Robert’s had a long road since March 1. When Pets Alive pulled him he’d been sitting at the pound for three days after being hit by a car, and he was a mess. He got the best treatment – after an MRI and an ultrasound, he was rushed into surgery in the hope that he would someday walk on his own again. Sadly, that surgery does not seem to have been successful, and Robert’s mobility may be seriously compromised for the rest of his life. I have visited Robert at Pets Alive and paraplegic or not – he wants to GO! Robert has places to go, things to sniff, people to see!

Robert’s neurologist cleared him to try out a cart, which Eddie’s Wheels had offered to donate for him. Kerry, Pets Alive’s director, happened to mention to me how difficult it was to get accurate measurements on him, and I offered to drive him up so that he could be measured at the shop and try out a cart. One of my dogs uses a cart to get around and I was very glad that I had brought him to their shop to be measured; the owners and staff at Eddie’s could then really get a good look at him and figure out what might be best for him.

I got to Pets Alive early in the morning and loaded Robert into the car and we set off for Massachusetts. He was very excited to be out and about but eventually settled into a nap. At Eddie’s his measurements were taken and they brought out a test cart to see how his fit would be and to see how he would do. When we loaded him into the cart for the first time he shot across the room excitedly and crashed into a pile of carts in the showroom! We picked him up again and decided to continue outside where there was a little more room. One of the owners of Eddie’s, Leslie, shot this video after Robert had been in a cart for a grand total of about three minutes.

Robert got it – he REALLY got it – and he was off and running! After seeing him in the test cart Leslie brought out a another cart for him to try. Although Eddie’s had kindly offered to custom make and donate a cart for Robert if necessary, Leslie thought she might have the perfect cart in stock for Robert – Eddie’s frequently donates their customers’ used carts to rescues. This was important because if there was a cart in stock for Robert we would be able to leave with his cart that day instead of waiting for it to be made!

We loaded Robert into the cart and it seemed to fit him perfectly, so outside we went again to see how he did in this one.

Perfect. It fit him wonderfully, as if it has been created with him in mind, and he was instantly comfortable using it. He looked like he’d been born with wheels on. Leslie and her co-owner Eddie came out to take a look and tweak some of the settings on the cart to perfect it for him, and cross-bracing was added to the frame to make it nice and sturdy for his activity level, and that was it – Robert had his wheels!

By the time we arrived back at Pets Alive night was falling… but I had to get him in the cart one more time before bedtime. He was so excited about it, and so was I! I popped him in one last time and set him loose in the parking lot.

AWESOME – and as night was falling and it became too dark to take video, I discovered that Robert can walk Pets Alive’s dog walking trail through the New England woods!

Robert’s recovery still has a way to go – exactly what he’s capable of and exactly what care he will need long term still have yet to be settled and he still has some recovery he needs to get through, but I have seen such changes in him – from the dog I transported who was painful and in shock, with a look of desperation, to a dog who knew he was safe and loved and was determined to keep going to a dog that runs in his own special way with a look on his face that I can only describe as pure joy. I’ve now also had Robert around several other dogs and he seems quite social with them as well, another wonderful sign! Now that Robert has his wheels hopefully he can spend some time every day having fun, working up a good appetite and regaining and building his strength.

Thank you to everyone who has donated to Pets Alive to help Robert. Thank you to Pets Alive for saving him and giving him care and support and a place to heal and be helped. And thank you to Eddie’s Wheels for giving him his mobility back (follow them on Facebook, too!), especially owners Eddie and Leslie and employees Carole and Hana. I’m greatly looking forward to Robert continuing to recover and hopefully to get a home with a special person who appreciates him – he deserves it! He’s been through so much and his spirit never broke, and now he has once again found joy – and hopefully, soon, a home!

Times are difficult for rescues all over the country and we are seeing more and more shut down. As a result, the need for us to commit to, and help MORE animals each month has grown. We are looking to increase our monthly animal sponsorships to meet this increased demand on our resources, and help us save more lives. Will you help us achieve our goal of 100 new monthly pet sponsors this week? 100% of your sponsorship is used for food and medical care for the animals.

We’re not gonna lie, or sugar coat it. We NEED your help to survive. The city, town, state, government – none of them give us any money or help. We survive ENTIRELY because people like you read this, and believe in what we are doing and believe in no-kill. WANT to see no-kill, want to see an end to the inhumane slaughter of companion animals that come to shelters because they are down on their luck and they need help.

