Today I will be starting a new feature which will run once or twice each month. I will be spotlighting different non-profit organizations and rescue organizations – who they are, what they do and some of the animals they have helped. The first organization I have chosen is one that is close to my home and heart, Kenway’s Cause of Hartford, CT.

Here is Kenway’s story as quoted from the Kenway’s Cause website:

“In June of 2011, Animal Control Officer Sherry DeGenova received a call regarding a dog that was found along a set of railroad tracks. When she arrived at the scene she noticed a black plastic garbage bag saturated from the puddle that surrounded it. While approaching the garbage bag it suddenly moved and when she opened the bag she was instantly brought to her knees…a lifeless, abused, neglected, emaciated and innocent soul was found clinging to life. A gentle soul thrown out like garbage and left for dead.

Their eyes made a connection and he was pleading for her help. She immediately scooped Kenway up and drove to the vet as fast as humanly possible. Kenway was placed on IV fluids, body warmers and all of the necessary medical assistance to facilitate his recovery.

The sad reality is that Kenway didn’t make it.

Unfortunately this type of abuse is seen way too often and in many instances these poor innocent souls don’t stand a chance at survival.

The passing of Kenway has left a lasting impression on all of us but most of all Sherry.

In his honor she named him Kenway which means Brave Warrior. You see the reality is, Kenway fought very hard to live. The condition he was found in showed he fought every day - he had mange, was deprived of food, water, shelter, vetting and most of all love and affection. He was an adult dog that resembled the size of a puppy. His breed was almost unrecognizable but he was a pit bull mix. Kenway is the legacy we honor.”

I first met Sherry DeGenova when I decided to write “Loyalty Unleashed.” I had heard wonderful things about her and I knew she would be an excellent resource, so I emailed her and requested an interview. She was more than happy to oblige. My meeting with Sherry far exceeded my already quite lofty expectations. Sherry is one of the most dedicated, kindest, most compassionate individuals I have ever had the privilege of meeting. The City of Hartford is very fortunate to have someone who is not afraid to enforce the existing laws designed to protect the animals and also provide safety, love and even arrange medical care for the stray and abandoned animals that come into the shelter - animals that would otherwise have no one.

The formation of Kenway’s Cause is over and above what is in Sherry’s job description. She and four other amazing women volunteer their time and work tirelessly to save the lives of the dogs that come into their care. With only ten days to find homes for these dogs, their success rate is nothing short of miraculous. Much of this is due to the donations received, which provide medical care, toys, beds and food as well as assistance to families that adopt dogs with preexisting medical conditions. Without Kenway’s Cause, the only other option for these sick and injured dogs would be euthanasia.

Many of the stray and abandoned dogs that are picked up on the streets of Hartford have never had a toy or a bed or even a regular meal. Most receive their first demonstration of love and human kindness during their stay at the shelter. Kenway’s Cause does everything possible to ease their anxiety during their stay. Each dog is given a name, a picture, a video and a bio. The dogs are shown, perhaps for the first time, that their lives are valuable and that they matter.

As you can imagine, being an Animal Control Officer in a major city can be a difficult and sometimes thankless job. It takes a physical and emotional toll, especially on a person as caring as Sherry. The burn-out rate is high for city Animal Control Officers – according to Sherry, usually five to seven years.  She has been in Hartford for fifteen years. 

She receives hate emails on a regular basis, from people who believe that pit bulls should not be allowed in society.  She takes the time to answer each one and surprisingly, about 70% will email her back and thank her for teaching them something they did not know. Of course there are those who will never change their minds but she does everything possible to educate and change perceptions one person at a time.

Sherry has said she feels like she can never retire because there are so many animals in need in the City of Hartford. As much as she certainly deserves a happy retirement, for the sake of these animals, we hope that both Sherry and Kenway’s Cause will be around for a very long time.

Thank you to Renee, Laurel, Shannon, Jody and, of course, Sherry – the amazing women who give of themselves and their time every day to help the dogs of Hartford and make Kenway’s Cause such an incredible success. 

Please enjoy this short video of some of the dogs that have been saved by Kenway’s Cause. If you are interested in helping, please visit http://www.kenwayscause.org/

Today we have a very special treat. Not only do we have a guest blogger but we also have as a visitor, an official "spokesdog" for PetBox. Her name is Maeby and, if you like what you see and want to order PetBox for your dog (or cat), just use the code MAEBY and receive 10% off of your first order. Thank you to Gloria for contributing today and please check out her blog That SoCal Life to follow Gloria and Maeby and their adventures in San Diego.
Enjoy!!
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I didn't formally announce it, but I did tweet about it, so in case you missed it...

