Adopted! Brody

Brody is an adorable 4 month old Jack Russell Terrier Mix who was sent out to foster earlier this month to give him a chance to beef up and heal from his previous owner’s negligence. We just received an update on how this little guy is doing from his foster parents and wanted to share!

Brody is a little dog with a huge heart!  (He stole our hearts the first day we met him!)  He’s a happy fellow whose tail is nearly always wagging and he is extremely affectionate.  He gets along well with children, adults, cats (sort of) and good-natured bigger dogs.

He’s very playful and incredibly agile – he runs circles around our bigger dogs and easily jumps our household gate.  When he’s not playing, he’s happy to cuddle with anyone who has an open lap.  During the day, he generally naps with his foster siblings.

At night, he prefers to sleep in a dog bed near our bed (or in some cases in our bed).  He can go all night without an accident if he goes out just before bed and again first thing in the morning and he seldom has accidents during the day if he’s let out frequently.

Since Brody is so active, he would probably benefit from a fenced yard and/or a compatible dog companion.  Brody sometimes gets excited when playing with our bigger dogs and forgets his manners.  They tolerate his behavior fairly well but other dogs may not appreciate his spunk.  It would be wise to arrange a meet and greet with any dogs who might possibly share a home with Brody.

Overall, Brody is an absolute joy who will fit in nicely in any suitable home.

If you would be interested in potentially meeting and adopting this little pup, please contact our foster team at foster@anticruelty.org

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The Latest On Nil: In Foster

Mary Raines has given us the latest on how Nil is doing! Nil is a real high energy pup that loves to roughhouse with Mary’s one-year-old dog. Nil is also doing famously with Mary’s young children. Just an all around good and playful pup! An amusing trick that he has learned in foster is to flirt to get what he wants (usually for food). Such a tease!

Also worth noting, he is doing well with his potty training. He is still very young and has little accidents on occasion, but does know to relieve himself outside in the yard.

If you would like to know more about Nil please contact myself at sbruno@anticruelty.org or Lydia at lkrupinski@anticruelty.org. To learn more about fostering go to our website at anticruelty.org.

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Saving Lives: Hercules & Layla

Foster programs really do save lives.

Many animals who come in to shelters like The Anti-Cruelty Society are not given the best start to life, leaving them sick, injured or in poor physical and emotional condition when they arrive in our care. That’s why having an active and robust foster program is so important! With the help of foster providers, who open their hearts and homes to animals in need, we can help cats and dogs get back up on their feet and ready for their permanent home.

Hercules and Layla are two pups who would not have made it if not for the Society and our amazing foster team.

Layla in foster care

Hercules and Layla came in to the Society in early June. Staff were immediately struck by how weak, feeble and skinny these two puppies were upon arrival. The two Boxer American Bulldog Mixes were brought in by a by a family who claimed they could no longer care for them. When asked why the puppies were so thin, the owners replied “they don’t like to eat”. We were shocked and skeptical. Staff immediately brought the dogs foods and they vacuumed it up immediately. Digging deeper, our staff found that the owners were breeding and selling puppies, and could not find any buyers for these last two. Claiming they had run out of money to continue their care, the decided to bring them to the Society for re-homing. When asked if they would be bringing in the mother, to have her spayed to prevent further litters, they replied “no” and explained that they planned to continue breeding in the future. Our Field Services team is investigating this claim.

Hercules

After foster care

Both Hercules and Layla were extremely emaciated when they came in but showed an incredible amount of spirit. At 4 months old they were only a fraction of what a healthy pup should weigh – so we knew we had our work cut out for us.

After spending two weeks in our direct care, our veterinary team decided that the pups were stable enough to go out into foster, where they’d receive the individualized attention they’d need.

After hitting our Foster Candidate list Hercules was swiftly scooped up by foster mom Lauren, who worked round the clock with our clinic to stabilize his health. In the meantime, his sister Layla’s condition suddenly declined, with the pup coming down with kennel cough, adding further strain to her already delicate system. Rather than put her immediately into foster care as planned, staff fostered Layla on-site with weekend trips to staff’s homes until her condition stabilized. Once she started to put on weight and her lethargy dissipated, we sent her to the home of Megan, a new foster recruit,  where she could stay long term as she bounced back to health.

