Holiday Household Pet Poisons

As most of us with pets know, it is extremely important to "pet proof" your house. Our dogs and cats can easily hurt themselves if they ingest many of the things we come in contact with daily.

Most of us are familiar with many of these items, such as antifreeze, pest control baits, garden fertilizers and pesticides, human medications, household cleaners and chemicals, and certain foods like chocolate and onions.

But this time of year brings other potentially dangerous items that many owners don't know about:

Holly, lillies, mistletoe, and poinsettias are common holiday plants that are fun to have around, but could be dangerous to your pets.

Christmas trees pose many dangers. The needles of the tree are mildly toxic as well as the water that the tree sits in. Other concerns are the cords for the Christmas lights, the ornaments themselves, and tinsel.

Many of us are careful throughout the year with watching our pets around "people food"; however, busy holiday parties are a great place for pets to snack on many things that can hurt them. Alcohol, coffee, chocolate (and other sugary sweets), yeast bread dough, and turkey bones are just a few of the food to watch out for.

Despite our best efforts to "pet proof" the holidays, many animals still become sick from these common holiday items. If you suspect that your pet has ingested a poisonous or toxic substance, call your veterinarian or poison control immediately. They might be able to give you tips that could save your pet's life.

Why I Don't Foster. . .And Why I Do

There are so many reasons why I don’t foster dogs. For one, I have three of my own dogs. That is three dogs with very different personalities and tolerance levels. Another reason I don’t foster is because I don’t own my own home. . .and I have a (slightly intolerant) roommate. I’m also too busy to foster most of the time. Between dog training, dog events, and friends and family, it doesn’t leave me a lot of extra time to work with a foster dog. Having a foster dog can be very disruptive to your lifestyle, your dogs, and your home.

But with all those reasons (excuses) why I don’t foster, I still had 5 foster dogs in my home this past year. I had some very young, and some not so young. I had some very small, and some not so small. I had some very calm and some not so calm. Even with all those differences there was one thing that all those dogs had in common: they needed a place to go.

One of my jobs is to visit local animal shelters and access the dogs for intake into the HAR program. Of all the things I do, this is one of the hardest. Not only do I see the abused, sick, starving, and aggressive dogs at the shelter, I also see what these dogs could become if given a second chance. With a warm place to sleep, some good food, and a little training, many of these dogs could make great family pets. And knowing that, it is difficult to leave one of them behind just because we don’t have an open foster home.

So when I go into the shelter and I encounter one of these dogs that I just can’t leave behind, I scoop them up, give them a kiss and say “you’re coming home with me, kid.” And even though they don’t understand my words, I know by their wiggles and kisses that they understand the meaning behind them. And that makes all the “disruptions” worth it. Because, in the end, you can replace your furniture, your carpets, and your dogs (and roommates) will eventually forgive you, but you can’t replace LIFE.

Follow Us on Twitter!

The times they are a changing! Remember when we used to comunicate with hand written letters? Now we email, blog, text, and . . .TWEET!!!!!!

Twitter is a quick and easy way to find out who has been adopted and who needs a foster. If you already have a twitter account, search for us as HopalongRescue If you don't already have an account, create one! You can see updates easily on your phone or computer. But don't let your boss catch you tweeting at work!

What Can You Do With A Rescue Dog?

Dog sports have become all the rage lately. People are joining sporting groups in higher numbers then ever before. There is dock diving, for those that love the water and to fetch. Fly ball for those that love to fetch but prefer to stay on the ground. Frisbee, doggie dancing, Rally-O, agility, etc. The list goes on and on. And with so many options, it’s easier then ever to find something that both you and your dog like to do.

One of the best things about these sports is that you don’t have to have a pure bred dog to do them – or to compete. In fact, some of the best dogs for these sports are found in your local animal shelter/rescue. They are the “throw-away” dogs. The dogs that are too energetic for the family. The dogs that are “ball obsessed”. The ones that jump the fence and bother the neighbors with their barking. These are the dogs that excel at sports because they are the ones that need them most – the ones that need a job to do.

But if a drive-y Border collie mix isn’t your idea of a great companion, have no fear – you can do these sports with the couch potato types too. All you really need is good relationship with your pet and some extra time. Don’t believe me?