Maeby is officially a spokesdog for PetBox!

What is PetBox?

PetBox is a monthly subscription service for toys and treats for dogs and cats. With every PetBox purchased, PetBox helps to feed a pet in need.

Obviously Maeby is all about toys and treats, but what really got me was the philanthropic angle of things, especially since Maeby was brought in as a stray and eventually saved from a high-kill shelter. At one point, she was a pet in need.

Just a few days after our first PetBox shipped, it arrived in the mail. I got home from work, and saw this lovely blue box sitting on our stoop.

Maeby and I immediately headed to our backyard, where I began opening the box.

I loved the attention to detail. Everything was wrapped in black tissue paper, with a round PetBox seal of approval.

Something smelled good, because Maeby was all over the box right away.

And once I opened up one package of treats, she didn't hesitate to help herself.

Here's what was in the box:

Clockwise from top:

- Petz info QR ID tag (in case your dog/cat gets lost)

- Evanger's canned all-natural chicken dog and cat food

- Wellspring Pets Bionic Bones water nutrient (contains glucosamine and chondroitin, both of which help keep your dog's joints healthy)

- PetSafe Lawn Protector to filter your pet's drinking water

- Bark+ waste pick-up bags (which is necessary because Maeby "produces waste" 3-4 times a day)

- Loving Pets natural chicken jerky

Clearly there was a nice variety of items, all of which we will be using

I want to point out that just because Maeby is a dog, it does not mean that she deserves to eat food that has fillers or other processed materials. I like to feed her the same kind of food I would want to eat, and even though I am sure she would prefer bacon all day everyday (and really, who can blame her), I give her the next best thing: Canidae, which is an all-natural, grain-free food made with real meat. In keeping with these beliefs, I am really quite impressed with PetBox and love that all of the treats are natural and made in the U.S. And, as I mentioned above, Maeby is already enjoying some of her newest treats and had no trouble helping herself.

I think it is safe to say our first month of PetBox was a success.

Are you interested in PetBox for your dog or cat? Get 10% off your first box with code MAEBY.

Interested in seeing more of Maeby? Follow her on Instagram, at callhermaeby., or read more about her adventures in San Diego with her owner at That SoCal Life.

For anyone who missed it, I am now a first-time foster mom for an adorable little girl from Red Hook Dog Rescue of Brooklyn, NY. She came with the name of “Gorda” which, in my opinion, is a horrible name. Gorda means “fat” in Spanish and, not only is it insulting, it is simply not true. When she arrived, this poor girl looked like she had not had a decent meal in quite a while. But, despite the protruding bones in her spine and rib cage, and obvious fear and confusion, she already seems quite happy, wagging her tail and giving kisses to everyone she meets. One of the first orders of business, I decided would be to find her a nice name befitting such a nice dog, which I will get to in a bit.

My dog Mickey is very sweet and welcomes dogs of all shapes and sizes into our house, but there have been instances where other dogs have picked on him, so I always worry a little when a new dog comes to stay with us. My plan was to keep them separated for the most part so they could kind of ease into this new relationship, especially since in the previous four weeks, “Gorda” had been in a home, dumped in a kill shelter, rescued, adopted, returned and sent to a boarding kennel and then brought over 100 miles away to live with me.

That was the plan anyway. The dogs however, seemed to have other ideas. First of all, Gorda did not want to leave my side and became extremely stressed when I tried to crate her, and Mickey is always with me and I did not want him feeling displaced. So I had a dilemma. Fortunately for me, I didn’t have to resolve it. The two of them worked it out themselves. They hit it off immediately and separating them was not even necessary. I kept Gorda on a leash for a few days so I could grab her if there were any issues but I never had to use it. Each dog found a spot near me and they pretty much ignored each other although neither strayed far from where I was. As the week progressed they began hanging out a little more and now they like to share a bed or couch for naps.

The first week has been pretty uneventful. The only issue I have is that she seems to be afraid to do her business outside. She will, but it takes a while and I have to stay outside with her. She also will not go if she is being walked on a leash, although her leash manners are impeccable. Mickey seems to be trying to teach her the ropes as best as he can and when she feels up to it she will follow him around the yard. 

