This page publicizes ”special” shelter dogs who are needing a good “forever home”! 

(‘Jenny’ and ‘Ginny’ and ‘Alibi’ posting has been modified – scroll down for update)

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ADOPT MACY: 1 to 2 Year Old Shelter Dog

 Macy is an exuberant and gentle-natured, female, white and brindle-colored, Pit-mix. Found in White City, Oregon on January 24, 2010, Macy passed all the usual animal shelter  behavior tests the Jackson County Animal Shelter staff put her through, and Macy was brought into the adoption area on January 30th.

Want to see how alert and smart this 1 to 2 year old sweetheart is? Then, check out this VIDEO OF MACY. She loved discovering the animal shelter’s agility yard’s A-frame.

Macy is a strong leash puller, so she’ll need some consistent training. Also, this beautiful girl has lots of love and energy to give – more than the animal shelter has the room or time to help “mold” or “burn off.” She’s real smart, and wants to give you lots of love at every opportunity!  

If interested, go see Macy at the Jackson County Animal Shelter, located at 5595 South Pacific Highway, Phoenix, Oregon; Phone number is 541-774-6654. Office Hours are Monday thru Friday, 11 to 4; and on the weekends, 12 to 4 p.m. (Posting date: 3/16/2010).

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Doggy Dundee Announces

“Ginny is Adopted!“

 NEW UPDATE -January 2010 - After spending almost 1-1/2 years at the Jackson County Animal Shelter (JCAS) of Oregon, Ginny was finally adopted into her “forever home” in November 2009. I held off posting this because there had been a couple dud owners who ended up returning Ginny (Try keeping a straight face when a guy tells you he can’t keep the adopted dog coz the dog is not a good guard dog, won’t bark, and licks anyone who walks in the house!)

The woman who adopted Ginny reports that Ginny plays with and can outrun her older German Shephard (named Caesar), and that Ginny enjoys lounging on the sofa (we could have predicted that – matter of fact, we did!), and the woman also takes Ginny to her office each day (where clients fall over themselves to pet and spoil Ginny). The new owner even brought Ginny back to the shelter for a visit in December 2009 (Drat! I wasn’t there), and the staff reported it seems that Ginny has put on a couple pounds. So, after a real long and patient wait, Ginny is happily settled in. Good job, Ginny.

Ginny’s story remains below in tribute to a loving and very patient pit bull. 

(more photos within article)

 Ginny’s Story

Ginny is an incredible Spirit and has lived an amazing story these past couple years. Here’s her story:

 The temperature was soaring up through the high 80°s on June 18, 2008 when the skin and bones AND very pregnant pit bull was spotted running full throttle along Hwy 99 in Phoenix, OR.  Who knows how many hundreds of drivers saw and past her by, but we know one driver stopped and managed to coax the pit into his truck – then drove her straight to the animal shelter.

A glance at the emaciated stray dog - all vertebrae and ribs with a hugely evident pregnancy – spelled “bad combination” to the staff.  However, the pooch seemed amenable and sweet (and very tired), so they set up a secluded bed area walled with blankets to offer the dog a sense of security as well as comfort.  They fed her and she ate and ate trying nourish herself for the birth.

Birthing Babies

She gave birth the next morning – to 13 pups (eventually only six survived and all those were later adopted).

“The puppies were literally sucking the life out of her,” a spokesperson says. “She was so emaciated, she had nothing left but she kept caring for them and eating and drinking to build herself up.”

The staff had no idea if this mamma doggy would even be considered adoptable herself, but “She was a good mom,” a staff person tells me, “and she let us pick up and take care of the puppies and her. She just really impressed us.”

 Mary Pfister, Volunteer Coordinator for Friends of the Animal Shelter (F.O.T.A.S.) stepped-up to foster Ginny and her pups through the weaning process.  Not only did the pups have to be cared for and then socialized, but Mary also had to build Ginny back up – nourish her in body and spirit.

After the pups were weaned, Ginny continued to pass tests for adoptability and was spayed.  Back at the Shelter though, she was anxious (frantic?), and Mary stepped up to the plate again for another few weeks of care. By now, Ginny was a heart-throb. She was so mild-mannered and just super smart. “My own dog didn’t – and still hasn’t – picked up on things that came to Ginny in a snap. She laps up praise,” says Mary.

Discovering Ginny’s instinct to seriously chase small critters prompted staff to arrange training for improved adoptability. Bark Buster’s (a dog training company in Southern Oregon) volunteered to train Mary and Ginny in correct behavior and good social skills.   