Meet mole: Mole is an 11 year old Chihuahua mix who started agility training earlier this year. Yes, an 11 year old Chihuahua. I had been looking for a sport to do with one of my younger dogs, and while searching, I found out that my little old man had an interest in agility obstacles. Who would have thought that I would be doing tunnels, dog walks, and teeters, with this dog? But he loves it, so we do it. But due to his age, we have to make some adjustments in order to ensure that we continue our working relationship for years to come.



Meet Mac: Mac is a 7 year old pit bull mix who enjoys dancing – but not late into the evening. Mac is a true couch potato and bed hog. He would rather be sleeping then fetching, and eating then swimming. But Mac has just the right amount of energy for the one hour class each week and 15 minutes of training most nights. And Fred Astaire has nothing on this sweetie when he is doing his thing to the music on the dance floor.



Meet Q-Tip: Q is a 2 ½ year old poodle/lab mix wonder dog! She enjoys agility and obedience but her favorite sport is Rally-O. Rally obedience is very similar to the stricter obedience that most of us have seen at dog shows, but rally-o has a bit of a twist – you and your dog follow signs directing you around the ring by doing different behaviors (sit, down, turn), and the best part, is that you get to talk to your dog while you do it! This is why Q loves this sport best! Her mom can encourage her throughout the mix breed dog club trials they attend making them even more fun. And when they aren’t training together, Q is pretty easy going and shares her mom with two other dog siblings.

A Halloween Warning

"It's not just an urban myth black cats if left outside can be prey to animal abusers particularly around Halloween time. I know this because of a small kitten, named Rowan, who was rescued shortly after Halloween. I was volunteering at the Hopalong office 3 years ago when a call came in from an employee at the Pet Food Express store in San Leandro. The employee stated that a woman had rescued a kitten from some boys who were abusing him in the parking lot. I volunteered to go and pick him up and bring him back to the office. When I picked him up another store employee mentioned that he was missing hair on his back legs.

Back at the office Andy checked him out and diagnosed that his back legs had been burned. I volunteered to foster him and give him lots of love and TLC. Hoping that I could help him to heal physically and emotionally. When I brought him home he allowed me to put aloe vera gel on his hind legs and to cuddle him, but he seemed to be in shock. When I let him down on the carpet he ran under my bed and I rarely saw him for the next 6 months. He still came out to eat and to use the litter box but then would run back under the bed. With time and patience he ventured out into the living room but would run whenever I got near him. He also avoided my cats. But one day things changed and I found him cuddled up with my senior cat, Hannibal, in one of the cat beds in the bedroom. It' has been three years and he's come a long way. He enjoys playing with the many kittens I've fostered and comes up to me occasionally to be petted. He also likes to smell whatever food I'm eating. Recently he's let me brush him a little bit. But he's still easily startled and at times still runs from me. I don't know if he'll ever feel totally safe but that's my wish for him."

Many people have heard anecdotal stories like these around this time of year. But this one is true. And this little kitten was lucky enough to survive and to find a loving home where he will never suffer from abuse again.

Lemon - Remember this Little One?

Despite facilitating the adoptions of over 1000 animals each year, we somehow find ourselves falling in love with each and every one of them. A particularly special bunch was Remy and her puppies. Remy came to us back in April from the Oakland Animal Shelter with 8 puppies - and they were all just as cute as can be. Naturally we were thrilled when we got this email from her fosters earlier this month:

When our dog of 11 years died, we were devastated. We went back and forth whether we wanted to get another dog for three years. We began to look on the Internet at the rescues and shelters. We found so many animals needed homes, and decided we would get a puppy from a shelter/rescue. We looked for a long time, and finally saw a litter of puppies on Hopalong, and knew that we wanted one. We applied, and they called us back right away. After reviewing our application, checking with our vet, we were approved to adopt. They recommended a certain puppy out of the litter for us (Lemon), one they thought would fit in with our family. We went to meet the puppies, and fell in love with Lemon right away. She was the runt, and very timid. We've had her six months now, and she is better than we ever hoped for. We get so many compliments on her, and on how Hopalong did a great job matching her up with us. She was clean, well-taken care of, and very sweet. We could tell her foster family also did a great job with her. We can't say enough good things about Hopalong and the people who work there!