On Sunday morning, the most amazing thing happened. Because of her house training issues (she will go in the house when I am not watching, even if she does not really have to), I have crated her for short periods of time in the mornings while I prepare for the day. Some days are better than others but Sunday was a particularly stressful day for her, maybe because we had to get up very early as I had an event to attend out of state. While I was getting ready she was crying in the most heartbreaking way and then suddenly, it stopped. I thought perhaps she had gotten tired and resigned herself, but I was wrong. When I went to check, I saw why she had stopped. Mickey had let himself into the room and was laying on the bed where she could see him. My boy had realized that she was upset, opened the door and went in to comfort her.

This made me so happy I nearly cried. After praising Mickey abundantly, I opened the crate door to let her out and he immediately tried to get into the crate and steal her toys – just Mickey being Mickey. She gave him a little growl to put him in his place and he got the message. That seems to be the relationship and, as long as it stays that way, I think we are all good.

She and Mickey spent the rest of the day with Matt and her other new friend Cam (a Plott Hound). I was not sure if this was too much too soon, but the alternative would have been to leave her in the dreaded crate so I decided to go with this option. I brought her to see Cam a couple of times during the week and they seemed fine. It turned out to be the right decision. Everyone had a relaxing day, hanging out on the couch together and watching sports. She was just one of the guys, so to speak.

So now we will be working on her confidence and reinforcing her potty training. I am keeping a close eye on her and taking her out frequently and there seems to be some progress. All in all the first week was the best I could have hoped for. Now I look forward to seeing her blossom and become the incredible dog that she was meant to be and actually already is. She just does not know it yet so it will be my job to teach her!

I should mention that I avoided using that name as much as possible. I did not want her to get used to hearing it because I knew I was not going to keep it. And, while I know the name really would not affect her confidence and self-esteem I felt like I was being hurtful by calling her that. Yes I know it is ridiculous, but I felt that way all the same.

An awesome dog should have an awesome name and I spent days looking through websites and lists and names from all different cultures searching for the perfect name. I also received a number of suggestions from friends and family and even took a poll on Facebook. I thank everyone who took the time to suggest a name. There were so many I liked and I had a very hard time choosing one so I did what any self-respecting crazy dog person would do – I asked her!

I said each name and waited for a reaction. In most cases I got none. Finally I hit upon one she seemed to like. The name she chose is Macy. She responded to it immediately and already seems to know it is her name. It is a pretty good choice, I think.  The English meaning of Macy is “enduring, happy and upbeat.” all the things I wish for her. It also goes nicely with Mickey – Mickey and Macy.

So, welcome Macy! Let’s hope this is just the beginning of many great things to come. As much as it has already crossed my mind to keep you, I still believe you were meant to be the top dog in a family of your own. That decision will come later, but for now you are here and Mickey and I are happy to have you. 

It’s funny how things happen. First it was a request to transport a dog from northeastern Connecticut to southwestern Connecticut - a dog that was going from a rescue to a potential home in New Jersey. The rescue involved is one I had never worked with, but apparently someone knew that I lived along the transport route. As it turns out, the placement did not work out and the dog wound up going back to the rescue. He seemed like a very nice dog and I considered fostering him but the rescue felt that he would be better off in his previous foster home with people he knew.

That was the end of it, or so I thought. A week or so later, the rescue contacted me again. This time a home visit was needed about 30 miles from where I live. That was an easy request to fulfill, especially when I met the potential adopters. I felt very confident that they would give the dog they wanted to adopt a very loving and wonderful home. The adoption proceeded as planned and now one more unwanted dog has a home – exactly as it should be.

Again, that was not the last I would hear from this particular rescue. That is often how it is when you volunteer. You just never know what will happen next and that is part of the fun! About ten days ago, the rescue contacted me for a third time. This time I was asked if I would consider fostering a dog they had pulled from a kill shelter for a family that quickly decided she was a little more work than originally expected. 

Unfortunately this is all too common, as many times people do not realize what some of these animals have been through and are not willing to spend the time or put in the work to make them whole again. After checking with my boyfriend Matt who would be called upon to help me now and then and being told I had his support, I said yes. I would be a first time foster for a girl named Gorda which means “fat” in Spanish. I really do not like the name but she looked pretty cute and I was told she likes other dogs. The way her temperament was described, I thought she would be compatible with Mickey so I decided to give it a try.

I picked her up this past Sunday from an adoption event that the rescue had brought her to. I spent the afternoon volunteering at the event, walking my would-be foster around and getting to know her. The name totally does not fit her – in fact she is way too thin and is a bit timid but quite friendly. It remains to be seen how this all will turn out but the first introduction with Mickey went pretty well and, although I am being cautious and taking things slowly they seem to be doing okay. Gorda is understandably frightened having gone from a home to a kill shelter to another home to a boarding kennel to me in a matter of only a few weeks, but I have learned that animals are pretty resilient and in time they can usually adapt and figure out where they fit in.. 

