Ears the News! BoardWaddle Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue s Newsletter For Basset Lovers Helping Homeless Hounds. Spring 2013

Transcription

1 Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue s Newsletter For Basset Lovers Helping Homeless Hounds Ears the News! BoardWaddle 2013 A wash out, is how Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue s president, Sue Mason, later described the first day of Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue s annual BoardWaddle weekend, April 12-13, Before the event, Tri-State announced that, because of rain, Friday s Olympic games would be wrapped into the Saturday picnic. And the dogs who were supposed to be part of Friday s fly-in by Scott Messinger of Pilots N Paws would have to reroute and take a land trip. But that change of plans couldn t spoil this weekend of fun and fundraising. Rain has never stopped the Waddle. Friday evening, while hounds napped in their hotel rooms, howled at the indignity of their humans leaving, or enjoyed having space from their two-legged friends, Tri-State s people went on with Friday night s dinner, raffle, and Pawction at Greate Bay Country Club. Cynthia Ruggerio created a wonderful montage video of all the dogs adopted in The crowning of Grand Marshall Buddy Kohl. (Photo courtesy of Dana Mania.) items that the raffle table had to be pressed into service to take on the overflow, and 2012, which played during the dinner. Pam Morgan had so many terrific Pawction it turned into Tri-State s best ever Pawction. And Tri-State s store was set up for those who needed items the raffle and Pawction didn t offer. The event was crowned with honor when Vice-president Eric Stevenson was presented with the first Tri-State Basset Hound Rescuer of the Year Award for what TSBHR President Sue Mason describes as his extreme commitment to the rescue and to all dogs. While many were partying, two separate transports took up the slack caused by the weather that cancelled Scott Messinger s flight. Steve Zserai and Angi Shannon brought dogs from Fox Breeze Kennels, and another transporter drove through the night to bring dogs up from the South. Happily, Hertz gave the rescue a reduced rate on the car rentals that brought these new hounds to their first Waddle. Some Tri-State folks had volunteered to take these temporary fosters in their hotel rooms, so the new Waddlers had a place to go when their travels ended. A sunny and beautiful second Waddle day dawned. At the midmorning registration, Grand Marshall Buddy Kohl was crowned by Cathy Larsen, who provided him with the hat she had made to complement his pilot s costume and airplane float that honored Pilots N Paws. Then Jennifer Starr and her basset Raleigh led the Waddlers, following the rest of the Doo Dah Parade s marchers. A few of the Pawction items. (Photo courtesy of Dana Mania) Back at the picnic grounds, setup hit a snag when, Sue Mason said, We discovered that a piece of the sound system had gone walkabout. A local man took pity on Tri-State organizers, who were going through the crowd, screaming information; he ran home and came back with a replacement cord, which put the sound system back to work. Many people took part in pre-waddle organization, setup, managing events, wrangling hounds, and cleanup. No matter who did what, it all helped find new homes for twelve hounds and raised approximately $44,000 to help Tri-State help more hounds. Looking back on the event, Sue Mason offers thanks to everyone who attended and showed patience and good humor when things didn't go as planned and we were running around putting out fires. Instead of complaining, so many people just jumped in to do what was needed, regardless of whether they had volunteered for it or not, and I cannot express how grateful I am for that. You are truly the best rescue group ever.