We were even more thrilled when we got this picture to go with it

Lemon (now Cali) and her big brother taz!

You CAN move with your pet

“we ‘re moving”

Is the number one reason people give when they relinquish a pet. However, with a little time and effort, you can move with your pet. And when all they give us is their time and their love, we owe it to them to consider their needs when we move. After all, pets are a part of the family. And you wouldn’t leave grandma behind when you move, would you?

Even though moving with pets can be difficult, it can still be done. In the past, I have moved with both cats and dogs – one time I moved with 3 small dogs, and one pit bull – I KNOW it can be done! And here are a few things that you can do to make it easier to find housing that allows dogs/cats:

Check on-line for housing: there are many agencies on-line that make it easy to find pet friendly housing. There is a box for it right next to items such as one bedroom or two; or walk in closest; or washer/dryer in unit. These are basic necessities when looking for a new place – just like our pets should be.

Make sure that your pet is up to date medically. This means that you should make sure that all necessary vaccines are up to date. That your pet is spayed/neutered, microchiped, and licensed with the city. It is also a good idea to have your vet write a letter of recommendation saying what a wonderful pet you have and what a responsible owner you are for making sure that you pet’s medical needs are always taken care of in a timely manner.

Make sure that your pet has good manners: landlords are more willing to accept pets if the pet is friendly and well-behaved. Obedience classes are not only fun for you and your pet, but they also ensure basic manners. If you can, you should look into getting a canine good citizen certificate for your dog. It does require more training, but helps to show the dedication that you have for your dog.

Clean up after your pet: many landlords are afraid that dogs and cats will soil the carpet and will chew on the walls. Ideally your pet will be housetrained before moving into your new place. If not, you should look into crate training your pet. This will not only help reduce accidents, but will also keep your pet from committing any other destructive behaviors. Also, talk to your landlord about paying a pet deposit, and also offer to have the carpets cleaned every 6-12 months. And this goes without saying: clean up after your pet outside too. Landlords do not want to hear complaints from other tenants about your pet’s potty habits. If you have rented before with your pet, ask your previous landlord if he will write a letter of recommendation stating how your previous house/apartment was cared for.

Keep your cat indoors: If you have a cat, keep him or her indoors. Not only is it safer for your pet and the local wild life, but it also keeps neighbors from complaining to your landlord about your cat wandering.

Be honest: be honest with future landlords about what kinds and how many pets you have. Also, if your landlord does not allow pets, do not get them, or try to sneak them onto the property. This makes it difficult for them to trust you later on.

FUR BALL

Great Adoptions!

Since our last blog post we have adopted out 10 (TEN!) Black / Black and white kittens!

Here they are (in no particular order)

Vigilence

patience

curiosity

marley

milton

alice

sammy

ricky

leon

chuckie

Our total September adoption numbers (so far. . .)

dogs/puppies : 12

cats/kittens: 26

and that is in the middle of a move!!!! A big thanks to our fosters and volunteers who help us make all this happen! You guys rock!

Get Lucky - Adopt a Black Cat

Studies show that black cats are about half as likely to be adopted as other cats. On average, they stay several months longer in shelters than any other cats. Black cats are frequently left waiting in shelters hoping to find a home only to be euthanized when their time is up.

Black cats are routinely overlooked by potential adopters for a variety of reasons – superstition, they don’t photograph well, they aren’t distinctive, and there are so many of them in the shelters that they just don’t stand out like the colorful calico or orange tabby.

Black cats have a common characteristic of being easy-going and good-natured. They have so much love to offer and ask for so little in return. Black cats do not all look alike and if you look closely you will see that they are truly gorgeous and regal creatures. The glossy satin sheen of a black cat is unlike any other. When their fur catches the light, it shimmers. There are many different kinds of black cats and all are beautiful – auburn shaded black, blue black, black with tiny white highlights, sleek black, fluffy black and colorful eyes – green, yellow, copper and gray. Some black cats even have tabby markings.

