Check out these pillows!

For sale!

16x16 pillows with removable, washable cover, sewn by my wonderful friend’s lovely mom. $35 plus $5 shipping. 

My friend rescues unwanted dogs from high kill shelters and currently has 9 Chihuahuas, a Maltese and a Pomeranian, many of them seniors.

To help continue taking great care of those guys, she and her mom are making these pillows and selling them. She made me an awesome Star Trek pillow that is on its way, but right now they have various dog breeds in stock: Chihuahuas, Pit Bulls, German Shepherds and more! 

I can’t wait to get mine! :D

If you want to purchase one, send me a message here or contact her via Facebook.

Check them out and please pass it on. Thanks! 

Heart-warming Tails

Posh Pets Rescue pulled an eight-year-old chihuahua named Todo from the NYCACC. Very shortly after arriving at his foster parents' home, he got very wobbly and collapsed. Turns out Todo needed an MRI to see what was causing his pain and inability to walk.

Well, Todo had his MRI, which found he had three herniated discs, and underwent surgery. A week later this little five-pound champ is hanging in there. He's no longer in pain and has a 60% chance of walking again. His foster family is giving him round-the-clock care and are very excited to report that he is even moving his legs a little -- certainly a great sign!

Join Training Humans in wishing Todo a speedy recovery. And if you can, please donate a buck or two to Posh Pets so they can cover this little peanut's medical costs.

Good luck, Todo!

Chocolate Pittie Seeks Forever Home

Meet Jasper!

Jasper is a chocolate-colored Pit Bull mix. Very friendly and quite sharp, this dapper guy sits and offers you his paw to say hello.

He's been splitting his time in two foster homes, while searching for his forever home.

Take a look at that nose and tell me you don't want to huggle the heck out of him.

If you want to meet Jasper, contact ourbestfriendsrescue@gmail.com or leave them a note on their Facebook page.

And if you adopt Jasper, be sure to let Training Humans know so we can tell everyone your happy tail!

Fresh from Mount Olympus...

Meet Apollo!

This handsome and debonair fellow is a beautiful hound mix. When Our Best Friends Rescue pulled this young lad, he had Demodectic Mange, the non-contagious form of the skin disease. Well, as you can see by his close-up, following months of successful treatment, Apollo is ready to find his forever home.

He's between 9 and 10 months old, neutered and up to date on his shots. He's a pup still, so he loves to play. He is also housebroken.

If you want to meet Apollo, shoot an email over to ourbestfriendsrescue@gmail.com or leave them a comment on their Facebook page.

And if you adopt Apollo, be sure to leave us a comment here so we can tell your happy tail!

Ay, chihuahua!

Check out this tiny little beauty!

Weighing in at 7 pounds is Robin. This little Chihuahua girl is 6 years old, and has a thick brown coat with white slippers.

Robin is currently living in a foster home, where she has shown her foster family what a sweetheart she is. She gets along with her foster dog siblings as well as dogs she encounters on her walks outside. She's looking for a human whose lap she can commandeer for doggie naps on a permanent basis.

Well-behaved and house trained, Robin's a sharp cookie with a lot of love and affection to give. If you are interested in meeting Robin, or know someone who is looking to adopt a doggie in the New York area, fill out an application at Posh Pets Rescue and send it to Linda at MsLondonspets@aol.com. 

And if you adopt little Robin, be sure to leave us a comment at Training Humans and we will share the happy tail with everyone!

Move over, old blue eyes...

Check out the baby blues on this gorgeous gal!

She is just 10 months old and located in Long Island, NY. This beautiful Husky girl is searching for a permanent home. If you are looking to adopt a pet or know someone who is, please consider her. Just take a look at her napping skills!

Don't you just want to eat up those paws? If you are interested in meeting this awesome puppy girl, please contact ourbestfriendsrescue@gmail.com or check them out on Facebook at Our Best Friends Rescue.

And if you adopt this beautiful girl, leave us a comment here -- we would love to share your happy tail with everyone.

Vested Interest in K-9 Officers

Many who followed the shootings in Herkimer and Mohawk in Upstate New York last week, which culminated in a shootout between police officers and 64-year-old Kurt Myers and left five dead and two wounded, are aware that one of the fallen was K-9 officer Ape.

