Take Me Home - Pet Adoption and Animal Rescue - Pets & Animals on Pet Life Radio (PetLifeRadio.com)

Susan Daffron talks to Steve Mitchell who is a fostering a dog named Minnie for the Homeward Trails Animal Rescue in Virginia. Minnie is a mixed Doberman (maybe), but is much smaller than a dobie at only 35 pounds. She is an upbeat and loving dog, who loves nothing more than to snuggle up with you after a rousing game of retrieving tennis balls. In fact, Minnie's adoration of tennis balls makes her extremely easy to train because as Steve says, "she'll do almost anything for a tennis ball." Because Minnie is such a smart dog, Steve has already taught her a bunch of commands. She knows the basics like sit and heel, and even a few fun ones like "high five," dance, and the ultimate challenge: "stay." Steve says she is so good about "stay" now that he can throw the ball and Minnie won't run after it until he gives the release word. (Any dog owner can tell you, that's an impressive feat!) Because Minnie hasn't had much experience around other dogs, she doesn't have the greatest doggie social skills, so it can take her a while to warm up to some dogs. She'd do best with active owners who will enjoy playing with and taking great care of this wonderful dog.

Susan Daffron talks to Rene Ruston from the The Brittany Foundation about a shar pei mix named Ted E. who is available for adoption. The Brittany Foundation is not just a rescue for Brittany spaniels; the name is thanks to the first dog the group saved. Most of the Brittany Foundation animals are located at the sanctuary in Agua Dulce, California and the group adopts pets to people living in the Southern California area. Ted E. is a sweet dog who had a severe injury that necessitated the removal of one of his front legs. However, Ted E. isn't bothered by his "disability" one little bit and gets around just fine. As you might be able to guess from the picture, his greatest love in life is chasing a tennis ball. He is an incredible friendly boy with a very expressive face. (Maybe it's those shar pei wrinkles!) He has been professionally trained and a training class for his new human parent is even included with his adoption. He is fine with cats, but would do best in a home without other dogs. Unlike some young dogs, he doesn't need an incredibly athletic owner because long walks aren't a requirement for this happy guy. If you can throw a tennis ball, you'll score huge extra credit points with Ted E!

Susan Daffron talks to Tamara Martin from the Blackhat Humane Society in St. John's Arizona about a three-year old blonde chow mix named Grace who is available for adoption. Although the Blackhat Humane Society deals with a lot of "rez dogs" from the Navajo Nation, Grace was actually found in downtown Los Angeles and was passed around to various rescue groups and kennels before being placed into foster care with Tamara. Grace's eyes have been surgically removed, but no one knows if they were removed because of a trauma, congenital abnormality, or some other reason. Although Grace is blind, she is incredibly trusting of humans.

Susan Daffron talks to Candice Kingrey from Greenhill Humane Society SPCA in Eugene, Oregon about a six-year old dog named Max who is available for adoption. Max had a great home for the first years of his life, but unfortunately his owner passed away. His owner's relatives couldn't keep Max, so he ended up at the Greenhill Humane Society. Max is a mix of Akita and Rottweiler, so he's a big guy who weighs in at about 99 pounds. Although he's definitely a large dog, Max is a serious "love bug" who is extremely affectionate. Max enjoys his walks, but because he's not a youngster anymore, he is past the "nutty" high-energy stage and is perfectly content spending some quality time in front of the fire resting too.

Susan Daffron talks to Connie Butler from Capistrano Animal Rescue Effort (CARE) in San Juan Capistrano, California about a three-year old cat named Hannah who is available for adoption. This striking tortoise-shell cat has a dark face, golden eyes, and a beautiful coat pattern that's reminiscent of a night time desert scene. Hannah is an extremely smart, playful cat who is often in motion. She was found pregnant and stray wandering the streets of San Juan Capistrano. Since then she had her kittens and was spayed.

Susan Daffron talks to Jayne Nielsen from German Shepherd Rescue of Northern California about a dog named Imelda. Jayne calls Imelda "Miss Daisy on four-legs." Although Imelda was a bit shy when she came into rescue, this senior German Shepherd is spunky and full of life. Jayne points out that most dogs in rescue have been neglected, not abused. In Imelda's case, when she came into rescue, it looked like she hadn't been brushed once in her seven years.