Nevertheless, many black cats never get the opportunity to show people how perfectly they would fit into the family’s household. Shelters and rescue groups encourage potential adopters to give a black cat a chance – their playful, easygoing attitude will charm you into making them a permanent part of your family.

BARK-gains Galore!

Hopalong Animal Resuce is having a moving and bake sale!

When: Saturday August 22nd

Where: Corner of 2nd & Webster in Jack London Square

What time: 10am-3pm

What are we having:
 Dog and Cat Toys
 Leashes/Collars
 Pet Supplies
 Office Supplies
 Much more

And don't forget the COOKIES!!!!

For more information visit: http://www.hopalong.org/

Jackson Update

Sorry, no pictures in this one. . .

Jackson is doing great, thanks to all who have so generously donated to his medical fund. He still has a long way to go before he is completely better, but he is starting to look (and act) more like a dog every day. His skin infection is finally starting to clear. He still has some areas that need daily treatment, and he still needs regular baths, but most of the yellow crustiness is gone. His treatment for the demodex (non-contagious skin mite) will be on-going for quite some time, but he takes his medication faithfully. It seems that his eye infection is cleared up, but he continues to need artificial tears as the skin around his eyes is still badly scarred.

Jackson's personality has really started to show in the past few days. It seems that he is not a "morning person" and would prefer to sleep past the alarm buzzing. Once he is awake, he has a voracious appetite! This little guy LOVES food. Its nice to see him putting some much needed weight onto his skinny little frame. Jackson has a tail that just won't quit wagging. Now that the hair is starting to sprout back on it he wags it proudly! He seems to like everyone he meets and doles out kisses to anyone who gets close enough. Jackson does well with the hustle and bustle of the office and doesn't seem to mind the frequent comings and goings of all the dogs. He also doesn't seem to mind the cats! (Actually, I think that he likes the cats because they always seem to be spilling bits of food for him to clean up!)

Just like the majority of the animals that come through our door, Jackson has brought more joy to us then we could ever give back to him. He is a constant source of amusement and fun. And his willingness to cuddle comes in handy when "rescue work" gets overwhelming. I know that Jackson will be with us for a while more, bit I am already a bit sad that he will eventually leave us. But Jackson deserves a great family - one that will take care of him and treat him like the little king that he is deep down inside. I just hope that his new family understands that we will *require* regular Jackson updates and frequent visits! We want Jackson kisses!!!!

Jackson is an amazing little guy with a story I wish I knew. I found Jackson on Wednesday at the Berkeley Animal Shelter while I was out temp testing dogs. While there were many available dogs at the shelter, there were none that fit into our program at the moment. And while I did not take Jackson home with me right away, I made a mental note to tell my ED about him. Once she heard about him, I knew that HAR would take him in! Little did I know that she would fall in love herself and foster him in her own home.

Jackson is somewhere between 9 months and 1 1/2 years old. He is probably a pure bred Yorkie, but it is obvious that he was poorly bred. He has a genetic (non-contagious) skin condition called Demodectic Mange. This is what has caused his massive hair loss. And while demodex doesn't itch, it still causes skin irritation which has contributed to his secondary skin infection. This mite/infection has made it's way to his eyes causing some corneal scaring. Jackson also has a malformed jaw which caused him to retain many of his baby teeth and which also causes his tongue to hang out constantly.

Jackson looks like a mess. . . and probably feels like a mess. His medical bills are adding up quickly and he still has a long way to go before he gets better. If you would like to read more about Jackson, or if you would like to donate to his medical fund, please click here.

Adopt-a-ton

Our friends over at the East Bay SPCA are hosting a HUGE adoption event. It is called the



Summer of Love Adopt-a-thon






It will be helf Sunday, July 19th in Jack London Square from 10am-3pm.



We, at Hopalong Animal Rescue, will have cats and kittens, and dogs and puppies.



We hope that you will stop by and say hi. . .or will perhaps meet and fall in love with a new furry family member.

Economy In Crisis

One day a father and his daughter are walking on the beach. They come across thousands of starfish washed up on the shore. The little girl begins to throw them back into the water. Her father says, "Don't bother, dear, it won't make any difference". Surprised the little girl looks at her father and then down at the starfish in her hand and says,"It will make a difference to this one."


