Dirty and Loving It!

Weekly "rescue runs" to overcrowded Central Valley shelters are definitely a highlight of my job.

Inevitably, the days are long (6+ hours of driving), hot (summers in the Central Valley are ridiculous...how do people live there), and dirty (see photo of my dirt covered hand). But we are changing lives! Not just the lives of the 20 or so dogs that we rescue, but the lives of the guardians that eventually adopt the rescued dogs and give them a "forever home".

Read more about ARF, their mission, and their foster and volunteer programs here: www.arf.net

Office Whoopsie Turns Into an Office Delight

Not everyone sees a mistake as a bad thing. Argie and Lincoln enjoying some popcorn (and saving us from sweeping it up).

Rain Gives Way to Clouds

Rainy morning gives way to beautiful clouds on our drive down I-5 to Hanford.

Comedy at Work

Work provides a good amount of stress, but there are also moments of comedy...ridiculousness.  Today's photo is a glimpse in to the perfectly normal email correspondence that we have.  Old screen shot of my phone...March 2011...but I never delete these gems.

Real Dogs Rock the Stroller

Franklin shows the shelter dogs what they should expect in their future homes.

Although Franklin's lifestyle is comparable to an A-list celebrity...maybe not a realistic goal for most shelter dogs.

Making It Official

The newest member of the Powers family.

You gotta think out of the box

Working at Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation requires me to use my brain sometimes...well, actually, all the time. It's not just walking dogs and cleaning up poop. My colleagues and I are constantly fighting against the "forces" that are trying to compromise the mental stability of the dogs staying at the shelter. These "forces" could be any number of things, and their effect on each dog will vary greatly from dog to dog. But by far the most challenging "force" is the dog's length of stay. What I mean is that the longer a dog lives in the shelter, the more likely they are to mentally and physically deteriorate.

Not every dog decays, but every dog is at risk from the moment they arrive at a shelter to the moment they leave. My job involves working with the dogs who are at risk. We provide activities to keep both their minds and bodies engaged. Simple things, like sitting with a dog and reading to them for 20 minutes or taking them for a walk, can make a world of difference. 5 days a week staff organize groups of dogs to play together on the field; in addition to the mental and physical exercise this provides the dogs, it also ensures that the dogs stay well socialized and get to practice their play skills.

Every day, we also try to take a dog or two on "field trip". Puppies get trips to the nearby shopping center where they can sit on our laps and watch all the people, cars, dogs, and kids that may pass by. Older dogs get the opportunity to go on walks in any number of Open Spaces. The closest park is Lime Ridge Open Space. The dogs get to smell new smells, chase lizards and squirrels, and just enjoy the great outdoors. Here's a picture of Charlotte de Barry and her buddy Johnny on a stroll in Lime Ridge today:

I am also a member of the Enrichment Committee. The goal of this committee is to brainstorm and implement new ways to enrich the animals. We mostly think of original, inexpensive toys that we can make ourselves or everyday things that can be used with the cats and dogs. For example, it is enriching for the animals to spend some time listening to the radio or digging through a cardboard box to find a hidden treat. Volunteers donate random items all the time that we find ways to use; we have a couple plastic baby pools that we fill with water and let the dogs romp around in. Here's a photo of what one of the kitten rooms looked like after they got the chance to play with some shredded paper; a drag to clean up, but there is no doubt that they had some fun with that:

How can you help? If you have time to volunteer at a local shelter, spending 15 minutes with a shelter dog or cat will help that animal live successfully at the shelter. If you have spare dog beds, cat beds, toys, or blankets just laying around your house, free up some space and donate them to a shelter. Think you have some random item that the shelter could use for enrichment? Call the shelter and see if they could use it; you'd be surprised what they can do with your left-overs.

Here's your chance...Make a difference in some cat or dog's life TODAY!

Being a Doggie Foster

Since working at ARF (Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek), I have had a couple opportunities to provide a foster home for some of the dogs. If it was left up to me, I would foster dogs all the time. However, I'm living at my parents' house, and I have to respect their wishes first-and-foremost. There is always the risk that the foster dogs won't be potty trained or will chew on everything, so I try not to burden my parents with these worries too often.

But when there is a particular dog who is either in need of time away from the shelter to recover from an illness or in need of some extra socialization, then I start the "kissing up" process with my parents. My mom is usually an easy sell; a cute picture of the dog is all she really needs to convince her. My dad is a more difficult target; on the exterior he is very resistant and stubborn, but I've spent 26 years with this man so I have a pretty good idea when he is about to crack. As a result, we've been able to foster a couple dogs over the last 2 years...some easier than others, but all of them found a special place in all of our hearts.

If you are interested in fostering dogs, cats, puppies, or kittens, contact your local shelter or rescue group. ARF has an excellent Foster Program headed by a good friend, Erika Kleoni. Check out the ARF website if you want more information: http://arf.net/how-you-can-help/foster/

Here are some recaps of the dogs that we have welcomed in to our house:

Radcliffe - needed a foster home while some of the rooms at ARF were being repainted. She loved the water, and she eventually started playing with Lincoln. We nicknamed her Snaggle-tooth because of her glorious underbite.

Suze - needed a foster home because she had been at ARF for a long time (a few months) and was in need of a break. The shelter can be monotonous and stressful for many dogs, and Suze is a busy terrier who thrives on adventure and diversity.

Caboose - needed a foster home while she recovered from leg surgery. She came back and forth to work with me, and she would sit on my desk while I worked. She LOVED Lincoln, and Lincoln loved her! She was the hardest one to say goodbye to.

Golf - needed a foster home to get some extra puppy socialization. He was easily startled by new things and people. He was my toughest foster because he need around-the-clock management of his fear; he never got fully comfortable around my parents, and as a result, he was only able to stay a couple days. Lincoln had a good time teaching him how to play and wrestle. Videos on YouTube: 4 month old Golf; 5 month old Golf