From Puppy Mill to Mostly Mutts to....Your Home?

5 yrs, 15 lbs. If you've heard about me before, I'm going to sound like a completely different dog! I spent my whole young life in a puppy mill.   There is no socialization in puppy mills so I'm a little behind with those skills.  Each day I learn more and get more comfortable being a house dog and a companion.  My teeth look like a 10 year old dogs teeth because they were damaged by years of chewing on metal cages.  My tongue permanently sticks out because of my bad teeth.  But the vets agree that I'm not older than 5 because my eyes are so young looking.  My new home MUST have other dogs because I enjoy the company of other dogs. I know there is someone out there who will provide me with a loving home and allow me to work at my pace. My foster mom is so excited about my improvements and you will be too. 

When Mostly Mutts Loses a Pet

Sadly, not all rescue dogs find loving homes.  Some come to us too late to save, too old to handle the stress of being abandoned, too diseased to survive and some are just taken too soon.  When a Mostly Mutts dog passes away, we have a few options as to what to do with the bodies.  One option is to leave them at the vet clinic for the county to pick up and incinerate.  Mostly Mutts believes this is not how a homeless dog should be treated.  Another choice is to take them to a place where they cremate the bodies, however the cost is too expensive for a rescue group.  This is where we feel extremely blessed to have the love and support of Dreamland Pet Memorial and Cremation Services.  Dreamland has allowed MM to forever keep our dog’s spirit with us.   

Kevin Marcy and family started Dream Land Pet Memorial and Cremation Services five years ago because of a passion Kevin’s family had for pets.  Being a licensed funeral director, he wanted a business that duplicated the human death care services for pets.  “After some research, I found out that there wasn’t a pet crematory in the state of Georgia that cared for pet parents after the loss of a pet nor was there a pet crematory in the State that cared for pets like they were human.   Every pet crematory requires the vet clinics to place the pets into a freezer until their driver comes around to pick up all the pets.   Dreamland tries hard to arrive the same day as called to pick up a pet, so they do not have to be placed in a freezer.  We saw the need for compassionate, same day service, where the families are cared for like they have lost a child, Because that is what it is like”. 

Mostly Mutts founder, Paige O’Neill, called Kevin a few years ago to ask if they would handle the cremation of one of the rescue dogs.   Because MM is local and Dreamland wanted to help as much as possible, Kevin graciously agreed to handle all the MM cremations then and in the future as a way of giving back and helping our cause.  “After meeting with Paige, Dreamland has been passionately supporting MM, due primarily to Paige’s fresh energy and a passion I hadn’t seen duplicated in many rescue group founders and that’s what it takes to make any rescue effort successful.”  Dreamland has taken care of over 50 dogs to date.  

Dreamland Pet Cremations and Mostly Mutts have one huge thing in common.  They love and support the homeless animals in the community and when it’s time to say good bye, they deserve the same care and respect as dog’s in loving homes.  Paige states:  “It’s a great feeling to know that when we lose a dog in our program we have Dreamland to take care of their bodies, while we take care of their souls.  Their ashes are spread on to our scatter garden that was designed by a Girl Scout a few years ago.  Our dogs can now rest in peace in a beautiful area near the shelter and are visited by deer, rabbits and lots of squirrels. “

We want to give a special thanks to Kevin Marcy for taking time to answer our questions about his work with Mostly Mutts as well as the services his company offers to pet owners when they lose a beloved pet. 

   

Mostly Mutts lovingly remembers all the animals who have passed through our shelter and spent their last days being loved by our volunteers.  We wish them peace and joy as the play on the other side. 

Volunteer of the Week-Tammy Turley

The Turley family is deeply involved with Mostly Mutts.  They foster dogs in their homes (including our special needs dogs), they close the shelter every Tuesday night and Tammy comes to adoptions to approve applications, etc.  Tammy also helps with interviewing applicants during the week, she runs our BFF (best friend finder) program and she coordinates the shelter committee. Without volunteers like Tammy and her family, Mostly Mutts would just be an average rescue group. She makes MM exceptional.

Thank You For an Awesome 2011!

Here is a video thank you from the Mutts to all our supporters, volunteers, foster and adoptive families.  This video says it all!  We hope you will see the lives we have touched and want to be a part of our work in 2012!

http://youtu.be/_owmjar3QcA

Be a Part of the Mutts in 2012!