Susan Daffron talks to Kris Kelly about a Jack Russell terrier that is available for adoption. Kris is the founder of the Kris Kelly Foundation which is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving animals from abuse, slaughter, and neglect. Kris and her team pull animals from shelters, place them in foster care, and find them new "forever" homes. Maggie is a female Jack Russell terrier that was pulled from the Castaic shelter in Los Angeles. Unlike many terriers, Maggie has a fairly low-key personality. Although she does need exercise, unlike some JRs, she is not a whirling dervish that's in constant motion. She likes curling up on her bed and enjoying some down time too.

Susan Daffron talks to Aileen Walden from Best Friends Animal Society in Utah about two cats named Toes and Jimmy Cosmo. These two cats are actually Aileen's office mates at Best Friends where from the sounds of it, they keep her continually amused. Both Toes and Jimmy were rescued from Pahrump, Nevada, after Best Friends was called in to aid approximately 800 cats in an institutional hoarding situation where cats had been suffering from neglect.

Susan Daffron talks to Amanda Casazza, the Alley Cat Allies (ACA) Atlantic City Fieldwork Coordinator about a cat named Big Daddy. This plus sized tuxedo kitty is a real "lover" who likes to snuggle up with people. He was found living along the Atlantic City Boardwalk by Alley Cat Allies volunteers, and was so friendly the group decided to put him up for adoption. For many years, ACA has had a Trap-Neuter-Return program for feral cats along the boardwalk, and also have placed adoptable cats in new loving homes. Because of his social nature Big Daddy was placed in foster care, where he is greatly enjoying indoor kitty life. Big Daddy does have a couple of medical issues that a new owner will need to understand. The first is that he has a hematoma in his ear, which needs to be cleaned a couple times a week. However, Big Daddy is incredibly good about the process and just sits in your lap while you clean his ear, so the process is easy. The second thing is that Big Daddy is FIV positive. FIV stands for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, which is a slowly progressing virus that affects a cat's immune system. It is not transmissible to humans and can only be passed to other cats through blood transfusions or serious, penetrating bite wounds. Contrary to rumors, cats with FIV can live long, healthy lives and share their homes with other cats, as long as the cats get along and don't fight. If his new owners work with their veterinarian to keep him healthy, Big Daddy can be a loving companion for many years to come.

Susan Daffron talks to Joyce Hutchinson from the Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary in Ohio about a dog named Cheerio. This sweet yellow Lab mix was found abandoned and starving on the streets of Cincinnati. Although Cheerio was in bad shape, he still trusted people enough to earn his name, since he was lured into a car by his rescuer with Cheerios. When he came to Safe Haven, Cheerio's ribs were sticking out because he had been starved for so long. He also had cigarette burns on his legs and his ears were infected and eaten by flies. All of the hair on his ears was completely gone so they were red and raw. As you can see in the photo, Cheerio has made a complete recovery. It looks like all of the hair on his ears will return, he's gained weight, and he's really looking great now. Cheerio is a loving dog who enjoys playing with other dogs. Although he hasn't had any formal training yet, he is very people-oriented and loves to please. Because Safe Haven's foster homes are all full, he has been staying at a vet clinic across the street from Safe Haven's thrift store. People at the doggie day care who see him daily comment on Cheerio's happy, friendly personality. If you're looking for an all-around nice dog to share your home, Cheerio might be the dog for you.

Susan Daffron talks to Mary Cox of Midwest Schipperke Rescue about a Schipperke named Juno. Established in 2005, the Midwest Schipperke Rescue is based in Michigan and works to help dogs in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. Juno is a 6-7 year old male Schipperke who was found as a stray. Now he is enjoying the good life in a foster home where he's receiving a lot of TLC. When he was found, his fur was a reddish color and it appeared that he'd been licking, probably because of stress, malnutrition, or allergies (because he was a stray, there is no way of knowing for sure). However, with a switch to a high-quality food, his fur is looking better and the licking is subsiding. Schipperkes are active dogs that like to have a something to do. Juno's "hobby" is pouncing on rawhide chews, which he does with great glee and pride. However, because he's 6-7 years old, after he has had his playtime, he's ready to relax. Juno would be great for a family that doesn't want an extremely high-energy dog. Juno loves young kids (particularly girls), gets along with dogs, and loves to be petted. However, he's somewhat less demanding than some Schipperkes. He'll snuggle with you on the couch, but then when you're done relaxing, he'll get up and go off to do his own thing. Because he's not a young Schipperke, Juno would be an ideal companion for an older couple with grandkids for him to play with occasionally.

