The Brittany Advocate Volume 7, Issue 3 B U S I N E S S
N A M E
~ Home is where the Brittany is ~
President’s Corner
September2015
by Sue Spaid
A few weeks ago Gaye Bricker, one of our board members called me at 10:30 PM. Gaye never calls that late, she’s usually in bed by then. Some nights‐ so am I! I answered my phone with “What’s wrong?” not hello. She proceeded to tell me about a 14 week old puppy in Illinois that our wonderful coordinator Susan Hennis had learned about. It seems this young pup had juvenile diabetes and the distraught owner had taken her to the vet to have her euthanized. The vet wanted to find a rescue, and see if he could save the pup. Gaye was asking if it was OK for NBRAN to step up for a pup that was not going to be an easy placement‐ and a pup that would inevitably cost us some money. I said “She’s 14 weeks old‐ we have to save her”. Gaye said “I thought that would be the answer, but wanted to make sure.” The pup’s name is Zoey and she is adorable.
The poor owner was beside herself. She had no idea how she was going to care for a puppy with diabetes let alone afford the costs associated with that care. She was devastated. Susan talked with her and assured her we would help Zoey and her. This owner found herself in a tough posi on‐ a posi on no owner wants to be in. We all expect as our dog’s age that we will have increased vet costs and perhaps have to do some things to help our aging pups along. No one expects that with a new puppy. Watching Susan care for the owner and the puppy was encouraging to me. Susan’s grace and concern was apparent in all her dealings‐ with the owner‐ with the vet and with her comrades at NBRAN. I say all the me to the board and the coordinators, “This is as much a people business as it is a dog business”. Susan’s handling of this owner surrender illustrated very well that statement. People some mes find themselves in untenable situa ons, and how we react and behave can make all the difference in the world to a hur ng dog owner. I always say I would rather someone surrender their dog they are unable to care for than to take the dog to a shelter or trust a friend to care for it. Rescue is what we do, and I think NBRAN does a very good job for the dogs and for the owners who need us. In case you are wondering… Zoey is with a wonderful foster in Pi sburgh PA, Julie Agos , and Julie is working to get Zoey’s glucose levels stabilized. Zoey will be available for adop on once we get her stabilized. The vets feel once she matures managing her diabetes will be easier.
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Inside This Issue
2‐15 Readers Le ers & Pictures 16 Over the Rainbow Bridge
17 Coordinator & Volunteer of the Quarter 18 Directory of Officers/Stats
Dogs Helping People, People Helping Dogs With “Murphy” Amore For the last three years, the children in the religious education program at Nativity of the Lord Jesus Catholic Church in Summit County Ohio, have donated their efforts to make dog treats to benefit NBRAN. The idea began when the director of religious education, Ada Honeck, approached me to ask about the children doing a service project to benefit rescue as a part of their religious education curriculum. She asked about making dog treats and donating them. NBRAN Ohio has a fairly active schedule attending events to raise money so I agreed and thanked her for thinking of us! This last year, Mrs. Honeck asked if a rescue dog could come and visit the children while they made the treats. The lesson for the children was Dogs Helping People, People Helping Dogs. She also had a service dog coming to visit with the children. I contacted Pat Amore, Ohio co coordinator and asked her if she could bring a dog. Pat enthusiastically volunteered her Murphy (a failed foster). On November 19, we all met at the church and the children baked treats and interacted with Murphy and the service dog. Pat explained to the children what rescue did and how their contribution would go to help rescue more Brittanys. One of the children remarked that she saw rescue from the dog's point of view. She explained to Pat that she was living in a foster home and was adopted by a loving family. Everyone had a great time. Murphy really loved all the attention. At the end of the evening, the children shared some of the freshly baked treats with him. Needless to say, Murphy gave their work his paw print of approval. The treats the children made sold out quickly at our last event of 2014, the Crown Classic Dog Show at the I-X Center in Cleveland.