Everywhere we look, we see the effects of the economy. I am getting more and more requests from people who are loosing their homes asking us to take in their animals. We are also getting more and more requests from shelters asking us for help. We are trying our best to help as many people, and their animals, as we can. But we often find ourselves turning people away. We simply cannot help everyone. And it is during these times that it is easy to become depressed. We easily forget all the happy stories of the hard luck animals finding their forever homes. But, the truth is that HAR has adopted out almost 250 animals this year. That is two hundred and fifty cats, dogs, kittens, and puppies that have found wonderful loving homes that wouldn't have been able to do so without the help of the staff and the dedicated volunteers and fosters. And while it is true that we can't help everyone, we are still making a difference in the lives of MANY animals each and every day.

Two Kittens are Better than One

Many people who work with cats and kittens will tell you that it is better to adopt two kittens instead of one. There are probably a hundred good reasons why this is true, but here are my top 5:

One kitten can become lonely
A kitten left alone during the day can become lonely and bored, which sometimes can lead to mischief. Two kittens will never be lonely, especially if they are siblings. In fact, you'll often find situations in shelters and rescue group adoption where a cage will contain two kittens with a sign, "These kittens may be adopted only as a pair." Shelter volunteers recognize that siblings really need to stay together. And since shelters are often frightening, unfriendly places to small creatures, unrelated cats often form close bonds that should be respected when adoption time comes.

One kitten can just drive an older cat nuts
Although it might sound contrary, an older, established cat will probably accept two kittens better than one. One kitten will seek out the older cat as a playmate, or worse, tease and pester the senior cat which can cause stress to an older cat. The kitten in return, will be "rewarded" for his playful efforts with hisses and swats. Two kittens will expend their energy in play with each other, leaving their older "uncle" to relax in peace.

They help each other burn off energy.
Even the most devoted human caregiver can quickly become exhausted by trying to keep up with the energy of a single kitten. Two kittens will wear each other out, leaving their human parent free to just enjoy watching them.

Fewer behavior problems with two kittens
Many people who experience behavior problems with kittens find that some of them go away when they adopt another playmate. What may be perceived as mischief is often just the result of boredom. Much like their human counterparts, kittens sometimes misbehave because "negative attention is better than no attention."

They will each have a friend for life.
Two kittens who grow up together will almost always be lifelong friends. Although they will sometimes have their little squabbles (what friends don't?) you will more often see them engaging in mutual grooming, playing together, and sleeping with their best pal. If you are considering adopting a kitten, think about your best friend and consider whether you would deprive your kitten of the enrichment a friend brings to life.

Mama Kitty

Kitten season is stressful not only for us animal workers, but also for the mama kitties. These cats were often once someone's family pet that they neglected to have spayed and then left to roam the neighborhood. If she is not caught and spayed, a female cat can have roughly 3 litters per year, with an average of 4-6 kittens per litter.



If a mama cat finds her way into a shelter with her babies, she will inevitably stay in that shelter longer then her babies. Many people will often over look mama cat and instead choose to adopt one of her cute and cuddly babies.



Mama Kitty (MK) was destined to be one of those over looked mamas



Mama Kitty came into a near by shelter with four beautiful Siamese and Russian blue babies. Because the babies were too young to be on their own, the entire family went into one of our amazing foster homes. Once the babies were old enough to be separated, they were placed into loving families. Mama Kitty needed some time after her babies left before she could be placed up for adoption. It was during that time that her foster family decided that she had already found her home! She was such a good attentive mama to her babies and yet still found time to play with the resident boys. She won the entire family (the two leggers, and four leggers) over with her sweet and gentle disposition.

Luckily for Hopalong, the fosters still continued fostering and Mama Kitty has proven to be an asset with the subsequent litters. She takes charge of them, shows them the ropes, and even gives them their daily baths! And right now, she is anxiously awaiting her next litter of youngins to play with.

Mama Kitty was lucky to find her forever home quickly because many mama cats often stay in the shelter or in foster homes for a few months after their babies are adopted. So, if you are looking to add another feline friend to your house, consider the fact that kittens only stay small for a little while. Please take the time to consider adopting a mama cat.

