Tuesday's Tails: Where Are They Now? Part 2

Last week, I decided to update readers on animals that had been previously featured and up for adoption.  Today I will be continuing the updates - and I won't lie to you, many of them are not about these animals finding their forever homes.  However, I tend to mainly feature the shelter dogs and cats who have had a difficult time getting adopted; it would be miraculous if all the animals I had shared with you found their homes in the past few months.

I do not mean for these updates to be depressing.  It isn't my intention to bum you out.  But being involved in rescue is not always easy and uplifting.  When you take one step forward, you take another two steps back - when one cat is adopted out, two more cats (and probably a pregnant mom and a handful of kittens) come in.  There is the rise and the fall - you cry tears of joy as a difficult, fearful chihuahua finds his happy home after over a year...and then you cry in frustration and anger when an owner ties a pit bull to a tree outside the shelter and abandons it.

In rescue, there are happy endings, but there are even more sad stories.  We can't change this.  There will always be animals in need who break your heart with every wag of their tail.  But we can share these animals with the world, and we can hope that in doing so, their sad story will end up having a happy ending.

Do you remember Zima?  I featured him back in early June.  He is around 5 years old, and the biggest snuggle-bug ever.  Zima has now been at the HSNI for over a year, which means his adoption fee has been reduced to just $50.  I can't believe he's still at the shelter!  Every time I hear anyone is looking for a cat to adopt, I talk this guy up like crazy!  If you're interested, please contact the HSNI!

Photo courtesy of Southern Belle Photography

How could you forget this gorgeous face and those blue eyes?!  This is sweet Brielle, who was ADOPTED only a few days after I posted about her!  I hear she went to a fabulous family, and I'm so glad - I'm always especially thankful to those who choose to adopt senior cats (this girl's a little older than 8).  Yay, Brielle!!

Photo courtesy of Love & Luck Photography

Roxie, a beautiful American Bulldog/pit bull mix, was featured on the blog in April.  Sadly, she is still at the PAWS Humane Society, waiting for her person.  She has been there for quite some time, and it just doesn't make sense - Roxie is rambunctious (at only 2 years old) but incredibly sweet.  She is my favorite gal in the shelter, and she would make someone a wonderful pet.  If you think that someone is you, please contact the PAWS Humane Society!

Photo courtesy of Tyler Trenhaile and the HSNI

This is Midge, the oversize beauty with those unique eyes that I featured last month.  Only a week or two after my post, she has found a lap to call her own!  Happily, this girl is no longer up for adoption - about time!  Have an amazing life, sweet girl.

Photo courtesy of Love & Luck Photography

Rico, Rico, Rico!  This 3-year-old Jack Russell found himself in the shelter twice, and this time, he's been there for close to a year.  I featured Rico in April, and he is still up for adoption.  This guy gets passed by time and time again because of his screeches for attention; however, once he gets out of his kennel, he is sweeter than candy - he's all talk! :)  Submissive and quirky, I love hanging out with this goofball; his grins and nudges for attention make me laugh so much!  Rico is well-behaved, even when getting pampered in the bathtub, and he reeeally deserves a loving home.  If you're interested, please contact the HSNI!

If any of my readers are considering adoption, please keep these sweethearts in mind! <3

Hope everyone had an amazing 4th of July weekend!

Happy 4th of July!!

This year, we are celebrating Independence Day as we always do: with a family get-together over at my parents' house.  My birthday is on the 5th, and my mom's follows on the 6th, so we have one giant party, setting off bottle rockets and eating burgers off the grill!

