Dr. Frankenstein, I presume?

The definition of victory is success achieved either during wartime (against the enemy) or success achieved of a personal nature.

Today for some, is a day of Victory.  Governor Mark Dayton signed a law giving dogs and cats in the State of Minnesota who were formerly used in laboratory testing the opportunity to be adopted once the research they've been a part of is complete.

Wait a second!  What about THAT is new? We, at Beagle Rescue League have been working with laboratory research facilities for a decade and two thirds of our beagles are retired "lab" dogs.  You may own one (or two, or three as I do).  You know they make marvelous pets.  First hand experience has shown you that what some people portrayed these animals to be (scared, lonely, mishandled) is terribly misleading. No dog treated poorly at the hands of a man or woman for their entire life would so openly love and trust another human being again if that were the case.

Our average foster time for a former laboratory research dog is 2 or 3 months.  Do you honestly believe we could turn a dog from Frankenstein to friendly in that small window of time? Certainly not.  We train each dog lovingly, giving them the basics and far beyond.  They deserve that for the service they have provided mankind.  What do they NOT deserve and what do I dislike about todays ruling?  Lots of things...

The dogs that have served for our good do NOT deserve to be turned over to a facility or group that cannot possibly keep up with the sheer number of released dogs as they retire.  I envision the worst...that some of these beautiful creatures will wind up in shelters. High kill shelters no less because cranking out dogs and adopting them on a same day basis (in and out) is never going to provide them with the level of care we give them here at BRL.  You can't possibly evaluate a dogs personality, inherent traits, fears, needs in a revolving door of what you deem to be rescue.  THAT is a disservice I loathe and it's why we never do same day adoptions.

If we had a dollar for every time we have been asked to help someone who adopted a beagle from another group because they were not properly prepared for some of their issues in the real world, we'd be rich.  Lab dogs have several quirks that can be infuriating if you are not patient and give them the respect they need and deserve.  They are often car sick, don't like going through doors, have problems adjusting to a crate, are skittish in new environments. Any one of these becomes the excuse de jour for someone who just can't deal with those things to dump them and guess where those dogs go?  To the local shelter where for the first time in their life they face the prospect of being killed inhumanely is an old fashioned wooden box gas chamber, or killed by a heart stick. You can argue that they were going to die anyway - at the hands of a cold scientist.  If you only knew how wrong you are.  I've personally met laboratory workers who have cried when a dog left their facility.  They ask us for updates on the dogs they release to us, they celebrate their adoptions, they want videos, photos and Christmas Cards!

What does any of this have to do with todays ruling?  Plenty... I've already stated that there is no one single facility that can house all of the dogs that are retiring yearly. There is a very small, select list of rescues that the dogs can be safely turned over to (BRL being not just one but THE one that is trusted because of our proven track record).  A rural shelter has a 24 or 48 hour kill rule and they break that if they get crowded, which in the Southern US means they stand NO chance of making it out alive.  Overflow of all these retirees is something bound to happen.  Was that accounted for in provisioning the law today?

Does the Governor of Minnesota have a clue that he in effect signed a death warrant for dogs that cannot be acclimated easily to society? Most likely not and chances are he does not even care.  He has succumbed to the pressure that has been fueling the ruling passed today.    California and New York have the same bills awaiting passing.

So am I celebrating today? No.  Today I'm heartbroken at the thought that because of todays rulings, the dogs have become a tool to be used for political aspirations.  And that, is more of a monster than any "Dr. Frankenstein" I've ever met.

To read about the law I'm referring to, visit:
http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/260128011.html

There are no big boned dogs.

I'll preface this article by saying this up front.  I've never met a pizza I didn't like.  I love pizza.  Regardless of the fact that I've lost 100+ pounds with some left to go, I freely admit that I love sausage pizza, cheese pizza, veggie pizza.  Deep dish, thin crust, square, oval, round.  I love it all (well ok - I actually don't like white pizza and can't figure out why anyone would but I digress).  As a pet owner I almost always saved a snippet of the crust for my dogs because I thought - what good is pizza if you can't share it?

