Posts from the ‘Dog Rescue’ Category

Interview with Jennifer Schiazza — Thoughts on Dog Fostering

Interview with Jennifer Schiazza — Thoughts on Dog Fostering

Recently, I had the opportunity and pleasure of interviewing Jennifer Schiazza, a foster dog parent, living in Baltimore, Maryland.  Jen and her husband have fostered many dogs and she is an ardent supporter of dog fostering and dog rescue, which saves dogs’ lives.  Jen and her husband predominately foster pit bulls in need of furever homes.  Additionally,  Jen, a woman after my own heart, writes a blog about her adventures in dog fostering, which is narrated by Jax!  You can follow Jen’s blog here!

 

KATHERINE CARVER: How did your adventure in dog fostering begin?

JENNIFER SCHIAZZA: About a year after adopting our dog, Jax, my husband and I thought about adopting a second dog, but we weren’t 100% ready to make the commitment.  I heard about fostering through some acquaintances on Facebook and thought it would let us test the waters with Jax and see how he would take to a second dog in the house.  It would also help us determine how adopting another dog would impact our lives.

I researched some Baltimore-area rescues and found a few that seemed like a good match.  I submitted an application to Dogs XL Rescue and they contacted me to go over their foster program, conducted a home visit and verified with my vet that Jax is kept up-to-date on his vaccines.   Before I knew it, they were setting me up with my first foster, a Chesapeake Retriever named Cinnamon, pictured immediately below.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: How many dogs have you fostered?

JENNIFER SCHIAZZA: We just had the pleasure of seeing our sixth foster dog go to her forever home.  (Photographs of our foster dogs are shown throughout this blog post).  Some dogs were with us for as short as three weeks, while a few of our fosters were with us for about four months.  

 

KATHERINE CARVER: What dog rescue organizations do you work with in relation to dog fostering?

JENNIFER SCHIAZZA: Our first two fosters were for Dogs XL Rescue.  They focus on saving larger dogs because they are usually the first dogs to be put down when shelters run out of space since they cost more to vet and feed than smaller dogs.  Dogs XL Rescue pulls dogs from all over the country, allowing them to save a wider variety of dogs than if they pulled from local shelters.  

After our second Dogs XL Rescue foster, we transferred our fostering efforts to Jasmine’s House, a non-profit pit bull rescue.  Because the number of families willing to take in pit bulls is relatively small compared to the number of families willing to foster other breeds, we switched rescues in honor of Jax, who is a pit bull.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: Why do you think dog fostering is important?

JENNIFER SCHIAZZA: Millions of dogs are killed in shelters every year because of overpopulation.  I know there is no way to save them all, but every foster we take in means a the rescue can save one more life.  I love seeing foster families with young children and think their children are so lucky to learn valuable lessons fostering teaches, like compassion and selflessness at such a young age.  

 

 

KATHERINE CARVER: In your experience, what does dog fostering entail?

JENNIFER SCHIAZZA: Since the rescues provide crates, vet care, monthly heartworm, flea and tick preventatives, food and boarding if you need to go out of town, there is no financial commitment with fostering.  There is a minimal time commitment like putting together an extra bowl of food twice a day, an occasional vet visit and optional training sessions that not only help the dogs, but taught me how to handle dogs.

A foster parent must have a willingness to learn.  I didn’t know much about training dogs when I adopted Jax.  Heck, I didn’t even know how to find a good trainer.  I’ve had a lot of support from the rescues and other volunteers.  I read articles and ask questions.  I’m always learning something new.  A sense of humor doesn’t hurt either.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: What dog fostering experience moved or inspired you the most?

