Lowcountry Dog Magazine- April May 2019

Issue No. 22 • APRIL/MAY 2019 • DIGITAL

' n i y r C N ' n DrivNi Barkin' We talk music & dogs with Tim Nielsen

Woofstock raises money for pups

How accurate are DNA Panels?

ADOPTABLE DOGS!

We put them to the test!

Meet the Pack PUBLISHER Brian Foster brian@lowcountrydog.com CHIEF CANINE OFFICER Peanut SOCIAL MEDIA & CONTENT COORDINATOR Julie Murray julie@lowcountrydog.com COPY EDITOR Chelsea Salerno EDITORIAL COLUMNIST Alicia Williams AD SALES ASSISTANT Abbie Allen abbie@lowcountrydog.com STAFF WRITERS Izzy Selert, Intern Kelly Glasson PHOTOGRAPHER Southern Vintage Photography RESCUE SPOTLIGHT PRODUCER Palmetto Coast Media WEB DEVELOPER & CONSULTANT Laura Olsen CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Samantha Ashby Stacy Jesson

We believe that our dogs are our best friends, and that’s why we need a reliable source to turn to for information on all things “dog” in our community. Our mission is to be the number one Charleston area resource for dog owners regarding regional dog-centric and dogwelcoming events, health & wellness information, dog training, trends, and local news.

We also strive to be a mouthpiece to the public for various Lowcountry-based pet non-profits, and we promote pet adoption and other responsible pet care practices.

Founded in Charleston, South Carolina in 2005 as a print magazine, we re-launched in 2015 as an online publication. In 2016 we updated our website to continue our mission to be the best dog friendly resource in the Lowcountry.

Sniff Us out!

CONTENTS COVER STORY

18

DRIVIN' N CRYIN' N BARKIN' We talk music and dogs with Tim Nielsen FEATURES PEANUT TIPS-

05 NUTRIENTS YOUR DOG NEEDS STAY, BEHAVE-DOES YOUR 06 SIT, DOG HAVE MANNERS HEALTH AND WELLNESS10 CANINE PODIATRY

Page 26

14 PEACE, LOVE & REAL TALK HOW ACCURATE ARE DNA 26 PANELS? WE PUT THEM TO THE TEST WOOFSTOCK: A

30 LOWCOUNTRY DOG MUSIC FESTIVAL ADVOCATE: 36 ANIMAL DR. SALLY BROWN

38 GO GREEN:

ADOPTABLE DOGS

Page 30

Page 36

Nutrients Your Dog Needs There are the six essential classes of nutrients dogs need for optimum healthy living.

Water Essential to life, water accounts for between 60 to 70% of an adult pet’s body weight. While food may help meet some of your pet's water needs (dry food has up to 10% moisture, while canned food has up to 78% moisture), pets must have fresh clean water available to them at all times. A deficiency of water may have serious repercussions for pets. A 10% decrease in body water can cause serious illness, while a 15% loss can result in death.

Proteins Proteins are the basic building blocks for cells, tissues, organs, enzymes, hormones and antibodies, and are essential for growth, maintenance, reproduction and repair. Proteins can be obtained from a number of sources including animal-based meats such as chicken, lamb, turkey, beef, fish and eggs (which have complete amino acid profiles) and in vegetables, cereals and soy (but these are considered incomplete proteins).

's t u n Pea s Tip

Fats Fats are the most concentrated form of food energy, providing your pet with more than twice the energy of proteins or carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates Carbohydrates provide energy, play a vital role in the health of the intestine, and are important for reproduction. Fibers are kinds of carbohydrates that alter the bacterial population in the small intestine, which can help manage chronic diarrhea in dogs.

Vitamins Tiny amounts of vitamins are necessary in dogs for normal metabolic functioning. Most vitamins cannot be synthesized in the body, and therefore are essential to obtain in the diet.

Minerals Minerals are nutrients that cannot be synthesized by animals and must be provided in the diet. In general, minerals are most important as structural constituents of bones and teeth, for maintaining fluid balance and for their involvement in many metabolic reactions. lowcountry dog  5

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Sit, Stay...Behave!

