Typical Animal Care Network run

Thanks to two of our new volunteers Jen and Mindy for joining the ACN street team!

They joined up with Marie and John’s team and visited over thirty addresses in one day, helping over 60 dogs and cats.

Sadly many of the dogs in are target area are chained up outside. We educate, talk, persuade and warn owners of the dangers of this way of life, but unfortunately this is how they will continue to live.

Sometimes all we can do is check on the animals and make them as comfortable and happy if even for a moment.

More rescue puppies and kittens

The Animal Care Network has target areas that we must focus on in order to make change and continue to make progress in our mission.

Every now and then we receive calls and we are compelled to help if we are able.

We received a few calls from Flint lately. The first pet owner got our number from a friend in our target area and we felt compelled to help. They had a litter of puppies that they needed to give up.

Thankfully our Kim Montgomery doesn’t live too far, so she offered to go get them! She was able to get eight “low-riders” mixed breed short legged adorable puppies. Thank you to the Michigan Animal Rescue League who took them into their adoption program.

We also immediately had the mother and father dogs fixed again thanks to All About Animals Flint transport program!

Well, word of mouth began, and we received two more calls from families in the same neighborhood in Flint that wondered if we could to the same thing to help them!

So our Kim, picked up another litter of kittens and another litter of puppies! We also made the same arrangements to have the mom, dad and other pets in the household fixed at no charge!

A big thank you to MARL for taking these animals in to their adoption program and also for participating in early spay and neuter so that these puppies and kittens are not reproducing down the road. Every single puppy and kitten that are adopted out not spayed and neutered, can potentially add to the pet overpopulation problem!

Also thank you to All About Animals for providing a spay/neuter transport program for the Flint area. Lord knows that area sure does need the help and more programs like these!

The Animal Care Network is limited in funding and volunteers therefore we do focus on Pontiac and Inkster, but we are happy that we were able in these three situations. Even though it is a small feat, we were able to rescue 17 puppies and kittens that could have been passed out and adding to the pet overpopulation problem later and we also got 8 dogs and cats fixed.

Thank you to our friends at Star EMS Pontiac

A big thank you to Carmel and our friends at Star EMS in Pontiac who swiftly went into action to rescue four baby wild bunnies after their mother was hit by a car. The team was  not able to leave their post so ACN assisted by transporting the bunnies to the Michigan Humane Society.

These guys not only risk their lives to save people and the community, but are animals lovers as well!!!

Thanks guys, keep up the amazing work!

And THANK YOU to the Michigan Humane Society wildlife department for taking in these adorable, little ones!

Animal Care Network team Heather and Kathy

Thanks to Kathy King for getting these Animal Care Network magnets for the streets team vehicles. Check these out!

Also thank you Kathy and Heather for hitting the streets twice a month to check on dogs and cats in our target areas.

It is only the beginning of summer and it is already brutal on these poor dogs and cats.

Many of the addresses they visited on their last run had to be reported to Animal Control for various reasons.

They were able to rescue a discarded “Easter” bunny that someone had let go because they didn’t want it anymore.

Thank you to our friends at the Michigan Humane Society Wildlife  Department for taking the bunny!
Great work as always Kathy and Heather!

Miss Leroy

Another backyard. Another chained up dog .

This guy lived behind a house that was situated behind another house , a duplex I suppose in a normal world, and who knew he was even there? The house in front was empty, and if it weren’t for the constant barks we heard while visiting a house across the street, we may never have even found Leroy. Oh I’m sorry, it’s La-Roy. We need to get it right. Can’t we get it right?

Apparently we need to get a lot of things right, including, and not limited to, the correct pronunciation of the name of the dog chained behind a house, located behind a house in Inkster. La-Roy, as it turns out, is actually a girl, a friendly girl. Wouldn’t have known it at first given the first impression she threw out, but given a few seconds and a few unbelievably good treats, she came around and was ours.

