We. Need. YOUR. Help.

Dogs are in serious danger right now.  Dogs WILL be euthanized if they do not get adopted or rescued.  They have NO more room at the shelter.  Seriously, they are busting at the seams right now.

We cannot do this on our own.  We desperately need your help.

How can you help?

You can share their pictures on Facebook.
You can tweet their pictures on Twitter.
You can talk to you friends and family about adopting (maybe they aren't on Facebook).
You can talk to your friends and family about alternatives to surrendering their dogs to a shelter. We would be more than glad to help them find a solution.
You can talk to your friends and family about spaying and neutering their pets.
You can volunteer at our shelter or at your local shelter.
You can foster a dog for the Love on Wheels program.
You can foster a dog for a rescue group or even just a night or two until their adoptive family can pick them up.
You can become an advocate for the animals.
You can change a dog's life.

Please don't be afraid to speak your mind.
Please don't be afraid that you will offend someone.
They need us to be their voice.

God commanded us to take care of our animals.  How are we doing?

Why do we need your help?  Let me introduce you to Patton, the boxer.  He was at the Irving Animal Shelter a couple of months ago.  You might remember him as Rocky Balboa.  My friends, Jim and Suzan, had been looking for a dog.  They looked at several shelters but no dog felt right.  One day, I had shared a couple of pictures of dogs from our shelter on Facebook.  She happened to be on Facebook that morning and saw one of the pictures and just had a feeling.  So she and Jim went up to the shelter that day looking for the dog in one of the pictures I had shared.  However, that particular dog had been adopted, so they looked around at the other dogs in the shelter.  They took Patton out in the yard, Suzan sat down, and Patton came right over and gave her a big hug.  She KNEW it was their dog, and so they adopted him.  I visited their family about a week ago and took pictures.  Patton completes their family.  He is the perfect fit.  And even cooler is that he is learning how to be a therapy dog, working with veterans.  All of this happened because I shared some pictures.

Please help us help the dogs.
Angela

ABC's

I'm a teacher, and therefore I think in teacher mode often. So I had an idea to come up with the ABC's of volunteering at the animal shelter. I've had many friends asking me what I do there and how I can do it. Well....how can I not? There are so many aspects of volunteering, and this is a great way to learn about some of them.

A - Affection: When you get a dog out of their kennel at a shelter and play with them, you get an incredible amount of affection from the dog. They are SO happy to have someone play with them and love on them that they give you tons of hugs and slobbery kisses. It's awesome.

B - Balls: Can you throw a tennis ball? Then you would be great at working with the big dogs! The big dogs just love to run around the yard and fetch the tennis ball. Some of the little dogs do too.

C - Cuddles: The little dogs give THE best cuddles. They just curl up against your chest and snuggle in, often giving this little 'sigh', telling you that they feel safe with you.

Jimmie and I just adored Maison. He was a turkey all right, but we still adored him. He loved to cuddle, and Jimmie would go immediately see him every time she went to the shelter. He was rescued by DFW Humane and was later adopted. Happy tails Maison!

D - Do something: If you want to cuddle dogs, you can do that. If you want to play with dogs and throw the ball, you can do that. If you are great at creating videos, you could totally do that. If you have a knack at photography, boy, we could sure use you. Use your passion and gifts to help the animals. Every one of us has a different talent and gift. If you don't volunteer at the Irving Animal Shelter, volunteer somewhere. If you have a passion for animals, any shelter would be MORE than happy to have you come and help them.

E - Ear rubs and belly rubs: The dogs just love, love, love rubs behind the ears. And when they make those noises deep in their throat, telling you that they are loving it? Well then you know you're doing something right. And the belly rubs? It doesn't happen too often, but when a dog rolls over for you for a belly rub, you know you've done something right because they feel safe with you. Ah, what a feeling.

