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If you are thinking about adopting a pet from a shelter or rescue, you may not realize that organizations that adopt out dogs can vary widely in their values and practices. Here are some tips to help you evaluate a shelter or rescue when considering adoption. Do you know the difference between a a humane society, shelter, rescue organization, a pound and a “no-kill” shelter? If you don't read our article so you will know...

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Humane societies, shelters, rescue organizations, pounds and "no-kill" shelters are all involved in rescuing animals. They rescue or receive animals that have been abused, abandoned, lost, or given up by their owners (due to hardship or other reasons). Each outfit will have their own way of operating their organizations and caring for the animals they receive. Their educational outreach initiatives, community involvement and adoption policies will also vary from one another. Before you adopt a...

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More on helping homeless dogs get adopted: Help us network dogs available for adoption from DogHeirs members   When shelter dogs are networked for potential adoption or foster, the most striking and memorable qualities of the dog are the dog's name, breed and photo. There's nothing anyone can do to change the breed of a dog, but evidence suggests that careful attention to the quality of the photo representing the dog, as well as the...

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Arnold and DearHeart are a pitbull and chihuahua pair that are looking for adoption through the Bill Foundation in Santa Monica, California.  Arnold was left behind after his family had lost their home. For almost a month he wandered his neighborhood streets and deserted home looking for them while slowly starving. He was finally brought to Bill Foundation by a concerned neighbor. By that time he was already severely traumatized and sad and had a...

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A couple of months ago, Iraq war veteran Brian Hallows read a news story about a dog that had been saved by Open Arms Rescue WNY from a shelter in Ohio, after the dog had suffered sexual abuse at the hands of her owner.  Aurora, a sweet German Shepherd mix, had been looking for a home since the summer. "[After] what she's been through is amazing that she can be so loving and so affectionate...

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A golden-retriever mix, who was found shot and in critical condition on Viejas Indian Reservation in San Diego last month, has been adopted by a loving family. The 18-month old dog had been seen roaming near the reservation, prior to a passerby and member of the Viejas tribe, finding him wounded and lying by the roadside. A single bullet had traveled through the dog’s chest and out the other side. County Animal Services personnel rushed...

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http://www.dogheirs.com/two4ever2002/clippings Rocky needs a new home, he is neutered, has a chip and is well behaved. His master passed away and a freind took him in and now he is moving to a new city, and cannot have pets.  Rocky is a sweetheart! Please help. Rocky is an awesome friend, he needs you.

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Story Update July 5, 2012 Red the pit bull was adopted by Dawn Schaible after two years of waiting for a new home. "He's been through a lot and it hasn't even changed his temperament at all," says Dawn, who took the gentle dog with special needs to her home in Stockton, Illinois. He has settled in nicely with his new family. He stops and smells the flowers, has many admirers, and is the sweetest dog...

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British couple Zane and Nina Kanderian were working in Afghanistan when they accidentally hit a stray dog. Mr. Kanderian said: "A child threw a rock at the dog and it ran into the path of the car. Seconds later we saw the dog lying on the road with a broken back, so using the car mats, we scooped her up."Mr Kanderian said he and his wife couldn't just leave the dog injured in the street....

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Susan Swaim at Faithful Friends Animal Sanctuary received a call from Rowan County Animal shelter recently. "I have two special American heroes here," Swaim remembers hearing. "I think you're going to want to see them." Swaim is operation manager at the North Carolina based-rescue and mother to a U.S. Marine corporal who served in Afghanistan. She listened to the story of Sgt. Woody and Sgt. Raka, a pair of retired Army dogs, and knew she...

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Scotland's "saddest dog" has finally found a forever family. The Scottish SPCA dubbed a two-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier as the "saddest dog in Scotland" because of the extraordinary length of time the dog had spent with them. The dog named Scooby had been living in kennels for over 15 months, longer than any other animal that they looked after, and over half his life. Staff at the Aberdeenshire Rehoming and Rescue Centre feared he was...

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Mumbai is a city of 12 million people, where half the population lives in slum conditions. Life is very hard and survival is an everyday challenge. That's why what nine children did to help a stray dog was incredibly special and heartwarming.  In Andheri, Mumbai, a group of children living got together to rescue a stray dog, changing his life forever. The nine children between the ages of 8 and 15 years old, decided to...

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Little Sa, newly groomed, is now safe at her new forever home in China with one of the cyclists who adopted her. Little Sa, the stray dog who journeyed nearly 2000 kilometres through mountain terrain from China to Tibet, has safely arrived at her new home. Zhang Heng, one of the cyclists who made the epic journey with the loyal stray, arranged to have Little Sa flown to their home in Wuhan, Hubei province. She...

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Butterscotch is a pit bull / Labrador Retriever mix who was abused and badly neglected prior to being rescued by PAWS of Hertford County, North Carolina. Nurtured back to health by a loving team, Butterscotch and has been learning new things, like dock diving! He will be participating at Harborfest Dock Dog competition on June 10, 2012, where he hopes to find his forever home.