JENNIFER SCHIAZZA: Our most recent foster, Amelia, pictured below, was special to me because I personally chose to pull her from the shelter.  All of our previous fosters were recommended to us by the rescues.  A photograph of Amelia, pictured on the left below, was posted by Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) as needing rescue or adoption.  She was 20 pounds underweight.  My only thought upon seeing her photo was that she couldn’t die in that condition, scared, alone and unloved.  I contacted Heather, the foster and adoption director for Jasmine’s House, and asked if we could pull her.  Heather made arrangements for me to pick Amelia up from BARCS the next day.  I didn’t stop to think if she would get along with Jax, if she was house trained, would sleep through the night or had any health or behavior issues.  I was lucky; Amelia knew how to sit, stay, lay down, and give paw.  She had no problems introducing herself to Jax and adjusted quickly to our home.  We worked on some resource guarding with the help of Jasmine’s House training partner, Meghan Longhurst, and watched her gain confidence and healthy weight over the four months.  When she was adopted, I was so happy for her to have her happy ending and she will always hold a special place in my heart.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: What is the most satisfying and rewarding part of your dog fostering work?

JENNIFER SCHIAZZA: The day each dog is adopted (I call it Gotcha Day), is a great day.  Sometimes I shed a few tears and part of me is nervous about how they will fit into their new homes, but I always do a happy dance when they leave for their new home.  I’ve kept in touch with a few adopters and hearing how much they love their dog makes it all worth it for me.  

 

 

KATHERINE CARVER: In your experience, what is the most challenging aspect about dog fostering?

JENNIFER SCHIAZZA: For me, the first 48 hours with a new foster is the most challenging.  Imagine introducing a new dog to your home and settling them into your routine an average of every two months.  Most of the time we don’t know if they’re house trained, crate trained, or if they will get along with Jax.  We had a dog who got car sick, one who didn’t sleep through the night one who had food aggression towards Jax…and every foster had an accident in our house on the first day.  We use a good enzymatic cleaner and take it one day at a time.  

 

KATHERINE CARVER: Is it difficult to see the dogs you have fostered move from your home to a forever home?  How do you handle this experience when it happens?

JENNIFER SCHIAZZA: It’s definitely been bittersweet letting some of our fosters go, but I’ve always been pleased with the families adopting our fosters.  The meet and greets with interested families are important part of the adoption process not just for the adopters, but for the foster families as well because it reassures us that they are going to a loving forever home.  As much joy and happiness as some of our fosters have brought us, I’ve seen them bring even more joy to their adopters.  I’ve been lucky enough to be able to keep in touch with the adopters of my best fosters.  I see photos on Facebook and even get to dog-sit for one of my fosters when the family goes out of town.  

I found an anonymous quote that perfectly sums up how I feel when I miss my fosters: “I would rather cry and watch them leave our home to go live a full, good life in a loving forever home of their own, than cry because no one stepped up for them in a shelter where they died all alone, scared, unwanted and unloved.”

 

 

KATHERINE CARVER: What advice can you give to someone who might be considering getting involved with dog fostering?

JENNIFER SCHIAZZA:  Contact several rescues and ask them about their fostering program to make sure it’s a good fit.  Will they find a temporary foster or boarding place if you go out of town?  Do they provide food and crates if you need it?  Are free training sessions available to attend with your foster dog ?  What type of training do they support (i.e. reward-based, force free training)?  

Remember your foster dog will be confused and maybe a little scared by his or her new surroundings.  They may have been recently spayed or neutered, come from a high stress situation like a shelter or long transport and they don’t know when they’re getting fed, where they are supposed to relieve themselves and they certainly don’t know who you are.  

Material things are replaceable.  I had a woman tell me her dog chewed a hole in the sleeve of her expensive cashmere sweater, but she rolls up the sleeves and laughs every time she puts it on.  

Keep your receipts for anything you spend on your foster and your mileage because it’s tax deductible.

Lastly, cherish the good times and learn from the bad.  I take a lot of videos and pictures of my fosters and remember what they did that put a smile on my face.  I’ve learned from every one of our fosters, mostly from our mistakes from house training, resource guarding to separation anxiety and it’s made me a better, more patient person.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: What are your goals and dreams for the future concerning dog fostering?

