Our Four-Legged Foster Family

How can you resist this?

2011-03-06T20:49:00.000-08:00

Could he be more comfortable?

A new ARF kitty!

2011-02-13T18:52:00.000-08:00

1393F - "Tia"

Last weekend, three new kitties made their way to ARF, another should arrive early this week. The first one is Tia, a gorgeous ten-month old medium-hair tortoise shell. She is radiant and very affectionate. She loves to curl up with her foster sister, Sassy, and she loves to get belly rubs from her foster mom. She had some matted fur when she came in so she'll need regular grooming to keep her looking her best. I just love her and wish I was fostering her!!

Finnigan is verrrrrrrrrrrry comfortable here...

2011-02-13T18:46:00.000-08:00

...but he'll settle into his forever home easily too. He's big on personality and would be quite content as the only animal in a house, as long as he was getting lots of attention from 'his people.' He loves 'his people!' He lives with dogs and other cats. He is mostly indifferent to the cats. He doesn't mind dogs either and he could take them or leave them, but he's content to sleep on 'his peoples' bed' even if 'his peoples' bed' also has dogs on it!

Sim-Sim is coming out of his shell

2011-02-05T21:18:00.000-08:00

Sim-Sim is a long, lean cat, but he is pretty skinny at only 7.4lbs. He was very shy when he first came to our place, but he's venturing out more and more; sometimes we find him on the top of the cat post in the living room, sometimes on the couch or even wandering around the living room. I've fallen in love with this shy guy - it makes me so happy to see him becoming more and more comfortable in our house. It's so entertaining to watch him play like a kitten with the twitchy tail or some of the cat nip toys.

**Update on the kittens** Cameo (calico), Aspen (orange) and Shiloh (tabby) are now ready for adoption and they should be on the website very soon! Two sweet little black kitties just came in today from rural Alberta, along with an older kitten/young adult, a beautiful Tortie with medium-length hair. She'll be available very soon. She has the most beautiful coat.

Finnigan has made himself at home...

2011-02-05T21:13:00.000-08:00

He curls up just about anywhere... and loves to curl up with his people. I was working on the computer on the couch when he curled up like this (he started on my lap making it difficult to type). He is 100% purrs and snuggles, so if you're looking for a super friendly, confident and dog-friendly cat, this is your guy!

1388F

2011-01-30T18:57:00.000-08:00

This little lady is a lovely tabby with medium-length hair. She also loves to be brushed, and likes to hang out with her brother and sister. She's definitely the shyest of the bunch, and would love to go to a home with another cat, or ideally, with one of her siblings!

1389M

2011-01-30T18:54:00.000-08:00

Isn't he gorgeous? He doesn't have a name yet either, but he's a total heart-breaker. He's got lovely, medium-length hair and loves to be brushed.

1390F

2011-01-30T18:51:00.000-08:00

She doesn't have a name yet, but this short-haired calico has lots of spunk and loves to PLAY!

New ARF kitties!

2011-01-30T18:50:00.000-08:00

This morning we brought in 3 new ARF kittens. They are so cute, I wish they were staying with us. They made a brief stop here before getting vaccinated and heading to their foster home. They don't have names yet, and aren't quite ready for adoption, but stay tuned!

Finnigan is Pet-Of-The-Week

2011-01-28T05:06:00.000-08:00

Finnigan is ARF's Pet-of-the-week! (He thinks he is always pet-of-the-week!) Maybe this will be the week that he meets his forever home! Whenever that is, we'll miss the big guy curling up with us at night and snuggling while we're watching TV. We've always fostered young kittens, so Finnigan and Sim-Sim are firsts for us, and they've both fit into the household so nicely! Here's a picture of Finnigan making himself at home:)

Finnigan will be at Petsmart! Saturday 1-3pm, Chinook Location!

2011-01-21T20:41:00.000-08:00

Catch Finnigan tomorrow at Petsmart! He'll be there with Bear and a pile of dogs!

Finnigan is a love-bug

2011-01-20T21:09:00.000-08:00

Finnigan is full of purrs and cuddles and he loves to nuzzle against you and give you kitty `hugs`. He`s completely indifferent to the other cats - he occasionally tries to get them to play but usually just makes himself at home. He also lives with dogs and doesn`t really notice them. We`re not really sure why this guy hasn`t been adopted yet. He`s an awesome kitty who would settle easily into a new home!

Sim-Sim

2011-01-16T21:15:00.000-08:00

Sim-Sim is coming around. He seems comfortable with other cats and with the dogs, and he's warming up to his people friends but he's just generally very shy. It's really exciting to see him play with the twitchy-tail or a catnip toy every once in a while.

He's even starting to leave his cat house now and again, venturing into the basement or the living room to explore. We're looking forward to watching him as he continues to develop more confidence in our home.

Finn-Finn (aka Finnigan) & Sim-Sim

2011-01-12T20:19:00.000-08:00

Well, another first for us, I guess. The Dexter kitties have all been adopted (save Morgan who will be adopted this weekend) and the space in our home is needed for two orange cats, one a young-adult, and one an adult. While they are both orange, short-haired tabbies and both male, they have very different personalities.

Finn-Finn (Finnigan) is just under a year of age and is a very playful and confident little kitty. He has lived with other cats and has lived with dogs...good thing, because our dogs LOVE cats. He has adjusted very quickly to a new home. He loves to follow his foster folks around and loves to check out his current home. He loooooooves attention and his little motor lets you know.

Sim-Sim is just over two years old and very lean. He's a beautiful dark orange colour and is slowly warming up to his new foster family. He came to ARF with his prized tree-house, and so far this is his safe-haven, but every once in a while he gathers his confidence and takes a cautious stroll around the living room. He's very, very quiet and although he's still adjusting, he likes the attention of his foster folks.

Morgan and Sophie may have found their forever homes!!!

2011-01-12T19:55:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy week with ARF's cat program! Morgan has most likely found her forever home, and I'm also happy to report that her sister, Sophie, has also found a family...paws crossed for both of them!

Check out this beauty!

2011-01-03T21:36:00.000-08:00

Sophie - sibling to the Dexter Crew

I'm not fostering this little beauty, but she's from the same litter as Masuka, Batista, Morgan and Dexter. She is ready to be adopted and should be up on the website very soon. Her name is Sophie. She likes to play with her littermates and has been living in a home with a small child.