Lady just loved her belly rubs

F - Fostering: We often need people to step up and foster a dog for a night or even a week. We have people from all over the country adopt dogs from our shelter, and they sometimes can't get the dog for a couple of days or can't get a flight for the dog. I've done overnight fostering several times, and I've even done week-long fostering. Both are rewarding and are very needed. If you would be willing to foster anywhere from one night up to two weeks, please let us know! You can email us at teamirving@outlook.com 

G - Greeting: Most people who come into the shelter have never been there before and don't really know where to go. A simple, "Hi. My name is Angela. How can I help you today?" It makes a big difference making them feel welcome.

H - Happy tails: Oh we live for the "happy tail" stories and pictures...they make it ALL worth it.

I - "I don't know how you do it": We have heard this many times. Some days, we don't either. However, I have NEVER done a more rewarding thing in my life. It is SO worth it. Is it hard when they put 6 dogs to sleep? Yes. Is it exhilarating when one of your favorites gets adopted? Oh yes. My answer to "I don't know how you do it" is....I simply have to. I love them. The dogs are depending on me. And how could I not do it? Just because it's hard is not a reason I'm not going to do something rewarding.

J - Jumping: Some dogs want to get out of their kennel SO bad that they jump up super high trying to get your attention saying, "Pick me! Pick me!" Oh, they make me laugh.

K - Kleenex: There are days when you will go through a lot of Kleenex. I'm not going to sugar coat it. Shelters all over the state and even the country are beyond full. People surrender their dogs for the craziest reasons, sometimes even knowing that they could be euthanized. The shelter is often forced to euthanize for space because there is simply no place for them to go. Most of the dogs euthanized are really good dogs, dogs who do not deserve their fate. Those days are the hard days, the days when you think you simply cannot do this anymore. But then you remember the ones that you did save. You remember the slobbery kisses, the snuggles, and the overwhelming unconditional love. You remember the "happy tail" pictures and stories. And you drive up to the shelter to do it all over again because this is your passion and you KNOW that you are making a difference.

Marco was the reason for my first big cry. He was a wonderful, loving dog, and we all fell in love with him as you can see. He was euthanized not because he was sick or aggressive. He was euthanized because the shelter was beyond full, and they had no place for the incoming dogs to go. I will never forget that day. I will never forget where I was when I heard the news...I was sitting in the teacher's lounge eating lunch, and I immediately started crying. 

L - Leashes: Dogs are in their kennels almost 24/7, and they desperately need to be walked to let out some energy. We have a little courtyard at the shelter where you can walk the dog and runs where you can play with the dogs. Leashes are provided at the shelter.

M - Missing the dogs: Believe it or not, I miss the dogs when I'm not at the shelter. There have been days when I wasn't planning on going to shelter but went anyway because I just had to see them and love on them. They get under your skin and into your heart.

N - New and improved: We are always trying new things and trying to improve, getting the dogs more exposure and getting more adoptions. Do you have any suggestions or ideas? We would love to hear them! Email us at teamirving@outlook.com 

O - Orientation: To be a volunteer, you first have to go through an orientation. They hold orientations once a month on a Saturday. Go to www.dfwhumane.com to sign up! It's $25, you'll get a T-shirt, and you'll learn the ins and outs of volunteering.

P - Patience: Sometimes dogs come into the shelter after being on the streets for a while or are even dumped there by their owners. They are scared and don't understand what's going on. They might snarl or growl at you at first. Let them sniff your hand, palm side down. Give them a treat. Talk to them gently. Then leave them alone and come back the next day or in a couple of days and do the same thing. More times than not, they are more receptive to you and more open to come to you. This has happened in my experience several times with several different dogs, and every single one of them came around after a couple of days and felt safe with me. We don't know their backgrounds or where they came from. Sometimes I can't begin to imagine where they came from and whether they were abused or neglected or not shown love. You have to be patient. When that scared dog finally comes around, it is an incredible feeling, and you become very attached. Believe me, I can still tell you the names of the dogs that needed my patience.

Kernel was one of the sweetest dogs, but he was extremely scared. He had been living on his own for 6 months before some good samaritans were finally able to capture him. He was unsure of everyone and everything. With patience, he came around, and one of my very good friends adopted him. His name is now Rizzo, and his mom loves him to pieces. He has really come out of his shell and has become a completely different dog. 