Written by Samantha Ashby Certified Trainer/Owner FATHOM K9, LLC

DOES YOUR DOG HAVE MANNERS? What does it mean to have manners? For humans, it means to have polite social behavior toward others.

Humans are taught manners and what it means to have good manners at a very young age. Having good manners is important for success in society.

Just like humans, dogs must also be taught manners. They must be taught how to behave around humans and other animals. A dog with poor manners might exhibit embarrassing and/or frustrating behaviors that may prevent their owner from enjoying the companionship of their dog or could result in injury. lowcountry dog 6

Puppies begin learning manners the minute that they are born. Their mother and litter mates teach a puppy how to interact and behave with other dogs. This is all done without any human interaction and cannot be duplicated no matter how hard we humans try. In order to assure that pups are taught this “unduplicated socialization training”, it is important that a puppy remain with their mother and litter until they reach 7 to 8 weeks of age.

When you take your puppy home and away from the mother and litter mates, it becomes your responsibility to continue teaching proper manners. Puppies between the ages of 8 and 16 weeks of age should be learning what is and what is not appropriate behavior. For example, what is acceptable for your puppy to chew? May he jump and or play bite? Even a 7-week-old puppy should not be jumping. If you allow jumping as a pup, the behavior will continue as an adult dog.

At the age of 8-16 weeks, a local “puppy pre-school” program can help owners establish a foundation for successful manners training. A clear line of communication and consistency are the foundation for

this and all training moving forward.

Once a clear line of communication has been established, a dog can learn the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behavior. It is important for a dog owner to be patient during this training process as all dogs, much like humans, learn at a different pace. Dogs do not understand the concept of “sometimes”. Here lies the importance of consistency along with effective communication.

Families must agree on the rules and everyone in the family along with the dog must abide by those rules. If you allow your dog to jump on you when you arrive home, you can expect that your dog will greet guests the same way. If you allow him to lick your face, don’t be shocked when he licks Grandma’s face. If he is allowed to bark at the neighbor’s dog, (you don’t like that dog either), don’t be surprised when he barks at all dogs.

Never sometimes. A dog is either allowed to do something all the time or none of the time.

Continuing to teach manners as your puppy matures is necessary. Basic obedience training can begin at the age of approximately 4 months.

Advanced concepts can follow as

your dog matures.

Commands taught to your dog during obedience training can be used to help control and manage your dog.

Doing so allows you to prevent and eliminate unacceptable behaviors.

Effective lines of communication along with consistency promote respect and understanding.

Understanding aids in developing a healthy, happy relationship between us and our canine partners. So remember, never sometimes and obedience is much more than sit, stay, and come.

Health

Wellness

CANINE PODIATRY Written by Stacy Jesson Have you ever noticed the sound of your dog’s nails tapping on the floor as they walk through the house?

Would you be surprised to know that this sound is a sign of inflammation in your dog’s body?

Long toenails push your dog's posture back which in turn pushes every joint from toes to tail out of alignment. Joint misalignment creates stress and inflammation in our dog’s entire body. If we can prevent stress in our dog’s body, we can increase the length and quality of their lives!

The majority of us live in and on an artificial environment in our modern society. Our trails and dirt roads are now asphalt and concrete. Our dirt floors from the past are now hard woods, vinyl, carpet and tile. As we have evolved, so have the lives of our canine companions. We humans have developed shoes to help us remain in proper posture on artificial surfaces but our dogs are still running around on these same surfaces with their natural feet. Our dogs also live in our homes as part of the family when in the past they mostly lived outside. Dogs would dig in search for grubs, roots and to bury re-mains from their prey for lowcountry dog 10

future meals. They used their claws for traction when on the hunt or for defending their territory; those really sharp claws on the inside of their front feet, the dewclaws, were essential for catching prey. They no longer have to hunt or scavenge for food yet their claws still grow as if they are needed for survival.

Dogs are toe walkers. They use every part of their foot including their toes to walk and run.