2 Page 2 Ears the News! Puppies Again Early in December 2012, with the help of Belly Rubs Basset Rescue, Tri-State arranged to pull three hounds from a shelter in Andalusia, Alabama. Two dogs, Andy and Cyndy, quickly made their way up north and into new homes. But the third, Josie Ann, went to a vet s at Knoxville, Tennessee, once Tri-State discovered she had heartworm. After starting heartworm treatment, at the end of December, Josie Ann began gaining a lot of weight, so on January 9, Tri-State arranged for her to have a sonogram. Once it was apparent that puppies were in her future, Eric and Nancy Stevenson rushed down to Knoxville and gave her a ride up to Pennsylvania. Josie Ann s newborn puppies. (Photo courtesy of Eric Stevenson.) Josie settled into Fox Breeze Kennels, where she could get the good care a mama hound needs from people who have experience with new litters. And on January 19, 2013, Josie gave Tri-State its second litter of puppies within one year. Josie was a good mama to her five bassetbeagle mixes. Their mixed breeding didn t stop people from wanting to adopt these The growing puppies acting like a pack of starving hounds don t faze Josie Ann. (Photo courtesy of Eric cute puppies, and TSBHR had many applications for them. Shortly before the Wad- Stevenson.) dle, only one of the five puppies, Traveller, had yet to be spoken for. By then, mama Josie Ann found her own home, with Patricia Chico, who had recently lost her much-loved hound, Max, and needed some special basset comfort. By February 11, the puppies were growing rapidly. (Photo courtesy of Eric Stevenson.) Bowling for Bassets Before long, Traveller too had his happy home. Hurrah for six rescued hounds who are starting new lives! Basset lovers descended on the AMF Parkway Lanes, in Allentown. Pennsylvania, on February 23, 2013, to take part in Tri-State s very successful Bowling for Bassets fundraiser. Well before that day, Kathy Frisch had been organizing the event and getting the word out about it to both folks who were interested in bassets and those who love to bowl. The Morning Call, a local newspaper, included both a write-up and a basset picture in their local news column. A few people came to Bowling for Bassets because of that notice, and one even wrote out a donation check! All around, donations were generous, with Pepsi providing soda for the event, and Nestle/Purina providing Twenty-eight lanes for the bassets. (Photo courtesy of Kathy Frisch.) water and animal food and treats. Dave Feather of Prior Coated Metals donated funds toward the pizza, and the shop it was ordered from reduced their price. That was just the beginning of the generosity that came Tri- State s way from individuals and corporations. Raffle donations included tickets to Disney On Ice, a basset clock, an autographed picture of Pittsburgh Steelers #43, and a Keurig brewer. Just over a week before the event, eighty-seven people had signed up to bowl, and shortly after that, Kathy reported she had 96 bowlers signed up, with 6 more attendees who didn t intend to bowl. Finally, over 100 bowlers took part in the event, making use of 28 lanes. Moon Doggie Coffee Roasters was also there, selling coffee. And the raffle table proved a huge success, bringing in $1,400, while the 50/50 came to $700. In addition, an anonymous donor gave $1,000, in honor of the Frisches and all the hard work they had done, as first-time organizers, to create such a success. Four dogs went into foster homes, two with Frank Tetler, and two, including the adorable senior Precious, to Sue Crane s home. And the folks at AMF Parkway lanes had so much fun hosting TSBHR that we have, Kathy says, an outstanding red-carpet invitation for next year.

3 Ears the News! Page 3 Found: One Wonderful Home! When Bo came to his new adoptive family, he was a bit of a shock. Marilyn Douglas and her husband Greg, who had previously owned Labrador retrievers, thought this Tri-State bassador would be a bit smaller than the average Lab, but Bo s picture had been rather deceiving. A dog whom they expected to weigh in at pounds was close to 60 pounds. Yet the Connecticut couple decided to give him a chance. What seemed to be an adoption at risk of dying at the outset quickly got turned around by the delightful personality of this former Tennessee shelter inhabitant. Shortly following the adoption, Marilyn reported: Bo is absolutely fabulous and it didn't take us long to forget about size. He's ADORABLE, adaptable, funny, smart, relaxed, and is learning housetraining very quickly. When they took him to Petco for a bath, it took the couple 30 minutes to get out the door again, because so many people wanted to know what breed he was and where they d gotten him. Bo, now called Beau, in his new forever home. (Photo courtesy of Marilyn Douglas.) But Bo, renamed Beauregard a short time after his adoption, is destined to be more than a family pet. From the very first, Marilyn planned on training him as a therapy dog who would visit children at Connecticut Children's Medical Center and perhaps at a local hospice organization too. She had done such work with her previous Labrador retriever, Ranger. But since rescue dogs need to be in their new homes for six months before their initial evaluation, Marilyn couldn t act on her plans right away. Still, even in the early days after his adoption, Beau seemed to show signs that he d like to be a therapy dog. So Marilyn began training slowly by working with Beau on becoming part of the R.E.A.D. (Reading Education Assistance Dogs) program, through which he will be able to go into libraries and schools and listen to children read aloud to him. R.E.A.D. is designed to help children love books and reading aloud by providing them with an uncritical listener. And who listens better than a basset (or basset mix)? In February Ranger s child partner, Emma, began the training, and Beau proved a natural, according to Marilyn. He s a quick learner and who knows what else he s learning from Emma s books! Maybe we ll find out when he begins studying with students in September. Beau loves lying close to Emma as he listens. If a child s not touching him, he will correct that. Marilyn reports. He'll push them with his back legs or nuzzle his nose under their arm or book. Maybe that s his stubborn basset side coming out. In March and April Beau completed an eight-week basic discipline class, required as a prerequisite for pet therapy work. Since he grasped the basics quickly, it was recommended that he bypass the second level of discipline and go to Pet Therapy II, where he Beau and six-year-old Emma enjoying a R.E.A.D story time. (Photo courtesy of will learn to manage a variety of environments in hospitals, nursing homes, public libraries, and schools. This includes training for Marilyn Douglas.) real-life situations he will face wheelchairs, chaotic situations, and aggressive petting from rough but well-meaning children. This summer Marilyn intends to continue his training in public settings, and she hopes they ll be evaluated in September. Provided the team passes that evaluation, Beau and Marilyn will be certified for pet-assisted therapy through the national organization Pet Beau, happy with his new family. (Photo courtesy of Marilyn Partners. Douglas.) Beau continues to amaze us with his consistent behavior that is now settled in to a beautiful rhythm. That said, it didn't come without a lot of work and attention, Beau s partner and new mom informed us, three months into the adoption. Still, I can say, we truly know we've found a gem! He's a blessing on many levels.

