For a couple of years, there was hardly a week that went by that we did not have Lucky Dog puppies in our house. Sometimes there were one or two. Other times there was a large litter of rambunctious little (or not so little) ones camped out in our basement. Then, I retired from my career and all of a sudden I found that I just couldn't live according to a schedule. I took off my watch. The battery had gone dead anyway. I abandoned the appointment book. I was free to sleep in, stay up late, and come and go whenever I wanted.
Our very own star of “I Love Lucy” Lucky Dog Edition made her freedom ride from an Animal Control Facility in South Carolina around 3 weeks ago. She was over weight and just stood around, not making eye contact and looking uncomfortable. When her foster mom placed her on a doggie bed she immediately gets off and stood, just looking into space. She seemed most comfortable in a crate. We have a feeling she has spent a lot of time in one during her short lifetime of 4 years. It also looks like she has had puppies. Many times perhaps?
Dehydrated. Exhausted. Helpless. Puppies easily hold a special place in most people’s hearts at the best of times, but for our Lucky Dog volunteers who had arrived in Puerto Rico that weekend, it was a sight they would never forget. The K puppies first saw us as they did most people, as another car that did not see them, as another car driving by an open field where they lay fighting for their lives. But, they never gave up hope, and when we spotted them from the van we knew we had to act.
Everyone at Lucky Dog Animal Rescue is so glad that we have partnered with Humane Society International (HSI) to save six severely abused and neglected dogs from a dog meat farm in Wonju, South Korea. This is the sixth dog meat farm closure in South Korea managed by Humane Society International, with a total of 770 dogs rescued since January 2015 as part of the organization’s campaign to end the dog meat trade in South Korea and across Asia.
When someone says, Pit Bull, what’s the first image that comes to mind, a sweet, smiley dog or a scary, violent one? If it’s sweet and smiley, then I applaud you, but unfortunately it’s usually the latter. When I first started educating myself on bully breeds I was happily surprised to discover that there are many ways we can remind ourselves, and others, as to what “Pit Bull” really stands for.
Earlier this year, Lucky Dog Animal Rescue undertook a new effort to find homes for cats and kittens. We spoke with Amanda Gestl, Lucky Dog’s Cat Team Coordinator, about the new cat adoption program and how animal lovers can lend their assistance.
Why did Lucky Dog decide to include Lucky Cats in its work?
Some time ago, I was speaking with the neighbor of a family friend. She told me that her family recently added a furry friend to their home and that they were having great difficulty with the puppy. She described how the dog displayed the kind of aggression that was well outside the norm for a 3-month-old pup—lunging at children, snapping at other dogs, and cowering in fear of strangers. She mentioned medical problems and the costs she had incurred on vaccinations the dog should have already had.
“Do you mind me asking where the puppy came from?” I asked.
I was told that I’m going to become a Lucky Dog today, but so far, my day has not been very lucky.
First, they woke me up at the crack of dawn and loaded me and a few of my other canine comrades into crates. I’ve been riding in the back of a van for what seems like hours. To make matters worse, Snuffles (in the crate above me) seems to be in need of a motion sickness bag, and Cujo (next door) won’t stop talking about his ruff life on the streets.
Of course, I could be back at that loud, scary place they call a shelter, so maybe I AM on my way to someplace better?
There’s never been a time when I haven’t wanted a dog. In fact, when I was six years old, I wanted to BE a dog when I grew up.
And while my love of dogs was never a secret, the idea of getting a family pet never gained much momentum in my house — beyond parakeets and a pair of fire-bellied toads. Every chance I had to spend time with a dog was precious, and, to me, dog owners were the luckiest people on earth.
It would be close to 30 years later before I shared that luck.
I became involved with Lucky Dog last October when I adopted Menchie, a six-month-old Puerto Rican street dog. I fell in love with his little face on the Lucky Dog website, and I knew my search was over.