Also, the reflexology points on every part of the paw promotes circulation and balances the flow of the subtle energies of the body. Now that most dogs live on artificial surfaces and do not have their nails worn down by past natural behaviors, their pos-ture is being pushed back off of their toes and towards their heels as the nails grow. Once their posture is pushed back even just a little, every joint in the body is pushed out of alignment. This chronic misalignment causes inflammation in EVERY joint from toes to tail! This joint misalignment can lead to things like ACL injuries or tears, arthritis, herniated discs and even stress to the adrenal glands which leads to inflammation in every organ of the body. In order to help our dogs in this modern world, it is our job to keep their claws at a length that promotes proper joint alignment.

How do we help our dogs? Nail Trims! I am not talking about just trimming the tip of your dog’s nail either. There is a unique way of trimming or filing through the spine at the top of the nail and exposing the quick or live part in the middle of the nail. Every time the quick is exposed, it will regress. I call this technique Canine Podiatry Nail Trims. Over time this technique will shorten your dog’s nails and will put them back in proper

posture! This is one of the easiest ways to reduce your dog’s inflammation.

What could it mean for your dog’s health and well being if their chronic inflammation was reduced? A longer, healthier life!

A lot of people are nervous to trim their dog’s nails. This is understandable. It can be scary. Most dogs don’t love having their paws touched let alone their nails trimmed.

They wiggle, pull away and can even nip reacting to our hesitant attempts. One reason our dogs can become so reactive is because every time their nails are trimmed pres-sure is applied to the entire nail including the nerve that runs along the very bottom of the toenail. Experiencing pain every time their nails are

trimmed can create a behavioral response. The Canine Podiatry Nail Trim technique avoids pressure on the nerve more than traditional techniques and over time the dog becomes more accepting.

I am here to tell you that you CAN learn to confidently trim your dog’s nails!

My goal in life is to help pets and their people live happier and healthier lives! One way to do this is to teach people and other pet care professionals the Canine Podiatry Nail Trim technique.

If you would like more information on the Canine Podiatry Nail Trim, workshops offered, or to schedule an appointment for your dog please visit CrescentMoonHappyHealing.com

ReTail Shop open 24 hrs

Dear Murray, I had selected you myself. I thought you You became a favorite among the were adorable in your shelter picture. You volunteers as well. You knew who “your were nervous with all people at first. How people” were. You were a jerk to everyone could you not be? People failed you time at first but once people showed you that and time again. It took two days or so for they were “good,” you never let them down. you to know that you were safe. You went Each and every time someone familiar to a foster home. They loved you so much. greeted you, you made them feel special, They took care of you and helped you gain almost honored. If you gave them a pass, the weight that you needed. They took you they were good people. to your first vet appointment (probably the When we think about advocating for the first vet appointment of your whole life). best interest of a dog, we never think that it They could only be part of your life for a involves euthanizing one. Unfortunately for little while, but they loved you you Murray, it did. It sucks. It’s the suckiest tremendously. feeling in the world. To love you so much After you reached a healthy weight, you and to know that the best thing is to let you came back to my place. We bonded. completely go is complete heartache – but Although I try my hardest not to have a that’s what we did. So you could be at “favorite” adoptable – you were my favorite. peace. So you would never have to hurt Hands down, without a doubt, my favorite. again.

So big, so goofy, so misunderstood. Your Murray, we love you so much. We miss you. eyes lit up whenever you saw me and made Thank you for gifting us with your time. me feel like, “wow this is why I rescue.”

Until we meet again, Alicia

lowcountry dog 14

This is the letter I wrote to Murray, a dog we had to put down due to aggression. Although it was one of the hardest things we had to do, I know for a fact it was the right thing. My goal by sharing this with all of you, is that I hope if you ever run into this decision – do not feel like a failure. You are NOT the one that harmed them to make them behave this way, you are the one that showed them love. You are the only one to show them love.

