Rewbynn is Adopt-A-Bull!

Rewbynn has come leaps and bounds while in foster care, so now it is time to be an Adopt-A-Bull! (outside of ONscario only please)

He likes to do "laundry" though (please read - a softer sell on sep anxiety), and needs someone who embraces that! His journey thus far has been blogged at: http://adrrewbynn.blogspot.ca/

View his PETFINDER link and/or read his bio below - and please feel free to crosspost and share!

Rewbynn is available for adoption OUTSIDE of the province of Ontario. Due to Rewbynn's age (approx 1-2) his apparent breed mix/appearance, and current provincial laws, he is unable to be adopted within Ontario, or any other area/state subject to Breed Specific Legislation.

My name is Rewbynn, like the sandwich, because of my colour, and, well, to know me is to love me (with or without a pickle on the side)! I am about a year or two old, and didnt get the best start in this world. Thankfully I was saved by some wonderful people who are helping me learn to love again (you can follow my journey here on my very own blog: http://adrrewbynn.blogspot.ca/)
The love part has actually been super easy! I am surrounded by great people who are lots of fun. I love to snuggle with them, sleeping in their arms (what do you mean Im not a lap dog?) smiling and snoooooring and being ever so cute. I give kisses to say thank you for these snuggles, to both my human and doggie friend. Thats right folks, I live with 2 other dogs right now and LOVE it! Actually, I think its helped a lot with my learning to love . . . walks are pretty cool, and so are kids (okay, so lets see here, loyal and snuggly, dog and kid friendly, Im quite the catch!) I ADORE car rides and am really well behaved on them (have dog, will travel!), and I wait sitting patiently for my meals to be served, along with some other basic commands (keeping in mind I AM a teenager so my education is in progress).

Time, patience and training has done a lot to help me forget my icky past, but there's one interesting past-time I cant seem to yet shake. I, um, like to do laundry (translate I have seperation anxiety). When I first arrived in foster care my parents had never had a dog who likes to do laundry before, and I forgot to mention it, so they put me in a crate while they went out. No no no! If I am stuck in a crate I cant do laundry!!! I wanted OUT, by any way possible. My foster parents were very surprised by this, and tried to explain to me that I didn't have to do the laundry while they were gone, that I could just relax. But I was having none of it. I tried to explain to them that I worry when they leave (because of my past) and to calm my nerves I like to do laundry (I don't actually fold the clothes, but rather chew them, or anything else to take my mind off things . . .and in this case it was the crate bars and a door in my way! Ouch!). My foster parents understood why I would worry, and we discussed a plan of action (still in the works a bit) that if when they went out I was allowed roam around the main floor of the house, would I not do the laundry? Deal! This makes me feel better because I can look out the window, and snooze in sunbeams (my favourite) and find other ways to distract myself. That being said, if they happen to forget and leave some clothes out, I will still fold them. We are currently working on leaving OTHER doggie type things for me to enjoy, and try to fold if I feel the need.
Soooo! All of that being said, my new family would need to understand and embrace my laundry habit. When things change in my world again (being adopted), I may try this past time again. Ideally, I would love to live with someone who works from home, but I know its not a perfect world. So all I/we ask is that you be as patient and understanding as my foster family has been. I am wonderful (so I keep being told), and all my wonderfulness FAR outweighs my laundry habit!
If you are interested in opening your heart and home to Rewbynn send us an email.
You must be at least 23 years of age to apply to adopt. Should you be interested in adopting please email and tell us why! You must also have a very good knowledge and understanding of Breed Specific Legislation.

Given the time, effort and LOVE that goes into the care of these dogs by our foster homes and volunteers our adoption process is a very thorough one. We ask that you please take this into consideration when applying to adopt a dog from us. ADR does not rush the adoption process. We are dedicated to matching the right dog with the right home and as such require an application process, interview process, reference checks, adoption fee and contracts all to be completed.
We are a volunteer run organization and strive to respond to emails and inquiries in a timely manner.

What Dog Rescuers Do

Collages just like these have been floating around lately, so we thoughts we'd have a little fun and do our own.  Enjoy!

A Message from the ADR Dogs of 2011

From the bottom of our "substantially similar" little hearts - THANK YOU!!!!

Thank you for your support, your donations, your time, your comments, your compassion - thank you!

Our lives could not have been spared without you!

Happy Holidays!

Amstel

Neko

Moretti

Dilbert

Mae

Bayne

Boo

Winnie

Anise

Heineken

Brahma

Stella (AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION)

Rai

Eugene

Hudson

Pilsner

Leffe

Carlsburg

Fischer

*******

Our "just one more" girl Ursula sadly spent Christmas at the shelter. Though we are sure the shelter staff gave all the dogs special attention, we still feel awful for her.  But, the holidays aren't over yet. Can you help us pull Ursula before the end of the year?

Santa Paws Recap!

This holiday season, Pet Valu stores across Ontario have been inviting rescue groups of their choosing to participate in Santa Paws Photo fundraisers. Our lovely friend (Tanya) from Pet Valu, Commissioners and Wellington in London, chose ADR and we hosted our event this past weekend.

Thank you to everyone who came out and went above and beyond with their donations. Together we raised an outstanding $560 for our rescued pooches.

Below are some photo's from the day.

 

Winnie & Ursula

Welcome to the ADR family, girls!

Fostering Part Two: Choosing A Rescue

Besides choosing whether or not it is the right time in your life to open your heart and home to a dog in need of a safe place to stay on their way to happy beginnings, choosing which rescue to foster for is probably the most important choice you will make in this journey.

