Happy Birfday, Tessa! You’re 15 Years Young

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Tessa At Fifteen, with her bratty great grandson Dwight

Tessa At Fifteen, with her bratty great grandson Dwight

Tessa spent the first 48 hours of her life living in a bathtub.

Her mom, Tara, decided to go into early labor the day before we were due to move house. Timing wasn’t perfect, and I was frankly in a state of panic. This was only my second French Bulldog litter, and no one had prepared me for ‘what to do if you have newborn puppies and a house full of movers’. I had to find a quiet room, one that wouldn’t have movers constantly going in and out of it, and that seemed to be the bathroom, on both ends of the move. I lined the tub with heating pads and thick blankets, turned on the space heaters, and stuck “Do NOT Open This Door For ANY REASON!!!” signs up.

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Count Down to Tessa’s Big Day!

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Tessa turns Fifteen years old on November 22

Tessa turns Fifteen years old on November 22

It’s less than 24 hours until the big day – Tessa (Bullmarket Terror of Toronto) turns fifteen years old.

We’re holding a little party for her tomorrow, with her in house relatives, but I’m hoping for some photos of her kids, grandkids, greatgreatgrandkids, whatever! If Tessa is in your dog’s immediate pedigree, I’d love it if you sent me a photo.

Include their registered name, their pedigree (if you have it), and their call name, along with your name. I’ll be putting up a great big post with all the photos as soon as they’ve all come in.

Tessa gave birth to three litters, but those three litters produced 23 puppies, 21 of which survived! So, she’s got quite a family tree, and we’d love to see your ‘branch’ of it.

You can email your photo to me at frenchbulldogz@gmail.com

Your Friday Moment of Zen – Bullmastiff Puppies at One Day Old

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Today’s moment of Zen is my friend Paula’s litter of TEN one day old Bullmastiff puppies. My favorite part of all comes at the very end – watching their tiny little tails wagging like metronomes as they eat. It’s been so long since I saw a litter of tailed puppies, I’d forgotten how vigorously they can wag them!

Warning: every dog in my house went nuts when they heard the squeaking of these little guys, so be forewarned.

Newsday Article Epic FAIL

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Cassandra DiPietro, wife of NHL hockey player Rick DiPietro, and Beth Stern, wife of Howard Stern, hold two of the 150 dogs that arrived Wednesday at the North Shore Animal League. "OMG u guys, it's just like getting a puppy from a pet store! Let's get all our friends one for Christmas".

Cassandra DiPietro, wife of NHL hockey player Rick DiPietro, and Beth Stern, wife of Howard Stern, hold two of the 150 dogs that arrived Wednesday at the North Shore Animal League. "OMG u guys! Let's get all our friends a puppy for Christmas".

Here’s a hint for the reporters (and editors!) over at NewsDay.Com – do you know what rescue groups like Northshore Animal League and Best Friends Animal Society don’t like? They don’t like the idea of puppies as Christmas Presents. They really, really don’t like it at all.

That’s why they probably don’t appreciate you headlining your article (which was more about showing off celebrity wives than it was about the dogs) –

“Need holiday gift ideas? 150 dogs need a home”

Article here.

I can barely run a snippet from it, as the article is about as sketchy as the mental skills of the genius who came up with that headline, but here’s the first paragraph –

About 150 dogs rescued from Midwest puppy mills were taken to North Shore Animal League America in Port Washington, the shelter said in a news release Wednesday.

The dogs include those used for breeding, as well as adolescents and puppies, the agency said.

The breeds include dachshunds, westies, French bulldogs, poodles, Boston terriers, beagles, Brussels griffons and bichon frises, according to the release.

No word about where the dogs came from (big raid? Kennel foreclosure? USDA violations? Who knows), but a cheery note about how they’ll be available to take home soon. Sort of like pet store puppies, huh? Yeah, I bet Best Friends and Northshore just love this story.

Update: after being tipped off by Charlotte, I took a look at NSAL’s website. 55 dogs listed as available – 48 of them puppies. They have NO senior dogs available for adoption. None.

Anyone who has done rescue for any length of time knows that adult dogs and seniors in need of homes FAR outweigh puppies – and yet NASL is importing them in from out of state?

I think I must be missing something here – how DOES this differ from Pet Stores who ‘import’ puppies in from the mid west?

“Oreo’s Law” Would Give Dogs Second Chance

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Oreo's Law Would Give Animals a Second Chance

Oreo's Law Would Give Animals a Second Chance

Wonderful news over on Nathan Winograd’s blog – a possible law in NY state making it illegal for shelters to kill animals when there is a group or welfare organization willing to take them.

From Nathan’s Post “Betrayal at the ASPCA” –

‘Oreo’s Law’ Would Give Dogs a Second Chance at Life

MANHATTAN — A bill to allow animal welfare organizations the right to request animals be given to their care when a shelter is planning to euthanize them will be introduced in the State Legislature this week by Assembly Member Micah Z. Kellner and State Senator Thomas K. Duane.

The bill is named Oreo’s Law in memory of a pit bull mix who became well-known after she survived abuse at the hands of her former owner, including a fall from a six-story building, but was eventually euthanized after the ASPCA determined she was untreatably aggressive. Pets Alive Animal Sanctuary, a no-kill animal shelter located in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains, specializing in the rehabilitation and care of abused animals, offered to take Oreo, but the ASPCA refused the request.

“As a dog owner and a foster parent for an animal rescue group, I was heartbroken to learn that Oreo was euthanized. When a humane organization volunteers their expertise in difficult cases, a shelter should work with them to the fullest extent possible.” said Assembly Member Micah Z. Kellner. “I am hopeful that Oreo’s Law will ensure that no animal is ever put to death if there is a responsible alternative.”

Read the rest here, and do everything you can to support the passing of this law. It should be in place in every country, every state and every province. There is simply NO reason for dogs – or cats – to be put to death when there are groups willing to take them.

Are you listening, Tom Skeldon? This means no more killing Pit Bulls and Pomeranians, when there are groups lined up begging to give them a chance at life.

And speaking of Tom Skeldon, check out the people actually patting him on the back and saying he’s doing ‘the best he can with the resources he has’. Sort of reminds me of Bush’s famous quote, “You’re doing a hell of a job, Brownie”.