I'll be taking the weekend off to just relax and spend some time with my family.  Jared told me we could do anything I wanted on my birthday, so he is taking me to an animal shelter an hour away to do some volunteering.  We visit shelters a lot, but Jared is usually in a hurry and doesn't let me stay for too long - men, I tell ya! ;)  But Saturday, we get to walk dogs and play with kitties all day!  It'll be a great birthday. :)

Here's what Riley will be wearing on the 4th:

Doesn't he look dapper and handsome?!  We got this polka-dot bowtie collar from the Usagiteam Etsy shop when we adopted Riley last year.  Their business is run out of San Francisco, and we can't say enough great things about it!  Profits from the shop go to various shelters around the country - we approve!!  Not only do they sell these bowtie collars (look at this adorable argyle one!), they also sell matching leashes and bandanas.  The fabrics are awesome and hand-picked, in various colors and patterns ranging from seersucker to plaid!  If you're looking for a spiffy new look for your furry friend, Usagi is highly recommended!  (A bowtie is also quite the attention-getter when taking your pooch for a walk!)

Don't forget to keep your pets safe this Friday - try to keep them inside in case the fireworks spook them!  Thankfully, Riley doesn't seem to even notice fireworks or thunderstorms - the only thing that freaks him out is the ice maker!  Do you have any special plans for the 4th??  Have a great weekend :)

All in the Family: (Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

I am very lucky to have such a dog-loving family!  Here's a few of the family pets:

Bella (left back) and Oscar (right front) are Shih-Tzu mixes who live with my in-laws.  They are total goofballs and partners in crime!

Roxie is an Aussie mix who belongs to my grandparents-in-law...she weighs somewhere between 40-60 pounds but thinks she is a little lap dog! :)

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Tuesday's Tails: Where Are They Now?

For this week's Tuesday's Tails, I thought I would catch the readers up on the status of some previously featured animals.  Most of them are, unfortunately, still up for adoption and waiting for a forever home...a few, though, have found their families!  

 

(Photos courtesy of HSNI and Arickx Photography)

Remember Beau and Chachi, the bonded buddies who ended up in the shelter after their owner passed away?  They are still there, watching people pass them by because of their age.  At 10+ years old, these sweethearts aren't in the shape they once were, but they are total lovers who deserve a second chance at a home.  Beau and Chachi are very close to my heart, which breaks just a little more every time I see them still at the shelter.  Contact the HSNI for more information.

(Photo courtesy of HSNI)

Tessa, the plump and lovable office cat, was an honorary member of the shelter staff at the HSNI.  Though she was an older gal, she never had health issues and was always up for a treat.  A few months ago, Tessa grew unexpectedly ill and passed away.  There are no words to describe how much we all loved this cat, employees and customers alike.  She was an irreplaceable part of the shelter, and everyone misses her very much.  We love you, sweet Tessa. <3

(Photo courtesy of Arickx Photography)

(Photo courtesy of Love & Luck Photography)

Here are Starlight and Tamer, two of the sweetest pitties ever housed at the HSNI!  After a year of waiting, they were lifted from the shelter and taken to a pit bull rescue out of state.  This was good news to hear - breed-specific rescues are often more successful at adopting out pit bulls.  I haven't yet heard any updates on these two goofballs, but they could very well be enjoying their new homes as we speak!

(Photo courtesy of HSNI)

Goldie's life has not been fair to her.  Her story (which you can read by clicking the link in the previous sentence) is one of the worst I've ever heard while involved in animal rescue, and my heart just breaks for her.  Yet she still sits in the shelter and has been doing so for a year and a half.  Her special needs make her a bit of a tough adoption, but this girl deserves to feel what it's like to be a pet.  Give her a chance - contact the HSNI.

If you're looking for a sweet senior dog to bring into your family, please consider Beau & Chachi or Goldie.

Tune in for next week's Tuesday's Tails for more updates! :)

Happy Birthday, Riley!!!

Several things on the agenda today:

Riley's birthday was last week...my goofy guy turned 8 years old!  We celebrated last Tuesday with a Pupcake and some yummy peanut butter treats from the Three Dog Bakery.  Riley has been in our life for about a year and half now, and, to be quite honest, he seems older than just 8.  Though that has more to do with his immense laziness and less to do with his overall health - thank goodness!  Riley, of course, had no idea what we were making such a fuss about, but it's always fun to celebrate a pet's birthday!