The help they get in most shelters, is to be killed. We are determined to put an end to that. We work toward it every day.

Please consider sponsoring a pet. Your monthly donation of just $18 (three cups of gourmet coffee) will help us to save the life of an animal every single month. Please consider taking this step. We need you, and more importantly THEY need you. When they come to a shelter, starving, cold, scared and hurt, we promise you – and we promise them – that we will extend our hand, pick them up, and help them. We will not walk them to a back room and kill them. Please help us. They deserve it. We need your support.

GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY: http://www.petsalive.com/furball

WE NEED THIS SUPPORT!

It’s also that time of the year again!
The Annual Pets Alive Spring Yard Sale is just around the corner.

The sale this year will be June 5th and 6th – so make sure to save that date.

Help the animals of Pets Alive by donating items for us to sell.

Suggested items are:

• Household Items
• Children’s Items
• Clothing
• Sporting Equipment
• Knick Knacks
• Pet Related Items
• Holiday Items
• New and Used Items
• Craft Items
• Books
• Movies
• Music

Please note the following:

1. Drop off donations any day between the hours of 10-3pm in the kennel lobby.
2. Mark your donation(s) as Yard Sale Item(s) labels will be available in the lounge if you need some.
3. Please observe the cut-off date for donations: Saturday, May 8th.
4. ***For large item donations*** – Please schedule a drop off time with Becky. Email her at becky@petsalive.com. (Guideline for definition of “large item”: if you are not sure, assume it’s large.)

Thank you in advance for what we are sure will be a huge success!

The Yard Sale Divas – Debbie, Debby, Kim, Yvonne and Becky

Well…a little conversation with Carl, and then going to see for myself (with Matt) put a lot of misconceptions to light.  I’d like to address them one by one because at first I felt so badly for this family but now I’m kind of outraged about the untruths going around, and the resultant smearing of the name of an organization that, from my eyes, is pretty incredible.  Head and shoulders above what you might think.  First, let’s address the mistruths, and then let me tell you a little about the Orange County K-9 Unit.

It was stated that Hunter, the dog, was now being held at the Training Unit, huddled in the back of his run, deeply depressed and refusing to eat.

Well.  Nothing could be further from the truth. Hunter has a new handler, and I met him today.  His name is Jordan.   Deputy Jordan Forbes. Jordan is such a likable guy, I know I should refer to him as Deputy Forbes, but honestly this guy is someone you could hang out with, and watch a football game with. He is genuine and sincere.  His smile is ear to ear the entire time he works with Hunter.  It is evident in every action and every movement he LOVES working with Hunter and Hunter adores him back.  The training is based on positive rewards – the dog does what is asked of him (like sniffing out some bomb material) then he gets play time. Tug of war, or jumping and playing around with his handler.

Let me tell you about Jordan.  Jordan so wanted to be a part of this program, he bought a HOUSE. Seriously.  He lived in an apartment, and he wanted to work with the K-9′s and Carl felt that an apartment wasn’t the ideal situation for a K-9 dog.  So Jordan bought a HOUSE to better his chances of getting to work with a dog.   How’s that for someone that REALLY REALLY loves dogs?  And he got it too.  He got Hunter, when Hunter’s previous handler reneged on his commitment to the department. I’ll tell you more about that later but let me explain that Hunter lives with Jordan now and he goes home with him every single night.  Jordan’s mom made Hunter a HUGE bed.  It could fit THREE Hunter’s and it is at the foot of Jordan’s bed.  They are always together.   That is true of EVERY dog in the unit.  There is not a single dog that lives at the kennel.  Every single one goes home with their handlers, and live with them and their families.  The handlers can (and do) stay in the unit for the entire length of the dog’s involvement and then the dog can retire with them.

We also met Sergeant Dave Campbell.  He has been with his dog for ten years.  His dog is nearing retirement age, so he is now working with Scout, his next generation dog.  His older dog, Max, will retire and continue to live with him and his family. Then he will continue in the unit, with the new dog he has that is currently being trained now.  So the facts are that you CAN stay the only handler your dog ever has.  You CAN have them retire with you and then you can CONTINUE to work in this department with a new dog and have BOTH dogs live at home with you.  But this is a commitment YOU need to make if you join this unit.