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PAL O’ MINE By Cliff Dragone
“The love and care we give an adopted pet forever changes them and us too” My funny and quirky Bri any named “Pal” came to me as a Valen ne’s day gi on a wintery day this past February 16th, 2015. A er searching for the right fit for both myself and the newly available Bri , it was the excellent judgment of Robin Flood who paired us together. Two bachelors you might say finding each other on this journey of life. Pal, a 7 year old well trained yet mouthy and fun Bri , was given up for adop on when his owner suffered a medical illness. His rescuer, Yvonne Mehlenbacher, bought him from a family member off of Craigslist. And then there is me. I am a middle aged (and also quite mouthy) fun bachelor from NY who truly lives for my dog. I had lost my 15 year old Bri any named Freckles in October of 2014 and I was finally ready a er my grieving period to provide a forever home to a new fella. And I am glad that I did. Life is beau ‐ ful once again with my companion Pal. Here’s the beauty of our love story. Pal came to me a bit shaken up as one might expect a er having one owner for 7 years. Righ ully so, he had no comprehension as to why his world was just turned upside down. I had never adopted a dog before and the outstanding rescue team of Robin Flood and Yvonne Mehlenbacher in NY coached me through what I could expect from Pal’s eventual adjustment into my home. They said, “He is sad and uncertain as to what just happened to him, but in about four weeks he should turn the corner.” They gave me some insights into his personality and his daily behavior before I got him. I was now prepared to handle my new adopted Bri . Pal came full circle in four weeks. Now at fourteen weeks, well, he runs the house and he is the King of his castle. Showering him with love, hugs, kisses (like any true dog owner) and then reassuring him that I would return home a er short visits away from home, a enuated any separa on anxiety he had. Pal took to me as a loving companion in a short me. What I found, however, that was very interes ng and that I did not expect was this: that as I allowed Pal (a truly and an incredibly intelligent dog) to be himself without trying to “re‐train” or “reinforce” his behavior, his personality came out and his sense of innate happiness was reinstated. Pal likes to talk a bunch when he sees you and he likes to jump up and shower you with hugs too. Bri ’s are usually quiet dogs, but not Pal. And that is exactly what he needed to do; to be allowed to speak out and speak his mind. When he did, he bloomed like a happy Hydrangea and he is a “True Bri .” By allowing him to be the dog he needed to be without imposing harsh rules and boundaries, etc., the animal was free to be itself. This is precisely giving the gi of life we aim for when we rescue an animal. Lastly, I look at life from a unique perspec ve and I remind myself of this thought‐scape regularly. We are all visitors here. Pal and I are alive together at this moment in me. One day, he will make his transi on. One day I will make mine. We have been put together to help one another with our stuff. We all have stuff. The uncondi onal love between a dog and his or her owner (s) is precisely the medicine we need to get us through this thing we call life. When you give, you get. I gave Pal a home through the auspiciousness of NBRAN and Pal gave me a new life.
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Louie, Louie We thought you might like to see some recent pictures of Lou and hear how he is doing. He is doing great! He’s an awesome dog, just awesome. We are so happy he is part of our family. He’s loving life and smiles all the time. He is even learning to play more and fetch a ball. He no longer barks at dogs on walks (well, most times) and is learning what it is like to be a “town dog” and has adjusted perfectly. He learned the e-fence quickly, but really doesn’t have any desire to leave home anyway. He loves walks at our local state park and up north. He was pretty funny the first time he stepped into the lake at the park – he wasn’t sure what he should do and jumped back out to shore! Now, he trudges right on in to cool off. He and Delta are good friends and enjoy each other’s company. They are a good team. He also loves his snuggle time with us – he’s just a big ‘ole teddy bear. He’s gotten to know our vet pretty well … ear infection, eye scratch, and parasites all within the first couple of months, but that is to be expected when rescuing a dog. We had similar when we adopted Delta. He also had a rather big surgery back in January. His groomer noticed a large lump on his right shoulder. It was situated as such, deep in the muscle, that our vet recommended it come out, so that is what we did. It was benign, thank goodness. He’s doing great now. So happy I work from home and could take care of him as he recovered. So, here are some pictures. We have many, many, but these are some of the cuter ones. He doesn’t really like his picture taken and looks away, so I have to quick sneak a picture if I want one. Hope all is well with you both and that dog rescuing is going well! Take care, Shelly & Tom Gladbach (and Delta and Lou, too)
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Gus & Iggy...Together forever… Here are some pictures of Gus and Iggy, two boys who have been together their en re life. Their family was forced to relocate and reluctantly had to turn the boys over to NBRAN. As their coordinator, I was doub ul that I would be able to find a home that would take both boys. But was I wrong!! Steve and Kathy had two Bri anys and one had recently crossed the bridge. Thunder missed his canine companion so they started looking for an older dog to join the family. When they checked the NBRAN website, they saw Gus and Iggy’s write up. Even though they only wanted one dog, they couldn’t bear the thought of these two companions being separated a er living their en re life together. They talked it over and agreed that three Bri anys would not be much more work as compared to two and put in an adop on applica on for both of them. I was thrilled that a family would want to adopt both together and a er going through the approval process, I was more thrilled to let Steve and Kathy know they would be the new parents to these boys. Volunteers selflessly donated their me to transport the boys from South Dakota to Illinois and I am happy to report, everything is going great!! Thunder (the resident Bri ) is adjus ng well to sharing his humans with his two new Bri any brothers and the grandchildren absolutely love Gus and Iggy. I couldn’t ask for a be er ending for this story and am thrilled to share this fairytale with our Bri any family.