Q - Quirky voices and quirky noises: Robin speaks to the dogs in her "cartoon" voice, and I make the funniest sounds trying to get the dogs to look at me for pictures. The dogs just love it. And when I get that head tilt? I get so excited! What kind of quirky voice or noise do you have?

R - Rescue groups: Many of you have asked why rescue groups don't take more of the dogs. Well, rescue groups are full. Very full. In order for rescue groups to take a dog, they have to have a place for that dog to go. They have to have a foster home ready for the dog. More people need to step up and become foster parents. Rescue groups most often pay for all medical expenses and will help you if you need a crate. You just provide the home and the love.

S - Sterilization: Pet overpopulation and euthanasia are a huge problem. Did you know that just one unaltered female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in only six years. In seven years, one female cat and her offspring can produce an incredible 370,000 kittens! Please be part of the solution. Spay and neuter your pet. Cesar Millan says that "Currently, over 56% of dogs and 75% of cats entering shelters are put to sleep." That's just not acceptable in my opinion. The most important thing we can do is to sterilize our pets and educate others to do the same. Not only does it help prevent unwanted dogs and cats, but it is also better for their health. Like to learn more so that you can educate others? Please check out PETA's website at http://www.peta.org/issues/companion-animals/spay-neuter.aspx

T - Time: You can choose how much time you spend volunteering. Some people only have time on Saturdays. Some people can visit during their lunch break. Some people can volunteer during the day or after work. We need people at all hours of the day, every day of the week. You can choose whether you spend an hour a week or 10 hours a week. You can go up there any time the shelter is open.

U - Unconditional love: You can have THE most stressful day at work (believe me...I taught 5th grade), but the dogs at the shelter can make that stress just melt away. It has happened to me many times. They are just so excited and overjoyed to see you - they don't care how you dress, what you look like, or how much money you have. They just want to show you love.

Sunshine put a smile on my face every single time I saw her. Just look at that face! She was such a joy to be around, and I just adored her. She was adopted and is now living the good life.

V - Video: We have just started taking videos of the dogs, showing a 3-D side of the dogs instead of just a 2-D picture. We show them loving on people, playing with the ball, and just showing their personality. We just use our smart phones to video. Do you have a phone you could use for videos?

W - Warm fuzzies: Many of my friends and acquaintances have adopted dogs from the shelter. When they call me and tell me just how much they love their new dog and how well the dog fits into their family, I get warm fuzzies all over. I want more warm fuzzies. So I keep talking about the dogs, taking their pictures, and sharing their pictures. Maybe one day we will do one big family "reunion" picture.

X - Excited: The dogs are SO excited to get out of their kennel. They might wiggle, dance, and give slobbery kisses. The only way they can get out to play, potty, and walk around is if volunteer takes them out. Volunteers are necessary.

Y - You: The shelter needs YOU. The shelter depends on volunteers to walk the dogs, play with the dogs, and love on the dogs.....all of these really help the dogs be more adoptable. YOU make the difference.

Z - Zoo: The shelter is not a zoo. The animals do not stay in cages, not interacting with people. The more they interact with people, the better it is for them...the better chance they have of getting adopted. To interact with people, we need volunteers. We need you.

We would love to have YOU volunteer with us! Do you have questions or ideas? Contact us. We would be glad to help you!

Angela

So I've Adopted a Dog...Now What?

You have just come to the shelter, spent time with many volunteers who showed you lots of special dogs, and made your decision.  You have your dog on a thin slip leash sitting next to you (or pulling wildly in gleeful excitement) as you sign the paperwork.  You leave the shelter with their papers and their vouchers clasped in your hand, the dog bounding ahead of you and sniffing everything.  You load him into your car and head home.

Now what?

Many times, people that I have worked with adopt their new best friend, but have no idea what the next steps might be to a long, successful relationship.  While there are many things that will contribute to your success as a dog owner (and his success as an owned dog), these are the top three that spring to mind for me.