This is the end of our story. Why? Because it’s not illegal to keep a dog like the sweet Miss. Leroy on a chain. And so there is no more to tell other than her area was clean and that she had food, water , and a decent doghouse.  (Well, we gave her some fresh water and food)

Dogs like Leroy are all over the place. Although unlike Leroy, they usually not only have no food, water or decent shelter, they usually have nothing. That’s right. These dogs usually have nothing: no food, no water, no decent shelter.

So thanks Leroy for barking while we were visiting the house across the street, or we would not have known you were there. And lucky for us, another wonderful  dog to add to our list of addresses.

May montly spay neuter transport

Another successful monthly spay neuter transport thanks to All About Animals and in conjunction with the Michigan Animal Rescue League spay neuter program. Forty more dogs and cats were fixed in one day!

The Animal Care Network works on the streets tirelessly to get the
dogs and cats from the community spayed and neutered and vaccinated and greatly values the partnership with All About Animals
and MARL.

This program is critical and lifesaving in order to stop the cycle! Spay and neuter is the KEY to achieving everyone's goal of no more homeless pets and to reducing the pet overpopulation program.

Thanks to your donations and private grants we are able to continue this vital program. We must continue to assist the pet owners in our target area to reduce the litters and prevent future unwanted dogs and cats.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO DONATE SO THAT WE MAY KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND FOR SPAY AND NEUTER IN OUR TARGET AREAS.

Bowling fundraising event on August 9, 2014. Be there!!!!!

9th Annual Bowl-4-Animal Rescue

A fun-filled Pledge Driven Event!

http://www.bowl4animalrescue.org/bowl/about.asp

On-line Registration and Pledge Drive is going on NOW!!!!

Professional bowlers Aleta Sill and Michelle Mullen host this event…..100% of Proceeds helps animals in need!

You do not have to bowl to participate. Create your own on-line fundraising page!

Receive prizes for pledge levels!

Our Gifts to You
Raise $100 in Pledges, receive a T-shirt. (offline pledge collectors must submit size by Aug 1st!)

Raise $300 in Pledges,receiveVIB (Very Important Bowler) Status at Event
Express Check in at Event
Special Meal Ticket to Eat Early
$10 in Raffle Tickets
Free Entry to win a Special Prize

Monthly Fundraiser Raffles
Each month, May thru August, we will be raffling off a prize pack to a lucky fundraiser.

Rules:
Raise a minimum of $25 in donations during the month of the raffle (so for the May raffle raise at least $25 in May; for the June raffle, raise at least $25 in June, etc.)
Any offline donations must be submitted to the pro shop by the end of the month of the raffle to be counted.

Top Fundraisers
HighestPledgeGetters can win Special Prizes. Check back as we list details and add prizes!

Chef’s Tasting 8 course meal for 6 at Coach Insignia
Chef’s Tasting 8 course meal for 6 at Novi ChopHouse
Detroit Tigers Suite for 26; includes 4 parking passes
and more!

Be sure to check out all of the Fundraising Tips to learn how you can raise lots of $$$ to help the many animals in need! Download and print Pledge Collection Form.

Highest Fundraiser will be announced during bowling event and wins a NEW bowling ball of choice w/ private lesson!

http://www.bowl4animalrescue.org/bowl/about.asp

Sponsorship Opportunities available! Call for more information!

Incredible rescue on I-75!!!!

On their way to the ACN storage unit early one morning, Kim and Rose spotted a muddy, dirty Cocker Spaniel type dog running by one of the ramps off I 75. She came out of a very marshy, swampy area on the side of the expressway. They attempted to catch the dog but she just bolted across the busy road and they could not get any where near her.

They called me immediately so Frankie and I headed over their to help in the search and rescue. We drove around circle on South 75 and North 75 for quite a while with no sighting.

Then miraculously we spotted her way up on one of the overpasses on the opposite side of 75, with another kind couple stopping to help.

Frankie leaped out of the vehicle, crossed both lanes of busy 75. You should have seen him shimmy up the cement wall and quietly and calmly befriend her and carry her all the way back down safely and secure in his arms. He walked with her to a grassy area next to a ramp while I circled around to pick them up.