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Fearful Little Billy
Billy came to us from a shelter in WV where he was labeled as vicious. He was a young (4- 6 mos.) pup who had very little to no socialization with people or dogs. He was basically a feral little guy who wanted to be loved but was scared to death. He immediately bonded with me, but it took several days for him to adjust to our two dogs (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers)…he would bark and lunge….then wag his tail….not sure if he was scared or wanted to play. He wanted no part of my husband or son…so my husband started running with him. It took about 4 weeks but soon the two of them were inseparable. We took Billy to behavioral specialist as well as worked with one of our vets and taught Billy some simple commands like ‘touch” - touching his nose to the palm of a hand for a treat, so he no longer looked at an outstretched hand as a threat (he would nose butt or air snap when he first came to us). He was a very smart little boy and picked up cues very quickly. We eventually had to teach him place or go to mat as he wouldn’t leave visitors alone…kept touching their hands for treats! When he went to his new home… it again took him several days to adjust to his new big sister ..a terrier/ pit bull mix, but they became best buddies. He immediately took to the husband which was very ironic and took a little bit longer to warm up to the wife. My husband and I were thrilled that this couple came forward looking for a “project” and took a chance on our little wild man. Attached are several photos of Billy, our fearful foster. He was happily adopted last winter and has adjusted well!
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Fenton, The Dog Who Gave Me Faith in Humanity Again Dr. Lisa Parshley, DVM, PHD, DACVIM (Oncology) ‐ Olympia Veterinary Specialists
Have you ever had an experience that restored your faith in humanity? You know, one of those moments where your arm hairs stand on end. One where you end up smiling like the Grinch as your heart expands. Not long ago I had such a moment. It occurred because of a story I heard about a dog. You may ask, why is this story any different than the thousands of other stories about dogs? Well, in this story the homeless dog had cancer. Indulge me as I relate this story and you be the judge. Our tale begins on the streets of Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is here that the main player, Fenton, enters our story. Although, it might be better to say it was there that he was abandoned. Like most lost dogs we do not know how long he wandered the winter streets. What we do know is that in early February of this year a Good Samaritan found him and took him to Pikes Peak Humane Society. Using a microchip reader it was discovered that he had a home. Having worked at several emergency clinics, I can imagine the feeling of hearing the microchip reader beep. It must have given the shelter staff a surge of hope that perhaps he would soon be reunited with his family. Unfortunately if there was relief it was a short lived. When contacted, Fenton’s family unequivocally did not want him back. Despite this statement they were given roughly a week to reconsider this decision. They never did. At this time things looked bleak for Fenton. He was 10 years old. Being abandoned is a bad thing, but being abandoned and being old is worse. Unless you have a fantastic rescue group, such as our “Old Dog Haven”, older dogs are more likely to be put to sleep than adopted. Through a series of events Fenton’s luck changed. You see he is a Brittany and the National Brittany Rescue and Adoption Network (NBRAN) is a very active and dynamic group. The shelter where he was housed just so happened to be in the back yard of the regional representative of NBRAN, Lora Smith. In her role as representative she had developed a relationship with most of the shelters in her region, including Pikes Peak Humane Society. So when Fenton’s family rejected him they called Lora. In a short order Fenton was out of the shelter and into NBRAN foster care. As per standard operating procedure, Fenton was seen by a veterinarian shortly after rescue. Park Animal Hospital and Wellness Center in Denver evaluated him for any concerns and to ensure he had basic health care, such as vaccines. During his visit it was clear he needed several procedures, including a dental prophylaxis and biopsies of several lumps. At this point it was believed