Dogs Seized in Oliphant
Tuesday, August 30, 2011 
by Kevin Bernard
Radio Owen Sound

Aug 29, 2011
_____________________________________________________________________________

Puppies - We have puppies 'said with excitement'! Normally, more puppies are depressing. So many homeless dogs, more puppies represent so many more. However, on this one occasion I will celebrate it. 

Why am I celebrating? These puppies are lucky to be alive, and lucky to be available. For the first time ever starving puppies were surrendered to me, not that they were starving, but rather as they were potential food for other dogs. To quote the reason for release "the other dogs were going to eat them". Yes, you read that right. Fighting for food they were, and fighting not to be food.

Now parasite free, vaccinated and with full bellies, they are en route to finding a happy home where they will never go hungry again; nor struggle to survive. What a horrible place they had once been in. That is even more depressing than having homeless puppies. So, to save my heart, I am celebrating. With each adoption I will celebrate bigger.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
8/29/2011 |  Share your blog comments [osas@bmts.com] with us. 

Aug 25, 2011
_____________________________________________________________________________

Sticks and Stones... - Sticks and stones may break my bones?? Poor poor "Ritchie". A dog found roaming, Shepherd and Collie mix, was found with a stick lodged in the roof of its mouth. 

This stick sadly had been there quite some time, and today, when it was removed during surgery we discovered this 'quite some time' was waaayy too long !! 

Ritchie's mouth had begun growing around the stick, and the roof of his mouth had begun rotting under it. (Beware the pics are a little nasty, please peek with caution at the hole).

His teeth now holed where this brace had been placed. The amount of pain and discomfort, I am sure he felt was tremendous as the infection is quite horrid. Imagine how awful it would be to have a stick stuck in your mouth, and how horrible it would be to be unable to free it, or ask for help. 

Again, another dog who continued to be loving and giving despite his discomfort, who had been left to roam and would have certainly died a horrible death. And, another dog who we have helped move on to better things. Please, keep him in your thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery and a loving home which is what he deserves.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
8/25/2011 |  Share your blog Comments (1) [osas@bmts.com] with us. 

Aug 24, 2011
_____________________________________________________________________________

Animals in Goderich Tornado - There is no problem that cannot be fixed when we all put our minds to it. Today, I received an email from the Markdale Vet Clinic about donations to the relief effort for the animals in the Goderich tornado zone.

Please keep these poor pets, in mind, along with the people affected by the tornado that swept through Goderich on Sunday.

Please keep all of them in your thoughts and prayers and give if you can.  Tough times can be made better if we care.

Here is the email I received today...

Hi, I'm hoping you would be able to help spread the word. Animal related donations are being accepted at Markdale Vet Clinic (litter, litter boxes, bowls, etc.) to send to help the animals effected by the tornado in Goderich. Also if you purchase a bag of dog/cat food from them to donate they will match/donate a second bag. Pam 

The Markdale Vet Clinic is located in Markdale at 26 Main St. East and their phone number is (519) 986-2800.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
8/24/2011 |  Share your blog comments [osas@bmts.com] with us. 

Aug 22 2011
_____________________________________________________________________________

Seven Dumped - There was no blog Friday - I did us both the favour and avoided venting, being cranky, frustrated and annoyed! 

Friday morning we arrived to find 7 cats on the doorstep. Seven black cats. Friday afternoon 3 more strays had come in, of course, also cats. By 3 pm we were up 10 cats and no adoptions. A potential home for Harley failed him, a potential home for a few ferals did not show, and by 5 pm I was feeling quite overwhelmed. Yup, it happens! 

There was a moment I disliked all people and their nasty ways and leaving cats on the doorstep - well likely a blog would have reflected this. The job is tough most days, cages of homeless, mending the broken and damaged; dealing with those responsible ... but we hope for the best, and when the best comes it balances. 

Today, there was no balance. Luckily, over the weekend I shook it off, and returned, today, with game face on. Even more lucky this resulted in two adoptions. Phew for that! Here's hoping this continues and a great week lays ahead. I, in the meantime, am now pushing to make this happen. 
_______________________________________________________________________________________
8/22/2011 |  Share your blog Comments (1) [osas@bmts.com] with us. 

Aug 18 2011
_____________________________________________________________________________

Extendable Leash - There is one thing I love, and yet hate at the same time. This is the extendable leash for dogs. I love them as they offer a great alternative to leash-free giving dogs more room and space, yet depise them as they offer little control, and on a more personal level, as they are a trick to eye [is the dog really on the leash?]. If I had a dollar for every person I pulled over to warn only to discover they had their dog on a flexi, well I could retire. When dogs are spotted a distance from owner I must spend a moment to check hands for outstretched signs, look for thin leads, etc. 

Today, while on patrols I spot a jogger up ahead. With him, a distance beside him, runs his large white dog. With a car in front of me, I struggle to peek around it for signs of outreaching or leads and see nothing. As I creep beside him it becomes clear he does not have leash in hand as I can see both arms pumping with his steps. I begin the pull over process and check my rear view mirror. At this moment the dog darts at something to the right. The runner is taken off his feet, is launched into the air and lands in the dirt. The runner visibly shaken.

