FIDO SPEAKS! FIDO Focus The Forgotten Ones... During my 7 years of rescuing, I have learned which dogs get saved from the local dog pounds. It should not be surprising that the public comes in and picks the young cute puppies and the small breed dogs. That is why at FIDO you typically will see medium to larger breeds of dogs that we rescue and if we rescue a puppy, it is usually because they are sickly in some form or another. There is an entire other population of dogs that are stuck in dog pounds around the country. The elderly and senior dogs find their way to death row because no one wants to care for them any longer. These dogs are the forgotten ones. They get passed by in their cages by the public most often. They may have a graying muzzle, cloudy eyes, old fatty tumors, and legs Holly with her foster sister, Lyla that limp due to arthritis but I have found that these dogs are the most grateful when rescued. Many of these dogs were not cared for during their younger years, so they probably look a bit older than they are because of their hard life. Many of these dogs were loyal companions to their masters who have now passed on and the extended family decides not to keep them so they won t be burdened. These dogs have stories to tell you can look into their eyes and imagine what they have been through, how lonely they must be now, and how they long to be taken care of. We do our best to help these old souls when we can. We have found that once you get over the initial medical issues to get these dogs comfortable, they are the easiest to care for. We currently have 2 in our rescue that are Ambassadors to the senior dog community. Holly is (continued on p.2) Fido s Advocacy The Ohio Pet Fund By Julie Piazza-King If you have not yet ordered your Ohio Pet License Plates what are you waiting for? The Ohio Pet License Plates are vehicle registration tags that raise funds for education, spay and neuter of pets for low-income families, and for dogs and cats adopted from qualifying agencies. Even if you have just renewed your license plates, you can still buy the plate for $25. The more plates they sell, the more animals that they are able to help. Simply visit your deputy's registrar s office, by calling 1-800-589-TAGS, or visit www.oplates.com. The purchase of these plates helps to fund animal shelters, humane societies, and Veterinary Nonprofit Organizations. Fido s Companion was one of the lucky recipients of grant funding from this program, so please consider ordering your plates today to help this worthy cause! Volume 4 Issue 1 March 2010 FIDO s Companion Inc. is a small, closely held non-profit 501(c)3 organization made up of volunteers who perform vital functions in the process of rescuing animals. We operate out of Avon, Ohio. We primarily rescue dogs from the Lorain County Dog Pound before they are put to sleep. www.fidoscompanion.com Inside this issue: The Forgotten Ones 1-2 Fido s Advocacy 1 Blankets for Beasties 2 Fido s Friends in the Community 3 Fido s Festivities 3 Fido s Facts 4 Fido s Forever Families 5 Courage Needs a Home! 6
Page 2 Fido Speaks! FIDO Focus Continued The Forgotten Ones a 10-12 year old beagle who was found during Christmas week freezing outside, wandering alone in a snow storm. Holly was skin and bones and had horrible infected gums and black teeth. After being at our vets she had a compete dental and we found through blood screenings that she was otherwise healthy. Now in her foster home with the Kramer family, she is putting on good weight and learning how to be a house dog. She appreciates her nap times on the couch and loves to snuggle with her human foster sister Lyla and the other cats and dog in the family! Nick is the other senior we are caring for. He was at our local pound and we just could not let him die in there during the overcrowding of the Holiday season. Nick came alive in his foster home with the Robbin family. He loves playing ball and craves affection from everyone. He is a gentle soul who makes everyone around him feel like a kid again with his fun loving spirit. Please don t forget about the seniors when you are looking for another pet. They truly are the most gracious and appreciative animals. You may not have them for many years, but the time you do get with them will be the most rewarding and special because they will not let you ever forget that you are LOVED! Nicholas who is waiting for his forever home! Dogs feel very strongly that they should always go with you in the car, in case the need should arise for them to bark violently at nothing right in your ear. Dave Barry Blankets Fur Beasties! How others help animals in need... Hi. My name is Harley. I love animals. I want to know if you love animals, too, and would like to help me to help all of the homeless animals at our local shelters. Last year, I donated some of my old baby blankets to the Cleveland APL for their puppies and kittens to lie on. I felt so good doing that, that I wanted to do more, but had no more blankets left to give. I have started a charity called Blankets fur Beasties that collects new and used baby blankets, large blankets, animal toys and treats, and other items that can be used at the shelters to take care of the animals. I have gone to a lot of shelters already. It s so much fun to talk to the volunteers, visit with the animals, and bring all the donated stuff for them to use. I am asking if people and businesses can help me. The shelters really need a lot of supplies for the animals. If you would like to help, you can e-mail me at blanketsfur- beasties@yahoo.com and we can set up a time for me to come and pick up your donation. My parents bring me and I would love to meet you. You can go to my website to see how we re helping. My website is www.blanketsfurbeasties.com Thank you for reading my story, and thank you for helping me to help the animals! Your friend, Harley