Pet Survivor Program

Nikko and Gypsy are two very sweet senior dogs that came into Hopalong through our Pet Survivor Program. Nikko, the white 15 year old male, and Gypsy, the black 11 year old female, became part of the Hopalong family when their ailing owner had to move into an assisted living facility that didn't allow pets. Because he made arrangements for them prior to entering the facility, we ensured that these two sweet, family dogs never entered a public shelter.

Many people love their pets like family, but few people actually create a plan in the event of tragedy. It can be difficult to think about these things, but it would be even more difficult for these (often older) pets if they ended up in the shelter system.

Kittens Are Here!

It seems to be that time of year again: the days are longer, the weather is warmer, the flowers are in bloom and kittens are popping up everywhere. As a rescue worker, kittens always bring mixed emotions. All year long we work with people educating them about the importance of spay and neuter; but every year, we see kittens in shelters by the hundreds. And while it saddens me to see all these kittens, I also get that warm fuzzy feeling when I pick them up and they start purring in your ear.

Meet Paul:


Paul is one of the first kittens of this year. We estimate his birthdate to be at the end of January. Both paul and his brother Bert, were born to a feral mom. They were rescued early and with the help of some great foster moms, we were able to socialize them. We neutered them, tested them for Feline Leukemia and FIV. They have been de-wormed, vaccinated and microchiped. Both are now available for adoption.

The first kittens are always exciting. And I always have to remind myself that we wouldn't have so many great kittens if we didn't have so many great foster parents to care for them until they are ready to be adopted out.




Oh, yeah. . .we were able to get mom fixed too.

Crafty

Crafty came to us from a shelter that we don't visit very often for dogs - the Hayward Animal shelter. HAS has a wonderful group of volunteers and rescue groups that help out weekly to ensure that the most adoptable animals find great new homes. We help out when we are needed with the dogs, but our help is most needed for the cats.

One day while visiting the shelter looking for some cats/kittens, I came across two 3 month old pit bull puppies. They were everything that you would expect from the breed: they were happy and active with goofy personalitites - plus they were just adorable. After spending some time with them, I knew that they would be perfect for our program. I brough them back to the office and everyone here fell in love with them too- we even had some staff members fostering them for awhile!

Crafty and Spring were spayed and Neutered; they were also vaccinated and given microchips - we don't take any chances with our babies! Eventually they went into "regular" foster homes where they were taugh basic manners and attended some obedience classes. They started going to mobile adoption events where they were the stars of the show.

Crafty was eventually adopted from our website, but his sister spring is still available for adoption. So if you know anyone who is interested. . .




Have them fill out an application

The Story of Dusty and Daisy

My best friend and I were having a writer's day early in November. We heard cats crying and we went out to see if we could help. The cries led us to a home on my street. In the back of the house was an abandoned chicken coop behind a tangle of used auto parts, beer cans and spare wood. We could see Daisy and Dusty locked into a 1 foot by 4 foot section of the coop.


There was no evidence of food or water and no litter box. The cats looked panicked and dirty and smelled terrible. I could not reach in to pet them through the chicken wire. We talked to the children who lived in the home, and they told us Daisy and Dusty belonged to an uncle who had to give them up when he moved. They said the cats had been there for about a month. I asked if I could talk to the uncle and talk to him about signing the two girls over to me so I could re-home them. On Thanksgiving day, the children came to the door saying their uncle had come to visit and would we come down to get the cats. The cat's owner did not speak much English, but he told me he was very sad this had happened to the cats, and cried and kissed them goodbye when I packed both girls to bring them back to my home. Daisy was so friendly and so sweet, she took to our family right away. Dusty was shy for the first few weeks, sitting far away and watching me with her sapphire eyes. It took about a month to get the girls back to a decent weight, and smelling better. A pre-adoption physical revealed serious dental issues for both Daisy and Dusty - with Daisy having a great deal of teeth removed. She had 1 remaining fang and all the teeth on one side removed. Daisy also had a bad case of ear mites that had scarred her ears. After their surgery, both girls recovered quickly.

