Hi all,
Yesterday I met with Denise at a local Starbucks at 3:30. We didn't have much time to talk, but I got some good info. She pointed out that it was a lot of hard work to start a shelter, a lot more than you would think. That was one of my original ideas (opening a shelter), and she said that it was unrealistic, which I can understand why.
We talked about why she opened her own shelter. She was volunteering at another shelter, they were treating her very poorly. She decided to start a rescue out of her home, and when she applied for a grant. Now she is at Brother Wolf, running her own shelter and boarding shelter.
She told me about how she had to put down the first dog in 4 years. It was Cooper, a pit bull mix. He had been at Brother Wolf for too long and was literally going mad. He was barking and jumping at the door of the cage. The employees had to use blankets to cover their cage door, roof, and sides so he couldn't see the other dogs. I never noticed, but every time I went to volunteer, he kept barking louder and he kept jumping more. They put him down the day after I was there.
Madi
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Brother Wolf Blog: We Are Their Voice Post 15
Hi all. Sorry I took so long to post.
Yesterday I visited Brother Wolf and helped load dogs that are being moved up to a shelter in New Hampshire because there are not as many dogs up there. It was roughly 35 degrees out with a 100% chance of freezing. There were employees out that had no jackets are were holding shivering dogs to keep their body temperatures up and there were people coming in and out of the building hauling crates and excited puppies.
I was there mostly to fill water dishes, get band aids (one guy needed one, I don't know what happened) and do what they needed, such as grabbing extra blankets. Once I held a puppy until it needed to go into the cage. He was squirmy and kinda hard to hold, but he was cute. His name was Freeway and he was adorable! His cage was on the bottom and it was hard to get him in. I had to give Freeway to another person so they could get him in. They used a big van and they packed the crates to the roof of the car. It was packed, there was even one on the front seat. I tried to stick my finger through the cage because it was shaking and I wanted to comfort it, but it sniffed my finger and turned away. So much for that.
I will write more another time when I don't have so much homework, but I will get to what is important! Promise!
Madi
Yesterday I visited Brother Wolf and helped load dogs that are being moved up to a shelter in New Hampshire because there are not as many dogs up there. It was roughly 35 degrees out with a 100% chance of freezing. There were employees out that had no jackets are were holding shivering dogs to keep their body temperatures up and there were people coming in and out of the building hauling crates and excited puppies.
I was there mostly to fill water dishes, get band aids (one guy needed one, I don't know what happened) and do what they needed, such as grabbing extra blankets. Once I held a puppy until it needed to go into the cage. He was squirmy and kinda hard to hold, but he was cute. His name was Freeway and he was adorable! His cage was on the bottom and it was hard to get him in. I had to give Freeway to another person so they could get him in. They used a big van and they packed the crates to the roof of the car. It was packed, there was even one on the front seat. I tried to stick my finger through the cage because it was shaking and I wanted to comfort it, but it sniffed my finger and turned away. So much for that.
I will write more another time when I don't have so much homework, but I will get to what is important! Promise!
Madi
Monday, November 29, 2010
Blog: Brother Wolf
Hi all,
This one is not going to be a split blog like the last one, but the next one will almost definitely be split because there is so much to talk about.
Last week when I went to Brother Wolf, I saw so many cages in the room where the dogs were up for adoption that had signs that said "boarding". There wasn't enough room in the boarding area, so they had to put dogs in the other room. I saw a dog named Snoop (Dog), who was adopted but was back to be boarded. There were also a lot of puppies, which from experience get adopted fast. There were also a lot of older dogs there, which I think is so sad. If an older dog is in a shelter, it is less likely to be adopted so they can live the rest of their lives out in a happy place.
This one is not going to be a split blog like the last one, but the next one will almost definitely be split because there is so much to talk about.
Last week when I went to Brother Wolf, I saw so many cages in the room where the dogs were up for adoption that had signs that said "boarding". There wasn't enough room in the boarding area, so they had to put dogs in the other room. I saw a dog named Snoop (Dog), who was adopted but was back to be boarded. There were also a lot of puppies, which from experience get adopted fast. There were also a lot of older dogs there, which I think is so sad. If an older dog is in a shelter, it is less likely to be adopted so they can live the rest of their lives out in a happy place.
On a happy note, Ozzy has been adopted! When I went to BWAR the week before, they were closed for staff training, and that was the week he should have been back if the family didn't want to adopt him. I am so happy for him. He is a good dog and deserves a loving home, which I hope he now has.
I have run out of words, and it's kind of late. There will be more the next blog, I'm going to BWAR this Wednesday, so I will blog afterward.