I'll tell you this now in all sincerity.  Pizza may be delicious but if you eat it every day you're not going to be the picture of health. Chances are, you'll be battling the bulge, just as I am.

As one of the Directors of Beagle Rescue League, I am often asked questions about pet health issues. The one thing I do NOT get asked about is weight.  Maybe because of embarrassment or fear of ridicule on a pet owners part.  I'm not quite sure but let me tell you all something.  When it comes to a fat dog everyone sees the elephant in the room and sometimes, no, most times that "elephant" transformed itself from a canine because YOU created a problem that is out of control.

If you are feeding your dog human food (chips/pizza/steak/chicken/cake, etc) please STOP!!! I know you love your dogs but hear this - you are literally killing them with kindness.

I can't blame everyone and I'm not even mad but it makes me very sad when I meet a dog and people don't understand that the reason their dog snores, snorts, can't play like they used to, chokes on a collar, waddles, is heat intolerant, etc is not because their dog is "big boned".  It's because that dog may have a serious weight issue.

THUD!! Thats me jumping off my soap box.

I don't think anyone sets out to make their dogs unhealthy but like us, a good thing can turn into something not so good if we don't curtail bad habits.

I firmly believe many people don't even realize how overweight their dogs are.  MANY times I meet people who comment that my dogs are too thin and they aren't - but people seem to believe a little padding is needed if you can feel ribs.  Not so.  You should be able to feel your dogs ribs (not see them) if they are at their proper weight.  Take a look at this chart and see if it helps - which one represents your own dog? Anything above the number three is call for action.

Some things I bet you did not know:

• Standard Beagles weigh 22-26 lbs.  So four extra pounds is an extra 20% of body weight.  8 lbs extra and your dog is 40% over what they should be carrying on their frames.   In comparison, a human whose ideal weight is 150 would (using the same ratio) actually weigh 210.  I know very few people who given a choice would opt for the higher of those numbers popping up on their scale in the morning.  
• Did you know that giving your dog a large Milk Bone style treat is equal to us eating a Snickers Bar?
• If your dogs neck is wider than their head, you have a chubster in the makings.

What to do now if your pet IS overweight? 

Glad you asked....I recently found a web site that I just loved - it provides info on the dangers of pet obesity, the chart above, tips to help your dogs lose weight and even suggestions for you to follow to get your pets back into great shape.  Want me to share? OK - here it is:

http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/cat-and-dog-weight-loss.aspx

I don't love the bag (again - it smacks of embarrassment at the check out line) but I do like Natural Balance food and my own eat either NB Ultra supreme OR NB Ultra Lite.  Yes, this is a shameless plug for this dog food but it suffers few recalls, is not all grain and if you are looking for an easily accessable brand, consider this one.

My personal disclaimer - I am not a vet so please don't tell me I told you to follow these suggestions.  They are only that...suggestions.  If you want to follow advice on how much to feed your dog, please talk to your veterinarians.  Don't switch your dogs food without transitioning slowly to another either - it causes nasty stomach upset sometimes.  

I personally never feed my dogs the amount suggested on the bag of commercial dog food - it seems to me to be excessive and certainly, four cups of dog food a day for a beagle is not something I would follow because right now my guys get 1/4 of that amount and it's adjusted if they lose weight and/or gain weight by increments.

I pass on this information because like you, I love beagles and I want mine to live long, healthy, happy lives. I know thats your goal too and since they are 100% reliant on us, it's our job to do the very best we can for them in all facets.

This website may offer you some new ideas on how to do just that.


The End

Every Super Dog Needs a Hero

Every super dog needs a hero!

Beagle Rescue League, Inc, based in Northwest NJ and Bucks County, PA is actively searching for foster homes for some truly super dogs.

Beagles in our program come to us with a variety of backgrounds: some arrive from high kill shelters in the southern U.S while others are released to us via collaborative efforts with biomedical research facilities where dogs are retiring from their “jobs” in the medical community.  The amount of care needed by each dog can vary dramatically.  Most shelter dogs have lived in a home and may be partially housetrained.  They often know basic commands and have lived in a family environment while laboratory research dogs can require more in-depth care as many have not had the luxury of experiencing simpler things in life that we take for granted such as car rides or leash walking.