Layla in foster care

In the meantime, Layla’s brother Hercules, who had begun to thrive in foster care, was selected to debut at an off-site adoption event and was immediately scooped up by an adoptive family. And after only three weeks in foster care, Layla, the once skeletal puppy, had filled out, grown up and became as happy and giddy as could be! Bonding as closely as she did with this previously frail pup, Layla’s foster Megan made the decision to adopt her herself, joining the ranks of our beloved “foster failure” team. Both puppies have been in their adoptive homes for two weeks now and are continuing to flourish.

Hercules and Layla’s story is a prime example of how a community of animal lovers can come together to save lives. Coming to The Anti-Cruelty Society, where they received specialized medical care and TLC, and then going out to foster where they could be nurtured one on one, these pups were lucky to have so many people rallying around them to ensure they’d make it through.

We’d like to once again thank Hercules and Layla’s foster parents, as well as Society staff, for going above and beyond in the care of these two incredible pups. Thank you for all the wonderful work you do for the animals!

If you’re interested in learning more about The Anti-Cruelty Society and our foster program visit our website here to learn how you can get involved.

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ADOPTED! Bean

Bean is an adorable terrier mix who came to the Society through one of our rescue partners in Oklahoma. We’re thrilled to have been able to have brought this sweet little guy to the windy city.

This young and spunky puppy was with us for only a short time when he became ill with kennel cough. So off to foster he went! And we’re happy to report that this little dude is thriving in his foster’s home.

Here’s an update that we received from Bean’s foster just this morning:

Bean is a 5 month old terrier mix with a tail that never stops wagging! I’ve had him for 2 weeks and he’s a hoot. Young and excited, and interested in everything!

Bean (aka Beany Boy) is a smart cookie. He’s learned sit and touch (so far only in the house – outside on walks is too stimulating for him right now) and we are working on wait and curbing his puppy mouthiness. He’s been amazing with housetraining. When he wants to go out he goes to the gate and I take him to the back yard where he does his business in a flash. There’s been no pottying in the house for the last 4 days! That means it only took 10 days for him to get the hang of it! Like I said – smart!
Bean loves going on walks, though his leash manners need some work. Once spring finally comes we will spend more time cruising the neighborhood and that will improve.

Unfortunately right now walks are for exploring not pottying. With longer walks that will also improve.

Bean is crate trained. From the beginning he hasn’t made a mess in his crate (except for knocking over his water bowl a couple of times). He willingly goes into his crate at night and sometimes just for a nap. When he’s crated and I leave the room for more than 5 minutes he sometimes lets out a few whines and yips, but it never lasts more than a few minutes and he settles right down.

Bean is a sweetie and loves to cuddle on the couch – a chin rub is his favorite thing. Sometimes I think he has no bones – I wish I could get a video of him sliding off the couch head first and landing in a puddle of puppy! But he is an energetic puppy and it’s nice having a couple of Westies to chase him around in the back yard! You should have seen him this afternoon chasing leaves blowing in the wind. Priceless!

If you’re interested in potentially adopting little Bean, or joining our team of foster volunteers, send us an email to: foster@anticruelty.org

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Adopted! Tasha

Tasha is a stunning and petite 10 month old Pit Bull Terrier Mix who came to The Anti-Cruelty Society when her owners were moving and could not take her along.

Upon arriving at the Society, our veterinary staff found that she had a poorly healed fracture on her leg that was causing  a limp. This, combined with a mild case of kennel cough, made Tasha the perfect candidate for our foster program.

She has been in her foster parents’ care for the past month and is flourishing. Having the opportunity to rest in a home environment while her leg finishes healing and her kennel cough resolves, Tasha has been the recipient of much TLC from her fosters and their resident dogs.

“Tasha is doing well. She is getting along with the other two dogs in the house. She occasionally is limping on her left front leg that is still healing. It seems fine if she’s been moving around for awhile, but if she’s been sitting or caged for any period of time, it’s definitely noticeable that she’s limping. We’ve been trying to have her rest as much as possible but sometimes it’s hard because she wants to play with the other dogs.”Tasha will be returning to the Society in the next few weeks upon which she’ll enter our adoption room to look for her new home.

