A new future for small-town homeless cats

Dear Members and Friends, Future of cats in the balance in small Iowa town What’s to be done with the feral cats of Randolph, Iowa? Kill them … or set up a well-managed trap/neuter/return program? It’s a question that often arises in towns and cities when people don’t know how to care for homeless cats in the neighborhood. We’re working with the town and with other humane groups to provide spay/neuter and continuing care for all the homeless cats. >>Read the story Another sign of The Times for Vicktory Dogs? New York Times sports columnist Bill Rhoden called us to talk about the Vicktory dogs. His interest had been piqued by hearing that the folks at PETA had favored destroying the dogs. “I thought you guys agreed on everything,” he said. After hearing both sides, he came to his own conclusion in his newspaper column. You can read it on the blog. >>Read the blog. Desert kitties rediscover trust at Best Friends Feline Finishing School. There’s lots of socializing, a real-life room, even sleepovers. It’s playtime with a purpose for the cats who were rescued from the Nevada desert in The Great Kitty Rescue. And Miss Sherry, the school principal, runs a tight ship. >>Check it out. Perky piglet’s double surprise. Buying a baby pig as a surprise gift is not a good idea. For starters, they squeal. Loudly. All night. (Find out why pets don’t make good surprise gifts here.) But then Sprocket the piglet got a new life at Best Friends, complete with sanctuary walkabouts – on a leash, no less! >>Read Sprocket the Rocket’s story. Why Harrison Fjord shouldn’t “burro” trouble. Harrison the fjord horse has instant star quality, like his celebrity namesake. Back when this sturdy fellow had a home, Harrison lost an eye, and no one seemed to want him after that. Now he’s here at the sanctuary, and we’ve discovered his secret fear in life. Hmm … >>More about Harrison, and how you can sponsor him. Daisy seeks Filet Mignon. Cesars, please. In the purple package. High blood pressure, tick disease, glaucoma. Seems like there are more things wrong with Daisy than right. But at Best Friends, she’s being treated for all her woes … including her finicky eating habits. >>Catch up on Daisy’s journal. Lots more on the website at www.bestfriends.org, including * a “fountain of youth” for homeless pets in North Carolina * a landmark bill for dogs in Virginia * and our favorite photo of the week. (What’s that parrot doing on the …?) You make all these good things possible through your generous donations … so thank you, as always, from the heart of Best Friends. Have a very good weekend, and a happy first day of spring. Michael Mountain Best Friends

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New “vicktories” every day

Dear Members and Friends, New “vicktories” every day. For the dogs rescued from ex-footballer Michael Vick’s kennels, every day is a new experience. This week, for example, was a breakthrough for Lance. At first, Lance would literally run into the fence as he tried to hide from everyone. But now he looks forward to his walks, plays with toys, and is beginning to enjoy his life. Check out Lance’s story here, and on the blog you can see Oliver taking off on a car ride. It’s one step at a time, but what a pleasure to see the dogs enjoying themselves. >>Read the blog

Horse play. For abused and abandoned horses, fun and games is how they learn to interact with each other and with staff and volunteers. This week, several of them went to a demonstration in natural horsemanship where they got to show off and have yet more fun. Star of the show was mini-horse Luna, all recovered from her months in Guardian Angel care. (She’d been run over when she came to Best Friends.) Once fearful, stubborn and ornery, Luna was having a great time strutting her stuff and playing to the crowd. >>Watch the video.

ON THE NETWORK: It’s a pleasure! Author and veterinarian Dr. Jonathan Balcombe has been answering your questions all week on the subject of how and why non-human animals like to enjoy themselves. He says that pleasure is a key to survival. Catch up on this fascinating conversation here. Working together to save 150 cats. When a judge gave the OK for the bulldozers to raze a trailer park in Sacramento, some of the residents panicked … for the cats. But with help through the Best Friends Network, dozens of people came together to rescue the kitties, get them some urgent health care, and start placing them in new homes or feral colonies. (Oh, and they also rescued a turtle!)