JENNIFER SCHIAZZA: Fostering can be addictive.  We haven’t gone more than a few weeks without a foster in the last year.  It’s important to take a break so we’re going to take a breather and then I’m sure it won’t be long before I see another dog in need.  We don’t have any children now, but when we do, I definitely want to foster to teach them the importance of rescue.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: Where can people learn more about dog fostering?

JENNIFER SCHIAZZA: A lot of rescues post on social media sites like Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.  It’s a good resource to see what dogs are in need, ask questions and find people with a common interest.

Please note all photographs are courtesy of Jennifer Schiazza.

You can read additional interviews here.

Interview with Martin Usborne, Photographer, Writer, and Animal Lover

Interview with Martin Usborne, Photographer, Writer, and Animal Lover

Recently, I had the great honor and privilege of interviewing Martin Usborne, a photographer, writer, and animal lover who works and resides in London with his wife, Ann, and their miniture schnauzer, Moose.  Martin was trained in architecture, then philosophy, then psychology, then three-dimensional animation before checking his compass once more and finally settling on photography.  Martin’s current work consists mainly of portraits, both human and animal.  Martin’s key interest is man’s relationship to animals.  Martin has been regularly featured in international magazines and has been seen in group and solo shows around the world as well as in the National Portrait Gallery London.  He has had four books published.

Martin is currently spending a year to see how many animals he can save in 365 days, a project entitled, A Year to Help.  Martin has sent himself out into the world to give back to the very subjects that have given him such artistic inspiration.  Over the course of 365 days, he will try to save or help as many animals as he can while documenting each step.  This is a wonderful, fascinating, and inspiring  project, which is discussed in more detail below.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: How did you devise the idea for your project, “A Year to Help”?

MARTIN USBORNE: Well, I feel very much like a failed animal lover.  I’ve cared about animals all my life, yet I’ve done very little to help their obvious plight in the face of so much human cruelty.  I actually did a rather cheesy life review with a life coach some years ago and was slightly embarrassed to admit that one of the key goals in my life would be to help animals (embarrassed partly because that doesn’t sound very cool and partly because I hadn’t done anything whatsoever to help).  One of my other goals was to write a book so I thought why not combine the two.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: How have your own dogs influenced your decision to embark on your “Year to Help” adventure?

MARTIN USBORNE: My own dogs have reinforced my feeling that animals and humans are deeply interconnected and there is room for greater understanding.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: What was the impetus that inspired you to begin photographing dogs?

MARTIN USBORNE: I started with my project Dogs in Cars because of an early memory of being left in a car as a child combined with an early connection with animals.  Dogs in Cars project was a way for me to explore that.  (Some of Martin’s images from this body of work, Dogs in Cars, is shown immediately below).

 

KATHERINE CARVER: What countries have you visited, to date, during your project, “A Year to Help”?

MARTIN USBORNE: To date I have visited India, Spain, Greece, The Philippines, Vietnam, and Laos.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: How many animals have you saved and helped, during your project, “A Year to Help”?

MARTIN USBORNE: To date it is 302 but it is changing all the time. You can read more about the animals I have saved and what I classify as ‘saved’ here. 

 

KATHERINE CARVER: How do you handle experiencing the suffering of animals that you have witnessed and continue to witness, during your project, “A Year to Help”?

MARTIN USBORNE: I find it difficult but important.  One of the reasons why many people don’t care enough is because they are not exposed.  I think being physically out of touch can lead to being emotionally out of touch.  In some ways it has been quite a relief to touch the suffering, as strange as that sounds, because I no longer feel so numb about it all.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: How are you financially able to afford and fund this project, “A Year to Help”?

MARTIN USBORNE: I can’t.  I have had a few generous donations but on the whole I have made fairly deep pockets by breaking a whole in the bottom of them.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: Have your friends and family members been supportive of your project, “A Year to Help”?

MARTIN USBORNE: They are supportive to the extent that they want me to follow my heart but I think some friends are not entirely convinced by my direction.  My wife has been hugely supportive (I am currently dictating this to her as I drive back from a pig farm).