Morgan's Movie

2011-01-01T10:34:00.000-08:00

Morgan has settled into another foster home for the holidays... by the looks and sounds of things, everyone is having a great time! What a great kitty!!! Check her out on YouTube!

Morgan's Movie!

Masuka - To be Adopted

2010-12-20T11:00:00.000-08:00

Masuka - our special, fluffy foster.

Masuka has found his forever home in time for Christmas. He's going to house with other dogs and cats, and two animal lovers... He's staying with us! Just kidding, but he's found another home with lots of other four-legged friends and some two-legged ones who will give him an extra special life. I will miss Masuka dearly - he snuggled with me all night and doesn't seem to mind being the only foster kitty here right now (Dexter and Morgan have moved to another foster home). Masuka has been at my side all day, chasing my slippers and coming up for snuggles. It will be hard to say good bye... if only we'd had room for just one more kitty...

Meet Miss Morgan

2010-12-17T08:12:00.000-08:00

Morgan, like her sibblings Dexter and Masuka, will be at the Chinook Petsmart this Saturday from 1-3pm to meet with potential adopters! A handful of other ARF kitties will also be there, including Jinx and possibly Pita and Finnegan.

Morgan keeps up with her brothers and is super playful. She loves to cuddle too. Morgan had a rough start in life, but she's now happy and healthy. She gets along with other cats and doesn't mind the dogs in the house either. Like the rest of the litter, she also loves the humans in the house too!

Am I a kitty?

2010-12-07T20:03:00.000-08:00

No, but you look like it in this picture. We think Tewks was trying to look like a kitty so he could play with the kitties. Sorry dude, you didn't fool anyone.

Tewks is significantly improved and is VERY mobile. He's a busy little boy and will require an active family to match. He'll be available for adoption later this week... just in time for ARF's big Adoptathon and Blow-out-Sale on Saturday and Sunday at Petsmart, Chinook location (there is also a cat adoptathon on Sunday at the Copperfield Tail Blazers from 1-3pm). For more details on all of these exciting events, see the ARF page. http://www.arf.ab.ca/index.shtml

And...another new first for us!

2010-11-29T18:51:00.000-08:00

So we've fostered puppies, and we've fostered kitties... but never both at the same time... until now.

"Tewks" technically isn't with us for that long - we're taking care of him

until he gains more strength and until he's old enough to be fixed -

then he'll move to a 'real' foster home. Unless we want to keep him ... I mean, "keep" as in "keep fostering him" not "keep him" as in adopt him - we have enough!

We're also fostering part of a litter of kitties from Southern Alberta - 3 grey fuzzies (2 males & 1 female) and 1 grey & white fuzzy male. We're still figuring out their names so check back in the next few days. They are also young and not ready to be adopted yet.

It's funny to watch the new kittens with the fluffy puppy. I bet if they spent any amount of time together they'd become fast friends.

A change of pace... Again

2010-11-25T15:58:00.000-08:00

At this moment I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of our newest foster puppy. "Wait a minute..." you ask... "I thought you were retired!?" - and this is true... or maybe we made a 'career change' as we switched to fostering ARF kittens. But all of our foster homes are full, I don't currently have any kittens, and we just couldn't say no to little "Tewks."

Tewks will be our second 'special needs' dog. We fostered "Foster" early this year. Tewks has 'swimmers syndrome' so he can't walk on his own even though he's six weeks old. This will be a new experience for us as we help him gain strength. He can't stand up on tile, wood or laminate floor so the exercise pen is set up in the kitchen with grippy, rubber mats to cover the ground. He should arrive any minute now.

ARF, and most other rescue groups, is full (both for dogs and cats) and the need for additional foster homes is great. The frigid and unforgiving Calgary weather has only made things worse. For more on a recent ARF rescue during the cold snap, check out another ARF volunteer's blog: http://arfdogs.blogspot.com/2010/11/when-its-30-below-zero.html (warning, content is disturbing).

I blinked and now they're all gone!

2010-11-22T18:03:00.000-08:00

Well, it sort of feels that way. Lil Chase and his brother Walsh have just gone to their forever home, another young couple adopting their first cat companions together... so sweet. But it's not just S & T that will love them and spoil the, but their extended family as well. We're so delighted to see the two of them go together as they'll continue to keep each other company for years.

I can't help but feel a little sad to see these little pumpkins all go, but I know we couldn't keep them, and I know that all six of them have gone on to great, loving homes. Thank you to all of you who opened your homes to an ARF "Marmalade" kitty. What a great story.

These little guys first came to our attention at 4 weeks of age, but none of the local rescues had room. They stayed with their mom and kept feeding until there was space in a foster home. I knew they'd find their place, so I'm so happy we were able to take them in. It seems like just a few weeks ago I was desperate to find them a foster home and now they've found their forever homes.

Here's a picture of one of the litter when they were four weeks old - this would be either Turtle or Drama.

The house is quiet. I already miss them....when will the next ones arrive!? Not soon enough.

Chase & Walsh may have found their forever home!

2010-11-21T20:02:00.000-08:00

Wow - it has been busy! We're currently down to two kittens - and those two just met with a family that's looking for a new addition... or two! It looks like these little guys may go to a home together after all, so they'll be able to play and snuggle together always. Ah, cute. This will be great for Chase - this was a super social litter, but Chase is just a wee bit more reserved than his littermates. Walsh will help him feel safe, secure and happy.

We'll keep you posted. Keep your paws crossed:)

Turtle is adopted!

2010-11-21T19:39:00.001-08:00

Wow, what a busy day! This afternoon our little friend, Turtle went home with his new family - another awesome couple getting their first pet together! I remember how exciting that was! We are super, super happy for K & D as they bring Turtle into their life together. As with all our adoptions... we look forward to updates of how this little pumpkin is doing:)

Drama is adopted!

2010-11-21T12:28:00.000-08:00

Drama met his forever home at an ARF animal showing at Petsmart and today he made the move to his new home - an awesome couple who will show him lots of love and cuddles. He left in his brand-new carrier on his brand-new bed, and is looking forward to his brand-new life with his new family. We're so, so, so excited for Y & T as they adopt their first pet together.

Babs & Murphy are adopted!!!

