A Place to Bark and Meow -- Animal Rescue Blog by Bernie Berlin

Friday, March 28, 2008

What a difference a day makes..

"Difficulties in Life are intended to make us better, not bitter."
-Dan Reeves

It never ceases to amaze me the difference in expression once an animal leaves animal control..

Animals have such a keen sense of smell and sensory perception that being at the pound must be horribly emotional and scary for them.

I would guess that they can smell death, from the look in their eyes..

I know my personal dogs sense my emotions, especially when I am sad and what a blessing they are when I need a smooch or a friend to hug.

Never wanting anything more than just your love.

We could all learn a few lessons from these angels:)

Here are some of our new faces with a few before and afters:

This sweet girl's name is "Caliee". She is a Border Collie mix. Approximately 2-3 years of age.

Unbelievably sweet, never leaves your side. Not hyper and just a wonderful companion.

The photo below is her at the gate of her run at animal control. She had 4 pups there with her.

The pups all hid under the dog cot and would run if you picked up the bed. Terrified of people.

This picture was taken hours after arriving home and as you can see from the smile on her face, she is happy to be here and just waiting for a forever home to love her!!!

Her pups are darling, warming up to people now. I am not sure what they are mixed with but the white one has a stubby tail, like an Australian Shepherd.

These two are "Kya" & "Kobie".

They are probably Great Pyrenees/ Lab mixes.

This picture taken at the pound, shows the body language and sad shape these darlings were in.

"Kobie" had mange, was very malnourished and could barely stand.

"Kya" is pregnant.

She is doing well and looks good.

I a bit concerned for she is almost due, her milk has dropped and she is still very thin.

"Kobie" has a very healthy appetite and is doing great. His hair is starting to come back.

He is being treated for mange and has been wormed several times. He'll be ready for adoption in about 3 weeks. About a year old, loving and good natured. He looks like a mini Great Pyrenees:) So if you love the breed, this one would fit perfectly in your bed!!

More pictures and stories to come..

I am getting ready to transport on Thursday so it is going to be a busier than usual week.

:: posted @ 10:55 PM by Bernie Berlin:: 4 comments :: permalink

Winners of our fundraising gifts!!

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible."

-Walt Disney

WoW!!! Been really, really, busy lately, with lots of new fuzzies here...

This is a long overdue post, so here it is!!!

Thanks sooo much to Claudine for helping me, as she always does:)

We selected at random with this handy random number generator 42 winners for our A Place to Bark Network For Good fund raiser gifts.

Here are our lucky winners out of over 2,400 donations!

Each artist has been notified of their winner(s) and they will be getting in touch with you to send you your gift(s)!

Thank you again for support of A Place to Bark we couldn't have done it without your generous support!!!!

a lifetime membership to ZNE winner- Joan McGrady-Beach

original 16x20 artwork by Claudine Hellmuth winner - Lee Brown

5 signed copies of Collage Discovery Workshop: Beyond the Unexpected winners - Donna Hart, Vicky Martindale, Sharee Chapman, Patricia Dusman, Martha Rich

original artwork by Sheri Gaynor winner - Jody Green

5 original Artist Trading Cards by Bernie Berlin Penny Dittmer, Bonnie Towles, Christine Rose Elle, david o'connell, Ethel Burnham

original mixed media painting by Brenda Pinnick custom made for you! winner - Kelly Snelling

5 signed copies of Artist Trading Card Workshop, a book by Bernie Berlin winners - jennifer boykin ,Sue Verner, Norma Amador, Jacek Menel, Laura Turner

10 archival prints by pet portrait artist Kathy Weller winners - Catherine Dunphy, catherine davol , Denni A Bloom , Kim McCullough , Anita Van Hal, Marie Prescott , Maurice Nowell, Cheryl Hayden, jill smith ragan, Leigh Armstrong

a signed archival print by Melissa Langer of Pug Notes winner - Suzy Hay

two signed books by Margot Potter and a handmade dog collar
winners - Janet Cregar , Gary Rattner , Jon and Denise Luce

a signed print of your choice from Noisy Dog Studio winner - Christine Hazelton

a collage pack brimming with artsy papers from CollageJoy winner - Jayne Bramley

two original collage artworks by Heatherly of Richmond St. Designs winners - Lyn Klauzer, Roberta Powell

grab bag of kitty and doggie stamps from Cat's Life Press winner - Michelle Curran

2 Scrappy Cats skeins of yarn from Saints and Sinners winners - Christine Crabtree, Ann Kirschner

2 collage prize packs from Christine Adolph designs winners - Molly Simmons , Danielle Muller

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all your support!!!