Mostly Mutts is proud of our success each weekend at pet adoptions held at the Kennesaw PetSmart and the Pet Supermaket at AnsleyMall.  We get excited when our furry friends find loving homes.   We also use this time to promote Mostly Mutts…what we do and why it’s so important.  We take every opportunity to  raise awareness about spay/neuter and how this alone will save the lives of so many animals.  We receive generous donations which allows us to continue with our mission.  With the start of a new year, we will take a deep breath and find the energy to continue rescuing and adopting.    

The many Mostly Mutts volunteers donate a lot of love!  They also donate their time and energy.  Working with MM is fun and meeting new friends is a highlight.  After reading our post you'll want to be a part of Saturday and Sunday and share in our success of finding homes for the sweet animals that come through Mostly Mutts.

As soon as Sunday adoptions are over, we start working on the next weekend.  Volunteers monitor our phone lines and our many emails with inquiries about our dogs.  Potential "parents" are referred to our website where they can find profiles and photos of every dog and kitten available for adoption.  Applications that are submitted during the week are approved (hopefully) so these families can come to our adoptions events one step ahead of others.  Applicants are interviewed, counseled and references (including vets) are checked prior to approving apps.  We offer advice on dogs we feel would fit well into the family.  Matchmaking is our specialty!!

As dogs get adopted during the weekend, new rescues come in during the week.  Their intake involves baths, health checks, vaccinations, intake paperwork, housing them (either in the shelter or in a foster home) and offering them lots of love and attention.  Once they are spay/neutered, a volunteer will write a profile on each dog's personality to post on the web site. Volunteers are crucial for making these dogs happy during their stay with Mostly Mutts. 

On Saturdays, approximately 40-50 dogs come to the Kennesaw PetSmart to attend the adoption event.  At least 35-40 people take action every Saturday helping with shelter work, transportation, set-up, and walking the dogs throughout the day.  About 30 foster families drop their dogs (and kittens) off at 11:30 and then pick them up at 4:30 if not adopted.  Some take new dogs home to foster if theirs were adopted. 

All of this has be have one coordinator.  She sets up shelter transporters, ‘senior’ and ‘junior’ volunteers to help with the set up, volunteers to help with break down at the end of the day.  She has to train the ‘junior’ volunteers each week as these are often college kids who need college credit.  This person supervises the set up, gets profiles on the kennels, bedding in each kennel/playpen, supervises the dog walkers, etc., etc., etc.  It’s HARD work but it goes so smoothly week to week.  Often we have PetSmart customers watch us and comment about how we work like a ‘fine oiled machine’.  This is a nice compliment. 

Sundays are adoption days too and need coordinating.  Dogs available from the shelter are loaded on the van to travel to Ansley Mall’s Pet Supermarket.  Along the way, the transporter stops and picks up some of the foster dogs that will be going to adoptions.  Our “Intown” adoption team is waiting with kennels already set up and things ready to go when the van pulls up.  At the end of the day, foster families meet the van (if their dog is not adopted) and the others come back to the shelter until the next adoption event.  

Our volunteer coordinator is one busy girl!  She coordinates everything above and her work is rarely ever done!  She also monitors and updates our remarkable FaceBook Page.  This includes updating profiles, photos, etc.  Each week a newsletter is created to send by email, called our “Flea-mail”.  She prepares this by adding photos, comments and updates the volunteer’s names for the next issue.  She has too many jobs to mention but it’s a full time job with no pay.  

 Mostly Mutts had a successful  2011 due in part to our volunteers.  By our count, we adopted out roughly 550 animals for the year.  How awesome is that?!

If you would like more information  about how you can help volunteer, foster or be involved with Mostly Mutts, please visit our website at MostlyMutts.org or email us at volunteer@mostlymutts.org

Help Mostly Mutts During the Holidays!

Holidays are ahead

Please start thinking about your holiday

donations and keep our Mutts in mind!!

Your support is their biggest gift.  

  

Here is a Free and Easy way to raise funds for Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue:

This is going to be the easiest thing we've ever asked you to do!  Especially with the holiday shopping season around the corner, and of course year round, every time you shop online or search the internet, a donation will be made to Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue (Kennesaw-GA) by usingGoodSearch.com .

  

 GoodShop.com works with more than 2,500 stores (including Target, Apple, Petsmart etc) and every time you purchase something, up to 30% will be donated to us!  And, even more exciting, GoodShop also offers over 100,000 of the most up-to-date coupons and free shipping offers so you can save money at the same  time.  It's win win.

 GoodSearch.com is a Yahoo powered search engine which makes a donation to us each time you do a search

Join our community in using these sites to help us easily raise money for our mission.  Get started by clicking the "Become a Supporter" button on our profile page  here !