2010-11-20T10:21:00.001-08:00

Lil Babs and her brother Murphy have just left with their forever family. They fell in love through the blog, and then Murphy sealed the deal when he curled up on their laps and fell asleep. It's meant to be! The house always seems quieter after an adoption and although we'll miss that pair, we're so happy for them and their new parents!

Visit the "Marmalades" at Petsmart (Chinook) this Saturday from 1-3pm

2010-11-18T19:00:00.000-08:00

The "Marmalades" will join several ARF puppies and ARF dogs at Petsmart (Chinook location) from 1-3pm. Come and see for yourself! They're even cuter in person! Turtle, Chase, Drama and Walsh will be there ... Babs and Murphy will be adopted Saturday morning!!!

A forever home?

2010-11-17T16:48:00.000-08:00

Two of the "Marmalades" may have found their forever home! At this point we're not sure which two... could it be Babs? or Walsh? or Murphy? We'll find out soon. We're so pleased that these two lucky kitties will go to their forever home together, and to a really great couple that will show them a lifetime of love.

Turtle loves adventure!

2010-11-17T16:25:00.000-08:00

Well, the whole litter is coming out of their shells and they're even warming up to the dogs. But Turtle is definitely Mr. Adventure. He quickly learned to climb over the baby gate that blocks the cat room off from the rest of the house. Once mastering this, he was climbing over that gate at every opportunity. There's still some hissing and spitting at the dogs, but they're getting used to each other.

This is "Babs"

2010-11-11T10:02:00.001-08:00

Lil "Babs" is the only girl in the litter. She's also the most distinctive looking as she has a tiny little fluff of black fur on her side. She is true to the ginger kitty trait of being super cuddly. She is often the first to seek our attention and she loves to snuggle. She also loves to play fight with her brothers, and chase them all over the cat room.

This is "Turtle"

2010-11-11T09:38:00.001-08:00

He's not always sleeping like he is in that picture - but he is always that cute! Little Mr. Turtle is cute as a button and absolutely loves to play and snuggle. He looks just like his brother "Drama." They are quite the pair! Any of these little guys would love to go to a home with one of their littermates!

This is "Walsh"

2010-11-11T09:34:00.000-08:00

Walsh and his littermates all look very similar, but Walsh's coat and face are just a tiny bit different, so it's fitting that Walsh is Walsh - as in Billy Walsh from Entourage. He also has a sense of adventure and today went right up to one of the other resident cats to introduce himself. In time, I think he'll be snuggling with them! Walsh has a cute little face and when he's finished playing, he loves to snuggle.

This is "Murphy"

2010-11-11T09:29:00.000-08:00

Little Mr. Murphy looks just like his brother, "Chase" except that he has a thicker tail. He has beautiful orange tabby stripes, and orange spotted tabby markings on his belly. It looks like someone painted his white belly with orange polka-dots! Like his sibblings, Murphy is cute and cuddly, and he lives with other cats and dogs (although they are still getting used to their other four-legged house-mates!)

This is "Drama"

2010-11-11T09:23:00.000-08:00

This is my little buddy, "Drama." His name suits him to a tee. He was one of the first to really show an interest in his human companions and now he's my little snuggle bug. They're all pretty adventurous, but Mr. Drama leads the pack. He has a cute little orange polka dot on one of his front paws, that's how we know that "Drama" is "Drama."

This is "Chase"

2010-11-11T09:07:00.000-08:00

This is "Chase," as in "chase" my brothers and sister.... as in "chase" pretend mice and as in "Vincent Chase" from the tv show Entourage. Chase looks just like his brother Murphy, except he has a thinner tail. The two of them have super cute, spotted tabby markings on their belly. I call them the polka-dot belly kitties.

Turtle, Chase, Drama, Murphy, Walsh & Babs

2010-11-04T19:31:00.001-07:00

Well, assuming we've got 5 males and 1 females, the new orange litter (the one I've been desperate to foster since the Alberta Spay Neuter Clinic (ASNTF) at the beginning of October) has been named after Entourage characters: Turtle, Chase, Drama, Murphy, Walsh and Babs. Don't ask me who's who - I have no idea. I know the girl is the orange & white with a little wee bit of black hidden into her fur... but the rest are all orange and white tabbies. Give me a few days to figure out who is who!

For now, they have their own room. The dogs (especially Beadie) and the cats (especially Kaz) are very interested, but the orange kitties get Christmas tree tails every time they see the other creatures in our house. Again, give them some time - it's only been a few hours.

I think these guys are about 9 weeks old. These lucky guys have been inside their whole life and I think they'll fit right in. More soon.

If you want to read more about the Alberta Spay Neuter Task Force clinics that I've participated in this year, check out my other blog at: http://albertapetwellnessclinics.wordpress.com/

Sasha is adopted! Now there are none!

2010-10-30T17:46:00.000-07:00

Wow! what a busy day! Sasha made her debut at Petsmart today. Little did I know that she already had an application, so today she met her forever family - an awesome family that will love her and cuddle her, and have a kitty friend for her to play with. They're already getting ready to spoil her rotten!

Sasha will be at Petsmart! Saturday 1-3pm (Chinook Location)

2010-10-28T18:36:00.000-07:00

ARF animals go to Petsmart at Chinook every Saturday between 1-3pm so that potential adopters can meet animals available for adoption. Cats very rarely make these public appearances as the environment can be stressful, especially for cats that don't live with dogs. But for cats or kittens that live with dogs, it's a great way to introduce them to potential forever homes - for this reason, Sasha will be making her public debut this weekend!

We're down to 1! Lloyd is adopted!

2010-10-25T21:01:00.000-07:00

Sasha is all by her lonesome (she's sitting on my shoulder as I blog). Lloyd was adopted tonight by a teenage girl and her family who just adore him. He's going to another home with other dogs and cats and lots of love, so he'll be right at home.

Sasha may make her Petsmart debut later this week (Saturday, 1-3pm at the Chinook location) - we'll keep you posted. She'd love to go to a home with another ARF kitty, or go to a home that has another younger kitty to play with.

"I thought you were 'retired'?"

2010-10-25T20:55:00.000-07:00

It's true. We are "retired" from dog fostering. It doesn't mean we don't love puppies! Risotto and Italia are the last of the Italian litter - their littermates were all adopted this week... so if you're interested, get your application in! We're just puppy-sitting these two for a few days. That gives me my puppy fix and reminds me how much work it is to foster dogs!

