Clark- the five-year report

 Five years ago, we signed papers, and Clark, the part-Doberman, part who-knows-what dog was officially part of our household. He had worked his way into our hearts a week or two earlier.

We had gone to the Planned Pethood event at PetSmart in Rossford to see a girl puppy. When we arrived, someone was signing papers on her. Clark was in an end crate; One of the chow mixes was barking and raising a fuss two crates down, which set Clark off. Winter, a German Shepherd was on the other side also driving him crazy.

Clark Gable & David share a snuggle

I went down the row of crates a couple of times, and asked if we could get that dobie-mix male out and “socialize” him. I didn’t want a male dog. I wanted a female, but I felt bad for the boy going crazy in the crate and if I could get him out for a bit maybe he would calm down. I sat down cross-legged on the floor. Clark walked over to me, climbed in my lap, and put his head on my shoulder. My wife, Michelle, asked me if she should start pricing crates. It was that obvious.  I said, "No we are not getting a male dog.  Especially not today" and made Michelle take me to lunch.  I had been sitting with Clark for about 2 hours and was hungry.

We discussed Clark all through lunch and tossed around the idea of MAYBE fostering him to see if he would fit in with us. We returned to PetSmart to discuss the possibility of fostering him with PPI and saw the "Pet People" who had been helping us, Vicki and Barb.  As we pulled up, they starting practically jumping up and down and shouting, "It's Clark's people.  It's Clark's people. They came back."  Deb had taken Clark home by that time but they promised to get in contact with her right away and we just needed to fill out the forms online.

About a week later Deb brought him over for a sort of trial run, and he moved into what became his forever home. By the time Deb had brought him to us a 50lb bag of food, a large box of treats and a few toys had been purchased. My wife asked “What if we don’t keep him?” “They can take this stuff with him.” was my reply. The money didn’t seem relevant at that time.  Less than 4 days later it had been determined that we needed to tell PPI that he was staying with us and to start the final paperwork.

Since then, we have grown to love our silly boy more and more. His antics entertain us, his excitement at just simply seeing us return from time away raises our own spirits. The affection he shows, by laying his head on your lap to get scratched, to taking a nap with you (in the big bed), to climbing in your hap (at 50 pounds, no small feat) comforts us when we are tired or anxious.

He also provides a modicum of protection; when we had trouble with some neighbors, Michelle wouldn’t walk past their house without him. Another time, he came to the defense of Daisy, our other PPI dog, who was being attacked by a mean schnauzer. It was Clark who jumped in the middle of that and made the other dog run away.

He goes with me to the office on weekends to catch up on work, where he reminds me to take a break now and again. He’s gone with us to Illinois to visit my mom, where he’s a good house guest. He is so much our dog, that we can read his facial expressions, from “I’m happy and excited,” to, “This is not the routine and I don’t understand.”

Even now as I write this, he is curled up on the dog pillow we keep here in our “office.” As long as he and Daisy are with us, they are happy, and we are too.

It has been five years, and Clark is truly our forever boy.

Thank you for not giving up on him.

PS I still giggle at the thought of the pics we sent to all of you titled "Clark Stressed" and it was Clark sleeping peacefully with his first stuffed animal "Crate Baby"   Which like any good parents, we have saved !

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Planned Pethood makes it a priority to find homes for pets in our own backyard. Until there are no more unwanted cats & dogs in the Northwestern Ohio area, we will continue our policy of accepting only local animals. We place a priority on strays and animals that are on death row in kill-shelters.

BLACK: The Hot Color This Season

Little black dress in the closet, check. Sleek, black BMW in the driveway, check. Black dog or cat to make the family complete, OMG, no way! Tragically, being born black is the kiss of death for many adoptable dogs and cats. Black pets are euthanized more than any others, they linger in shelters more than any others, and they are the last to be adopted from rescue organizations, like Planned Pethood. Planned Pethood volunteer, Colleen, has one of the toughest jobs in the rescue world. She heads to the pound weekly to determine which dogs are adoptable and which are not.

Poor Colleen has shed many a tear and spent many a sleepless night resulting from her life and death decisions. She has sent frantic emails in search of just one more foster. We call them DRD’s (death row dogs). The pound Colleen frequents has euthanasia scheduled for Fridays. When they get enough dogs to fire up the incinerator, the dogs go down. In most cases if we cannot get them out of there by Friday, it is over for perfectly adoptable canines. I know this is not a very appealing picture but it is something people need to know is reality. In this life and death roulette, black dogs are the ones who lose most often. So let’s focus instead and celebrate the minority of black success stories.

A sweet lab mix we named Lena defied the odds- big time. This poor girl had a myriad of strikes against her. Here is the list: number one she was black, she looked like she had some pit bull in her (which isn't a big deal to us but it is to some), she was limping on her back leg, and she had some hair loss. Lena was for sure going to be put down pronto if we did not get her out of there. But she had one huge positive going for her: she had the BEST nature of any dog.