The rescue group you choose to work with will be the one that supports you through the difficult times and having a solid working relationship is key. You should never feel alone during your fostering experience.

How does the rescue group select which dogs are accepted into their program? How do they network and promote the dogs they have available for adoption?

All dogs that are accepted into the program should be assessed for issues with temperament and behavior. The rescue group’s top priority should be selecting dogs that are safe to place in your home and into the public. If they wouldn’t welcome a certain dog into their home, why should they expect you to? The group should have a 100% honesty policy with you and should be upfront about any and all concerns.

Looks for a rescue group who networks actively. Social media sites are a great way of getting the word out about available dogs. Avoid rescues that use dramatic tactics that guilt people into fostering and adopting. There will always be cases that are more urgent than other and sometimes require pleas for help, however, if that is there only method - steer clear.

Ideally, the rescue you choose to work with will have a solid history of placing the right dog in the right home (foster and adoptive). Be prepared to answer a flurry or questions about your background and knowledge of dogs, and your lifestyle.

Does the rescue have a back up plan if fostering doesn't work out?

Be upfront initially with the rescue about what you are able to offer – can you only foster short term, do you have a resident dog with special needs – in terms of matching with the right foster dog. Let the group know if you have vacation time planned. It’s only right that you give them enough notice to make other arrangements for your foster dog while you are away.

What is provided by the rescue, and what are you expected to cover? Crate? Food? Vet care? Training?

Decide before hand what you are willing to contribute. Let the rescue know what you will require them to cover. Most rescues do provide these things, but its a good idea to ask anyways.

The rescue group should have representatives that are well versed in dog training and behavior (or at the very least, have access to a qualified professional). You should be comfortable that they have the knowledge to assist to work through quirks with your foster pooch.

Not all rescue groups are created equal. Making the right choice, makes all the difference.

Fostering Part One: Am I Ready?

Fostering a dog in need of shelter, love, and guidance is a time-consuming effort, but it’s also one of the most rewarding ways to help homeless pets. Providing a “stepping stone” for animals in search of permanent homes saves lives, helps set the stage for successful adoptions, and teaches you the skills that will enable you to help other animals in need.

If you’re considering taking a foster pet into your home, ask yourself these important questions.

What If It Doesn't Work Out?

If you have decided that fostering is right for you and feel prepared for the experience, you may still encounter obstacles to a positive outcome for your foster pet. These may include unknown behavior problems that are difficult to modify; illness; injury or unexpected death; the foster pet’s non-acceptance of pets already in the household (even after a reasonable acclimation period); or existing pets’ non-acceptance of the foster pet.

Because dogs passed from home to home or repeatedly returned tend to suffer from bonding and behavioral problems, you must be willing to allow a significant amount of time and training in areas of housetraining, crate training, leash training, and basic obedience.

If your foster pet has been given ample time to adjust to your home (usually two to six weeks) and still seems anxious, becomes aggressive, or suffers from any significant behavior or health issues, notify the rescue group you are fostering for immediately. Never be embarrassed to ask for help. They want to know EVERYTHING!

Does fostering fit your household and your life?

The health and welfare of all individuals in your home—human and animal—must be considered before bringing another creature into the mix. Fostering a homeless pet should never be considered unless your home environment is happy, safe, healthy, and spacious enough to nurture the foster pet adequately and retain sanity among the existing members of your home. If any of your family members are contending with allergies, excessive stress, other physical or mental health issues, career instability, financial difficulties, or housing or space restrictions, fostering is not a good option for you at this time.

But if you believe you have the ability to foster, and the entire household agrees that fostering would be a positive experience, your next question should be “Do I have the time?”

Fostering a pet is a 24/7 job. Although you may not be physically interacting with the animal every second of the day, you will be responsible round the clock for the pet’s safety, comfort, and general well-being, and this responsibility alone can be exhausting.

If your work or family schedule is already so hectic that adding another time-consuming responsibility will only create more stress, do not consider fostering at this time. If that new foster dog will spend long periods of time in his crate—periods that frequently approach or exceed the eight-hour threshold—or if you’ve killed your umpteenth houseplant because you just haven’t had time to water it, you’ll want to put those foster dreams on hold for now.

The amount of personal attention needed will vary greatly from animal to animal, but you can expect to spend anywhere from three to seven hours a day interacting with a foster pet, and even more if you’re planning to foster puppies. Teaching dogs the lessons they will need to become happy, thriving, lifelong members of another family is the essence of fostering, and this takes time and patience.

If you and your family feel you have the time and ability to provide a dog with the socialization, exercise, positive stimulation, and training she needs to become a happy, healthy addition to someone’s home, you next need to ask yourself, “Who do I want to foster and why?”

Any animal considered for fostering should be healthy, fully vaccinated, behaviorally sound, and disease-free (unless you are specifically fostering heartworm-positive dogs, or other “special needs” animals). But those are not the only considerations.

The Skinny on Behavior Assessments

ADR performs a simple, humane behavior assessment. Every dog who comes through the organization’s doors is evaluated for temperament and aggression.

While in foster care dogs and puppies should be observed and evaluated for aggression, resource guarding, and obedience. Any questionable or seemingly abnormal behavior should be reported to the rescue immediately. Conversely, don’t hesitate to also report positive behavior. As a foster guardian, you have the added benefit of learning more about the animal’s behavior than possibly anyone else, and therefore, you are also the pet’s best advocate in helping him find the perfect home.