Great Dog, Bad Eyes

Jeeves, Red and White English Bulldog

Jeeves, a red and white English bulldog, born January 2013, came to ACDC when his owner could no longer afford his required care.

Like other bulldogs, he needs to have his wrinkles cleaned daily.

Soccer obsessed like his countrymen, Jeeves loves balls and will kick them around the yard like he is playing soccer.  Although he loves playing with his toys, he has no problem if another person or dog takes it from him.

Jeeves’s foster parents describe him as having “good energy” because helps other more high-strung dogs as they walk together.  He is making a perfect nanny for puppies Brooklyn and Bronx. The puppies remain well-mannered and follow Jeeves around and mimic his calm energy. The puppies show their respect by licking his face clean, and Jeeves is patient with them in the process.  (Make no mistake, he’s a drooler.) He is friendly with everyone he meets, and therefore not much of a guard dog.  He is a bit stubborn when asked to sit (typical temperament) but he will sit and he comes when called. Unfortunately, Jeeves is not yet 100% house trained, but when he is on a schedule, there are no accidents.

A perfect nanny dog.

Jeeves currently has a skin condition that requires special shampoo and twice weekly baths. Once he regains his health, Jeeves will require eye surgery.  Jeeves has a condition called entropion, which causes his lids to fold inward and his eyelashes to scratch his eyeballs. Although this is peculiar genetic defect requires surgery, the prognosis is very good. The surgery will cost about $1200.

You can help sponsor Jeeves by following this link: Sponsor Jeeves.

Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens

 

Kittens born in April and May are reaching the age when they can be adopted at this time of year, giving us “kitten season.” The influx of kittens into shelters puts pressure on rescues to find room for all the cats. Thus June is Adopt-a-Cat Month.

A few things to think about when you adopt:

1. If you’re thinking about adopting a cat, consider taking home two.
2. Find a cat whose personality compliments yours.
3. Pick out a veterinarian ahead of time and schedule a visit within the first few days following the adoption.
4. Make sure everyone in the house is prepared to have a cat before it comes home.
5. Budget for the short- and long-term costs of a cat.
6. Stock up on supplies before the cat arrives.
7. Cat-proof your home.
8. Go slowly when introducing your cat to new friends and family.
9. Be sure to include your new pet in your family’s emergency plan.

 

Oh Mickey You’re So Fine!

By Mandy Buhle

It has been said that cats have an innate ability to always land on their feet when they fall, no matter the height or angle. Here at Animal Coalition of Delaware County, we can proudly say that we have proven that to be a true statement! Don’t worry, we haven’t gone crazy and and started tossing cats out the window. We like to think that all cats will find a furever home, regardless of the circumstances. Mickey, a Himalayan rescued by ACDC, is such a cat. He came from a great home where he was well cared for by a woman who, due to illness, sadly became unable to care for herself or Mickey very well. As much as we all would hate to give up our own pets, sometimes misfortune happens and we are forced to make hard choices. The wonderful upside to Mickey’s story is that his owner loved him so much that she called ACDC and asked us to place him in a new home.   There are many options for rehoming a cat-some less savory than others, but by calling us, Mickey’s owner knew that Mickey would be cared for and loved until he found his next furever home, no matter how long it took. We are delighted she chose to share her adorable, beloved Mickey with us.

My Cat Has What?

By Betsey Cichoracki

Herpes. Ever since high school health class that word has prompted “ewws” and “gross!” in the minds of many. So when our vet informed me that our cat Coal has herpes, I thought “ewww” before even learning what feline herpes really is. Turns out a herpes virus means many things among many species.

New Year’s Resolution: Keep My Family Together!

By The Tidy Cat Whisperer:

2011. It is a new year. Oh yes “whoopee”. So many people are now out celebrating the passage of time and the ritualistic saying goodbye to the year just completed and the eagerly anticipated year to be. The year we’ve just left behind-although flawed and fraught with inequities- is at least familiar territory. Some people are anxious to leave that with which they are familiar. You know, the old “change” thing. Even if we are in a bad situation, we HATE change. The new year ahead?  Unknown territory, and therefore subject to much speculation-and not just where people are concerned.

The Stinky Cat and the Tidy Cat Whisperer (TCW) don’t always agree on everything: but one thing we DO see eye to eye on is the fact that, in the year just completed more pets have been turned into animal shelters and rescues than the aforementioned shelters have room for. Which means that some of these pets never find a second chance for love and a forever home. It is the sad, yet inevitable result of life in a post-economic-meltdown world.

One of the prime reasons that cats and dogs are turned into shelters is due to dreaded “inappropriate elimination”: in other words, failure to use the litterbox (cats) or poor housetraining habits (dogs).  Many rescues and shelters are overwhelmed by more strays than in previous years, coupled with more animals turned in due to financial considerations than usual. Today’s new “economic reality” has been a disaster for animal rescues and shelters, not to mention most human welfare resources. That is why TCW and Stinky  Cat are here: to help.

According to TCW, “often all too often litterbox issues could have been avoided if a little more thought and planning had been in place.” In other words, if you already have a cat and you are not sure how your cat would react to another cat in your home, then before you decide to bring a new cat in do some research. Ask your vet how to integrate a new cat into an environment with an existing cat. Ask friends who have multiple cats how they were able to integrate the cats. And for pete’s sake, ask all these questions BEFORE you make the decision to bring another animal into your house. And, although declawing a cat makes life convenient for people, it quite often makes life for your cat very inconvenient and in many cases can lead to inappropriate urination.

The Stinky Cat adds that “inconsistent housebreaking or lack of any sort of training at all can contribute to a dog’s poor housetraining habits. A dog without proper housebreaking is not the fault of the dog; it is the fault of the people who did not spend the time to train.” Typical life situation: Cute puppy, family loves the puppy, brings the puppy home. All is right with the world. Then reality sets in. Mom & dad work 8 hours a day, kids are in school, no one has time to house train the dog. Yet, the dog is the one who pays the price by being turned into the local shelter, where an uncertain future awaits. Note to dog owners: no matter how old the dog is, it is never too late to house train a dog. It CAN be done-and often is very successfully.

Unfortunately people all too often choose the “easy” way out, either by medication (Xanax, Buspar) or by simply deciding that they can no longer “deal with the situation” and the only alternative is to rehome the pet. This blogpost is a plea to ALL pet owners to please consider every option before making the decision to rehome your pet.

Many vets, rescue groups, dog trainers and shelters will spend time working with you and your pet to try and help resolve the issues that might prevent you and your pet from enjoying your “furrever time” together. In a world that has morphed into moment-to-moment, day-by-day, we remind you that one way to ensure the stability of your own household is to make sure the needs of all the members of your household-including your pets- are properly attended to.

Big Changes for a Little Guy

ACDC Foster Mom Jennifer Citrone with ChuChu, who she is currently fostering

“I want to provide Chu Chu with a fun, happy, positive environment while he is here—something he didn’t have before,” shares Animal Coalition of Delaware County (ACDC) Foster Mom Jennifer Citrone. At the moment, Jennifer is fostering Chu Chu, a tiny five-pound Chihuahua, who was found fending for himself in an abandoned apartment in North Philadelphia.

Chu Chu hadn’t been well cared for. For starters, when he was rescued, his nails were so long that they were almost growing back into his little paw pads. In addition, when Chu Chu arrived at Jennifer’s home, he was sneezing a bit and by the next day, his sneezing had gotten worse. He also began coughing. Jennifer took him to Stoney Creek Veterinary Hospital, where he was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection and given medication.

Animals like Chu Chu who are rescued by ACDC are cared for by an approved ACDC foster parent in that person’s own home 24/7. ACDC foster parents provide love, attention, socialization, food, and other essentials to their foster animals until their permanent, adoptive families are found. The cost of vet care for the animals is covered by the organization, not the foster parents. Chu Chu will stay with Jennifer until he is over his illness and then he will be available for adoption.

Things are definitely looking up for little Chu Chu and we are certain that he will have no trouble finding his furever family soon thanks to his devoted foster mom! “I love being able to provide dogs with a positive place to stay,” shares Jennifer, who has fostered three dogs for ACDC thus far. “ACDC is also one of the smaller organizations and every one involved genuinely cares for animals. We’re not in it for the money—we’re in it for the satisfaction of finding the animals we foster a wonderful new home.” Learn more about fostering for ACDC. To read more about Chu Chu, click here.