IN SPECIAL CARE: Pepper the pig comes through major surgery. She’s still a young girl, but she had a broken leg that had healed badly when she came to Best Friends, and was seriously overweight. This week, the vets gave her the green light for a seven-hour shoulder surgery, and she came through with flying colors.

Raptor rehab. Harrier hawks are speed stars of the sky. But this amazing, handsome fellow had a crash landing and broke a wing. After surgery, he was brought to Best Friends so he can practice flying again in safety at our flight aviary. If all goes well, he should be able to be released quite soon.

Lots more on the home page at www.bestfriends.org. You make all these good things possible, and your furry and feathered friends at the sanctuary really appreciate it. Thank you for your generous donations, and have a very good weekend. Michael Mountain Best Friends

Vick’s former pit bulls making progress in rehabilitation at Utah animal sanctuary

Two months ago, Shadow was one uncooperative pit bull.

He had no interest in toys placed in his kennel and would firmly anchor his paws in the middle of walks, refusing to continue.

The dog wasn’t being stubborn. He was frightened, adjusting to getting lavished with affection and attention after having survived the bloodthirsty world of dogfighting. Shadow and 21 other pit bulls are living at a southern Utah animal sanctuary where handlers hope to undo the mental damage done at Michael Vick’s Bad Newz Kennels.

So far, the ragtag bunch of leftovers that other rescue groups passed over has shown encouraging progress.

“These are the 22 that they thought were the most hopeless – the least likely to ever be rehabilitated,” said Dr. Frank McMillan, a veterinarian at the Best Friends Animal Society’s sanctuary...

…Vick’s pit bulls are getting a chance most fighting dogs don’t. And surprisingly, animal rights groups don’t think they should. Groups such as the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals believe that euthanasia, the fate of most fighting dogs, would still be the most humane option, rather than keeping them in a shelter indefinitely or in some cases permanently.

Daphna Nachminovitch, PETA vice president for cruelty investigations, said as touching as it seems to give these dogs a taste of happiness after enduring such misery, nobody can be certain how they will behave if they are ever released.

…McMillan said PETA has a point. If a dog’s disposition and behavior are misread and the animal is sent to the wrong environment, the results could be tragic. So the evaluation process will be extensive and stringent for at least six months, longer in some cases…

Click here for the full article.

For more animal-esque music, news, and issues, tune in to Kitty Mowmow’s Animal Expo online at www.thecapstone.ua.edu, Sunday nights 8-10 central.

A wish comes true

Dear Members and Friends, When the Make-A-Wish Foundation asked 11-year-old Jenny where she’d like to go – if she could go anywhere in the world – she said she wanted to come to Best Friends. And her visit wasn’t just a wish come true for her. The animals here had the best time ever. We have a delightful video of Jenny’s visit with her parents. >>Read the story >>Watch the video Their kind of town. Every week, cats from the Great Kitty Rescue graduate from their “finishing school” here at the sanctuary. This week, 25 headed out to the Windy City, where PAWS Chicago is helping place them in good new homes. >>Check it out. From pit stops to pet stops. Racing car driver Andrew Prendeville goes off track, visiting rescue groups with his car to teach young people about kindness to animals. (They even get to sit in the car and have their photo taken!) >>Watch Andrew at the track and meet his sponsor dog, Ballsy. The Vicktory dogs. Tug doesn’t like sitting around, so he gets a new job. (Just please don’t say the c-a-r word in front of him.) And, incidentally, there’s quite a crowd at Best Friends Pittie City these days – lots of smiling faces inviting you to become their sponsors. >>Pittie City Lots more on the Best Friends web site, including: The latest from Pigtown – just look at baby Sprockett and his totally cute face! A peregrine falcon does a crash landing (these birds can clock in at 270 mph!) … comes to Best Friends wildlife center … now ready to move into the big flight aviary. Follow his progress. Helping a small humane society with its vital spay/neuter work at the Navajo Nation. You make all these good things possible. Thank you, as always, for your kind and generous donations. Michael Mountain Best Friends