In less than two days I have discovered that she does not like being crated and she will growl a bit at Mickey when he does something that displeases her but she is doing well considering all she has been through. I have had to share a couch with her at night because she cries in her crate so we will be using the crate in smaller time increments to start. 

I have also discovered that she is already very attached to me. She stays right by my side, seemingly happy to have a comfortable place to sleep, regular meals, treats, a yard to hang out in and even a foster brother that annoys her sometimes.

I am excited for this new adventure into fostering, I have no idea how it will turn out, but I am optimistic that the experience will be a positive one and that there will be other foster dogs in my future.  I know it can make a big difference in the life of a dog to be in a home as opposed to a boarding kennel, or worse. I hope I will make a difference in this dog’s life and that she will be happy here.

Now the question is what to call her. I cannot in good conscience keep the name Gorda, but I have yet to come up with a name that suits her and one that I like. Stay tuned to find out what happens going forward and please feel free to suggest a name for her. Gorda just will not do!

And if you or anyone you know is looking for a sweet dog that will love you with all her heart, I have one right here. I would be more than happy to introduce her to you. 

Fall is fast approaching. The kids are back to school, the daylight hours are dwindling and some nights we are starting to feel a slight chill in the evening air. While yesterday was Labor Day which symbolizes the end of summer, technically we still have a few weeks left before it is officially fall. In this fifth and final look at summer safety tips we will look at fear of loud noises such as thunderstorms and fireworks, what causes this behavior and how to keep a frightened dog calm.

Noise related phobias in dogs may be a result of genetics or past experience. Some breeds seem to be more inclined to be afraid of loud noises, however it is unclear whether there is a genetic predisposition in these breeds or if their hearing may be more acute. Regardless, noise phobia seems to be more prevalent in many of the herding breeds. This type of fear may also be triggered by a traumatic past experience. Symptoms include, whining, panting, drooling or trying to hide or escape. In extreme cases, dogs may have accidents in the house, cling frantically to their owners or even jump out of windows. Symptoms of noise phobia most often present themselves with sudden loud noises such as gunshots, fireworks or thunder but other loud noises such as traffic, lawnmowers or even wind may also trigger fearful behavior.

In dogs with mild to moderate phobias, desensitization has been shown to reduce or alleviate symptoms in some cases. This might involve playing recordings of the feared noises on a daily basis, starting with a lower volume and gradually increasing the sound levels. The recordings may be accompanied by gentle petting to try to get your dog to associate the noise with something pleasant and non-threatening. It may also be helpful to work with your dog in one area of the house which can act as a safe place. That way when a real thunderstorm or noise event occurs you can take your dog to his safe place and give him that extra attention.

It is important when attempting this method to raise the volume of the recordings very gradually and over a period of time. Trying to perform the desensitization procedure too quickly will probably not be successful. Once you notice improvement, desensitization techniques should be reinforced every week or so. In some cases, massaging your dog with lavender oil while listening to the recorded noises can be helpful as part of the desensitization process.

Counter-conditioning is another method you can try. This could involve redirecting your dog’s attention with other pleasant noises or planning something your dog enjoys when you know he will be exposed to loud noises, like going for a car ride, planning a play date with a special friend or offering special treats when you know a thunderstorm is predicted.

Some of the things you should not do if your dog is afraid are punishing or scolding, or forcing him to face his fears. These approaches will likely make the fears worse. It is also not a good idea to constantly fawn over your dog as this will only feed his anxiety. Instead, reward him when he displays calm, confident behavior.

 If desensitization and counter conditioning are not successful, there are other techniques you can try such as avoiding the source of the fear when possible. For example if your dog is afraid of traffic noise, try walking him in quiet areas or at times of the day when traffic is at a minimum. The other thing you can do is just wait out a thunderstorm or other infrequent event. There are products like the Thunder Shirt that may help but not all of these products will work for all dogs. In extreme cases, it may be necessary to ask your vet for anti-anxiety medication if none of the other methods work.

If you have the option start when your dog is young by exposing him to as many different stimuli as possible. While we never want to see our dogs stressed and fearful, some dogs are just unable to cope. However, as they get older and their hearing becomes less acute they may demonstrate less sensitivity to noise. The good news for many dog owners though is that with time, patience and the right techniques, their dogs can overcome their fears and enjoy healthy and happy lives.