August Update: Chu Chu was adopted in May and is doing great. His new mom, who renamed him Tucker, reports that he has settled in fully to his new digs. He has his own little beds all over the house, as well as friends at the park across the street where they go for walks every day! Also, his adoptive mom shares that he goes everywhere with her in his doggy bag!

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

At 12 years old, Lexie, now known as Roxie, got the home she deserves!

Lexie, now known as Roxie by her new adoptive mom, came to the Animal Coalition of Delaware County after a good Samaritan found her on the streets of Philadelphia. 

When she was found, Lexie had recently had a litter of puppies and was having some problems with sores where her puppies had nursed. It turned out that Lexie was quite an experienced momma. She was 12 years old and had been having two litters of puppies a year for most of her life. Can you imagine?! Her puppies would end up for sale at a local flea market and Lexie would continue on living in the same poor conditions year after year. As a result of all this frequent nursing and inadequate weaning of her puppies, poor Lexie’s problems were chronic and she needed surgery to cure them. She also had a few broken and infected teeth from living on the streets and needed extensive dental care. And last but not least, she needed to stop having puppies.

After taking antibiotics for over a month to fight the infections from all her long standing problems, she finally had surgery and had everything fixed all at once. Her foster mom was more worried for Lexie than she was! She picked her up the day after surgery expecting to find a sore and tired senior dog that was going to need a lot of TLC to nurse her back to health. Instead, Lexie came flying through the waiting room door like a puppy herself! She was almost uncontrollable with licks and kisses and hugs for everyone. Her foster mom thinks Lexie was just so grateful not to be sick anymore and was thanking everyone the only way she knew how.

While waiting for Lexie’s scars to heal and her stitches to be removed, she met up with her new adoptive mom, who had been waiting for Lexie to become available for adoption for two months! Lexie’s new mom knew that Lexie was the four-legged friend for her the minute she saw her. She joked that they were both senior ladies and were meant for each other! These days, Lexie, now known as Roxie, is a happy girl indeed! She has been living with her new mom for almost a month.

Blaster’s Happy Ending

Blaster with Matilka, one of the members of his adoptive family

One of our guinea pigs, Blaster, was recently adopted and is VERY happy! ACDC rescued Blaster along with six other guinea pigs that had been jammed into small cages where they couldn’t move. As a result, they were fighting with one another and Blaster’s ears were ripped. However, since ACDC rescued him and he was adopted, he is living the life of luxury with a very caring family!

Blaster’s adoptive family shared that he recently started making the traditional guinea pig sound, “aweek aweek,” meaning he has settled in and is very comfortable. His new family shared that he’s even been talking when someone walks by his cage or is holding him and said, “It’s neat to see his personality coming out.”

Many are not aware of the care these special creatures require, but Blaster’s new family did a great deal of research on guinea pig care. These are the kind of happy endings ACDC loves! Yeah for you, Blaster! Click here to see all the ACDC animals looking for homes.

Meet ACDC’s latest rescue: Ginny from Virginia!

Ginny was rescued from a shelter in rural Virginia and is being treated for Lyme disease and a heartworm infestation

Ginny is a very sweet, docile beagle/pointer mix who we rescued in partnership with The Animal Rescue Foundation of Southeastern Pennsylvania in January. She was rescued from a shelter in rural Virginia, where she was most likely surrendered because she’s too sweet to be a good hunting dog.

The dogs at the shelter where Ginny was rescued from have little chance of surviving without outside rescues coming in to help. Most of the dogs at the shelter are the “duds,” the hounds who didn’t hunt well.

Once Ginny arrived here in PA, we took her to the vet and found out that she has heartworm and Lyme disease. She is only a year old. Heartworm infestation, if left untreated, is always fatal. ACDC won’t let that happen.

Although we caught the heartworm infestation in the early stages, her treatment will take several months and be quite costly. If you are able to make a contribution to Ginny’s care, please click here. In the meantime, we will keep you posted on her condition here on our blog. Once Ginny has been treated for the heartworm and Lyme disease and is given a clean bill of health, she will be available for adoption through ACDC.