While Frankie was sitting with the dog waiting, the dog’s owners spotted them! They had been out looking for her the entire night. They were involved in a car accident the night before, when the dog bolted from the vehicle and took off scared into the marsh.

They had pictures of her on their phone. She normally doesn’t look this scruffy but she had been in the swamp, weeds and marsh all night and morning. The dog was so happy to see them and the owners were crying and so thankful.

Talk about divine intervention! First Rose and Kim spotted her, then when Frankie and I were just about to give up, we spotted her, then the owners came by at that exact same time.

Good job Frankie!!!!!!

Inside dogs!

Sadly the Animal Care Network visits many outdoor dogs that live in the backyard, isolated and chained up 24/7. We absolutely to not condone this way of life, but as much as we educate and convey this to the community, this sad existence will never change for them.

Unfortunately there are more chained dogs in our target area than inside dogs, therefore, we are so pleased to see the dogs in the house when we are doing our visits and food assistance stops.

Here are some of the luckier ones! Another positive note, all of these dogs were spayed and neutered through the Animal Care Network program.

Thanks to the pet owners for keeping these guys inside and part of the family!
www.michigananimaladoptionnetwork.org

Rehoming animals

Check out these photographs of male pit bulls that are being “rehomed” on social media. Nothing like advertising their manhood and the fact that they are not neutered. Yes these dogs look very nice and cute, but a huge part of the pet overpopulation and the reasons these pets are being given away or sold could be potentially due to issues from NOT BEING FIXED!!!!!

Many male dogs are being rehomed, sold or given away due to behavioral issues from not being neutered.

Please consider getting your dogs and cats spayed and neutered before rehoming. Then a potential problem is not being passed along to the next person, hence the pet is given away once again.

All About Animals has a low-cost spay neuter clinic and has many specials, programs and transports available: 586-879-1745.

Please check this very smart informative article from Cesar Millan

Rehoming Your Dog
Rehoming Your DogPart 2 of Our Animal Rescue Series: From Rehoming Your Pet to Rescue Success. (Part 1 | Part 3) By Christy Sanborn Whether you are forced to give away a beloved c…
View on www.cesarsway.com Preview by Yahoo

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2109&aid=911

Early spay and neuter works!!!!!!

The Animal Care Network supports early spay and neuter and thankfully many pet owners in our target area do too!!

Here are some of our happy, healthy early spay neuter recipients!

Also thanks again to Best Friends Animal Society for providing the amazing literatures, flyers and brochures to promote lifesaving early spay and neuter!!

This literature is passed out at every address that we visit and it works!!!!!!

Every single puppy and kitten that is spayed and neutered contributes to everyone's goal of No More Homeless Pets.

If these puppies and kittens are spayed and neutered at a young age, even if they are rehomed, given away, sold or lost, they will not be reproducing at a later date.

It only takes minutes for a dog or cat to escape or get lost. That one time gives them an opportunity to get another dog or cat pregnant or become pregnant!

PLEASE GET YOUR PUPPIES AND KITTENS FIXED!!

 

A big thank you to Deanna!

The Animal Care Network would like to thank Deanna, one of the senior volunteers and adoption counselors Michigan Animal Rescue League.

We have known Deanna for over fifteen years and are thankful to have her as a fellow animal rescuer and friend.

Over the years Deanna has fostered many of the Animal Care Network rescues while they are waiting to get into the Michigan Animal Rescue League adoption program.

She also takes them back home after they are spayed and neutered and recovered and makes sure that they get the wonderful, lifetime, loving homes that they all deserve!

Deanna is amazing and we greatly appreciate and value her  friendship and compassion!

Here are some of Deanna’s projects!!! Check out the “low riders” with their cones on. Their legs are so short the cones almost hit the ground!

Thank you Deanna!

Imagine living like this.......................

These poor, chained, outdoor dogs. Not only do they live a life of isolation and neglect, hunger and thirst, but looks what happens to their “area” when it rains and storms.