I’m not saying give up on any dog that has one incident, but I am saying that if it no longer feels safe, it may need to be time to make the most unfortunate decision. Make their last few days extra special. Make them feel worthy. Be there with them as they cross over. Sometimes it might seem “better” to surrender them to a rescue or shelter. I promise you, it isn’t. Most shelters and rescues do not have the resources to rehabilitate to that extent and will most likely euthanize anyway. So, if you’re going to do it – be there. It hurts, but be there. Let them leave the Earth feeling wanted and loved – it’s what they deserve.

About the Cover Tim Nielsen, bassist for the band Drivin' N Cryin' has called the Lowcountry his home since 2011. He shares his home with his dog Bailey, whose favorite activity is to ride in the golf cart to Pitt Street Bridge. We discuss all things dog and rock n roll with this rock legend who has been rockin with his band for over 33 years.

Drivin' N Cryin' N Barkin'

Written by Julie Murray, Head-writer, Lowcountry Dog Magazine Photography by Southern Vintage Photography

Last month I spoke with Tim Nielsen, the bass player for Drivin’ N Cryin’.

This Atlanta-based group has been around since 1985 and recently had their 33rd anniversary. They celebrated by creating a brand new album, Live the Love Beautiful, and embarking on a spring/summer tour around the southern United States.

When you get the chance to speak with a famous musician on the eve of his tour to promote his band’s new album, what do you talk about?

His dog, of course!

“Since this is a dog magazine, I'm going to ask you a few questions about your dog. What kind of dog or dogs do you have right now?”

“It's a Mal-Shi, a Maltese Shitzu combo, named Bailey.”

OK, now can I tell you how happy I was to hear this from a seasoned, badass rocker who has played with bands like Soul Asylum and The Black Crowes tell me that his family dog is a fluffy white pupper who loves to go on golf cart rides? “[Our] favorite place to go with the dog in Charleston is the Pitt Street Bridge in Old Village. She loves riding in the golf cart, she's so smart that if you say ‘golf cart’ or even start putting your shoes on, she's like ‘Yep, we're going’. She loves it.”

Bailey the Mal-Shi, who’s namesake is George Bailey from It’s A Wonderful Life, came from Houston, Texas, a Southern doggo who recently went back to her roots. “We took a family trip to Austin a few months ago and [the airline] had this great ticket price so we decided to take the whole family and we decided to take her with us, we got one of those little dog purse things, so she went back to Texas and she did wonderfully.” I could tell what a cherished part of the family Bailey was right away. “She's the best dog. I mean, I've had big dogs, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers and stuff and Bailey's my favorite.”

Bailey lives by the song, " A toy never played with is not a toy at all, a day never lived in is not a day at all!"

“She's the best dog. I mean, I've had big dogs, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers and stuff and Bailey's my favorite.�

Photos by J Michael Walker

Even though I could have talked about dogs with Tim for the entire length of the interview, I knew that y’all would *probably* like to hear more about the band and what they’ve been up to. Their biggest news is the new album that comes out on June 21, 2019. We can expect classic Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ tunes, rocking Americana, gritty and deep.

Some things, like the soulful and timeless music of a band that is ingrained in the fabric of our Southern roots will always be the same, even though the music scene has changed dramatically since the band started up in the 80’s. “I think that the music business has definitely changed because of streaming; downloads and digital music are the number one thing...And the concept of the record company has changed a lot too because people hire a lot of independent contractors to carry out the duties of publicity and radio marketing and retail and all that kind of stuff so it's changed a lot, you know. Social media, the internet, that's really all you need.” As we all know, sometimes social media and the digital age has its downside [read: comments on

literally ANY post] but it also makes it way easier for musicians to get their music heard. “That's definitely a great advantage. It’s very simple and we have a distribution deal, so distribution means it's going to be out digitally in every format and then the records are going to get to the record store and Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Wal-Mart, whatever.”

It seems like life has been pretty good to Tim. He is a founding member of a successful band that has put out multiple albums, several of which have been in the top US Chart positions and in 2015 was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. I’m always curious, though, about what people would have done if they hadn’t taken a certain path.

If you weren’t a musician, what would you be doing?