Risotto (M) is the blond with interesting eyes. They appear to be part blue and part green so you have to look at them twice to really figure out what colour they are. Italia (F) is the smaller of the two. She's super cuddly and a little more adventurous than her bigger brother.

Yuki and the kitties

2010-10-25T20:49:00.000-07:00

So Yuki has come around, and on her own terms (like those pictured here) she likes to interact with the kittens. She even let Lizzie and Sasha "nurse" from her before Lizzie was adopted. The kitties love her crate, but she seems to be trying to tell them it's hers.

Dog-loving kitties

2010-10-17T20:48:00.001-07:00

Matti got a new bully stick and the two remaining kittens were also interested. Matti shared briefly. Lloyd didn't really eat it, rather just played with the end of it while Matti nibbled away. Then Beadie devoured her whole bully stick, came back and stole Matti's and the fun was all over.

Lloyd - the cat that loves dogs

2010-10-16T19:16:00.000-07:00

Well, the whole litter is good with our dogs, but Lloyd really loves Beadie and curls up with her every night so we'd really like to see him go to a home with other animals, dogs or cats or both.

Lloyd's Petsmart Debut

2010-10-16T18:49:00.001-07:00

ARF dogs to go Petsmart every Saturday between 1-3 so that potential adopters can meet them in person. On very rare occasions, a cat makes an appearance. Today Lloyd and I decided to try it out. I didn't advertise it on the website in case he really hated it and we left quickly. But, Lloyd stayed for the whole time and even interacted with a few of the puppies, especially Zara (apparently Zara has cats in her foster home).

And yes, for those who didn't know, ARF does have cats!

These kitties are flying outta here! 2 more adoptions!

2010-10-16T18:34:00.000-07:00

What a week! Ari left on Sunday and then yesterday I had calls about some of the other kittens. Lizzie ended up joining Ari (and apparently Ari is super happy to be reunited with his sister!), and Sloan went to a home with another cat earlier today.

Lloyd, being the dog-loving cat (he enjoys cuddling up to Beadie, one of our ARF dogs) that he is, made his unofficial debut at Petsmart today. He was a rockstar! He wasn't freaked out by the dogs (or people) at all and spent most of the time cuddling in my ARF hoodie. He did interact with Zara and Avery and made quite an impression on one family so who knows - he could soon be adopted too! That just leaves Sasha...

Adopt-a-thon and 1 Adoption!

2010-10-10T12:09:00.000-07:00

In a matter of minutes, the first of the five Cardston kitties will be adopted. Ari could have been adopted twice yesterday through ARF's Adopt-a-thon at the Ranchlands Tailblazers. His new family is on their way to pick him up. I'm gonna miss the little Mr. Personality, but maybe this means there's room for one more!

I'm hoping the siblings will also find their forever homes soon too.

Ari goes to a home with other dogs and another cat, which is just perfect for him. If anyone else is looking for a cat that had experience with other dogs or cats... check our Lizzie, Lloyd, Sloan and Sasha!

Home from the vet and ready for adoption!

2010-10-05T21:05:00.000-07:00

The kitties are home from the vet and are now ready to go up on the ARF website. That will make them officially available for adoption! Beadie, our resident dog, loves kitties, and was so happy that the cats were home. She waited patiently for them to come out of their crate.

Silly Sasha posing for the camera

2010-10-04T20:30:00.001-07:00

Run! Jump! Chase! ... cat naps.

2010-10-04T20:27:00.000-07:00

Meet Lizzie (as in Lizzie Grant)

2010-10-04T20:21:00.000-07:00

Little Lizzie is my favorite. I love her little markings on her face. I call her 'the painted one.' Her markings are not white like Lloyd's, rather peach like her brother Ari. She has peach on her paws, face, and flecks of peach through her coat. She also has subtle grey tabby markings.

You may sense a difference in the kitties' names - they're named after characters from Entourage rather than characters from the Wire. We'll reserve those names for the rare occasion that we foster a puppy in the future! (Lil Bunny Colvin last September was the exception to this!)

Meet Sasha

2010-10-04T20:17:00.000-07:00

We adore this all grey female kitty. She's a mixture of playful and cuddly and has beautiful subtle tabby markings.

Meet Sloan!

2010-10-04T20:13:00.000-07:00

Sloan is a total charmer. She has this cute little white beauty mark on her face, a white belly and little wee white socks. She's the calmest of the litter and just loves to catch some zzzz's next to her human or feline companions.

Meet Lloyd!

2010-10-04T20:11:00.000-07:00

We love this little character. Actually, he's the biggest of the litter, and probably the most curious. He loves, love, loves to wrestle with his siblings! He hardy sits still so it's super challenging to get a good picture of him!

Meet Ari (as in Ari Gold)

2010-10-04T20:07:00.000-07:00

Ari is the only peach kitten in the litter. He's supper cuddly & mischievous like any little kitty. He follows his human companions around and keeps them entertained.

Cardston Kitties

2010-10-04T20:03:00.000-07:00

Our five Cardston/Blood Reserve kitties will be fixed tomorrow and ready for adoption soon afterwards. Fostering kitties is much easier than fostering pups (although I do miss them!) and it's also very entertaining.

Our 5 little 9-wk old kitties include 2 boys and 3 girls, all domestic short hairs.

Wellness Clinic on the Blood Reserve, Southern Alberta

2010-09-19T15:19:00.001-07:00

For one weekend, the community centre in Moses Lake was turned into a makeshift animal hospital for a clinic run by the Alberta Spay & Neuter Task Force. The clinic provides free spays & neuters, vaccinations, and when available, pet food.

Thunder, half coyote, 8 years, and mom to 3 surviving pups

2010-09-19T15:05:00.000-07:00

Thunder is apparently part coyote and loved by her family, but they couldn't take care of her three surviving pups from her latest litter. She's 8 years old and her teeth are in bad shape - but I just love her - she was one of my buddies this weekend and I'm happy to report she's been fixed and vaccinated, so the neighbour's dog (whom we couldn't catch) won't get her knocked up again.

She's an old gal so it took her longer to recover. We warmed her up with blankets and a heating pad, and kept her tongue and gums moistened with water.

Surrendered kittens, two weeks old

2010-09-19T15:00:00.000-07:00

Two week old kitten (approx.) wasn't drinking from the mother cat and was really cold. A resident of the Blood Reserve and I each took turns warming the two little grey kittens up and feeding them formula from a syringe until we got them to nurse from mama cat (herself not much more than a kitten). This guy is so small he's like a mouse.