Happily Ever After.....

Mostly Mutts has placed many animals in loving, wonderful forever homes and it's what we love the best about rescuing.  Below is an excerpt from a letter we received after a recent adoption:

I cannot begin to tell you how much I love her and what a blessing Molly has been.  We have found a wonderful dog park in McDonough; it's very clean, with grass, trees, toys, water, etc.  It's so much fun to arrive there and hear dog owners tell their dogs,  "Look, here's Molly!"  She LOVES to play with other dogs, so I provide that opportunity for her often.  She is also wonderful with children and seniors.  I recently took her to visit a friend of mine who was having her 93rd birthday and I wish you could have been there to see how sweet and sensitive Molly was with her.  She just graduated from her beginner class at Pet Smart, and is enrolled to take the intermediate class.  She is the smartest dog I have ever owned, loves to learn, and loves to please. I am seriously considering looking into training for her to become a therapy dog, as she seems to have all of the qualities that it would take to make anyone's day a little brighter.  I could go on and on and on, but hopefully these photos will tell you a little more about her. I sincerely thank everyone at Mostly Mutts for the love and care that was given to Molly before she came to live with me.  Thanks again for such a beautiful gift.

 Looks like Molly has found the perfect family!  If you are looking for a new member to your crew, visit us on the weekends at our adoption events.  Saturdays we're at Pet Smart at Town Center in Kennesaw and the first, second and third Sunday's at the Ansley Mall Pet Supermarket.

What Should I Feed My Dog?

Mostly Mutts highly recommends you purchase the highest quality food for your dog you can afford.  Read the ingredient labels.  Avoid foods that consist of meat by-products. These can include feet, gristle, and all kinds of things not good for your dog.  The best food is where the first ingredient is a meat or chicken meal and no by-products. Also avoid food and treats that are preserved with BHA and/or BHT.  These preservatives have been linked to possible cancer, in both humans and animals.

Always be very careful giving dogs “people food."  Examples of  good "people treats" are carrots, apples, cottage cheese, grilled or boiled boneless chicken, hard-boiled egg slices, pumpkin, cooked or from a can, broccoli and green beans.   NEVER give your dogs raisins, grapes, chocolate, raw onions, garlic or Macadamia nuts as they are very toxic and can cause major liver problems and possible death.  Xylitol, a sweetener found in some sugar-free chewing gums, candies, baked goods and other products is also extremely dangerous for dogs and can be fatal. Be sure to keep any product containing Xylitol away from your pets. 

Some controversial ingredients to look out for:

• Propylene glycol - formerly considered a generally safe additive. Current studies show that it reduces the survival of red blood cells. Propylene glycol is now prohibited in cat foods. 
• Eethoxyquin - used for many years as an additive. Current studies show links to allergic reactions, skin problems, major organ failure and cancer.

Keep in mind obese dogs are unhealthy dogs and a dog who is only 10% overweight could have his lifespan shortened by 33%.  Obese pets can suffer from orthopedic disorders, respiratory difficulties, heat intolerance, heart disease, gastrointestinal distress, diabetes, incontinence, urinary tract infections and stones, immune system suppression and cancer. 

Keep your dog healthy and you’ll all be happier. Please remember the first ingredient should be a meat or a  meal, but NO byproducts.  We recommend you do not buy Beneful as the first ingredient is corn, the second by-products.  Animals need protein from meat.  If changing food, do it gradually.  MM also does not recommend rawhides nor treats preserved with BHA and/or BHT as they are being linked to cancer

What's Up With the Mutts?!

Mostly Mutts has been having phenomenal success at each at our adoptions.  This past weekend we had over 14 dogs and cats adopted or moved into foster homes.  Now we can save 14 plus other animals from terrible situations and give them a second lease of life.  Thank you to everyone who opened their hearts and homes!

Arnold the pig was adopted out this weekend to a family who has a small farm and is starting to add animals to it.  Yea for Arnold!

Did you know that the medicine used to treat heartworm in pets is now no longer available from the distributor?  That means that it is now more important than ever to keep your pet on preventative medicine.  Look for a blog post in the next few days for more information on how to ensure your pet is protected.

Want to help the Mutts earn some much needed donations?  We have two fund raisers coming up so come join us!  If you like tennis, we have a tournament and silent auction coming at Lost Mountain Park off Dallas Highway on October 28 and running through October 30.  We need players from junior age on up for junior singles, men’s and women’s doubles, mixed doubles and parent and child doubles.  Fees are $30 for singles, $40 for doubles and include a T-shirt, gift bag and players party.  Call 770-528-8525 to register or for more info.  Play some tennis and help the Mutts!