Volume 4 Issue 1 Page 3 Fido s Friends in the Community Fido Spreads the Word about Homeless Pets Education is the key to solving our nation s problem of pet over-population. Fido s Companion is taking steps to educate our local youth about this issue through its community outreach program. On February 11, 2010, second graders at Normandy Elementary School in By Village where I teach met with Fido s Michael Sherrill and Cooper, a rescued English Springer Spaniel. The children learned several important lessons about pet care and the importance of preventing pets from becoming homeless. Throughout the presentation, Michael spoke about Fido s mission and the work it does to achieve that mission. Children were reminded that local pounds, shelters, and rescues are filled with dogs, puppies, cats and kittens that are in need of loving homes. Michael emphasized the fact that adopting a companion animal from such organizations is important, and he also emphasized that adopting from backyard breeders or puppy mills only contributes to the pet overpopulation problem in our country. Children also reviewed the importance of pet care and kindness toward animals. The students volunteered what they knew about pet care such as providing adequate food, water, shelter and veterinary care. Michael guided them to realize that exercise, training and love are equally important for a quality home life for any companion pet. Finally, children had the opportunity to meet Cooper. The students were taught to approach Cooper in a calm manner, By Brenda Donohue and Cooper certainly enjoyed the positive attention. Cooper demonstrated to the children that well-cared for and loved dog can provide much happiness, companionship, and love. Mike Sherrill with rescue dog Cooper at Normandy Grade School in Bay Village Fido s Festivities! A look at some of our adopted dogs in their forever homes celebrating some special holidays!! Punkin Trinkner (aka Legacy) celebrating Valentine s Day 2010 with Love and Licks! Murray Reddy celebrating Halloween 2009 as Zoro the Dog! Lily Hall (aka Leona) with her 2 white fluffy siblings under the Christmas tree! Please watch our website s NEWS section about upcoming adoption events and fundraisers. Leo Piccari celebrating Christmas 2009 Reindeer Style! We welcome volunteers to help at these adoption events!!
Page 4 Fido Speaks! Fido s Facts Courtesy of West Park Animal Hospital (www.westparkanimalhospital.com) The Importance of an Annual Physical Examination in Dogs It s that time of year again. Time to take your dog to the veterinarian for his annual examination. But maybe you re thinking that you might skip it this year. After all, he isn t sick. Maybe you will just put it off until next year what could it hurt? or skin problems. It s easier for someone who doesn t see your pet every day to detect lumps and bumps that you may not have noticed. Comparing annual weights, too, can determine if your dog is heading down the path to obesity or is slowly losing weight. Actually, delaying an annual physical exam can hurt. Annual physical exams are an important part of providing optimal health care and the best longevity for your beloved companion. Dogs age quickly and they are unable to tell us if they are feeling a little off. Remember, it may be one year in your life but that can be about 5-10 comparative years in your pet s life. A lot can change in that much time. Sometimes, dogs can be ill for weeks and you are unaware of it. This may not be from a lack of monitoring or caring; your dog just hides his illness until it is so far advanced he has no choice but to show signs of disease. Your veterinarian has special training and experience in detecting subtle illness in pets. Listening to the heart can detect murmurs. Increased lung sounds may indicate early illness. Abdominal palpitation may reveal pain in certain areas, abnormal size and shape of various organs or even tumors. Checking out the eyes can detect early signs of cataract or other ocular problems. Ears may be in need of cleaning or medication. Dental disease may be detected as well as signs of allergies As a dog reaches middle to old age, annual physical exams become even more important. Certain problems that you may simply attribute to old age, and just something you will have to live with, may be signs of underlying disease and may be very treatable. Annual physical exams also give you an opportunity to ask your veterinarian any questions you may have about your dog s health. Your veterinarian may recommend certain additional tests to determine overall health based on physical exam findings or may have suggestions for improving the quality of your dog s life. Remember, the primary goal for your veterinarian is to keep your dog healthy and provide the best care available. Your veterinarian cares a great deal about your dog almost as much as you. A physical examination is not just a chance for your vet to see how cute your dog is; a thorough exam can pick up on a variety f illnesses and prevent potential catastrophic disease. By finding, diagnosing and treating these problems early, your pet will live a much healthier and longer life! Dogs age quickly and they are unable to tell us if they are feeling a little off. FIDO is always in need of foster homes for our rescues who are waiting for their forever homes! Won t you consider opening your heart and home to one of our dogs for a temporary stay?!