that because of his age, Fenton would likely not find a forever home. To help raise funds for these procedures Lora Smith wisely posted several pictures and his story on Instagram. Via social media Fenton’s story soared throughout the United States and eventually into the greater Olympia community. I am proud to say two clients of mine, Steve Cherry and his husband Howard Stone, donated the necessary money for his procedures. Fenton’s dental went off without a hitch. Of the lumps and bumps most looked to be fatty tumors (lipomas) but one was concerning and was biopsied. Unfortunately, when the pathology report returned it indicated Fenton had melanoma. Melanoma is a cancer of the pigment cells called melanocytes. These cells make up about 5-10% of the skin in most mammals. They are typically found in the inner layer of the skin (the layer towards the body). One of their most important jobs is to provide UV protection through making and giving melanin to the surrounding cells (keratinocytes). Melanoma has several levels of aggressiveness, with some tumors even being benign. Dogs get melanoma tumors in their mouths, nail beds, and on the skin. Melanoma has the propensity to spread to lymph nodes, lungs, liver, and brain. Melanoma does not respond well to traditional cancer therapies. So what do we do for this cancer in dogs? Standard of care includes surgical removal with a combination of oral metronomic therapy, radiation therapy, and melanoma vaccine. Decisions about what to offer each dog is primarily decided by the location of the tumor and the means of the family. Skin melanoma in dogs are primarily treated by surgical removal whereas tumors in the mouth are best treated by all available therapies. Fenton’s tumor was a cross between these two types of melanoma being located on the eyelid. Due to the location and size of his mass surgery was not going to improve the control of his disease. He would have to rely on the other therapies to provide control of the cancer. Upon learning that he would likely be placed into long term foster care, Steve and Howard, offered their home to Fenton despite his age and cancer. Being a reputable organization, NBRAN required two interviews and a home visit. Steve and Howard had several things going for them; they had adopted from other Brittany rescues and they had unfortunately been around the block with a dog who had cancer. When all the formalities were said and done, Fenton had found a new home in Olympia. Now all he needed was to get to Olympia from Colorado. Due to timing and travel issues Steve and Howard were having problems arranging Fenton’s trip. Eventually they were put in touch with the National Brittany Rescue and Adoption Network Canine Railroad.
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This unique transport process is truly best described as an adoption railroad. It involves multiple drivers that span the distance between one point and another. What’s more, everyone driving the dogs are volunteers. In 48 hours Fenton traveled over 1400 miles with 16 different people. Each person drove a segment of the road between Denver and Olympia. The shortest distance traveled was 42 miles and the longest was 173 miles. He spent the night in Boise Idaho sleeping in the home of one of the drivers. He truly traveled via the adoption railroad. Steve and Howard were waiting at the end of his journey in Longview Washington. They would drive Fenton on his final leg into Olympia. He has truly found a secure and loving home. According to Steve, “he has really bloomed since we have had him”. Currently, Fenton is undergoing therapy for his melanoma and has not missed a beat because of disease or therapy (he is still able to chase his new brothers around the yard). Fenton’s story introduced me to an amazing dedicated group of people from the National Brittany Rescue and Adoption Network (NBRAN) to the National Brittany Rescue and Adoption Network Canine Railroad. It taught me that I have wonderful and loving people as my clients. Steve and Howard saw a lost older dog in need and opened their hearts and home to him. Paying it forward, these two now volunteer with the same adoption railroad who brought Fenton to them. Sometimes dogs are more than the perfect definition of friend and family. They can bring out the best in all of us, making us better human beings. If we are big enough they can allow us to work together to save a lost soul. Thank you, Fenton you have given me faith in humanity again.
