Shilo update

Update on Shilo, a pup from Red Lake Rosie's Rescue that was fostered and adopted our by Animal Ark:

Shilo is doing very well at our home. We have now had her for about six weeks. In those six weeks she has about doubled her weight. Last week she was 29.2 when we took her to the vet to get here rabies and booster and has gotten a little taller. You really see is in how she has filled out in her face and chest area.

I've attached some pictures for you to see. The first one with her in her kennel is a night after puppy play group. She was one tired puppy.

The first thing she learned was how to go up and down stairs. We live in a split level home and to go out to the backyard you need to go downstairs. She learned this in about two days. With learning this, she also learned to go into the basement where the two older boys live. She is a great alarm clock for our middle child as that is the first place she goes after she is let out and eats breakfast.

She has attended puppy play group for 4 weeks. The first week she was very timid and hid behind either Mark or myself. The next time we took her she was all into it. Playing with the toys and the other puppies. Now we are looking at some obedience training.

She loves to play fetch and we are working with her on returning and dropping the ball. She loves to run in the backyard. A few weeks ago we where raking leaves and she played in them almost like a child would. Jumping in them and running around. I wished we would have gotten that on video.

We have noticed she also loves to dig holes in the backyard, but that might be due to the fact we have a summer pool that we take it down in the fall, so the area under it is just dirt. Because of this she has learned to enjoy her bath time. She gets one about one a week, unless she gets really muddy.

We are still working on potty training, but we know that comes with time and it is mostly training our boys as to her signs that she needs to go out.

January weekend at Red Lake Rosie's Rescue

LAUREN & PUPSMike and I went up to help out Karen for a few days at Red Lake Rosie's Rescue January 8-11.

PUP ONEPUP TWOWe absolutely love going up to see all the animals and help out in any way. While we were up there, we helped with watering, feeding, walking, and organized the supply bins in cat house.

RLRR IN WINTERIt was freezing on Saturday morning (my eyelashes froze together!), but other than that, the weather was fine.

HERMIEBISCUITWe had two cats, Hermie and Biscuit, come and spend time with us in the bedroom for two of the nights. They were such great little cats - playful and loving! Hermie went to Tri-County and Biscuit to an RLRR foster home.

SUKAOn Sunday, we drove to Redby to pick up a medium sized white dog, who we named Suka. She was scared at first, but we managed to get a slip lead around her and into the van. Back at the shelter, Suka was very happy to get some food. She ate the whole bowl of food and downed water like there was no tomorrow. We let her into our room for awhile that night and she turned out to be a sweetheart. She absolutely loved getting brushed and pet - things I'm sure she has rarely, if ever, received in her life. Suka will be looking for a warm home where she can gets tons of TLC.

BIG REDWhile in Redby, we also picked up another dog who appeared to have blood on his neck and back. It turned out to only be tomato sauce, so we were relieved. We named him Big Red because of his gorgeous strawberry blonde coloring. He was very happy to have some dog food and ate a ton. He is a big sweetheart, as well! While petting him in his kennel, he laid his head in my lap and rolled over to get his belly rubbed. He has already been neutered, which is great news! Big Red is also looking for a foster home where he can get plenty of belly rubs!

SHILOHShiloh is a dog who has been at the shelter for awhile. She came in nursing 12 pups - some of her own, some from another litter. After she was done nursing them, she took over for Jaycee, who was tired of nursing her own pups. Shiloh runs around with the pack of dogs at the shelter and is extremely hard to catch. Even though she'll come up to people, she shies away if anyone gets too close to her or makes an advance. Mike and I were trying to build a trust with her, so we could hopefully catch her and have her go to a Pet Haven foster home. Well, I caught her and she was taken into a secure kennel. However, when she was being taken on a walk, she chewed through the slip lead and was gone!

The evening before the transport, we were desperately trying to catch her again. We finally cornered her under the car and got a leash around her neck. We took her inside to spend the night with us and sleep in a comfy bed. We are so glad this girl got to be on the transport! She is very, very sweet once she gets to know you. She loves to roll over and get her belly rubbed, too. I know she will make a loyal and loving companion to someone special one day.

JAZZMonday came quickly and we had to leave to get back to our own furballs.We transported 19 animals out of the shelter: 10 cats and kittens went to Tri-County, 1 cat and 2 small dogs went to RLRR fosters, 3 pups went to MARS, 1 pup went to Animal Angels and 2 dogs went to Pet Haven.

-Lauren & Mike

STARVING DOXIEKAREN SAYS:
We want to thank Lauren & Mike for all their hard work and commitment to the animals at the shelter. We look forward to their every visit.

CREAM CHIOn the way out they took ll cats and 8 dogs on to other rescues and shelters. Animals went to Tricounty Humane Society, MARS, RLRR Petfinder fosters and Pet Haven.

POMSincerely,
Karen and RLRR

The dogs of Red Lake Rosie's Rescue

Here are more photos from Laura's visit:

GRANDPA, DAISY, MAMA, GINGERDarling shep mix pups grow into gorgeous shep mix dogs!

MOUSERMouser is Karen's dog and a favorite of visitors.

DOGS ON A WALKHazel, Kia, Daisy, Shilo and Ginger are trustworthy without leashes; Jaycee, Karma, and Della are still learning their limits.

SIMON BUMBLE BEESimon is seriously proud of his Bumble Bee sweater, but it makes me smile ;-)

ROOM TO ROAMThe long mild fall has been a blessing in the north country.

Walmart kitties

KAREN SAYS: One day I was in Bemidji and made a stop at Walmart. As I came out of the store I noticed a van with the hatchback up and a sign that said "FREE KITTENS". Naturally I drove over to the vehicle and asked how many animals they had. They replied "4 kittens and also the mama".

I did talk to the woman and her children and told them that giving away animals at the Walmart parking lot is not a good idea. I explained that people go to Walmart to shop, not adopt pets. The people who most often take the pets are not prepared for the responsibility of caring for the pet. Also, it a spontaneous decision often based on the children in the car that see the kitten or the puppy, and they want it. So the parent gets the animal as a "toy" for the child, after all it IS free. The animal most often lives a horrible life and when it gets a little bigger is thrown away. I was hoping I got through to the lady about it.

Well- I took the mama, who I named Shilo and her 4 kittens. I stopped at the Clearwater Vet on the way home and left Shilo who was spayed the next day. Two of her 4 kittens were taken immediately by a vet tech who works at the clinic who was looking for 2 kittens. The rest of the family came to RLRR shelter.

TWO WALMART KITTENSThey have all been placed now and Shilo left last Sunday and is posted on the Tricounty Humane Society webpage as follows:

SHILOShilo 37214

Hello, my name is Shilo. I am just as cute as the dog Shiloh! I will give you lots of love and affection. I am a very sweet girl willing to share my great personality with you. I came from another shelter so the people here don't know a whole lot about me, however they have found me to be a gentle, quiet, friendly girl who enjoys attention. I might be a little shy at first, but if you just give me a little time I will show you that I am a very loving girl. Give me a chance and I will not let you down! I was altered at the shelter and I will be ready to go home on 7-18-09, however a deposit will hold me through 7-19-09. I am 3 years old and I weigh 10.2 pounds. My adoption fee will be $56.00. jh