4 Page 4 Ears the News! Waddle Shots The Waddle is about having fun with the hounds, but it s also about raising money for the rescue. Our 20 highest pledge raisers for the 2013 Waddle, with a number of ties, were: 1. Sue & Craig MacFarlane: $7, Karen Kohl: $4, Kathy & Bruce Frisch: $2, Angela Villari: $2, Annika Francis: $1, Karen & Paul Curley: $ Joanne & Douglas Gibble: $ Linda Schmitz: $ Brenda Kahn: $500 Going for Olympic gold. (Photo courtesy of Dana Mania.) 8. Donna Funk: $ Donna Meese: $ Kevin Martin: $ Jesse Mead: $ Jennifer Miller: $ Rita Jenkins: $ Francis Burton: $ Susan Greene: $ Julia Ellis: $260 Tri-State s new trailer art, unveiled at the Waddle. (Photo courtesy of Dana Mania.) 13. Darlene Jones: $ Mindy & Matilda Pentz: $255 The Grand Marshall and his air crew, brother Bo (copilot) and his PBGV cousin Nellie (flight attendant). (Photo courtesy of Penny Kohl.) Looking for that forever home is hard work. (Photo courtesy of Dana Mana.)

5 Ears the News! Page 5 Some of the most admired costumes at the Waddle. (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Starr.) Suiting up for the Waddle. (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Starr.) BoardWaddle 2013 Costumes and floats are some of the most exciting things about the Waddle. Just ask our photographers, who had a great time shooting them! If you d like to see more pictures, go to Tri-State s Facebook page and click on the Boardwaddle 2013 album and you can enjoy the Waddle all over again. GM Buddy Kohl s float, a tribute to Pilots N Paws. (Photo courtesy of Penny Kohl.) A basceratops? (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Starr.) When bassets don t fly in, they still ride in style. (Photo courtesy of Dana Mania.)