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SAVING SIMCOE
by The Leone Family
Adding Simcoe to our family was what I call an achievement, because it was an effort that was several years in the making. Not because it was difficult to get a dog, but (to be completely honest) because adding the very particular needs of a dog to the schedule of an already busy family was a hard-sell for my wife Melina. Having grown up with a golden retriever who she adored, Melina knew firsthand the commitments of money, time, energy, and love that a dog requires…and she just wasn’t convinced that my two sons (Matteo, 10 and Mason, 5) and I were prepared to make that commitment. I spent 16 years with two different dogs growing up, and my heart longed for another one now as a man with a family. And how could I not let my boys experience the love of a puppy, especially since they have been asking for one (Matteo, especially) since they’re alive? So after much “lobbying” (by way of well-executed groaning and sad faces by the boys, and lengthy dissertations by me), Melina caved in and gave the green light (footnoted with several threats to life and limb should we fail in our promises to properly care for the pup!) Ironically, Melina was the one who suggested a Brittany as the breed of choice. She had been familiar with the breed and felt it would be a good fit for our family. We originally planned on acquiring a Brittany from a breeder. But as we thought more and more about the prospect of providing a loving home for some lonely, abandoned dog out there, we quickly and easily concluded that adopting a Brittany was the right thing to do. At the time, I felt a little disappointed that we’d be compromising our desire for a pure breed Brittany puppy, assuming that would be hard to come by in adoption. But we thought it was more important to be the perfect family for a dog than to insist on the “perfect dog” for the family. Thus, we embarked on locating a Brittany through this organization I discovered through a basic Google search called NBRAN.
That’s when I met Lisa Giddings, our assigned NBRAN representative for our area here in Chester County, PA. Upon my first conversation with her over the phone, it became immediately clear that Lisa is one of those people who were born to do the job that they do. Her knowledge of the breed is encyclopedic and her passion for Brittany rescue is so infectious that it really made me feel good about adopting an animal. But I have to say that what was most impressive about Lisa as a representative of an adoption agency is the objectivity and unbiased nature of her counsel and guidance. It’s because of the fact that she has such a heart for unclaimed Brittanys that she “allowed” me to consider a breeder (even offering to put me in touch with one), since I had my heart set on a pure breed. Adoption is not for everyone, and it became obvious that Lisa is so much more interested in the “quality of the fit” between dog and adopting family, than the quantity of dogs she’s able to carelessly dispatch out to anyone who minimally meets the requirements for adoption. The absence of that pressure to adopt that I expected to feel from a person in dog adoption, just endeared me to Lisa and NBRAN and the Brittany adoption cause even more! The decision to adopt was a no-brainer after this first conversation with Lisa, and she immediately began the hunt for what we were looking for if we had our ideal choice: a male, pure -breed Brittany puppy. Sure enough, after just a few weeks, Lisa located a MALE PURE-BREED PUPPY out in Michigan!! We were overwhelmed with excitement when the foster sent us the photos! There he was…this little six week old orange and white little guy with an uncharacteristic oval orange spot right between the two orange patches over the eyes. He was beautiful. And from that point to Gotcha Day, it was a stress-free, seamless process of some email exchanges, payment, and some paperwork. NBRAN was excellent the whole way. The foster in Michigan kept us abreast through copious emails about how the pup was doing, with plenty of great photos. And she also sent the pup with treats, supplies, and a travel crate to keep. The home visit (a little earlier in the process) was a great experience. A volunteer arrived
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Continued…with one of her beautiful Brittanys; and Melina, the boys and I were able to have a great conversation, get our questions answered, and meet a Brittany for the first time. I received several very caring personal calls and emails from the regional director of NBRAN in immediate response to an originally attempted adoption of a female Brittany that fell through due to some complicated circumstances. The transport of our pup from Michigan to Pennsylvania was like a well-executed military operation, scheduled volunteer to volunteer and state to state down to the minute! And last but not least…“Auntie Lisa.” from the first email, to the first phone call, to meeting her at the pick-up location on Gotcha Day, and throughout the entire adoption process, Lisa was phenomenal. I can’t remember the last time I felt like I had a true advocate in an endeavor, like the advocate I had in Lisa Giddings. She made our dreams, and especially my boys’ dreams come true. I am honored to say that I now consider Lisa a friend. It seems we got a lot more out of dog adoption than we expected. And so here we are…proud owners of this beautiful boy we named “Simcoe” (I named after my favorite hop, beer-lover that I am). Simcoe is an energetic, loving, smart, beautiful puppy who is four months old now. He and I go for long walks or runs in the morning and at night. I am proud to say he’s (FINALLY) trained to do his business outside (he rings a bell when he wants to go out ...so smart). We rent a house every summer down at the beach in NJ, and this year we rented a dog-friendly house so he can be with us and gallop on the beach and dig 6 inch holes (the way he digs in my lawns!). And most preciously, he sleeps soundly all night in a big cozy bed outside of a crate, right next to a sleeping Matteo…who has one less dream to dream about these days, because it’s sleeping right next to him.