It is because of you, the generous artists and animal loving donors, that we are able to save so many wonderful animals.

Just know everytime you look at this blog, the faces saved are because of you!!!

Together we make a difference in the lives of these animals...

We have finally decided on a metal building, nothing fancy, building costs are higher than what we expected, but it will be a shelter:) With heat and air.... More news to follow.

:: posted @ 9:57 PM by Bernie Berlin:: 1 comments :: permalink

Sunday, March 16, 2008

For Those who love Boston Terriers

"May happiness touch your life today, as warmly as you have touched the lives of others."
-Rebecca Forsythe

This handsome guy is "Rufus". He is a male Boston Terrier approximately 1-2 year of age.

Surrendered because he was not housebroken.

Super sweet, loving guy who is very enthusiastic about life, he just needs a few lessons on where the potty is.

Nothing a belly band and some positive reinforcement can't fix:)

Just recently neutered, I took him to my very dear friend and fellow artist Kim Nugent this trip. Kim has two other Boston's Valentine and Ziggy.

Ziggy is very talented and brilliant, he plays the piano, knows many tricks, while the beautiful Valentine sings, I mean really sings like an opera singer!!

She is quite co-dependent, always by Kim's side and needs to be told she is beautiful at least a dozen times a day.

I took these funny pictures while I stayed at Kim's.

We were trying out my Photobooth program and just having fun, being silly.

"Miss Valentine, in double trouble"

"Kim and I as cartoon charcters"

Photobooth is on my Mac computer and is just a fun and easy program to work with to manipulate photos.

Kim's daughter, Brook, also has Boston Terriers named, Gunther & Gertie.
As you can see by Gunther's graduation picture, they are quite spoiled and loved as much, if not more than any child.

Check out Gunther Graphics , it is Brook's company, she does amazing graphic arts work!!

While in Wisconsin, Kim and I were working on coordinating our schedules for classes at her upcoming event.

This is at one of the several coffee shops in town we were hanging out in and there is high speed internet:)
Looks like I will be teaching in Wisconsin this fall!!! I am really excited..
I owe Kim huge, since my schedule was too hectic for me to submit art for her upcoming book, Interactive Art Workshop: Mixed Media In Motion.

Fabulous artwork and techniques in this book, be sure not to miss it!!

Kim will also be having an artretreat later this year, called the RAEvN's Nest Art Retreat October 16 -19th.

I am looking forward to her retreat, because it will be in the town close to where I use to live.

A homecoming so to speak. I really miss Wisconsin, more than I can say...

If you live in Wisconsin and want a fun filled, artfully charged weekend, complete with a live band, come join us!!!
Cedarburg is a super cute, quaint town, lots of darling shops and great food..
Give her retreat a peek!!

We promise a fabulous time will be had by all that attend!!

I have had to cut my teaching schedule down to next to nothing this year, I need some time to recharge, take care of family members & things and get this building up and running, so being on the road I have tried to keep at a minimum.
Still doesn't feel so minimum though:)

"2009" I will be back up in full work capacity again, on the road, traveling & teaching again...

Planning several out of the country teaching trips for next year, which will be very exciting!!!

Can you believe I have to have proposals and submissions already done for 2009 and 2010?!!

Eeek!! Living my life in fast forward:)

I just got home last nite from my trip to Chicago & Wisconsin late last nite.
So I need to get moving, to take care of the pups here, we still have close to 40, unload the van & return it and try to get caught up on work.
So ta-ta and toodle doo:) (((giggles)))
Have a Fantastic Furry day!!!

:: posted @ 9:10 AM by Bernie Berlin:: 9 comments :: permalink

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Our Furry Friends Looking for Homes

"You cannot do a kindness too soon..

For you never know how soon it will be too late"

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

These are just a few of the many furry friends here looking for homes...

Above pictured is "Nikki" a female Pomeranian, approximately 2-3 years of age.

She is quite the dancer and begs in the cutest manner. LOVES to go for car rides and just be right next to you.

If you have interest in any one of these darlings, most of them will be going to Chicago and will be up for adoption at the Anti Cruelty Society next week. Contact me if you have any questions.