Sergeant Dave is actually the one that does the interviews to get into the unit. He discusses the seriousness of entering into the unit and he – yes – he even discusses the bond you develop with your dog and how important it is that you  commit to a minimum of four years, preferably for the whole time the dog is in the unit, because of this bond.  Every person going in knows this and is made aware of the situation.  These guys want and expect you to stay with your dog for his duration in the K-9 unit. Sometimes things happen where you have to move on and they understand that – but they STILL expect, and require, a minimum of a four year commitment.

Deputy Josefovitz wasn’t retiring.  He wasn’t moving away.  He was quitting the department and going somewhere else and wanted to take the dog with him.

Hunter is tremendously valuable to the Orange County sheriff”s department.  He ranked number 2 out of 38 teams, this past January,   in the United States Police Canine Region 7 Explosive Detector Certification Trial held in Danbury, CT.  The USPC Region 7 Trial is a rigorous test of a dog’s physical and investigative abilities. The dog that took number one is actually the number one dog in the entire nation.  The ONLY dog to beat Hunter. He is an amazing resource for them and they simply could not give him up because Josefovitz decided he didn’t want the job anymore.

And as for Hunter wallowing in misery and fear at the back of his run? Well, first there is no run that he lives in and second do these pictures look like a dog that is miserable?   No.  He appeared to be very happy.  Believe me – I can tell happy dog, from miserable dog.  I do this all day. This is one happy dog.

That’s another thing.  All the dogs here have come from a long line of dogs that were bred specifically for police work.  They aren’t your average family pet.  That is not to say that they are vicious – actually the ones we met today were also used in community relations.  These are great dogs, but they are trained and they are bred to have very high prey instinct.  They are bred to work and they are happiest working.  I understand that both Josefovitz and his wife work all day.  Hunter would have sat home, alone, for eight plus hours a day.  A dog that worked or trained every day of his life and is just six years old.  Maybe less than half his life expectancy.  He has many  good years left and seeing him work, play and train and how motivated and happy and excited he was, I can’t imagine him laying around in front of a fire waiting for someone to come home…and take him for a walk. This guy was so focused…I stood right next to him and all he was interested in was the next fun thing he and Jordan were about to do. Barely noticed me, even though I had rubbed myself entirely in baloney before I went there. OK, that’s a joke, but he really didn’t much care about me, or being pet.  He was focused, intent, and ready to go.

Additionally…ALL the dogs there were REALLY humanely treated.  They have kennels right there – heated and immaculate – because the dogs need frequent breaks. They don’t overwork them or stress them.  It was routine today to hear someone say “That was great!  He did great!  Put him up for a while, let him rest”.   And off they’d go. When the dogs MISSED their cues I held my breath. Expecting a rough snap, a harsh NO or something else.  I was pleasantly surprised.  The dog might get a light “no” if they got even that, instead they didn’t get the toy or the play reward. They just did it again. When they did it right, they got tug of war or rough housing or jumping and playing with their handler, and lots of happy verbal praise.  I couldn’t stop grinning the whole time I was there.  The dogs were HAPPY. The handlers were HAPPY. It was a happy, pleasant place.  Not because I was there either.  No one really paid us any mind, if they even noticed we were there at all.

As I said, every handler takes his dog home every night.  There are no dogs that live there or stay there. They love these dogs.  When Sergeant Campbell was talking about his dogs, he got a half smile on his face and a faraway look in his eye the entire time he was talking about them.  I see a LOT of fake “I love my dog” people as they come here to try to dump them on us “Oh but I LOVE him SO much” and lots of crocodile tears and you know as soon as they drive away they go shopping and never look back.  I KNOW phony. This was real. You can’t fake this.  This guy…LOVES his dogs.  That’s the thing. They all do. The dogs aren’t just possessions.  Objects of the county or state.  They are FRIENDS to these handlers, pals and brethren.

Remember  Zeus, the New Paltz police dog killed in a crash involving two patrol cars?  Many of these guys got tattoos to memoralize him and all went to his “funeral”.  Did you know that Zeus was treated just as an officer would have been?  He was AIR lifted to an emergency hospital to try to save him. These guys care. They honor and respect their dogs.  These photos hang under a sign that says RETIRED / DECEASED.