Thank you, NBRAN. Thank you, Lisa Giddings. Simcoe is a precious gift from God. We will honor that gift all the days of his life. P.S. In case you were wondering, Melina is in love
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…
Rhonda’s Baby
Mike and Snickers
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My Adoption of Hollywood, an 8 yr. old mixed breed By Laura Pizzaketti
I lost my beloved Springer in December of 2014 to cancer; she was my constant companion for 10 years since I retired, traveling with me, walking at the dog park, where I met my new circle of great friends, and always by my side. I lost her on a trip where she got to play in the ocean one last time. My house didn't feel like a home anymore. My first dog I had was a Brittney and I decided to just look at the rescue site; I liked a picture of a 3 yr. old, filled out the application, and very soon Lora called me. She told me there were 25 people interested in the dog, but would I be interested in an older dog. I instantly said NO! How could I get an old dog that I might lose soon when I had just been through the heartbreak of losing my dog. That night I "researched" on the computer adopting older dogs, they are not as active, they usually have had some training, and as we get older one of the things we all think about is what will happen to our pets if we cannot take care of them, so maybe an older dog will give us shorter time frames to commit and reevaluate if we should have a dog. It was actually the last thing that sold me because even though I always have someone who will take care of my dog, I never want to leave them. I called Lora and said I may be interested, she sent me a picture of Hollywood, and it was a done deal. Yes, I fell in love with a dog from a picture. The more I heard about her, friendly, smart, likes to travel, the more I felt we were meant to be together. I understood she was a mixed breed, but none of that mattered to me because she was so cute, and I only cared that I had a companion to share my life with, not that she was a bit mixed....my whole family is mixed so another way we were a perfect match. I cannot thank all the people who have made it possible for Holly (I usually call her Holly, instead of Hollywood as our last name is Pizziketti, and I thought wow, that is a pretty big name for such a petite little girl!) First, Lora, I cannot thank enough. She listened to me and fortunately she just knew that if I would give a mixed, 8 yr., old cutie a chance I would be complete again. Thank goodness she knew more then me! Her, and the South Dakota coordinator Dave, worked hard to get me qualified. My home visit was conducted by a local volunteer, and unfortunately, I do not have her name, but she gave me a lot of information. Lora also sent me many articles about adopting, introducing a new dog to my cat, good quality food, that helped me prepare for my first dog that was a rescue and older. I am so proud to tell everyone she is a rescue, and she is so pretty, and so good that she will be an ambassador for rescues everywhere! Hollywood was with a fantastic foster family; Theede Stine gave me information, pictures and videos during the time I was waiting for Holly. She was absolutely wonderful sharing and
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caring for my girl. Also, I sent an old t shirt of mine, and I really think Holly recognized my scent when we met. The transport to get Holly from Idaho to Cheyenne WY, was so organized and smooth, if I still worked I would try to recruit Nancy Walker to work for me! Nicole, who brought Holly the last leg, actually drove for miles to pick her up and bring her to me; having to turn around and drive home late at night. I was so excited about getting Holly I forgot to offer her to use my restroom at the hotel!! But Nicole was almost as excited to unite Holly and I and I will always appreciate what she did. And her rescue, Winston, is another perfect match made by Lora! Also, Susan Guthrie provided me information regarding Hollys health, her past and even vet records which many rescues do not have so I had lots of more information then most adopters do. We have been on walks every day, been to the vet, the groomers and the pet store. She already knows which furniture she can be on, that she cannot chase the cat or go in his room. They actually take an afternoon nap together on the window seat! She knows where her toys are located, and that when I put those tennis shoes on it is walk time and she sits very still for me to put the leash on. We are working on her coming when called...which she does well with the training leash, not so good without. I am a very proud and happy new mom! NBRAN is a wonderful organization and I appreciate that it is evident that it is very important that when you have a dog for adoption you make sure it is a good place and you do everything to try to ensure it will be a forever home. I know there are several people who I can contact if I have any questions or any problems. I hope that you continue with your work, don't shy away from those mixed breeds, cause the good of both are inside that dog, and that many more lucky people will be blessed as I have been with a companion to share their home with. I know Holly is not perfect, (well, actually I think she is) but her and I are willing and able to live with and love each others imperfections. Thank you, thank you and thank you.