“I’m a pretty good carpenter and I’ve been a craftsman and contractor in the past and I still do a little bit of carpentry. I enjoy doing that, working with my hands, but, you know, I might be a fishing charter guy…we have some fans of ours that are fishing charter captains and we get to go out with them all the time.”

If Tim ever decides on a career change, I can guarantee the line to book his fishing charters would be out the door. Cruising around the Charleston waterways, drinking a beer with a rock legend while he tells you stories about his life and takes you to the best fishing spots…to many fans, it couldn’t get better than that.

We also talked about things we would tell our younger selves. “Just be thoughtful and courteous, my younger self was probably a bit high strung and crazy, like most people.” I told Tim that I wish I could tell 20 year old Julie to relax and not worry so much about everything and everyone and he agreed, that would be good advice. “Yeah, absolutely, relax! Life is gonna get stressful enough so just enjoy being young.”

Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ is currently on tour and Tim will return to the Lowcountry for their May 24th show at the Windjammer on Isle of Palms. You can purchase tickets on their website, https://www.drivinncryin.com/, and also be sure to check out their new album when it rolls out on June 21, 2019. And if you’re ever in Old Village, keep an eye out for a sweet little white dog, riding on a golf cart with her fur blowing in the wind and a big smile on her face.

lowcountry dog 24

HOW ACCURATE ARE DNA PANELS? Dog owners often get the question when they are out and about with their pup, “What kind of dog is he/she?”, and many rescue dog owners can’t give a confident answer back to that question!

One of the many benefits of rescuing a dog is the unique mix of breeds that can make rescue dogs unique from any dogs purchased from a breeder or pet store.

Rescue dogs often come with a question mark next to their breed because we can only speculate by the way they look. Still, many rescue owners are curious as to what breeds their dogs lowcountry dog 26

WE PUT THEM TO TEST...

Written by Kelly Glasson, staff writer are for health reasons, behavioral reasons or just pure curiosity. Dog DNA Panels have been created to determine just that- what is your dog mixed with?

So how do these tests work?

Almost all DNA panels start by sending a DNA swab kit to the dog owner’s home.

Then the owner will take a swab of their dog’s cheek and send it back for analysis. Each company that sells DNA kits has a database of unique DNA markers associated with each breed of dog. Through comparing the unique markers in your dog’s DNA with the

others in the database, these companies can give you an idea of what breeds your dog is mixed with. Many DNA panels can give you percentages of each breed that they have found in your dog’s DNA so not only can you find out what your dog is mixed with but also what percentage of their genetic makeup each breed contributes. The test results are usually emailed back to you within 2-8 weeks.

When DNA panels hit the market in 2007 they were met with both curiosity and skepticism. How accurate can these DNA panels be? Which DNA test has the best results?

Nathan Sutter, PhD, assistant professor of medical genetics at Cornell University says “The more breeds in a company’s database, the greater the chance for accuracy in their results.”

This allows the database to compare against more breeds to have more accurate findings. Unfortunately, companies with more breeds in their DNA base often are more expensive than others.

Our Chief Canine Officer Peanut was recently the subject of a DNA panel. Her DNA swabs were sent off to two different DNA Panels- DNA My Dog and Wisdom Panel. While both swabs were taken from the same dog, the results were VERY different.

DNA My Dog reported that Peanut is Level 2 (37-74%) Boxer, Level 3 (2036%) Akita, Level 4 (10-20%) Parson Russell Terrier and Level 5 (1-9%) Weimaraner.

Wisdom Panel reported that Peanut is 25% Beagle, 25% Chihuahua, 12.5% Chow Chow, 12.5% Cocker Spaniel and 25% breeds of the breed groups asian, companion, Middle Eastern & African, Terrier.

Vastly different results from 2 companies that both received cheek swabs from the same dog. So what companies can you trust with your DNA panel results?

After extensive research we have chosen Embark as our number 1 pick for a DNA test.While Embark refused to participate in our test for Peanut to compare their results with the other two leading brands, Embark provides a very detailed report after comparing your dogs DNA to over 200 breeds.