6 Page 6 Ears the News! How Can I Help? Transporting Taxi! I need a taxi! Bassets may not be able to cry out for rides, but transport coordinator Cathy Larsen can and often does when Tri-State hounds need to go from one place to another. And transporting is part of the lifeblood of the rescue. For without it dogs could not get into foster homes, get the vet care they need, or be taken to their new homes. Tri-State always needs help moving dogs across its wide territory. Whether it s a dog like Bo (who went from Fox Breeze Kennels, in Annville, Pennsylvania, to Tarrytown, New York, to meet his new people) or a hound who needs a lift to Quakertown for a vet visit, until dogs can drive, they ll always need a ride. And folks from Tri-State have been there to help them go the distance. But sometimes dogs have to wait, if no people are free to drive them to their destinations; so new transporters are always welcome. According to Cathy, every effort is made to keep one leg of a transport down to an hour each way (though those who like driving longer distances sometimes may be accommodated). Naturally, the more people who volunteer to do a transport, the shorter each leg can be. Transport teams are developed on an as-needed basis, formed of those who volunteer to drive a specific dog on the day it needs to travel. Anyone who wants to become part of a transport team should join Tri-State s Yahoo group, where each need for transport is announced. By contacting Dana Mania (dana@tristatebassets.org), new transporters can be added to the group and receive notifications of when and where dogs need to travel. Once people volunteer, Cathy makes up a team, which can arrange when and where to meet each other. Transports often start at Fox Breeze Kennels; Quakertown Veterinary Clinic, in Quakertown, Pennsylvania; the home of the family surrendering the dog or wherever they plan to meet someone from Tri-State; or even a foster home. Transporters have met dogs and the folks who are taking the next leg of the journey outside fast-food restaurants, at pet stores, or other convenient places. A quick exchange, and the hound is on its way. Wise transporters bring along a leash and have a crate or tie-down for a traveling dog. Some relinquished dogs come well supplied, but others have nothing but the collar they stand in. Each TSBHR dog goes to its new home with a martingale collar and a Tri-State ID tag. But transporters of a very fearful dog might also do well to have two leashes and a harness, so the dog can have a leash attached to both collar and harness, to reduce the chance of escapes. A cell phone is also useful, programmed with phone numbers for Cathy and the other members of the transport. Transporters who are at the final end of an adoption transport fill out some simple paperwork and make sure the adopters get the records that travel with the hound. Those who take part in this kind of transport should be sure to bring along a pen and perhaps a clipboard or other item to write on and a camera, to take pictures of the new adopters and their dog. Many transports take a dog to its new people. What fun it is to see a happy family meeting a hound for the first time! But whatever kind of transport it is, each one helps a homeless hound. Who could resist being part of that? The 2012 Report President Sue Mason announced that in 2012 Tri-State found homes for 196 dogs, nearly doubling the number it rehomed in any of the past four years. This huge increase in adoptions was accomplished while Tri-State finished climbing out of the last of $40,000 worth of debt, part of which the rescue had carried for all of those years. Now Tri-State has no outstanding debt. Despite the doubts of naysayers who were intimidated by that daunting figure, the rescue has continued functioning and increased its effectiveness, and the BoardWaddle, which some foretold was doomed, has continued to provide a large chunk of the income that supports the homeless hounds. Since midsummer, the rescue has continually had an average of 25 applicants taking part in the adoption process, making it possible to consistently help new hounds. Many of this year s rescued dogs have come from other states, but only because Tri-State has had the resources to help more hounds. Except for extreme aggression cases, every basset and bassety mix TSHBR became aware of in its own area was accepted into the rescue. In taking in dogs from Southern states, Tri-State has saved the lives of hounds who would otherwise have died because no homes could be found for them locally. Speaking of those bassets and basset mixes, Sue explained in this year s Waddle speech, We are the last chance for a lot of hounds right now. Sue is keenly aware that the effectiveness of the rescue has been the result of the work of many supporters in the Tri-State community. Though some have done more than others, everyone has pitched in and taken part in the rescue s work. Without that support, this success could not have been possible. With such help, she hopes the rescue will be able to assist more than 200 dogs in 2013.