Daisy is a total people cat and sweet love bug. Even given all of the pain she had to be dealing with, she was generous with her purrs and affection. Dusty had grown comfortable enough to regulary demand belly rubs. We knew it would difficult to find forever homes for the 7 year old girls, as they did not show well in the cages at the mobile adoptions. We were fortunate to have found wonderful homes for both ladies. Dusty used her sweet deep blue eyes to win the heart of her "soul mate". The lucky new adopter had said that she and Dusty belonged together because they had so much in common. Daisy met her new life companion at Your Basic Bird in Berkeley. She is now the benevolent alpha cat in a four cat home full of love and kitty perks. She has been re-named Ruthie, and her new mom posts pictures of her on facebook.

Pearl Found a Home

Pearl, a beautiful white lab/shepherd, has been with HAR since the winter of '08. She came to us through a joint rescue effort to help with a horder situation in Gabbs, Nevada. There were 58 dogs living in deplorable conditions after their owner died when a neighboring racher contacted the Nevada Humane Society. To help ease them of this huge burden, HSUS EARS and Best Friends Animal Sanctuary were able to trasport some of these animals to Contra Costa Animal Services in Martinez.

Hopalong/Second Chance took in Pearl and Pawl (a sweet, 6 year old, black lab boy). Once here, they were seen by a vet where it was determined that pearl had a severe heart murmer and was deaf. After some time in a foster home, it was also apparent that she was also almost blind. Pearl was clearly a special needs dog and it would take just the right owner to care for this girl.

Here at HAR, we believed that the perfect home was out there, and we kept our fingers crossed that one day we would get a call asking about Pearl. And, recently, we did.

Pearl, now Zuma, was adopted into a quiet household with another dog - Enzo, a 7 year old black chepherd mix. The family reports that Enzo has taken the big brother role quite seriously and is teaching her the ropes on their daily walks. Zuma is even getting trips to Point Isabel where she is getting to meet other dog friends and gets to visit with her foster family.

Zuma's new family says " My husband and I are very thankful for [the fosters'] dedication to this special dog, and that the timing worked out for us to be the lucky ones to give her her forever home"

Long Time Lexi

Lexi has been with us for an entire year. She came to us from the stockton shelter as a youngster - an energetic and crazy youngster! While Lexi was at the office, she would hang from the top of one of our two story cages and howl to get out. It was obvious that she had been in the shelter for a while before we came to get her. But we figured that some time and stretching room in a foster home would help quell some of that energy and that she would be quickly adopted; who can resist her princess-like beauty?

Lexi went into a foster home where she eventually had the run of the house. She could often be found climbing the curtains and taking flying leaps off of the refrigerator. It became very obvious that it would take a while before she was ready to go into a cage again at one of our sites or for a mobile adoption event. But then her foster got a job offer in another state and had to move. Luckily one of the foster's friends decided to take on the "Lexi Challenge". Again, lexi would be found in places she shouldn't and also got a little fiesty from time to time - what woman in her right mind wouldn't? And so it was that Lexi became a long termer. She was quite happy in her foster house and the foster family was glad to have her - but we weren't ready to give up on her yet.

Its funny how things work out in the end: One of our staff member's family was visiting the office on the day that Lexi came in - and she regulary asked about her. Lexi just stuck in her mind as something special - despite her caged craziness. The staff member figured that Lexi would be too much cat and tried to steer her towards calmer/older cats to no avail! After a lot of discussion and preperation, the family member decided it was time to bring lexi home and to make it work.

Lexi - renamed Frankie - spent the next two weeks in the office where she was able to get used to the house's sounds and smells. . . and the pitter-patter of little doggie feet. Eventally she was given more and more freedom and introduced to the rest of the pack. Frankie is enjoying her canine companions more then any of us thought possible. Frankie's mom even had a cat-safe fence built so she can romp and play with the dogs safely in the yard. It seems to be doing her a world of good because she hasn't not climbed the curtains once! (does it still count if they are verticle blinds???)

We Are On BLOGGER!!!!

After much prodding by some well-meaning volunteers we have decided to create a blog. This will be a place where we post updates to our "goings on" at Hopalong. It will be an easy place for our volunteers and foster parents to keep track of some of the animals that have touched our lives throughout the year. We have so many great stories to tell that we really need an outlet to do so.

We hope you enjoy these stories as much as we do.