1.  Be Patient

Did you know that it can take up to six months, depending on the dog's previous experiences and background, for a shelter or rescue dog to finally feel totally comfortable and settled in his new home?  Think about it.  This is an animal that has been turned in by people that he devoted his life to, was lost in a traumatic accident of some sort and picked up, or has never lived in a home to begin with.  Many of these dogs have been adopted and returned to the shelter multiple times.  It would make sense that they have a difficult time settling into your home routine.

Before you spend one night with the dog, in which he is an anxious, barking, whining mess and trying to eat your furniture, realize that it is going to take him at least a few weeks to stop worrying about where he is going to be dumped next once you are through with him.  That may seem harsh, but many times, that has been his experience.  Take some time to help him work through his discomfort and other issues.  The more patience you have, and the more you work on your bond with him, the quicker he will be able to settle in and become a good pet and companion.

2.  Give Him a Space

When I am bringing a new dog into my home, I always set aside a place for that dog to call his own.  It is both a place for me to put him when I am not home (remember, this is someone you have just met, and it would be unpleasant to come home to all of your worldly possessions dismantled and piled in the middle of the living room with a smug looking dog on top chewing on your Grandmother's heirloom clock), and also a safe place for the dog to go when he is feeling uncomfortable, or like he needs some time alone.  My dogs have been taught that if something is making them feel uneasy (a stranger in the house, thunder, an annoying cat) that they can go to their crate and be safe from whatever was bothering them.

I use crates, because I have several dogs in a fairly small house, but having a spare room to keep the dog in would work just as well in many cases.  There are many ways to teach dogs to love their crates or rooms, which I can cover in another post, but I cannot emphasize enough how much giving the dog his own space will help him to feel more easy at home.

3.  Start Training

This is another thing that I cannot emphasize enough.  Whether you hire a training consultant like me to work 1:1 with your family, or you take the dog to one of the dozens of affordable training classes available in the DFW area, training is going to be the key to a long and healthy relationship with your dog.  Who wants to spend time walking a dog who pulls so hard on the leash that he starts hacking and coughing?  Who wants to come home to a dog that uses you for a vaulting horse as soon as you come in the door?  No one.

Training is going to be the foundation for good behaviors for your dog, as well as the building blocks for your relationship.  Every treat you give your dog is a message that you think he's a good boy (and that you carry around tasty things in your pocket), and every boundary you set and won't let him cross is a sign that you are a leader that he can trust to be consistent.  Training should help you to build a mutually respectful and responsible relationship that can help you have the great companion you were looking for when you came to the Irving Animal Care Campus.

If you have any questions about where to find training resources, or other training questions, please feel free to leave a comment.

It's been a really...difficult week.

It’s been a really…difficult week.

We came off a great Saturday last week, had made plans to hit it hard this week and get lots of dogs shot, videoed, and evaluated. I had a list of dogs completely filling my oversized index card that I just had to get the skinny on.  I walked into the shelter on Tuesday Super Son by my side and we were hell-bent on getting dogs out.

I walked in and immediately felt the air being sucked out of my lungs as I took in the turmoil fleeing every staff member I walked past. Full of determination I headed back to the adoption pod to see the dogs we were there to work with but the door was locked. Angela called to me from the front of the courtyard.  We were not going to be working with any of the dogs in that adoption pod and the words, they may have to euthanize due to a possible exposure sliced into my heart. In denial, I went for answers. I found not only more turmoil but something I never want to find again, panic and desperate decisions. I felt we had just been hit by terrorists and were about make choices of which hostages would live. I found myself making pleas; there were tears, anger, and disgust. I wanted to grab the key to that door, get them all out, and just run. But all I did was wander the halls, trying to stop crying until I was finally numb.

There are those who may not understand why others feel so deeply the pain of what this week brought.  Perhaps then you can imagine walking up to your kid’s school and being told you can't go in and see your children because they may have been exposed to a deadly virus. Oh, and by the way, we may have to euthanize them to contain the disease. This is what this week has been like for me. And so they did euthanize many. Some were saved by means I don't want to even question because I have accepted death this week for the so many just because a few were spared. I feel hardened in some ways because I have allowed myself to stop crying for those that died for those that got to live. Still, if some were saved why couldn't all be saved? Who made this all about choosing one and not another?