"Can I eat it now, Dad?  Can I?"

Last weekend's auction of puppy mill dogs was something of a success!  Last week, I posted about how hard it was to be just one person in the world of animal rescue - a huge puppy mill in Iowa was shut down, and the dogs were all to be auctioned off in Missouri...mostly likely to more breeders.  Well, thanks to some amazing rescues and their generous supporters, around 85 percent of the dogs at the auction were purchased by rescues!  This is huge, and I am so amazed at the extent these organizations went to, especially considering the long trip and big expense.  

Kelsie from the wonderful It's Dog or Nothing blog has awarded my blog the Shine On Award!  A huge THANK YOU goes out to Kelsie, and I encourage you all to visit her blog!  Now it's time for me to tell you the rules:  Visit and thank the blogger who nominated you, acknowledge that blogger on your blog and link back, share 7 random facts about yourself, and nominate up to 15 bloggers for the Shine On award, provide a link to their blog in your post, and notify them on their blog!  So here are my 7 random facts:

1.  I majored in psychology in college, and I have yet to do ANYTHING with that degree.

2.   I am a great big nerd, and I can kick my husband's butt at old-school Super Mario Bros. :)

3.  I average about a book a day...a mixture of too much free time and supreme geekiness.

4.  My greatest phobia is vomit.  Watching it, hearing it, smelling it.  I am, like, abnormally afraid of throwing up.  (Dog vom, by the way, is totally okay with me.  It's the human variety I fear!)

5.  I let my dog kiss me on the mouth and I am not ashamed!

6.  Before volunteering and working in a shelter, I was pretty afraid of pit bulls.  (Oh, the shame!)  Once I actually spent time with them, though, I learned that they're nothing but big ol' goofballs!

7.  I have an invisible illness that causes me to faint without much warning...however, it's been over six months since my last "episode"!

And here are the bloggers I nominate who I'd love to learn more about; check them out - they're all great!:

Irresistible Pets

Kitty Cat Chronicles

Lessons From a Paralyzed Dog

Damien's Best Dog Toys

Lola Pug

Let's Go Dog

Oh Melvin and Yo Jake

Walks With Rama

Bernie the Frenchie

Kelley's Dog Blog

Spencer the Goldendoodle

Visit these blogs and spread the love!  <3  Thanks again, Kelsie!

Cyber Saturday

This week was a blur of errand-running - and, if I'm honest, peanut butter M&M-eating (I'm addicted!).  Jared and I went on a couple of shopping trips to find some scrubs to wear to my new job.  One of the perks of working in an animal hospital is all the cute dog-and-cat scrubs you get to wear!  We've got a wedding to get up for in the morning, so I'll keep today's Cyber Saturday brief.

I found this hilarious website, "Written? Kitten!", which "rewards" you with a new photo of a cute kitten, puppy, or bunny after you've written 100 words.  If you're an animal lover who also writes, this could be quite the motivational tool! ;)

I've been wanting to whip up some frozen treats to cool Riley off during these hot summer days, and Owned by a Husky just posted a recipe that sounds awesome and easy.  Looks delish, and her huskies sure seemed to love 'em! 

DogMilk posted about these stylish leashes from RuggedWrist.  They make not only leashes and collars for your pooch, but matching bracelets for you, too!  I love the nautical-inspired look - I never thought that accessorizing to match your dog could be so fashionable!

Buzzfeed featured a black cat by the name of Shelby, who ran away from home 13 years ago.  Her family opened the door one night to find a cat on their doorstep...sure enough, it was Shelby, mysteriously home once again.  Pretty amazing!!!

The Bark Post posted a list of "17 Adorably Derpressed Dogs", and this gloomy guy was #13!  The caption reads, "Such melancholy.  Very gloom."  Hilarious!  Also featured was a video of dogs reacting to humans barking at them - super cute.  We tried it with Riley after watching the video, and he just tried to give us kisses. :)

This week on the blog, I posted about:

Feeling small and helpless in the world of animal rescue

A sweet Siamese (who is now ADOPTED!!!!), a new niece + job, and prizes Riley won

High-end cat products on the cheap!