Volume 4 Issue 1 Page 5 Carissa Mahoney Fido s Forever Families from the Dog! FROM THE DOG (Charlie, aka Charlotte) Hi everyone my name is Charlie and I am really tall and really pretty. My mom tells me that I could get by in life on just my good looks. But, I expect more from myself than just being a total cutie pie. I have a big sister named Old Brown (but everyone calls her Dodie). She is a lot of fun but doesn t want to play as much as I do, which is pretty much every second of the day. When my mom rescued me, she was looking for a dog that would be a good match for Brown. So, when she first came to meet me, I pretended to be really quiet and really calm. Boy did I fool her! See, there is more to me than just my good looks. Sometimes I am a little too much for my older sister but I have learned when to back off and when to antagonize her. Since being adopted in October, I have had a lot of excitement in my life. My mom takes us to the lake often. When the weather was nice, I went for boat rides and played in the water. Now we go for walks and play in the snow! I have made many friends, both two legged and four legged. I love to run! I don t want to brag, but I run faster than all my friends. My vet says that I have to limit my exercise until I turn 2. This is because I am part Shepard and prone to hip problems. Luckily for me, I will celebrate my second birthday this spring. I plan to run and run and run! My mom thinks it s funny when I chase my tail. She doesn t think it is as funny when I eat her gloves, her sunglasses and the cushions to the couch. What can I say I m not perfect. But, I try really hard to be a good girl. I just get nervous sometimes when my people go to work. My mom knew this about me before adopting me, so really I should blame her for not putting her things away. I am thankful that FIDO saved me and nursed me back to health. I had some skin problems before, but you would never know it now. At Christmas time I got to see my foster mom, Toni. She took great care of me for several months before I was adopted. I also want to thank my grandma for finding me at the Petco adopt-a-thon and for telling my mom what a special girl I am. I know that my mom adopted me at a very sad time in her life because she had just put her dog Seamus to sleep. My mom says that I reaffirmed her belief that everything in life happens for a reason. I agree with her because I get big hugs everyday and sleep on my own comfy bed every night. I have found my forever home! FROM THE HUMAN (Carissa Mahoney, Charlie s adoptive mom). I am so thankful to have Charlie in my life. She is a wonderful dog with so much love and energy. This summer, I am going to try to do some agility training with her. Everyday, Charlie makes me laugh with her silliness. It comforts me to see that her and Brown are starting to form a special bond. After losing Seamus, I was afraid that Brown and I would Charlie aka Charlotte Mahoney and her sister Brown above. Below; Jumping Snow Dog Charlie have broken hearts forever. But Charlie proved us wrong! My dogs are a huge part of my life and I take them everywhere I can. Charlie loves getting in the car because she now knows it means we are going to do something fun. Although she is not perfect, I have no doubt in my mind that I adopted the perfect dog for me. She is a part of my family and everyday I love her more. It is hard to express in words the special bond that is formed between a person and the dogs they love. But, that s another great thing about dogs they don t mind if sometimes you just can t find the right words.
How Can I Help? We need: foster homes for dogs and cats (short and long term); transporters to help pull dogs from local pounds or take them to the vets or boarding facilities; donations to cover boarding and health care costs; volunteers to walk the dogs that are currently being housed in our boarding facilities; volunteers to plan and assist with fund raisers I want to help provide new beginnings for homeless dogs. Enclosed is my contribution in the amount of: $ Name Address City State Zip code Please mail your check to: Fido s Companion Rescue, Inc. P.O. Box 518 Avon, Ohio 44011 For Credit Card Donations: Go to WWW.FIDOSCOMPANION.COM and click on the donation button. You can make a secure PAYPAL donation on-line with your credit card. Providing quality of life to one canine companion at a time! A 501 (c)3 Non profit Animal Rescue Donations are tax deductible Fido s Adoptables- We Call Him Courage the FIDO dog! Courage came to our rescue from a hoarding situation in Trumbull County where 100 s of animals were kept in poor, outdoor conditions. Courage was terribly matted and infested with fleas. The humane agents that seized these animals gave them basic care. Courage was shaved down, treated for fleas and parasites. Courage is estimated to be approximately 7 years old and is 70 lbs. We think he is some type of Golden Retriever mix. He is timid right now, but how can you expect anything more from a dog who has been through such a tough situation! More information will be shared as we get to know him better and as our vets fully examine him. He will be fully vaccinated and neutered. Please consider giving him a new beginning for 2010 by offering him a place to call home! You can submit an application at www.fidoscompanion.com on our adoptables page. If you do not get a return email or phone call within 24 hours from our rescue, please email: mreichlin@roadrunner.com. Special Thanks to FIDO Adopter Joy Knapp of Warren for seeing the potential in Courage and helping him get to our rescue as well as helping to fund his vet care. Courage is waiting for his forever home!