After busting her out of jail, I took her to one of the Planned Pethood vets who gave us some pretty devastating news. The bones in her back leg had been crushed and it would have to be amputated. This sweet and gentle dog had been in horrific pain for at least 4 months. Just when it looked like things couldn’t get any worse, it got worse. Lena was also diagnosed with ringworm (a fungus). Despite all of these obstacles, after Lena’s ringworm was cleared up, she was spayed, and had her leg removed, Lena found a phenomenal home where her sunny nature is still brightening up her family’s days.

Any discussion of black dogs from the pound would not be complete without telling Ernie’s story. Colleen discovered a black lab who would be put down if he remained at the pound past Friday. I was flabbergasted when I met Ernie. He was one of the most stunningly beautiful dogs I had ever encountered.

He weighed 100 lbs. and was not yet one year old and had a head as big as a TV. I laugh now about my days of fostering Ernie but it was not so funny at the time. He would NOT tolerate a crate. When I came home, he was out roaming in the house. He had not just escaped the crate, he bent the bars down. Okay-Okay- we went to plan B: confine Ernie to a bedroom.

As I walked down the street that hot summer day, my neighbors were hollering, “Hey Judy, here comes a big black dog behind you”. I turned to discover, he had busted out the screen and leaped out the window to follow me. When I took the screen in to be repaired, I took Ernie with me. Let’s face it, there was no leaving him alone. I was quickly surrounded by 6 grown men all ooooing and aaahing over the dog. I kept hearing “I wish my wife would let me adopt him”. No one seemed to notice the ruined screen in my other hand. Happily, the big guy found his forever family who live on a lake and have two golden retrievers as his running companions. Last I heard he ate a piano leg and he is still not in a crate.

But families are sadly all too often hooked by looks, not personality.

And it is not only black dogs who get passed over. Black cats and kittens have the odds stacked against them too. Last summer I fostered a litter of kittens, all with names beginning with the letter “C”. I never called them by their names because I could never tell which one was which. The blacks were with me for months, growing up in foster care. They had the best, most affectionate nature. But families are sadly all too often hooked by looks, not personality.

YoYo has beaten the odds and survived a horrific start in life.

The only kitty harder to adopt out than a black kitten is a BIG black kitten. Just when I despaired of the last kittens getting adopted, along came Debra. She is a twenty something from Ann Arbor, met and formed an inseparable connection with Cierra. And what a home it is! She described how her boyfriend installed cabinets near the ceiling so the cats had tunnels to run through. Then she sent me pics of Cierra, now Miss Beast (due to her rambunctious nature) in the cat stroller. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, a stroller for cats. She said her kitties all vie to be the first out the door. Even though she has relocated to Colorado, Debra and Miss Beast are our regular correspondents.

When it comes time to adopt a new family member, please keep your minds and hearts open. Planned Pethood gets the message loud and clear. They recently sponsored a mega adoption event in which all black dogs’ adoption fees were reduced to $5 to add a little incentive to adopting an ebony friend. Please note the standards for adoption were not reduced. My love and respect goes out to all of the Colleens and Debras out there who are doing their part. My own pack now includes two DRD’s, one of whom is black, Stanley and Ida.
 
by Judy Szewczak

 
To learn more about what is called Black Dog Syndrome click here.

All of Planned Pethood's pets are up to date on age-appropriate shots and flea and heartworm prevention before being offered for adoption. In addition, Planned Pethood's policy is to treat all medical ailments, regardless of cost, unless the treating vet feels there is nothing more that can be done. We do not refuse treatment to our animals based on cost of treatment or on the age of the animal.  When we take in a dog or cat, we take that commitment seriously.

Fourth Of July: Not A Cause Of Celebration For Most

It is the fourth of July and the neighbors are at it again. Well, lighting off a few fireworks in the ‘hood is harmless fun, right? Maybe not. More dogs & cats are lost on the fourth of July than any other day of the year. Many animals are terrified by all the noise and commotion so they bolt and even jump fences as the fear courses through their veins. Years before I became a foster for Planned Pethood my rescue dog Helga had developed severe storm and fireworks anxiety before she became part of my pack.

Just a bit of background on the big girl. Helga Sue was marked down at the shelter because she had been there for months without any interest whatsoever. The employee there must have been desperate to get rid of her. She told me that our meeting was the first time she had wagged her tail since she had been incarcerated there. My semi-significant other and I rolled our eyes. The employee also commented the dog was obese and depressed. I retorted, 'aren’t we all?' I’m not one to resist a sale, so Hellie was on her way to her forever home. When we got her there, she immediately started chasing the cats and exhibiting nearly every bad behavior known to dogdom. Poor kitty Bernice lived in the basement for four months.

[SIDE NOTE:  Hel’s name had been Honey, a name that was so ill-suited that we laughed. The shelter told me she was a golden/husky mix but she was so unusual that I had her DNA tested. The certificate came back blank and the company gave me my money back.]

We had no clue about her anxieties until the first serious thunder storm hit. And, I am ashamed to say, we did everything wrong. Helga was a big girl and she would pace and try to stuff her large butt under the bed (ain’t happenin’).  I would try to console her and pet her which in reality was reinforcing her negative behaviors. Then we looked for solutions to the problem.

