Updates, Dogs, and Jasmine

Hello friends! It's been a while and I have missed you. What have I been up to? Well, my mom had some heart surgery and she is better and doing great. I have also been contemplating this blog and my other blog and the best way to combine the two. I am still working on those decisions and until I figure it all out, I hope to blog more here.

I have continued with my intuitive eating journey and I am down about 10 pounds, which doesn't sound like much in such a long time, but for me it is huge. My relationship with food is SO much better, I don't stress when presented with the idea of dinner out with friends or what I might munch on when I am bored. It feels a lot like freedom. It is still a journey and I am still very much a work in progress, but I feel very good about my accomplishments.

The husband and I have been taking a digital photography class, been doing a little more home improvements, and a little traveling. I look forward to sharing adventures and pictures with you.

The fur kids are doing great!

And they love modeling for my photography class assignments.

I have been busy, but I still try and volunteer and do what I can for sweet fur babies looking for loving homes. Speaking of which, meet Jasmine!

Hi, I’m Jasmine! And I would love to be your shadow. I sure love humans and I like to follow mine everywhere! My foster mom says I am always on her heels. She loves it, just ask her. I also love the cuddles…do you have a lap? I’d love to lie in it. 

I am just a baby and I am learning to be a good girl. Right now I am less than a year old and I am only 15 pounds; so I don’t need much space, just lots of love! Speaking of love, my foster mom also thinks it’s funny that I like baths. I don’t know what to tell you besides baths are awesome. Just look at me, I am so gorgeous! 

My foster mom says I am still adjusting to living with my foster siblings, but she thinks I am going to be good with other pups. I have been around other dogs all my life and even though it has been tough, I am a sweetheart! 

I’d sure like to meet you and share some love with you. If you are in need of a shadow, contact Red Collar Rescue and arrange to meet ME!

Isn't she a doll? I know she'd be a great addition to a lucky family.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Jasmine's photos provided by BH Studios.

Pupdates!!

Happy September everyone!! How did September sneak up on us by the way? Are you as shocked as I am?

It is a truly wonderful start to the new month...I have an adoption to announce, so I will jump right in. Our sweet little Suzie Q has found her forever home!

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Congrats to her and her new parents!

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I mentioned last week that you can donate to Red Collar Rescue every time you shop at Amazon by using their Amazon Smile URL. Well, today I have another fundraising opportunity to share for all you athletes out there.

You can turn any race you sign up for into a fundraiser for RCR by setting up a donation page with Reason 2 Race! If you run, bike, swim...consider setting up a donation page for Red Collar to turn your races into life saving events. 

Linking Up:

Pupdates!!!

I have several new things to report, first and most important, my fave squishy faced girl found her forever home!!!

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Yay for Opal and her new family!!  I love happy tails.

Ever wonder how you can help out and shop at the same time!?  Well, you donate to Red Collar Rescue every time you shop at Amazon by using their Amazon Smile URL.  All you have to do is shop for what you were already going to buy and you are helping save lives.  RCR received a little over 200 dollars from Amazon Smile last quarter just because people ordered stuff they already needed.  That's about two weeks of boarding for a rescued animal or 10 rabies vaccinations.  Crazy helpful for an all volunteer organization!  So please, book mark this link (if you aren't already helping a great cause with your shopping habit) and go get you some retail therapy.  It feels even better when you shop to save lives.

And finally, I updated my blog header.  What do you think!?  I kind of love it.  Thanks to Mary Pasicatan for the amazing photography.

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Pupdates!!!

I am ecstatic!  Today I have more pupdates for you and by more, I mean more than one adopted dog.  TWO WEEKS in a row!!  I'm a happy girl, so allow me to share the joy...

Robb found his forever home!!

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Check out Robb and his mom...

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Freeway found her forever family!!

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Here's the first family photo!!

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Congrats to these two pawesome dogs and these beautiful families!!!

JOY!

Linking Up:

Cosmos

**PUPDATE!! Cosmos has found his forever home!**

Today I have a very special guest blogger.  This guy was rescued by a group of wonderful rescue volunteers from the Harris County Shelter.  This group of do-gooders are combining their own personal resources and donating it to his care.  What a lucky guy to be so loved...meet Cosmos!

Hai!  I'm Cosmos and hopefully like my name all the universes will get all lined up and I will get the loving forever home my heroes want for me.

I've had kinda a hard time so far.  I was at the Harris County Shelter and I was all skinny and I had some tummy problems.  Some nice people took me from the shelter to boarding at a cool vet's office where I got to get all healed up.

I already gained some of the weights and I was doing real good, but then I got the coughs.  I got some meds for the coughs, but I can't stay at boarding while I have them so I got to go home with a vet technician.

I think being at her house is pretty cool.  I've been thinking about this being at home thing a lot.  I have a bed instead of a concrete floor and I could get real used to it.

That's me...gettin' use ta the life at home.  The good life.  Maybe you have room at your house and can share some of the good with me?

I'm pretty cool.  Imma Shar Pei/lab mix and I am a young guy.  I learn real fast and I like treats a lot, so that makes it easy to teach me new stuff, since rewards help a lot.  I already learned my sit and I am learning lots more about living at home.

I'm real good with other dogs.  I like them a lot, so if you already are sharing your good with a lucky dog, then it would be okay cuz I am a good sharer too and we could all share together.

I'd sure love to meet you so we could talk about all this sharing.  I'd share lots of love with you for all of my life.  So, yes?  Come meet me?

Awe.  I think you should go meet Cosmos.  He's such a sweet boy.  If you are interested in learning more about Cosmos you can email wagsfund@gmail.com.

*All of the photos in this post were provided by Amy of BH Studios.

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Make me Lucky

Happy Wednesday everyone!  This guest blogger is another from the Harris County Animal Control Shelter.  His time is running out.  Please share so we can find his home!!

Hi!  The nice humans at the shelter call me Lucky because they are hoping it will help me find some luck.  I need to get rescued soon.  

I am as sweet as I am adorable.  I am an active guy, so I would be perfect for an active family.  I walk really good on my leash and I promise I will repay you in love if you become my hero.

I'm an Alaskan Malamute mix and I am almost 2 years old.  I sure would love to find a home of my own.  Please help me!!

Help me help Lucky by sharing his gorgeous pictures and details with every animal lover you know.  I am sure he has a family out there, we just have to find them.  And we have to do it FAST!

If you or anyone you know are interested in saving Lucky, you can contact the Harris County Shelter at 281-999-3191.

*All of the photos in this post were provided by Amy of BH Studios.

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Dealing with Loss

When you volunteer your time in animal rescue you are bound to suffer loss.  I suffered one last week.  I was working to try and get a beautiful, very sweet white German Shepherd rescued.  We failed him and he was put to sleep.

In the short time I have been working with animal rescue, I have noticed that some animals speak to you more and you are extra motivated to see them have a happy ending.  Each of the animals that I have emotionally bonded with until now have made their way out of danger and into rescues, fosters, or forever homes.  The animals speak to you for various reasons.  It can be anything from their history, their wrinkled faces, or their personalities.

This loss hit me hard.  I cried for this dog.  I think he deserves to be remembered.  I have named him Luke.

Luke, I am so sorry that we failed you and you had to die alone without a human to call your own.  I wish we could have done more to rescue you from your situation.  I wish that the adopters that had tagged you, had you neutered, and planned to give you a forever home had been able to follow through with those plans.  

Even though you never got the forever home of your dreams I want you to know that you were cared for and loved.  You are missed and you did matter.  You touched my life and I will never forget you.  I hope that you rest in peace.

Luke really spoke to me because he looked a lot like one of the dogs I had in high school.  She was with me until my mid twenties; and I was with her when she died.  I held her while she left this world.  It was hard. Anyone who has ever told you that owning a dog is all fetch, love, and snuggles lied.  There are challenges, there can be health issues, there is always death.  Being with your pet through all of those things is part of your promise, your commitment to them.  They need you.

You might think that suffering this loss would make me apprehensive about continuing to work in animal rescue, but it does not.  It makes me motivated to work harder and do better so another animal like Luke gets to live.  I will not let his death be for nothing.  I will save lives in his honor.

If you adopt a dog and you cannot keep it, please think twice before taking the easy way out.  There are options for you to re-home your pet without putting their life in danger.  Yes, they are harder on you because they take more time and work; but their life is worth it.  Don't let what happened to Luke happen to an animal you have made a promise to.

Linking Up:

Charity

**PUPDATE!!!!!  Charity is safe in her new forever home!!!  Thank you for sharing her story!!**

Freedom Ride!!!

I have a special guest blogger today.  No, it isn't Wednesday yet...sorry to tell you that it is still really Monday, but this girl can't wait.  She is not in a rescue program she is at the Harris County Animal Control Shelter so time is of the essence.  HCAC is a kill shelter so she has little time left.  Please meet and please share Charity...

Um, hi.  My name is Charity, or it used to be.  Now I am A403663.  I am kind of an old lady, I am already 7 years old and I am at the Harris County Shelter.  My owners that I loved and that loved me my whole life dropped me off here.  

They are going to have a human baby and didn't have room in their lives for me anymore.  I am sad, confused, and very, very scared. 

I would like nothing more than to get to live out the golden years of my life in a home with you.  I am house trained and a very good girl. 

I am easy to handle and I am not so big, so I don't take up much space.  I am a little bit of a chunky monkey right now, but that's nothing a little diet and exercise won't fix.

Please be my hero and come rescue me from this scary place.  I need help.

Indeed she does need help.  Harris County is one of the kill shelters here in Houston and because of their small space, limited funding, and the gigantic number of animals they see each day they have one of the highest kill rates.  Every second counts for Charity.  Please share her story with all the animal lovers you know.  This girl needs a rescue tag, adopter, or foster NOW.

If you or anyone you know are interested in saving Charity, you can contact the Harris County Shelter at 281-999-3191.

I know there are lots of reasons and situations that happen in life that could make it impossible to continue caring for a furry family member.  If you, your friends, any animal owner you know, finds themselves in a position that they need to say goodbye to an animal that they have committed time, love and care to, please tell them there are tons of ways to re-home an animal that don't put the pet's life at risk.  Yes, it is much harder than walking into the shelter, paying the fee, and handing over the leash; but if you have adopted a pet, you have promised them you will provide them a long life in a home.  Please be sure to keep your promise.

*All of the photos in this post were provided by Amy of BH Studios.