If you’d be interested in meeting this incredible pup in person, or are interested in joining our foster program, contact our foster team at: foster@anticruelty.org

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Transferred: Jessie

***Jessie Update 2/7/14: Please note that Jessie has been transferred into foster care with our buddies at Be Fido’s Friends and is currently available for adoption through them.

Jessie has been through quite the whirlwind in her short young life. She was adopted, became sick with kennel cough, broke her leg, returned to the shelter, went to foster care where her leg heeled, flared out with demodex mange and is finally starting to balance out.

This beautiful and spirited puppy has been through so much, and despite, still has a fantastic attitude and zeal for life! She’ll be coming in today with her foster mom for another medical check-up – and if all looks good – will be heading to an adoptive home soon!

Help us attempt to recruit adopters so our beloved Jessie can be home for the holiday by sharing this post with your family and friends! Interested parties can contact us at: foster@anticruelty.org

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Adopted! Bailey Update

Bailey’s foster parents sent us another update on her progress that we’re eager to share with those of you following her story.

Here’s the latest on this big-little-lady:

Bailey is continuing to do well in our home. Any inhibitions are out the window, she is a full on active and playful puppy.

She does a great job eating her food and drinking water consistently throughout the day. She has been taking her medicine (for kennel cough) each morning and each evening and I haven’t heard her cough in days.

While she is never excited to go outside, she will go to the door when she does need to go to the bathroom and often won’t resist being taken outside if she does have to go. When outside, she used to bolt for the front door when she was done with her business, but now she will kind of hang out for a moment and check out what’s going on around her.  I think at this point, she only goes to the bathroom in the house in a stressful situation.

She loves to spend time on our back porch, leaving me  to think that she is comfortable in a quiet, enclosed space outside much more than a loud, open outdoor space. When i tried to get her on the porch the first few days she was in our home, she wouldn’t come out for more than 5 seconds. Now she sits out there for hours. I think that’s a lot of progress in just a few days! 

She responds very well to positive reinforcement (thanks Anti Cruelty for the helpful articles!) so lately I have been giving her a lot of praise for just sitting down and staying down because she has so much energy and she is such a big pup for our small apartment. As a result, she is running around a lot less than before and our house is feeling less and less like play yard for this puppy everyday.

This next week, my goal will be a short walk everyday and continuing to teach her basic commands (sit , stay, lay, come , etc) I’ll definitely keep everyone posted!

Check back later this week for more updates on this incredible dog! And if you’re interested in potentially adopting Bailey, or would like to learn more about our foster program, send an email to: foster@anticruelty.org

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Adopted! Bailey

Have you ever met a dog who melts your heart with a single glance? We have! Bailey is a super sweet, but incredibly stressed and shy Bernese Mountain Dog Great Pyrenees Mix who came to the shelter when her original owners could no longer care for her.

Once in our care, it was clear that a kennel in a loud, stress-inducing dog room was not a good fit. The poor girl would slink off to the farthest corner of her cage, roll up in a ball, and shake herself to sleep. Realizing that our environment was not suitable for this pup, we called upon our foster team to see if someone’s heart and home was open to take in this sweet dog. And that’s when foster parent Laura came to the rescue!

Coming in to meet Bailey one-on-one, Laura and her husband were determined to help this dog. After a meet and greet and info session with one of our Behavior Specialists, she was ready to commit to bringing Bailey home for some much needed R&R. And boy are we glad she did!

Since entering foster care last week, Laura has been sending us many updates on our dear Bailey. Here’s a glimpse at her first couple of days:

Friday, October 11th-

Hi all, just wanted to give you an update on Bailey.

She did so well on the car ride home. When I got her into the house she initially hid behind the chair but within minutes was out and sitting next to me (as I tried to assemble her X-Pen). Within an hour she was laying in my lap. She ate all her food, she consistently Drinks water, and she was really calm and relaxed all night. She did an absolutely wonderful job.