The adults have all been here for awhile and are very healthy, vaccinated & tested.

The pups that were sick will not be available for adoption until sometime in April, they are fully recovered now and being crazy, bouncy, get into everything, puppies:) We just want them to be the very best before adoption. So a few more weeks of rehab.

Here are the fabulous faces looking for forever homes!!!

Please consider adopting a rescued dog:)

"Cagney" is a female Sheltie/Border Collie mix. Approximately 1-2 year of age. Weighing about 30 pounds. She is very sweet, shy at first but warms up quickly.

This is "Rudy" the rocket!!!! He is a male we're not quite sure what he is..

He looks like a mini Golden Retriever in person. A true designer breed a pocket Retriever:)

Approximately 1-2 years of age. Weighing about 23 pounds. Super busy, really happy guy. Loves people!!!! Very outgoing.

"Toby" is a male Cocker Spaniel. 2-3 years of age. Housebroken and just a great dog.

Loves people and is good with other dogs.

His only hangup is he had a bad experience with a groomer so he has issues with having his nails cut.

"Bongo" is a male Terrier/mix. Approximately 1-2 years of age. Super loving, great with other dogs and people.

"Charlie" is a male Golden/Lab mix. Approximately 10+ years old.

Very sweet and super active for his age!! He was skin and bones when he got here.

He has gained some weight and is doing well.

Submissive to other dogs, he is hoping a loving family will give him a place to call home and live out his golden years.

"Emma" is a female Australian Shepherd/Pyrenees mix. Approximately 1-3 years of age.

Very Wiggly:) She is about 40-50 pounds.

That's it for now..

Just a quick mention, we met with a few builders this week and are looking at everything so I will have news next week on our future building plans.

Gotta run and pick up the van today, tomorrow I am on the road with all the critters to Chicago.

Keep us in your prayers for a safe trip tomorrow...

:: posted @ 10:10 AM by Bernie Berlin:: 4 comments :: permalink

Saturday, March 08, 2008

"WHOA!!! We got SNOW!!!"

"Love is the Light"
"Forward is the Motion"
-Author Unknown

We got snow the other day!!!

Don't see it often here in Tennessee, but it was nice having it for the day:)

The dogs had alot of fun in it!!!!

Seems appropriate that we rescued two American Eskimo dogs to go with the snowfall.

"Stoli" and "Allie" came from the pound. Owner surrendered.

They had never been to the vet or been vaccinated according to the owners.

Outdoor dogs all their lives, a family's beloved pets who left their dogs at the pound to be put to sleep.

I was told that they made beautiful puppies and that she had many litters..

I was totally speechless, sad and sick to my stomach as I listened..

I wanted to say many things, but did not, for these folks were very elderly.

Reminding myself I am not here to judge others, it is not my place, but to help the animals in need.

It breaks my heart seeing what I see, day after day, year after year, all the pups put to sleep needlessly. People do not realize the vast amount of animals put to sleep every year..

Here are the stats to give you an idea:

Each day 10,000 humans are born in the U.S. - and each day 70,000 puppies and kittens are born.
Or, for every person that is born, 15 dogs and 45 cats are also born.
If you do the math, there is no way we can find homes for them all.
As long as these birth rates exist, there will never be enough homes for all the animals born into this world.
As a result, every year 4 to 6 million animals are euthanized because there are no homes for them.

I really did not have the room to take Stoli and Allie in, but their sweet faces haunted me the day I left the pound.

So frightened and scared those poor dogs were, I just couldn't sleep that night.

I called the pound, the next morning begging animal control not to put them down, that I was coming for them.

They agreed, so I got them the day they would have died...

It makes me so sad that people own dogs, say they love them, but don't do the right things by them and dump them.

For every purebred dog there is a rescue.

Please remember this and help spread the word.

Most people do not know this, if you are ever in need you can google the breed rescue for help.

Stoli and Allie went to Eskie Rescue today and I have to tell you the Eskie Rescuers are truly a fantastic group to work with!!!

So these babies will be in great hands and I've made some new rescue friends:)

In other news, I have been so crazy busy..

We are so covered up and loaded with dogs, I can't even tell you how many phone calls I get every day, with request for me to take litters of puppies or stray dogs.

It boggles my mind that there are so many here who need help.