Imagine living in this, it is just awful for them and to top it off, the chains were stuck in the mud too.

Unfortunately it is not illegal to chain up your dog in the mud, therefore the team does the best that they can to speak with the owners and to put straw down to soak up this disgusting muddy, rancid water. They pretty much have to go to the bathroom in their “area” which makes it even worse because it rarely gets cleaned up in many situations.

God Bless these poor dogs for enduring this lifestyle for year after year.

The ACN team will be back to visit very soon and maybe someday we will be able to rescue them, that is our hope!

Greetings from the dogs!

The Animal Care Network team makes many friends along the way, being on the streets seven days a week in our target areas.

Thankfully many of the greetings we receive from the community are warm and thankful.

Then there are the dogs!!! No wonder the ACN rescue vehicles have so many scratches on them!

Here are some of our happy SPAYED AND NEUTERED four-legged friends that we have met along the way!!

Meet Coco, Boss, CeCe, Storm, Unique and Swoop!

We were on the other side of the street, noticed Unique and Swoop’s owner walking them, rolled the window down to say hello and they dragged the owner over to the van. OMG Unique jumped right through the window onto my lap!

Moral of the story, don’t ever leave your vehicle doors open and windows all the way down while saying hello to one of your four-legged friends from the community! Also expect to get your vehicle covered with happy dog nail marks!

We love you too!

Spay and neuter your small dogs!

The Animal Care Network is seeing a surge of small breed and purebred dogs in our target area. Our goal is to get every dog and cat fixed in our target area, big small, young and old.

We are pleased that the requests to spay and neuter small breed and purebred dogs are on the rise.

Here are some of our recent spay neuter recipients! The majority of them are Chihuahuas, Shihtzu's, Pomeranians and a huge variety of the "mix and match" small breed that people insist on breeding. We even had Becca a "wireless terrier" spayed last week. When asked what breed of dog they had the owner said "wireless" instead of wire hair.

Hey we do not care what breed they are, as long as they are getting fixed!

PLEASE GET YOUR SMALL DOGS AND PUREBRED DOGS SPAYED AND NEUTERED!!!

Breeding of any kind adds to the pet overpopulation!

Summer is upon us!

Well summer is here, which means heat stroke and other problems for many of the backyard, outdoor, chained dogs.

The ACN is out every single day doing wellness checks and passing out educational literature to pet owners and warning them about what the extreme heat can do to dogs and cats.

Besides lack of water, shade, and heat stroke we encounter skin conditions from unsanitary conditions and also the horrible “fly strike” which happens from flies literally feeding on the dogs ears and facial area and severe flea infestation.

We have already found dozens of dogs with no water or shade. We even had a phone call from a pet owner who took her dog for a two mile walk in 80 degrees and couldn’t figure out why he was breathing badly.

Please, please share these hot weather tips, the more people that read them the better.

Be aware of the temperatures and do not leave your animals outside in this heat.

If you see a dog or cat in trouble, please call your local animal shelter or animal control agency! It is better to be safe than sorry.

No Dumping?????

There are signs all over our target area enforcing that there is no dumping, violators will be prosecuted, 24 hour surveillance, etc.

I wonder if the person that dumped this poor emaciated pit bull in a Rubbermaid container was prosecuted? She was practically dumped directly underneath the sign.

Sadly, in all targeted areas, there are dead dogs found all the time. When will it end?

The Animal Care Network is so sorry we couldn't have rescued her from her terrible, cruel situation.

May she rest in peace and suffer no more. God bless her after what she must have gone through.

Early spay and neuter!

The Animal Care Network highly recommends early spay and neuter for all dogs and cats.

The requests for early spay and neuter in our target area is on the rise thankfully. This not only makes for a healthier pet, but if the kitten or puppy is given away, runs away, sold or lost, they are not reproducing when they are of age!!

The Animal Care Network tries to educate the community including the children on the benefits of early spay and neuter. We also reward them with pet food and treats when the animals are transported back home.