7 Ears the News! Page 7 Hattiesburg 7 Update On Christmas Eve, 2012, Eric Stevenson received an asking for Tri-State s help for seven bassets in a Mississippi shelter. The dogs, who had been turned in by a breeder who could no longer afford to feed them, were due to lose their lives at four that afternoon, if no one spoke for them. Of course Tri-State came to their rescue, We just couldn t let them die today, Eric said, especially not today. And through the help of some amazing people, including some strangers to TSBHR, Mabel, Honey, Mabel Glenda, Bonnie, Clyde, Greta, and Brigit came north, the first three to Pennsylvania, while the others stopped off at Knoxville, Tennessee, for heartworm treatment. Eventually they all received vetting and were healthy, and TSBHR began their search for homes. This is the story of their happy endings. Ten-year-old Mabel, who lounged on Eric Stevenson s lap as a foster and discovered what couches and homes were all about, was the first to find a home. After a week-long stay with Eric s vet, one of the techs adopted her. She brings Mabel to work daily, and Eric reports Mabel is looking wonderful and very happy. Honey Brigit Bonnie Honey had a few no-show matches but ended up being adopted into a fantastic home in Delaware, where she has kids and dogs to play with in a fully fenced yard. Clyde found a home in Pennsylvania with a new three-year-old basset brother, a fenced yard, and a mom who s at home to spoil him rotten and give him all the care a basset could wish for. Brigit went to a nice, quiet New Jersey home with a wrap-around, fenced deck, and sixty acres to play in. After a month of boning up on potty training and how to do steps, Greta also left for a new home in New Jersey. Though Glenda waited until a week before the Waddle to go to her home, she got a cushy one in New York, with two other rescued bassets, homemade dog treats, dog beds all over the house, and a big fenced yard. Bonnie held out until the BoardWaddle to go to her new home in Connecticut. But every one of these Southern belles and one beau found great homes, spreading the joy of living with bassets over five states. Clyde Glenda Greta Gifts for the Howlidays Tri-State s entertaining Howliday Party, thrown on December 1, 2012, was a financial success. Treasurer Dana Mania reported the event took in $4200 even! The raffle table took in $875 & the 50/50 took in $152. The special raffle for Horton brought in $330. The giving tree brought us $147, and the regular donations came to $1423. The store raised $896, and Pam McQuade gave us $377 from her Dashing Bassets Bakery. In addition five adoptions took place that day: Rufus, Ruby, Doug, Speckles (Horton s brother), and Josie went from the party to their new homes. Upcoming Events May 18, Hound Howlabaloo: 11:00 AM-3:00 PM, Wantagh Park, Wantagh, NY. A day of basset games (including prizes) and food, along with a raffle and the Tri-State merchandise tent. Adoptable hounds will be in attendance. Download a registration form at: Contact: Walli Gnatkowski, wsnoopy@optonline.net or (516) June 1, Annual Golf Tournament: 7:00 AM, registration, 8:00 AM, shotgun start, Sand Springs Country Club, 10 Clubhouse Drive, Drums, PA. Cost: $75 per person, $300 per team for greens fee, cart, lunch and dinner! Non- Golfing Option: $30 per person for volunteers or those accompanying a golfer for the dinner and post-tournament awards banquet. Contact: Mandy Shema, mandyshema@ymail.com or (570)

8 Donation Form Ears the News! Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue PO Box 132 Keyport, NJ Editor: Pamela McQuade Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization run entirely by volunteers. Our modest adoption fees, which keep adoptions affordable for most people, cover only a portion of our vet bills and other expenses. We rely on fundraisers and donations for the rest. A vital part of the rescue process is supporters who donate money to help the bassets. Please help rescue hounds by printing and filling out the form below and sending it to: Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue PO Box 132 Keyport, NJ Visit us on the Web at: Contacts Find us on Facebook Adoptions: Sue Mason irescue2@comcast.net Surrenders: Eric Stevenson ericstevenson@comcast.net Fostering: Eric Stevenson ericstevenson@comcast.net Donations: Dana Mania, treasurer dana@tristatebassets.org Want to keep up on the latest Tri-State news? Join our Yahoo group. Get on the list by contacting Dana Mania at: dana@tristatebassets.org Name Street Address City State Zip Phone: (H) (W) (C) Please do not send cash. Make checks payable to Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue. Amount enclosed: I would like to make a donation using my credit card: Circle one: MasterCard Visa Credit Card Number Expiration Date Amount: $ Signature: To donate through PayPal, go to and follow the prompts. You can also set up regular, automatic donations. In Memory I am writing this with a heavy heart. On the January 2, 2013 our loyal dog and best friend passed away. Holly was six years old when she arrived in our hearts on a hot Sunday afternoon in August of 2006 and made herself at home immediately. Her cheerful and happy personality was a total surprise to us. She become the queen of her (our) castle. Not a day goes by that we do not miss her and think about her often. I would like to thank the Tri-State family for giving us six years with her. I know in our hearts we gave her the best years of her life. She was special and will always be special to us. We love you, Holly, and we miss you so much. John Woolbert