Susan Daffron talks to Monica King of the German Shepherd Dog Rescue Group of Georgia, which is based in Atlanta. The group rescues German Shepherds from shelters and places the dogs within the southeastern United States. Lindi appears to be a purebred black and tan GSD who is in foster care with a family that has helped socialize her with many people. (In fact, Lindi recently got to go on vacation and had lots of fun swimming in a lake!) Lindi is a sweet dog who is affectionate with people and likes kids. Like all German Shepherds, Lindi needs a loving home where people will give her structure and training. She's basically still a "teenager" in dog years, so a family that has experience with GSDs or other large breed dogs would be ideal. Because she's a playful, active dog, she also will need to be placed with a family that can commit to taking her on a minimum of two 30 minute walks per day. (Just like people, dogs need their exercise to remain healthy and happy!)

Susan Daffron talks to Sheryl Gardner from the Papillon 911 Rescue and Adoption, Inc. in Georgia about a six-year old female Papillon who is currently in foster care in Illinois. Aura is a tri-colored purebred Papillon who absolutely loves attention. Unfortunately, this little girl had a rough start in life. She ended up with Pap911 as a result of a puppy mill bust in March. She had been kept locked in a cage and repeatedly bred to produce puppies for pet stores. (Never get a puppy from a pet store; most come from puppy mills!) Despite her difficult past, Aura is a bubbly, gregarious little dog who always seems to have a smile on her face.Although she still needs a little work on housetraining, she'd be fine in an apartment or condo. Aura loves hanging out with people, playing, or just snuggling in your lap. Aura would do best in a home with older children (over the age of 12) where she can be spoiled with all the love and attention she didn't receive in her early years.

Susan Daffron talks to Marcela Valdez from the Santé D'Or Adoption and Rescue group in Los Angeles. Teddy is a black and white "tuxedo" cat who was actually abandoned by another rescue on Santé D'Or's doorstep. Although he's been with the group for two years now, it's not because nobody likes him. Quite the contrary actually! Teddy is a big sweet, playful guy who gets along great with everyone. He even acts like "kitty Grampa" to the new kittens that come through the rescue. Teddy is an active cat that would enjoy a family environment where he is a full-time indoor kitty. Because he's a big male "alpha" kitty, he also probably should be "top cat" and not share his home with another adult male cat. Teddy is unphased by canines and even rubs up against some of the more mellow canine visitors that come his way at the rescue, so a new home with a dog shouldn't be a problem. Marcela is sure that the perfect home is out there waiting for Teddy. She hopes that soon someone will walk through the door who recognizes what everyone else already knows: Teddy is a great cat!

Susan Daffron talks to Jo Deibel, the founder of Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue in Glenville, PA about a horse named Goldie. Angel Acres focuses on saving Thoroughbreds who can no longer race and are destined to be slaughtered for meat for human consumption in other countries. The rescue give these ex-racehorses a second chance and a second career by finding them new homes. Goldie, a 6-year old bay gelding was saved by being purchased at auction, so he wouldn't go to slaughter. At the time, he was bleeding from the backs of his ankles. This type of problem is known as a "run-down" injury. It occurs when the horse is run on the track and his ankles (fetlocks) hit the track causing abrasions. In other words, Goldie was literally "run into the ground." Fortunately, Goldie is doing extremely well and his wounds are almost completely healed. By the time he's adopted, he will be sound and ready for a new rider. Although Jo calls him a "pistol," she means it as a term of endearment because he has such a great personality. Goldie is a kind horse who loves peppermints, so he might just take his velvet nose and nuzzle around for one. He has no bad habits to speak of and has been good about having his bandages changed every day. Goldie is still young, and could be trained for almost any discipline. The person who adopts this horse will be rewarded with a wonderful equine companion for years to come.