Both of these kittens were spayed, vaccinated and dewormed at no charge thanks to your donations and private grants!! At such a young age, they were already found on the streets and rescued by these nice families. On a fixed income and no transportation they were able to get help through our amazing program!

Every single kitten, puppy, cat and dog that is fixed helps to achieve everyone's goal of "No More Homeless Pets".

A HUGE THANK YOU TO BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY FOR PROVIDING US WITH THE AWESOME AND INFORMATION "FIX AT FOUR" BROCHURES!!!


http://fixatfour.com/

No Chains!

We sound like a broken record, but we are going to say it again.... Do not leave your dog chained up outside all day and night - it is cruel.

More rainstorms are rolling in and unfortunately bad owners will leave their dogs out in them. Our group can only do so much, the responsibility lies with the owners. If you are not going to let your dog indoors and treat it properly - DO NOT HAVE ONE. There are NO EXCUSES! Goes for cats also. If you can't keep your cat inside and treat it right, don't have one. If you do not like animals, do not have any.

Report all animal abuse to your local county animal control, do not assume that someone else will report it. "Narc" on your neighbors, you might save an animal's life.

April’s Monthly Spay and Neuter Transport

Once again, another successful spay and neuter transport in collaboration with All About Animals Rescue and the Michigan Animal Rescue League.

Thanks to this wonderful partnership, we were able to get 42 dogs and cats spayed and neutered for pet owners in our target areas!!

We are able to continue this vital, life saving program in our target area with funding from your donations and private grants.

The Animal Care Network has been doing these monthly spay and neuter transports once a month and are thrilled to have a full schedule each and every time!

The dogs and cats are dropped off at the All About Animals Auburn Hills location and then transported to their Warren facility where they have their surgery, spend the night to recover and are transported back to the Auburn Hills location for discharge and pick up.

Thank you to All About Animals for their amazing, patient and thorough care and treatment of the animals from the check in, to the transport drivers to the entire veterinary team and back to the discharge team.

Seriously, this team is incredible. Imagine, checking in 40 dogs and cats and then transporting them safely and humanely to the Warren clinic. Then you have the veterinary team that checks over EVERY SINGLE cat and dog and if anything else is needed or of concern, they call. Then the next morning, the one of a kind transport drivers, Mark and Bill, load them all up safely and bring them back to Auburn Hills.

The check out team (Kathy and Deb) go over every single post surgery issue that is possible and are so thorough and informative.

The Animal Care Network is thankful and blessed to have this program and partnership with All About Animals and the Michigan Animal Rescue League!

If we do not continue to approach spay and neuter aggressively
then we are not doing our part!!!

http://www.allaboutanimalsrescue.org/

Death of a pet

There is an area of pet ownership that most owners hate talking about and don’t think about until it happens – death of a beloved animal.

The death of a pet is hard on an owner. Your best friend has left this earth and you feel a big void.
Whether a pet dies at home or is humanely euthanized, the next step is to decide how to handle your pets remains. Burial at home, burial at a pet cemetery, private cremation, or common (also known as mass) cremation are the options you have. Everyone is different and there is no wrong decision, you have to do what is best for you and your family.

The link is an informative webpage describing the different cremation choices. Please read to be informed ahead of time, instead of trying to make an informative decision when you are distraught.

http://www.cremationresource.org/pets/how-does-pet-cremation-work.html

Your veterinarian can take care of arranging a cremation for your pet but you can also deal direct with a business that is licensed for pet cremations. There are some pet specific crematoriums in the Metro Detroit area but also check with human cemeteries, some offer private cremation services for animals also.

The reason for writing this blog is because I had to have my senior kitty, Puma, humanely euthanized two days ago. After discussing the option of private cremation with my friends at the Kitty Clinic in Clinton Township, MI I discovered that Cadillac Memorial Gardens East, also located in Clinton Township, offers private cremation Services. I decided I wanted to use them so Puma and I made the short trip down the road to the cemetery. After explaining what I wanted and signing a few forms, I turned Puma over to them. The gentleman who handled the arrangements was very nice and everything was done in a professional manner. I was told my little buddy would be ready to be picked up in 2 – 3 days.