The length of time dogs remain in foster families also varies. We do everything we can to spread the word that our rescue beagles are available. Some are in foster care for a few weeks, and some for a few months. Some are even adopted by their foster families! Whatever the case may be as a BRL foster family you will work with an assigned Foster Coordinator. Foster coordinators are available to answer questions, arrange for any medical care necessary, assist in training or behavioral issues, and more. Best of all, they have foster dogs themselves, so they have a first-hand knowledge of the process.

Beagle Rescue League temperament tests every dog in our program and we provide everything you will need on your journey as a new foster home.  From crate, veterinary care, food, toys and more we are with you every step of the way.

The role of a foster home is the most important of all because you have the capacity of shaping a dogs future.  By providing a caring environment, a warm place to sleep and patient socialization, you have the ability to change the future for a dog.  With the help of a loving foster family, we have seen dogs blossom and become treasured, forever companions to their new families.

Volunteer foster homes must live in one of the following counties in NJ (Morris/Warren/Union/Middlesex) or PA (Bucks).  We require that you attend at least one adoption event per month to showcase the foster dog in your care (currently we are partnered with Petco/Petsmart/PetValu).  We also screen foster homes carefully and make every effort to match a dog to you unique, personal requirements.

Want to become a hero?  Simply visit www.beaglerescueleague.org/foster for additional information. Our application is there too if you would like to begin your journey with us.

If you have additional questions we’re here to help.  Simply drop an email to foster@beaglerescueleague.org and we’ll respond promptly.

Fostering is rewarding, fun and it literally can save the life of a dog!  Please say you’ll help us to help them!            

6th Annual Joann Miller Memorial Motorcycle Run

Ride to Rescue

The 6th Annual Joann Miller Memorial Motorcycle Run

 

Beagle Rescue League, Inc., a non-profit 501c(3) proudly announces the 6th annual Joann Miller Memorial Motorcycle Run to be held on Sunday, April 27, 2014.

Now in it's sixth year this family friendly event is open to motorcycle enthusiasts of all ages. Registration is just $15.00 per person which includes a full complimentary continental breakfast as well as a commemorative ride pin for the first 100 registrants.

Check in is 8:30am – 10:30am, kickstands up at 10:45am

Starting Point: The Chatterbox Drive In/Augusta NJ

Ending Point: The Black River Barn/Roxbury Twp NJ (cash lunch optional).

Events throughout the day include a blessing of the bikes, bestowed by R.O.A.R Chapter #920 and group participants have the chance to win a trophy for best representation by a club.

In addition to the support we receive from the owner of the Chatterbox, a 50’s style diner located in August, NJ, we also have Doc South, renowned radio announcer on hand to celebrate the first ride of the spring season!

Exciting news!! This year for the first time, legendary female riders Gloria Tramontin Struck and her daughter will be on hand to meet and greet the crowd.  Featured in the 2014 film "Why We Ride", Gloria Tramontin Struck will be on hand to share some of the experiences she has had in her nearly 6 decades of riding.  At 88 years old, this amazing woman still makes the yearly trip to Sturgis! 

This ride is supported by the likes of the NJ Devils, NY Giants, Rutgers Athletics and many local businesses.  To date they have helped us raise more than $20,000.00 to benefit homeless dogs.

Won't you please consider joining us on this police escorted 60 mile ride through some of New Jersey’s most beautiful scenery in the Skylands Region as we ride to rescue!

Last years attendance topped 265 riders and this year we can exceed that goal with your help!

For additional details please visit us at www.wix.com/jammiv/run or send us an email at jamminfo@yahoo.com.

 Rain date: 5/4/14

 About our Organization

Beagle League Rescue (BRL) is comprised of volunteers from New Jersey and Pennsylvania, who are dedicated to finding homes for lost or surrendered Beagles. All proceeds from this event will be used to care for the needy dogs in our program.  You can learn more about what we do by visiting us on the web at www.beaglerescueleague.org.