Pound Buddies Rescue-The inside of the story.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
It's Been A While!
I have been so busy lately working with PBR and SPCA. We had an Adopt A Dog day (AAD) this past Saturday (like every Saturday) that went really great! We adopted out like 5 or 6 fostered dogs with more still pending! Keep in mind these adopters had already been pre-approved for a dog. There is nothing more eventful for us. Yesterday was my foster dog Fudges, first AAD. He was awesome! He's a pure pit bull and he was the most well mannered dog there! Well, there were a few others who were also very good. I have been constantly working with him on his manners and I seen yesterday that it has paid off. Maybe one day I will be a famous dog trainer. (yah right that requires skill) Anyways, so much to do and so little time!
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
The Insider At The Pound.
A lot of people think of the pound as a place where your dog goes if he/she gets caught by the dog catcher or where you can bring strays in that you find. That’s far from what the pound is all about. Pound Buddies Rescue (PBR) also works out of the pound, along with Vector Control. Pound Buddies are the ones who care for the dogs after hours and do not receive any pay for it, unlike Vector Control. We (PBR) also do adoptions out of the pound.
Here’s what my schedule is like for the pound:
Sunday: My hubby and I don’t go on Sundays, but others do.
Monday: My hubby and I work up at the SPCA, but VC is there for the 1st shift and a PBR volunteer comes in at night.
Tuesday: My hubby and I are not there, but other PBR volunteers may be.
Wednesday: My hubby and I are there from 4:30pm-7:00pm. When we arrive at 4:30pm VC is still there, but we come in, check what dogs are in and grab a bucket of food. Then, we let each dog outside to run while we clean their cage and give them fresh food and water. When we have completely taken care of them we let them back in and move on to the next dog. Every single dog gets a chance to run in a yard while we clean and feed them. At 5:30pm the public is then allowed to come in and look at the dogs. If they are interested in a dog, they fill out an application for whatever dog they want and then we do a follow up on them. A follow up consists of a vet check, if they have one and a home visit to make sure they are a good home for the dog. We do this because we don’t want someone to adopt a St. Bernard who lives in an apartment building. The vet check is to make sure they have kept up on their other animals vaccinations along with spaying and neutering. We NEVER EVER do same day adoptions!!! There must be a pre-approval application by Tina, Connie or Barb.
Thursday: My hubby and I are not there, but other PBR volunteers may be.
Friday: My hubby and I work up at the SPCA, but other PBR volunteers may be there.
Saturday: My hubby and I host AAD up at Petco in Muskegon. There we bring our own foster dogs and invite other foster parents to bring their dogs, so people can see what we have to offer. While we are there, other PBR volunteers are up at the pound doing the same Wednesday night routine. You may adopt there from 11:00am-1:30pm.
Our adoption fees vary, depending on where people adopt from. If a person adopts a dog straight from the pound it is $125.00, but they would make a check to their preferred vet to go towards the dogs spaying or neutering, if by chance the dog is already spayed or neutered, then it would go for it’s shots. If a person adopts from one of our fosters, then it is $185.00-235.00. These dogs are already spayed/neutered and are current on shots and heartworm preventative. They are also usually house trained and crate trained, plus we know a lot about them because they have lived with us. Fostering is when a person takes a dog in their home to save it’s life and to basic train it for the dog to be adopted out by a good family/person.
When a dog isn’t adopted from the pound and it is not sent to rescue or a foster home, it is Euthanized(E) for those of you who don’t know what E is, it’s when a dog is given a lethal injection through the vein, that puts them to sleep. It’s not painful for the dog and we try not to put dogs down that are good. We do get dogs that are aggressive towards people and other dogs, that may not be adoptable due to these issues.
As a PBR volunteer, we do everything in our power to save and help care for stray dogs and surrendered dogs. We always accept donations for the dogs such as laundry detergent, crates, dog shampoo, dog treats, dog food, cat food, dog toys and we even accept money. Any little bit counts and is always very appreciated. All of these donations, whether it be money or items, are all tax deductable. If your interested in volunteering or fostering a dog (all at pound buddies expense) please stop by Vector Control off Keating in Muskegon, MI and sign up.
Here’s what my schedule is like for the pound:
Sunday: My hubby and I don’t go on Sundays, but others do.
Monday: My hubby and I work up at the SPCA, but VC is there for the 1st shift and a PBR volunteer comes in at night.
Tuesday: My hubby and I are not there, but other PBR volunteers may be.
Wednesday: My hubby and I are there from 4:30pm-7:00pm. When we arrive at 4:30pm VC is still there, but we come in, check what dogs are in and grab a bucket of food. Then, we let each dog outside to run while we clean their cage and give them fresh food and water. When we have completely taken care of them we let them back in and move on to the next dog. Every single dog gets a chance to run in a yard while we clean and feed them. At 5:30pm the public is then allowed to come in and look at the dogs. If they are interested in a dog, they fill out an application for whatever dog they want and then we do a follow up on them. A follow up consists of a vet check, if they have one and a home visit to make sure they are a good home for the dog. We do this because we don’t want someone to adopt a St. Bernard who lives in an apartment building. The vet check is to make sure they have kept up on their other animals vaccinations along with spaying and neutering. We NEVER EVER do same day adoptions!!! There must be a pre-approval application by Tina, Connie or Barb.