Well, as I was in the middle of writing this blog, Linda who handles the animal cremations and burials, called me to let me know Puma is ready to be picked up. So later on today, I will be picking him to bring him back home.

I am not here to advertise for any certain company, but I want to share the costs for private animal cremation (as of today) that Linda told me.

Animals under 15 lbs. are $65.00. Animals between 16 – 50 lbs are $85.00. Animals between 51 – 75 lbs. are $115.00. Animals 76 – 100 lbs. are $145.00. Animals between 101 – 150 lbs. are $180.00. For animals larger than 151 lbs. please call to find out price. They also have a pet burial section.

Cadillac Memorial Gardens East website: http://cadillacmemorialgardenseast.com/about-us/

An informed decision is the best decision you can make. Think and research now, so you don’t panic when the time comes.

- Chris, Network Manager

These 2 little faces

 They were living in a closet with a mattress propped up against the door. Why? I don't know, why is the earth square? It's not. And asking why his dogs lived behind a closet door and mattress will get you an answer just as brilliant as the square earth. So don't bother. This dude even made it clear he didn't want anyone to know his real name. Well, ummm, now we know. Again, brilliant.

Scar was their daddy and Scar was one of our favorites. Followed him from Inkster where he had a yard and was only semi-chained to Detroit where he wound up always chained...and in a basement. The day he was surrendered was a very happy day, yet still we asked about 2 of the puppies who were sold, and at way too young of an age. He knew a neighbor eventually wound up with them and he was already worried.

The reason these 2 little faces weren't ripped to shreds as dogfighting bait is a miracle and could really only have to do with laziness.

Their owner could never get to where he needed to be on time. So for weeks and weeks they sat in and out of that closet. In between visits to Scar's daddy we would get concerned calls from him telling us that "the pups might be dead in there..." or that he is still working on getting the owner to let us in. The owner of these 2 was very protective of himself. (If you don't want anyone suspecting you of anything it's much better to just go ahead and give a name, any name, who knows the difference, and to just be friendly...right?)

Finally, thanks to the ongoing prodding of Scar's old daddy, access was gained to the pups. It needs to be said that, even as he stood there knocking on the door, our friend looked visibly nervous, almost nauseous. But still, out of concern for these 2, there we were.

And so, after much talking and talking and talking we left with these 2 little faces. "They haven't eaten for 3 or 4 days..." was the first and last words that came out of the owners mouth. Yeah ok that's great we are sure you did the best that you could. Bye.

Due to the fact that the pups had never been outside let alone on a leash, coupled with the fact that 'anything can suddenly change' we flung the pooches over our shoulders and got away. Scar's old daddy, and by now our friend, and I.

Tap Dancers. That's what they were. They were tap dancers. Have you ever had a canine slumber party with tap dancers? If ever you should volunteer to simply foster for a 1-2 night sleepover, you might get the privilege. Even now writing this I find myself breaking out into a big grin and tears. Happy and grateful pups I have
seen plenty of times, this happy and grateful? No. Their long,long nails click click clicked all night long on the hardwood floor. And their swollen worm bellies and protruding ribs just tap danced until they passed out from, well, happiness.

- Mindy

The cycle continues.....

Remember our little Haunted family?

The mommy whose gentle face and gaunt body still haunt us to this day?

And then her babies started being surrendered:
‘Terrified Puppy’ along with a few siblings was surrendered next… all too terrified to function around people, animals or even objects for that matter. And remember the, ‘One Of Terrified Puppy’s Sisters’ story? The little girl who by some miracle didn’t stab herself in the throat with a nail while circling around and around chewing on her paw?

Yeah, that little Haunted family.

Another call. “Can’t deal with them. Too much work. They never leave the basement…there are 4 left can you come and get 3 of them?” Oh, and could they have some food. (Keeping at least 1 and needing food is the norm.)