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Connor napping with Ella
Cailin and Ella share some love
Sadie visiting with Wild Bill Hickok
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I just wanted to send you both the latest picture of Roy. We love him. He is such a smart and loving dog. My girls wake up each morning excited to see him. He loves all the attention. We have taken him to obedience classes and he is great on the leash now. He loves his car rides. We go for daily walks (and now he just walks no pulling) and he lets us know where all those squirrels are hiding. In the picture Roy is enjoying the sun in our yard by our bird feeder. He does not bark at the birds but I think he likes to watch them. He also hangs out on our front porch and sits on the front step to watch the cars and everyone walking go by. He wants everyone to love on him. And of course in the house he loves to snuggle with anyone who is available. He has been playing with my in-laws basset hound and they get along very well. Roy gets down on the floor to play with her and does not care when she will walk under him while he is standing. Anyways I just want to let you both know that we are very thankful for you helping us add Roy to our family. He makes our family complete :) Best Wishes, Jen Filipiak
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In Memory at The Rainbow Bridge
Miss Molly Shapiro 6/13/05—6/16/15
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Volunteer of the Quarter Vivian & Joe Stevenson were selected as Volunteers of the quarter. It started with them agreeing to foster one of NBRAN’s dogs that needed an immediate foster. That first dog was the beginning of a string of 23 foster dogs during the almost 5 years that Vivian and Joe have been with NBRAN. They have had more than their share of difficult fosters many of whom o en have medical problems. To date they has successfully nursed Buddy through Autoimmune Hemoly c Anemia, to which the majority of AHA dogs don't survive. They also have a wonderful Vet. They are quite the team. Joe is the fella who answers the phone and o en entertains their coordinator with the ac vi es in the house. He is also the one who calls at 9 in the evening when they are having an emergency with one of the fosters while Vivian nurses and cares for the dogs. Vivian experienced her first grand mall seizure with an epilep c foster dog which caused the 9 PM fran c call by Joe. They were able to take instruc ons over the phone and regulate his seizure and epilepsy. Thanks to their care, the dog was adopted to a wonderful lady who also had Epilepsy. She also placed a second dog with the same thing. Right now Vivian specialty is with blind dogs. NBRAN took a dog from a shelter that was thought to be unadoptable. They led us to believe it was is age and neglected to tell us that the dog was blind. Our fosters are informed that every dog is a surprise package. Vivian was ini ally concerned because the dog was blind. She was offered a number of sugges ons and three days later, she called to say that Dexter had already learned to ring the bell to go outside, and oh by the way you should see him hunt and point the birds. Dexter is now in a wonderful home with another blind dog and is the leader of the pack of dogs in that home. This past week they sent off their latest foster named Abby Hope. She is a blind 3 year old. Her family flew from California to Kansas City, MO to meet the transport and drove a rental car all the way back to California. Vivian sends all of her dogs to their new home with a travel bag with enough dog food for transi on, a favorite toy or two, a schedule of feeding, po y and other stuff like the signals to go out, where they sleep, their paperwork, and their travel blankets. She puts the baby blankets out about a week or so before they leave so it picks up the scent of the home they live in. It helps them make the transi on by providing them with a familiar smell. She also has a collar, a harness and leash on each dog with luggage tags with iden fica on in case, heaven forbid, they get away from one of the transporters. Vivian tells us NBRAN has spoiled her. When asked, she responded that NBRAN takes care of the dogs medically the way they should, and we also do our homework when interviewing applicants for dogs. Congratula ons to Vivian and Joe for being selected as Volunteers of the Quarter! ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Coordinator of the Quarter For the past several months, Kathy Miller has been singlehandedly and painstakingly going through all of Nancy Cook's files (Nancy was the GA coordinator who tragically passed away last fall) to determine what needs to be saved, uploaded to Rescue Groups (a database), or discarded. Nancy had her own unique filing system and she knew how to find any document within seconds! However, Kathy has had to sort, collate, decipher and de-code contracts, vet records, transport requests, receipts, applications etc. to match them up to specific dogs so that we can either upload them to Rescue Groups or discard the documents if not relevant. While she has made much progress, she still has a lot of work left to do. In addition, Kathy recently took in three Brittany pups (10 months old) and saw them through the intake process from start to finish all by herself. She picked them up from Atlanta Lab Rescue, got them vaccinated, kept them at her house (along with her three Brits) for 2 days, boarded them for 3 days, picked them up to bring home again for 2 days, completed all their paperwork, and started their transport to foster homes a week later. These pups have her to thank for rescuing them and getting them on their way to permanent homes. A big thanks to Kathy for her dedication to helping NBRAN and congratulations on being selected as Coordinator of the Quarter!
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NBRAN OFFICERS SUE SPAID, PRESIDENT, SSPAID@VERIZON.NET SUSAN GUTHRIE, VP, SUSANGUTHRIE@COMCAST.NET WILLIAM CANNEY, TREASURER, QEBH1977@ATT.NET DAVE VOELTZ, SECRETARY, DVOELTZ@PIE.MIDCO.NET
NBRAN BOARD MEMBERS SUE SPAID SSPAID@VERIZON.NET SUSAN GUTHRIE SUSANGUTHRIE@COMCAST.NET DAVE VOELTZ DVOELTZ@PIE.MIDCO.NET GAYE BRICKER BEAUBRITT2@AOL.COM NANCY WALKER NWALKER@CAPECOD.NET WILLIAM CANNEY QEBH1977@ATT.NET DENISETURGEON BRITTSNBITS@GMAIL.COM CHRIS EDDINGER CEDDINGER@VERIZON.NET LON PECK LPECK3@VERIZON.NET SUE JANOWSKI BRITTANYRESCUEMOM@HOTMAIL.COM SANDRA TOAL SANDRATOAL18@GMAIL.COM
Help National Brittany Rescue and Adoption Network by going to their online store at http://shop.nbran.org/main.sc
COORDINATOR
NECA HUDGINS NECA0402@GMAIL.COM
RESCUESGROUPS
TRAINING OR ISSUES
SUE SPAID SSPAID@VERIZON.NET
ONLINE STORE <VANCANT>
NBRAN NEWSLETTER EDITOR - DAVE VOELTZ DVOELTZ@PIE.MIDCO.NET LAYOUT DESIGN - KELLY KILLEEN KAK0402@OPTONILINE.NET
MICROCHIPS DAVID SATTLER DAVE90771@GMAIL.COM
TRANSPORTATION
COORDINATOR
NANCY WALKER NWALKER@CAPECOD.NET
WEB
TEAM
DEVELOPMENT
Do you want to share your pictures or story? Contact Dave Voeltz at Dvoeltz@pie.midco.net and email your story and pictures. We love sharing your story and pictures about the newest member of your family! Go to www.NBRAN.ORG and see how you can become more involved in Bri any Rescue. Foster, transport help, financial assistance, home visits, or vet checks, there are many ways you can help. Volunteer now and make a difference!
Intakes
WANT TO GET INVOLVED? CONTACT US TO LET US KNOW IF YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO HELP WITH IDEAS AND DESIGN.
OMBUDSMAN IF YOU HAVE A CONCERN OF ANY NATURE AND WANT TO REPORT IT, CONTACT DAVE VOELTZ AT DVOELTZ@PIE.MIDCO.NET FOR A CONFIDENTIAL MEANS OF DOING SO.
Placements
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
191 293 428 521 618 590 390 283
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
111 234 360 407 535 537 472 264
2014
328 2014
314
2015 to Aug 31
230 2015 to Aug 31
266
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