They care about Hunter. Deeply. No dog in the Orange County Sheriff’s department has ever died in the Line of Duty.  When I asked them that question every single one knocked on wood.  They said “No, NEVER” and knocked on wood. That’s twenty years.  They never lost a single one.  They did all turn out though for the memorial service of Zeus.  That’s how important these dogs are to them – on a PERSONAL level.  I know many of our volunteers also attended those services.

In regards to Hunter being sick and elderly with a heart condition and hind end trouble?  Well, their vet is Flannery Animal Hospital.  We use Flannery for anything our local vet, Dr. Furman (Monhagen Veterinary) can’t handle at his office.  We have always found them to be professional, extremely experienced and a pleasure to work with. They have given Hunter a 100% clean bill of health.  His heart condition is a minor murmur.  My dog has a stage five murmur…VERY serious.  We still let him run and play and he can handle just about anything. A stage one would be relatively minor and Hunter has probably had it for years. It would be no reason to retire him.  Also a dog with back hind end issues couldn’t do the things I saw Hunter doing with zest and glee today.  He’d be sore and achy.  I have had MANY dogs with hind end issues and we have had many here at Pets Alive. This dog didn’t have any of that.

So I’m not sure what we’re left with.  The fact that they offered the county $7000 for the dog?  I find that very noble, and a wonderful, gracious gesture.   The problem, unfortunately is that it isn’t about money.  It costs much more than that to train a dog to the level Hunter is and the facts are that they need this dog. He is an integral part of the unit.  Hunter was never a price tag to this department.

The easiest solution it appears to me would be for Josefovitz to just have followed through with the commitment and promise he made when he took the job.  Then he would still be with Hunter, he would still be a part of the unit and his dog would have retired with him, and poor Deputy Jordan would be living in a new house, with a huge dog bed and still waiting for his chance (smile).  But yes, I DO feel and recognize the emotional side of it and I DO sympathize with that.  Anyone who has ever had a dog would recognize that.  But the dog could still be with him.  In my opinion, he made these choices himself that resulted in him being without the dog.   Should the Sheriff’s Department be smeared as a result? I think that’s unfair.

I find the coverage grossly exaggerated and uneven.  That’s why I’m writing this blog.   There is a huge other side to this that just isn’t being presented.

I’ll always be on the side of the animal.

In this case – after what I’ve seen today?  Hunter is deleriously happy.  He’s doing what he absolutely loves to do and he is spending every day with a group of people that really love him.

So that’s my take on it.

Trust me, this dog is not abused, mistreated or anywhere near ready to retire.

He’s loving life, loving work, and at the end of the day laying in a big bed with the guy who I’d guess is gonna be retiring him one day and where he’ll spend his golden years…and be copiously wept over when he does finally pass ……. by a bunch of burly guys in blue.

Go Hunter.

Thank you for your service to our community.

It’s the holiday season at Pets Alive. There’s a foot of snow on the ground here in Middletown, New York and more is falling right now. Pets
Alive is 80 acres of magic, and this is the most magical time of the year. Boxes of cookies and treats appear out of nowhere, and this is
the time when we receive cards and letters from all of the wonderful people who saved the lives of the animals in our care.

The wall in the Brick House outside our office becomes speckled with photos of the animals who found their forever homes this year, a sea of
smiling faces — human, canine, feline and even equine. We all have memories of the people and animals that we’ve met so briefly here this
year, and we all have those special memories of the animals and people we will never forget. It’s amazing to read the cards, look at the
pictures and get that feeling again, remembering and sharing a special moment that warmed us months ago, a respite from the weariness that
sometimes casts its shadow around here.

It’s those moments that leave their imprints on our hearts, amidst the time away from our families and loved ones — the missed birthdays and
other occasions, the inquiries from our friends and families asking us where we’ve been, the understanding spouses, the getting up in the
middle of the night to meet a transport of scared dogs that were headed for the gas chamber or a deadly needle. The endless stream of animals
needing our help that never seems to slow down.

The gnawing in the pit of our stomachs every time we worry about where the next month’s funds are going to come from.

This is Matt, sitting here in my family room, typing this on my computer. Roscoe, the dog with the 2 luxating patellas that needed
expensive surgery is curled up next to me on the couch, and Tyson, the little black dog that I picked up from a transport and fell in love with
immediately is snoring peacefully on the other side of me.