 

KATHERINE CARVER: How did your interest in photographing dogs begin as you have also done other works, featuring dogs, entitled, The Silence of Dogs in Cars; Nice to Meet You and A Portrait of Crufts?

MARTIN USBORNE: I’ve always loved dogs, and I have had them since I was a child.  They are my way into the animal world.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: What artists inspire your work?

MARTIN USBORNE: It depends on the project, but I very much admire non-animal photographers and painters alike who capture psychological intensity in their imagery.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: What does “being creative” mean to you?

MARTIN USBORNE: Being free to explore your own view of the world and express it in the most intimate way you can.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: What has been the most difficult aspect of doing this project, “A Year to Help”?

MARTIN USBORNE: I think both the sheer work load of researching the material, travelling to the locations, and then writing and photographing the story while trying to keep some work (i.e., money) coming in on the side.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: What inspires you to keep going with your work and what keeps you motivated?

MARTIN USBORNE: With regards to A Year to Help – Other like-minded people keep me inspired – meeting people who are braver, stronger, and more dedicated than I am.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: What is the most rewarding and satisfying part about being a photographer and creating art and embarking on this project, “A Year to Help?”

MARTIN USBORNE: That you get to express your own voice.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: Can you briefly discuss the story of Mango, a three-month-old dog, who was found on the streets in connection with the illegal dog meat trade?

MARTIN USBORNE: We found Mango, pictured immediately below, on a street infamous for selling dogs to the dog meat trade.  She was only a puppy and would likely have soon been meat. It is illegal in the Philippines to eat dog meat so this was a chance to raise some publicity for Network for Animals who are trying to stop the trade. You can read more about Mango here and here.

 

 

KATHERINE CARVER: To date, for you, what have been the most exciting and satisfying parts of this project, “A Year to Help”?

MARTIN USBORNE: I think a subtle but very definite feeling of coming more in touch with my own sense of right and wrong and my own sense of our relationship to the animal world.  And hearing from readers who are touched by what I have done.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: Have you been able to keep to your manifesto posted on your “Year to Help” blog?

MARTIN USBORNE: Yes, I think on the whole I have.  I’ve now stopped eating meat.  I’ve helped animals whenever I can though I do admit occasionally I’ve swatted the odd mosquito and let Ann, my wife, get rid of the ants that decided they wanted to take over our house.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: How has your world-view changed since embarking on this project, “A Year to Help”?

MARTIN USBORNE: I have become both more disturbed by man’s fractious relationship to animals and more driven to do something to help.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: How has your view of animals changed by doing this project?

MARTIN USBORNE: I don’t feel my view of animals has hugely; but I do feel a greater respect and I suppose understanding of them as individuals that deserve our compassion.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: What is the biggest lesson that you have learned from embarking on this project, “A Year to Help”?

MARTIN USBORNE: That’s a tough on…That it is very important to find your own truth and not just listen to what society says.  For me that means taking animals much more seriously and feeling more at peace with myself for doing so.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: When you return home to London what do you plan to work on next?

MARTIN USBORNE: I want to make a photography book about the story of the Spanish hunting dogs that I covered in my blog in the early part of this year.  I also want to make some money and I will be starting a small publishing company called Hoxton Mini Press that makes beautiful, fun, quirky, and collectable books about East London.  We will be launching a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the first two books next month so keep an eye out for more on that!

 

 

KATHERINE CARVER: How can people learn more about “A Year to Help”?

MARTIN USBORNE: By reading the blog! 

  

KATHERINE CARVER: How can people view your photography?

MARTIN USBORNE: By visiting my website.  I also have a number of my photography books (signed) available to purchase here.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: How can people support and donate to this important project?

MARTIN USBORNE: You can donate by clicking the ‘donate’ button via this link.  We are very grateful for any help we receive.

All images contained in this blog post are courtesy of Martin Usborne.

You can read additional interviews here.