Only 2 came up, one held by a back leg, from the dark basement where they had spent their entire pathetic lives. Skinny, terrified, and not willing to sit in the front even for the duration of their Starbucks whipped cream, they quickly settled in on the floor…smashed together one body on top of the other, trying to hide from the world that thus far had treated them so so bad.

So again, we get a litter in stages. The remaining puppy you ask? The remaining puppy is on the list to get neutered. If that’s all we can do, that’s the least we can do. However, we are rather optimistic that we will eventually receive the call. “It’s too much work. Can you come get him?” Be right there man for your no longer a cute puppy but rather completely mentally and physically screwed up dog.

And then we will have everyone from our little Haunted family.

Mary update!

Do you remember Mary, the little puppy that was left to starve and freeze to death in a garage this past winter? If not, here is the original story:
http://michigananimaladoptionnetwork.org/our-blogs/pontiac/2014-pontiac-blogs/april-13-2014-marys-story/

We are very happy to say that Mary, now known as Roxie Larue, is doing well in her new home. She is loved and spoiled, the way it should be. Her mom has entered her n the Michigan Human Society Pet Photo calender contest. She needs all the votes she can get, can you help?

https://www.360photocontest.com/page/viewInd/secure/on/id/47231/contestid/245

Roxie enjoying her swimming pool

Meet Nadia

The Animal Care Network has known Kevin, Angel and DJ for years. A couple years ago Kevin and DJ had a very bad experience with Jada, a female pit bull that had become pregnant and was unable to pass the puppies and became very sick.

Kevin and his friend took a cab to the vet and with no money and Jada’s condition being life threatening the vet recommended humanely putting Jada to sleep.

Kevin and his friend DJ vowed they would never put a dog through this again.

Since then they have both rescued new female pit bulls from bad situations and immediately called to have them spayed. In our line of work, sadly, not a lot of people follow through on their word, but these two guys did.

First came Lil Ma, who DJ rescued from a very abusive situation, she looked like she had a dozen litters, ACN had her spayed, vaccinated and she turned into a healthy and great companion for DJ, though her temperament was affected by her previous treatment and abuse.

Then came Nadia, the same day Kevin rescued her, he called to have her fixed. She was spayed and vaccinated and even received her follow up booster shots so she does not get the parvovirus.

Nadia is considered a part of the family, I drove by their house last weekend and she was out front with the family and the kids enjoying the nice weather and just as happy as can be. Since it was the last day to buy dog licenses, I even gave them a ride to Oakland County to buy her 2014 license which they were very proud of. SO nice to see a dog out front with the family instead of isolated and chained up in the back yard.

In this case education worked! How we wish everyone learned and listened like these two guys did!

Good work guys!!!!

Missing and remembering Ciny Merz

I write this wiping away tears because today was definitely a Cindy Merz kind of a day.

Every single day something reminds me of Cindy who we lost last July.

Every single time I go into Pontiac there is something that I wish I could tell her, that I wish I could show her or just share with her. Even the silliest things gave her such joy and made her laugh and appreciate life even more.

Today was one of those days. Cindy had such a great, different sense of humor, we laughed about some of the dumbest things constantly.

The day started out with the barn swallows all over by our storage unit, I remember how they flew over when we were at Cindy's gravesite.

Then I tried to catch a chicken which she would have totally found hilarious.

I saw some silly graffiti that I knew she would have totally cracked up over.

Cindy took on a lot of families in Pontiac that she really connected with and became quite devoted to. I visited one of those families today to drop off some dog food. "Bill" had his own little Auto Show set up on his front yard and front porch. It was one of the cutest things I had ever seen and I thought to myself "I wish Cindy could see this, she would love it and get such a kick out of this". She would have been real proud of Bill. She absolutely adored the special and unique!

And then to close the day, a gorgeous colorful sky.

Cindy, we all miss you so very much and think of you often.

I hope and pray that you are always with us and witness these silly and touching moments that remind us of you each and every day!

- Pam