We have two folks ready to help out with a high end thrift shop to benefit the Mutts who are looking for retail space in the Piedmont Park area.  They really need an affordable location and the landlords can get a tax write off.  If you know of a space please contact Diana at Dianad@bellsouth.net. 

Need your Mostly Mutts fix?  Connect with us socially at the following location and be sure you’re not “chasing your tail” to find out the latest happening with the Mutts!  You have found our blog; now find us at the following places:

• Twitter:  http://twitter.com/#!/MostlyMuttsATL
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MostlyMuttsGA
• You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/user/MostlyMuttsGeorgia
• Website: http://mostlymutts.org/

Want to be a volunteer or a foster parent?  We can use you!  Contact us at volunterr@mostlymutts.org or foster@mostlymutts.org for more information.

As always, we appreciate your support!

Why Mostly Mutts Promotes Spay/Neuter

Below is a letter we received this week from a family who wished to foster a dog through us but didn’t because of our sincere belief in the importance of spay/neuter.  This is not the first vocalization of disagreement with our policy but we wanted to share it with all our blog readers and future Mostly Mutts families as to why our policy is the way it is.

The letter reads as follows:

……We are hesitant to have our pug fixed because we want to be able to breed him in the future.  So it looks like we won't be able to foster or adopt through Mostly Mutts.  My intention was to foster for as little as a few days, and then proceed to the adoption.

I've heard from other friends with kind, loving homes that adopting a dog through a rescue agency is very difficult because of the stringent requirements of the agency, and I was hesitant to even apply for that very reason.  Our dogs are all happy, healthy and very much loved.  While I respect and appreciate your mission, I have to say that the risk of unwanted puppies in our case seems almost non-existent, as we have three male dogs and were asking to foster another male dog.  We've decided to adopt from a breeder rather than comply with your requirements.  The cost will be approximately the same as adopting from your agency, and we will have a dog to love, but we will all miss the benefit of helping a potentially homeless dog find a good home.

Our response:

We obviously have one thing in common and that is that we love dogs.  Let us share our perspective as to why we have the policies we have.  Maybe when you see this through the eyes of a rescuer, you may understand. 

Just yesterday we went to an animal control and rescued four dogs with a “white slip.”  The white slip means that they are on the euthanasia list for this morning.  Even though almost 50% of the dogs seen had white slips on their kennels, we could only take four because that’s all we had room for.  There were three litters of puppies there and they had ‘white slips’ on their kennels too.  We’re happy we rescued four but so sad that about fifty were euthanized just this morning at this one facility.  Animal control’s intake is approximately 30-50 dogs and cats (including many puppies and kittens) a DAY.  There is an epidemic out there that most people are unaware of. 

The problems is that our region, and pretty much all over the United States, has an overpopulation of puppies and kittens.  The reason for this overpopulation is that people allow their dogs and cats to breed…either accidentally or on purpose.  70,000 kittens and puppies are born EACH DAY.  It is impossible to place this many animals in homes therefore the majority of these animals end up as strays or at animal control centers or in the hands of abusive families. 

The most common statement I hear from dogs owners who have intact males or females is that “I have no intention in breeding, I just don’t believe in spaying or neutering animals”.  I can understand that the intention is not there but 100% of the litters I have rescued have been accidental.  Male dogs will do anything if they smell a female in heat (and they can from one mile away).  The sad part is that our rescue exhausts ourselves working at adoption events and we are thrilled when we adopt out ten dogs.  But then we realize that someone is at home with their female dog that just had ten puppies.  This defeats every ounce of our hard work.

We do require pets to be spay/neutered when fostering or adopting from us.  We want to adopt to families that see more than just ‘I want to own a new dog’.  We want them to support us and help with our cause.  The ONLY way for us to save ALL the dogs and cats in our community is to lower the pet population.  The ONLY way to do this is through spay/neuter.

That’s it from our perspective.  From a dog’s perspective, if they had a voice, they would let you know that they would prefer to be spay/neutered.  Males live a life of sexual frustration if not neutered (even if you breed occasionally) and this leads to behaviors such as marking, humping, aggressions, etc.  Females suffer from mammary tumors, pyometras (infected uterus) and hormonal issues due to their cycles. Ask your male friends if they would like to live sexually frustrated...it’s not fair to the dog! 