Dog Rescue – Interview with Carol Guth, Sheltie Haven Sheltie Rescue, Inc.

Dog Rescue – Interview with Carol Guth, Sheltie Haven Sheltie Rescue, Inc.

Recently, I had the opportunity and pleasure of interviewing Carol Guth who heads and leads the Sheltie Haven Sheltie Rescue, Inc., a non-profit organization based in Frederick County, Maryland.  Carol does extremely important and wonderful work on behalf of many dogs who do not have any other options.  Carol has saved many sheltie dogs, including, Biscuit.  In January 2011, Doug and I adopted Biscuit from Carol through her dog rescue, the Sheltie Haven Sheltie Rescue, Inc.  I believe it is important to highlight this important work that Carol does in conjunction with her rescue, the Sheltie Haven Sheltie Rescue, Inc.  Please enjoy our interview outlined below!

 

KATHERINE CARVER: How did your adventure in dog rescue begin?

CAROL GUTH: I began rescuing shelties when I was a volunteer at our local shelter.  A skinny young male sheltie mix, Jake, came into the shelter and he had a rear leg swinging.  It was obviously broken.  Jake was a stray and the shelter would only keep him for the five (5) days and then put him to sleep since his injury was, in their mind, not ‘fixable.’  I put a hold on Jake.  At the end of his “stray days” (the law requires that all strays be kept for a minimum of five (5) full days), I took Jake home with me.  I called my friend and breeder and explained what I had done and I asked her if there were any people who rescued these dogs and helped them.  She gave me a woman’s name and after two conversations with her, Jake, the sheltie, was on his way to getting his leg repaired!  My vet was willing to put his leg back together for a reasonable fee and this rescue paid the vet bill.  I took care of Jake and helped him through his rehab.  Once his leg was fixed and healed, Jake had about 90% use of this leg; and a week after that, my contact had found a home for Jake.  Jake’s new owner kept in touch with me and even moved across the country with Jake.  Jake lived to be well into his 15th year and enjoyed life to the fullest.  As a result, I was hooked on rescuing dogs. 

 

KATHERINE CARVER: What does your rescue work entail?

CAROL GUTH: Dog rescue is a lot of work.  At first there were four (4) of us who shared the rescue work.  By incorporation with the State of Maryland, we legally formed our rescue, Sheltie Haven Sheltie Rescue, Inc.; we obtained the 501(c)3 not-for-profit classification; and we created a website all in about a years time.  I started taking in a dog or two from the shelter and informed other ‘sheltie people’ about these sheltie rescues.  Word of mouth helped with the first three (3) to four (4) shelties who came to our rescue.

Now, I get dogs into the rescue most often from the original owner.  These owners do not want to put their dog in the shelter and they are looking for an alternative.  Owners call me, we chat, and they bring me the dog with whatever paper work they may have.  Once the dog is in my care, I take the dog to the vet for an exam, shots, and spaying or neutering (if necessary).  If we find a problem, we take care of it.  Our biggest problem is always money.  Sheltie Haven Sheltie Rescue, Inc. is funded entirely through donations.  In the beginning we did a lot of fund-raising and went to pet stores to share our dogs and our vision.  The rescue built up its bank account and it continues to do the same now.  We have a couple of people who are monthly contributors and there are others who donate their time to the rescue.  There is of course, the daily handling of the dogs.  They all need to have exercise, food, love, attention and grooming!

 

KATHERINE CARVER: What rescue experience moved or inspired you the most?

CAROL GUTH: I think my most inspiring story was a young sheltie named Mitzie.  I received a call from an older woman explaining how there was this sheltie that showed up at her house on a regular basis and her favorite pastime was chasing the eighteen wheelers that passed her house regularly.  When this sheltie named Mitzie showed up at this woman’s house, she was not running well.  After catching Mitzie, this woman discovered a wound in the rear leg; however, she did not have the financial means to take Mitzie to a vet.  The woman contacted me, and I traveled and picked up Mitzie and took her to my house.  I arrived the following day, and brought Mitzie to the vet who examined Mitzie and discovered that Mitzie had a GUN  SHOT wound.  At the time, it was December 23, and I could not get an appointment with the orthopedic specialist until December 26.  As such, we bandaged Mitzie up and took her home for the holiday. 

