputy auditor, and Robert Litke, information director at Mille Lacs Health System.
Newville was hired at a salary of $88,705. She is expected to start at the end of the month.
Newville has a master's degree in business administration from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management and a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter. She previously was Grand Rapids-based Lake Country Power director of administrative services from 2006 to 2011.
RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at 855-5852 or email@example.com.


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(That girl may have been me.)
Alas, sometimes love just ain't enough, and though I've purchased, tried on, and coveted many a make, model, and variety of skinny jeans, they never live up to the potential they claim to offer.
1. Classic skinny
The classic skinny jean is apparently one that is tight, but not too tight, and typically darker in wash. This is an example of what I've seen advertised:
A. slim, sexy waistline!
B. lifted, touchable buttox!
C. endlessly smooth fabric that refuses to bunch, bulge, or bounce!
D. perfectly tapered leg and ankle...these jeans were MADE for you, sex machine!
And this is what I got in the fitting room:
B. "I think my thighs look better naked." [Eyeballs store clerk.]
C. odd bunching from the kneecap down that somehow ADDS bulk the thinnest part of your leg.
D. [Overheard shouting from the fitting room] OMG I HAVE CANKLES! (See also: yesterday's gym socks.)
2. Super-skinny
Surely the super-skinny model can fix those issues of bagginess and bunching, right? Just take a look at these space pants!
A. it's a smooth waistline!
B. and slimming thigh silhouette!
C. with endlessly smooth fabric!
D. that won't bunch, bulge or bounce!
Here's what I got:
A. I think this waistline just ruptured my spleen.
B. A fit so snug, everyone can see your dimply ass and thighs!
D. My ten-year-old Danskos.
3. Boyfriend skinny
Maybe the boyfriend skinny can save the day! It's supposed to look loose and bunchy, but still slims your silhouette! Pictures can't lie, amirite?
Actually, pictures are the goddamn devil, I tell you:
A. There's only one thing to assess here: HAMMER TIME. (Also: I seem to have grown a penis.)
(Splurging on some cute shoes could not even save this hot mess, unfortunately.)
4. Destroyed skinny
Maybe I just need to get in touch with my badass-rocker roots, right? Even if the fit isn't sublime, surely the tough look will boost my confidence! I am beautiful! I am sexy! I wear jeans that intentionally have holes in them and I pay top dollar for them too!
B. Holes in pants that reveal where I cut myself shaving this morning. Oh, and look how cute my thigh BULGES OUT THROUGH THE HOLE WHEN I SIT DOWN OMFG.
C. My old Chucks will never be quite the same.
(Nor will I.)
5. Color skinny
But wait! I see something pretty! This season, the newest trend with the skinny jean is bold color! And, color is fun, if nothing else! It's like pasting some exclamation points on your damn thighs! And color is mood-boosting, is it not? Perhaps my desire to see the sunlight once again and have a BBQ in a backyard full of green, sprintime grass will overwhelm my flashbacks of drumstick thighs and wrinkled crotches?
Eh, probably not...
I officially give up on the skinny jean. Kill this trend. Kill it with fire.


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Three generations from a family of heavy machinery lovers were among the thousands who filed through the Waterview Connection constructions site yesterday to see Alice, the giant boring machine.
Allen Webber, 40, took along his two young sons Jake, 7, and Luke, 4, and his father, Murray, 73, who secured the tickets.
Mr Webber's father took a poster so the boys could learn all about the $55 million machine and its 700m long conveyor belt that will be used to extract the 800,000cu m of spoil from the twin tunnels.
Mr Webber, from Massey, said it was "awesome".
"The boys had a tonne of fun. They love all that kind of stuff, boys will be boys. I'm a builder and they love looking at all my tools and stuff."
And Jake, who goes back to primary school tomorrow after the holidays, would have a great story to share, Mr Webber said.
Other children got to write their names or messages on several concrete slabs that will eventually line the walls of the tunnels.
Named after Alice in Wonderland, Alice is the 10th biggest machine of its kind in the world; weighing in at 4000 tonnes it's also the largest ever used in the Southern Hemisphere.
Its job is to bore twin tunnels as deep as 45m beneath the surface, to pass below the hard-rock legacy of the region's volcanic activity.
Yesterday was the only opportunity for the public to see Alice before it starts being used for work on the $1.4 billion project later this month.
All of the 20,000 free tickets for the open day were snapped up with almost half of them being allocated in the first 24 hours they were available.
Those lucky enough to get one of the tickets got half an hour to view the machine up close.
Alice is due to begin her two-year underground journey from Owairaka to Waterview and back to construct the 2.4km twin tunnels, each of which will carry three lanes of traffic.
The machine has been assembled in the southern end of the tunnels which are being built to connect Auckland's Southwestern and Northwestern motorways. This will complete a 47km link between Manukau and Albany called the Western Ring Route.


