Happy Howl-O-Wiener!

So normally I'm not a huge advocate of dressing dogs in silly costumes, but this year I just couldn't resist. The Rebound Hounds showed off their finest this afternoon at our Howl-O-Wiener celebration at work. Dewey was quite the little gentleman in his noble court clothes and Ms. Greta made an adorable witch. Today also marked a very special occasion: We formally adopted Dewey!!! Ever since we began fostering Dewey in August, we have considered him part of the family, but today it became official!

Heartwarming Story Of The Week

After the devastating earthquake hit China’s Sichuan Provence in May, 60 year old retiree Chen Yunlian took in about 100 injured dogs. Chen runs an animal shelter and cares for roughly 1,000 animals. She described her activism to the Associated Press this way, “I started down a road and I couldn’t turn around.”

The majority of the dogs are terrier-Pekinese-pug-poodle mixes. Chen Yunlian is especially sympathetic to the mutts because she says they are less desirable. “The mixes probably won’t be adopted, but mutts are the most intelligent and affectionate.”

Chen’s organization has outfitted many of the injured pooches with wheelchairs constructed out of PVC pipes (see photos above). Although the canine walkers may not be as fancy as the ones we’re accustomed to seeing in the West, they wonderful examples of ingenuity in action. What a heartwarming story of compassion!

New Canine Military Hospital Opens In Texas

The Military Working Dog Center - a brand new canine military hospital - just opened its doors last week at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. There are currently 2,500 dogs serving with U.S. military units around the world, and the new veterinary hospital will provide treatment for those who are wounded in combat or in need of routine medical treatment.

"We act as the Walter Reed of the veterinary world," said hospital director Army Col. Bob Vogelsang.

The $15 million facility is equipped with operating rooms, and ICU, digital radiography, and CT scanning equipment. In addition, it looks like there is lots of hydrotherapy at the Military Working Dog Center, if the photos above are any indication!

The story of the canine hospital caught my eye and gave me a lot of new information to consider. Although I knew about police dogs, I wasn't aware that there were working dogs in every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. Apparently these pooches do everything from search and rescue to patrol duty. Most often, they are utilized for their incredible sense of smell to detect bombs, bodies, and illegal substances. What a great reminder of all the many amazing talents our canine companions possess! It's great to see these dogs recognized as the heroes they are.

Introducing Sally

As many of you may know, October is "Adopt a Dog Month" and I'm encouraging folks to consider adding disabled pups to their homes. The other week I featured three extra special dogs (all were available at the animal shelter where I work), and I am delighted to report that Sweets and Jake have already found new homes! Havana is now in the care of a rescue group, which is also great news because she will receive lots of TLC. Sometimes foster homes and rescue organizations are ideal for senior and/or disabled dogs because the shelter environment can be especially overwhelming for them.

Anyhow, I am pleased to introduce another adoptable dog: Sally! This sweet 11 year old poodle is gentle and loving. The fact that she is deaf and mostly blind doesn't hinder her ability to love and be loved at all. Sally was surrendered to the shelter when her owner became ill. Naturally Sally is a bit confused these days, but it's clear that she is a wonderful little dog with a darling disposition. I bet she would make a great snuggler! If you or anyone you know are interested in adopting Sally, feel free to email me for more information. And don't forget to check out the Rebound Hounds' Top Ten Reasons To Adopt A Disabled Dog!

Bailey's Amazing Story!

After reading about Bailey, I knew I had to share his story. Bailey is an adorable 5 year old Dachshund who is currently in the loving care of a Furbaby Rescue foster home. Like our Greta, he suffers from disk disease. Sadly, Bailey's previous family refused to treat him and his condition worsened to point where his back legs were completely paralyzed. After he had grown completely incapacitated, the family took him to a shelter in Oregon which contacted Furbaby Rescue for help. Furbaby is comprised entirely of volunteers who work with many special needs pups, including paralyzed dogs like Bailey. Way to go Furbaby Rescue!

Bailey was evaluated by a specialty vet who determined that his spinal injuries couldn't be corrected by surgery, but that he was a perfect candidate for hydrotherapy, acupuncture, and a wheelchair.