Finishing school for cats

Dear Members and Friends, Finishing school for cats: Lots of cats are going through “finishing school” in group fostering  here at the sanctuary. They’re the final  127 of the 800-plus Great Kitty Rescue in the Nevada desert last summer. Very frightened of people, some apparently feral from birth, they were completely unapproachable at first. Nor were they well enough to be relocated to feral cat colonies. But here at the sanctuary, these little guys graduate from special care to the play room to the real-life room, and on to suitable homes where they can be comfortable and happy. >>Follow their progress. How much is that doggie in the window? Those puppies look very cute in the pet store window. But what’s life really like for the dogs who are forced to breed these puppies. Take a quick look behind the scenes as we work to bring an end to the pet trade. >>Watch “The Road to Healing” Is that a toy … or a UFO? The Vicktory dogs had never known fun and games before they came to the sanctuary. So introducing them to the joys of life needs to be one step at a time. For example, when we put out some play-tunnels and toys and things to climb on, they stared at them like alien objects had landed from outer space. Day by day, stage by stage, they’re learning that life can be good, after all. Here’s all the latest on the dogs brought to Best Friends from ex-footballer Michael Vick’s kennels. >>Read the behind the scenes blogs >>Special Feature: Pit Bulls – the real story  Favorite photos: Ruby reads the newspaper, King Leer rules the laundry room, and a harrier hawk recovers from a broken wing. >>The week in photos. Lots more, including: Harrison Fjord: He was bred to be a workhorse. That didn’t quite work out. Now he’s working at building a new life at the sanctuary, and he’d like you to consider being one of his sponsors. Animal Attraction: A vibrant online community for pet lovers. They’re helping sponsor the animals here, and Best Friends benefits when you sign up, refer a friend, and visit the site. In the media: Adoptable dogs on Oprah, dogs from Iraq on the ABC world news, and other major media stories that highlight the world of Best Friends. HSUS and the factory farms: Finally, here’s a round of applause to the Humane Society of the United States for their undercover investigation of a California slaughterhouse. The video they presented to the world was harrowing in its portrayal of the cruelty and callousness of the factory farms. We should all honor the fact that the 143 million pounds of “recalled beef” were once thousands of poor creatures living in a world of pain and misery. Meanwhile, this week, we at Best Friends were examining video footage taken at a dog-trade auction. These helpless animals, who exist only to fuel the pet store industry, are kept alive in small cages as long as their exhausted bodies can continue to breed, and which we’ll be writing more about in coming weeks. Our hopes and prayers this weekend are that as more and more people come to understand such cruelties, the suffering of these innocent creatures will not have been entirely in vain. Thank you, as always, for caring, and for your generous donations that make all this work possible. Michael Mountain Best Friends

Best in Snow!

Dear Members and Friends, Best in Snow: At Westminster, it was Best in Show. Here at the sanctuary, it’s been Best in SNOW! Congrats to the Westminster champ, Uno the beagle. But here at Best Friends, Beebe the beagle just got adopted. And that’s the really top prize! Plus, we have runners-up (they’re always running up) – four beagle pups who came from a very sad situation but are now living “happily ever after.” >>More about our own winners. A Tribute to Tom Lantos: He led the Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus, pushed through the PETS Act in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, worked with Best Friends to rescue animals caught up in the war zones of the Middle East, and wrote much of the legislation that has improved the lives of animals everywhere. This week, Rep. Tom Lantos passed away. Here’s a tribute, and an excerpt from a recent Best Friends video about him. >>Read the story. >>Watch the video. The Vicktory continues: Daily blog posts from the team here on the daily care, rehab, medical and socializing of the dogs rescued from the Michael Vick case. Plus Seppi the cockatoo (he can’t keep his mouth shut) weighs in on those who say the dogs should simply have been killed. >>All about the Vicktory dogs >>Seppi’s blog. Going, going, gone? A team from Best Friends recently went undercover at a dog auction in Missouri. Thousands of companion animals cross the auction block every year to feed the puppy mills and pet stores. Here’s how you can begin to say “going, going, gone” to this whole wretched business. >>Get an overview >>Meet some of the dogs Lots more, as always, at www.bestfriends.org, including: Photo faves: A new weekly slide show from around the sanctuary. Pets Alive one year later. A New York sanctuary, from death to rebirth. One little piggy goes into special care. He’d love you to be his sponsor. You make all these good things possible, and your donations are deeply appreciated. Thank you for giving new life and love to thousands of animals in need. Thank you for caring. And have a very good weekend. Michael Mountain Best Friends

