Dear Family and Friends:

Rescuing good temperament dogs and placing them in permanent homes has become a personal mission of mine. In late 2008 I became President of 4 Paws Pet Rescue and continue to evaluate and place dogs and puppies in permanent homes that would have been otherwise euthanized or may have been left to fend for themselves. The shelters often have no choice but to "put to sleep" healthy and VERY adoptable pets because of overcrowding, lack of space or treatable health issues that deem them unadoptable.

Poor Rowdy was turned into the Oakland shelter because of a very treatable skin condition that was left untreated. She came to us with almost no hair on her body and open weeping wounds. A minor skin parasite that could have been cleared up with a month long treatment became hundreds of dollars in vet bills and months of treatment that 4 Paws has taken on. She now has a full lush head of hair and is weeks away from going up for adoption. I am completely smitten with her happy-go-lucky attitude and can't wait to find her the home of her dreams.

Vegas was surrendered to the rescue after his owner's home was foreclosed and he had a matter of days to find the dog a new home. His owner didn't even realize that Vegas had massive scarring on his eyes due to eye infections, a skin infection and ear infections so severe that the vet could not even fit the scope in his ear canals
because of swelling. Vegas's adoption fee didn't even begin to cover the amount of money paid for his vet bills. However, he is now healthy and in a loving home with another pug as a companion.

I will be leaving January 21st to backpack part of The Florida Trail which goes from the Miami area to Pensacola. I will "Hike for the Hounds" in an attempt to generate donations for the rescue. The complete trail is 1100 miles and I hope to cover at least 300 miles of it. I intend to raise $1000 to help support this non-profit rescue group that works year round to help save dogs and is supported fully by tax-deductible donations. The money raised can go to medical bills and spay and neuter costs so that many more dogs can continue to be rescued in the future. The funds generated will literally save innocent lives.

Completing at least 300 miles and raising $1000 is important to me. Please consider a donation; any amount you can give is greatly appreciated. Again, all donations are tax deductible. Please send donation checks to the address listed above, made out to 4 Paws Pet Rescue. You will receive a donation letter with the tax i.d. for write-off purposes shortly thereafter.

Thank you again for your compassion and support. I would also like to thank the small number of volunteers, fosters, employees and my husband that have made it possible for me to go on this adventure. Thanks to them, the rescue can continue to care for and adopt out dogs while I am hiking. We strive to have all our rescue dogs live in foster homes until permanent homes can be found and have a wonderful small group of fosters that have taken these responsibilities on. They are all unpaid volunteers and do it for the sheer love of a dog and knowledge that we have made a difference in that dog's life. Feel free to follow my blogged process at www.gospotgo.wordpress.com .

Sincerely,

Tina Roy
President
4 Paws Pet Rescue

Wishing you all a safe and prosperous New Year! Save a life in the New Year, adopt a shelter pet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWiXy55OHyY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QvskkbzKXM

We each need a nice family http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12366597

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12487708

Make 2009 a special year for a Shelter Pet - adopt, volunteer and/or donate!

Puppies who have not received their full series of vaccinations should never be taken into public where their feet will touch the ground (sidewalk, park, marina, etc); nor let out to use a dog run where other dogs patronize the grounds. Even puppies who have begun their vaccinations should still be kept away from other dogs or ground where other dogs have patronized. Sometimes when vaccinations are begun too soon, the mothers' maternal antibodies can impede the efficacy of the initial vaccinations. Better to keep the pup separate until the full course of vaccinations have occurred.
For adult dogs, some Vets are now doing "titer tests". This is a test that measures the amount of immunity that your dog has from previous vaccinations. While an expensive test, it is highly recommended if you can get one. Over vaccination is thought to be the cause of many medical and/or allergic issues in dogs.

Parvo is a live virus and can live indefinitely on anything including your shoes and clothes (brought into the house). The only cleaning agent that can kill the parvovirus is bleach. For this reason, it is very important that you protect your puppy from exposure. Always wash your hands with soap, water and a drop of bleach if you have been handling any other dogs, as the parvovirus is highly contagious

Please folks, do not buy any food products that come from China or have any ingredients that come from China. They are not safe.

If you don't speak spanish, you probably aren't going to understand the "language" but the visual message is clear.

If you ever think that your dog doesn't know what is going on around him, if you think that when you abandon him at the pound or worse yet out on the road somewhere, remember this video. Remember too, that each dog that walks the "dead dog" walk at the local pound, knows what is happening to them.

Save a life. Adopt a shelter dog. If you cannot adopt, help a Rescue with donations so that they can save as many from the local shelters as possible.