My husband came home around 10 o’clock and that’s when things changed a bit. She started barking at him and she was so scared she went to the bathroom on the spot. I had my husband just sit down and for the next two hours she kept trying to get closer to him. You could tell she was scared but that she was interested in getting to know him. I think this is a really good sign.

And then, after a couple of days, lots of work, and patience, the fosters sent the following email, showcasing Bailey’s incredible progress:

Monday, October 14th-

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Just wanted to give you another Bailey update:

She is doing so well! I am so proud of the progress that she makes each and every day. This weekend she got to spend a lot more time with my husband (who she was originally really scared of) and now she is snuggling in bed with him! She is still a little timid when he is standing up and walking towards her, but once he is sitting or laying down, she’s pretty comfortable. She is still really attached to me and follows me everywhere. I would like to get to the point where just because I leave a room, doesn’t mean she has to leave the room too and just because I sit down, doesn’t mean she has to sit in my lap (she has no idea what a big girl she is!).

We also focused on trying to get Bailey outside some more this weekend since she HATES to go outside. Getting her out just 2 times a day to go to the bathroom is the most we can get her out. Since it was so nice this weekend, we had her on our back porch and she did great. We kept the door to get back into the house open the whole time, but she stayed out with us on the porch. Last Friday, I couldn’t even get her to step foot on that back porch for more than a few seconds. Yesterday she spent a few hours out there.

So, pretty much all good news here! She is pretty much potty trained, she is eating her dog food (plus some people food) takes her medicine, drinks lots of water.

We are so excited to see how, in just a few days, Bailey has come out of her shell and is beginning to trust and bond to her foster parents.

Fostering a fearful dog can be one of the most difficult projects a volunteer can undertake. But knowing that you can have an opportunity to save a pet’s life is all it takes to rally an animal lover to jump in and help out. This is why we count our foster volunteers as some of the most valuable helpers on our team!

We are eager to hear more on Bailey’s progress in the coming days and will keep you posted. Please share this blog post to help us get the word out about this incredible dog – and to help us find her a new forever home!

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Adopted! Cuteness Overload with Angel (A20581069) and Scout (A20714505)

What are you doing in there, Angel?

The girls accompanied me to ACS on Sunday as I had a full day of SoDT classes and didn’t want to leave them home for so many hours. Well, I must say that they were fantastic! They remained quiet and content in the training office during all 3 of my classes AND kept their enclosure clean. I took full advantage of socialization opportunities before, in between and after classes and the girls relished each opportunity to meet lots of new people, pups and explore new things. We played lots of recall games, which the girls were very enthusiastic about, and I would say they are at minimum 80% response on ‘sit’ with verbal or hand signal, and easily lure into down. They are both fearless, smart and eager to please. Oh, and did I mention the cuteness factor? See for yourself.

Yum

Maybe I’ll be a disc dog champion someday

Gimme, Angel! I want to be a disc dog too!

Pass the ball!

Maybe agility is in my future

Tennis ball AND rope toy! I’ve died and gone to heaven!

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Adopted! Heeler Puppy, Scout (A20714505)

Howdy,

I’m Scout.  I’ve been in foster care for about a week because I was too young to be placed for adoption.  I am a very healthy, active and curious puppy so I should be ready for a forever home by the first or second week of September.

Since being in foster care, I have really thrived.  My foster mom says that I am quite the handful although I am not quite sure that is a total complement.  She also calls me a smarty pants because she says that I figure things out quickly – like how to escape my x-pen enclosure which I don’t think she was too thrilled about.  I can be quite independent and am sure that I am correct on my feeling that I should be allowed to rule the house.  After all, I am cute and cuddly.

I love being with the other dogs in my foster home even when they get fed up with my endless energy.  I would probably be a great companion for an active household but would get quickly bored with a couch potato.

My foster mom has begun to work with me on impulse control.  I am learning to be patient for my food bowl and to settle – both of these things are really hard.  I am fine with being handled and held but get a little fidgety after a while.  I don’t quite sit on cue yet but will sit to watch my foster mom fix my food.  I LOVE to play with toys – my favorites so far are balls and tug toys.  My foster mom says I am pretty fearless and approach each new encounter like a great adventure.

Well, that’s all about me for now.  Can’t wait to meet you!

XOXO,

Scout

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