As it turns out, this dog was leashed to his belt. I stopped to ask if he was alright and he and I spoke briefly through laughter. It seems this flexi was my suggestion as he had been warned prior before for off-leashing. I offered a new suggestion... old style would probably make us both much happier!
_______________________________________________________________________________________
8/18/2011 |  Share your blog comments [osas@bmts.com] with us. 

Aug 17, 2011
_____________________________________________________________________________

Too Many Cats - I understand it is very frustrating for someone to have "found" a litter of kittens, or a female cat who has had kittens, or for someone with a  cat that got out only one time and now has five. 

I understand the difficulty in caring for multiples, and believe me nobody knows better than me how challenging it can be to place them in homes. (Contrary to popular belief not everybody wants kittens, and the reality is, nobody actually does). 

Those frustrated with four or five homeless need to consider space can't just be created with a magic wand. I will not euthanize to make space for a cat, nor will I euthanize a cat to make space for others. This is not how we operate now, nor ever have, nor ever will.

Do not swear at me nor my staff. Do not threaten to do bad things. We are here to help you, we are the good guys! Please have your cats spayed, please know you are one of hundreds in your position and it's not getting any better.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
8/17/2011 |  Share your blog comments [osas@bmts.com] with us. 

Aug 15, 2011
_____________________________________________________________________________

Happy Birthday Bruno - I'm about to say it. It's something I never thought I'd ever say. I figured this would never ever happen. The odds were greater it would not be said than it being said.

That day we gathered a dog thought to be deceased, a death caused from being chewed/eaten by other dogs, full of infection and sickness - I would have bet my soul these words would never have been said. However, it is with a loud and proud, happy, voice (while jumping up and down) that I announce it's Bruno's Birthday today!!

Once free roaming and fighting for food, then he nearly became food. He fought to live and we fought to save him. 

One year ago today, my best buddy went home with my other best buddy. I have been updated with trips to the cottage, the trailer, Bruno now a swimmer, car rides, hotel stays, and dress up games. 

He has become part of many adventures, and part of the family. His birthday is the best of gifts for me. He made it and is now getting his rewards and this is my reward. Happy Birthday buddy ... xo
_______________________________________________________________________________________
8/15/2011 |  Share your blog comments [osas@bmts.com] with us. 

Aug 3, 2011
_____________________________________________________________________________

Want a Treat - Very early today, before coffee, and in the rain; I attended a difficult situation. A local daycare, with children under the age of 5 arrived to find a stray dog camped out on their doorstep. This situation was, by all means, a typical scenario of urgency (as we have no idea if the dog liked kids) however, in a very short time the situation drastically changed.

The dog sat cowering in the corner, I offered it a cookie, (a dog catcher method of determining stress level in the dog) and it refused (and indication it was not impressed). I crouched lower, and offered kind words, and dropped the cookie on the ground. Its body posture changed slightly, and accepted the cookie, relaxing slightly. This began the process of me offering cookies, trying to get closer, trying to relax it, and offering kind words in the hopes of keeping the dog with me, keeping it from the children, and attempting to leash it. 

After 20 minutes the dog would take treats from my hand, permit me to touch it, (with a tense body posture, and weary eyes) and I thought this was my chance to get the leash out and around its neck. The moment the leash was raised it snapped and snarled. Two bites to the pant leg were strong reminders this pooch meant business. As time wore on, and the daycare got busier with persons dropping off children, the urgency was stepped up to capture the dog. I decided perhaps I needed to step up the rewards. I grabbed a can of delicious goodness. I dropped it on the ground. But, I was unaware that this dog was food aggressive and it was too late. The moment the food hit the dog's mouth, he decided he would guard it with his life. Now charging me, and all those that approached. This is also the moment I called for back up.

With my foot, and very slow movements, I kicked the can to a less populated area, while the dog complained the entire time. Once removed from the area of concern, he ate, and well - I watched. It took three of us, a blanket, and some sneaky moves to capture the dog. It also took a total of 2 1/2 hours and nobody was injured.

We wait patiently now for his owner to call in the hope they come for him ... sadly they did not when all of that was going on, which would have made this adventure so much easier.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
8/03/2011 |  Share your blog comments [osas@bmts.com] with us. 

Aug 2, 2011
_____________________________________________________________________________

Happy To Be Alive - This has been a tough year for animal rescue. For the Owen Sound Animal Shelter as with other shelters it has been a year of fewer adoptions, few reclaimings, and more than ever animal strays and surrenders. All are under pressure and those like us who are no-kill are heartbroken for those in kill facilities and we have no space to take them in. It's an urgent situation all of us are facing. Devastating is the inability to help them all. 

When the call came last week with a full kill facility needing help I was heartbroken to ask them to wait, knowing that time mattered. I begged them to wait until Monday and agreed to take two. A rough coat Jack and a fat Beagle made their presence with tail wags, kisses and whole body wiggles known. As always the sweetest loving dogs faced death, sad as there was just no home for them to go to. 

It is with great happiness we moved both into a home by the end of the day and with a greater happiness I can now call the facility back and offer to take a few more :)  With luck and our prayers answered adoptions will continue, as this is our only way to remain no-kill. Please consider adopting, tell all your friends too, our animals and others need you to. 
_______________________________________________________________________________________
8/02/2011 |  Share your blog comments [osas@bmts.com] with us.