Greetings from HAL!
It has been an active summer for Home At Last. We've been busy with kitten season on top of all our usual projects. Our Saturday mobile adoption on 4th street in Berkeley was often crowded with passer-bys who stopped to view our little furry felines. Who can resist a kitten? We have a dedicated crew of volunteers who staff the mobiles every weekend and handle all the setup/tear down, animal transport and answer many question from interested adopters. It's a long day but so satisfying when a kitty finds a new home.
Above: Cats at our Saturday Mobile
We are always so pleased to hear from adopters about the life of a pet in their new home. Frankly, it's these stories which keep us going during difficult times. The note we received below is particularly poignant because Chipper was an older dog with issues and it's always a challenge to find such deserving animals with a troubled past a home.
"Hello, I want to let the wonderful people at HomeAtLast know that Khandro (new name for Chipper) is doing very well. It wasn't easy, as Janis knows, but Khandro is greatly improving after training classes and a kindhearted private trainer who helped us voluntarily when Khandro was having trouble adapting to the 'social life on the street.' Right away, Khandro got along with our 2 other dogs, especially Nyima (on the picture). They walk side by side and sleep in my room together in their beds. Khandro was thin and never looked into our eyes. Now all that is gone and he follows us everywhere. He came from an abusive and severely neglected home, backyard to be precise, where the person who was taking care of him died several months before he was rescued. The owner of the house fed him on occasion. He was underfed with severe ear infection and bleeding all over from fleas bites. Our three dogs are between 9 and 11 years old.
Khandro is smart, sweet, affectionate and funny. He loves to be pet and brushed and his favorite activity is to go daily to the park. We still can't let him loose but we manage quite well. The first time we took him to the beach he was so joyful, he looked like he was laughing. At home his favorite place besides his beds is the porch where he lays down watching the garden. Thank you so much for rescuing him, he is our angel just like his new name, Khandro. We love him. Thank you."
Local newspaper "Fetch - For Bay Area Pets and Their People" recently sponsored a "Breed Ambassador" contest for pit bull owners to express why their dog represents the best of the breed. We were pleased to learn that two Home At Last alumni dogs were recognized: Mucca and Puddin. Both these dog's guardians wrote short essays highlighting their dog's special qualities.
Read Puddin's and other essays online at Fetch: The Paper. The essay about Mucca is included below.
Big smile from Mucca!
Puddin in pink poses
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The Peculiar Plight of Black Dogs and Cats. Black dogs and cats are too often overlooked in favor of lighter colored pets. Why? Not quite sure. Maybe it's the superstition factor. Some people say they can't see or make a connection with a black dog or cat in a poorly lit kennel. And for folks browsing the internet for pets, black dogs and cats don't always photograph as well as their lighter colored brethren. Whatever the reason, our black canine and feline friends sit at the shelter or in our foster homes for a much longer time and are harder to place. So if you are looking at a new pet for the family... please don't overlook the black ones! See all our black pets available for adoption here.
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As many of our supporters already know, Home At Last has a close relationship with Berkeley Animal Care Services (BACS). Not only do we rescue many dogs and cats from this city shelter but HAL members participate in many of their volunteer programs. For instance, HAL volunteers walk dogs a the shelter which is always much appreciated by the pooches and other volunteers. It can be quite daunting to show up to walk a dog or two and find that there are 20 dogs which haven't been out for a walk yet! BACS is always looking for more dog walkers. Volunteer session are held each month. Find out more here. It's a great way to get some exercise and make a dog's day!
A few HAL volunteers have also been trained to do dog socializations at BACS. This fairly new program allows a female and male pair of shelter dogs to play together in the dog run. What great fun. The pooches love it and it wears them out in a way that a leisurely walk could never do. After being cooped up in a kennel, being allowed to run around and play chase with another dog is an incredible pleasure. It's also a joy for volunteers to witness.
Above: It takes two to play tug-of-war
Above: Two pooches, worn out and hot from playing
relax on the cool wet cement
HAL foster Nancy Jean has faithfully been bottle feeding tiny kittens for us for years. We couldn't save all the little beings without her. It's demanding work! Fortunately, she has help from her canine assistant Panda. Yes, it's true; her dog Panda is just as devoted to each kitten that comes into the home. She takes the little creatures under her "wing" and provides those comforting licks just like mom would have done. Good girl.
It's even more endearing that Panda was rescued from the shelter at the last moment. She had "issues" and was scheduled to be euthanized. However, Nancy Jean knew she could turn her around and she gave her the security and love in a new home and spent lots of time training her to be a well-behaved dog.
In addition to all the kitten fostering, Nancy Jean has been a great resource for information on kitten care and bottlefeeding. She
also volunteers her time by assisting in setting up new foster homes and transporting animals. Thanks much
to Nancy Jean and Panda for all their invaluable efforts.
Panda and some of her kittens
Mucca is a dog who was a hidden treasure while at the Berkeley Animal Care Services (BACS). He had been found tied up with his mom, outside the East Bay Humane Society, transferred to BACS (where his owner came to pick up the mom only) and started acting "iffy" after being in a kennel for several months. He was in danger of being put to sleep. Having worked with Home at Last Animal Rescue for serveral years, I've met and temperament tested many dogs/Pit bulls, and recognized a special something in Mucca - this dog had great potential. After extensively "testing" and working with Mucca a bit, I discovered he was an insecure ambassador that merely needed a safe place to bloom -- and boy, has he bloomed! My husband and I took him in as a Home at Last foster dog, but soon realized he was actually home.
Mucca was the name we decided on because it means "cow" in Italian, and our dog is as gentle and serene as a cow. (Well, also because he has Holstein cow-like markings and loves to eat grass...) When Mucca first arrived in our home, he was pretty aloof, leery of people, terrified of children and teenagers, and physically "still" - a weird attribute for a 2 year old dog, especially a Pit Bull. The only time he wagged his tail was in the presence of other dogs. (Not necessarily a bad sign...) During the 7 months of being in our home and getting out in the world, Mucca has burgeoned into a "velcro dog" that loves everything and everyone! He now not only adores other dogs, but also people of all sizes, colors and ages, wants to please every human, plays respectfully, is clever, a first class snuggler, comical, athletic, sweeter then pie, calm, and easygoing.
Mucca is one handsome and nice boy
Mucca enjoys helping to teach foster dogs and puppies how to have good manners.
Here Mucca is teaching foster puppy Spot how to fool humans into thinking that dogs don't
understand what we're saying.
We are proud to be able to bring our Pit Bull anywhere, confidently knowing he will behave beautifully. My husband and I have also been training Mucca for the Canine Good Citizen test and intend to someday make him a Service Dog and a Therapy Dog.
Mucca has been changing public opinions about the American Pit Bull Terrier everywhere we go. People are always wanting to 'make friends' with our dog; asking what breed he is, chatting about what their opinions of Pit Bulls used to be, and how Mucca has single handedly changed their mind. (This is the true job of a dog ambassador, in my opinion.) He then blithely obliges anyone interested in a good "body lean" accompanied by adoring eyes. We are so pleased with Mucca, and ecstatic that he touches the community by demonstrating what a Pit Bull ambassador truly is.
Home At Last rescues an amazing number of animals given our small size and limited resources. We are committed to helping our canine and feline friends. Please consider helping our efforts by donating to Home At Last. It will be much appreciated and allow us to focus on animal rescue without sweating the bills as much as we do. Thank you so much!
Home At Last Animal Rescue • PO Box 2261 • Berkeley, California 94702-0261
(510) 237-1625 | 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization | EIN #94-3338577