Ape, a two-year-old German Shepherd from the Czech Republic that had just begun his FBI career February 25 this year, after completing training in Oct., did his duty and protected his fellow human officers but was fatally shot.

Many animal lovers and advocates who left comments lamenting the canine officer's death asked whether he was wearing a vest. The questions sparked a dialogue about how expensive bullet- and stab-proof vests are, so a few days later, it was kind of great to see this wonderful deal on Groupon:

There's still one day left, so if you see this, please check it out and if you see this too late, then please be sure to check out Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., a nonprofit fund-raising organization created by Sandy Marcal to raise awareness and funds to bulletproof vests for canine officers.

Ape's name will be added to a memorial wall at Quantico. Rest in peace, beautiful one.
November 17, 2010 - March 14, 2013

Balls are for playing: spay or neuter your pets

That's right. The message is twofold, really. Spay or neuter your pets! And don't buy (from a pet shop or even the most reputable of breeders). Adopt instead from a shelter or rescue.

Local rescue organizations work very hard -- often during whatever little free time they have -- to pull dogs from kill shelters and place them with fosters. Once those dogs and cats are ready for permanent homes, rescues post pictures and bios in the hopes of finding them forever homes. When you adopt one, it frees up a slot for another dog in dire circumstances to be saved.

That's right. By adopting a pet in foster care from a local rescue (or even from a shelter) you are potentially saving TWO lives. Isn't that awesome?

When you adopt from a rescue, the pet you receive will or should already be spayed or neutered. But say you get your pet from somewhere else. Someone you know has a dog that has just had puppies, for instance. Then please, please, please spay or neuter your pets.

"My dog lived for 17 years and I didn't neuter him!" someone might say. Well, that's great. And it's also lucky that your dog was never stolen out of a backyard or got out somehow -- because this is where the problems begin. Accidents happen. And if your dog or cat gets outside even for a few days and is not fixed, the potential for puppies or kittens that may potentially end up at the city pound are great. And not every pet is the same, just as not every human is the same. I have a maternal uncle who died of lung cancer who never smoked in his life. I have a paternal uncle who died of lung cancer who smoked all his life. Spaying or neutering your pet doesn't guarantee your pet won't get some types of cancer, but you do better your pet's odds when you do it.

Dr. Andrew Jones explains the benefits of spaying and neutering your pets far more eloquently than I can. Please do check out his short article and spread the word.

Gentle Giant Seeks Permanent Accommodations

Meet Titan!

Titan has a white coat with brindle patches. All muscle, he's also quite a mush, with beautiful eyes that betray how very gentle this guy is.
Titan is also incredibly affectionate, and very focused on pleasing his person. He likes other dogs, but would do best in a household with no cats. He is calm, well mannered and waits to be invited before jumping on a couch where he will greet you like a long lost hero coming back from war. 

Titan is between 5 and 6 years young and weighs 70lbs. He is good on a leash, and will more or less keep pace with you. But needs a strong hand as he is a big boy. Titan is neutered, fully vaccinated, and microchipped to boot - a total package ready for his new forever home. 


If you want to meet Titan, contact Fran Grimaldi at fran@anarchyanimalrescue.org or at 347-581-2807.

Fran is with Anarchy Animal Rescue, in Staten Island, NY.

A long, much overdue update

It's been a challenging year, since my last post in 2011. This year, in particular, has started off with heavy losses. A friend died tragically, my uncle succumbed to bone cancer, I lost my job and I found myself facing massive changes as I prepared to move out of my apartment that I could no longer afford because the freelance writing I do is hardly enough to carry a household on my own. The sad part is that I have had to re-home my pets. The frustrating part is that I am still looking for steady work -- even if it's part-time, even if it's temporary. The good part is that I am surrounded by wonderful people who have given me tremendous support. In an effort to return the favor, if only a little bit, I decided to reactivate this blog and use it to try to connect pets in foster care with permanent homes. Since I am not currently in a position to open up my home to homeless pets, I can at least help hook up people who are looking for a dog or cat, with a dog or cat that needs a home and is right for them.

There's no time like the present, so I will kick things off with this charming little fluffball.

Meet Zoey!

She is a Havanese, 4.5 years young, fully vetted and just super sweet. Zoey will do best in a home where she can get lots of attention from her humans, and preferably one that already has a dog or two for her to play with. If you are interested in meeting Zoey, contact ourbestriendsescue@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading, and stay pawesome!