Bailey began water therapy at Sumner Vet Hospital (see photo above) where he was able to practice walking on the underwater treadmill. Hydrotheraphy is a great form of rehabilitation / treatment for dogs with arthritis, hip and elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation, and intevertebral disk disease. There are professional facilities across the country, or dog guardians can do hydrotherapy at home (as long as the dog is small enough!), which is what we did with Greta.

After his acupuncture and water therapy were under way, the next order of business was to get Bailey fitted for a wheelchair. Furbaby Rescue has a relationship with Dewey's Wheelchairs For Dogs in Oregon, and Dewey Springer provided custom wheels for Bailey at a significant discount. What a guy!

As you can see from the photo above, Bailey loves his new mobility! His foster mom writes that "Bailey is off and running in his new chair... a hundred miles an hour, down the stairs and around the yard and back again." Despite everything Bailey has been through, he is still full of happiness and energy. Furbaby Rescue describes him this way: "His spirit and his joy in living are never ending. He warms the hearts of everyone he meets."

Best of all, Bailey is still making progress and improving with each passing month. Recently he began standing on his own for 20 - 30 seconds at a time! His story is a great example of canine resilience and endurance. Three cheers for Bailey!

Top Ten Reasons To Adopt A Disabled Dog

Since October is Adopt A Shelter Dog Month, I 'd like to share some photos of my current favorite canine friends in honor of the occasion! All three of the extra special pooches pictured above are in need of new homes. If you are interested in learning more about one of them, just email me for additional details.

The first photo features Sweets, an adorable 1-year old Chihuahua mix. Sweets is a tripod like Dewey, although this doesn't appear to slow him down at all! Sweets definitely lives up to his name - when you meet him, he'll shower you will kisses (having a few treats doesn't hurt either!).

Jake (center) is also a tripod. This handsome Shepherd mix arrived at the shelter with a badly fractured leg, leaving our vets no choice but to amputate. Fortunately, Jake has adapted in true "rebound hound" style and is very outgoing and energetic. Jake would make a great hiking buddy!

Finally, we have Havana - a senior Havanese who suffers from limited vision due to cataracts. This sweet girl still has plenty of affection to give, though. Havana would be the perfect lap dog and would love nothing more than a family of her own.

As anyone who has adopted a shelter dog can attest, the experience is usually wonderfully rewarding. Furthermore, those who adopt a special needs dog from a shelter or rescue group know that these animals still have so much to offer. I was inspired by my own experiences with Greta and Dewey to create this list of the top ten reasons to adopt a disabled dog, and I hope that others will add their own insights.

Top Ten Reasons To Adopt A Disabled Dog

1. You will save a life.

2. Your dog will only be disabled in the eyes of others and will not even know that he/she is "less than perfect."

3. You will have fewer toenails to trim (in the case of tripods and other pooches with missing limbs!).

4. You will meet lots of great people - everyone wants to stop and visit with an extra special pup and a dog in a stroller is a great conversation starter!

5. You'll have the perfect companion to spoil.

6. The bond you'll share with your dog will be incredibly rewarding. Animals with special needs have an unrivaled ability to give love, affection, and more love.

7. Disabled dogs may have limited mobility, but they have no shortage of personality!

8. By adopting a disabled dog, you will inspire others to do the same.

9. You will never go to bed cold and alone!

10. Your dog will be your hero and his/her courage and tenacity will inspire you to be a better person.

Friends We Met Along The Way

These are some of the friends we met at the Walk For The Animals this morning. Manny is a handsome tripod who was rescued from Mexico. Pinky the Pug is an extra special girl who also attended the Walk in a stroller. Even though she's blind, she still has tons of personality (I have a feeling that there is a playdate for Dewey, Greta, and Pinky in our future!). 4th grader Chloe is one of Greta's biggest human fans, and Vienna is an adorable red smoothie Dachshund that we met while watching a dog training demo.

Walk For The Animals!

The Rebound Hounds were out in full force to represent disabled dogs at the 2008 Walk For The Animals earlier today. We were all very eager to participate and Michael even showed his true "humaniac" side by designing custom tripod dog t-shirts for our team! Despite the wet and blustery weather, we had an *awesome* time and met tons of friends - human and canine alike. Our heartfelt thanks go to everyone who donated to the Rebound Hounds. We really appreciate all of the support!