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter: @SecondChances23 :)  Have a relaxing weekend!

Splurge Vs. Save: Luxury Products for Your Cat

Americans are spending more on their pets than ever before.  Last year's figures showed that we spent over $55.7 billion on our precious pooches and felines in 2013, and this year's numbers are predicted to be even higher!  Services like pet-sitting, hotels for pets, and pet-friendly restaurants and stores are ever-growing industries, and we are pampering our pets like crazy.  Dog washes and acupuncture for pets are common,  and brand-new treats, toys, and collars pop up every day.

It can be a bit overwhelming and hard to keep up with.  "Which kind of cat tree will my kitty love the most?"  "Is it silly to buy a stroller for my dog??"  Not to mention the expense.  How can you pamper your pet with the latest products without spending a fortune?  It's definitely tough...but not impossible!  To continue with the Adopt-A-Cat Month posts, I rounded up the most trendy products for fancy felines...and their less expensive counterparts!  Read on and enjoy Splurge Vs. Save:  Luxury Kitty Products!  (Just click the links to purchase.)

The KittiCraft Calabash is a designer piece that your cat will curl up in and never want to leave, but at $154.89 (not including the stand and cushion), the price is a bit steep.  The Hanging Cat Cuddle Pod, though a bit smaller, is just as cute and comfy, and only $19.99!

The PetCube, coming in August of this year, is an awesome new advance in technology.  It allows you to check up on your pet when you're not home, play with your pet with the built-in laser even if you aren't physically present, and meet other pet owners.  You can even talk to your furry friend from afar and share videos!  The pre-order price is $179, which is admittedly a good deal for this kind of technology.  However, the D-link Wireless Network Camera also lets you check in on your pets in real time for only about $35.

This neon couch for dogs and cats is comfy and chic, and the neon + stripes design is very in right now!  $147.99 is the price tag on it, and while it's beautiful, it will likely be covered in drool and pet hair in minutes.  The PetMate Sofa Dog/Cat Bed is just as comfortable for only $17.94, and it's made of suede and fleece for extra softness.  I would sleep in this bed if I could!

Any energetic kitty would LOVE bouncing from shelf to shelf on these Cat Silhouette Cat Shelves, which also function as cute art pieces for $124.99 apiece.  The Harmony Loft Cat Shelf Set is only $29.99, and it provides the same function (climbing fun for your cats) at only a fraction of the price.

A self-cleaning litter box sounds almost too good to be true, right?  Well, the Litter Robot does just that:  sifts the litter automatically after each use!  The waste gets deposited in a drawer located underneath the box.  For $369, it's expensive, but it has great reviews and will save you a lot of annoying scooping.  The Omega Paw Self-Cleaning Litter Box, on the other hand, is only $32.99, but instead of automatically cleaning, requires you to roll the box to the right to allow it to sift itself.  A little more work on your part, but the price tag just might make it worth it.

The Hepper Pod gives your kitty a dark, warm cave to sleep in for $199, while the Mod Dream Pod does the same, without the stand but in the same funky color, for just $56.64.

The Special Edition Pet Stroller is super fancy, boasting a canopy, waterproof inner pad, and a storage basket.  At $240, that is one luxurious ride for your pet!  The BestPet Swanky Pet Stroller is only $39.88 and has all the same features - plus it's foldable!

Tote your small dog or cat around with you in this carrier sling, available in different colors for $125.  Or you could use the reversible pet sling, which features a safety collar hook, for $16.88!

Most dogs and cats love to nestle inside a cocoon of blankets, and this soft faux-mink bag is just perfect for your pet to snuggle up in!  Sizes vary - the medium size is about $79.  The Burrow Cat Bed isn't quite as luxe, but it still provides your cat with the same safe feeling for only $24.19.  A bargain that comes in many different colors!

Happy shopping! <3