Please do me a favor and visit an animal control shelter before you run to a breeder to purchase a dog.  Also know that when you purchase a dog, breeders bring more dogs in to the world.  When you adopt a dog, you open up a kennel for another rescue dog so you save two dogs!

We are very sorry that we can’t work together but we are more involved with saving animals then just adoption.  We want to educate people as to the importance of spay/neuter.   It’s the responsible thing to do for your dog, for rescue dogs seeking a new home and for your community. 

Mutterings From the Mutts

Wow, what a week it has been at Mostly Mutts!

First, Melody Victoria was on the news and Mostly Mutts received a nice plug as well.  You can click here to see the latest on her story and where things are with the man who cruelly injured her.

Secondly, we lost one of our sweet babies this week.  Mango, a precious little doggy who was in a wonderful new home, had given birth recently to three puppies, two of which passed away.  Last Saturday Mango slipped a disc in her upper back and was paralyzed in the rear. She went in for emergency surgery on Sunday and had been at the Cobb Surgical Center and Cobb Emergency but was still having problems.  She was in a tremendous amount of pain and had to be put to sleep last night.  We wanted to give her time to recover from her back surgery but she was actually getting worse with the paralysis so she really left us no choice.  Her mommy was with her till the very end and gave her lots of hugs and kisses.  We think we love them when they are alive and with us but we realize just how much we love them when they leave us.  She’ll be well cared for in heaven alongside of the other Mostly Mutts dogs there.

Mostly Mutts has had a lot of medical bills in the last few months;  Mango's surgery alone was $5000.00.   Each day she was in the hospital was a minimum of $300.00.  Along with her orthopedic bills, a Mastiff named Bella had a $1600.00 knee surgery.  Bama’s broken leg cost $3500.00 and after spending on Woodstock’s two surgeries, his leg had to be amputated for $700.00.  We are in desperate need to raise $10,000 and we need your help.  We are asking everyone to give whatever you can to help Mostly Mutts keep giving back to the animals that need us out there fighting for them.  You can give to a specific dog through our Chipin links of our Facebook page  or mail a donation to  2774 North Cobb Parkway, Suite 109 #189, Kennesaw, GA  30152.  We also have a Paypal account you can donate through on our website at Mostly Mutts.

Last but not least, we have two special angels who are new to the shelter who have been badly starved.  They  are playful, beautiful dogs who have enjoyed all the hugs, kisses and attention lavished on them at their stop over at Mostly Mutts.

 Meet Paula Sue and Paul Joseph!  Paula is thought to be about a year and half old and sort type of American Bulldog.  Very loving and enjoys people!  Paul Joseph is roughly four 4 years old, male and is probably some type of Beagle mix.  These little sweet hearts lived in a yard together and were starving.  A kindly neighbor took them in to animal control.  The owner signed them over to animal control and received a citation.  They have certainly been blessed to end up at Mostly Mutts!

Keep your love and support for the mutts coming; it never goes unappreciated!  And anyone is interested in helping to organize a fundraiser, please email us at MostlyMutts@comcast.net.

Mostly Mutts is Expanding!

As you know, Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue and Adoption, Inc. was established to reduce the number of highly adoptable animals euthanized at local animal control shelters.  While rescuing and adopting animals helps, spaying and neutering dogs and cats is the only way to successfully manage the pet population, which, in turn, will drastically decrease the number of animals needing rescue.   Mostly Mutts created a sister organization called  Spay/Neuter Society of the South to promote spay/neuter programs.  Recently, Mostly Mutts has decided to roll the efforts of SOS under it's own umbrella and will absorb it's workings into its daily premise.  Through spay/neuter education, we will make a huge impact on the lives of so many more wonderful animals.  

Melody Victoria-What a Fighter!!

Most local Cobb county residents have by now heard the horrible story of animal abuse that recently occurred in May involving a beautiful pit bull mix puppy.  Good news and better news?  She is now with Mostly Mutts and is receiving lots of love and support!

Melody while at the vet 

Melody the day she arrived at Mostly Mutts!