Everyone here is doing well and I am getting ready to transport the adult dogs on Thursday, so off to Chicago I go.

Jeff will hold down the fort while I am gone, taking care of all the pups, till I get back on Saturday.

I have given Claudine my password to the account so she can do pick the names for the drawing, with the random number generator. I will help her work on that Monday.

Thanks for hanging in there with us!!!!

You all are the best!!! I cannot tell you how much you all help me, just being there:)

Much love to you all..

:: posted @ 8:19 AM by Bernie Berlin:: 3 comments :: permalink

Sunday, March 02, 2008

Better Days Ahead...

"It's in grief's darkest hour when we really need to know that only in acceptance can new hope grow..."

"Acceptance when it finally comes begins to bring relief.

As healing hope renews our souls and strengthens our belief..."

"Light can emerge from darkness when acceptance shows it's face.

As we allow ourselves to heal through God's own love and grace."

-Hilda Lachney Sanderson

This has been an extremely hard week, one of my hardest weeks doing rescue.

I got back from CHA, The Helen Woodward Animal Center and Boston, a week ago Thursday. Just stepping off my flight when we landed in Nashville, I turned on my phone to find my first voicemail, was from animal control about a Lab that was hit by a semi and survived, that needed rescue.

So that is how things started when I got home..

Then later that day, I get to my vets office to start bringing dogs home.

Obviously I have to do this over a few days, since we had so many there..

A few of the pups looked suspicious, so we did Parvo tests and sure enough, the test turned positive before the control.

In the next few days, we had many more break and in the end treated 25, we lost 5, but 20 survived.
Lucky thing is that my vet has two clinics, an old one about a block away, that is where my dogs are always kept when boarding.
So they were in a separate, building away from regular clients when this broke.

This is our largest outbreak ever, usually it is isolated to an individual litter.

But the problem we have had lately, is our quarantine time was usually 14 days, but the strains are changing and I am seeing Parvo break at 21 to 28 days.

So a much longer quarantine time will be needed and applied.

It has been heartbreaking and a terrible time for me emotionally.

Giving I.V. fluids and medication all hours, keeping the babies warm and clean, is physically tiring, but looking in their eyes, holding them and knowing all you can do is your best and pray for a miracle..

That is the hardest part, the helplessness of letting go and letting God.

The only good that came from this is that the vaccine company is working with my vet and a research lab in Oklahoma, using the blood samples from the sick dogs, to do research on the new strains of Parvo. And hopefully help to assist in their development of new vaccines.

The picture above is of "Edna" Spunkmeir she is a Parvo survivor.

Her paws have been shaved for she was on an I.V. pump.

A sweet darling Australian Shepherd mix who has cute little furry boots now.

The new strain of Parvo, is called CPV type 2c, if you want to read here & here for articles.

I have been saying this for the past year, that something is not right and the virus is changing.

I have seen so many different variations, from incubation time, to the symptoms, to the way they react to the medications given.

So, as with all things in this world, change is inevitable.

The pups are doing really well now, eating, playing and the best yet..

They have solid poop!!!

Yes, that is the one thing that makes me smile, from ear to ear is a perfectly formed poop!!!

True dog people will agree:)

If you know nothing of Parvo, know it is a terrible killing virus, that basically makes the pups hemorrhage from the inside out.

Truly the most horrible experience, that I hope you never have to go thru.

All I can say is, I am very grateful to have you all reading, helping me heal with your kind words...

Never will you know how much that helps and lifts me up!!!

Life is never easy, but with friends, we can get thru the hard times and revel in the good..

This situation could have been much worse my friends remind me, I still wish with all my heart, that we would not have lost any.

At times life is not fair, all we can do, is our best with the purest of intentions and pray.

I am a bit disappointed, because of this situation, I will not be able to go to Artfest this year:(

This is a trip I have had planned since last year, something I wanted to do for myself to recharge.

But with the current situation and so many dogs recovering, I won't be able to transport till next month and financially cannot afford to board everyone again and go away.

So it is what it is..

The dogs come first and there will be other Artfests to come in upcoming years...

I will miss seeing everyone and will be thinking about all my friends that week.

So if you are going have lots of fun for me!!!

So much to tell you and catch up on...

I will try to do so in the next few days.

Thanks again for being here for me.....

And we will do the drawing soon!!!

:: posted @ 9:27 AM by Bernie Berlin:: 33 comments :: permalink