A soldier’s dogs come home

Dear Members and Friends, A soldier and his dogs: “He was always bringing home strays,” said his sister, Carey. And now that he was in Iraq, Sgt. Peter Neesley was rescuing homeless dogs and looking after them. He planned to bring two of them home. But Peter died in Iraq on Christmas Day. Peter’s family knew how much the two dogs had meant to him, and Best Friends has been working to bring them home. This week, we were able to pick them up in Baghdad, and today Mama and Boris are at home with Peter’s family. They’re also featured on ABC World News Tonight this evening. And are expected to be on Good Morning America on Saturday morning. >>Get the whole story. “Just think of us as the ‘good animals’.” That’s what Sherry Woodard and her colleagues keep telling the cats from the Great Kitty Rescue who are most frightened of humans. Step by step, it’s working. This week begins Act Two of the story as we close the camp out in the desert and bring the remaining cats back to the sanctuary — the ones who will need extra care. >>Find out more. The Vicktory dogs: They’re probably quite unaware that they’ve been the subject of so much attention. Last night, again, they made the headlines on CNN. But all they care about is that their traumatic past is already beginning to fade and they’re in a whole new world of carefree fun. >>Check out the latest blog entries and the special feature on pit bulls. Lots more on the website including: Congratulations to Mike Arms of the Helen Woodward Animal Center, whose annual Home 4 the Holidays adoption campaign broke another record this year. Oscar the cat, for whom “FERAL” stands for Friendly, Engaging, Responsive, Amazing and Loveable. And Best Friends at the Mardi Gras Barkus parade. (Thanks to the announcer for the rousing welcome!) And greatest thanks, as always, to you for making all these good things possible. We really appreciate your donations, and so, of course, do your furry friends here! Michael Mountain Best Friends P.S. Looking for something nice for Valentine’s Day? Sponsor Buttercup or one of his pals as a gift to someone special. It’s a gift of life and love.

Of Vicktory dogs, PTSD, and pittie cupcakes

Dear Members and Friends, Post Traumatic Stress: That’s what many of the dogs who came to Best Friends from ex-NFL star Michael Vick’s “Bad Newz Kennels” are suffering from, according to Best Friends veterinarian Dr. Frank McMillan. Dr. Frank is nationally recognized for his studies on the emotional and mental health of dogs. And he’s starting to write about his work with the Vicktory dogs on the Best Friends blog. Whether you’re a soldier coming home from a war zone, or a dog rescued from a fighting ring, you’re at risk for the same long-term effects. And Dr. Frank’s work with the Vicktory dogs will reap huge benefits, in due course, for shelters and veterinarians dealing with abused animals. His blog entries give some ongoing insight into how he works with the dogs. >>You get to all of it from here.

Pittie cupcakes! The rehab team likes to have a little fun, too. And they’ve been classifying some of the dogs as cupcakes, beefcakes, cheesecakes and fruitcakes. The differences will be revealed one at a time. And today, in one of her blog posts, Patty, our director of animal care, explains what it is to be a cupcake. (Little Red fits the profile.) >>Check it out on the Best Friends blog. There’s lots of new material on the website about the Vicktory dogs, including a special feature on pit bulls, their history, how some cities are banning them, why this doesn’t make sense, and so on. >>You get to all of it from here.

The Great Kitty Rescue: This weekend, we’re finally closing down the rescue facility on the edge of Death Valley, where we rescued those 800 cats in great distress last summer. 72 of them arrived at Best Friends last night, and another 50 will be here tomorrow. We’ll try to get news posted about them during the weekend. So check in on the home page www.bestfriends.org on Monday for that. >>Read the coverage.

The National Geographic TV show: Nat Geo has now committed to a further series of five shows, including one about the Vicktory dogs. These will all be airing later this year. Meanwhile, they (and we) have been overwhelmed with requests for re-runs of the first three shows. So they’ll be re-airing these in March. >>Keep in touch on the Dogtown section of the website.