The vet recommended anti-anxiety medication (downers). My next question was, when do I give them to her? The answer was astounding. They told me to watch the radar on T.V., then an hour before the storm was to arrive, give her the pill. Really? So, on goes the T.V. and down goes the pill. I cannot tell you how many times Helga Sue was high but the storm blew over. Then we figured out a system. We used an herbal remedy that lasted about 20 minutes while we waited for the drugs to kick in. We also had to tell the big girl to suck it up because she was not going to be coddled anymore. That was terribly hard because we felt so badly for her.

Over the years, several of my Planned Pethood foster dogs, including Stanley who I have adopted, have experienced various stages of these kinds of fears but I have always dreaded the fourth most of all. We close the windows, turn up the stereo, and crank up the AC, all in an attempt to blunt the effects of well meaning people out to celebrate our nation’s birth. This will be Stanley’s first Independence Day with us. Maybe people would think twice if they knew the heartbreak and panic families experience when they find their companion is missing.

Protect your animals by keeping them inside days before and after July 4^th.  Close windows and secure doors.  Your animal might have been fine last year, but may have a problem this year.  For those who are especially frightened by loud noises such as storms, please secure your animal in a place like your basement or a cage indoors.  Your vet may think it best that your animal be given medication prior to fireworks to help with anxiety levels in your pets.  Consult your vet before it’s too late. 

Should your pet become lost, you can find helpful hints here.



Mission Statement:  To reduce the overpopulation and suffering of dogs and cats through education and low-cost spay/neuter programs and to rescue, vet and place adoptable dogs and cats into
good permanent homes.

 This blog is dedicated to the memory of Helga Sue who we lost to a kidney disease at the age of 10.  Blogger extraordinaire- Judy Szewczak

Insurance Premiums Increased

No good deed goes unpunished as they say and for Planned Pethood, Inc. along with many other shelters, rescues, boarding facilities and kennels it is no exception.  Planned Pethood, along with these other entities, are about to feel the grip of a drastic increase in liability insurance.

Mitzi shows off her two staff members
(cook & chauffeur) and the limo they
drive her around in

Planned Pethood is being hit with a 100% increase in its liability insurance premiums this year.  This increase significantly gouges the coffers for direct intake and care for animals needing services from our programs.  Help from the community is desperately needed.

According to leading insurers for animal rescues and shelters, a number of these companies have experienced a 600% loss ratio; taking in one dollar for every six they are paying out.  Directors, officers and the rescues themselves can be victims of lawsuits which can run in the thousands for defense.

How and why did this happen?
In 2009, the largest dog fight bust in United States' history, in six states, with the cooperation of state and federal law enforcement and the ASPCA, was conducted.  Over 500 dogs were seized by authorities and 30 people were arrested. The Humane Society approached rescue organizations to take in a number of redeemable dogs and puppies, but the rescues first had to secure adequate insurance.

Additionally, more and more states have and are developing new animal negligence laws.  These increasing laws also contribute to an increase in the number of animals seized and in need of rescue placement.

The year of 2008 also saw the onset of significant unemployment and housing foreclosures forcing many people to relinquish their pets whether due to lack of ability to feed and care for their pets or forced to move to rentals which do not allow for pets.  There has been a 50% increase in the number of surrender animals in need of a rescue.
Planned Pethood's agent also related to us that other smaller rescues have caused all the rescues to suffer.  Their sloppy, slapped together adoptions, negligent attention to safety and/ or lack of policies and processes to follow have resulted in dog bites, volunteer injuries and lawsuits.  Those rescues acting in these rash manners have caused almost all rescues to experience an increase in insurance premiums. 

The catch?  The more animals taken into a shelter or rescue - the higher the liability.  Unfortunately, many shelters and rescues do not have adequate insurance and it cannot simply be obtained by your personal insurance agent, but through commercial liability insurance companies.

What are we doing to help?
We started with shopping for a new policy or agency.  Turns out the policy we had was the best one for our needs.  Additonally, Planned Pethood implements best practices to limit exposure to liability.  Planned Pethood has a policy and procedures manual and it is provided to all volunteers during training and reviewed during quarterly meetings.  It provides details for all operations and how they are to be performed along with proper protocol .  Planned Pethood holds regular meetings and training sessions on a consistent basis to ensure communication, enforcement and review of policies.  Volunteers are screened, monitored, trained, required to adhere to our Code of Conduct and provided with the best personnel, assistance and outside resources for animal car to minimize all risks.  By taking these precautions, Planned Pethood can focus on their main goal – spay/neuter and finding homes for rescued animals.

Our need
The community needs to come together and has an obligation to do our part by helping provide for victims of cruelty and neglect.  The more we do to support the efforts of rescues like Planned Pethood, the more we will be able to show the love these companion animals can enhance a person's life.

Planned Pethood operates strictly from donations from generous and loving people of the community.  While there are obvious expenses directly related to the care of our dogs and cats in our foster program, the rescue incurs other significant expenses the public may not be aware of; insurance is one of them.  Your help and donations are greatly appreciated in any amount.

Mission Statement:To reduce the overpopulation and suffering of dogs and cats through education and low-cost spay/neuter programs and to rescue, vet and place adoptable* dogs and cats into good permanent homes.