And yet, I go back. I go back to save the few I can and tell myself I will not accept this sort of thing again. But, I have to because if I don’t play the game, I will not be able to save any of them ever again. So now it’s me that has to make the choice to save one when I cannot save another.

It has been a really, really difficult week.

Thank you for being there fellow Team Irving members.

Robin

C is for Cookie

Cookie's brother and sister were adopted. Now he's waiting for his family. Cookie has really come out of his shell and loves to play around the yard and jump up for treats. Let's get Cookie a new home today!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=632916776719943&set=pb.170855702926055.-2207520000.1372192994.&type=3&theater

We changed the world for these dogs

After a rough week at the shelter with several dogs being euthanized, I wanted to share some of our "happy tails" pictures. This is THE reason why we do this.

Remember that quote from my last post by Karen Davison? "Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever." Well, we did change the world for these dogs. We keep trucking along and fighting the battle because we want every single dog to experience the love that these dogs now have. They all deserve it.

Bear, now Kobe, was on the Code Red list. He is now living the life with a 10 year old human brother who just adores him and even sleeps with him. They tell me that he is the perfect fit for their family.

Sweetie was also on the Code Red list. She is now enjoying life with her fur brother, Max. She is still just as sweet as ever and has quite the personality.

Mia, now Padme, has several fur siblings and just loves to chill on the couch with them.

Connie, now Molly, has two human sisters and two fur siblings. Her human sisters love her to pieces, as you can see. They dance together, nap together, and play together.

My heart is heavy

My heart is heavy. Four of my favorite dogs were put to sleep yesterday. Several dogs were put to sleep last week and several more the week before. Our shelter is busting at the seams. Every day a number of dogs are brought into the shelter, either from being picked as a stray or surrendered by their owner.

We've heard all the excuses....it got too big, we're moving, we're having a baby, we don't want it anymore, it barks too much, it sheds too much, it's too much responsibility, etc. Dogs are living, breathing creatures who feel pain, hurt, joy, and loneliness. When you surrender them and leave them, they are confused, lonely, scared, and often depressed.

If you don't believe me, just volunteer up at a shelter. You will see dogs looking out the window desperately looking for their owners to come back. You will see dogs curled up in the fetal position not eating because they are depressed. You will see dogs desperately try to get your attention because they miss love so much.

If people took care of their animals, we would not have this overcrowding and euthanasia problem we have. If people spayed and neutered their pets, unwanted puppies would not be born. If people promised a dog a home and delivered that promise for life, dogs would not have to be euthanized for space.

I don't want to be on a soapbox but I am tired of getting my heart broken. I have been there when I've seen the animals being led to the back. I've been the one to give them their last hugs, kisses, and treats. And if you think the shelter workers like this, think again. One of the workers at our shelter had to be sent home because she was so distraught about it. She hugs them and loves them as she gives them the injection. It is a peaceful process. Although it is a process that should not have to happen.

Pictures speak a thousand words and can touch you in ways that nothing else can. Below is a picture of Candy's empty kennel right after she was euthanized. I had just played with her and given her treats, hugs, kisses, and love. Ten minutes later, she was gone. I was devastated. There is only so much I can do. I volunteer at the shelter....loving them, walking with them, playing with them, and photographing them. And I share them all over Facebook. It sometimes seems like an uphill battle, but I am determined to win this battle. I will NOT give up. However, I need people to join my army. Who will join? Who will help me in this battle because I cannot win it alone.

Please join me in educating others. Many people just don't know. It's going to take a village to educate everyone. Spay and neuter your animals. There are many low-cost clinics around in the DFW area that will spay and neuter your animals for an inexpensive price. It is worth it. And you will be saving animals' lives.

For information on affordable spay and neuter services, please visit TCAP at http://www.texasforthem.org

I will leave tonight with this quote...
"Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever."
-- Karen Davison

Blessings to you and your furry ones,

Angela