I wanted to bring home this litter and the mom to foster, but they might need round the clock care for a little longer - so they went with Pound Rescue and I brought home a litter of weaned kittens instead that will be available through ARF when they are old enough to be fixed.

There's more to animal rescue groups than just adoptions

2010-09-19T14:32:00.000-07:00

This was my second clinic with the Alberta Spay & Neuter Task Force. I volunteered with them in September 2009 for one day, and had also signed up for the June 2010 clinic but it was cancelled due to flooding. My participation was motivated by two things: first, as a volunteer with ARF I wanted to develop a better understanding of where most of our rescued animals come from. Secondly, our first ARF dog, Beadie, came from the Blood Reserve Wellness Clinic in June 2009.

I volunteered at both clinics with a mother and daughter who adopted our third foster dog, Kima. We didn’t know each other before, but since they adopted Kima we’ve become friends. They’ve met a number of our foster puppies and have taken care of our zoo while we’ve gone on vacation.

The Blood Reserve Wellness Clinic is held twice annually and provides free spay and neuter surgeries, free vaccinations and limited amounts of pet food. The operation requires a massive amount of volunteers, many of whom are highly skilled (vets and vet techs). The others typically come from various Calgary-based rescue groups. The September 2010 clinic had volunteers from the ABSNTF, AARCS, Pound Rescue, the Humane Society and ARF (possibly from other groups!). The three day clinic is paid for through donations and grant funding (I believe!). Volunteers make the three hour drive south and typically stay overnight in Cardston at their expense – but it’s more than worth every penny.

This year’s clinic was held in a community centre – basically a big gymnasium that housed an area for crates in line for vet checks, an area for sedated dogs in crates, a big area for surgeries, an area for animals recovering after surgery, an area for animals to be picked up, an area for sterilizing equipment, laundry and for paperwork. Vets and vet techs do surgery beneath the basketball nets under the newly purchased trouble-lights.

Volunteers, myself included, wash crates, walk dogs, nurse kittens, tend to dogs as they recover and wake up etc. Some run into town to do laundry at the Laundromat because the clinic uses so many old towels, sheets and blankets. Others transport young puppies to another facility to reduce their chances of illness.

The first day of the clinic is the most interesting. Teams of volunteers go door to door in the various communities explaining the clinic – the concept is familiar and well received. Community members give permission to have their animal fixed. They can also surrender animals, and permission must be granted to remove an animal from any home. Some dogs have never been in a crate or on a leash, so getting them rounded up is interesting. From here, they go back to the clinic facility with their paperwork and are eventually see by a team of vets and vet techs, and the correct dosage for the anaesthetic is calculated based on the animal’s weight. The first day starts at 10am (after a drive from Calgary) and ends around 10pm. On the second day, volunteers arrive to walk the dogs after a night in the crate, clean crates and get ready for the surgeries. Vets arrive and the process begins. Animals fixed during the morning surgeries can pick up their animals in the afternoon (or have them dropped off). Families are given instructions on how to care for the animal following surgery. They also receive food, typically donated by manufacturers or individuals in Calgary.

More and more people respond that their pets are already fixed when volunteers go door to door. Progress is being made. But there is no shortage of heartbreaking stories. I transported a 4-5 month old puppy for AARCS; the pup had had a collar tied tightly around his neck – so bad it had left an open wound. A 12 year old dog came in with a fractured foot (old injury, healed) and quills to the same leg. He was too old for his surgery, but had the quills removed.

Volunteers from Pound Rescue and AARCS spent much of Saturday rounding up more animals and sorting out where the many surrendered dogs and cats could go. At least three vehicles of volunteers returned to Calgary full of crates destined for AARCS, Pound Rescue, Pawsitive Match, Misty Creek and ARF. I don’t think they will find homes for all the kittens so we took in one litter for ARF. Adult dogs are also hard to place but as of yesterday, I think a foster home had been found for all, or most of the adult surrendered dogs.

Our day started at 7:30. I left Cardston around 6:30pm and drove to Calgary for a series of drop offs. I think I went to bed around 1am – with one puppy in the dog room (went to the vet Sunday morning) and the litter of five kittens getting cozy in the second bedroom.

The work of the Alberta Spay & Neuter Task Force wouldn’t be possible without donations, sponsorship, grant funding, and the contributions of various rescue organizations, including the Calgary Humane Society and ARF. The ABSNTF will hold another clinic for Siksika Nation over the first weekend in October. The next clinic for the Blood Reserve will be held in June.

Matlock is Adopted! (and we are 'retired')

2010-08-19T20:48:00.000-07:00

Well, our days of volunteering every day have come to an end and the feeling is bittersweet. After months of back and forth on whether we'd adopt a second dog (and retire from fostering), we got one pup we just couldn't give up. Actually, a second pup we couldn't give up, because we were "Foster Family Failures (FFF)" with Beadie too just over a year ago. Matlock is a great fit for our family, and camping just proved that even more. We're looking forward to many more trips together - although we may need a bigger vehicle...

But today was odd and I felt a little lost as I wasn't taking a puppy on a day visit, or taking a puppy to Petsmart. I was out of the loop. ARF has helped me feel 'at home' in Calgary and I'm experiencing a really profound sense of loss in our 'retirement' - there were actually tears - no joke. I haven't felt this way since leaving Ottawa and the Children's Garden in Robert Leggett Park - a project I was heavily involved with, and very sad to leave. The difference with ARF is that I'm still in the same city, but have chosen to take on a different role within the organization.

I can't wrap my head around 'never' fostering again - I can't really stand to think that! I do hope to babysit the odd foster dog when ARF foster parents are out of town, or foster again when our schedules are lighter. For now, I'll have to find something else to do with my time!

Doggy Date

2010-08-15T14:44:00.000-07:00

Matti and Beadie took first-timer "Tee-bo" to the dog park today. Without hesitation, all three of them were in the water and became fast friends. Teebo is a rescue dog from California, brought to Calgary through Little Mutts Rescue (a great option for people who want or need a small breed dog!) Matti has transformed in the last few weeks since we first started bringing him to the dog park (he used to run away from all the dogs). Now he owns the park and loves to hang out with the other dogs. His forever home should be prepared to keep taking Matlock to the dog park, and keep introducing him to new things as he is still timid around things that seem strange to him.