This little guy has a special need. He has epilepsy. This condition is treatable with medication.

If you are able to give little "Mister" a home - adults only - please contact the Rescue and arrange to meet him in person and see if he'd be compatible with your lifestyle.

Chihuahuas Rule!!!!

It is such a small correction in an otherwise horrible existence for these animals.
However, small, it is a step forward.

The letter is spreading false propaganda about Proposition 2.

Proposition 2 is NOT about forcing the egg producers to have Range/Cage free hens, it is about increasing the SIZE OF THE CAGE.

From the California Secretary of State Web Site:

"Beginning January 1, 2015, this measure prohibits with certain exceptions the confinement on a farm of pregnant pigs, calves raised for veal, and egg-laying hens in a manner that does not allow them to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs. Under the measure, any person who violates this law would be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment in county jail for up to six months."

What really angers me is when false propaganda is spread to the Public and when the opposition uses lying tactics with an emotional slant such as the current TV ad portraying a sick child. The ad is an insult to the intelligence of people.

On another note, with regard to the Reporter editorial on Prop. 2 ("Not for voters: Let Legislature make law"), October 20, 2008, the editorial staff states that they agree with the sentiment behind Proposition 2 but they feel that the fight is better served at the legislative level.

If the ground was level at the Legislature, that would be fine. But the ground is far from level at the Legislature.

I would like to remind the editors at the Reporter that the Ag Industry has millions of dollars and they have lobbyists on regular retainer. And we, the Public, know the power of lobbyists, don't we?

Those of us who advocate for the humane treatment of animals do not have the number of lobbyists nor do we have the funds that the Ag Industry has behind it, Plain and simple.

The Reporter continues on with the statement "Caging came about because of sanitation and safety issues having to do with the birds and the consumers who eat the eggs".

I would again point out to the Reporter that Proposition 2 is not about range/cage free requirements; it is about larger cages. The hens are still confined in cages and the same "sanitation and safety issues" are still in place, just in larger cages.

The treatment of these animals has been secret for years. Except for those in humane animal work who have dared to go undercover and expose the industry for what it does, this horrible treatment would have remained silent. This is just plain wrong.

The Proponents of #2 want the people to hear the truth and decide how they want their food harvested. Is a bigger cage to much to ask?

This is my personal opinion: It really isn't about the cost to retool for the larger cages, it's about the fact that larger cages take up more room and it either reduces the number of hens or causes the egg producers to have a larger facility.

All the Public has to do in this instance is, to coin a phrase, "follow the money".

http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/egg_industry_sued_for_deceiving_consumers_100908.html

Take a look - what do YOU think?

http://www.cal-eggs.com/

So, the Opponents of Proposition 2 have this TV commercial.

Everyone knows that compassionate people take note of sick children.

This is why the Opposition portrays a sick child in their ad. Scare tactics. Supposedly, the child is sick because Proposition 2 passed. Using a child makes their point more poignant.

The ad scares you by telling you that the cost of this measure will increase the amount you pay for your eggs and that your eggs will be trucked in from Mexico and full of disease. Do you honestly believe that the egg producers are not going to give up their billion dollar a year industry to Mexico because they don't want to provide bigger cages. What a bunch of baloney.

Just think about all those egg producers that already provide humane conditions for their hens? You can buy your eggs from them right now and be done with these other producers.

But this commercial isn't going to fool me in the least and it should not fool you either.

Proposition 2, if passed, will not lead to children falling ill - or anyone for that matter. I find that claim an insult to the intelligence of people. . Does anyone really believe that by requiring the animal farming industry to increase the size of the cage that it is going to put a dent in their profits? Oh, please.

Remember, this Proposition IS NOT about making the poultry industry abolish the use of cages. It merely sets a standard for the size of the cage in which the hen (calves and gestating pigs) can be confined.

Please, don't be fooled by the propaganda put forth by the egg and animal farming industry. This is about BIGGER CAGES and more humane treatment of calves and gestation pigs.

http://www.eggindustry.com/

In California, there are several propositions on the ballot that will be addressing many issues, but there is just one that is near and dear to my heart. That is Proposition 2.

The horror that animals endure to bring food to the market is astonishing. There was a time in my life that I was not aware of what went on in the animal farming industry. I think that there are many people who don't realize what goes on. People can be cruel to one another but when it comes to animals, the hearts of many people go out to them and want to help them. I know this because of what I have witnessed while doing rescue of homeless dogs. People love animals of all types. So, it isn't a far stretch of the imagination to think that given a choice, people would choose to have their animal food products come from humane producers.