Lots more, as always, including: Sedona, the starving kitten found under an old trailer, goes to a wonderful new home. How you helped pass Georgia’s new anti-dog fighting bill. Marvin the FIV kitty loves being petted. You can do it long-distance as his sponsor. He’d love it! Thank you, as always, for making it all possible. Your donations are a blessing to your furry friends here! Michael Mountain Best Friends

News From Best Friends Animal Society: The Vicktory Dogs

Dear Members and Friends,

We call them the Vicktory dogs.
They’re the 22 dogs, rescued from ex-football star Michael Vick’s infamous Bad Newz Kennels, who are now living at Best Friends. And as of today, when the final court proceedings were concluded, we can begin to introduce you to these dogs.

Bottom line: they’re very different from anything you may have imagined or have been led to believe –even by other national animal organizations. Most are quite timid, many have clearly been abused, some have been forcibly bred many times over, others have apparently been used as bait dogs. There are certainly some champion fighters among them, but even these are very different from some Hound of the Baskervilles image of a snarling dog trying to attack everything and everyone in sight.

And that’s the thing about dogs like these – they’re so eager to please, so responsive to people, that all these good character traits have been used against them. (Remember that only a generation or two ago, pit bulls were renowned as “America’s family dog.”)

We’ve posted an initial report about them today. And we’ll be starting to tell their stories in more detail on Monday, when we’re also welcoming TV and news reporters to the sanctuary to meet the dogs in person for the first time and to publish the first photos and videos of them.

On Monday, we’ll also be starting a new blog, where you can follow the progress of the Vicktory dogs, along with links to pages on the Best Friends Network where you can learn more about how Best Friends is working to end the billion-dollar dog-fighting industry and help the millions of cast-off dogs who end up in shelters that have no means of caring for them.

Have a good weekend, and watch for a further e-mail on Monday with details of our coverage of the Vicktory dogs.

Michael Mountain
Best Friends

Will Wiggles pass the parrot test? (All will be revealed!)

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Dear Members and Friends This week on Dogtown: You have to see the bit where John has to carry Wiggles, the funny-looking bulldog, through Parrots Landing to see whether he’ll be OK in his prospective new home with lots of birds there. Does Wiggles pass the test? Does John survive? All will be revealed! Friday at 9 p.m. E.T./P.T. on the National Geographic TV channel. >>Send a free Dogtown e-card to let your friends and family know when to watch >>Read all about the dogs on the show

Rescues of the Week… I turn on the radio this morning, just as the local news guy is saying “. . . and they’ve all gone to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.” So I’m thinking: Is he referring to one of the puppy mill rescues on the Dogtown show? Or is this about dog fighting and the 22 Vick dogs who are now in recovery at the sanctuary? Or perhaps the bevy of lop-eared bunnies found hopping about on a highway. (They must have been abandoned, because they’re obviously house rabbits but their once-beautiful coats were so matted, the poor things couldn’t even nod their heads or reach their food bowls.) Or maybe he’s talking about April, Chewy and Dewey, the three abused horses who just arrived at Best Friends and are now in round-the-clock care? (We’ll have a video early next week.) …It turned out he was talking about the bunnies. Their story has been hopping around the news wires for the last couple of days. Sort of as a light-hearted “Aaaw, isn’t that cute” item. And they really are cute. But rabbits are also the third most-killed pets in shelters. Easily abandoned – especially after the Easter bunny rush at pet stores. So they need all the help they can get. You can visit the Best Friends Bunny House here. Or get help and info on rabbit care. >>And check out what the bunnies do with old Christmas trees.

Dog-fighting in Georgia: It’s been touch-and-go for the new bill that cracks down on dog fights, but this week it’s taken another important step through the legislature. Read about it on the Best Friends Network. Lots of members have been helping out, including Willie Nelson who recorded a special TV spot to promote it. >>Watch the promo on YouTube:

Celebrity cat adoption day in Phoenix: This weekend, 75 celebrity cats from the Great Kitty Rescue (800 cats on the edge of Death Valley) will be strutting their stuff at the Camelback PetSmart. They’re amazing cats, and will grace any home. If you live in the area, go visit them. Here’s their story. >>Photos and bios of all kitties going to Phoenix adoption event.