Embark also uses the sample to perform a health screening to see if your dog has any health risks or is predisposed to any conditions. This test may be a little pricier (priced at about $200) but if you are going to pay for DNA results you want to make sure that they are accurate.

Second on our list is Wisdom Panel, one of the DNA tests taken by Peanut.

Wisdom Panel is great for dogs who are mixed with many other breeds because they have over 250 breeds in their database to analyze with, although their reports and not as detailed as Embark.

They also perform a health screening just like our number 1 pick. Wisdom Panel gave accurate results for Peanut when tested against another nonreputable DNA company. This is also a good option for those with a tighter budget when it comes to DNA testing (priced at about $75).

HomeDNA Orivet Dog DNA Test and Life Plan rounds out our top 3 DNA panels.

They offer 2 DNA panels, one for breed identification and one for health screening. Each of the DNA tests come with a life plan, which includes everything from diet, exercise routine and playtime routine based upon the breeds that are included in the results.

These tests are priced at about $120 per test but are thorough and great for first time dog owners who aren’t sure exactly what they should be doing to care for their specific dog.

DNA Panels can be very informative and help to find useful information about our furry friends. Like all things having to do with our pets, doing thorough research on the best option for them is the best way to determine which DNA panel can help determine their doggy history.

OR

or 100% awesome?

WOOFSTOCK RAISES MUCH NEEDED FUNDS FOR THE RESCUE COMMUNITY. Written by Brian Foster

There was lots of dancing, hula Over 1100 attendees came out and hooping, smiles and wagging tails enjoyed the music, food, drinks and along the shore of the Ashley River most importantly the dogs! In its this past Saturday as Lowcountry inaugural year, Woofstock raised Dog Magazine along with Charleston $12,000 for 6 local rescue groups: Parks Conservancy, The Bridge at Valiant Animal Rescue, Eunoia 105.5 and 98 Rock presented Rescue, Pet Helpers, Bullies 2 The WOOFSTOCK: A Lowcountry Dog Rescue, Greyhound Pets of Music Festival to Brittlebank Park in America and Waters Edge Great downtown Charleston. This all-day Dane Rescue as well as the kid and dog friendly music festival Charleston Parks Conservancy. featured 7 bands, food trucks and 6 local rescue groups.

Photography by Zeppelin Studios

Drone Photography by Palmetto Coast Media

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Thanks to The Bridge at 105.5, 98 Rock and Charleston Parks Conservancy for partnering with us on Woofstock

This month’s Animal Advocate is Dr. Sally Brown Lanford, Owner of Bees Ferry Veterinary Hospital and Director of Happy’s Porch.

Happy’s Porch is a non-profit organization located just outside of Charleston that is dedicated to improving the quality of life for elderly animals and the humans who love them. Dr. Lanford came up with the idea for this after years of seeing pets left behind after their owners passed away or became unable to care for them due to infirmity. I spoke with her and learned all about this wonderful place. “I have been a veterinarian in Charleston for 30 years.

During that time I have become close with many of my clients...so through the years I have counseled many people about planning for the care of their pet.” She urges them not to assume that family members will undertake the responsibility of caring for their pets after their passing.

“The family may have pets of their own that don’t get along with the pet left behind, their housing situation may not allow it, or the stress and grief lowcountry dog 36

Dr. Sally Brown Written

by Julie Murray Bees Ferry Veterinary Hospital

may make it impossible for them to take on another responsibility.” This often leads to the pet being taken to a shelter, scared and wondering where their “person” has gone. Other life events, such as hospitalization, divorce, or moving to assisted living or hospice may also lead someone to give up their animal.

When this happens, Dr. Lanford says the people are often devastated, worried, and unable to rest or heal while worrying about the welfare of their pet. After seeing this happen many times throughout her career, Dr. Lanford came up with the idea for a place where animals can go when their people can no longer care for them.

“[It’s] a home, a real home, with couches and beds and cat trees and a fenced yard.

A place where owners can visit if they like or, if their health does not allow, we can take the pet to them for visitation as long as possible.” That way, the animal is still loved and cared for, and the owner knows that their pet is safe and will have a place to be for the rest of its life.