Madi
I have run out of words, and it's kind of late. There will be more the next blog, I'm going to BWAR this Wednesday, so I will blog afterward.
Madi
Monday, November 15, 2010
Split Blog: Bolt/Brother Wolf
Hi all.
This blog is going to be a bit different. I need to catch up with current events, but I also want to talk about the dog, Bolt, that I talked about in the previous blog.
Part 1: Bolt
Bolt, the dog with a black back and golden eyebrows and paws, kept coming back. Even though we have an electric fence to keep our dog in our yard, she kept running off with Bolt, sometimes returning covered in cow manure and mud. It got a little annoying because he kept coming back about two times a week. Finally, we caught him and brought him back to his family. They were a family living in a small house with a few children, a cat, and a large-ish yard. There was a tree out back in the middle of the semi-sloped yard with a long rope tied to it. I didn't get a chance to get a closer look, but the young owner of Bolt translated what his mother was saying (she didn't speak much English), and she said that they kept him tied up out back during the day.
I would like to point out that the family is not technically in Asheville, so the law that it is illegal to chain a dog up is not enforced on them.
Apparently the chain was not good enough because he came back two days later. He stayed for the entire day. I have pictures, but I'm not sure how to put them on here.
Part 2: Brother Wolf
Finally, my mom has been able to get me down to Brother Wolf. I have been two times, and I went to a fundraiser for them a couple weeks ago in Biltmore Square, for those of you who are familiar with the Asheville area. There were a few dogs there, but I didn't get to really look into it. My dad, sister, and I went to the movies next to the fundraiser. I know of one other fundraiser that was in Gerber Village, and a "dog show" in Kenilworth.
When I visited at Brother Wolf last week, I noticed that Ozzy wasn't there. The week earlier, he was in a different cage, but he wasn't there altogether. When I asked someone who worked there, they said that Ozzy was on a home-stay, I believe was the term. It means that a family took him home to see if they wanted to adopt him. I was excited, because he was a sweet dog, but I would miss him. Sam, a black lab and basset hound mix who had been there a while was also gone. I'm going to miss them, but I am glad that they found good homes.
Madi
This blog is going to be a bit different. I need to catch up with current events, but I also want to talk about the dog, Bolt, that I talked about in the previous blog.
Part 1: Bolt
Bolt, the dog with a black back and golden eyebrows and paws, kept coming back. Even though we have an electric fence to keep our dog in our yard, she kept running off with Bolt, sometimes returning covered in cow manure and mud. It got a little annoying because he kept coming back about two times a week. Finally, we caught him and brought him back to his family. They were a family living in a small house with a few children, a cat, and a large-ish yard. There was a tree out back in the middle of the semi-sloped yard with a long rope tied to it. I didn't get a chance to get a closer look, but the young owner of Bolt translated what his mother was saying (she didn't speak much English), and she said that they kept him tied up out back during the day.
I would like to point out that the family is not technically in Asheville, so the law that it is illegal to chain a dog up is not enforced on them.
Apparently the chain was not good enough because he came back two days later. He stayed for the entire day. I have pictures, but I'm not sure how to put them on here.
Part 2: Brother Wolf
Finally, my mom has been able to get me down to Brother Wolf. I have been two times, and I went to a fundraiser for them a couple weeks ago in Biltmore Square, for those of you who are familiar with the Asheville area. There were a few dogs there, but I didn't get to really look into it. My dad, sister, and I went to the movies next to the fundraiser. I know of one other fundraiser that was in Gerber Village, and a "dog show" in Kenilworth.
When I visited at Brother Wolf last week, I noticed that Ozzy wasn't there. The week earlier, he was in a different cage, but he wasn't there altogether. When I asked someone who worked there, they said that Ozzy was on a home-stay, I believe was the term. It means that a family took him home to see if they wanted to adopt him. I was excited, because he was a sweet dog, but I would miss him. Sam, a black lab and basset hound mix who had been there a while was also gone. I'm going to miss them, but I am glad that they found good homes.
Madi
Sunday, October 31, 2010
We Are Their Voice: Blog 10
Early September:
Hi all, sorry I haven't written in a while. I've been very busy.
There has been one dog, a little smaller than my dog, a golden retriever/German Sheppard/Chow/anything mix, and he looks somewhat like her. He has black on his back, golden on his paws and eyebrows. He also has a long tail and huge ears, bigger than my dogs'. He keeps coming back. Just the other day, he came back and stayed on our porch for an entire day. He kept coming back so much that my mother tried to find out where he lived. After searching the neighborhoods around ours, my mother caught him and tied a note to his collar (which has no tags).