Matti walks twice a day, and usually one of those walks is off leash (at least part of it). He also gets at least one really big walk at one of the bigger dog parks each week, sometimes more often. A good dog is a well-exercised dog and a dog that isn't able to grow bored.

Stolen Pics:)

2010-08-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

I have "borrowed" some pictures from a friend because I couldn't resist putting them up here because they're such great pictures of Matti enjoying life in the mountains!

Answer to Chad

2010-08-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry to hear about the passing of your ARF dog. It took me a long time to get over the loss of the two dogs in my profile picture. Matti actually really reminds me of the blond terrier cross. I do think Matti would eventually be a good jogging partner, although you'd have to wait until he was full grown. He's much better on leash now (less walking in front of you at every step!) I do think Matti will be a really good family dog. He doesn't do a lot of mouthing and he's cuddly, but he gets very excited and does a lot of jumping up at the moment. He has only had very limited exposure to children (the odd time approaching kids when on leash or at the park). So he'll really benefit from continued training. He knows to sit and shake a paw (for a treat) at the moment. As with any dog or pup, I wouldn't leave him alone with young children, and would make sure the children were also being taught how to behave around a dog.

Matti also loves his foster sister, and would do well with another young dog.

Chillin' by the Campfire

2010-08-10T19:57:00.000-07:00

Fun times around the campfire! Matti curled up with Beadie in the tent and we're happy to report that he slept through the night each night. In fact, both dogs were exhausted by 8:30 or 9:00 each night, and slept close to 12 hours in the tent while we chatted around the fire. Matti saw deer on the trip... and was a little freaked out by them!

2010-08-10T19:56:00.001-07:00

2010-08-10T19:54:00.000-07:00

Matti at approximately 3 months enjoyed his first real taste of the mountains with his pal, Beadie.

Camping buddies.

2010-08-10T19:50:00.000-07:00

Beadie and Matti went on a camping trip this weekend. Beadie camped with us once before (when she was still a foster pup at 8 weeks old). This was Matti's first camping experience and we're pretty sure he loved every minute of it, especially playing near or in the water with B!

Simple Pleasures: Ice Cubes

2010-07-29T21:08:00.000-07:00

We occasionally give the pups ice cubes, especially if they are doing lots of chewing. Matlock hasn't been doing lots of chewing but I figured I'd see what he thought of ice cubes anyway. It continues to be pretty entertaining to watch him chase them around the kitchen and living room.

New arrival: Matlock...

2010-07-29T20:59:00.000-07:00

... or Matti as we like to call him as "Matlock" is such a mouthful! What a character! I can't wait to get home from work to play with this little monkey. It's also a real treat to have only one foster puppy at a time! Matti was really shy the first day he arrived at our place, having come from another foster home where there were several pups. He was initially very timid around our own dog and it took a lot of coaxing to get him to come into the backyard. At different points over several hours we tried calling him to us with treats when Beadie was in the backyard. He was interested in us and the treats, but not sure about Beadie. Now they play together with balls and other toys and will walk together on the leash. (The leash was also quite new for Matti but he loves walks!)

We typically keep our fosters in an exercise pen in the kitchen (it's pretty big and takes up the whole kitchen). But with one pup who has some control over his bodily functions, Matti is enjoying full run of the house while we're home. He spends most of the time following us around and we make sure he gets lots of breaks outside. So far, very few accidents to report.

Matti also lives with cats and although he is interested, he isn't really chasing them. One of our cats has been so brave as to snuggle up against him.

How big is big?

2010-07-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

Rossi's forever home should be prepared for a big dog. Second only to "what kind of dog is that?" ARF volunteers are always asked "how big will s/he get?" - "A good size," is a good answer. We can never know and are reluctant to hazard a guess lest we be wrong. But generally, ARF dogs are big dogs. How big is big? I don't consider our ARF dog big. She weighs just under 55lbs. Our third ARF dog, Kima, is a good size, around 70lbs. But they can be bigger (or smaller!)

Ross resembles Levi (stayed with us through the holiday season). He was a tank, but Rossi might be bigger. I wonder how big Levi is now and what he looks like.

So how big are these guys? I should have weighed Rossi before he went to his new foster home, but he is at least 28lbs at 3 months old - he could be pushing 30lbs. Joey weighs in at 26lbs.

Water fun!

2010-07-06T18:54:00.000-07:00

It took Beadie some time to warm up to the water when she was a pup. These guys just love it - well, not so much the bathtub...

What else is new? Ross is learning to shake a paw, as is Joey now. Both know "sit" and Joey's recall is coming along (Ross will get there!)

Today Rossi went to a new foster home and Joey will do the same on Thursday. Having one instead of two, three, or four foster puppies makes a huge difference. All of a sudden I was able to spend 30 focused minutes with Joey working on "Shake" and "down". Shake is getting there but needs more work; it appears that Joey will learn down very quickly; having these basic commands will be very useful in curbing some of the other puppy behaviour that comes with puppy exuberance like jumping up.

Our friend Rayne is adopted! Hooray!

2010-07-01T11:22:00.000-07:00

Congrats to CK and TL who have adopted a special little pup into their home. Yes, we did have five dogs in the house this week! Rayne came to us from another foster home and quickly settled into the pack. Rayne and I became fast friends. She's one of those pups that we could have easily adopted ourselves had she not found her forever home this week. Rayne is mellow at times, and fun and bouncy at others. She loves 'her people' and tried to follow her new adoptive parents out after they dropped her off after the day visit. She's comical to watch the way she prances as she retrieves toys, balls, bones etc.

She got her extra cuddles yesterday morning - as is becoming custom when we're saying goodbye to pups, I invited the wee gal up onto the bed and we snuggled together before work. We'll miss you, Rayne! All the best to Rayne and her forever home! They looked so happy to meet Rayne as they went through our adoption process. Their joy reminds me of how ecstatic we were to officially welcome our own ARF dog into our family almost exactly 1 year ago:)

...Maybe it's time to adopt again...?

Learning to Sit

2010-07-01T11:19:00.000-07:00

So I mentioned the pups haven't yet learned to shake, but we are making progress with "sit." Joey in particular seems to really get it and is very eager to please. Learning some basic commands will really help when they are all bouncy and excited... especially when we have 3, 4 or 5 dogs in the house. Yes, we are crazy.