On December 26, we went to the orthopedic specialist, and it was discovered via x-rays, that bee bees had shattered Mitzie’s knee and the bee bees had gone through a growth plate.  We decided to try reconstructive surgery.  The surgery went as planned; however, the bone failed to heal.  Two (2) months later, Mitzie’s leg was amputated.  We placed Mitzie’s photo on the Sheltie Haven Sheltie Rescue, Inc.’s website, and a family contacted me and decided they wanted to adopt Mitzie even though they had to wait for Mitzie to recover.  We initially thought they would have a change of heart after Mitzie’s leg was removed; however, this family still wanted to adopt Mitzie who now had only three (3) legs.  Mitzie was soon adopted after her rehab was completed following the amputation of her leg.  The family who adopted Mitzie came back to visit the rescue three (3) years later, and we watched Mitzie run in the yard, and you would never had known that she was running on only three (3) legs.  Mitzie was fast and furious!  Mitzie was still willing to chase anything that moved!

  

KATHERINE CARVER: Do you have any favorite rescue story?

CAROL GUTH: Sherman, a sheltie, had to have been the one of my favorite rescue stories.  Sherman came to me from a family with four (4) kids.  Sherman was adopted almost as soon as he came into the rescue.  I did not have much time to evaluate him in-depth, although Sherman seemed fine and a couple adopted him during the month of October.  The man who adopted Sherman called me in early November to tell me Sherman had bitten his wife.  After talking with him, I suggested he return Sherman to the rescue.  In response, the man said, “Oh, no.  I love the dog.”  The man stated to me that he would keep Sherman.  The man called me again in early December to tell me that Sherman was chasing shadows on the wall and asked if I knew what was wrong with him.  I suggested to the man that he have Sherman’s eye examined by the vet.  “Oh, and by the way,” he said, “The dog bit my wife again.”  We talked and I again suggested that he return Sherman to the rescue as the bite this time had broken skin.  The man was afraid I would put Sherman to sleep and, he said, “Oh, no.  I love the dog.  He is a beautiful dog.”  So, he kept Sherman.  The man called me again on December 26th and said he had taken Sherman to the vet and to an eye specialist and they both found nothing wrong with Sherman.  However, to my surprise, the man informed me that he was returning Sherman ASAP as the man told me that Sherman was a ‘vicious biting dog!’  I ask in response, “What happened to bring this on?” and he replied, “Sherman bit ME!”  I was so glad I was not his wife again!  Soon after, Sherman came to live with me.  We discovered that Sherman had hip dysplasia and that he was afraid of being trapped.  As time went on, Sherman learned to trust me, and I got to the point he would let me groom him without a muzzle.  He decided after he had lived with me for eighteen (18) months that I belonged to him and that he was responsible enough to be left out loose in the house with my other dogs.  He lived with me until bone cancer took him at age fourteen (14).  We as a great and beautiful dog!!

Below is a photograph of Sherman!

 

KATHERINE CARVER: What is the most challenging aspect about your dog rescue work?

CAROL GUTH: I think the most challenging aspect of dog rescue is having enough money to pay for vet bills.  Vets like everyone else, have expenses that increase each year.  I am able to perform the annual shots on the rescue dogs, but the rabies and snap test for heartworm have to be completed by the vet.  For each dog rescue, I have the rabies vaccine completed at the local clinics after the initial one is given by the vet.  However, some rescue dogs already have their rabies vaccine current by proof of vaccination.  However, blood work, surgeries, and other tests are expensive.  My vet and I have an arrangement for certain costs that have remained the same.  These costs include the snap test for heartworm, rabies, and neutering/spay fees.  My vet also has been very generous with our rescue over the last twenty (20) plus years I have been involved in dog rescue.