Dr. Lanford told me that her favorite thing to witness is the human/animal bond and how strong and amazing it is. “My favorite part of what we do is taking animals to see their owners in hospice. They bring such comfort to each other and often after that last visit, the owner is able to pass peacefully, knowing their beloved companion will be OK.” Not only does Happy’s Porch provide peace of mind and security, they also fill a great need in the rescue community. “Through the years we have pulled over 250 critically ill animals and made them whole. Seeing them move on to their forever homes is absolutely breathtaking!” Dr. Lanford said she learned so much about this special bonding that occurs from the organization’s namesake, Happy the Golden Retriever. “Happy was my family’s golden retriever that we had when my kids were growing up...she was 3 years old when we got her and we were her SEVENTH home.” Even though the first part of Happy’s life was rough, she lived the rest of her years with a loving family and became the inspiration for this amazing organization.

For most people, making plans for their eventual passing is extremely difficult. It is easier to assume that your friends and family will continue caring for your pets after you are gone. Dr. Lanford recommends putting a plan in place, even if you are 100% confident about your animal’s future. “Don’t assume anything have a serious talk, whether it’s with your best friend, a family member, your dog walker or your veterinarian.” Even better, get it in writing. Your pet, your best friend, is worth that uncomfortable talk!

Love and affection for the animals are two important components that Happy’s Porch is absolutely overflowing with on a daily basis. On another level, though, they have financial and practical needs, just like we all do. “Our organization has several needs but one of our biggest needs is space. We need a place where we can operate a very low cost spay/neuter clinic for animals from counties such as Berkeley, Lee, Colleton and Hampton that don’t have the community support that Charleston County does.” They are always looking for fosters as well and, of course, donations monetary and also things like towels, food, paper towels, cat litter, etc… “[Another] easy way to help is to shop using smile.amazon.com and select Happy’s Porch as your charity. Amazon donates 1% to us - and it doesn’t cost the shopper anything.” And as always, Dr. Lanford encourages people to spread the word in their communities about spaying and neutering.

Pet Helpers

Folly

Peanut

Stevie

Bogey

sponsored by

Eunoia Rescue

Carolina Boxer Rescue

Lady

Belle

Crush

Bailey

Gracie

Athena

Macy

Dave

SPONSOR RESCUE DOGS &

HAVE YOUR BUSINESS HERE

Tommy Lee

Diego

Cullen

Woodstock

Water Edge Great Dane sponsored by:

Rio

Riley

Chance Phoenix Rising Border Collie Rescue sponsored by:

Sophie

Drayton

Flossie

Herbert

Buddy

Hallie Hill Animal Sanctuary sponsored by lowcountry dog 40

Bounce

Sybill

Huckleberry

Bernadette

Baxter Black

Carolina Coonhound sponsored by: Furlife German Shepherd Rescue sponsored by:

Joe

Sammie Beau HF Help sponsored by: TAG Gas Works

Natty

Samuel

Hunter

Charlie

event calendar Sniff out all events here

04/13 Spring EGGstravaganza, Pet Helpers 124pm 04/13 Adoption Event at Dorchester Paws 123pm 04/16 Adoptable Dogs at UofSC School of Law, Eunoia Rescue 12-2pm 04/16 Fundraiser for Waters Edge Great Dane, Avondale Wine & Cheese 6-8pm 04/20 8th Annual Bullie Que for B2TR, Crossing Paths Park, NC 3 to 6pm 04/27 2nd Annual Race for the Paws,James Is Cty Park, 9:00am

Deepwater Vineyard May 18 10 to 5 pm

Adoption Event at Magnolia Plantation Sept 15 1 to 4 pm

05/16 Wine & Design - Paint Your Pet for B2TR 6:30pm 05/18 3rd Annual May The Dogs Be With You Festival at Deep Water Vineyard 10-5pm 06/02 Dogs Days of Summer at Tattooed Moose Johns Island,

Dia De Los Perros Tattooed Moose Nov 2 3 to 6 pm