A Labor of Love

So, for what was to be just a few months total of foster care, Mary had been fostering Ginny for 10+ months, making sure Ginny got out for walks and runs and also brought Ginny to the shelter where Mary works part-time. Ginny then graduated to being fine if left there overnight, demonstrating new maturity. Mary also discovered Ginny’s love of kids, and, when school trips or scout troops, were brought to the  shelter for a tour, Mary brought Ginny along for the presentation, and Ginny lapped up the love from a roomful of kids.

Time passed. A steady stream of all kinds of BIG Dogs, including all sizes of pits, including some downright “ugly” dogs (okay, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder)  had been adopted but – Cute Ginny remained in the kennel.

Who Would Adopt Ginny ?

Ginny is an Alpha female so the staff figured she would probably do best as the only dog in the household – Definitely no small dogs, cats, cute/furry things to chase, though.  She wouldn’t be a “dog park” kind of dog.

Finally, a retired fellow adopted her (and we all cheered). We started getting worried when he didn’t respond to phone calls checking on Ginny. Then, without notice, three months later he returned Ginny to the shelter, because “I can’t teach her to bark, she licks everyone, and just isn’t a good watchdog.”

More months passed, then a family with a Rottweiller and Jack Russell filled out the paperwork and someone at the shelter made the decision to approve the adoption (a bunch of us were stunned by the news so that our eyes crossed – “With A Jack Russell????”). Three days later, the family returned with Ginny, apologizing profusely. “It wasn’t her fault,” they told the staff. They said all seemed to be going slow but okay, until the previous afternoon when they witnessed their Jack Russell just full throttle attack Ginny without any provocation – Ginny backed off and gave the Jack a severe warning bark/growl. But, the family couldnn’t keep a guard on their dog, so Ginny was returned. Hurrumph!

In the intervening months between that return and her ultimate adoption in November 2009, Ginny came out of her shell even more. She suddenly began playing with balls, tossing them in the air and skillfully catching them, and chasing thrown balls and returning them to my feet (“Hmm…You’ve been holding out on us, Ginny,” I told her the first day she did that). Doggy Dundee also started jogging with Ginny daily throughout the shelter property, doing Figure-8s and other designs, and Ginny was a natural, staying right by my side and very responsive to directional signals. A perfect, and very adaptable, dog. I loved this dog immensely, as did the many other volunteers and staff of the Jackson County Animal Shelter who helped make Ginny’s adoption possible.

I’d Taught Ginny to “Kiss Me”

Oh, yes, another treat I enjoyed – Doggy Dundee always made a point to cuddle with Ginny in her shelter kennel after our play periods, and that’s when Itaught Ginny to “kiss face.” Ahhhh…heaven.  

(My heart is all aflutter!)

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Alibi “Put Down”

* UPDATE: On March 18th, 2009, only days after posting the article (below) about Alibi, he was euthanized for growling at several people (officially “showing aggressive behaviour”). I knew Alibi for about 1-1/2 months. I and others who worked and played with him daily were saddened and upset. Once a dog is “in the system” though, there are limits. To the credit of the staff, they acted only after several incidences. Yeah, I know. I have my own thoughts on the matter and will be working to try and find alternative solutions for dogs who are found friendly, pass tests, play with people and other dogs, but then weeks later start showing signs of aggression. Dogs can get a bit strained after remaining at the shelter unadopted for long periods.  (note: Alibi never bit/attacked), etc.

Before anyone gets upset at the animal shelter, though, remember Alibi was running loose when found -  He was a stray dog who had an owner who never came to claim him in over 7 weeks. “What were they thinkin’?” The thousands of lost dogs who are never found/claimed, who suffer or die was the initial inspiration for Doggy Dundee: “Never Another Lost Dog.” So, help a lost dog when you see them wandering.

Alibi’s original posting (below) is staying up in memorial coz his wiggly spirit lives on! I loved this dog.

ALIBI Wins Over Doggy Dundee!

 

 Alibi’s initial meet-and-greet look doesn’t exactly say “Hi, aren’t I cute – Let’s be friends!”  He’s got that stare, and it can be quite disquieting and LOTS of people just keep walking past his cage.  But this 80 lb. brindled Pit turns from “Staring-Scary-Looking-Dog” into the “Wacky Wiggler” when I or another volunteer enter his cage for some pets and cuddles and kisses.  He was found as a stray dog in Central Point, OR. underweight, and has been at the Jackson County Animal Shelter in Phoenix, OR since early February. He really wishes he could just find a home. He thrives on attention and has so much energy, he can barely contain himself.

Alibi wants love, attention and he’s looking for someone he can trust. However, he’s also big and very strong and needs an experienced owner without cats or young kids in the house. You’ll be paid back with enthusiastic kisses — as demonstrated below: