Portuguese Water Dog Numbers Growing

It’s not too surprising, but the NY Post reported yesterday that the number of Portuguese Water Dogs in New York City has tripled over the last two years. Fifteen were registered in 2007, compared to 45 being registered so far this year. (Um, yeah, pretty sure there are also a hundred or so others that aren’t registered.) Interest has grown, of course, because President Obama adopted Bo, a “portie,” for his two daughters.

Bo, the first dog

If you’re looking for a Portuguese water dog, why not contact the breed’s rescue group? The rescue and relocation coordinator for the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America is:

Mary Harkins 
Coopersburg, PA 18036
(610) 346-9370 
rescue@ pwdca.org

Or, go to Petfinder. I did a quick search and saw several looking for homes on the site.

Consider Fostering a Dog

I want to introduce you all to an amazing organization—Animal Care & Control of New York City. It is the only animal rescue group here in the city that is required by law to take in all homeless pets. Every day, they open their doors to animals that have nowhere else to go and would otherwise be left on the street. As a result, they often have more animals than the shelter can hold, and that lack of space places the animal at risk of being euthanized.

Blair, one of the dogs currently at Animal Care & Control

If you can, I hope that you’ll consider fostering an animal for AC&C. You’d be buying the animal more time and likely saving a life. Most of these dogs have been literally abandoned by their owners on the streets of New York. No, I’m not joking. It’s heartbreaking. Some are nearly starved; some have been abused; and some have been forcibly bread and then simply ditched.

As an AC&C foster parent, you would take care of an animal in your home until the animal has a permanent home. You could bring the foster animal to AC&C adoption events and, in conjunction, conduct your own adoption efforts. Throughout this entire period, AC&C will work with you to help you find your foster dog a permanent new family.

I know, we all have constraints on our time and money, especially now. But I think you will agree that this is just a good thing. And it would be incredibly fulfilling. If you can’t foster a dog, please forward this post along to any and everyone and tell them about AC&C’s efforts.

For more information, go to their website at www.nycacc.org/foster.htm or email Animal Care & Control’s wonderful foster coordinator directly. Her name is Maggie O’Neill, and her email address is moneill@nycacc.org.

Black Dogs Get the Shaft

I was recently reading Jill Rosen’s blog in the Baltimore Sun, and she cited a story in the Post and Courier about how large black dogs have a harder time getting adopted than their lighter-coated counterparts. It broke my heart.

Five-year-old Rowdy is a black lab available for adoption from Pet Helpers on James Island. Tyrone Walker/Post and Courier

According to the Post and Courier: “That's definitely ‘the shelter worker's perception,’ throughout the country, said Jacque Schultz, the senior director of community outreach for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. ‘If you see a row of 20 black dogs, they fade from your memory. There's very little in the way of research’ on whether black dogs are euthanized at higher rates, she said, but it's likely. ‘The longer you're at a shelter, the greater the risk.'"

To help black dogs get noticed, shelters are trying to market them better. Says the story: “Sometimes, all it takes is better lighting, a brightly colored collar, or even a unique squeaky toy in its cage for an animal to be noticed, shelter workers say. Black dogs just need a little help standing out.”

To read the full story, click here.

(Thanks to Lindsay B. for passing this along!)

Documentary to Show Katrina Dog Stories

I cannot wait to see the new film, Mine, a documentary about people who rescued thousands of stranded pets after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It won an audience award at this year’s South by Southwest film festival and will be broadcast on PBS next year.

Jessie Pullins was reunited with his dog, J.J., after a separation of almost four years due to Hurricane Katrina. Bill Haber/AP

According to this AP story on MSNBC, the film tells the story of the animal rescuers who went to New Orleans as well as the ownership disputes that arose between Gulf Coast residents and the many people who adopted pets from the region.

Since Riley is a dog rescued from this area, I’m always curious to learn more about what happened. The stories are so compelling, tragic, and complex. For more information on the film and to view the trailer, click here. Please watch it if you have the time. You won’t regret it.

How to Keep Pet Health Care Costs Down

The New York Times recently had a really interesting article by Alina Tugend on how to trim pet health care costs during tough economic times. Adopting from a shelter, the author says, is one way to get a dog inexpensively since in many cases shots, microchips, and state dog licenses are included in the adoption price. (Not to mention you're rescuing a pet.) In addition, says the story: "The ASPCA (aspca.org) and the nonprofit groups, Happy Tails (happytails.org) or Friends of Animals (friendsofanimals.org), offer information about low-cost spaying and neutering options in your area." The author also discusses how New York state has a subsidy program through the Animal Population Control Program that allows you to adopt a pet for a lower cost.

Carrie Poff, left, a New Rochelle, N.Y., vet, prepares to spay a dog. Dana Rocco, humane society manager, is at right. Angel Franco/The New York TimesAnother issue the piece addresses is pet insurance. I don't have it, nor do I know too many pet owners who do. According to Tugend, Consumer Reports discourages people from getting pet insurance because "checkup costs alone don't justify insurance," and unless your pet needs a major operation, you could be wasting money. But I wondered, how many of you have it? Is this something worth looking into?