Lots more, as always, at www.bestfriends.org. It’s all thanks to you, and your donations to Best Friends are vital to keeping up this work of love– here at the sanctuary and all across the country. Thank you for caring. Enjoy the show on National Geographic Channel on Friday evening. And have a great weekend. Michael Mountain Best Friends

“Dogtown” on TV gets rave reviews. Episode Two tonight.

Dear Members and Friends Dogtown on National Geo TV has been getting rave reviews in the press as one of the highlights of the new crop of TV reality shows. Last week’s episode (9 p.m. ET on Fridays) featured a group of totally feral, unhandleable dogs coming to Best Friends after being rescued from a puppy mill in Nebraska. This week, the team is out at the Navajo Nation in Arizona, working with a small humane society on a new spay/neuter program, and rescuing dogs abandoned at a tire dump. The Dogtown show has its own website at www.bestfriends.org/dogtown, with bios of all the “stars” – the dogs and people who give all these dogs a new life, as well as showing that there’s no such thing as an “unadoptable” dog. And please consider becoming a sponsor to one of these pooches, like Ruger the hound, who have been through so much and are finding new life and new love. >>Read all about it.

Witness protection program? There’s still not a whole lot we can say about the Vick dogs who are settling in here at the sanctuary. We should be able to describe it all a lot more once the court proceedings are over in just a couple of weeks or so. I guess we can say they’re doing really well! >>And you can read more here.

Cats on tour: We’re now in the final stages of the Great Kitty Rescue – more than 800 cats rescued from a terrible situation in the desert six months ago. Another 75 of these furry felines are getting ready to head out to adoption events in Phoenix. Check out their photos and bios – and meet a few of them on video here. >>Meet Andrew, Kimber, Hamilton and Pigeon.

Other great stories this week include: The “Fun Room”– so named by kids who visit the bird house at the sanctuary and learn lots about cockatiels. The birds treat it all as an opportunity to show off with fly-bys and aerobatics. Horse Whispering – lots of chat, and some careful listening, at the Best Friends Horse Haven, where we practice and teach the very best techniques in caring for these sensitive, highly intelligent creatures. Fingers crossed for Jilly, the sweet donkey whose feet were in such terrible shape when she was taken into Guardian Angel care here that she couldn’t even stand up. Today she has an important surgery, and we’re all rooting for her. Thanks to you, it’s always good news for all the animals who come into the care of Best Friends. You make all these good things possible through your generous donations. Your furry friends really appreciate it! Thank you for caring, enjoy Dogtown on National Geo, and have a good weekend. Michael Mountain Best Friends

Best Friends Dogtown – the TV series begins.

Dear Members and Friends Tonight: Best Friends on National Geographic. The new series begins this evening – 9 p.m. ET. (If you miss it, just check the TV schedule for repeats.) In this first episode, a group of totally traumatized dogs arrive at the sanctuary after being rescued from a puppy mill by the Nebraska Humane Society. Here’s the new Dogtown section of the Best Friends web site. >>Meet the dogs, the people, the place.

The Vick dogs arrive at Best Friends. We can’t show you the dogs themselves, but here, at least, is the plane they came in on! (The government and the courts have asked that we don’t write about or show the dogs until the court proceedings are completed.) And we can certainly say that they look delighted to be here. >>Read their story.

The new Best Friends Network. The Network site has had a makeover. Hope you like it. All sorts of cool features – all designed to help us all to help each other to help the animals. >>Check it out here.

Lots more, including: Last New Year, she resolved to harass more people. How did Lois the cat do? Tuffy was quietly expiring on a hay bale in the desert. Turned out he was about to start a whole new life. They needed a blessing … they got Bodhi from Best Friends … he filled the bill in every possible way. And, speaking of blessings we couldn’t do any of it without you. Your generous donations make it all possible. Thanks to you, the New Year at Best Friends has launched in a big way. Michael Mountain Best Friends