 

KATHERINE CARVER: What are the most satisfying and rewarding parts of your dog rescue work?

CAROL GUTH: I am always extremely gratified when a rescue dog gets a wonderful new home and they get a new lease on life.  I really love the fact that I have repeat customers for rescues and that people keep in touch to tell me how they are doing.  I also board back my rescues so that I can see for myself how they are doing if the family goes on vacation, for example.  Biscuit is my first rescue dog to gain public recognition – Biscuit recently was an Orvis Cover Dog Winner; Biscuit represents the Orvis’ Petfinder Commitment promoting dog rescue; and Biscuit is a Jones Soda Label Winner!  Please see the highlights of Biscuit below.

  

 

KATHERINE CARVER: If you could give pet owners one piece of advice, what would it be?

CAROL GUTH: The best thing anyone can do for their pet is to spend quality time with his/her pet – and for the young and energetic sheltie that means training and dog sports!  Get involved with your dog and do things that make you both happy and fit!  Agility, Rally, Obedience, Trick, Dancing with your dog (Canine musical Freestyle), Flyball, and Frisbee completions are just a few of the opportunities that are out there for you and your sheltie canine partner.

   

KATHERINE CARVER: What advice can you give to someone who might be considering getting involved with or starting an animal rescue group?

CAROL GUTH: If you are interested in dog rescue, volunteer first.  See what goes into a good working rescue.  Also, consider how much time you are willing to spend on paper work, caring for the animals, and fund-raising.  It is best to be a consistent volunteer so you see the whole picture, not just one day in the life…

 

KATHERINE CARVER: What are your goals and dreams for the future?

 CAROL GUTH: I hope to retire from my weekday job in another three (3) to four (4) years.  I am hoping and planning to spend more quality time with my own dogs and the rescue dogs in the hopes of getting more of them placed into furever homes sooner.   I would like my turn around time to place a new rescue dog to be no more than one (1) month.

Below are photographs of Lassie, a sheltie rescue dog who was at the Sheltie Haven Sheltie Rescue, Inc., who has since been adopted.  Most noticiable in the photogrphs below, you can see significant positive changes in Lassie’s fur coat and weight.  Lassie looks like a totally different sheltie dog in Lassie’s after photograph displayed below.

Lassie (Before)

Lassie (After)

 

KATHERINE CARVER: How can one donate to your dog rescue, Sheltie Haven Sheltie Rescue, Inc.?

CAROL GUTH: Sheltie Haven Sheltie Rescue, Inc. is a non-profit organization.  With our 501(c)3 non-profit status, all donations made are tax-deductible.  If you would like to send a donation, you can make a check payable to SHSR (Sheltie Haven Sheltie Rescue, Inc.) and mail it to me at 2707 Rosemary Court, Adamstown, MD 21710.  Thank you for any and all donations to the shelties in the rescue. 

Currently, there are seven (7) shelties in the rescue who are in need of furever homes.  These shelties range in age from fourteen (14) years to two (2) years of age.   If you want to adopt a rescue dog; donate money; and/or contribute your time to the Sheltie Haven Sheltie Rescue, Inc., please contact me via telephone at 301-663-0635; or via e-mail at sheltytaxi@aol.com.  You can also visit our website, which is currently in the process of being upgraded and redesigned at, http://www.sheltiehaveninc.org/.

Below are photographs of three (3) of the current sheltie rescues dogs in need of furever homes.  (Please note that I also have four (4) more shelties not pictured who are also in need of furever homes).  Please contact me if you are interested in adopting any of these shelties shown immediately below.

Charlie, male sheltie, age 22 months

 

Spirit, male sheltie, age 8 years

 

Angel, female sheltie, age 12 years

 

Photographs of the sheltie rescue dogs are courtesy of Carol Guth, Sheltie Haven Sheltie Rescue, Inc.

You can read additional interviews here.