The next day, we got a call from the owners of Bolt. They are a family that lives about a fourth of a mile away through woods and over hills, AND the family lives on a very busy road. They keep him chained up all day and he can very easily break free. Apparently, he likes playing with Simone because he comes back almost two times every week. I like him, and I think my dad does too ... but he won't admit it He doesn't want another dog yet.
I hope that his family is being good to him.
Madi
Hi all, sorry I haven't written in a while. I've been very busy.
There has been one dog, a little smaller than my dog, a golden retriever/German Sheppard/Chow/anything mix, and he looks somewhat like her. He has black on his back, golden on his paws and eyebrows. He also has a long tail and huge ears, bigger than my dogs'. He keeps coming back. Just the other day, he came back and stayed on our porch for an entire day. He kept coming back so much that my mother tried to find out where he lived. After searching the neighborhoods around ours, my mother caught him and tied a note to his collar (which has no tags).
The next day, we got a call from the owners of Bolt. They are a family that lives about a fourth of a mile away through woods and over hills, AND the family lives on a very busy road. They keep him chained up all day and he can very easily break free. Apparently, he likes playing with Simone because he comes back almost two times every week. I like him, and I think my dad does too ... but he won't admit it He doesn't want another dog yet.
I hope that his family is being good to him.
Madi
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Post 9: We Are Their Voice
Hi all.
I have been visiting Brother Wolf for the past few weeks on Wednesdays. My mom drops me off at 9:30 and I work until 4:30 or 5:00. There are so many new puppies for me to play with, but at the same time, it is so sad to know that most of them have been at the shelter for a good part of their lives. I love them all so much and want to take all of them home with me. Of course, I can't do that. :'(
One thing that struck me about Brother Wolf is when I walked around looking at the signs on the doors, a lot of them said 'abandoned' or 'given up'. As I was talking with my mom later on, she said that maybe people give up their dogs because they cannot control them. Dogs are harder to train at a later age. I thought that maybe if people could train their dogs, there would be less animals at the shelters.
If I were to start a training group and were to charge for it, the money would go towards Brother Wolf. If you have any other suggestions, please comment.
Thanks, Madi
I have been visiting Brother Wolf for the past few weeks on Wednesdays. My mom drops me off at 9:30 and I work until 4:30 or 5:00. There are so many new puppies for me to play with, but at the same time, it is so sad to know that most of them have been at the shelter for a good part of their lives. I love them all so much and want to take all of them home with me. Of course, I can't do that. :'(
One thing that struck me about Brother Wolf is when I walked around looking at the signs on the doors, a lot of them said 'abandoned' or 'given up'. As I was talking with my mom later on, she said that maybe people give up their dogs because they cannot control them. Dogs are harder to train at a later age. I thought that maybe if people could train their dogs, there would be less animals at the shelters.
If I were to start a training group and were to charge for it, the money would go towards Brother Wolf. If you have any other suggestions, please comment.
Thanks, Madi
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Post 8: We Are Their Voice
Hi all. Sorry I haven't posted in a while. EOG's have thrown me off majorly.
I volunteered last Monday at Brother Wolf. I mostly played with the puppies, keeping them apart while they ate so they didn't get into one another's food and start fighting. That kind of stuff. It was fun.
The day before, though, I went over to a friends house with my family. My friend and I were on YouTube, and he showed me a video of a man yelling at his cats. He was cursing them and they were running in terror. THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED ANIMAL ABUSE.
My blog is all about caring for your pets well and stopping animal abuse. The man yelling at his cats was scaring them beyond belief. THAT WAS NOT PROPER PET/OWNER RELATIONSHIP. He may have only done it for the video, but it was still WRONG.
I have decided to shift my focus to stopping animal abuse to proper pet guardianship. The idea is more positive and it is more likely to educate people. The goal is also more realistic. I may never really stop animal abuse, but I can help understand how to properly care for a pet.
That's all for now.
Madi
I volunteered last Monday at Brother Wolf. I mostly played with the puppies, keeping them apart while they ate so they didn't get into one another's food and start fighting. That kind of stuff. It was fun.
The day before, though, I went over to a friends house with my family. My friend and I were on YouTube, and he showed me a video of a man yelling at his cats. He was cursing them and they were running in terror. THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED ANIMAL ABUSE.
My blog is all about caring for your pets well and stopping animal abuse. The man yelling at his cats was scaring them beyond belief. THAT WAS NOT PROPER PET/OWNER RELATIONSHIP. He may have only done it for the video, but it was still WRONG.
I have decided to shift my focus to stopping animal abuse to proper pet guardianship. The idea is more positive and it is more likely to educate people. The goal is also more realistic. I may never really stop animal abuse, but I can help understand how to properly care for a pet.
That's all for now.
Madi
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