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Pulaski Technical College will offer free workshops this week to help students learn about money, budgets and credit management.
Linda Tucker from Consumer Credit Counseling will be the presenter and will discuss to how to develop a family budget, the importance of saving and how to build and manage good credit.
The workshops are open to everyone.
Pulaski Technical College


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Vijaya productions the production house of traditional values on the centenary year of their founder Shri Nagi reddy are all set to launch their mega untitled project with Ajith kumar in Hyderabad tomorrow 5th of April. Tamannah is paired opposite Ajith and the cast of the film speaks on the commercial value of the film . With the lead pair young heroes Vidhaarth , Bala, Munish , and new comer Suhail along with Santhanam , Ramesh kanna , Appu kutty , 'Nadodigal' fame Abhinaya ,Nandhagi , Vidhyu lekha and Devadarshini complete the cast .
The shooting will commence tomorrow for the first schedule and go on until the 20th of this month .'This is an out and out a commercial entertainer and director Siva has added every possible element to make it a grandeur …we are confident that the huge fan base of Ajith will have a lot to cheer about in this film ' says the producer brimming with pride.
While Vetri mantle the responsibility of photography , Bharathan penning the dialogues , for the story of Boopathy Raja .The editing is by Kasi Viswanathan , Dinesh does the choreography , Selvam looks after the stunts . Devi sri Prasad for the first time composes the music for an Ajith kumar's film .produced with abundance of richness all over the un titled project will release at the end of this year.
This is actor Ajith's 54th film and Cinemalead wishes the actor all the very best for his new film!
Tag :Ajith- Siruthai Siva- Tamannah- Vijaya Vahini


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Last Modified: Wednesday, February 19, 2014 1:34 PM
By Scooter Hobbs / American Press
The Winter Olympics puzzle me.
Take some of these sports, even a fairly popular one like, say, the bobsled competition.
It's kind of interesting, I guess, and then it goes away and hides for four years.
That befuddles me.
But it brings up a question.
The Olympics, we are led to believe, bring together the truly elite athletes of the entire world, with years of hard work and dedication weeding out the wannabes so that only the creme de la creme survive to gather on the ultimate stage and duke it out to be the planet's best.
The ski people, I get it, even the figure skaters and whatnot.
But with the bobsled, for instance, I've got a question: Exactly how many people in the world, on this whole planet, actually partake of bobsledding?
And I'm not picking on the bobsled. There are others.
I don't know, maybe in Austria the high schools have bobsled teams, with state playoffs — select and non-select schools divided — maybe even Little League Bobsledding.
Maybe the dreaded "Bobsled Dads" are the scourge of growing up Swiss.
But sometimes, don't you get the feeling that all the people on Earth who've ever been on a bobsled are right now in Sochi competing in the Olympics?
Same with the biathalon. Just can't believe people (mostly in Norway) actually practice that for four years.
That short-track speedskating is kind of exciting, in a video-game sort of way. Throw in some roller-derby elements and they might be on to something.
Or is growing up with the bobsled just a European version of the All-American Soap Box Derby?
Not that there's anything wrong with niche (obscure) sports. In fact, that's what the Olympics should be about.
Here's my pet peeve/rule of thumb: if the Olympic gold medal isn't the ultimate accomplishment for your sport, it shouldn't be in the Olympics.
Yet, for the sake of TV, I'm guessing, we get glorified NHL (and NBA) exhibitions.
Meanwhile, they're building a golf course in Brazil just for the 2016 Summer Games, where it will host that sport's entry into the Games. I doubt the British and U.S. Opens are too concerned.
What is the difference between figure skating and ice dancing? My guess is that it's an excuse to do it all twice since it gets such good TV ratings.
Figure skating/ice dancing is a lovely, demanding undertaking requiring years and years of giving up your childhood. Also, very boring. Sorry, I just don't get it.
You can't trust any "sport" where judging is involved and that's goes double for anything where the musical selection is as important as the routine. It's just entertainment.
Figure skating, if not ice dancing, was a lot more interesting when Tonya Harding was around. Now, those were the days. And, for the record, I was always on her side in the dustup with Nancy Kerrigan, aka, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.
Never been skiing. Not on the bucket list. Spend that kind of money, my caboose is going to be somewhere warm.
Wasn't a lot of this stuff just on the X Games?
The more I learn about curling — which is scary enough in itself — the more I love it.
Did make a sidetrip to Park City, Utah, one time while covering an NCAA basketball regional in Salt Lake City. Must say, it was very warm in the Dead Goat Saloon.
Shouldn't Iceland be dominating this stuff? Best I can tell, not one medal so far.
For my money, driving a car up the mountain from Salt Lake City to Park City should be an Olympic event.
What in Sam Hill did somebody from the Cayman Islands find to do in Sochi?
Did spend two days speed sledding down a levee when I was about 9 years old. Thawed out just in time for my high school graduation.
Throw away the luges and let them fly down the hill on cafeteria food trays and I'm watching.
Something called skijoring was once an Olympic sport, probably in 1928. It involved skis and horses and that's all I want to know about that.
Of course, they all pale next to curling. Seriously, I can't get enough of that sport. It's flat out addictive.
And, yes, it most certainly is a sport.
Scooter Hobbs covers LSU athletics. Email him at firstname.lastname@example.com
Posted By: Glenn Pumpelly On: 2/20/2014
Title: Bobsledding
This comment is from a friend of mine in Houston. Thought it was worth posting.
I'm with him, ice skating is crap. But bobsled, not so much. Throw in a few shirtless rednecks, standing at each turn, raising a natural light and screaming whoooooo! when the sled goes by and you almost have a sport. All that would be missing is a big red 88 painted on the side of the sled and a Mountain Dew themed paint job. Finish it off with a Cale Yarborough fight at the end of each run and every redneck from Seattle to Miami would be on the edge of the couch.