Melody was the victim of one of the worst cases of animal abuse.   She was placed in an oven where she suffered second degree burns to all four paws.  She has multiple burns to her head, tail, tummy, legs and nose.  Not only did she suffer physically and psychologically but she did not receive medical treatment for four days after her injuries occurred.  The doctors and techs at Cobb Emergency saved her life and even though she is not housed there any more, they see her every day for bandage changes.  They also picked up the tab from their stray fund.  (Donations can be made to Cobb Emergency Vet Clinic)
Melody is now with the director of Mostly Mutts and lives in her home along with six other dogs.  She is recovering very well and has started to play.  Even though she is out of immediate danger, she has a long recovery period ahead of her.  Once her wounds have healed, Mostly Mutts will start taking applications to find her a GREAT home.  She has some trust issues that will have to be worked with, and some puppy behaviors that will require training, but she is loving and will be your best friend.   She came to us named Melody but we've added Victoria because she was so “victorious” in overcoming her abusive owner.  He is now in jail on two felony charges…one for causing her injuries and one for not seeking medical attention.
Cases like this can be used for education purposes and maybe Melody Victoria can be the perfect teacher!

A Dog's Last Will

Parvo, Puppies and Godiva

Godiva-We will miss you

Godiva came to Mostly Mutts on the 21st and was immediately put on antibiotics for an upper respiratory infection.  She was  adorable, bouncy and very cute.  She played hard and was a good little puppy, thought to be about three months old.  She slowly started getting sick and was given fluids last Wednesday night and Thursday morning.  She seemed better and even a vet who was visiting the shelter examined her and thought she was ‘okay’.  Friday, she was still sick so she was taken to the vet's office for the day to be treated.  The vet diagnosed it still as URI and nausea from the medication.  She was picked up Friday evening and had diarrhea; they tested it and it came back positive for Parvo.  So back to the vet she went on Saturday but Mostly Mutts received a call on Sunday that she had passed away.  Words can’t explain how much it hurts when a dog comes to MM and never gets a chance to find a home.

Godiva's passing will not be in vain because what happened to her can happen to any dog, especially puppies.  We want to use this blog post to educate on parvo, what it is, how it's contracted and what can be done to save your pet and family from this heartbreak.

Parvo is a virus that attacks the intestinal tract of puppies causing severe diarrhea and vomiting.  It's been around since the early '80's and is devastating because it is so highly contagious.  The virus can even live in areas for up to a year!  Parvo is spread through defecation of infected dogs and things must be bleached in order to kill the virus.  Often, both animal control and rescues deal with parvo cases and many times treatment is not successful.  Although there is a vaccine for parvo, there is no cure.  If you have a puppy, they should receive a series of shots starting as early as six weeks old and is most often referred to as a distemper vaccine.  Follow up the shot with a minimum of four booster shots in three week increments. ONLY at this time is the puppy able to safely be in areas where other dogs have defecated.

Godiva came to Mostly Mutts from an animal control facility happy and healthy.  What we didn't know was that she had been exposed to parvo at that facility and the virus was in incubation.  A week later she showed signs of the disease and within two day,s regardless of the treatment she received at the vet clinic, she passed away.

Adult dogs who have been exposed to parvo can show signs of vomiting and diarrhea but if they are vaccinated their immune system can fight the virus and they will recover without treatment.  Some puppies that get parvo can recover with fluid therapy and antibiotic treatment but it can cost well over $1000.00. Some pups are euthanized when diagnosed while some make a full recovery and won't get it again.  There is no pattern but the smaller and younger the puppy is, the more likely they will pass away.

Owners whose puppies have not completed the series of vaccines should never put their puppies on the ground where other dogs have defecated.  These areas include vet clinics, dog parks or private yards where a parvo pup has been within the last year.  Most folks aren't aware that their puppies can pick up the virus just walking into a vet clinic.  Make sure you carry your puppy whenever they are in a public area.

Parvo is a devastating disease and there are many different strains of the virus.  Some strains are mild and some are certain to lead to death.  Mostly Mutts recommends keeping puppies and adult dogs updated on vaccinations to protect them against parvo and preventing your puppy from being exposed by keeping them home or safe into fully vaccinated.

Coming This Saturday...Dillard!

Dillard

Drum roll please.....making his very first appearance at Mostly Mutts adoptions this Saturday will be Dillard!  Dillard is a big, wonderful boy looking for a family who will ooh and aah over him.  He has a heart of gold and will do anything to please his new family but he gets bored if left alone.  He is a Mastiff, a breed known for their calm and gentleness.  They are very loyal dogs and Dillard will be your new best friend if you allow him into your heart and home.  Like most of his breed, he can be a bit stubborn so he will need professional training and someone dedicated to keeping him under control.  Dillard is currently in a foster home and his foster parents say he has two speeds: laid back and goofy.  Dillard will do well with a loving and committed family with another dog but not cats.  If you're interested in seeing Dillard and finding out if he will be a good fit for you, come see him Saturday at the Town Center PetSmart between 10 am and 4pm.