Good Boys!

2010-07-01T11:13:00.000-07:00

Ross (left) and Joey (right) have settled in and have learned the routine. This means, they know when they wake up, they go down the steps and out the door to do their business. It also means that when they come back in, the come up the steps and back into their pen in the kitchen. Keeping the pups' movement in the house under control means they 1) don't chew our stuff, 2) they don't eat anything that would be harmful to them, and 3) we don't find yellow circles throughout the house.

The pups have also been walking regularly on leash and off leash and are loving the exercise and the extra time they get to spend with big sister, Beadie. They also fetch occasionally. We haven't tried teaching "down" or "shake" yet, but I think at least the latter will be fairly easy. Maybe a project for later today.

New pups!

2010-06-24T21:08:00.000-07:00

Our little Omar and Marlo have moved to another foster home as I was away for a few days for work. I miss my boys - they were so easy to train to do tricks!

We have since welcomed home Joey and Ross! These two brothers are going to be big boys. Ross is already 26lbs and Joey is just about 21lbs. Ross has monstrous, clumsy paws and is thick and chubby. Joey is big, but leaner than his bro.

The boys were quite timid at first - Beadie told them once that she was the boss and they avoided her for several hours. I finally got them to follow me into the back yard and run around. Within half a day they were regular pups. They also learned to go up and down the stairs and walk on a leash. It's been a huge day.

The pups seem to be pretty quiet when in the company of the other at least. They are learning to sit but don't know their names yet. We're going to try the crate tonight (now that they are pooped after their first walk!)

Ross is already extra close to our heart because he looks so similar to Levi - an adorable, chubby shepherd cross that spent several weeks with us and we really considered adopting. The resemblance is uncanny. We love Joey too - he's his own special guy - and even though there are lots of 'black n tans' out there, we haven't had one like Joey.

PUpdate

2010-06-11T20:02:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow lil Omar and Marlo make their big debut. In preparation, Marlo is trying on his new collar. He's a little nervous and not sure the colour suits him, but we're trying to convince him that A) it's very useful, and B) it looks good. So if you see him tomorrow, let him know he rocks his happy face collar.

Lil Omar is a good student. Having mastered sit and shake a paw like his bro, he's now moving on to "down." Maybe we'll demonstrate tomorrow.

Four dogs!

2010-06-10T17:40:00.001-07:00

Well...temporarily. I don't think we could manage four for much longer! Impossible to get them all in one picture. Left to right: Marlo, Omar, Thelma, and fleeing the scene, Louise (probably chasing Beadie - she loves Beadie!)

Marlo and Omar are ready for adoption!

2010-06-10T17:22:00.000-07:00

Marlo and Omar are pretty comfortable now - we're going on four weeks together. Last week they had a four-day slumber party with siblings Thelma and Louise. What a houseful! Fun times! (and lots of mop buckets).

The pups just got fixed so that means they are ready to be adopted! This is the first time we've had pups for so long before they are ready for adoption - it's been neat to see the little munchkins grow. Did I mention they've been sitting and shaking a paw since they were 6 weeks old!? So smart.

Omar

2010-05-19T19:00:00.001-07:00

Marlo

2010-05-19T18:59:00.001-07:00

Marlo and Omar

2010-05-19T18:55:00.000-07:00

Well after a brief hiatus we're back to fostering; our new pups are something different for us - they're 5 weeks old so they won't be ready for adoption for another three weeks. We haven't had pups this young before, but so far they seem just like the 8 week old ones but they sleep more, poop more and pee more. The sleeping more bit makes up for the latter.

Omar and his bigger brother Marlo are delightful. They love cuddles and love to tussle together.

Bodie's Update

2010-05-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

We're on a break from fostering, so the pups in the photo above are the only ones keeping us busy at the moment. But this morning brought an update from one of our favorite fosters: Bodie. The little man is super happy in his forever home (and his adoptive two-legged parents are equally stoked). He's learning even more tricks and as his roadside-rescuer and I both noted, he is FULL of cuddles.

Back in a few weeks with a new pup, new pics, and new adventures:)

Thanks to Diane, and ARF, and Bodie's forever home - he's adopted!

2010-04-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

It's official, my little Bodie-monster is adopted. Man, we love that pup... soooooooooooooooo full of love. Whenever we adopt a second dog, he or she will have to have some of the characteristics of that guy!

So, thanks to Diane for rescuing Bodie and his bro Maverick from the side of the highway, and thanks to ARF for taking him into their foster system, and of course to a wonderful forever home, this little guy has a much, much, much longer and happier life - and already in his young life he's brought chuckles and joy to so many of us. J and R - we wish you all the best with that little munchkin!

Bodie's Goodbye

2010-04-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

Is this getting harder? Maybe. I didn't cry - that might be the indicator that it would be time to stop fostering. But how do you stop fostering when there are so many pups that need a home? Bodie is a real character - we haven't had a pup quite like him - sooooooooo energetic and sooooooooo cuddly at the same time, and sooooooooo eager to please. Before he was adopted he was rolling over left right and centre (I think because he just loves the attention). So no tears, but I did have to give him a big hug and kiss cause he's so special. Poor Beadie, she also loved Bodie - but Beadie loves all the pups, and there will be more to come, although we're taking a big of a break for a few weeks, so these are the only two pups at our place for a while. I guess I can put away the mop bucket... Oh yeah, and Beadie celebrates her one-year birthday today! Happy Birthday to you... Happy.... so on that note, we're off to the park;)

Puppy Fame

2010-04-15T19:13:00.000-07:00

Well Bodie is Mr. Popular and is definitely getting noticed. After playing with his doggy friends at the park, he met another ARF doggy, now happily settled into his Forever Home ('Baja'); and just as we were leaving someone said, 'hey, that looks like that pup from the ARF website!' :)

The "One"!?!?!

2010-04-13T20:02:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, it could be. Mr. Bodie Broadus may be saying his goodbyes (and new hellos!) by the end of the week.... lots of cuddles, lots of cuddles, lots of cuddles...We'll keep you posted!

Bodie's Update

2010-04-11T11:39:00.000-07:00

Bodie is winning his way into people's hearts (he won us over long ago!) and he is in the process of meeting with potential forever homes. It's always hard to say goodbye, but always so exciting to see a family welcome a new companion. Bodie, Beadie and I will be spending lots of quality time together this week:)

My New Trick!