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Former military dogs Raka and Woody have both been adopted to loving homes.  The two golden Labrador Retrievers arrived at in April, after their previous owner had to give them up. Faithful Friends, a rescue in North Carolina ended up taking the two dogs in.  Shelley Swaim, operations manager at the rescue, initially tried to track down the dogs' original handlers. But she discovered the retired bomb-sniffing dogs had served in Iraq with Sabre, a...

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Pilot Jeff Bennett recently celebrated moving his 1000th rescue dog as part of his volunteer work for Pilots N Paws. Rex, a floppy-eared, mixed-breed puppy was picked up by Bennett on his latest rescue run. Bennett kissed the pup's snout and hugged him tight. For the past three and a half years, the 53-year-old retired businessman has volunteered for the Pilots N Paws program in the United States. He donates his time, plane and fuel to...

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A shockingly disfigured Chihuahua name Rosie was rescued from a backyard breeder on June 20th, 2012. Her rescuer, Cinnamon Muhlbauer, fell in love with the neglected dog and decided to adopt Rosie. Cinnamon says that given her history, she deserved a lifetime of love and adoration. "Rosie will need special care throughout her life, but she is worth the extra effort," Muhlbauer said in an interview with Dogster. Rosie's Facebook fan page tells the following...

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In June, the ASPCA and New York police seized 47 dogs, including puppies, from a Bronx basement apartment where they were allegedly being trained to fight in an illegal dog fighting operation. The rescued dogs were found starving, scarred and bloodied by the abusive conditions they were forced into and many wondered whether they would eventually be able to live happy lives. Read the story of the rescue here, including comments from concerned readers. Since June, the...

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I've decided to start a weekly blog feature called Dogs In Need, and I'm kicking it off with a handsome boy who's waiting in New York City. Meet Chico!   Chico is in the Manhattan shelter in New York City, awaiting a safe and loving forever home. Chico is also blind, but he does pretty well getting around by using his other senses.     Chico is 2 years old, and is a complete love...

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As I've written before, I'm a shelter volunteer at the Humane Society for Hamilton County, which is located in Noblesville, Indiana (a suburb of Indianapolis). That's also where you'll find handsome KEN. Ken is a 3 year old American Staffordshire mix who was surrendered to the shelter in March 2012 when his pregnant owner felt she could no longer handle him due to his size.  Ken is 64 pounds of love, and is very sociable...

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Although I focus on shelter dogs every day of every month, my blog will be especially focused this month because October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. If you are unable to adopt a shelter dog, you might wonder what you can do this month (and every month) to make shelter dogs' lives a little happier. Well, let me give you some ideas! 1) Donate your Facebook status and help network shelter dogs in need....

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A lovable pit bull who has spent her first three years of life at the Gulf Coast Humane Society (GCHS) is looking for a forever home. Three years ago, the tiny pit bull puppy named Mara was abandoned and picked up by Lee County Domestic Animal Services. When the shelter ran out of space to keep the puppy, they contacted the Gulf Coast Humane Society (GCHS), a no-kill shelter in Fort Myers, Florida, in order...

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A Rottweiler is in need of a home after surviving a horrific incident that saw his owner stabbed to death and his brother shot. Zeus is a Rottweiler who lived with his owner Thomas Verdi in Cape Coral. On December 17, Thomas was killed by his teenage son. The boy had been exhibiting bizarre behavior a few weeks before the crime. Zeus' brother was shot by police officers responding to the emergency, after the dog...

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Although I've been an animal lover all my life, I didn't become actively involved in rescue until January of 2012.  Used to be, I wouldn't have imagined I was even capable of working in rescue. You see, I was one of those people who, when that Sarah McLachlan ASPCA commercial would come on the television, would change the channel. I couldn't watch it. I couldn't bear to even think about what those poor animals must have endured. But then I realized...

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This weekend, almost 100 puppies and dogs saved from puppy mills and an overcrowded shelter are up for adoption at the North Shore Animal League headquarters in Port Washington, New York. The dogs range in age from puppies to adults, and include: Shih Tzus, Maltese, Schnauzers, King Charles Cavaliers, Yorkshire Terriers, French Bull Dogs, Poodles, mixed breeds and one Shar-Pei named Ruffles. The Animal League and National Mill Dog Rescue joined forces and saved 66...

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A Maltese-poodle mix who saved a 7-month-old puppy from a coyote attack is looking for a new home. The 2-year-old dog named Sophie bravely stepped in front of the puppy named Lulu when she spotted a coyote in the family's back yard. Sophie was bitten on the neck, shoulder and side. Her courageous actions protected the pup from any harm. Family members heard the commotion and came in time to drive off the coyote. They...

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DC SIR Rescue Story! Please watch this video which illustrates the wonders of rescue, fostering and adoption.  It is a true story of how our rescue saved a very special Shiba Inu.  

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Another DC SIR Rescue Story!  This video follows the story of one rescue dog from being pulled from a shelter through adoption into a forever home.  Please consider opening your home to a rescue!

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Roshi was adopted and is living in a wonderful forever home! Please watch Roshi's Wish.. Roshi is a beautiful 2 year old pure bred Jindo in search of his forever home.  Roshi is terrific with other dogs and just loves to give kisses!  

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