Kerry is at home anxiously awaiting the arrival of a transport of 14 dogs that were headed for the gas chamber in North Carolina. She was
outside earlier in the snow with her 4 dogs, including Jake, the puppy saved from a needle in Georgia, and Scrumpy, the one-of-a-kind Corgi mix
who is “awkwardly designed,” with his front legs shorter than his back ones and other interesting features. He’s only alive because of a
clerical error. It’s quite a story and he’s quite a dog.

There are a year’s worth of stories here thanks to the generous support of people like you. We often speak of how fortunate we are to be here
at Pets Alive, and we truly feel like we have the best jobs in the world.

As the Pets Alive employees and volunteers pass the door of our office they stop to read the cards and letters on the wall, contemplating their
own personal favorites. We will often hear people sharing those stories, remembering an animal that touched their heart. It makes us
smile.

We appreciate your support and ask that you continue to support us in the coming year. We have some funding challenges and it’s one of our
biggest worries for 2009. Share some cheer this holiday and donate to Pets Alive. Your help is what keeps us going.

You can donate here:

As we take a day or two off with our families we will take a few moments to reflect on our success this year and all of you who have made it
possible. Thank you to everyone who adopted an animal this year, to Rob and Marisol Thomas for their help, both financial and spiritual. Thanks
to all of our generous volunteers and supporters. We truly can’t do this without you. We love you all.

Thank you for the cards, emails, notes, telephone calls, pictures and other expressions of your support and affection. We read them all and they have made
a tremendous impact on us. One of the donation checks that came in this week had a blue post-it note attached to it that said “I’m SO GLAD you didn’t go under.”

Yes ma’am. So are we.

From our families to yours, and from our Pets Alive family to yours, we wish you a joyful holiday season and look forward to a 2009 where we can save more animals
and make more of an impact on the community and the country.

Kerry Clair & Matt DeAngelis
Pets Alive Executive Co-Directors
And the entire Pets Alive staff

Pets Alive currently needs to fill two positions — a cat caretaker and a horse caretaker. If you are interested in working with animals and can start almost immediately, please email us your resume and a note on why you want this job to: info@petsalive.com.

Cat Caretaker
This position is 36 hours a week and the hours are somewhat flexible to help fit your schedule. The main job is really cleaning, and not playing with cats, so please recognize that. You MUST have no allergies to cats or cleaning products, and be able to work outside as we do have a feral cat area that also needs cleaning and care, even in the winter and the rain. The pay is $10 an hour and we offer corporate benefits only (you can pay for a discounted health plan if you choose to).

Position Summary:
Working within a team setting to oversee the health, well being, and general care of cats.

Essential Duties:

• Preparing food (including special diets; feeding, watering, and medicating cats.
• Socializing with cats, light grooming, watching behavioral issues, feeding patterns, and creating a positive living environment.
• Cleaning work areas and preserving physical appearance of cat buildings and grounds: litter box cleaning, sweeping, dusting, mopping, trash removal, scrubbing, etc.
• Working and interacting with visitors and volunteers: assigning work, answering questions, promoting Pets Alive’s mission, and assisting with their needs.
• Monitoring overall health and behavior of animals and reporting changes/concerns to manager.
• Other duties as assigned.

Experience / Requirements:

• Must work with a positive outlook, be upbeat, energetic, and take initiative.
• Strong desire to work with cats. Previous experience a plus.
• Experience in interacting with the general public.
• Ability to professionally advocate Pets Alive’s positions on issues.
• Basic computer skills helpful.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to routinely lift 40 to 50 pounds.
• Must be able to work in all weather conditions.

Horse Caretaker

Description of Duties:

• Attend meetings and provide staff with updates.
• Support company and department standards, procedures and strategic directives.
• Oversee the ordering of supplies, food and medication for the department.
• Perform caregiving duties, feeding, grooming, and maintain a clean working environment.
• Monitor, evaluate and document farrier work.
• Monitor overall health and behavior of animals and report changes/concerns to manager and appropriate individuals/systems.
• Create a healthy and positive living environment for the animals.
• Assist in transporting of animals as requested.
• Interact with volunteers, interns and visitors; answer questions and assist with their needs.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications/Experience:

• A working knowledge of horses with proven ability to promote a positive, cooperative work environment.
• High level of interpersonal skills. The ideal person for this job is a team player, personable, professional, positive, energetic, proactive, tactful and diplomatic.
• Able to perform strenuous work in adverse and hot weather conditions.
• Able to lift 60 pounds.