2010-04-10T13:45:00.000-07:00

Don't believe us? Check it out:) Smart puppy. He thought about it overnight, and then without treats this afternoon he did it on the first try. Then when we tried to videotape it, he pretended he didn't know what we were talking about, but we've got it on film.

We're making serious progress!

2010-04-05T18:18:00.000-07:00

It's only been a matter of days but I think Mr. Preston "Bodie" Broadus feels right at home. Today was his first day home alone with Beadie and he did really well - enjoying the 'smart' toys that kept him busy while we were away. Today's menu included a frozen peanut butter and moistened kibble Kong, and a scrumptious chilled pumpkin Kong.

Bodie also learned to shake a paw today and now he's so proud of his little trick. It took some trying, and a few different tactics, but he's got it down. He now knows "gimme a paw", "sit" and "down." His "sit" is getting very good, and doesn't need treats every time.

I don't want to give the impression that we're teaching a trick a day - I do have a full time job! But Bodie is a clever little guy and eager to please. He also started chasing the ball today (instead of just chasing Beadie) and he sometimes brings it back:)

Cute, cuddly, and bound to be adopted in no time

2010-04-03T17:33:00.000-07:00

This is a good thing, because we're not ready for a second dog. If you follow my blog, you'll realize I've been saying this since we fostered "Kimmy" in Nov/Dec. Then Levi and Edge both worked on me, and most recently Foster made me really think about how I could persuade my husband that we should get a second dog... Sorry, Bodie - it's not time yet, but your forever home is just around the corner!

Hey!

2010-04-03T11:04:00.001-07:00

"Hey, yo!? Whatchu doin' takin' my picture!???"

Here he is!

2010-04-02T12:36:00.000-07:00

Bodie has arrived! Bodie is about 3 months old and loves to run, run, run! This little guy must have some Border Collie in him - he crouches down and tries to herd our own dog. He has LOTS of energy and will definitely need to go to a home that has an active lifestyle and plans to give a their new pup lots of exercise. Bodie is very cuddly and wants to be right with you. He looks like he is always smiling:)

Foster's gone, but Bodie arrives tonight!

2010-04-01T19:06:00.000-07:00

Well, seems everywhere we go we see a pup that resembles Foster and we miss him. He was 100% good dog!! I'm sure he's making D and K super happy right now - we wish you all the best.

Very shortly, we'll bring home a darn, stinking cute puppy. I can tell you right now I want to adopt Bodie already. This is a bad sign. Photos to come.

Home feels empty - Foster has found his forever home!

2010-03-29T20:59:00.000-07:00

It crossed my mind more than once that Foster's forever home may have been right here with us - but the very small, rational part of my brain, and my very rational husband told me on more than one occasion that although Foster was the right dog, it was not the right time for us to extend our family of four-legged creatures. Instead, Foster has found a wonderful home with a super cool couple, and by all accounts, was wagging his tail as he left. I don't take this as an insult, but as an indication of how much he already loves his forever home! Beadie is still confused and mopes about, waiting for the next "foster" to arrive. Poor girl, she may have to wait a while - we'll see. But I'm sure when the next pup or pups arrive, she'll be very keen to show them the ropes and play with them. For now, two cats will have to do.

There's a dog on my couch and a cat on my table...

2010-03-26T19:46:00.000-07:00

It's the new world order over here. Foster has been making himself at home on the couch for a few weeks now. If you can't find him, you know to look on the couch. The cats have been drinking out of a water glass on the table basically since we started fostering, but right now, one of them is having a snooze on the kitchen table. I love them just the same.

What do you mean I can't chew my bones on the couch?

2010-03-23T20:36:00.001-07:00

Yeah, that's his routine. Look real cute and maybe you won't get kicked off the couch for bringing your disgusting raw bone up there.... I guess he loves both and just can't decide between the tempting yummy treat, and the supreme comfort of foster fam's sofa....

Fun times at the ARF Adoptathon

2010-03-21T20:30:00.000-07:00

Foster had a fun-filled day at the ARF adoptathon while Beadie pouted and wondered where her friend went. Foster became fast friends with Cheerio and Zoey, and Jo-Jo and Shooglie weren't too bad either. Foster's met Cash before and everyone says they look like twins - here they are hanging out together!

Foster is a wicked awesome dog. People kept commenting today that he was really thin. Foster is on a set diet as he shouldn't carry extra weight because of the trauma to his hind end. Extra weight is hard on the joints of any pet, but would put added stress on Foster. He loves his food and finishes it quickly, so we're trying other ways of getting him to savor it...He hasn't quite figured out the Tug-a-Jug yet, but i think he'll get there. Foster is always looking for food and this leads me to one of his only bad habits... he's a bit of a garbage collector and also samples dog poop. So, it's important that he soon learn "leave it" and "drop it"!!

We've been told that Foster is a bit of a chewer, as is our own dog, so we've been careful to keep a stock of acceptable chew toys and treats for Foster to stay busy with. He hasn't shredded any blankets in our home, but apparently he was in this habit with his previous home when he was recovering from his injuries. I attribute this change to a few things - perhaps the fact that he's getting close to two hours of exercise a day, - probably the fact that he's kept in a dog room while we're away (and is with another dog doesn't hurt either) - and he's always left with smart toys and sometimes a raw bone to keep him busy.

Some of Foster's favourite treats include:

Carrots

Ice Cubes

Peanut Butter

Delicious Bison Bones (raw, and a cut that doesn't break apart)

Meet me at the ARF adoptathon!

2010-03-19T20:24:00.000-07:00

Foster along with many of his 'foster' friends will be at ARF's adoptathon on Sunday. Learn more here! But don't say I didn't warn you, Foster is even more lovable and adorable in person!

"I'll show you..."

2010-03-19T20:16:00.000-07:00

So I may have said at one point that I doubted Foster would be able to jump up on the bed as he couldn't even get up on the couch. Well, that's the last time I tell Foster what he's capable of... despite his previous injury, he has proven that yes, he can jump up on the bed (he only does this once in a while) and he can very, very easily get up on the couch, and back down, and back up with his disgusting bone, and back down, and back up etc. As you can see, he has made himself quite comfortable around our other companions...