Thursday: My hubby and I are not there, but other PBR volunteers may be.
Friday: My hubby and I work up at the SPCA, but other PBR volunteers may be there.
Saturday: My hubby and I host AAD up at Petco in Muskegon. There we bring our own foster dogs and invite other foster parents to bring their dogs, so people can see what we have to offer. While we are there, other PBR volunteers are up at the pound doing the same Wednesday night routine. You may adopt there from 11:00am-1:30pm.
Our adoption fees vary, depending on where people adopt from. If a person adopts a dog straight from the pound it is $125.00, but they would make a check to their preferred vet to go towards the dogs spaying or neutering, if by chance the dog is already spayed or neutered, then it would go for it’s shots. If a person adopts from one of our fosters, then it is $185.00-235.00. These dogs are already spayed/neutered and are current on shots and heartworm preventative. They are also usually house trained and crate trained, plus we know a lot about them because they have lived with us. Fostering is when a person takes a dog in their home to save it’s life and to basic train it for the dog to be adopted out by a good family/person.
When a dog isn’t adopted from the pound and it is not sent to rescue or a foster home, it is Euthanized(E) for those of you who don’t know what E is, it’s when a dog is given a lethal injection through the vein, that puts them to sleep. It’s not painful for the dog and we try not to put dogs down that are good. We do get dogs that are aggressive towards people and other dogs, that may not be adoptable due to these issues.
As a PBR volunteer, we do everything in our power to save and help care for stray dogs and surrendered dogs. We always accept donations for the dogs such as laundry detergent, crates, dog shampoo, dog treats, dog food, cat food, dog toys and we even accept money. Any little bit counts and is always very appreciated. All of these donations, whether it be money or items, are all tax deductable. If your interested in volunteering or fostering a dog (all at pound buddies expense) please stop by Vector Control off Keating in Muskegon, MI and sign up.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
BACKYARD BREEDERS!
It's a sad life for some dogs. They are being brought into this world, just to die. Harsh words I know, but it's the truth. I work with Pound Buddies up at Vector Control and it's not always a pretty sight. We get lots of pure breeds in such as St. Bernards, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Beagles, Husky's, Labs, etc... Where did these dogs come from? Most pure breed dogs come from breeders. How did a pure breed end up at the pound? I have the answer to this question. It's because they are backyard breeders and they don't care who buys one of their pups as long as they are paying for it in cash. People will pay anywhere from 50-1200 dollars for a purebreed because then they'll breed the dog they bought and make all that money back, plus more! Now, don't get me wrong, their are a few out there who actually do take care of their dog. As many as I see though, it is only a few. Mutts are common too. That's why I discourage giving dogs or any animals, as gifts. My foster dog Pebbles was a wedding gift and do you wanna know where she lived her life? On a chain, in a cat carrier, in someones backyard. If you are looking for a pet please don't go to a breeder. We have what your looking for at Vector Control in Muskegon, MI ready for you to adopt from Pound Buddies. Because what happens to the dogs that don't get adopted or fostered... their last breath is taken right before the needle hits.
My Life Story
My name is Katie Leonard. I'm 20 years old and I am a stay at home mom. I have an 8 month old boy who keeps me on my feet, especially since he is crawling now. I also work with Lifeline for Pound Buddies and the SPCA. Between the three I really don't get any alone time. Not only do I clean cages, feed and water dogs at Vector Control, my husband (Brian) and I host Adopt A Days at Petco every Saturday and we are on emergency calls 24/7, which means if a dog was hit by a car in our area we would go get it, etc... We have foster dogs at our home too that we take care of and train, so like I said, I'm a busy body. At the SPCA, Brian feeds and waters the wolves, horses, steer, deer, etc... and I work with the bunnies and some of the more exotic animals. Usually Brian works in a shop, but his shop laid him off and hasn't called back, so he's working with me at the shelters for now. Brian also works on cars on the side, he's working on getting some of his certifications. We've been married for a little over a year now and we are still going strong. I am a HUGE animal lover, so I'm always looking for excuses to get more. As of right now we have a puppy, rabbit and 2 cats that belong to us. Then, I have a foster dog who is now up for adoption. I had another foster dog also, but she just got adopted this past week. Your probably thinking how do we manage an 8 month old, 2 dogs, 2 cats, and a rabbit, plus work at the Shelters. Well, we get a lot of help from my 2 sisters, Shelly and Steph and my mom, Kathy not to mention my neighbors, Michelle and Brian. With their help, our son is always taken care of. My life is always full of drama or excitement, not by choice that's just the way it's been since I was a teen. That's where I got my title for my blog, The Katie Chronicle because that's what my dad and his friends referred to me as. So, if you ever need to hear some good, crazy, out of this world stories, then keep updated on my blog because those are the stories of my life...