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Top 10 wines in the UK press
Once again the weekend brought a wide selection of wines into the UK press.
Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Olly Smith focused on wines from emerging markets, he said: "We're going to see a lot more of Croatian wines with their pure clean styles.
"Turkey too has a huge number of local grape varieties – Narince is a white grape I adore, creating wines as fresh as a mandarin with a twist of sexy apricot."
In the Sunday Telegraph, Susy Atkins decided to work on matching wines with chilli dishes, she wrote: "Overall, whites and pinks worked better than reds, though Chile's savoury Syrah proved a fine partner for a beef, chocolate and chipotle stew.
"But the real star, effortlessly partnering cheeses and hot chutneys, then matching a spiced-chocolate ganache, was an Alsace medium-sweet Gewürztraminer."
Here's a look through the top 10 wines from the UK press.


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Bare-root vegetables. As soon as the soil can be worked, set out bare roots of asparagus, horseradish, and rhubarb in a sunny location. Before planting, dig several inches of compost and a handful of balanced fertilizer into the soil. Nourse Farms ( www.noursefarms.com or 413/665-2658) sells three kinds of asparagus, including 'Purple Passion', which has large, tender spears, as well as horseradish and rhubarb.
Cool-season crops. Start seeds of broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, onion, peas, and Swiss chard indoors or in a greenhouse. Seeds of Change ( www.seedsofchange.com or 888/762-7333) offers a wide selection, including 'Gold Marie' vining bean; 'Bull's Blood' beet, grown primarily for its sweet, tender, dark red leaves; and cardoon, an artichoke cousin that can be grown either as a vegetable for its edible stalks and roots or as an ornamental for its attractive silvery foliage and thistlelike flowers.
Apply dormant spray. Kill overwintering insect eggs by spraying dormant oil on deciduous fruit and ornamental trees and shrubs. Thoroughly wet all surfaces, including the undersides of leaves and branches. Dormant oil is not recommended for use on blue spruce because it may discolor the needles.
Battle with ice and snow. Salt used to melt ice on sidewalks and driveways can burn plants. Instead, use sand or unscented, nonclumping cat litter. To prevent branches from breaking or being permanently bent under heavy snow loads, use a broom to gently lift and shake accumulations from branches after each snowstorm.
Prune suckers and water sprouts. Before new leaves emerge, remove these unsightly stems. Suckers emerge from the bases of plants; water sprouts grow straight up from the branches. Small suckers can be pulled off with a strong tug. Or use pruning shears to cut suckers as close to the trunk as possible and water sprouts just above their swollen bases. Use loppers on water sprouts larger than 1/2 inch.
Remove dead trees. Severe drought has killed many trees in the Rocky Mountains the past two years. You'll do less damage to the rest of the garden if you remove them while the ground is still frozen. Hire a professional arborist or tree-service firm to take out large trees. The stump can be routed out with a grinder, or left standing a bit above the ground as a base for a birdbath. If suckers erupt from the base, cut them off.
Stir up compost. If your compost pile isn't frozen solid, give it a turn now to kick it back into action. If your pile looks dry, sprinkle it with water.
Garden advice. Whether you're interested in bulbs, cactus, perennials, rock-garden design, fruit and nut trees, or water-wise gardening, you'll find an expert speaker at one of the sessions slated for this year's Landscapes West Conference & Garden Show. The show includes 80 booths for vendors and nonprofit groups. Feb 11?13; $1 admission, from $25 per conference session; Two Rivers Convention Center, 159 Main St., Grand Junction, CO; www.westernslopegardening.org or 970/244-1836.